Lincoln Square : Live Interviews

The Climate Crisis Is Here | Sam Osterhout & Climate Reporter Tony Bartelme

Sam Osterhout — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 11:28:22 GMT

Tony Bartelme is an award-winning investigative and narrative journalist at The Post and Courier in Charleston, South Carolina, where he has reported since 1990. He is a four-time Pulitzer Prize finalist known for his deeply reported climate change coverage, including the Rising Waters series and book, which traces climate impacts from the South Carolina Lowcountry to Greenland and the Sahara.

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He joins Sam Osterhout to talk about the local impacts of climate and what we need to do next.

And don’t miss the last in Sam’s three-part report on climate change.

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Stuart Stevens on His Aid Work in Ukraine and the Global Fight Against Fascism

Stuart Stevens — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 21:04:12 GMT

Stuart Stevens has spent a lot of time doing humanitarian work in Ukraine. He talks to us about what he saw on August 24 in Lviv, on Ukraine’s Independence Day.

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You can read more about Stuart’s journey here:

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Is Elon Musk Trying to Buy the Midterms? | The Cause with LOLGOP & Susan J. Demas

Susan J. Demas — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 13:23:49 GMT

Elon Musk may not be a trillionaire anymore, but he’s still a dick. And after spending big to get Trump elected in 2024, he’s playing in the midterms to try and save Republicans.

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LOLGOP (aka Jason Sattler) asked Susan J. Demas to talk about her reporting in Michigan during the 2024 election. Musk played Jewish and Arab-American voters against one another with hit pieces over the war in Gaza. What dirty tricks can we expect from him this time around?

Susan and Jason also discuss Trump’s trade war with Canada, the state of independent and local journalism and much more. Tune in and subscribe to The Cause!

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Simon Rosenberg & Stuart Stevens: Ukrainian Drone Advances Shows the Future Of War. Is the U.S. Paying Attention?

Simon Rosenberg — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 17:08:10 GMT

Stuart Stevens recently returned from another humanitarian trip to Ukraine.

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He joined Simon Rosenberg on Hopium Chronicles to explain how warfare is evolving in real time and issue a warning to the U.S. and the West to make sure they're ready for that future of fighting.

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Stuart Stevens on Ukrainian Liberation Day

Stuart Stevens — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 17:09:38 GMT

Stuart Stevens comes to us live from Poland before heading back to Ukraine for another humanitarian aid trip. And he brings a special message for Americans on Ukrainian Liberation Day.

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Let us know what you think in the comments.

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The Next Generation’s Done Waiting | Run for Something’s Amanda Litman on It's the Democracy, Stupid with Edwin Eisendrath

Edwin Eisendrath — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 12:57:45 GMT

As the general election quickly approaches, Edwin Eisendrath sat down with Amanda Litman, co-founder for Run for Something, to talk about the next generation of Democratic leaders and how they’re changing the way politics get done.

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Run for Something has helped nearly 1,700 young people to local office, with candidates focussed on the problems voters actually live with: housing, childcare, healthcare, schools, roads, and the general cost of living.

But this is bigger than one election. Edwin and Amanda dig into the long game of building political power and with young people demanding answers the old political guard don’t have, a new generation is stepping up with their vision of what politics can be. The new generation isn’t going to sit around and wait while Washington pretends to fix things. They’re getting involved where they live and building trust with local voters, laying the groundwork for a stronger Democratic future.

Join Edwin Eisendrath and Amanda Litman as they discuss the future of democracy on It’s the Democracy, Stupid, right here on Lincoln Square.

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Who Exactly Is Natalie Harp? | Michelangelo Signorile & Heather 'Digby' Parton

Michelangelo Signorile — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 19:42:02 GMT

Trump’s leadership is in shambles, particularly because he’s rejected traditional U.S. diplomacy, including withdrawing from the Iran nuclear agreement. And now we’re trapped in a war that he and his Department of “War” have no idea how to end.

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Meanwhile, internal divisions among conservatives, including Tucker Carlson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Thomas Massie, could create an opening for a potential third-party movement to gain traction and challenge Trump’s influence over the Republican Party.

SiriusXM Progress host Michelangelo Signorile collaborates with Lincoln Square and welcomes Heather “Digby” Parton of Salon to discuss the consequences of the Trump administration’s increasingly transactional approach to foreign policy and its growing alienation of both supporters and critics. And they also discuss his controversial aide, Natalie Harp.

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Stuart Stevens on the NYT Publishing a Fraud

Stuart Stevens — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 19:33:35 GMT

On Thursday, woke up to a piece in The New York Times written by Trump adviser Peter Navarro. In case you need reminding … it’s this guy:

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Stuart was, not surprisingly, upset. It’s one thing to platform bad people. Stephen Miller? Sure. He’s in a position of leadership and he hasn’t been convicted of crimes or proven to plagiarize. Steve Bannon? I mean … maybe?

