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A little-known secret: Washington Post Opinions columnists like talking to one another. They don’t always agree, of course, but they are in almost constant conversation – testing their ideas, refining their thoughts and sometimes changing their minds. Now you can listen in on some of those conversations. Each week on “Impromptu,” Post columnists go beyond hot takes and have personal, candid conversations on the latest topics in news and culture that we can't stop thinking about. Listen in on the conversations that happen before the columns are written. New episodes every Wednesday.
56 Episodes
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Social media is in flux. X has become Elon Musk’s megaphone, Meta just ended its fact-checking program, and TikTok’s future is up in the air. Some on the left are flocking to Bluesky as other platforms shift right. As these online spaces become as divided as our politics, are they still serving us? Assistant editor Drew Goins talks with columnists Molly Roberts and Philip Bump about the good, the bad and the ugly of today’s social media scene.
The first day of Donald Trump’s presidency featured a fire hose of execution orders, pardons for the Jan. 6 defendants and lots of long speeches. Columnists Ruth Marcus, Dana Milbank and Jim Geraghty discuss what stood out to them among the barrage of actions, what might not pass legal muster and how presidential pardons are getting out of hand.Additional Reading:Ruth Marcus: Big Tech’s power surgeJim Geraghty: Trump’s inauguration vow to uphold the law clashes with his TikTok stanceSubscribe to The Washington Post here.
It’s “Dry January,” non-alcoholic drink sales are soaring and the surgeon general is warning people about the links between alcohol and cancer. But is it really so bad to have a few drinks at a weekly happy hour? Opinions editor Drew Goins chats with contributing columnist and physician Leana Wen and columnist Molly Roberts about the hierarchy of cancer risks and how to weigh the pleasures and perils of drinking.Additional Reading:Leana Wen: The right lesson to draw from the surgeon general’s alcohol warning
There’s a housing crisis in America: high interest rates, not enough homes, and regulations that seem to favor building massive “McMansions” instead of more diverse housing stock. How did we get here, and can we find our way out? Post columnist Heather Long talks to the Atlantic’s Jerusalem Demsas, who’s written a book on the housing crisis, and Bryan DeHenau, a Michigan roofer who sees the struggles in the building industry on the ground every day.Additional Reading:Heather Long and Amanda Shendruk: “The new American Dream should be a townhouse”Heather Long talks with Bryan DeHenau about his ideas for how to build more homes in America: “A Michigan roofer’s smart plan to end the housing crisis”Jerusalem Demsas: “An American-Style Housing Crisis in New Zealand”
When we look back on 2024, it’s easy for the campaign and the election to drown out everything else that happened. But there was so much more! The Post’s Alexandra Petri, Molly Roberts and Drew Goins talk about this chaotic year and the stories that stuck with them.
The killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson captivated America, as it played out in an almost cinematic fashion. But there are disturbing issues underneath this crime – the simmering anger over health-care costs and the growing normalization of violence in the United States. The Post’s David Von Drehle talks with columnists Molly Roberts and Matt Bai about what it means when citizens try to take justice into their own hands.Read the Washington Post column by Catherine Rampell referenced in the podcast: "Fan club for suspected shooter is a symptom of burn-it-all-down populism"
America has lost faith in experts, and it’s certainly showing in some of Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks. Beyond a lack of qualifications, there are concerns over character problems with several nominees too. But do either really matter in American politics anymore? Deputy Opinions Editor David Von Drehle talks with columnists Ruth Marcus and Dana Milbank about what, if anything, can sink a nominee in today’s political culture.
