Deconstructed

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Each week Deconstructed brings you one important or overlooked story from the political world. Veteran politics reporter Ryan Grim and a rotating cast of journalists, politicians, academics and historians tell you what the rest of the media are missing.


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Recent Reviews
  • castls123
    Thank you for what you do!!
    The journalism we need today. Thank you for your work.
  • excharger
    Essential Reporting
    Ryan boldly covers the important events which other news outlets won’t. His recent episode with a Venezuelan official is critical reporting. Regardless of your views on the Maduro government the shifting power and the rise if BRICS as a counter to western influence in Latin America has huge implications for the U.S. Keep shining a light in these neglected spaces.
  • RevSara
    The Squad Must Persist
    They are the glue that holds the Dems together especially on moral & ethical grounds & forget the republicans ( the swamp must Be drained completely ) Defund aipac ( they deserve to be marginalized with small lettering because these individuals Are only small feckless squirts that try To bully their way into politics Grow up aipac your policies are old & not working
  • HoboCop
    Please Donate
    Every time this podcast starts and I have to listen to an Amazon ad a small part of me dies. Please support the Intercept so they don’t have to take Amazon money. Keep them safe.
  • krobteachermom
    Feeling Informed
    Ryan Grim has terrific interviewing skills which I appreciate in every episode. What’s more, he’s a skilled investigative reporter, which allows him to bring cutting edge journalism to this podcast. I look forward to every episode.
  • Darling Tonia
    An Indispensable Podcast for News and Analysis
    I have been listening to and deeply appreciating Deconstructed since it started. I am sad to see so many bad reviews based on just one episode, which ironically is one that I haven’t listened to. I might have been tempted to leave a bad review myself a few years ago after Mehdi‘s interview with Pete Buttigieg, but overall, this is a GREAT podcast well worth subscribing to. I would just say to those reviewers, go listen to the incredible interview with Dennis Kucinich, or the Ojeda interview on the US legacy in Iraq… unforgettable conversations that’s still affect me over a year after hearing them. I count on this podcast to stay informed, and I unequivocally recommended it, even if they screw up once in awhile!
  • JPMorton
    Honest and Informative
    Ryan Grim brings on informed guests to discuss a wide range of relevant topics. He asks honest questions and gets deep into the issues. Definitely worth checking out.
  • bGuiles
    Amazon Prime is not ad-free
    Please remove that misinformation that wasted my time, or fix it, so that it is ad-free on Amazon prime. Then I’ll listen again, but meanwhile, you play too many ads. Thanks!
  • מונומ
    Lacking journalism
    In not so fancy words, these guys have a target and they will not miss it even if all they have is half truths at best.
  • J'aime mon mec
    A refreshing alternate view on US and global affairs
    If you are interested in hearing from diverse voices and opinions that are quite different than what you might typically hear on mainstream Western media, you will love this. The podcast goes behind the talking points that politicians use, and analyses the motivations and actions taking place behind the scenes. Don’t stop listening to the BBC, CNN, etc. Hearing from diverse viewpoints is good for people, even if they might disagree. But add this podcast into your rotation; you won’t regret it. Also, add in foreign media as well. There are many English-language news sources in other countries. Haretz in Israel, DW in Germany, Aljazeera in Qatar, France24 out of France, WION out of India, etc., etc. If you speak languages other than English, you will have even more choices in the foreign press. Deconstructed and the Intercept are great resources if you want to get a deeper analysis of world events.
  • cmstanford2019
    Hugely informative! Alex Lawson on Medicare drug negotiation program
    This interview with Alex Lawson of Medicare Works was hugely informative! He really helped me understand how important this breakthrough moment is when Medicare is able to negotiate drug prices for the first time. I had been following and trying to participate in the policy process for a long time, so Lawson gave me a better inside view of what it took for us to reach this point. I agree with him completely that the best strategy is to demand the highest goal at the beginning, so that as it gets whittled away during the process, we still have something worthwhile at the end.
  • Syncyclist98
    My #1 podcast!
