Apple News In Conversation

Guest-hosted by Brian Stelter: Many Americans say the economy is their top issue this election year, with roughly two-thirds of voters saying they don’t feel it’s working for them. That’s despite a variety of indicators that show the economy is healthy and thriving. Guest host Brian Stelter talked with Megan Leonhardt, a senior writer for Barron’s, and Betsey Stevenson, a labor economist and professor at the University of Michigan, about the disconnect between the data and voter sentiment, as well as Joe Biden’s and Donald Trump’s first-term track records.

Guest-hosted by Brian Stelter: Between the upcoming presidential election, rapidly improving artificial intelligence, and weakened social-media safeguards, disinformation is becoming an increasingly urgent issue in the U.S. In her new book, Attack From Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America, legal analyst and former U.S. attorney Barbara McQuade argues that American democracy will suffer if we don’t distinguish truth from lies. McQuade spoke with Apple News In Conversation guest host Brian Stelter about America’s disinformation problem and how to address it.

Guest-hosted by Brian Stelter: Donald Trump is the first president — current or former — to face criminal charges. The first of his four criminal trials is set to begin at the end of March, with at least one other expected to take place before the presidential election. Guest host Brian Stelter spoke with Scott Detrow, host of NPR’s Trump’s Trials podcast, and Karen Tumulty, political columnist for the Washington Post, about the charges against Trump and how he’ll split his time between the courtroom and campaign trail.

Guest-hosted by Brian Stelter: This year’s presidential election is unprecedented for many reasons. Republican front-runner and former president Donald Trump is facing 91 criminal charges in four separate trials. President Joe Biden, the presumed Democratic nominee, is facing serious criticisms over his age. Guest host Brian Stelter sat down with New Yorker staff writers Susan B. Glasser, Jane Mayer, and Evan Osnos, who also cohost The Political Scene podcast. He asks whether backup plans exist for either candidate, what the rules are around electing someone convicted of a crime, and why this campaign cycle is sure to be unlike any other.

Sheryl Swoopes, often called the “female Michael Jordan,” was the first player signed to the WNBA. Her story is featured in the new documentary Shattered Glass, which takes a look at how far the league has come since Swoopes’s early days — and what today’s pro athletes say they still need from the league. Guest host David Greene spoke with Swoopes and the film’s director, Andrea Buccilla.

Guest-hosted by David Greene: Maggie Nichols was the first athlete on the national team to report former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar’s sexual abuse to the organization in June 2015. A year later, she was not selected for the U.S. Olympic team. She spoke with guest host David Greene about her new memoir, Unstoppable!

Warning: This episode includes descriptions of sexual violence and restrictive eating.

Guest-hosted by David Greene: The NFL accounted for 93 of the top 100 U.S. broadcasts in 2023, according to Nielsen ratings. But not that long ago, the league was reeling from controversies around head injuries, allegations of racism in its hiring practices, and players protesting police brutality. To better understand the NFL’s staying power, Apple News In Conversation guest host David Greene spoke with sports journalist Pablo Torre, host of the podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out. They dig into the league’s ups and downs, America’s obsession with football, and the Taylor Swift effect.

College football and basketball are multibillion-dollar industries. But while some Division 1 coaches and athletic directors make millions of dollars each year, the players themselves are not paid by the schools they compete for. That may soon change. The NCAA is facing a slew of lawsuits that could lead to student athletes being treated and compensated as university employees. ESPN panelist and Washington Post columnist Kevin Blackistone spoke with Apple News In Conversation guest host David Greene about the case against the NCAA — and the role that race plays in this debate.

Roz Chast started at the New Yorker in 1978, when there was only one other woman cartoonist at the magazine. Decades later, she is a celebrated figure in the cartoon world and has become well-known for her distinctive style and humor. Her latest book, I Must Be Dreaming, is an illustrated guide to Chast’s dreams and the inner workings of her mind. Chast spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about following her artistic intuition, the popularity of New Yorker cartoons, and her collection of canned goods.

Have we been visited by extraterrestrial life? And how much does the government really know when it comes to UFOs? Garrett Graff’s latest book, UFO: The Inside Story of the US Government’s Search for Alien Life Here — and Out There, investigates these questions and more. The national-security reporter recently sat down with Apple News In Conversationhost Shumita Basu to share his findings.