Robert F Kennedy Jr. explains how the invasion of Iraq led to the creation of ISIS. The CIA and the history of modern Syria. The American backed Coup in Iran and Middle Eastern perceptions of US foreign policy. The Shia Sunni divide and the corporate dominance of American policy. America's role in the Shia and Sunni divide and what's really behind intervention in Syria. (19:00)

Tina Dupuy lets us know about her exciting new podcast which explores the world of cults. Tina remembers her cult upbringing and why do people get drawn to the cult worldview. (50:00)

On The Fun Half: Is Bernie stronger against Trump. Massachusetts Democrats defecting to Trump. Bernie Sanders runs an amazing ad. Leading Republicans attack Mitt Romney for calling out Trump's coddling the KKK. Arizona Democrat runs ad against John McCain linking him to Donald Trump. An LBJ ad that we can all learn from today. The game of footsie Trump is playing with David Duke. Peter Beinart says liberals should vote for Marco Rubio in open Republican primaries and your calls and IMs.

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On today's show Bronwen Dickey (@BronwenDickey) a Contributing Editor for the Oxford American and author of the forthcoming book: Pit Bull: The Battle over an American Icon. (10:45)

Bronwen's experience on a conspiracy theorist cruise. Conspiracy theories and science communication: why do people come to believe what they believe. How the cruise ship added to the conspiracist paranoia. The suspicion Bronwen was a plant by the pharmaceutical industry. How to differentiate between true conspiracies from frivolous conspiracy theories. Social and political distrust of scientific arguments. The difficulty of reasoning people out of positions they didn't arrive at with reason.

Bronwen's book, Pit Bull: An American Icon. The baggage and demonization of pit bulls and how the racial composition of the owners of demonized dog breed creates these myths. The origins of the word "race" from the language of breeding. The linkage of pit bulls with "thugs" as a proxy cultural struggle.

On the Fun Half: What Bernie needs to do better, how dangerous do Trump's reasonable statements on issues like healthcare and the Iraq war make him, more on pit bulls, Vicente Fox uses the f-word on Fox Business. Also your calls and IMs.

Cliff Schecter explains the hilarious and disturbing debacle of the latest Republican debate. The stunted emotional development of the Republican candidates. The Republicans do not debate policy. Why Trump's wall fantasy tells us everything we need to know about the GOP and mainstream media. The one more Marco Rubio attack on Donald Trump might work. How you can beat Trump and what Bernie and Hillary need to do to beat Trump. (8:45)

Christopher Rosen continues his rise and is now in charge of Entertainment Weekly Online. What does Rosen think of the Best Picture nominations. Why the Revenant will win according to Rosen. Where does Rosen get his info? Sam dismisses Steven Spielberg. Who Rosen thinks will win. Rosen does not documentaries and what is Rosen doing for EW. (49:45)

Chris Christie endorses Donald Trump. The IRS investigates Trump because he is a big Christian. Chris Matthews try to grill Bernie Sanders and your IMs.

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Jacobin Magazine founder and coeditor of The Future We Want: Radical Ideas for the New Century, Bhaskar Sunkara, explains the dynamic of President Obama's leadership. Contradictions of the Democratic Party. The difference between the Democratic Party and European Social Democratic parties. Why Bernie Sanders comes from the socialist tradition. How Sanders is educating the public. Why Sanders is the political realist. We are in a class war and the rich are waging it. Why socialists want to expand democracy. Eliminating the wrong kind of risk in American society. Why liberals lose and why radicals need to get politically real. What we can learn from Britain's NHS. Why technocratic policy proposals are wrongheaded and why Sanders is getting his arguments right. Federalizing the anti austerity cause and the long term prospects for social democracy. (11:30)

On The Fun Half: How to cap CEO pay. How to make real progressive change happen. Black Lives Matter activist confronts Hillary Clinton on using the term "super predators" in the 1990s and your calls and IMs.

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Professor and author of Crowds and Party Jodi Dean explains how individualism undermines modern organizing. Why the problem is bigger than neoliberalism. The left and discipline. How we can have collective politics and why we need it. The distinction between liberalism and the left from the perspective of political theory. Is the individual a fiction? How Capitalism relies on the myth of the individual. What are crowds and why they matter. How the left can and should push the crowd. Do we need a Communist Party? Why the real Left does exist and the Bernie Sanders opportunity. (9:15)

On The Fun Half: Donald Trump loves the "poorly educated". Why the Republicans can't stop Trump. Why the MSM still does not get it. A Nevada Caucus crowd blows off Glenn Beck for Donald Trump. Alex Jones thinks Trump is in danger and your calls and IMs.

