Searching for America with Robyn Curnow

Trump's America: The Mess is the Point

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 05:04:00 +0000

Atlanta's pollen season arrives like a political crisis: overnight, everywhere, impossible to breathe through. At Easter-time, I'm thinking about what renewal actually looks like when it's happening to you - not the soft-focus version, but the detonation.

Which means thinking about China's stranglehold on rare earths, Russia's gas leash on Europe, Iran's proxy franchise. Three decades of "order" produced strategic dependency on America's principal adversaries. Something had to change. Whether what's changing now produces something better, or just produces more mess, is the question none of us can answer yet.

We're still in the pollen.

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What To Teach Our Kids In An Age of AI?

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 05:01:00 +0000

What's causing anxiety in America right now? No, it's not Iran, Trump or Gavin Newsom's hair. It's what Andrew Yang calls "The Fuckening." As a mother of two daughters choosing their courses right now, I'm standing in the middle of it — holding a course catalogue, trying to figure out what my teenage daughters should study in an age of AI.

Anthropic's latest research says the most AI-exposed jobs are programmers, analysts, and customer service reps. The safest? Bartenders and dishwashers. For the first time in modern history, the safest place is not at a desk.

So what do you tell your kids to study? In this episode, I take an AI course at Georgia Tech, revisit Aristotle, remember my father's hands — and land on an answer that surprised me: in a world of infinite answers, taste and judgment become the scarce resources. We're not educating our kids for subjects anymore. We're educating them for judgment.

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Trump Has An AI Problem Ahead of the Midterms

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 05:05:00 +0000

Artificial intelligence may be the most powerful technology humans have ever built - but many Americans don’t trust it.

After taking an AI course at Georgia Institute of Technology, Robyn Curnow explores why voters across the political spectrum are uneasy about AI, from job fears to electricity-hungry data centers.

From a conversation with an HVAC technician who believes the “devil’s number” is hidden inside computer chips to a classroom discussion about white-collar job disruption, this episode explores the deeper anxieties shaping America’s response to artificial intelligence.

And the political landmines that will determine who triumphs at the ballot box in this year's midterms.

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The Polite Way Southerners Call You An Idiot

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Mon, 9 Mar 2026 05:05:00 +0000

In the American South, an insult doesn’t always sound like an insult.

Sometimes it sounds polite. "I"ll pray for you."
Sometimes it sounds sympathetic. "You sweet thing."
And sometimes it sounds like three very gentle words:

“Bless your heart.”

In this episode of Searching for America, Robyn Curnow explores one of the South’s most fascinating cultural phrases - a sentence that can express genuine kindness or deliver a devastatingly polite takedown.

From small towns in Mississippi to suburban Atlanta, Southern language has evolved its own code of diplomacy. Criticism is rarely shouted. Instead, it’s softened, wrapped in manners, and delivered with a smile.

Because in the South, people often say exactly what they mean.

They just say it… politely.

Three little words.

Bless Your Heart

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Trump's Power Play in Iran

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Mon, 2 Mar 2026 05:05:00 +0000

Early in January, the White House released a video from the movie Gladiator.

Russell Crowe’s character, Maximus, turning to his men before battle:
“At my signal, unleash hell.”

It felt theatrical at the time. Symbolic. A meme.

But in the months since, American and Israeli strikes on Iran have made that line feel less like metaphor or meme and more like policy.

This isn’t Iraq. There’s no talk of occupation or reconstruction. The stated objective is narrower: degrade Iran’s nuclear capacity, weaken its proxy networks, restore deterrence.

But the stakes are anything but narrow.

This is a high-risk wager — regionally, politically, and globally.

If it works, the rewards are significant: a weaker hostile regime, stronger regional alignment, reinforced deterrence.

If it fails, escalation spreads — oil shocks, proxy retaliation, hardliner consolidation, and a presidency defined by unintended consequences.

And hovering over all of it is a larger question: is this just about Iran — or part of a broader strategic contest reshaping the 21st century order?

I’m Robyn Curnow, and this is Searching for America — where we step back from the headlines to ask what the United States is really doing, and what it might cost.

Let’s begin.

