Podcast
RealClearInvestigations Podcast
Hosted by RealClear Defense · EN
Each week J. Peder Zane, Editor of RealClearInvestigations, and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney discuss the week’s best investigative reporting and speak with journalists about cracking challenging stories. Whether it’s culture, politics, or the markets, RealClearIInvestigations should be your source for in-depth reporting from a wide range of perspectives. From the publishers of RealClearPolitics.com
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Stopping Dogs From Becoming Lab Rats with Leighton Woodhouse | RealClearInvestigations Podcast #118
2w ago00:47:33Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Leighton Woodhouse about his RCI article on the surprising partnership between left-leaning activists and MAGA influencers to oppose a farm that breeds beagles for scientific experiments. The New York Times is the focus on this week’s news roundup. Zane and Varney discuss a Times article reporting that the Trump administration has vastly exaggerated the war’s impact on Iran’s military; a controversial piece by Times columnist Nicholas Kristof claiming Israeli soldiers, security forces and their dogs raped Palestinian men and women, and a look at the multiple articles the Times has run on Trump administration’s $13 million no-bid contract to fix the Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. even as the paper has paid little attention to the massive government fraud scandals unfolding across the country. 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest 14:29 Animal Testing and Ridgeland Farms 20:54 Activism and the Beagle Rescue Efforts 30:35 Bipartisan Support for Animal Rights 35:50 Journalistic Integrity in Activism Reporting Articles Discussed in This Podcast: Leighton Woodhouse/RCI: How Opposition to Animal Testing Is Bridging the Political Dividehttps://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/05/12/how_opposition_to_animal_testing_is_bridging_the_political_divide_1182121.html New York Times: U.S. Intelligence Shows Iran Retains Strong Missile Capabilities https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/us/politics/iran-missiles-us-intelligence.html?emc=edit_na_20260512 Nicholas Kristof/NYT: Opinion | The Silence That Meets the Rape of Palestinians https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/11/opinion/israel-palestinians-sexual-violence.html New York Times: Trump Says He’s Renovating ‘Filthy’ Reflecting Pool on the National Mall https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/23/us/politics/trump-reflecting-pool-renovation.html?searchResultPosition=5 New York Times: Trump Gave Out a No-Bid Contract to Turn D.C.’s Reflecting Pool Bluehttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/us/politics/reflecting-pool-trump-contract.html?searchResultPosition=1 New York Times: See How Trump Is Renovating the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Poolhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/us/politics/trump-reflecting-pool-renovation.html?searchResultPosition=2 New York Times: Reflecting Pool Repairs Appear Uneven and Behind Schedule, Officials Sayhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/us/politics/lincoln-memorial-pool-repairs.html?searchResultPosition=3 New York Times: Reflecting Pool Repairs to Cost $13.1 Million. Trump Had Promised $1.8 Million. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/11/us/politics/reflecting-pool-paint-contract-trump.html?searchResultPosition=4 Daily Wire: Ohio's Massive Medicaid Fraud Loophole https://www.dailywire.com/news/ohio-says-safeguards-exist-to-stop-medicaid-fraud-but-admits-massive-loophole?row=0 Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com
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Progressivism’s Russian Playbook with Gary Saul Morson | RealClearInvestigations Podcast #117