    I have found that I must turn to Intercepted and Deconstructed to really understand what is going on behind the headlines and mainstream news articles. I am very grateful for this 100% credible, thorough and unbiased information. Love Ryan Grim!
  • 55colorandol
    Rufo interview
    Rufo confuses his Communist Italian family with the democratic socialist left. I’m no more tied to Marcuse than the right is tied to Reagan. I’d suggest a good counselor to understand where his real issues lie and desist with the damage he is inflicting with his clever turn of phrases that are paving the way for authoritarians and a Hungarian like non-democracy . You didn’t ask him about Tulsa’s Greenwood when he was wistful about black enterprise, and if the black community there deserved some reparation consideration. I wished you’d pushed him about corporations acceding to woke in the HR department made no difference to their bottom line (Bud lite the exception). And I was shocked to hear that the middle class in Youngstown is better off than the middle classes in Europe, who have healthcare, affordable education and other strong safety net access. I was glad to hear an acknowledgement that he Catholic Church is a groomer organization if we’re talking about grooming - it’s probably the largest in the world. I heard no solutions to the environmental crisis, polarization in society and in congress, the debt and deficit or anything else, just a clever spin that’s going to reward him with access to Harlan Crow type vacations. Maybe Crow’s private jet will refuel in Italy and pick up Rufo’s relatives so he can say ‘I told you so.’
  • Lillysmallz
    Christopher Ruf
    I listened to this episode , and thought to myself - this dude is wyt. I always wondered why, when people go to IV league college and have these very basic comments on neo liberal culture and the people that participate in neo liberal leftism and just take that as the whole. If he had these criticisms, why didn’t he ever explore Other leftist organizations ? Did he ever talk to grassroots type organizations instead? He goes to other countries, sees what conservatism has done worldwide and still decides to side with the right? He JUST like his classmates are “hippie” turned neo liberal turned conservative. “Hippie” turned
  • Gat guy 1
    Christopher Rufo Episode
    I love Deconstructed and have followed every episode since the beginning. This one made me feel infuriated. While I like Deconstructed’s balanced approach to current affairs, I’m sad that Ryan Grim did not hold Christopher Rufo accountable for his fascist views. As a mixed race person of color, I was deeply hurt to hear Rufo imply that any effort to learn about the atrocities of slavery and racism in this country is an attack on white people. Interesting that he represents the right wing ideals that his ancestors in Italy fought so hard to fight against. Also, I am appalled that he thinks that poor people in America are better off because they have more material goods than Europeans. Has he not heard of nationalized healthcare or affordable university education? What about our fentanyl epidemic, the amount of homeless people who need mental health care and drug treatment? The Intercept is better than this. Give us the truth, not a platform for a neo-fascist to spread their racist invective. Quite frankly this episode was upsetting and disappointing.
  • jorgeviola
    Rufo was a liberal?
    Christopher Rufo was a liberal before becoming the culture war leader for the right. Must
  • Pierre Ooooooo
    Bring Back The Billions
    Somehow the move away from Pierre’s purse took a turn for the worse. Besides the ridiculous need to die on a hill defending the newsworthiness of pointless documents adding to a ramshackle conspiracy theory… this Rufo episode is exhausting. Rufo has caused a movement that chipped years off the lives of hard working public servants who have been forced to deal with right wing nuts. The Intercept must be firmly in the vouchers and charter school camp. Which is disappointing. You’re no longer serving the public with information they need. You’re platforming a freak who’s trying to pry away any semblance of the public school system.
  • Goblinkat
    Platforms Right Wing Plants, NIMBYs and Political Spoilers
    This is not a good podcast. Ryan systematically platforms political figures and their funders who are meant to draw votes away from the DNC candidates, in favor of helping the GQP further dismantle civil rights and democracy. He also LOVES platforming “Libertarians.” I unfollowed as his slate of these guests got larger. Ryan is probably making money off of this grift somehow, and I don’t mean Patreon.
  • R M WW
    Informative Podcast
    Ryan delves into complex stories and interviews great guests that won’t get airtime on legacy media. Love this podcast, I listen to every episode.