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Death Doesn't Stop Americans Writing Their Own Life Stories

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 05:03:00 +0000

In this episode, Robyn Curnow reflects on her years writing obituaries for global giants — from Fidel Castro and Nelson Mandela to Pope John Paul II and Muhammad Ali — and why she always found them strangely uplifting.

Because an obituary isn’t really about death. It’s about shape.

It’s about distilling a messy, complicated life into its through-line: courage, ambition, service, love.

From historic state funerals to the handwritten obituary of a Southern raconteur who framed his own ending, this episode explores why America loves obituaries — and what they reveal about reinvention, meritocracy, and the stories we tell about ourselves.

In an age of constant self-broadcasting, the obituary may be the most honest genre left.

And whether we like it or not — we’re all writing our own.

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In Odds We Trust: The Poker Presidency

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 05:05:00 +0000

Donald Trump isn’t playing chess.

He’s playing poker.

And once you see that, American politics start to feel less like a grandmaster tournament - and more like a high-stakes table in Vegas.

This week on Searching for America, I ask what happens when a country that increasingly thinks in bets elects a president who governs like a gambler. From tariffs and brinkmanship to Super Bowl wagers and prediction markets pricing everything from elections to the end of the world - belief in America isn’t just argued anymore.

It’s priced.

We’re living in an odds era.

So the question is: when everyone’s at the table, who’s bluffing - and who’s about to call?

What Buzz Aldrin Told Me About Mars

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Mon, 9 Feb 2026 06:03:00 +0000

Where will the next war start? Not on a border. Not at sea. But a few hundred miles above our heads.

The most important battlefield of the future isn’t on Earth. Power is shifting - not across borders, but above them. Space is the next frontier because it's the backend of our modern life.

In this episode of Searching for America, I explore how space has become the next battlefield, and why lower Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars are now central to U.S. vs China strategic competition. From my surreal interview with Buzz Aldrin to the rise of military satellites, AI infrastructure in space, and missile defense systems, this episode breaks down how geopolitics, national security, and space technology are converging.

This isn’t science fiction. It’s modern warfare - fought through satellite interference, space-based AI, orbital dominance, and deterrence strategy. Because in every conflict, the side that holds the high ground wins - and this time, it’s literal.

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How Sororities Dominate American Colleges

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Mon, 2 Feb 2026 06:01:00 +0000

I used to think sororities were just a girl gang cult — then I saw what they really are when my daughter joined one this past month.

Greek sorority life in America is more than a mean girl clique or a perky authoritarian cheer squad in pastel and glitter.

For millions of America's young women, sororities are built on loyalty, connection, and mutual support.

In this episode of Searching for America, I look past the pink Instagram gloss to understand sororities as institutions: why they exist, what they provide, and why they may matter more than ever for a generation shaped by Covid, social media, and isolation. It’s a story about group identity, immigrant instincts, and the very American art of building a life sideways — through loyalty, networks, and showing up.

If you’ve ever wondered what sororities really are — or why America builds community the way it does — this one’s for you.

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Why do Americans love to hate BIG weather?

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 13:01:00 +0000

America braced again. Another winter storm. Another week of breathless warnings. Another round of stockpiling flashlights, firewood — and nerves.

In this episode of Searching for America, I reflect on how weather in the United States isn’t just something that happens — it’s something that comes for you. Storms don’t pass, they threaten. They don’t dissipate, they devastate. And over time, that language of catastrophe has bled from meteorology into politics.

From red alert weather graphics to cable-news outrage cycles, from snow-mageddons to democratic doomsdays, this episode explores how fear has become a performance — and how a nation perpetually bracing for disaster risks losing its sense of proportion.

Recorded from Atlanta, as another storm approached, this is a meditation on weather, media, politics, and America’s addiction to catastrophe.

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"I miss Ronald Reagan:" The Politics of Nostalgia

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:34:00 +0000

I was driving through Atlanta when she stopped at a red light behind a car with a bumper sticker that read: “I miss Ronald Reagan.”

And it made me wonder — do Americans really miss Ronald Reagan… or do they miss the simpler idea of America his presidency has come to represent?