But Peter Navarro not only has nothing of actual impact to say, he actually invented human beings so that he could cite his work … with invented humans … who he invented … and who just so happen to think Peter Navarro is brilliant. This isn’t farce. It happened.

And one of the last remaining national mainstream outlets that still does real journalism gave him credibility by publishing what he had to say. This is a real danger to our democracy. Navarro is not just unserious; he is actively working to destroy Americans’ relationship to facts. At best, he’s a propagandist. At worst, he is working, without any sense of common cause or humanity, to destroy our way of life.

Stuart isn’t as kind. Watch now.

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Stuart Stevens & Simon Rosenberg: Iran Hands Trump the Bill

Simon Rosenberg — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 22:35:19 GMT

Another failure has been added to Trump’s mile-long rap sheet. His disastrous, unnecessary, and unconstitutional war has cost American taxpayers over $15 trillion. For reference, that’s over 15 Elon Musks. DOGE might’ve come in handy here.

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While America loses the war in Iran, Ukraine is reinventing warfare — fighting off the Russian invaders with cheap drones and smart strategy. Over in America, Trump’s invasion plan is to just throw money at the problem and hope it goes away.

Stuart Stevens and Simon Rosenberg of Hopium Chronicles discuss the consequences of Trump’s aggression and waste of American power, money, and trust. More importantly, they explain why the consequences won’t disappear, even when the headlines do.

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Stuart Stevens on Why Scott Galloway Is Wrong About (Almost) Everything

Stuart Stevens — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 14:00:45 GMT

Scott Galloway has a brilliant financial mind. His commentary is exceptional. On most things …

… But explains two things that he believes Galloway gets exactly wrong: men and political marketing (two things Stuart knows something about).

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What do you think? Read Stuart’s latest column for more. Let us know in the comments.

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Republicans Save Trump (Again) | Edwin Eisendrath & Susan Demas LIVE

Edwin Eisendrath — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 19:17:59 GMT

With even GOP senators on their way out falling in line behind Todd Blanche, despite his hideous record, it’s clear the party has chosen Trump over the people. Today, Susan J. Demas and Edwin Eisendrath of It’s The Democracy, Stupid discussed the lengths Republicans will go to to appease Trump and what their obsequiousness says about the right-wing obsession with masculinity.

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Moving on to midterms, Michigan is a perfect snapshot of the Democratic Party’s divide. The debate between Senate candidates Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens is a prime example of where disagree on policy, but also where they remain united: defeating Trumpism. Susan and Edwin argue that despite those differences, protecting democracy and restoring our nations core values matter far more than any one primary race.

Check out more from Susan and Edwin right here on Lincoln Square.

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GOP Fauci Hearing: The New McCarthyism | Stuart Stevens LIVE

Stuart Stevens — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 21:43:07 GMT

In yet another attempt to rewrite the history of 2020 six years later, Republicans in Congress, led by Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, grilled Dr. Anthony Fauci for hours over the response to COVID-19.

Stuart Stevens pointed to some moments in history, like the McCarthy hearings of the 1950s, that resemble this sham political theater against Dr. Fauci — and science itself.

Can Soft Republicans Bring Down Trump? | John Harwood & Stuart Stevens

John Harwood — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 19:01:32 GMT

Stuart Stevens sat down with Zeteo’s John Harwood to talk about the state of the Republican Party under Trump and look ahead to the midterms.

“Since ‘16, we've had change elections,” Stuart notes. “Trump was a change candidate. Biden was a change candidate. You have to say Trump was more of a change candidate than incumbent vice president [Kamala Harris]. We're still in a change election.”

Will Our Democracy Survive? | Stand Up! with Pete Dominick Sits Down with Susan J. Demas

Pete Dominick — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 16:02:28 GMT

Pete Dominick, comedian and host of Stand Up! with Pete Dominick, welcomed Lincoln Square’s Susan J. Demas and explore the political consequences of the war with Iran, rising gas prices, and the stakes of the upcoming midterm elections, including Trump’s attacks on mail-in voting and threats to send ICE to polling places.

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Pete and Susan also discussed the importance of strong political leadership from Democrats, protecting voting rights, and expanding access to healthcare. And they talked about why journalists have to continue to do fact-based coverage and check conspiracy theories that run rampant on social media.

Check out this discussion and more from Pete Dominick over at Stand Up! with Pete Dominick.

RFK Jr.'s Next Outbreak | Dr. Rob Davidson & Sam Osterhout

Sam Osterhout — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 16:21:16 GMT

One of the most alarming things about what’s happening to public heath under Trump’s administration isn’t just the budget cuts or staffing shortages. It’s the thought process behind them.

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The assumption is that expertise is optional. Why invest in epidemiologists when you can have political appointees? Why maintain disease surveillance programs when you can cut their budgets so we can spend more on Trump’s birthday party?

But then an actual outbreak happens. A parasitic illness spreads across dozens of states, thousands of people get sick, and state health departments scramble to identify the source while federal officials struggle to mount a response because the teams designed to handle these situations were dismantled months earlier.