3w ago01:04:08Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Gary Saul Morson, a professor of Arts and Humanities at Northwestern University and a scholar of Russian literature about what Dostoevsky can teach us about modern progressives. In our round-up of the week’s best investigative reporting, Zane and Varney discuss a Wall Street Journal article about China’s stranglehold on drone production, Roger Pielke Jr.’s Substack piece on a dramatic change in climate change forecasts, and a Daily Wire story on the Los Angeles arsonists who drew inspiration from the assassin Luigi Mangione. 00:00 Introduction and Overview of Current Events 03:13 The Impact of Chinese Supply Chains on U.S. Defense 05:58 Climate Change Narratives and Scientific Realities 09:10 The Ideological Underpinnings of Violence in Society 12:07 Interview with Professor Gary Saul Morrison on Communism and Ideology 14:45 Dostoevsky's Insights on Modern Progressivism 17:53 The Role of the Intelligentsia in Revolutionary Movements 20:59 The Normalization of Violence in Political Discourse 24:09 Comparisons Between Historical and Modern Revolutionary Movements 32:44 The Role of Liberals in Political Change 34:00 The Dangers of Labeling Political Opponents 38:21 Lessons from History: The Power of the Majority 41:13 The Importance of Literature and Universal Values 47:16 The Psychology of Political Identity 51:32 The Challenge of Compromise in Democracy 55:22 The Role of Science in Political Ideology 01:01:04 The Transformative Power of Literature Articles Discussed in This Podcast: Gary Saul Morson: Re-Possessed – Commentary Magazine Gary Saul Morson: Solzhenitsyn Warned Us – Commentary Magazine Gary Saul Morson: The Return of the ‘Useful Idiot’ – Commentary Magazine Gary Saul Morson: The Red Star Returns - The New Criterion Gary Saul Morson: Marxism Is a Gulag of the Mind - WSJ Wall Street Journal: U.S. Targets China's Stranglehold on Drone Production Roger Pielke Jr. Substack: New Climate Report Eliminates Most Extreme Scenarios Daily Wire: LA Arson Suspect Obsessed Over Luigi Mangione Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com
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The COVID Cover-Up with Paul D. Thacker | RealClearInvestigations Podcast #116
May 100:48:18Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Paul D. Thacker about his RCI article which details the central yet largely hidden role played University of North Carolina virologist Ralph Baric in both the risky scientific work that may have created the virus that causes COVID-19 and the subsequent campaign to suppress public debate about its origins. In our round-up of the week’s best investigative reporting, Zane and Varney discuss a Wall Street Journal article about the sources of political violence, a Washington Post story on the Trump administration’s effort to bring a venture capital mindset to the Pentagon, and a wide range of reports from PJ Media, the Federalist, the National Review and Fox News on the Trump administration efforts to highlight alleged wrongdoing by the Biden administration. 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview 02:55 Political Violence and Media Responsibility 05:58 Pentagon's Venture into Silicon Valley 08:59 COVID Cover-Up and Indictments 12:00 Ralph Baric and the Origins of COVID 15:09 Gain of Function Research and Its Implications 25:38 The Personnel Matter and Media Response 26:30 The Start of the Cover-Up 27:41 Gain of Function Research Explained 29:39 The Role of Media in Scientific Discourse 31:15 Intel Briefings and Lab Accident Possibilities 33:00 The Science Community's Response to COVID 36:09 Financial Motivations Behind the Cover-Up 39:35 The Implications of Scientific Research Funding 42:10 The Future of Gain of Function Research 44:10 The Need for Accountability in Science and Politics Articles Discussed in This Podcast: Paul D. Thacker/RCI: COVID Cover-Up: Hiding Star Researcher Ralph Baric’s Ties to Global Pandemic Wall Street Journal: Anti-Government Violence Hits 30-Year High Washington Post: Turning the Pentagon into a Venture Capital Firm New York Review of Books: Rebooting the Pentagon PJ Media: Top Fauci Aide Indicted for Concealing COVID Records Federalist: Did Politicized DOJ Scuttle Clinton Foundation Probe? Federalist: Did Biden Agency Try To Hide Planned Parenthood Loans? National Review: DOJ: Biden Admin Persecuted Conservative Christians Fox News: Claim: 'Mother Lode' of Russiagate Files in FBI Burn Bags Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com
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California Dream Turns Nightmare with Susan Crabtree | RealClearInvestigations Podcast #115