Because nostalgia has become one of the most powerful political drugs in the United States. It doesn’t ask for accuracy. It offers comfort. It smooths over complexity and turns anxiety about the present into longing for the past.

In this episode of Searching for America, I explore how nostalgia is shaping American politics — from Reagan’s mythologized 1980s and the fantasy of the 1950s, to Donald Trump’s mastery of “Make America Great Again.” She looks at how both the left and the right reach backward when the present feels unstable, and why curated memory is often more persuasive than facts.

This isn’t really about Reagan.
Or even about Trump.

It’s about how Americans cope when the country no longer feels familiar — and why nostalgia, when weaponized, can be comforting, seductive… and dangerous.

Takeaways

Nostalgia in politics is often about the present, not the past.
Trump's slogan is a memory trigger, allowing personal projection.
Political nostalgia can sanitize and simplify complex histories.
Both left and right use nostalgia to connect with voters.
Nostalgia can anesthetize critical engagement with history.

Chapters

00:00 The Power of Nostalgia in Politics
05:42 Nostalgia's Role in Political Identity
10:09 Trumpism: Nostalgia and Future Projections
15:49 Reimagining the Future Through Nostalgia

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America's China Problem in the Arctic

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 13:02:00 +0000

Why has Greenland suddenly become central to American power — and what does the Arctic reveal about the limits of U.S. strategy?

In this episode of Searching for America, I explore how the High North has moved from geopolitical afterthought to strategic test case. As the United States revives a hemispheric, Monroe-Doctrine-style focus under Trump, I look at why allies in Denmark and Greenland have been shocked by the tone — even as Russia rebuilds its Arctic military posture and China quietly shapes the region through trade, science, and infrastructure.

I separate fact from hype, examining what is verified — and what is not — about Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic, why NATO is poorly equipped to operate in Greenland, and how years of Western neglect allowed leverage to accumulate in the north.

This isn’t a story of invasion or panic.
It’s about geography, trust, and why Greenland now sits at the center of a new Cold War unfolding quietly at the top of the world.

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Trump's Venezuela Gamble

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 6 Jan 2026 15:31:00 +0000

I want to look at Venezuela not as a failed state or a morality tale, but as a map.

When I zoom out, what I see isn’t just Caracas or Maduro — I see oil, ports, shipping lanes, and a quiet power struggle playing out very close to home. Venezuela sits only about 1,300 miles from the United States, right on the edge of the Caribbean basin, and over the past two decades China, Russia, and Iran have all embedded themselves there in different ways.

In this episode, Robyn Curnow explores why geography matters again, why control of chokepoints now shapes security more than armies do, and how the Trump corollary to the Monroe Doctrine signals a return to enforcing old hemispheric lines — just in a much more direct way.

This isn’t about ideology or personalities. It’s about infrastructure, leverage, and how power actually moves in the world we’re living in now.

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When Machines Can Write the News

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 14:32:52 +0000

Will artificial intelligence kill journalism?

In this episode of Searching for America, I explore what happens to truth, trust, and storytelling in a world where AI can now write articles, summarize reports, fact-check, and even present the news.

Drawing on my years inside newsrooms, I look at how AI is already reshaping journalism — accelerating job losses, blurring the line between what’s real and what’s synthetic, and forcing us to rethink what the profession is actually for.

I’m not anti-AI. I think it’s an extraordinary tool.

But journalism won’t survive by competing with machines on speed or volume. We’ll never win that race.

Instead, I argue that the future lies in what AI can’t replicate: human presence, lived experience, empathy, judgment, and the simple act of asking who, what, when, where, and why.

From ancient scribes to modern war correspondents, this episode is about why real, human reporting still matters — and may be more essential than ever.

What we cover

How AI is transforming newsrooms and accelerating job losses
Why images, audio, and video can no longer be taken at face value
The deeper philosophical question: what happens to truth
Lessons from the printing press and historic disruptions
Why the core questions of journalism still matter
The Mandela interview that AI could never replicate
The irreplaceable value of presence, empathy, and lived experience
Why the future belongs to reporters who double down on connection, verification, and authenticity

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Dolly for President

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 12:09:05 +0000

Why is Dolly Parton one of the few Americans almost everyone seems to agree on?

