Podcast / The Time of Monsters / Mar 17, 2026

How Is Mamdani Doing?

Former Nation editor Don Guttenplan on how Mamdani is balancing pragmatism and principles as he deals with policing,
Donald Trump and a tough budget.

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.

How is Mamdani Doing? w/ Don Guttenplan | The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
byThe Nation Magazine

Former Nation editor Don Guttenplan is now bringing municipal politics to the magazine

with a weekly column tracking the progress of Mayor Zohran Mamdani. I spoke to Don

about how Mamdani is balancing pragmatism and principles as he deals with policing,

Donald Trump and a tough budget.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks at a “Rental Ripoff” hearing at Fordham University in the Bronx borough of New York on March 11, 2026.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks at a “Rental Ripoff” hearing at Fordham University in the Bronx borough of New York on March 11, 2026.

(Spencer Platt / Getty Images)

Former Nation editor Don Guttenplan is now bringing municipal politics to the magazine with a weekly column tracking the progress of mayor Zohran Mamdani. I spoke to Don about how Mamdani is balancing pragmatism and principles as he deals with policing, Donald Trump and a tough budget.

Subscribe to The Nation to support all of our podcasts: thenation.com/podcastsubscribe.

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.

Gaza and Elite Accountability w/ Connor Echols / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
byThe Nation Magazine

Many of Joe Biden’s closest advisors are now well-ensconced in the sinecures reserved for the elite, working at think tanks, academia, and major media outlets. Normally, they could expect to have future jobs when the Democrats retake the White House. But this cozy situation is being disrupted by ongoing reporting showing the extent of their complicity in the Gaza genocide and other US crimes in the Middle East. I spoke about this with Connor Echols, managing editor of Responsible Statecraft, who wrote an excellent article on the efforts to hold these officials accountable.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode play icon
Gaza and Elite Accountability w/ Connor Echols / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Episode Description
Episode play icon
The Obama Center as a Tomb of Neoliberalism w/ Kate Wagner / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Episode Description
Episode play icon
Jon Ossoff and the Georgia Battleground w/ Joan Walsh / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Episode Description
Episode play icon
The Iran War Stalemate w/ Trita Parsi / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Episode Description
Episode play icon
Trump’s Chaotic Foreign Policy w/ David Klion / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Episode Description
Episode play icon
The Return of McCarthyism w/ Chris Lehmann / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Episode Description
Episode play icon
Iran War Heats Up w/ Matt Duss / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Episode Description
Episode play icon
Fighting Monopoly Power w/ Zephyr Teachout / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Episode Description
Episode play icon
Maine After Platner w/ Eoin Higgins / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Episode Description
Episode play icon
The Triumph of Mamdani and the DSA w/ Ross Barkan / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Episode Description
Search Results placeholder

Subscribe to The Nation to Support all of our podcasts

Subscribe
Jeet Heer

Jeet Heer is a national affairs correspondent for The Nation and host of the weekly Nation podcast, The Time of Monsters. He also pens the monthly column “Morbid Symptoms.” The author of In Love with Art: Francoise Mouly’s Adventures in Comics with Art Spiegelman (2013) and Sweet Lechery: Reviews, Essays and Profiles (2014), Heer has written for numerous publications, including The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Virginia Quarterly Review, The American Prospect, The Guardian, The New Republic, and The Boston Globe.

More from The Nation

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva waves to supporters after casting his vote during general election day on October 25, 2026, in São Paulo, Brazil.

Brazil Also Fought Fascism!—With Andre Pagliarini Brazil Also Fought Fascism!—With Andre Pagliarini

Andre Pagliarini joins the show to discuss Lula’s election victory in Brazil, the country’s far right, and what the results might mean for the fight against authoritarianism.

Jonathan Smucker, Matt DaSilva, and Aaron Regunberg

Abdul El-Sayed during an election-night watch party on November 4, 2026, in Detroit, Michigan.

Emergency Election Episode Emergency Election Episode

Matt, Aaron, and Smucker discuss Democrats’ election victories, Zohran Mamdani’s political influence, and the emerging field of potential 2028 presidential candidates.

Jonathan Smucker, Matt DaSilva, and Aaron Regunberg

James Talarico and Gina Hinojosa at a Whataburger after an election-night watch party on November 3, 2026, in Austin, Texas.

Our Historic Victories and How We Won Our Historic Victories and How We Won

On this episode of Start Making Sense, John Nichols talks about what we won and how we won on Tuesday, and Harold Meyerson analyzes the voters and the votes. What we won this week,…

Podcast / Start Making Sense

Theodor Adorno on May 28, 1968, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

How the Right Invented “Cultural Marxism”—With A.J.A. Woods How the Right Invented “Cultural Marxism”—With A.J.A. Woods

A.J.A. Woods joins Danny and Derek to trace the history of the “cultural Marxism” conspiracy theory, its antisemitic roots, and its influence on today’s anti-woke politics.

Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison

US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks during a “Defend the Vote” rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, on August 28, 2026.

The Story of Justice Democrats—With Usamah Andrabi The Story of Justice Democrats—With Usamah Andrabi

Usamah Andrabi of Justice Democrats joins Fighting Fascism to reflect on the 2026 elections, progressive victories, and the resurgence of the American left.

Aaron Regunberg, Matt DaSilva, and Jonathan Smucker

A Flock Safety automated license plate reader surveillance camera in Santaquin, Utah, on September 27, 2026.

Why Communities Want to Stop Flock Cameras—With Jason Koebler Why Communities Want to Stop Flock Cameras—With Jason Koebler

Paris Marx is joined by Jason Koebler to discuss the rise of Flock surveillance cameras, their misuse by police, and the growing bipartisan backlash.

Paris Marx

x