Apr 2500:47:50Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with RealClearPolitics reporter Susan Crabtree about her new book (co-authored with Jed McFatter) “Fool’s Gold: The Radicals, Con Artists, and Traitors Who Killed the California Dream and Now Threaten Us All.” In our round-up of the week’s best investigative reporting, Zane and Varney discuss articles in the Washington Free Beacon and USA today on the federal indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center stemming from its payment of some $3 million from 2014 to 2023 to members of the KKK, Aryan Nations, National Alliance, and other "violent extremist" groups who allegedly served as informants and a New York Times article about people who lost their jobs when the Trump administration shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development. 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest 01:07 Indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center 06:08 Critique of USAID and Its Impact 11:11 Introduction to Susan Crabtree and Her Book 13:59 California's Failed Policies and Their Consequences 20:01 Media's Role in California's Issues 22:49 California's Infrastructure and Union Influence 24:30 Transforming Transportation in California 26:20 The Homelessness Crisis: A Deep Dive 29:10 The Role of NGOs and Nonprofits 32:33 Corruption and Accountability in California 36:26 Gavin Newsom's Ties to China 42:25 The Future of California Politics Articles Discussed in This Podcast: Susan Crabtree & Jed McFatter: “Fool’s Gold: The Radicals, Con Artists, and Traitors Who Killed the California Dream and Now Threaten Us All.” Washington Free Beacon: Southern Poverty Law Center's Off-Shore Riches USA Today: FBI: SPLC Paid Informants Without Donors Knowing. Feds Pay Them Too Data Republican: How the Charlottesville Rally and SPLC Birthed Billion-Dollar-Plus ‘Democracy’ Ecosystem New York Times: A Year After U.S.A.I.D.’s Death, Fired Workers Find Few Jobs and Much Loss Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com
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Al Gore and the Politicization of Science | RealClearInvestigations Podcast #114
Apr 1700:59:10Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Roger Pielke Jr., a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, about his article detailing how Al Gore’s seminal 2006 book and film on climate change, “An Inconvenient Truth,” helped politicize science. In our round-up of the week’s best investigative reporting, Zane and Varney discuss Paul Sperry’s article for RCI on newly declassified documents showing how a top government official fast-tracked a politically compromised whistleblower complaint in 2019 that ultimately triggered the first impeachment of President Trump. They also discuss the sexual accusation that forced Rep. Eric Swalwell to resign from Congress – and why this evidently widely-known questions about his conduct had not been reported until now. 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest 01:00 Impeachment Insights and Partisan Politics 07:05 The Eric Swalwell Controversy 16:05 Legacy of Al Gore's Climate Advocacy 17:01 The Evolution of Climate Change Discourse 22:08 Current Understanding of Climate Science 28:00 Global Perspectives on Climate Change 29:14 Decarbonization and Energy Sources 31:28 The Politicization of Science 38:35 Millenarianism in Climate Science 42:47 Finding Common Ground in Climate Policy 46:38 The Impact of COVID on Public Trust 50:39 The Future of Academia and Climate PolicyArticles Discussed in This Podcast: Roger Pielke Jr.: The Legacy of Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" 20 Years Later Paul Sperry, CI: BREAKING: Newly Declassified Docs Reveal Bias of Impeachment 'Whistleblower' Paul Sperry, RCI: The Beltway's 'Whistleblower' Furor Obsesses Over One Name Washington Post: How Eric Swalwell Rose Despite Disturbing Reputation American Prospect: Eric Swalwell and the Death of Accountability Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com
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Chinese Communism’s Monstrous Mindset with Jan Jekielek | RealClearInvestigations Podcast #113
Apr 1101:02:58Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Jan Jekielek, a senior editor at The Epoch Times, about his bestselling new book, “Killed To Order: China’s Organ Harvesting Industry and the True Nature of America’s Biggest Adversary". On the news roundup, Zane and Varney discuss a CBS News investigation of potential hospice care fraud in California, a Wired article on how a top ranking DOJ official misled a judge regarding voter rolls, a New York Times story reporting that federal prosecutors failed to watch the video connected to a high-profile shooting in Minneapolis before charging the wounded man, and Roger Pielke Jr. Substack piece on the legacy of Al Gore’s influential 2006 book (and film) on climate change, “An Inconvenient Truth.” Articles & Books Discussed in this Episode Jan Jekielek Book Excerpt: Killed To Order: China’s Organ Harvesting Industry and the True Nature of America’s Biggest Adversary CBS News: The Most Connected Hospice Doctor in California Wired: DOJ Misled Judge About How It’s Using Voter Roll Data New York Times: Video of Minneapolis Shooting Undermines ICE Account https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/us/minnesota-ice-shooting-video.html Roger Piekle Jr. Substack: The Legacy of Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" 20 Years Laterhttps://rogerpielkejr.substack.com/p/the-legacy-of-al-gores-an-inconvenient Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com