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On today’s show journalist Bill Fletcher Jr. (@BillFletcherJr) joins us to discuss his most recent piece in the Jacobin Bernie and the Movement. How does Bernie’s campaign fit into building a larger movement for the future. Comparisons with the Jesse Jackson “Rainbow Coalition” campaign. Bernie as “movement-exciter” rather than “Bernie-creator.” Jackson’s relationship with the Democratic establishment. The fact that elections focussed on individuals do not necessarily lead to ongoing movements. The difference in the political environment the Jackson and Sanders campaign. How to bridge between Sanders’ rhetoric and policies: energizing the base. Hillary Clinton’s fluency in discussing racial politics. The importance of electoral, mass movements, and legal considerations in winning power for progressive people. (5:30)

On the Fun Half: Gerrymandering, the Movement for Bernie, Ben Carson is obstinate on Bill O'Reilly, why Baby Boomers don’t get Bernie, and your calls and IMs. 

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Huffington Post's Senior Political Editor Sam Stein joins us to discuss his new podcast, Candidate Confessional, and the 2016 race. Jeb drops out. Why the hesitation by the GOP establishment to fall behind Marco Rubio? What’s up with Marco’s medical and birth history? What to make of the Nevada results for Bernie and Hillary. (10:00)

Sam discusses the primaries: what to make of the turnout and demographic trends.

On the Fun Half: The super delegates issue as a red herring. Who is more attractive to independents between Hillary and the GOP candidates? A call for the legalization of drugs. The virtue of the Bernie Sanders campaign when it comes to highlighting issues. What to make of Krugman’s assertion Bernie’s is engaging in “voodoo economics.” The “no free lunch” arguments coming from establishment Dems.

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Robert Smigel on Triumph and insult comedy in 2016. Mocking the left vs mocking the right. On comedy's relationship with social progress. The bias-free language guide. On working with Hulu. The beauty of covering the presidential primaries. On the abilities technology gives to creative people. Robert's perspective on the Donald Trump phenomenon. (6:00)

Lily Geismer, author of Don't Blame Us: Suburban Liberals and the Transformation of the Democratic Party on her Jacobin piece "Atari Democrats." The McGovern campaign and the shift from labor to white-collar professionals. The "Massachusetts Miracle." The "creative class," and wine and beer tracks. The apparent impossibility of change within the Democratic establishment. (42:30)

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Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee is on to discuss the PCCC's success in getting a pledge from Hillary Clinton to not cut social security. Adam's appearance on Fox & Friends. The media/campaign strategy behind the timing of the pledge challenge. The theory of change employed by the PCCC. Hillary's attempts to muddy the waters on issues like the social security cap. Presidential Appointments Matter: The new push to have the candidates give specific examples of people they would consider for key posts standing up to Wall Street power. (9:00)

Informationer - Nixon and the Pentagon Papers (28:00)

On Saturday, June 12th, 1971, President Nixon enjoyed one of his happiest days in the White House, celebrating the wedding of his daughter Tricia in the Rose Garden. A little after noon the following day, he received a call from his deputy National Security advisor Al Haig informing him of the Pentagon Papers leak, a major blow to the already unpopular Vietnam War.

Three calls included:

1. Deputy NSA Advisor Al Haig and Nixon, 6/13/71. (WHT 005-050)

2. Domestic Advisor John Ehrlichman the following day (WHT 005-068). Ehrlichman tells Nixon to send a warning to the NYT, advises him to call Attorney General John Mitchell who is anxious to do so.

3. Minutes later, Nixon calls Mitchell. National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger joins the call as well. (WHT 005-070)

Music: "Holes" by Mercury Rev

FOR MEMBERS: 7/6/2005 - Sam is joined by Slate Supreme Court reporter Dahlia Lithwick to discuss Sandra Day O'Connor's resignation, the politicization of the Supreme Court, Roe v Wade, judicial activism, Robert Bork, and John Roberts. 

Lester Spence, Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins University and author of Knocking the Hustle: Against the Neoliberal Turn in Black Politics. What is Neoliberalism? Jay-Z's "I'm not a business man, I am a business, man." The history of the term "hustle." How do the effects of neoliberalism change across racial lines? The "prosperity gospel." (8:40)

Hustle as theft of labor. Creflo Dollar. What is the ongoing conversation about this within black intellectual circles. The neglect of considerations of political economy. The growing activity within black intellectual discourse. The cultural turn against political economy. Class bifurcation within identity politics. (21:00)

Critiques of Cornel West's "Race Matters," and Barack Obama's "My Brother's Keeper." Michael Nutter's troublesome reaction to Problems as mayor of Philadelphia. The importance of speaking truth to power. A critique of David Harvey's views on Neoliberalism neglecting race. Racialized populations as the locus for the neoliberal turn. Racial resentment in policy. (29:10)

And for members: June 16, 2005, Sam has then-Congressman Bernie Sanders on to discuss his amendment blocking Patriot Act surveillance.