Podcast
Dirty Moderate with Adam Epstein
Hosted by Adam Epstein · EN
Dirty Moderate showcases the people who cut through the nails-on-a-chalkboard din of the modern-day American political scene. We promote rigorous analysis and lively debate with individuals on both sides of the aisle and beyond.
Our host, Adam Epstein, is a 12 time, Tony Award-winning former Broadway powerhouse producer turned political provocateur. Adam can go toe-to-toe with anyone on politics as he did on Trish Regan Primetime every Thursday night in 2019 as the lone non-conservative panelist, delivering his centrist perspective with grit, intellectual prowess, and undeniable charm.
Guests of the podcast range in perspective by design, and no two conversations are alike, but the one vitally important thing all of our guests have in common is they fight like hell for Democracy. Do you?
Executive Producer Dawn Sorokin, End House Media • Theme Song by @brettgarrisonepstein • Subscribe to the Dirty Moderate Nation Substack at www.dirtymoderate.com • Tweet the Show: @dirty_moderate
10episodes
Episodes
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Shabbos Kestenbaum
Jun 3, 202401:00:30Tap to summarizeShabbos Kestenbaum is a graduate student at Harvard University, researching the intersections between between public policy and contemporary Jewish life in the United States. Shabbos is the lead plaintiff against Harvard University alleging pervasive and systemic antisemitism. Shabbos has appeared on CNN, Fox News, and in The New York Times, and has testified in front of the United States Congress, among other forums, to advocate for the American Jewish community. Currently, Shabbos is working with Congress to pass major pieces of legislation to combat antisemitism.Adam and Shabbos sit down to discuss the raging antisemitism on college campuses, what the campus protests are really about and the palpable dread felt by Jewish people everywhere since the pogrom of Oct 7 and what can be done about it. As the world’s oldest hatred flares up yet again, Adam and Shabbos’s discourse is a painful, if potentially healing one that’s indispensable. Thanks for helping us save democracy one episode at a time!Join the Dirty Moderate Nation on Substack! Tell us what you think on Twitter! Check out our YouTube channel!Are you registered to VOTE?
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Michael Steele
May 31, 202401:17:58Tap to summarizeWhen he was elected Lt. Governor of Maryland in 2003, Michael Steele made history as the first African American elected to statewide office; and again with his subsequent chairmanship of the Republican National Committee in 2009.A longtime political analyst and contributor to MSNBC, Michael is currently the co-host of MSNBC’s “The Weekend,” which airs Saturdays and Sundays at 8AM EST.Having recently appeared on Michael’s podcast “The Michael Steele Podcast,” Adam turns the tables and is able to ask Michael all about his life , his time as the first black party chairman for the RNC, the racial cross currents of the GOP before it became Trumpified, and why he remains a Republican, *though of the Never Trumper sort. This discussion between Adam and Michael is a conversation that might as well have never ended, and we are overjoyed to see these 2 lock arms in the fight to save democracy. Listen, Like, and Subscribe to Michael’s fantastic podcast here: https://michaelsteelenetwork.com/podcasts/Watch The Weekend on MSNBC: https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekendFind Michael on Twitter/X: @michaelsteele Thanks for helping us save democracy one episode at a time!Join the Dirty Moderate Nation on Substack! Tell us what you think on Twitter! Check out our YouTube channel!Are you registered to VOTE?
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Ron Reagan
May 24, 202401:16:22Tap to summarizeRon Reagan, the son of former President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan, grew up in Los Angeles and Sacramento while his father served as Governor of California from 1967-1975. After a brief career as a classical ballet dancer, Ron Reagan has spent the past 40 years as a correspondent, host and political commentator in television and radio, chiefly for MSNBC and Air America. He has written for many publications — Esquire, Newsweek, The New Yorker and Playboy among them — and is the author of the New York Times bestseller, My Father at 100. He is a board member of the Freedom from Religion Foundation and has spoken frequently in support of the separation of church and state. Ron and his Italian wife, Federica, divide their time between Seattle and Tuscany.Adam sits down with Ron for a deeply personal interview with the son of the 40th president to everything from growing up as a Reagan, differing with his father on politics, being an atheist, and writing a poignant memoir about his father’s formative years called “My Father at 100,” which was published in 2011. Of course, Adam and Ron also discuss how the party of sunny optimistic Ronald Regan could devolve into a den of lies, autocracy and a disdain for the rule of law in the thrall to Donald Trump.Thanks for helping us save democracy one episode at a time!Join the Dirty Moderate Nation on Substack! Tell us what you think on Twitter! Check out our YouTube channel!Are you registered to VOTE?