That’s the part we miss about public health — when it’s working, you barely notice it. But this administration loves attention more than us. So, was this cyclospora outbreak an isolated failure, or was it the first real showing of RFK Jr.’s war on competence?

Watch Sam’s and Dr. Rob’s conservation and leave your thoughts in the comments.

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Trump's Ramping Up Threats to the 2026 election | Dean Obeidallah & Susan Demas

Dean Obeidallah — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 16:01:40 GMT

Dean Obeidallah and Susan Demas discuss threats to American democracy, focusing on Donald Trump’s potential interference in elections and how we can’t forget his attempts to overturn the 2020 election he lost.

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They discuss strategies, including immediate state-level criminal indictments by Democratic Attorneys General and mass civil disobedience. Susan discussed her recent column arguing that the January 6th insurrection effectively succeeded because its aftermath was normalized both by voters in 2024 and the corporate media.

Dean also critiqued the national Democratic leadership's vague economic messaging going into the midterms. Susan argued that candidates must combat Trump by tying his corruption directly to the public's real-world affordability struggles.

How Lindsey Graham Transformed from Trump Critic to Staunch Ally | Stuart Stevens LIVE

Stuart Stevens — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 16:02:34 GMT

Stuart Stevens took a moment to reflect on Lindsey Graham's death with characteristic directness. As someone who knew Graham personally from his days as a Mitt Romney adviser, Stuart has some interesting insights into the Republican senator’s evolution on Trump.

Stuart didn't sugarcoat the complicated arc — Graham spent years calling Trump every name in the book before becoming one of his most reliable defenders. Stuart's take: Graham genuinely evolved, found a way to work within the Trump world while occasionally pushing back.

And in his final weeks, Graham was doing serious foreign policy work — brokering a potential Israel-Saudi normalization deal and pressing for congressional review of the Iran agreement. Stuart called him a patriot who cared deeply about national security, whatever his other contradictions.

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Read more of Stuart’s take on Graham’s legacy on Lincoln Square today.

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Whatever Happens In Maine, Democrats Need to Tie Susan Collins to Donald Trump's Failed Policies | Stuart Stevens & Steven Beschloss

Steven Beschloss — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 16:19:08 GMT

As a rare treat to end the week, Steven Beschloss, host of Six Questions and writer at America, America, and fellow Lincoln Square host Stuart Stevens wrap up a wild week in politics.

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The main story this week, Graham Platner’s conflagration in Maine, weighed heavy on Steven’s and Stuart’s minds. They called out both angry “bro” culture and the tone of Platner’s video addressing Democrats in Maine and across the country.

And Stuart has a dire warning for Platner. If Democrats succeed in Maine this November, Platner can go on with his life. But if Susan Collin’s remains, he’ll be forever known as the guy who helped keep Donald Trump in power.

So, how do Democrats toughen the vetting process and stop glossing over character flaws in an attempt to win election? Check out Steven’s and Stuart’s conversation, right here on Lincoln Square.

250 years of democracy means nothing if we give up now. Powerful forces want voters to tune out, but we refuse to let that happen. Lincoln Square is launching a massive truth blitz to arm disengaged voters with the raw facts about the assault on our democracy—because they are the ones who will decide America’s future.

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Platner Out, McConnell Missing, Trump Must Pay E. Jean Carroll | Stuart Stevens & Tara Palmeri

Tara Palmeri — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 21:56:07 GMT

Tara Palmeri and Stuart Stevens covered a lot of ground, starting with Graham Platner's overdue exit from the U.S. Senate race. Stuart delivered a blunt message that his only path to any future is helping elect a Democrat in Maine. As for Trump's defense of Platner, Stuart called it predictable since they both belong to “the brotherhood of sexual harassers.”

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They discussed Trump’s E. Jean Carroll payout, Mitch McConnell's mysterious hospitalization, Trump’s Qatari plane fiasco, and the Republican Party's complete abandonment of any coherent governing philosophy.

Stuart's takeaway: the GOP never actually believed any of it — the values were always marketing slogans, and Trump just proved it.

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Stuart Stevens to Graham Platner: Drop Out, Apologize, & Stay Out of Sight Until Election Day

Stuart Stevens — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:03:08 GMT

Stuart Stevens delivered a blunt, unsparing message to Graham Platner — part political reality check from a veteran strategist, part moral dressing-down.

The bottom line: Platner has exactly one path to any kind of future, and it’s helping elect a Democrat in Maine. If Susan Collins wins because Platner stayed in or sabotaged his own succession, he becomes the man who kept Donald Trump in power. Full stop. That’s his legacy.

Stuart dismissed the conspiracy theory about Democrats orchestrating the rape allegation as “pathetic and childish,” called Platner a spoiled rich kid burning through goodwill he never earned, and told him to stop talking about himself except to apologize — to the women, his family, Maine, and the Democratic Party.