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Citizen Sleuths Track Government Fraud with Walter Curt | RealClearInvestigations Podcast #112
Apr 1000:42:52Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Walter Curt – a podcaster and investigative journalist who operates The W.C. Dispatch - about how the Trump administration's push to open source some government payment systems and the rise of artificial intelligence are empowering citizen sleuths to track down fraud, waste and abuse. In our round-up of the week’s best investigative reporting, Zane and Varney discuss Peter Schweizer’s reporting from his new book, “The Invisible Coup,” about how China is exploiting America’s tradition of granting birthright citizenship, recent articles in the Washington Post, the New York Times and Wall Street Journal that indicate the legacy media is finally acknowledging some successes in the Iran War, and a ProPublica story and how Trump’s pardons of convicted swindlers throws into question his commitment to combatting fraud. YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/4Xh9mvq32D0 Articles discussed in this podcast: The W.C. Dispatch, https://wcdispatch.com/ Peter Schweizer: The Invisible Couphttps://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/03/31/book_excerpt_-_the_invisible_coup_how_american_elites_and_foreign_powers_use_immigration_as_a_weapon_1173586.html Washington Post: Iran’s Missile Infrastructure Severely Strainedhttps://www.realclearinvestigations.com/2026/03/30/irans_missile_infrastructure_severely_strained_1173364.html New York Times: Iran’s Fractured Leadership Is Struggling to Coordinatehttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/30/us/politics/iran-leaders-trump-war.html Wall Street Journal: Trump’s Foreign Policy Targets Rusia’s Allieshttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/why-russia-is-stepping-up-its-support-for-an-embattled-iran/ar-AA1ZFsGW?ocid=BingNewsSerp ProPublica: Trump’s War On Fraud Doesn’t Include Swindlers He’s Pardonedhttps://www.propublica.org/article/joseph-schwartz-trump-pardon-skyline-nursing-home-patients Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com
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Mass Censorship, Surveillance & Propaganda with Jacob Siegel | RealClearInvestigations Podcast #111
Apr 1001:00:09Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Jacob Siegel about his masterful new book, “The Information State: Politics in the Age of Total Control,” which details how technology and progressivism have helped give rise to mass censorship, surveillance and propaganda. In our round-up of the week’s best investigative reporting, Zane and Varney discuss a California Post article on the ongoing epidemic of sexual abuse at public schools, pieces in Reason and the Daily Caller that look at how government subsidies and illegal immigration are beleaguering the trucking industry and making America’s roads less safe, and a Politico story on Russia’s efforts to make sure its soldiers and citizen can only communicate through government-controlled channels. YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/Tgvz63kdZiw | Articles discussed in this podcast: California Post: California School District Allegedly Buried Teacher Sex Abusehttps://nypost.com/2026/03/20/us-news/el-monte-school-district-buried-teacher-sex-abuse-reports-probe/ Reason: The Truth About the Supposed Truck Driver Shortagehttps://reason.com/2026/03/24/welfare-on-wheels/ Daily Caller: The 'Mess' Lying Under Hood of the Illegal Trucker Crisishttps://dailycaller.com/2026/03/26/exclusive-derek-barrs-fmcsa-illegal-trucking-crisis/ Politico: The Race To Cut Off Russia From the Global Internethttps://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/14/russias-self-inflicted-communication-crisis-00827197 Jacob Siegel: Book Excerpt: The Information State - Politics in the Age of Total Controlhttps://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/03/27/book_excerpt_the_information_state_-_politics_in_the_age_of_total_control_1172464.html Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com