  • Amir Zaki_artist
    Tema Okun interview
    I’m a liberal. Let’s start there. This interview was miserable. An hour of unfalsifiable claims with zero pushback or challenges. I had to keep closing my mouth because my chin kept dropping at all the nonsense that was being spewed. Just saying “nuance” and then proceeding to grossly generalize and spout garbage isn’t nuance. She managed to use all the same vapid talking points like “doing the work”. A high school kid after one semester of debate could have challenged some of what she stated much better than the interviewer did. This was incredibly depressing and poorly executed. Wow. Awful.
  • FredMid4all
    Deep Analysis
    Thank you for inviting guests from multiple perspectives and posing critical (critiquing) questions
  • Kapplebite
    Real Deal
    This is my favorite news/politics Podcast around; it gives you meaningful takes and analysis of the given subject matter, real journalism, and thoughful interviews. This is not just a rehash of the talking points of the day.
  • KMR607
    Appreciate the audio article
    Good idea!
  • douggernaut92
    Hail the Grimm reaper
    Ryan is a journalist with a mountain of integrity. Loved the longer audio book format of the latest episode.
  • jdjdms
    Liked the article as audio approach
    Keep the great stories coming!
  • rayahawn321
    Investigative journalism
    They give a voice to the voiceless very informative where’s Jeremy Scahill?
  • Matt__C@rroll
    Unchecked bias
    Ryan used to be pretty great at interviews but now let’s guest say lies and he doesn’t keep them in check. I’ve heard several episodes now with propaganda talking points from the far right and there is no accountability. This podcast does a disservice to its listeners. I’m no longer a listener.
  • DSOJ9339
    Part of the solution
    Tired of media that uses division as a engagement strategy? Ryan Grim effectively employs a traditional, common sense, non inflammatory approach to keeping his audience informed. He doesn’t insult our intelligence, nor does he sensationalize each and every opportunity to pit one demographic against the next. If this is what the future of news media looks like, I’m happy I stuck around.
  • Simkha
    Original Host Was Better
    I've been listening to this show for a while, and really appreciate the focus on various news and current events that seem be left out of a lot of mainstream media. This show and Intercepted, however, definitely have a bias in favor of men - men hosts and men guests. Just something I've noticed, and continue to find problematic. That aside, like with any show where the guest can determine how interesting an episode is, this one fluctuates wildly for me. Some politicians and economists come on and start droning, and I'd prefer to gouge my eyeballs out with souvlaki sticks. Others come on and are extremely engaging, knowledgeable and interesting. That's not necessarily a fault of the podcast (although they could, perhaps, remember that this is a podcast so finding guests with something of interest to say, rather than just a topic, should be a primary focus). And though Grimm has been hosting for a long while now, I still find him less interesting than Hasan, and his vocal fry, to be somewhat petty but also truthful, is getting on my nerves. It's hard to listen to him in long spans. Still, at this point to me the news is still important enough to overcome this for me so for now I'm continuing to listen.
  • estepcha
    Broad, excellent journalism
    I’m always surprised by the breadth and depth of their journalism. They cover lots of topics that are less covered by larger, more American-centric news outlets. I like to think of them as a far more reliable Vice alternative.
  • LewickiLuke
    Special Shoutout to Maia Hibbett
    Maia Hibbett and U.S. Microbiologist Joseph Osmundson make a complex, emotionally charged topic human and accessible. I’m so impressed and grateful for the episode: Biomedical Racism, Queer Theory, and the Monkeypox Epidemic and this podcast in general. Truly, such an endearing host and a microbiologist who really knows his stuff.
  • Bilco 321
    Thoughtful insights to understand what’s behind the story
    This podcast digs deep into important stories. I hear stuff on deconstructed that I don’t hear anywhere else. Glad I stumbled onto it in the mehdi Hasan days.
  • edppp9
    sad downturn
    i’ve been a reader of the intercept and consumer of just about all of their content since they launched. they used to punch up and expose. now they’re just msnbc with a little spice. nothing original or groundbreaking any more.