Donald Trump is promising Mexico a lot of deported migrants with a side of trade war. How will Mexico and its new president handle a neighbor like Trump? Opinions assignment editor Damir Marusic talks to columnists León Krauze and Eduardo Porter about the view from both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
1As many head off for Thanksgiving after a disorienting month, our columnists tried to find anything in the world — in news and politics and their lives — to be grateful for. They had to dig deep, but they found gratitude for traditions forcing them toward normalcy, for the systems that work and for Matt Gaetz making Cameos instead of being the next attorney general.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
As potential deep cuts to federal agencies dominate headlines, it’s more important than ever to understand the people who make the government run. In the final installment of our “Who is Government” series, comedian and filmmaker W. Kamau Bell delves into the antitrust division of the Justice Department and learns about the surprising ways it can help America live up to its promise.Watch Bell’s video or read his column here: The RookieAnd be sure to check out the rest of the “Who is government?” series.The Canary, by Michael LewisThe Sentinel, by Casey CepThe Searchers, by Dave EggersThe Number, by John LanchesterThe Cyber Sleuth, by Geraldine BrooksThe Equalizer, by Sarah Vowell
People are justifiably alarmed at the prospect of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. being in charge of U.S. health policy. He amplifies conspiracy theories, is anti-vaccine and makes bizarre health claims that aren't backed up by evidence. But underneath his rhetoric, Kennedy has floated some interesting ideas, like limiting processed foods or banning pharmaceutical ads. Deputy Opinions editor Charles Lane talks with physician and columnist Leana Wen and editor Rob Gebelhoff about separating fact from fiction and what we should actually do to make America healthier.Read more from Leana Wen about Kennedy’s positions:“RFK Jr.’s views on fluoride aren’t as crazy as you might think” “The main reason RFK Jr. is unqualified to serve as HHS secretary”Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
Donald Trump’s election might feel like déjà vu. But America is in a different place than it was eight years ago. Contributing columnists Amanda Ripley, Matt Bai and Theodore Johnson talk through how they’re thinking about Trump’s second term, how to set boundaries between the personal and political, and what type of civic involvement is actually useful.
Donald Trump won. But why? Were Americans really just mad about their grocery bill? Columnists Ruth Marcus, Dana Milbank and James Hohmann grapple with this election result as an “X-ray into our national soul.”Read more from Washington Post columnists:“No, the way to cope with a Trump win isn’t moving to Canada”“A big win for the Blow It Up Party, but what then?”Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
None of us can know the outcome of the election, but our columnists talk through the campaign’s final spasms. Ruth Marcus, Dana Milbank and James Hohmann discuss the shifting mood in Pennsylvania, whether abortion will be as motivating this time around and if Donald Trump can get “crypto bros and the guy who vapes” to actually vote.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
In the final stretch of the campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris is making a play for Republicans who don’t like Donald Trump. But can they be swayed to vote for a lifelong Democrat? Columnists Megan McArdle, Jim Geraghty and Ramesh Ponnuru discuss what they’re hearing from fellow conservatives about this election and the future of the GOP. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
Americans don’t seem to have a shared understanding of when or how much to tip. Yet, millions of people rely on what we give to make a decent wage. Columnists Theodore Johnson, Heather Long and Molly Roberts talk about why things have become so confusing and get into the real issues beneath the campaign proposals to end taxes on tips.Read more from The Washington Post:“Tipping is more confusing than ever. Here’s how to handle it.”Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
In the final stretch of the presidential campaign, both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are turning to popular lifestyle and comedy podcasts to woo different audiences. We were curious whether the candidates sounded any different in these environments than at their rallies. So columnists Charles Lane, Molly Roberts and Perry Bacon listened in and discussed what they learned.Listen to the podcasts we discussed in the episode here:Donald Trump on “This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von”Donald Trump on “Flagrant”Kamala Harris on “Call Her Daddy”Kamala Harris on “All the Smoke”
The National Archives might seem like a distant trove of documents and arcane laws for Americans far from Washington. But many of these national treasures are actually relevant to our lives. Author Sarah Vowell found the people inside the Archives who are making sure everybody can access these documents and find their stories. Read Sarah Vowell’s full story here: The EqualizerAnd check out the rest of the “Who is government?” series.The Canary, by Michael LewisThe Sentinel, by Casey CepThe Searchers, by Dave EggersThe Number, by John LanchesterThe Cyber Sleuth, by Geraldine BrooksThe original version of this audio mistakenly referred to one of the Citizen Archivists as Bernard Weintraub, but his name is Joel Weintraub. We regret the error.
As tensions between Israel and Iran soar, columnists David Ignatius and Josh Rogin talk with Damir Marusic about the broader forces at play in the conflict, the lack of plans for a stable future and what a Trump victory would mean for the U.S.-Iran relationship.Read more from David Ignatius on this issue: “What the Oct. 7 attacks didn’t change”“Trump courts disaster by underestimating Iranian death threats”Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
The IRS may be one of the most hated departments in the federal government, but it turns out it does more than just collect taxes. Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks got to know the folks in charge of the IRS’s cybercrime unit which investigates criminals who use cryptocurrency. In this bonus episode, Brooks talks with Michael Lewis about what she learned. Read Geraldine Brooks’s full article here: Meet the black-belt, tattooed IRS official who saved 23 children from their abusersAnd check out the rest of the “Who is Government” series. The Canary, by Michael LewisThe Sentinel, by Casey CepThe Searchers, by Dave EggersThe Number, by John Lanchester
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