President Biden and former President Trump will face off in the first 2024 presidential debate later this week. Ravi takes stock of where both candidates stand heading into the debate, from their status in the polls and different approaches to fundraising to why TikTok videos about Trump receive more positive engagement than videos that mention Biden. Then, Ravi welcomes Darrell Bradford, president of 50CAN, to discuss the future of education and what we can learn from the evolution of...

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi secured a third term in office earlier this month, but voters denied him an outright parliamentary majority after an election cycle dominated by concerns over the economy, environmental degradation, and corruption. In this special episode, Ravi speaks with Kapil Komireddi, author of the recent New Yorker piece, 'My Father’s Fate and India’s,' about the repercussions of the election, the rise of Hindu nationalism, and what the future of democracy in India...

The first presidential debate is around the corner. Ravi takes stock of the ways the Biden and Trump teams have approached debate preparation, explains how both camps have worked to shape the narrative leading up to the debate, and whether the candidates’ performance could impact the state of the election. He then turns to external forces in the election and explores a new piece from Julia Ioffe in Puck, which details Russia’s incompetent and sloppy efforts to influence this election...

President Biden and former President Trump have the highest share of “double haters” in at least three decades, with new data from Pew showing that a quarter of Americans hold unfavorable views of both men. Ravi discusses this after diving into the politics behind Biden’s latest executive action, which will offer new legal projections for undocumented immigrants who are married to or stepchildren of American citizens, and why the turmoil threatening China’s solar industry impacts the...

Hunter Biden was convicted on all three counts in his federal gun trial this week. Ravi takes stock of the verdict and President Biden’s response before diving into the secret recordings of Supreme Court Justices Alito and Roberts, the new partnership between OpenAI and Apple, why to pay attention to foreign political interference in Canada, and what’s behind Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s increased unpopularity. Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar says civilian casualties are “necessary sacrifices”...

Ravi dives into the news of the day, from the aftermath of the Trump verdict and Biden’s asylum ban at the US-Mexico border to what Mexico’s recent elections say about the rise of authoritarianism in the country. He then gives an update on Amanda Knox’s latest legal challenge and explains why more people should care about the lack of air conditioning in U.S. prisons. Finally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will keep power for a third term after India’s election results were released this week....

Ravi recently joined Tell Me About Your Father to discuss how his relationship with his parents has influenced everything from his career to how he approaches people with different opinions. To hear more, follow Tell Me About Your Father wherever you listen to podcasts. On this episode of Tell Me About Your Father, Matt Phillp talks with former Obama staffer and school principal and current co-host of both the Majority 54 podcast and the Lost Debate podcast, Ravi Gupta, about growing up with...

Donald Trump has been found guilty on 34 felony counts in his New York hush money criminal trial. Ravi discusses what we know about the breaking news and what could happen next. Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570 Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranchmedia/ Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmedia Follow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmedia Follow The Branch on Substack:...

Ravi kicks off the show with breaking news, including updates on Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial, ex-OpenAI board member Helen Toner’s tell-all interview about Sam Altman’s short-lived firing, why the Texas elections have seen a wave of pro-school voucher candidates, and the latest drama in New York City’s casino permit fight. Ravi then welcomes Adam Gopnik, legendary staff writer at The New Yorker, to talk about his book, “All That Happiness Is,” what it truly means to be happy, and...

Amanda Knox joins Ravi to discuss her riveting piece in The Atlantic, “What If He Actually Did It?” In the article, she writes about her support of Jens Söring, a man who spent 33 years in prison for a double homicide he insists he didn’t commit, and how she began to reexamine her advocacy for his innocence. Ravi and Amanda explore her emotional journey as she reflects on the friendship she developed with Jens, how the parallels between his story and her own influenced her stance, and the...

Ravi breaks down what you need to know about the second controversial flag spotted outside one of Justice Alito's properties, the leaked OpenAI documents, and why a majority of Americans wrongly believe the U.S. is in a recession. Mayor Eric Adams wants to make New York City the “City of Yes.” Thesis Driven’s Brad Hargreaves joins Ravi to discuss the mayor’s rezoning proposal, which would roll back regulations that have long hindered housing development. Ravi and Brad also take a look at the...

Ravi kicks off the episode with a round-up of breaking news: from the latest in Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial to OpenAI's new model of GPT and the controversy surrounding Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and his wife. Then, Eric Schlosser, author of "Fast Food Nation," joins the show to discuss his new documentary, "Food, Inc. 2." They dive into everything from the consolidation and corporate power in the food industry, the role of government subsidies in supporting factory...

