Finkelstein & Finkelstein is a political podcast hosted by a father and son with divergent political views. Norman is a conservative, 76 year old lawyer and former NYPD Lieutenant who voted for Trump and thinks he's doing a good job in office. His son Russ is a journalist and documentary filmmaker who has covered politics and social issues across the US and around the world. Suffice it to say they don't see eye to eye on much in the way of politics. Each week, Russ gets Norman's take on a subject in the headlines in an effort to understand his father and the perspective of conservatives in general. In an era where politics have become an increasingly polarizing subject, Finkelstein & Finkelstein strives to foster a dialogue, using a father-son as it's foundation, to help understand and be able to discuss the nuances and passions of our current affairs.
Russ laments that everyone seems to be getting vaccinated before him and he and Norm discuss what even the point is of physically going to things. Then Norm gets pretty worked up about the border crisis and he and Russ discuss the geopolitics of Central America and the U.S. role there. Plus Norm discloses that the Dr. Seuss book 'And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,' was his favorite childhood book.
23 Feb 2021
Adam Curtis' 'Can't Get You Out of My Head'
Russ and Norm review the new Adam Curtis documentary Can't Get You Out of My Head. They also touch on Ted Cruz's jaunt to Cancun, the death of Rush Limbaugh, Andrew Cuomo's political crisis and Joe Biden's COVID relief bill.
9 Feb 2021
Episode 15 - Comrade My Pillow Guy
Russ and Norm discuss why Biden and the Dems aren't delivering on their promise to send out $2000 stimulus checks ASAP. Norm shares his thoughts on the current state of the Republican party and what's to be done with Marjorie Taylor Greene and the Trump base. And then Russ explains how Facebook is censoring ads he's tried to buy to promote the podcast, essentially putting the podcast on the same side of the free speech / censorship debate as Rudy Giuliani and Mike "My Pillow Guy" Lindell.
1 Feb 2021
We're going to the Moon! 🚀
Russ and Norman peel the onion that is the GameStop stock debacle with the (much needed) help of @NicStone, who covers finance and infrastructure as a senior analyst at Refinitiv, as well as Reuters' Chief Fintech Correspondent @annairrera
28 Jan 2021
Teaser - on the picket line with Teamsters Local 202
This is a teaser for our already-released episode "The Teamsters, AOC & a strike in the Bronx." Our podcast is also available on the Apple Podcast app, it's called Finkelstein & Finkelstein. Thank you!
27 Jan 2021
The Teamsters, AOC & a strike in the Bronx
The Teamsters won their week-long strike at Hunts Point Produce Market in the Bronx after AOC drew national attention by skipping Joe Biden's inauguration to join the picket line. What can we take away from this victory for organized labor? Russ talks to Teamsters Local 202 President Danny Kane and other union members about their fight for a better contract. Plus we get Norm's take on the Biden inaugural and the media's coverage of it.
11 Jan 2021
did the chuds have mens rea?
Russ and Norm discuss the riot at the Capitol and consequences Trump and the Republicans should face, if any.
16 Mar 2020
Episode 11: Kamikaze Boomers in the Age of Coronavirus
We're reviving this podcast to talk coronavirus and why the olds are having a hard time reckoning with having to stay at home, even if it's for their own good. Russ and Norm also talk about whether or not tenants hard up for cash should forego paying their rent, as well as whether it will be profit incentives and the private sector or our public institutions that save us from this mess. Please rate, share subscribe and tell your friends!
7 Oct 2019
Episode 10: Impeachment, Epstein Brain and Rita
In the season 1 finale, Russ and Norm talk about the latest developments in the impeachment inquiry as well as the allegations being thrown around by the president and his supporters that Joe and Hunter Biden were up to something shady in Ukraine. Russ describes what he calls 'Epstein Brain', a condition that causes him to obsess about Jeffrey Epstein and the lack of answers about his potential co-conspirators and the impunity they enjoy. Finally Russ asks his dad about a much beloved, adopted member of their family, Rita, a house keeper and nanny that took care of Russ and his sister from the time he was 2 weeks old. Norm and Russ' mom first hired Rita as an undocumented immigrant and eventually helped her get a legal residency through Ronald Reagan's amnesty policy. Russ asks Norm how he reckons this decision and his affection for Rita with his current conservative views on immigration.
