Start Making Sense with Jon Wiener

About Start Making Sense with Jon Wiener

Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the week in news. Hosted by Jon Wiener and presented by The Nation Magazine.

Publisher

The Nation Magazine

Category

news

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

8 Mar 2023

Latest episode

4 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

190 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   4 Nov 2026

   Our Historic Victories and How We Won

   What we won this week, starting with Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and James Talarico in Texas – John Nichols comments on the candidates and the issues. He’s The Nation’s Executive Editor. Also: Why victories in the South are especially historic and transformational – Harold Meyerson explains. He’s editor at large of The American Prospect. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands (https://redcircle.com/brands) Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy (https://redcircle.com/privacy)

2. 

   28 Oct 2026

   Defeating Trump’s Attacks on Voting, plus the Coming End of the Trump Era

   Trump's efforts to interfere with voting, and with certification of the results, have not been successful. Rick Hasen of the UCLA Law School says “We're doing well on election protection”: the courts have been strong, the blue states have been a bulwark, and—most important—early voting has been big. Rick is also director of the Safeguarding Democracy Project and editor of the Election Law Blog. Also: If the election goes roughly as the polls say it will, next Tuesday will mark the beginning of the end of the Trump era. Harold Meyerson comments, focusing on getting to 51 in the Senate—or, better yet, 52. Harold is editor-at-large of The American Prospect. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands (https://redcircle.com/brands) Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy (https://redcircle.com/privacy)

3. 

   21 Oct 2026

   Massive GOP Spending Hasn’t Slowed the Coming Blue Wave; plus The Cornell Rape Case

   Republicans are spending hundreds of millions on the midterms, but their money hasn’t been able to counter the crisis of affordability, the disgust with Trump’s corruption, and the quality of many of the Democratic candidates. Harold Meyerson comments – he’s editor at large of The American Prospect. Also: Katha Pollit argues that the gang rape at a Cornell fraternity party could have been stopped--if someone had bothered to intervene. But no one did. “Where were the good guys?” She asks. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands (https://redcircle.com/brands) Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy (https://redcircle.com/privacy)

Who has been a guest on Start Making Sense with Jon Wiener

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Bhaskar Sunkara
• EJ Dionne
• E Jean Carroll
• Steve Phillips
• Leah Greenberg

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.8 / 5

18 ratings

Spotify

4.7 / 5

6 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 62 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

91

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

85

Contact Start Making Sense with Jon Wiener

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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• 

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