Imagine watching the gate swing open after decades of being told the path was closed. That’s what the information landscape feels like right now, and Glenn Greenwald joins us to chart how it happened—and why the old guard is scrambling to bolt it shut again.

We trace the journey from early blogging to studio‑grade independent shows that rival cable news, and we dig into the power struggle over who sets the story on war, national security, and foreign policy. Glenn unpacks how affordable tech and global platforms undercut legacy gatekeepers, why attempts to police “disinformation” keep boomeranging, and how raw phone footage from conflict zones—especially in Israel and Gaza—has reshaped public opinion faster than talking points can travel. The through line is uncomfortable but urgent: when secrecy becomes the default and classification blankets even the mundane, trust collapses and citizens look elsewhere for facts.

We also go deep on the role of whistleblowers. From Ellsberg’s copier to Manning’s thumb drive and Snowden’s archive, the digital era turned conscience into a broadcast network. Glenn explains the state’s response—Espionage Act prosecutions, harsh confinement, and deterrent theater—and why, despite it all, people still come forward. That tension bleeds into partisan realignment: skepticism of the CIA, FBI, and NSA has migrated to the right, with conservative media giving oxygen to anti‑war arguments on Ukraine and beyond, even as liberal elites embrace the security state. Layered on top is the money problem: corporate PACs and dark money dominate, yet public financing, small‑donor movements, and targeted ethics rules offer realistic paths to reduce capture without gagging political speech.

Finally, we wrestle with the legal profession’s role. OLC memos, elastic war authorities, and judicial deference keep emergency powers alive long after the emergency ends. Glenn calls for a cultural reset—independence over access, transparency over narrative management, and a press that protects sources rather than pathologizing them. If you care about free speech, whistleblowing, and honest reporting in an age of platform politics, this conversation maps the battlefield and the exits.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 Guest Introduction

2:30 The Rise Of Independent Media

7:30 Narrative Control And Policy Frustrations

12:20 Israel–Gaza, TikTok, And Censorship Pushes

18:45 Whistleblowers, WikiLeaks, And Iraq

25:40 Punishing Leaks: Manning, Snowden, Assange

31:45 Overclassification And Public Trust

37:20 Partisan Realignment On The Security State

45:30 Conservative Anti‑War Drift And Media Influence

TAGS:

#GlennGreenwald, #IndependentMedia, #FreeSpeechDebate, #Whistleblowers, #SnowdenFiles, #ManningLeaks, #AssangeCase, #IsraelGazaWar, #DigitalCensorship, #DisinformationWars, #SecurityState, #CIAFBITrustCrisis, #WarReporting, #PlatformPolitics, #Overclassification, #MediaGatekeepers, #AntiWarMovement, #PressFreedom, #SurveillanceState, #PoliticalRealignment

Our theme music, Adventures In Jazz, was used with permission. Composed and performed by Bob Mamet.