When a judge in India dies of a heart attack, his passing barely makes the news. But when his niece approaches a journalist two years later, she shares a different story: that the circumstances around Judge Brijgopal Loya’s death have made his family doubt the official story. From Crooked Media and The Branch, Killing Justice investigates how one man’s death has become a lodestone for increasingly polarized politics in India. Following the reporting and legal fallout that arise from this tip,...

Ravi welcomes Tyler Austin Harper and Brad Wilcox to the pod for a special episode on relationships. Ravi first talks with Tyler about polyamory, its portrayal in the media, and why a poly lifestyle has grown in popularity among affluent progressives. They also explore the decline of social institutions, generational attitudes toward relationships, and the impact of activism and progressivism in universities. Ravi and Brad then discuss his new book Get Married, where he explores the divide...

Ravi is joined by due process expert and lawyer Dan Schorr to discuss the history and evolution of Title IX and the potential repercussions of the Biden administration's recent proposed changes to its regulation of the federal civil rights law. They explore how the updates could impact due process rights and what this means for students and educational institutions across the country. Then, Ray Brescia joins the show to talk about his new book, Lawyer Nation: The Past, Present, and Future of...

Ravi welcomes Tangle's Isaac Saul back to the show to update listeners on the current state of the war in Gaza, including Israel's escalating attacks in Rafah and the proposed ceasefire deal. Ravi and Isaac then turn to college campuses in the U.S. to explore the complexities and potential unintended consequences of the ongoing campus protests. They also examine why so many protests throughout history have struggled to achieve their goals and what today's protestors should take from these...

Kim Wehle joins the show to talk with Ravi about the latest in the Trump case in New York, including why Hope Hicks is such an integral part of the prosecution’s case and how her recent testimony could inform the eventual verdict. They then discuss the presidential pardon power, whether self-pardons are constitutional, and how Trump may attempt to pardon himself regardless of the outcome of the 2024 election. Ravi and Kim also discuss the controversial prosecution in the Crumbley case, the...

Ravi welcomes Amy Davidson Sorkin from The New Yorker to the show to explore the legal challenges of the various cases against Donald Trump, including the immunity case before the Supreme Court, and the potential consequences of a conviction before the election. They then turn to Joseph Fischer v. United States and discuss how the Supreme Court might rule on whether prosecutors can use federal obstruction laws to charge individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol attack. Tim Daly, founder...

Will Hamas accept Israel’s new ceasefire offer? Ravi weighs in on Israel’s proposal of a 40-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of 33 prisoners and whether it could lead to lasting peace in the region. He then updates listeners on the latest at Columbia University after student protestors took over Hamilton Hall Tuesday morning, why it’s important to protect free speech, and the challenges university leaders will continue to face as they attempt to respond to campus protests around the...

Ravi kicks off the show by tackling three of the week’s biggest breaking news stories: what TikTok’s future in the U.S. looks like after President Biden signed legislation that will ban or force a sale of the platform, the rationale behind the New York Court of Appeals’ decision to overturn Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 sex crimes conviction, and what to know about the pro-Palestine protests that have erupted on college campuses across the country. Ravi then welcomes Keri Rodrigues, co-founder and...

Carmen Paun, global health reporter at Politico, joins Ravi to discuss the recent rollback of Oregon's drug decriminalization law, the impact of overdose prevention centers, and what everyone should know about the use of AI in healthcare.  Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570 Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9K Subscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/ Follow The Branch on Instagram:...

Ravi is joined by Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a U.S. citizen from Gaza and a Middle East political analyst, for a deep dive into the Israel-Palestine conflict. Ravi and Ahmed look at the historical context of the region, including the failures of previous peace attempts and the rise of Hamas, before turning to the present day, where they reflect on the past six months of war, its impact on civilians, and what a path forward could look like. Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show!...

Our series on the Unbiased History of Israel/Palestine has been nominated for a Webby in the “Best Limited Series” category! - VOTE HERE Voting is open until Thursday, April 18th In this episode, Ravi welcomes Matt Shechtman, a Long Angle partner and private equity expert. They dive into how private equity differs from venture capital and public companies, what to make of its growing involvement in sectors like healthcare and childcare, and what trends the industry might influence...

Dr. Marshall Bolden, Chief Medical Officer at Mississippi's Vigilant Health, joins Ravi to discuss Vigilant Health’s innovative approach to revolutionizing medicine and improving patient care. They talk about why more health organizations should focus on changing patient behavior, using data for value-based healthcare, and building trust to empower patients to manage their health. Then, Zach Iscol, New York City's Emergency Management Commissioner, joins Ravi to talk about his role in...