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Me Too Too Far? with Nancy Rommelmann | RealClearInvestigations Podcast #110
Apr 1000:39:46Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Nancy Rommelmann about her recent RCI article about a man who became a MeToo scapegoat thanks to the New York Times. On the News Roundup, Zane and Varney discuss Paul Sperry’s RCI exclusive report detailing new evidence of bias and misconduct in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe of President Trump. They also dig into a Semafor piece on Trump’s penchant for answering his own phone, Fox News’ report on Swedish parents who lost their child because they were too Christian and a New York Times story reporting that the revered civil rights leader, Cesar Chavez, allegedly molested and raped girls as young as 12. YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/odoRXB4Ittc Articles and Documentaries Discussed in this Episode: RCI/Nancy Rommelmann: The Scapegoat: How One Man’s Career Was Ended by MeToohttps://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/03/17/the_scapegoat_how_one_mans_career_was_ended_by_metoo_1170856.html RCI/Paul Sperry: FBI Misled Court To Spy on Second Trump Campaign Adviserhttps://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/03/20/fbi_misled_court_to_spy_on_second_trump_campaign_adviser_1171646.html Semafor: Why (and How) Everyone's Cold-Calling the President https://www.semafor.com/article/03/15/2026/why-and-how-everyone-is-cold-calling-the-president Fox News: Swedish Parents Lose Child for Being Too Christianhttps://www.foxnews.com/media/christian-parents-lose-final-appeal-after-swedish-state-took-daughters-following-false-abuse-claim New York Times: Cesar Chavez Accused of Abusing Girlshttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/18/us/cesar-chavez-sexual-abuse-allegations-ufw.html Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com
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My Lai to Russiagate: Journalism's March from Skeptic to Mouthpiece | RCI Podcast #109
Apr 1000:51:51Tap to summarizeOn this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney use the new Netflix documentary “Cover-Up,” on investigative reporting legend Seymour Hersh as a springboard for a wide-ranging discussion with RCI contributor Aaron Maté about the decline of skepticism and rise of propaganda in the legacy media. On this week’s News Roundup, Zane and Varney discuss a Washington Post article about Trump’s effort to remake the federal bureaucracy by firing and then hiring workers; two Wall Street Journal investigations of Medicaid and Medicare that suggest that in addition to fraud, waste and abuse, a near criminal lack of oversight costs taxpayers billions and a City Journal article on the politicization of sports reporting. YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/-ZyNWgiL4z4 00:00 Intro 00:31 News Roundup: Trump Administration's Impact on Federal Workforce 05:29 Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in Federal Government 10:02 Politicization of Sports Writing 16:16 Interview with Aaron Mate on Netflix Seymour Hersh Documentary “Cover-Up” 29:04 Russiagate and Media Accountability 50:15 Conclusion and Upcoming Work Articles and Documentaries Discussed in this Episode: Washington Post: After Firing, Trump Admin Now Hiring https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/after-slashing-federal-jobs-trump-administration-ramps-up-hiring/ar-AA1XOlP3?ocid=BingNewsSerp Wall Street Journal: Seniors Pay for Medicare Overpaymentshttps://www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/seniors-paid-billions-in-extra-premiums-due-to-alleged-medicare-overpayments-d41f5d79?mod=RSSMSN Wall Street Journal: Autism Therapy Is Medicaid’s Fastest-Growing Jackpothttps://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/the-boom-in-autism-therapy-is-medicaid-s-fastest-growing-jackpot/ar-AA1XWJa7?ocid=BingNewsSerp City Journal: How Sports Journalism Lurched Leftwardhttps://www.city-journal.org/article/sports-journalism-writers-media-politics Seymour Hersh Trailer: “Cover-Up”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CxEnECKs9U&t=3s Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com
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