We’ve seen a growing political and ideological divide between urban and rural populations in America. What has happened in Urbana, Ohio is a case study in how politics can shake a town to its core. Beth Macy is the author of “Paper Girl: A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America.” She joins WITHpod to discuss how Urbana has changed from the time she grew up there, themes that connect other rural American cities, thoughts on having civil discussions despite political differences, the nationalization of politics and more.

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Jen Psaki is on a mission to show us how the Democratic party can use this political moment to fight and win again. On Season 2 of her podcast, “The Blueprint,” she interviews the people reshaping the party, starting with Texas Congressman Greg Casar, Chair of the Progressive Caucus.

The first two episodes of “The Blueprint with Jen Psaki” are available now, and will continue to drop every Wednesday, from now through mid-November.

Stay right here to listen to a special preview. And for the full episode, search for “The Blueprint with Jen Psaki” and follow the show. Plus, subscribe to MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts for ad-free listening.

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On October 8, 2025, President Trump deployed the Texas National Guard to the Chicago area – marking yet another instance of military force being used domestically under his leadership. This follows earlier deployments of federal troops to states like California and Oregon. These actions point to a deeply troubling pattern: the use of U.S. military forces – trained to defend the nation from foreign threats – against its own citizens. Mary McCord, Executive Director of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection and a Visiting Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center, joins WITHpod to discuss the legal and ethical implications of this alarming trend – and what it means for democracy.

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In the Trump-era, and within the public health narrative shaped by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a debunked but persistent myth has taken hold: that infant vaccinations cause autism. Despite overwhelming scientific evidence disproving this claim, the narrative remains central to anti-vaccine rhetoric. Professor Richard Grinker, a cultural anthropologist and director of The George Washington University Institute for Ethnographic Research, joins WITHpod to discuss how autism has become a political obsession, recent inflection points, what the research says about autism being underdiagnosed or overdiagnosed and more.

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A few years ago, MSNBC contributor and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Trymaine Lee, though healthy and only 38, nearly died of a heart attack. That experience forced him to confront the multitude of factors that almost killed him. In his new book, “A Thousand Ways to Die: The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America,” he discusses the weight of being a Black man in America, of bearing witness, as a journalist, to relentless Black death, the toll of intergenerational oppression and more. Lee joins WITHpod to discuss three themes in the book: the long and bloody history of African Americans and guns; his work as a chronicler of gun violence and his own life story.

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The rise of AI and the development of more data centers continues to increase the need for more electricity. The electrical grid in the United States is subject to more demands than ever before. At the same time, electricity costs are not decreasing. Climate, energy and emerging tech expert Costa Samaras points out that all of this is rapidly leading to an electricity crisis. He joins Chris Hayes to discuss what’s happening now, the future outlook and what can be done.

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On September 9, 2025, Israel Defense Forces struck inside Doha targeting members of the Hamas negotiating team. With the Israeli government appearing to reject any ceasefire despite the remaining hostages in Gaza, urgent questions emerge about the future of millions of Palestinians. Amid the crisis, a new book offers some clarity and context: "Tomorrow Is Yesterday: Life, Death, and the Pursuit of Peace in Israel/Palestine" by Rob Malley and Hussein Agha. Drawing on decades of negotiations between the US, the Israeli government, and the representatives of the Palestinian people, the authors explore how we got here and what it could portend for the future. This conversation was recorded on September 10, 2025.

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Campaigns for the 2026 midterm elections are officially kicking off and candidates are starting to roll out their intro bios and platforms. One ad in particular, went viral online. It featured Graham Platner, a marine and army veteran and oyster farmer. He’s running for U.S. Senate in Maine to unseat five-term Republican Senator Susan Collins. He joins WITHpod to talk about his working class background, fault lines within the Democratic Party and more. This episode was recorded on 8/27/25.

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