[2025 EDIT: Please give a listen to the shadow response podcast to this show, The Political Scene Scene. It is excellent and brings nutrition to the empty calories that these three dish out.] The new team of Mayer, Glasser & Osnos is nearly unlistenable. The thoughtfulness of the previous hosts is gone, replaced by ‘insider’ credulous gossip and surface level hot takes. The show opens with the obligatory podcast ‘off mic’ efforts to humanize the team, but their hackneyed clichés about the merits of the everything bagel come across as trying too hard to prove their humanity hasn’t been scripted by ChatGPT. It might have entertained in 2014, but in this world it is a useless mess. Follow-up after listening to the Iraq War anniversary episode. Glasser’s memory of the war was how shocked she was that the government was incompetent. How could any reporter in that position have been shocked? Mayer talked about all the high status folks she was around at the time who were also ultimately caught off guard. I don’t see any evidence of self reflection or change in their approach to covering the news. These folks are all about their in-crowd status to the detriment of any useful insight. All the other writers and interviews in this feed are excellent, but this core trio is useless.

Biden/Trump coverage—what is urgent to cover NOW. The retrospective on Biden and his Presidency is NOT the same as what’s happening in this White House. The past age cover up of Biden versus today’s WH corruption, anti-constitutionality and Trumps lying and/or mental health issues are not the same. Are not worthy of equal coverage today. The former should be left to educators and historians, the latter is for our journalists if they are to uphold the 4th estate and serve. Please. Urgency!

Enjoy the show, but you folks are deluded if you are really concerned about press coverage of Trump’s age-related decline when the press (you too) has refused for years to cover the elephant in the room that is his mental illness/narcissistic personality disorder. Grow a pair.

….and the Challenges of Covering an Aging President. Excellent discussion. You all are the best! Should be required listening for all Americans!

Enjoyed this episode-very thoughtful reporting BTW - I also really miss Evan, Susan & Jayne

I miss hearing Jane, Susan, and Evan more regularly on Fridays. A highlight of my week, especially right now. Hope the frequency will return.

slotkin is really full of herself. for me, as a long time dem, i can’t stand her.

I blame no one person or people’s. IMHO what a sad shame that regularly great researched information involving multiple fact checks has to date led to little significant political and/or organizations actions to address some many inappropriate/often blatantly illegal actions. Let’s hope this great reporting leads to a greater spread of facts and to some steps to correct, stop and eliminate direct violations of the law AND/OR establish ways to limit future similar corrupt self serving behaviors to benefit the few and endanger too many of us from all backgrounds.

Always impressed by your insights! All Americans should be listening to this discussion to stay informed and alert. How disgusting our government has come down to!

The weekly Friday round table episode with Jane Mayer, Susan Glasser, and Evan Osnos is easily the best podcast of the week. Must listen.

This is one of the smartest podcasts about politics in the United States. Susan Glasser, Evan Osnos, and Jane Mayer are all fabulous writers and thinkers and they are magical together. I only wish they would expand this to twice a week. I’m in withdrawal within a day after listening to them discuss the week’s news. This week, they had Mark Blyth from Brown University as a guest and he was fabulous! Bravo to the three hosts!

Susan Glasser has been one of the smartest reporters for so many years. I so appreciate hearing her clarifying thoughts.

Of the many podcasts I regularly listen to this is at the top of my list. The hosts are all excellent, thoughtful, articulate and knowledgeable. I’ve been a huge fan of Jane’s for many years, and have come to appreciate Susan about as much (not to take anything away from Evan, who very good also).

The Washington Roundtable is truly indispensable. I look forward every week to the elevation and relief of Mayer, Osnos and Glasser’s intelligent and sane analysis of often disturbing subject matter. I only wish the program had a longer run time and no missed weeks. I am especially grateful for the contributions of the incredible Jane Mayer, who is a reporter without peer.

This is the weekly discussion that keeps me sane. It’s like therapy for those of us seeking intelligent conversation to help us sift through, understand, and not be overwhelmed by the political madness we’re all living through.

Listen to this podcast! It is essential to understanding the current political madness and to finding out what's really going with Trump, Elon Musk and the tech bros.

This is my favorite podcast ever. My favorite New Yorker podcast my favorite podcast. I wish they showed up more often to talk together please don't stop

Editing, script, and sound are top notch. Give the producer a raise

Really enjoy this content and the high level of expertise. Sets it apart from the partisan talking heads that are often missing historical facts and perspective. Keep it coming.

5 stars

Thank you, keep telling the truth and calling out the lies! Excellent podcast for curious people open to learning something.

I wouldn’t miss an episode of this podcast.

This is my ride or die podcast. These three are clear-eyed, canny, and willing to go there. I center my weekend around it.

Recent episode with staff writer Kyle Chayka regarding the opportunities and intentions of Silicon Valley in our government, most obviously seen in DOGE’s actions since late January, was really well done. Really learned a great deal from a bigger picture analysis aimed at why and how tech is getting what they have long desired in the dismantling of America administration and why it matters so much to us. For me, more of this kind of interview/analysis would be most welcome. Thank you.

Always look forward each week to eavesdropping on their conversation. They discuss whatever is happening with incredible depth. Please never stop letting us listen in! I only wish it lasted longer—like maybe an hour!

As we slide toward “rule of law does not apply to everyone” (esp. violent Jan. 6 rioters), it is vital to hear these smart, funny hosts relate their past experiences to our current politics. Having lived in authoritarian and near-authoritarian regimes, they can discuss likely ramifications of current power grabs and ineptitude in foreign policy.

