Tangle

Isaac Saul

Independent, non-partisan politics news where you'll hear the best arguments from across the political spectrum on the news of the day. Plus, fascinating interviews with people in the political world. Check out our newsletter: https://www.readtangle.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 4h ago

    PREVIEW: The Friday Edition. - Not all billionaires are bad.

    But should they exist? Let me start by saying that I get it.  A few years ago, I read a fascinating piece about how professional basketball had lost its cool factor. The current stars of the NBA, like Jayson Tatum and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, just don’t have it. They aren’t charismatic in the same ways Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan or Dr. J were. They aren’t eccentric, or captivating, or culture-defining. “No aura,” as the kids say.  Spend a few minutes watching Elon Musk work a room or Mark Zuckerberg testify before Congress, and it’s hard not to get a similar feeling. These guys do not exude aura. They don’t present as classy or high-minded or suave, which — frankly — is how we prefer our rich people. They are awkward and make bad jokes and laugh in uncomfortable ways.  It at least feels like it was different before. The elites we grew up reading about operated in a classy manner, offered timeless wisdom or expressed humility when reflecting on their station in life. Andrew Carnegie was known for reciting poetry from memory, holding dinners where he’d debate Shakespeare and the merits of socialism, and waking his entire household with a bagpiper every morning. He’s credited with saying, “As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.” J.P. Morgan was famous for locking bankers in his library during the panic of 1907 and not letting them leave until they solved the crisis. He once said, “A man always has two reasons for doing anything: a good reason and the real reason.” Elon Musk wielded a chainsaw while bragging about cuts to USAID, and once entered Twitter HQ during a hostile takeover while carrying a sink. He tweeted: “Entering Twitter HQ — let that sink in! ” These people are not the same. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! Suspension of the Rules.Isaac, Ari, and Kmele had a lot to talk about this week. From Kmele “having a moment” on CNN to mail-in voting changes to CBS’s coverage of Abdul El-Sayed — plus a good guy of the week from the Pacific Northwest and a brief check-in on the Iran war — this week’s Suspension of the Rules is jam-packed. Watch it here. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here.  Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  2. 1d ago

    The data center pushback grows.

    In recent months, opposition to data centers has increased across the United States, prompting both Republican and Democratic politicians to oppose the facilities and some states to pause new construction. While some political leaders, including President Donald Trump, remain supportive of data centers, the topic has become a major issue ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, often linked to concerns about societal disruptions brought on by artificial intelligence (AI).  Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! Suspension of the Rules.Isaac, Ari, and Kmele had a lot to talk about this week. From Kmele “having a moment” on CNN to mail-in voting changes to CBS’s coverage of Abdul El-Sayed — plus a good guy of the week from the Pacific Northwest and a brief check-in on the Iran war — this week’s Suspension of the Rules is jam-packed. Watch it here. You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here.  Take the survey: Do you think we should keep building data centers? Let us know. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Ari Weitzman and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  3. 1d ago

    Suspension of the rules. - Kmele Foster blows up on the internet, Ari has a good guy of the week, Abdul El-Sayed, an inriguing whistle blower complaint and much more.

    Isaac, Ari, and Kmele had a lot to talk about this week. From Kmele “having a moment” on CNN to mail-in voting changes to CBS’s coverage of Abdul El-Sayed — plus a good guy of the week from the Pacific Northwest and a brief check-in on the Iran war — this week’s Suspension of the Rules is jam-packed. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! Get texts from us.The news cycle is heating up as we head into the midterms, and you can follow along with us every step of the way. On our SMS messaging service, we give readers exclusive opportunities to weigh in on our daily topics, access to behind-the-scenes peeks at our editorial process, and staff analysis of breaking news that doesn’t go to the newsletter. Share your questions.Next Friday, September 11, we’ll publish a mailbag edition answering reader questions about the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, as well as broader questions about other timely news topics, under-the-radar issues, and anything else of interest. You can submit a question here for consideration. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here.  Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast was hosted by Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Jon Lall. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Suspension of the rules. - Kmele Foster blows up on the internet, Ari has a good guy of the week, Abdul El-Sayed, an inriguing whistle blower complaint and much more.
  4. 2d ago

    SCOTUS and the White House ballroom.