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John Pavlovitz
May 23, 202400:53:27Tap to summarizeJohn Pavlovitz is a writer, pastor, and activist from Wake Forest, North Carolina. John was one of our very first guests on Dirty Moderate over 2 years ago, and we were thrilled to spend time with this deep thinking, generous, loving, and spirited human again. A 25-year veteran in the trenches of local church ministry, John is committed to equality, diversity, and justice—both inside and outside faith communities. His work is a testament to finding meaning not only in our politics but in our lives. John’s latest book, “Worth Fighting For” is a primer for all things human, humane and compassionate. John knows it’s hard to always stay good but that’s no excuse for not trying. His latest book is aptly subtitled “Finding Courage and Compassion When Cruelty is Trending.” Adam and John have a searching, moving discourse about all of these essential ideas and more. Thanks for helping us save democracy one episode at a time!Join the Dirty Moderate Nation on Substack! Tell us what you think on Twitter! Check out our YouTube channel!Are you registered to VOTE?
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Stella O'Malley
May 21, 202401:04:26Tap to summarizeStella is an Irish psychotherapist who had her own intense experience with gender as a child, and the resolution of her gender distress has made her curious about the wisdom of early intervention. As a result, in addition to facilitating a parent coachingsite that provides practical help to parents who are navigating their child’s gender-related distress, and acting as the presenter for the documentary, “Trans Kids: It’s Time to Talk (2018), Stella is the director of Genspect, an international organization that offers a healthy approach to sex and gender.Stella is the co-author of a 2023 book called “When Kids Say They’re Trans,” a work which explicitly encourages parents not to immediately consider gender affirming surgery or other medical procedures that might prove irreversible. Stella and her colleagues argue that only parents know best and their book hopes to help parents everywhere support their child’s identity without necessarily altering their biology. Stella joins Adam to discuss the current conversation over gender and children and argues that the though the science is far from settled, parents can, and should, love their children for who they are. Thanks for helping us save democracy one episode at a time!Join the Dirty Moderate Nation on Substack! Tell us what you think on Twitter! Check out our YouTube channel!Are you registered to VOTE?
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Reed Galen
May 9, 202401:00:52Tap to summarizeReed Galen is a co-founder of The Lincoln Project, host of the Lincoln Project podcast and author of The HomeFront Substack, and a self-proclaimed Cassandra. Reed is an independent political strategist who has spent years advising Fortune 500 companies, and has also worked on several prominent republican campaigns.He joins Adam to assess the Never Trump movement( of which they are both part) from 30,000 feet and the precariousness of democracy. How will Trump’s legal predicaments affect his electoral fate? What percentage of independent/Haley voters does Biden need to win re-election? Is to easier to run against Trump when he is the incumbent than when he is a challenger? Has Biden lost the center over his policies on the border, campus protests and inflation? It’s America or Trump and you can’t have both as Adam and Reed discuss and drive home.Subscribe to Reed's Substack The Home Front here: https://reedgalen.substack.com/Follow Reed on Social: Twitter/X @reedgalenAll things Lincoln Project here: https://lincolnproject.us/Thanks for helping us save democracy one episode at a time!Join the Dirty Moderate Nation on Substack! Tell us what you think on Twitter! Check out our YouTube channel!Are you registered to VOTE?