Technofascist

As a subscriber I always appreciate this podcast for its insight and wit. There’s no disagreement between the hosts. I’m unsure if that’s a fault but I’m more than happy with the content as it exists.

I respect and look forward to this podcast, and wish it were on even more often. I do, however, wish that Tyler Foggatt could ease up on the vocal fry. It’s almost painful to hear, and it can’t be good for her vocal cords. The topics and questions are good, but the decades-old privileged-girl connotations of the voice and delivery style make listening to those episodes rather trying.

I never miss it. Best round table, smartest writers, current topics.

I love this podcast; smart, thoughtful

The Dems need to message more. We need a Joe Rogan. Social media the reason Trump one. Biden was working for the middle class, but nobody knew that. Every day Americans just saw as inflation. We need to counteract Fox News first but I think we can do it a more direct way.

Talk: Less (Susan) will be more (Evan, Jane). Thoughtful words mandate group respect (no bullying). Try episodes where no one says: bottom line, end of the day, pretty much, like or right(?). My favorite Susan Glasser’s: “Well, look, I mean, you know..” I do?

I listen to a number of political podcasts ( Pod Save America, Al Franken, , Heather Cox Richardson, etc.),and The Political Scene by the New Yorker is my favorite. All three hosts are thoughtful and extremely well informed. They have contacts that give them inside information, which they relay in a straightforward manner. I look forward to this podcast every week.

There is no better way to cut through the chaos and stay informed than to listen to Evan Osnos, Jane Mayer and Susan Glasser. It gives me comfort to know this team is paying such close, expert attention. I only wish they were on daily!

Thank you Jane, Evan and Susan for this insightful, hard-hitting round table. More than ever, however outrageous and depressing the news out of Washington, your discussions leave me feeling less helpless. The fellowship of smart, deeply knowledgeable truth-tellers gives me hope that real journalism and the best of American democracy will survive to fight back against tyranny, misogyny, racism and corruption.

Thank you for being there

Each episode is an education. I was especially intrigued by the friction between Mayer and Glasser in the new episode. WHAT A WEEK!

Inspiring in the midst of our democracy being destroyed

Been listening to this podcast since it started years ago. It’s excellent, except Susan Glasser, who is fine, talks WAY too much. Jane Mayer and Evan Osnos need more airtime relative to Glasser. I always fast forward thru Glasser, and never miss a word of Mayer and Osnos. Glasser just needs to talk less.

You all are my rock and thank you so much for doing the podcast every week.

This is a great podcast - thoughtful analysis combined with deep reporting and decades of experience in DC. One suggestion - The enthusiastic hosts frequently talk over each other causing the listener to miss important information that comes at the end of a thought or sentence. Please keep up the terrific work but hosts should let their colleagues finish their excellent analysis uninterrupted.

Thank you for your work, your knowledge and your podcast.

Horrible “reporting” here. Immigration only stayed as in issue in the election because Mike Johnson, under direction from tRump, killed a bipartisan immigration bill that was agreed to in the Senate, and have addressed many of the issues republicans have been asking for. Not metioned once, and you’re considered qualified journalists.

Very smart takes and easy to listen to

This podcast helps the listener understand the dangers to our democracy. More than ever Americans need to know the facts and this podcast gives you the facts. When you have facts, you have the truth.

Very mild in ideas, discourse and opinion, and the host and roundtable guests are pretty sleepy. I don’t need charisma but the show lacks deep thinking and passion. These times require more oomph. A mainstream magazine podcast doesn’t have to mean aloof.

If you want to know what real jersey people sound like listen to Joe! This dude is the real deal

I really appreciate this podcast, especially the roundtables with Evan Osnos, Jane Mayer and Susan B. Glasser, for helping make sense of American politics. One point of feedback: I don’t love when the New Yorker Radio Hour recycles their episodes and posts them under The Political Scene banner, and vice versa. This seems to happen frequently. I prefer to think of them as separate podcasts, and get a little deflated when I see a new episode is available, only to realize it’s a replay of the same episode on the other show. Otherwise love y’all keep up the good work!!!

Hey guys — Here’s what I would have appreciated in your conversation: — MUCH more emphasis on the role of our information systems. When American is swimming in a sewer of malignant disinformation, it was frustrating that you only referred to this critical phenomenon in passing. A compelling question to at least wonder about is what the election outcome might have been in a pre-social media, pre-podcast, pre-Fox News world? Chris, you’ve apparently written a book on the subject. Is it simply out of despair that we seem powerless to fix our broken information systems that you didn’t address this more directly? — A consideration of president as avatar. They express and embody qualities we want to want to see in ourselves. Qualities too that make us feel connected with our national leader, the most powerful person in the world (“Trump is just like me,” said the voter in NH. He loves McDonald’s — was that the clincher?) The avatar factor was no doubt part of twhy so many voted for Trump as president and voted for Dems down ballot. — A less chummy vibe, and Chris — a little less nervous laughter — would have made made it easier to understand what you were saying, especially when you got more diffuse, more abstract (your “explanation” of neoliberalism). — The one new thought, the one crystallized insight I’m taking away from the episode, was Andrew’s comment about AOC. I’m a conscientious objector to personal social media. That comment has inspired me to sign up for Instagram just to follow AOC’s inside-the-beltway commentary — and to track her evolution as a possible presidential candidate. A bright beacon of possibility during a dark time I look forward to future conversations — hopefully a bit more incisive. ~ Deborah Elizabeth Boldt, Santa Fe, NM