Checks and Balance from The Economist – Details, episodes & analysis

How did two old, unpopular men end up running for the world's most demanding job? It’s the question John Prideaux, The Economist’s US editor, gets asked the most. And the answer lies in the peculiar politics of the baby boomers. 

Since 1992, every American president bar one has been a white man born in the 1940s. That run looks likely to span 36 years - not far off the age of the median American. This cohort was born with aces in their pockets. Their parents defeated Nazism and won the cold war. They hit the jobs market at an unmatched period of wealth creation. They have benefitted from giant leaps in technology, and in racial and gender equality. 

And yet, their last act in politics sees the two main parties accusing each other of wrecking American democracy. As the boomers near the end of their political journey, John Prideaux sets out to make sense of their inheritance and their legacy. 

Launching July 2024.

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Narendra Modi is one of the most popular politicians on the planet. India’s prime minister is eyeing a third term atop the world’s biggest democracy. 

A tea-seller’s son, Mr Modi began life an outsider and the man behind the political phenomenon remains hard to fathom. India has become an economic powerhouse during his ten years in charge. But he’s also the frontman for a chauvinistic Hindu nationalist dogma. 

Can Mr Modi continue to balance both parts of his agenda and finish the job of turning India into a superpower? The Economist’s Avantika Chilkoti finds out what makes him tick. 

Launching June 2024.

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If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

In 2022 the Supreme Court gave control of abortion back to “the people and their elected representatives.” This November will be the greatest test yet of what that means. Democrats are running hard on the issue and as many as 16 states will vote directly on abortion. A grassroots movement has sprung up to defend reproductive rights. Will this fight decide the election? And what will the results mean for women’s ability to have an abortion? 

Charlotte Howard hosts with Sacha Nauta and Idrees Kahloon. Mary Ziegler of the University of California, Davis, and The Economist’s Stevie Hertz and Daniella Raz also contribute. 

Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts

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For months, a big foreign-aid deal looked like it was going nowhere in the House of Representatives. Now $95bn of support is heading out the door. How did the bill get through? What does it mean for Ukraine and for American leadership in the world?

Charlotte Howard hosts with James Bennet and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by The Economist’s Adam O’Neal and Anton La Guardia.

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While America’s focus has been on the presidential election, the race for Congress is even more volatile. With razor-thin majorities in the House and the Senate, both chambers might flip in November. What does that mean for governing? And how will the outcomes of these elections shape the next presidency?

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by The Economist’s Aryn Braun and Jessica Taylor from The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter.

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It’s not long since America was widely thought to be on the brink of recession. Instead the economy expanded by 3% in 2023, and continues to defy expectations. But why aren’t voters happier with Joe Biden’s economy? 

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by The Economist’s Simon Rabinovitch and Neale Mahoney, professor of economics at Stanford University. 

Thank you to the William J. Clinton Library and the UVA Miller Center for some of the audio used in this episode. 

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America has launched strikes against Iranian-backed militias in the Middle East, in response to an attack on a base in Jordan where three US troops died. How close are America and Iran to war?

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by General Frank McKenzie, former commander of US Central Command, and The Economist’s Anton La Guardia. 

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Joe Biden’s chances against Donald Trump in November do not look good. He is unpopular and his age puts many Americans off. How did it come to this? And what can the Democrats do about it?

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by Congressman Dean Phillips, who is primarying Mr Biden, and The Economist’s Edward Carr.

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If the election were held tomorrow, Donald Trump would probably be the favourite to win.  How should we be thinking about the race with a year to go? And how can the world outside of America prepare itself for the possibility of a second Trump term?

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by Vanderbilt University’s John Sides and The Economist’s Ed Carr. 

Checks and Balance will be recording a live show in Philadelphia later this month.  Find out more and get your ticket here.

Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.