The Impossible Dream

#642 - 6 April 2018

Before he leaves the Senate for good, Republican Jeff Flake is trying to get a bill passed. He has his work cut out for him, with a Senate that barely brings anything to the floor, a party he feels estranged from, and a president who seems to hate his guts. Producer Zoe Chace hung out with him for four months.

The Walls

#641 - 16 March 2018

Stories from border walls around the world, where one place ends and another begins. And the strange ecosystems that arise.

Five Women

#640 - 2 March 2018

As Harvey Weinstein goes to trial, we have a different kind of #MeToo story about several women who worked for the same man. They tell us not only about their troubling encounters with him, but also about their lives beforehand. Who were they when they entered the workplace, and how did their personal histories shape the way they dealt with his harassment?

In Dog We Trust

#639 - 23 February 2018

Exactly how much are the animals that live in our homes caught up in our everyday family dynamics?

Rom-Com

#638 - 9 February 2018

The one thing you know for sure when you're watching a romantic comedy is that it's going to turn out okay in the end. When you're living one? Not so much. This week, stories that unfold like rom-coms.

Words You Can't Say

#637 - 2 February 2018

In this politically charged climate, it feels like you have to be super careful with your language, no matter who you are or what side you're on. Stories about people who say the “wrong” thing and suffer the consequences, including a very conservative Republican from Louisiana who's lambasted for being too liberal.

I Thought It Would Be Easier

#636 - 19 January 2018

A year into Trump’s presidency, stories of politicians—of both parties—unable to accomplish tasks that seem pretty straightforward.

Chip in My Brain

#635 - 12 January 2018

A boy who can’t dribble gets a coach, a new best friend, and something to believe in.

Human Error in Volatile Situations

#634 - 22 December 2017

Even the best laid plans can go catastrophically wrong when humans get involved. This week, people bungle simple operations on some of the most dangerous weapons in the world.

Our Town - Part Two

#633 - 15 December 2017

So many people in Albertville, AL wondered what it cost them in taxes when thousands of undocumented immigrants moved to their town. One woman drove our host Ira Glass to the grocery store to watch a random Latina mom buy some milk with government assistance, to try to prove her point. So what’d all the newcomers really cost? And what was their effect on crime, schools, and politics?