In this episode of Searching for America, I explore how a brassy country superstar with big hair, big humor, and even bigger generosity became an unlikely bridge across America’s political divide.

From “Dolly for President” T-shirts to write-in ballots, I look at why Dolly inspires affection on both the left and the right — and what her careful refusal to play partisan politics reveals about a country exhausted by extremes.

I reflect on my own encounters with Dolly’s America, from a family road trip through rural Tennessee to a day wandering Dollywood, and what I learned talking to people far outside my own bubble.

Dolly’s genius, I argue, lies in her ability to honor roots without resentment, values without judgment, and difference without division.

At a moment when the country feels fractured, Dolly Parton may be one of the last shared symbols reminding Americans that common ground — and a sense of humor — still exist.

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Angertainment: When News Stops Informing and Starts Recruiting

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 4 Nov 2025 13:58:02 +0000

Why does it feel like the news wants us angry?

In this week’s Searching for America, I dig into what I call “angertainment” — the weaponization of news into a cycle of outrage and division. I spent more than twenty years inside the global media machine, from CNN to the BBC, and I’ve watched how fear and fury turned into a profitable formula.

In this episode, I talk about how I reached my breaking point, why I turned off cable news for good, and how I’ve started to rethink what it means to stay informed without being consumed.

Searching for America is my outsider’s field guide to the United States — one story at a time.

Searching for America is produced by Jonathan Warncke, and recorded in Atlanta, USA.

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The Halloween Industrial Complex

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 22:21:35 +0000

Why do Americans spend more on Halloween than some countries spend on national defense?

In this episode of Searching for America, I take a curious look at America’s favorite pagan holiday and the astonishing amount of money spent on plastic spiders, fake cemeteries, inflatable unicorns, and candy by the truckload.

As an outsider living in the Deep South Bible Belt, I’m endlessly amused by how Halloween has become a national obsession — even in a year filled with anxiety about inflation, tariffs, and the economy. From neighborhood decoration arms races and designer pumpkins to pet costumes and Amazon-delivered outfits, I explore why Americans keep opening their wallets every October.

It turns out Halloween isn’t just about ghosts and goblins. It’s about escapism, community, and a rare chance to have a little fun in a serious, lonely world. And when kids get to roam the streets like it’s 1982 — dressed as superheroes and unicorns — I’m more than happy to pay up.

Happy Halloween.

00:00 – Opening question: Why is Halloween spending so huge in the U.S.?
00:30 – Personal observations of Halloween in the Deep South
01:20 – Seasonal context: Fall as a lead-in to a trio of holidays
01:50 – Shocking stats: $13 billion Halloween spend vs Nordic defense budgets
02:00 – Costume culture and kids’ (and pets’) fashion obsessions
03:30 – Competitive house decorations and posh pumpkins
04:20 – Candy inflation and the politics of mass consumption
05:00 – Halloween as an inelastic good: people buy it no matter what
06:00 – Escapism and communal joy in an often isolated America
07:00 – A nostalgic nod to community and simpler times

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Happiest Place in the World

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Wed, 2 Jul 2025 11:09:00 +0000

The American Dream is about working hard and being rewarded. In Denmark, the dream is more about contentment and consistency than bigger and better. Robyn Curnow has been visiting Denmark the past few weeks and she reflects on what makes Danes, and her Danish husband, 'happier' than most.

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Politically Homeless in the U.S.A | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 05:10:00 +0000

Many Americans are politically homeless, says Robyn Curnow. The loudness and anger of the extremes leaves many decent Americans left out of the national conversation.

The political and media machine reinforce left and right position, staking a claim to one view.

So what does being politically homeless look like in America right now? Robyn Curnow thinks it's a bit like being one of those wandering souls of unbaptized babies in medieval Europe trapped in a centrist purgatory.

Can you be an independent or centrist in Trumpian Times? Can this podcast be a success if a position is not staked?

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How Biden gave Trump the White House | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 11:35:00 +0000

Who's blame for Donald Trump being President again? One simple answer. Joe Biden. Robyn Curnow has interviewed a US Presidents, a First Lady and been in the Rose Garden at the White House during press conferences.