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William Inboden
May 2, 202400:57:21Tap to summarizeWilliam Inboden is Professor and Director of the Alexander Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education at the University of Florida, and Peterson Senior Fellow with the Kissinger Center for Global Affairs, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. He joins Adam in a discussion centering around his latest book“The Peacemaker: Ronald Reagan in the White House and the World.”Inboden’s masterly book provides a definitive account of Reagan’s strategic approach to diplomacy, his nuanced statecraft, and the impact of his decisions on the global stage. This compelling book is a must read especially for its analysis of Reagan’s policies of peace through strength. An examination of Reagan’s military buildup and tough rhetoric towards the Soviet Union are central to Reagan’s legacy, but Inboden goes beyond the surface to explore how Reagan the “cowboy” became Reagan the diplomat, and emerged as arguably the most consequential 20th century president next to FDR.Thanks for helping us save democracy one episode at a time!Join the Dirty Moderate Nation on Substack! Tell us what you think on Twitter! Check out our YouTube channel!Are you registered to VOTE?
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Alana Newhouse, Tablet Magazine
Apr 25, 202400:47:56Tap to summarizeAlana Newhouse is an American writer and editor. She is the founder of Tablet magazine, a dynamic hub of Jewish life, which features news, essays, podcasts and opinion pieces.In November 2022, Alana wrote an essay for Tablet called “Brokenism.” The essay remains deeply compelling because, as Alana argues, that “the real debate today isn’t between the left and the right . It’s between those invested in our current institutions, and those who want to build anew.”This is a must read essay and Alana and Adam use this piece as a springboard to discuss our political and cultural divides , but -also to examine the implications of “Brokenism” for Jewish people at a time of rising antisemitism.Thanks for helping us save democracy one episode at a time!Join the Dirty Moderate Nation on Substack! Tell us what you think on Twitter! Check out our YouTube channel!Are you registered to VOTE?
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Mona Charen
Apr 18, 202400:55:24Tap to summarizeMona Charen is a conservative American journalist, columnist, commentator and best selling author. She is the Policy Editor of The Bulwark, and host of the Beg to Differ podcast, which you need to subscribe to immediately. Mona fell hard for William F. Buckley as a teenager, and her first job was as editorial assistant at his National Review. She went on to write speeches for first lady Nancy Reagan and then for the Gipper himself. Looking toward the 1988 race, Vice President George H.W. Bush wasn’t conservative enough for her. Fast forward through 4 best selling books (see below for links) and much prestige to CPAC-2018, where she got booed and seemingly harassed enough by the MAGA crowd for her views that security chose to escort her out of the building for her own safety. Folks, this is NOT Lincoln's, Reagan's or Mona's Republican party. Adam talks to Mona about her career as a conservative thinker, what being a “Never Trumper” means and about whether or not a new center right party might emerge and what that would mean for a potential post-Trump era conservative movement.Mona's books: Useful Idiots: How Liberals Got it Wrong in the Cold War and Still Blame America First (2003)Do-Gooders: How Liberals Hurt Those They Claim to Help (and the Rest of Us) (2005), Sex Matters: How Modern Feminism Lost Touch with Science, Love, and Common Sense (2018) Hard Right: The GOP's Drift Toward Extremism (2023)Mona's New York Times Op-Ed about her CPAC experience: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/25/opinion/im-glad-i-got-booed-at-cpac.htmlThanks for helping us save democracy one episode at a time!Join the Dirty Moderate Nation on Substack! Tell us what you think on Twitter! Check out our YouTube channel!Are you registered to VOTE?
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Iran vs. Israel
Apr 16, 202400:55:09Tap to summarizeAs the host of the podcast History of the Land of Israel, and his own YouTube show, Israel Explained, Shaiel Ben-Ephraim spends his time thinking about Israel and assessing Israel’s long term goals. Given Iran’s attack on Israel, we invited Shaiel back to Dirty Moderate so he and Adam could discuss the implications of Iran launching drones and missiles, including ballistic ones, directly at Israel for the first time in Israel’s history. What does this mean for the stability of the region( or instability?) Arab nations like Jordan and Saudi Arabia joined Irael in intercepting these missiles, as the United States and the UK. And what does this mean for the Israel Gaza war? If you are not subscribed to Shaiel's shows and following him on Twitter you are missing out. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@shaielbTwitter @academic_laThanks for helping us save democracy one episode at a time!Join the Dirty Moderate Nation on Substack! Tell us what you think on Twitter! Check out our YouTube channel!Are you registered to VOTE?
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