There are two big trends in the social media sphere right now: politics and podcasts. It seems like pretty much everyone has their own podcast nowadays, and a ton of them circle around talking about politics, how we exist in the political world, and how to interact with others in a politically-oriented way.
Though there is some great listening out there regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, one podcast that deserves all the listeners in the world is Ana Marie Cox’s With Friends Like These.
With Friends Like These is a podcast by Crooked Media, a startup company founded by three former Obama aides to talk about what progressives can do in the Trump presidency. Crooked Media has a lot of great podcasts, the most well-known being Pod Save America, but there is something special about With Friends Like These that isn’t seen in other Crooked podcasts, cable news, or anywhere else you go to get your political information.
With Friends Like These aces the precarious balance of having a political position but carefully listening to those who have opposing viewpoints. Ana is a progressive Democrat, and there is no doubt that the liberal point of view is central to the show.
However, Ana’s guests aren’t always Democrats. While she has no interest in bringing in racist, misogynistic, or otherwise toxic viewpoints, she willingly and empathetically tries to understand the perspectives of her guests. Regardless of whether they are Democrat or Republican, she tries to find their commonalities.
Ana also talks about issues that aren’t necessarily on the front page of today’s paper. She goes in-depth on the importance of inclusivity of language, sexual education, progressivism’s relationship with the military, how black women are left behind by #metoo, and many other specific issues that often get buried in the scandals of the day.
Ana never sacrifices her own progressivism, but the tagline of the show says it all: it’s a show about listening instead of arguing. It’s unapologetic progressivism mixed with a huge dose of empathy. Everyone’s opinion is respected while still being meticulously picked apart. It’s something that we’re sadly lacking in so many other news sources.
There’s also a bonus for those of us listening here in Minnesota: Ana lives and records right here in Minneapolis! While this is cool just on its own, it’s also comforting to hear from someone who’s not in Washington, New York, or LA – she’s in the same boat as us. She calls the same representatives we do. She also experiences the same frigid winters we do, so maybe that’s an explanation for her empathy.
With Friends Like These is a great listen for anyone who wants to be up to date on progressive politics without feeling like you’re creating an echo bubble. Like Ana says to start the show, it’s a show about messy coalitions and conversations, but we need to get through the mess if we’re really going to listen to one another.