The recent exposes on the coverups over Joe Biden's health tell her one thing .. the Biden administration handed Donald Trump a big beautiful second term when they lied about the President's capacity.

Many Americans and people around the world are lamenting Trump's world (dis)order but based on the information coming out she suggests that Joe Biden should be held responsible for Trump 2.0.

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Are American Jews ok? | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 3 Jun 2025 17:05:00 +0000

The firebombing of Jews in Colorado is not just about rising anti-semitism but a worrying broader trend, says Robyn Curnow. Identity politics - couched in the Free Palestine rhetoric - threatens to unleash more violence against Jews and anyone who is viewed as an 'oppressor' or 'colonizer.'

Robyn Curnow reflects on the language of 'resistance' and why it's so dangerous.

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Leadership lessons from the CIA | Marc Polymeropoulos and Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 27 May 2025 11:02:00 +0000

What can spycraft teach business leaders? Marc Polymeropoulos is one of the CIA's most decorated operatives. He spills secrets to Robyn Curnow about the leadership lessons he learnt in the shadows.

Memorial Day honors America's fallen warriors. The CIA men and women killed in action are remembered by stars at CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Marc lost colleagues and agents because of mistakes made in the field during post-9/11 years in hostile environments.

Marc Polymeropoulos talks to Robyn Curnow about the nine principles that leaders in any organisation can use to strength and clarity in times of stress; even if they're not in badlands of Afghanistan or Iraq.

This is a bonus episode of a conversation between Marc Polymeropoulos and Robyn Curnow. In Part 1 he talks about dive bars, Damascus and the death of colleagues. In Part 2 Marc recounts when he was attacked by an energy weapon while in Moscow, which left him with traumatic brain injury called Havana Syndrome that has incapacitated numerous American intelligence operatives around the world.

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FIND MARC HERE:

ORDER MARC'S BOOK Clarity in Crisis: Lessons from the CIA

https://www.amazon.com/Clarity-Crisis-Leadership-Lessons-CIA/dp/1400223865

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Why has Trump zero-ed in on South Africa? | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Thu, 22 May 2025 21:51:30 +0000

Out of all the foreign policy tit-for-tats to have - why has President Trump picked South Africa? Why is he concerned about minority white farmers who speak Afrikaans in the rural areas of a continent that's not a strategic priority for the USA?

Robyn Curnow is South African, lives in Atlanta, Georgia and she was CNN's Africa correspondent for many years. She has known the South African president Cyril Ramaphosa since the 1990's when he was part of Nelson Mandela's team. She has also interviewed many American Presidents.

She offers a unique perspective - understanding the instincts on both sides - after a fractious Oval Office meeting between the South Africans and the Americans.

There is good reason, Robyn says, why Trump has honed in on the death of white farmers in South Africa. And the South Africans need to tread carefully as they try to manage a transactional US President - without falling back into familiar ideological defiance rather than much-needed realism.

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An MBA from the Vatican | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 20 May 2025 13:37:52 +0000

Business schools across America should run an MBA course on corporate succession and the Catholic Church says Robyn Curnow who's covered the Vatican.

The ease of transition from one leader to another is smooth and seamless. And it's a key part of the enduring nature of the Vatican's well-oiled machine.

Pope Francis to Pope Leo, and the others that came before them for hundreds of years, are chosen by their peers (or the Holy Spirit, if you so wish) to lead the church (corporation) and to keep it profitable and with a steady supply of customers (parishioners and the faithful.)

As the new Pope shook hands with world leaders this past weekend, I thought; why do Popes matter in an increasingly secular world?

In times of change... what stays the same? The Catholic Church.

In time of change... what offers leadership continuity? The Catholic Church

That stability is is both the church's strength, and weakness.

The tension is always there. A push for innovation and modernity ... with the pull to preserve the thousands of years of ritual and dogma.

One part of the leadership continuity is the choosing of a new papal name... a name that harkens back to the past while supposedly giving us a clue as to the future.