    On Monday, the Supreme Court decided 5–4 to allow President Trump to continue above-ground construction on his White House ballroom project. The unsigned order pauses a federal judge’s halt on above-ground construction, stating the plaintiff likely lacks legal standing. However, the majority did not decide whether Trump has the legal authority to build the ballroom without congressional approval, and litigation will continue in lower courts. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! Get texts from us.The news cycle is heating up as we head into the midterms, and you can follow along with us every step of the way. On our SMS messaging service, we give readers exclusive opportunities to weigh in on our daily topics, access to behind-the-scenes peeks at our editorial process, and staff analysis of breaking news that doesn’t go to the newsletter. Share your questions.Next Friday, September 11, we’ll publish a mailbag edition answering reader questions about the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, as well as broader questions about other timely news topics, under-the-radar issues, and anything else of interest. You can submit a question here for consideration. You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here.  Take the survey: What do you think about the legal and practical implications of this case? Let us know. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Will Kaback and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  5. 3d ago

    The U.S. oil deal with Venezuela.

    On Friday, President Donald Trump announced an agreement to make the United States government an investor in the production of Venezuelan oil. Under the reported terms of the deal, the U.S. will take a stake in a private Venezuelan company that will be given the rights to develop 17 oil fields believed to contain 65 billion barrels of oil. President Trump said the deal will help build up U.S. oil reserves, bring down gas prices, and promote investment and production in Venezuela from other U.S. energy companies. Interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez said the deal will economically benefit her country and revitalize its energy industry.  Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! Share your questions.Next Friday, September 11, we’ll publish a mailbag edition answering reader questions about the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, as well as broader questions about other timely news topics, under-the-radar issues, and anything else of interest. You can submit a question here for consideration. You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here.  Take the survey: How do you feel about the practical and moral implications of this deal? Let us know. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  6. 4d ago

    CIA Director Ratcliffe’s trip to Russia.

    On Tuesday, August 25, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow, Russia, for the first publicly disclosed time to meet with Russian intelligence officials. While the CIA has not shared the official purpose of the trip, Ratcliffe reportedly cautioned Russia against attacking North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states. The visit also comes after four and a half years of war between Russia and Ukraine with little progress in peace discussions.  Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! Bring back shame?On Friday, Associate Editor Carina Pacheco explored the cultural shift toward “normalizing” behaviors once seen as weird or unacceptable. She wrote: I shudder to think of the mud that so many good, necessary emotions have been dragged through to get to the altar of normalization, chief among them shame and embarrassment... They form the bedrock of the shared norms and values that keep society functional. Varying degrees of risk-taking and independent decision-making — and failure — are essential to establishing character and creating the foundation of self-trust and resilience that everyone needs to truly grow.Check out Carina’s full essay here. You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ and today’s “Under the radar” story ⁠here⁠ and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here.  Take the survey: Will Putin attack a NATO country in the next two years? Let us know.  Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  7. Aug 28

    PREVIEW: The Friday Edition. - Have we no shame?

    Against normalization culture. Dear readers, In this week’s Press Pass, I introduced our newest editor, Carina Pacheco. As I said in that newsletter, when Carina applied to work here, I was struck by her writing voice, the lens through which she sees the world, and her interest in the intersection of culture and politics. To me, she offered something distinct from the rest of the team. Today, I’m thrilled to share her debut Tangle essay, which is adapted from a piece she published in her newsletter.— Isaac Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! The latest Suspension of the Rules.Is decency back? Isaac, Ari, and Kmele discuss a fascinating gubernatorial candidate in Iowa and an interesting couple of moments from a Fox News anchor before Ari gets canceled in a highly aggrieved grievances section. Check it out here. All about Flock cameras.A few months ago, you may not have heard of them at all. Now, Flock cameras are everywhere — especially in Northern Virginia, where Associate Producer Aidan Gorman lives. In our latest YouTube video, Aidan takes a trip around his neighborhood and talks with law enforcement to investigate the reach and presence of Flock cameras. Check it out here. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here.  Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Carina Pacheco and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75 and Jon Lall. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  8. Aug 27

    The Meta settlement.

    On Wednesday, Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and Threads, reached a settlement with a group of state attorneys general to pay up to $16.7 billion to resolve a case over alleged harms to children caused by its social media apps. The company also agreed to implement safeguards designed to mitigate excessive use of Facebook and Instagram by minors. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! The latest Suspension of the Rules.Is decency back? Isaac, Ari, and Kmele discuss a fascinating gubernatorial candidate in Iowa and an interesting couple of moments from a Fox News anchor before Ari gets canceled in a highly aggrieved grievances section. Check it out here. All about Flock cameras.A few months ago, you may not have heard of them at all. Now, Flock cameras are everywhere — especially in Northern Virginia, where Associate Producer Aidan Gorman lives. In our latest YouTube video, Aidan takes a trip around his neighborhood and talks with law enforcement to investigate the reach and presence of Flock cameras. Check it out here. You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here.  Take the survey: What new safety measures will be most effective? Let us know. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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4.7
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Independent, non-partisan politics news where you'll hear the best arguments from across the political spectrum on the news of the day. Plus, fascinating interviews with people in the political world. Check out our newsletter: https://www.readtangle.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.