  • Alfred W K
    I’m shocked & disappointed your falling in line with mainstream media on Flynn prosecution
    Glenn Greenwald correctly separates his feelings about Islamaphobe jingoistic Flynn from actual merits of conviction. Concludes no reason to prosecute Kariakou Blumenthal & Matt Taibbi same conclusion. If you want to have debate over wether there’s grounds ok but ridiculous to assume it’s legit. Then you get in Bazalon who though apparently fairly knowledgeable is as heard on the gabfest what Douglas valentine calls the compatible left. Goes with the flow Russiagate etc in a nice friendly way. Up to now I’ve respected everything you’ve done Including Head to Head but this episode jumped the shark.
  • svrnclv
    Rediscovered this podcast and love it
    Ryan Grim and co have created the best podcast for seeing the truth behind the news. The episode with Galbraith is top notch and broke down decades of neoliberal talking points.
  • Memzed
    Exceptional
    Our world would be a very different place if all journalists had the same integrity as Ryan and his colleagues at the Intercept.
  • Living in Venezuela
    Great, buy let your guests talk
    This show is the kind of inside baseball program that gets the gears turning and bring clarity to extremely opaque and complex gov/political issues. This program would really benefit though from primary host, Ryan Grim, to let guests speak and tell their story, share their knowledge. Grim frequently sets up a question with 5 minute long prelude, which basically answers his own question. Again, great, but let your guests talk.
  • carlos de la costa vasca
    Great sources! Well told stories
    This podcast consistently presents sources or probing interviews with individuals who are in a good position to inform listeners and who are not sought out by the corporate media. Whether it’s a fresh look at an insider like Harry Reed, scrutinizing the political landscape in Afghanistan after the NGOs and the generals picked up their marbles and went home, or a dive into the history of Central America or Ireland or monopoly capital or any other topic that’s crying out for cultural and historical context, Ryan along with his crew nails it.
  • sunday rise
    Truth
    I really appreciate The Intercept is trying to objectively report the truth, the facts, wherever it leads and whomever it indicts. Bc of that, I’ve decided to contribute my measly $5/month to them, as opposed to the myriad other independent sources out there. Thank you.
  • ThatsFaisalNotFlenicia
    Fascinating sh’t
    Two episodes and I am hooked for life!
  • JohnnyA247
    Deconstructed
    Ryan Grimm is a national treasure. He does incredible relevant investigative journalism, has the highest journalistic standards (outshining most of the outlets he’s worked for), and produces the most consistently illuminating podcast I know. Hard to over-praise.
  • HPLawrence
    No nuance
    Every sentence and every clause of the episode I listened to was leftist dreck. Had higher hopes for it going in. Probably will still purchase the book, but couldn’t listen to the conversation as it never progressed. I guess I am hopelessly an imperialist, supremacist, bourgeois, dirty, unenlightened ethnocentrist...
  • Sacamudis
    Hurry up and listen!
    Now!
  • midwestBlue
    3.26 pod
    manchin is a tool of the energy corporations. he is their mouthpiece and his energy thoughts come from them, here joey, write this down. blahhh. he also is a P tease when it comes to saying he will do or sign something with a bill and then says, no, i don’t like that.
  • Tellonecone
    Truth & Reconciliation
    I have listened to Deconstructed for most of it’s life. The episode about has to be one the most informative podcasts I have ever listened to. I am in the middle of the 2nd listening.
  • the real raskol
    Russia-Gater obfuscation
    Ryan Grim is a skilled liberal propagandist masquerading as a truth-teller while being paid by a billionaire.
  • Volunteer MA-01
    Main Stream vs Progressive Media
    If I have to sacrifice objectivity in my news channel because MSM has worn thru to its corporate bias then so be it. DeConstructed is a welcome vehicle for telling me the truth in this 1% ruled society I live in. Thanks Ryan Grim
  • jkbulldvm
    Finally
    Finally, journalism that speaks the truth and makes sense.
  • Lørnz
    Critical journalism and analysis
    I learn so much with every show. The thoughtful behind the scenes perspectives along with historical and contemporary context are invaluable for understanding and processing what’s happening in our government and society at large.
  • mywavepool
    One of a kind progressive reporting.
    Can’t get enough of Ryan Grim’s insights and interviews. Only wish we had more content like this.
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