Listen to this week's episode about Leo the new papal lion, the meaning of his name and the time I named a cheetah after a pope (we like big cats on the show.)

http://www.instagram.com/searchingforamerica

http://youtube.com/@searchingforamericapodcast

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FOR SALE: Everything but the House! | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 13 May 2025 11:04:00 +0000

What happens to our stuff when we die? The estate of Robyn Curnow's late neighbor has been up for sale next door. Antique bargain hunters and second-hand vultures have been 'shopping' the contents of the couple's house.

Strangers streamed through the neighborhood carting off everything the elderly couple owned, loved and collected for decades. Tupperware, silver, mattresses were all carried out of their front door for a few dollars.

Everything was sold off to the lowest bidder.

The odd-couple relationship between America and China is founded on American consumerism and Chinese productivity. There are deals, or not, on the table over realigning Washington and Beijing's trade.

Watching the garage sale next door made Robyn Curnow think about tariffs and the stuff we buy.

Quality versus Quantity and the things we leave behind

https://www.youtube.com/@SearchingforAmericaPodcast

YOUTUBE

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Why is Graduation super-sized in America? | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 6 May 2025 11:05:00 +0000

We're in the middle of graduation season. Americans love a party, a theme and an excuse to put signs in their front yards announcing the celebration of the moment. Sometimes it's an election, other times it's July 4th and for these few weeks of spring.... it's graduation.

There is a constant rotation of goodbye parties. Graduation is not just a ceremony, it's a never-ending marathon of emotional and expensive moments.

Nowhere else in the world goes so BIG when school is finished. I'm embracing it because my eldest daughter deserves to be celebrated with trumpets, bagpipes and an endless supply of monogramed college cakes.

She started school in the USA in Obama's America and is now ending it in Trump's America. She has navigated a revolving set of strange cultural oddities and constant change.

Americans might not agree on everything but they do agree on these things:

Supersized graduation celebrations
Yard signs
The long goodbye for your 18 year old

Hope you enjoy, and congratulations to the Class of 2025!

http://www.instagram.com/searchingforamericapod.com

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Dead Popes Society | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 11:07:00 +0000

Being in the Vatican during a Pope's funeral and conclave is fascinating. Robyn Curnow was in Rome when John Paul II died. She remembers those days in St Peters. So, what to expect from the next conclave?

Robyn has covered many papal deaths and reported on the politics of the Catholic church.

Pope Francis was a different kind of pope to John Paul, and Ratzinger who succeeded him.

Both John Paul and Francis were epoch defining popes.

John Paul was one of the 20th century's great leaders against communism. Hewn from stone behind the iron curtain he was unbending and formidable. Dogma and traditionalism held fast.

Francis was from Argentina... a priest who came of age within the legacy of liberation theology. A woke pope, perhaps, but man of his times.

She wonders, if like the American presidency, the papal shifts will swing like a pendulum between left and right in the upcoming conclave.

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Strip Malls and the Cheers Bar | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 11:05:00 +0000

What do you think of when you read the words... STRIP MALL?

Firstly, there's no stripping. No pole dancing. No one dollar bills.

Secondly, they're everywhere and form the backbone of Main Street - the small mom-and-pop businesses that underpin American capitalism.

The rows of grubby one-story shops occupy a slice of real estate along side main roads and intersections. We have a bunch littered around us. Odd places, but filled with fascinating slices of Americana.

In just about every strip mall, even if they're near each other, there is nail salon run by a phalanx of Vietnamese, an eyelash extension shop run by an African-American woman in sequins and a Chinese dry cleaner. Fast food chains are hard to avoid but but if you trust the locals you'll find some of the best places for Ho Chin Minh City pho, Mexican burritos or Korean hotpot.

Stores and restaurants in strip malls are not fancy. Mostly rundown. Often near a Dollar Store or charity shop.

You have got to know where the gems are.

Hiding in plain sight, in a nondescript plaza near us, is a legendary drinking hole.

It's modeled after Cheers, the bar in the TV series, where everybody knows your name

http://www.youtube.com/@searchingforameriapodcast

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The 101 year perspective of politics | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 11:05:00 +0000

When politics get crazy who do you listen to? Your financial advisor who’s watching the stock market? A friend in government?

Robyn Curnow turns to her favorite analyst when times get complicated.... her 101 year old grandmother.

