Podcast / See How They Run / Sep 7, 2024

What Makes Arizona Tick

On this episode of See How They Run, Sasha Abramsky and Amy Littlefield on the chaotic, complicated, high-drama prize of the Southwest.

The Nation Podcasts
The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

What Makes Arizona Tick | See How They Run
byThe Nation Magazine

On this episode of See How They Run, DD Guttenplan is joined by Sasha Abramsky and Amy Littlefield to discuss the chaotic, complicated, high-drama prize of the Southwest.

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Kamala Harris and Tim Walz smiling and raising their hands at a rally.

Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, his wife former Rep. Gabby Giffords, Democratic presidential candidate, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, and Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, stand together on stage a campaign rally at Desert Diamond Arena on August 9, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona.

(Photo by Andrew Harnik / Getty Images)

On this episode of See How They Run, we’re continuing our series of deep dives into the swing states that will decide the presidential election. Today, we’ve moved southwest to Arizona, a state that had been slipping away from Democrats under Joe Biden but has moved back into contention under Kamala Harris. How she does there will be a crucial test of her ability to navigate some of the trickiest issues in American politics—from immigration to abortion to plain old MAGA hysteria. Throw in a blockbuster Senate race and a robust election-denial movement and you have a recipe for fireworks.

We’ll be speaking with Amy Littlefield, The Nation’s abortion access correspondent, about Arizona’s upcoming referendum on abortion, and with Sasha Abramsky, The Nation’s Left Coast correspondent and the author of the new book Chaos Comes Calling: The Battle Against the Far-Right Takeover of Small-Town America. Sasha’s recent story, “Will Arizona Be MAGA’s Last Stand?” led our July issue.

The Nation Podcasts
The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

An Antifascist Guide to the World Cup w/ Alex Shephard / Fighting Fascism
byThe Nation Magazine

We swear to god, we haven’t turned into a sports podcast (despite all Matt’s efforts). But it turns out there’s a not-insignificant intersection between the World Cup, democracy, and authoritarianism. So we invited Alex Shephard—a senior editor and writer at the New Republic and founder of Golden Goal, a literary magazine about the 2026 World Cup—to walk us through the dramas, controversies, and political implications of the global tournament that’s kicking off this week. Whether you’re obsessed with sports, like Matt, or have barely heard of them, like Aaron, there’s something in this conversation for you.

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With the midterm elections now firmly upon us, the question is whether Democratic candidates will do more than merely occupy ballot lines as mild alternatives to the red-hot crisis that is Donald Trump.

As Trump spends over $1 billion a day on a globally destabilizing war on Iran and admits that he doesn’t “think about Americans’ financial situation,” millions across the country are struggling with the surging costs of essentials. Democrats must seize this moment and advance bold, small-“d” populist ideas—not settle for cynical caution that once again snatches defeat from the jaws of victory.

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D.D. Guttenplan

D.D. Guttenplan is a special correspondent for The Nation and the former host of The Nation Podcast. He served as editor of the magazine from 2019 to 2025 and, prior to that, as an editor at large and London correspondent. His books include American Radical: The Life and Times of I.F. Stone, The Nation: A Biography, and The Next Republic: The Rise of a New Radical Majority.

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