13 Jun 2019
Episode 9 - Russia & Ukraine (Featuring Simon Ostrovsky)
Journalist and documentary filmmaker Simon Ostrovsky joins Russ and Norm to talk about Ukraine, Russia and the US' ever evolving beef with Moscow. Born in the Soviet Union but raised in the US, Simon has spent more than a decade reporting on politics and conflicts across the former Soviet Union. You may know him for his award-winning documentary 'Selfie Soldiers,' which traced the social media footprint of a Russian soldier from Russia to the battlefields of the Ukraine. Or as the dude who got kidnapped in 2014 by pro-Russia separatists while reporting for Vice News in Eastern Ukraine. Or for his recent reporting on the Ukrainian presidential elections for PBS' NewsHour. Simon shares his experiences working in Russia and Ukraine as a journalist as well as his perspective on the entangled politics of Washington, Moscow and Kiev.
31 May 2019
Episode 8 - Why did Norm become a conservative?
Russ and Norm field a call from a listener about why Norm, who came from a liberal jewish household, became a conservative. Norm talks about his experiences as a police officer in the Bronx and Harlem in the turbulent 1960s and 70s, as well as his affinity for John F Kennedy, the Space Race and labor unions. Ultimately Norm Russ and Norm trace how his experiences confronting crime, chaos and radicalized leftist political movements pushed him into law and order conservatism. If you're one of the people who's been asking for us to get more on the podcast, make sure to check out this episode!
16 May 2019
Episode 7 - Abortion
Russ and Norm discuss the developments in abortion legislation in Alabama and Georgia, as well as Alyssa Milano's proposed sex strike. Norm thinks that what lies ahead is a challenge in the Supreme Court of Roe vs. Wade that will involve limiting but not overturning the 1973 decision. They also discuss which democrats are the most electable and what lessons democrats can take from the Republican playbook to defeat Trump in 2020.
8 May 2019
Episode 6 - White Nationalism (Mindy Finkelstein Part 2)
In the second part of their conversation with Mindy Finkelstein, who survived an antisemitic mass shooting as a teenager, Russ, Norm and Mindy discuss the anti-Semitic 'Replacement Theory,' which inspired the shootings of Synagogues in Poway and Pittsburg. They also have a discussion about antisemitism in general and white nationalism in the Trump era and fall into a bit of a rabbit hole discussing what Norm refers to as 'live birth abortion.'
6 May 2019
Episode 5 - Mass Shootings (Mindy Finkelstein Part 1)
Russ' cousin Mindy survived an antisemitic mass shooting at a Jewish Community Center when she was a teenager. She's since become a prominent advocate for gun control. Mindy joins Russ and Norm to discuss what happened to her as well as gun control policy, The Second Amendment and antisemitism in the first installment of this two-part discussion.
24 Apr 2019
Episode 4 - Impeachment
Russ and Norm discuss the findings of the Mueller report and whether or not Democrats should try to impeach President Trump, looking at how impeachment proceedings for Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon. Famously, the impeachment of Bill Clinton backfired for House Republicans, who paid for it dearly in the 1998 mid-term elections. So is impeachment purely a political maneuver, or do legislators have some higher calling to do what they think is right, regardless of the political consequences?
12 Apr 2019
Episode 3 - Israel
Russ and Norm talk about the re-election of Benjamin Netanyahu and his last-minute campaign promise to annex the West Bank. Russ wonders whether the path Israel is on together with Donald Trump's enthusiastic endorsement of Netanyahu's policies is polarizing US support for the Jewish state.
3 Apr 2019
Episode 2 - The Border
Norman and Russ talk about the latest border news, the idea of building a wall and immigration in general. Plus Russ reads Norm a Bret Stephens article about Jewish immigration.
3 Apr 2019
Episode 2 - Teaser
Norman wonders out loud if Russ edits the podcast to further his own arguments and make his dad look bad
27 Mar 2019
Episode 1 - The Mueller Report
Finkelstein & Finkelstein is a father and son podcast about politics. In their first episode, Russ and Norman discuss the recently completed Mueller investigation and its political implications. They also dig into why Norm voted for and continues to support Donald Trump.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
4.7 / 5
21 ratings
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