She's has lived through world wars that redrew the map, economic depressions that shattered lives, technological revolutions that have fundamentally altered how we connect and communicate. She’s seen empires rise and fall, social norms transform, and scientific breakthroughs once relegated to science fiction become everyday realities.

What does to she remind us when the only certainty is uncertainty?

Not every fleeting headline demands our constant attention.
Some storms will pass.
History is littered with bad leaders, and stupid people.
Our time is no different.

Listen to Robyn Curnow dissect the lessons of the view long.

(Plus... hear what her grandmother's secret is to a long life.)

http://www.instagram.com/searchingforamericapod.com

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Why Elvis is a great American | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 8 Apr 2025 11:02:00 +0000

When Robyn Curnow moved to America she didn't take her family to Washington, or New York or Disney. Instead, they went on a pilgrimage to Graceland. The home of the King of Rock 'n Roll.

Elvis Presley is a rare thing in America. Most Americans would agree that his legacy and his music are the best of the USA. Robyn Curnow reflects on why she made a trip to Graceland.

It wasn't just Elvis and his music she was paying homage too, it was also the journey to Graceland that the Paul Simon sings about in his Grammy-award winning album Graceland.

In complicated times, she is Searching for the America - and Americans - that bring people together.

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Ooh La La! Coming back to America from France | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 1 Apr 2025 11:02:00 +0000

The paper-white flowers of the dogwood trees are out, along with fairy pink blossoms and bright azaleas. Spring is here in the American South.

After hosting an event with Prince Albert in Monaco, Robyn Curnow reflects on coming 'Home' to America and using her new US passport for the first time.

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Fishin' with Jesus, Hell and losing religion | Drew McCoy and Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 11:03:00 +0000

Growing up in a hyper religious household, Drew McCoy had to 'come out' to shocked family and friends when he realized he no longer believed in God. Now he tries to understand the religious instincts of his Texas community via his hugely popular You Tube channel called Genetically Modified Skeptic.

Drew talks to Robyn Curnow about creationism, the bible and Donald Trump's evangelical political base.

Both Drew and Robyn live in the South and they talk about country music, persecution themes in politics and the bracelets that teenagers are wearing which say What Would Jesus Do?

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Standup comedy, politics, and being Reasonably Happy | Paul Ollinger and Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 11:04:00 +0000

He was one of the first employees at Facebook, and then retired at 42 to follow his passion for stand-up comedy. Paul Ollinger talks to Robyn Curnow about his time at Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg and what his secret is to telling jokes in divided times.

http://www.paulollinger.com

PAUL OLLINGER

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Hamas tunnels, Ukraine and city warfare | John Spencer and Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 11:04:00 +0000

Urban Warfare expert John Spencer says the conflict in Gaza is unlike any other. Spencer tells Robyn Curnow about his four trips into Gaza with the IDF since the October 7 massacre. As a combat veteran, national security and military analyst, he has served as an advisor to Pentagon to the U.S. Military Academy. Israel's fight in Gaza is unique in modern warfare, he says.
"Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza was the first one I've studied where the underground was more important than the surface."

He says in other wars, tunnels are used by civilians to seek refuge.

But Hamas uses them as an underground network to base their operations. They're
→ where the fighters are
→ where the hostages are
→ their primary means of conducting operations

Hamas initially were able to use them to slow IDF operations.
But the fighting changed when Israel brought their fight into the tunnels too.

John Spencer talks to Robyn Curnow about his groundbreaking access and research on urban warfare. His manual on fighting in cities was used by Ukrainians to defend their towns and cities and villages against the Russian advance.

http://www.instagram.com/spencerguard

JOHN SPENCER

http://www.x.com/spencerguard

http://www.johnspenceronline.com

CHAIR OF URBAN WARFARE STUDIES, MODERN WAR INSTITUTE AT WEST POINT

http://www.x.com/warinstitute

HOST of the URBAN WARFARE PROJECT PODCAST
AUTHOR: CONNECTED SOLDIERS
AUTHOR: UNDERSTANDING URBAN WARFARE

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No Diggity, Michael Jackson and I | Teddy Riley and Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 4 Mar 2025 12:03:00 +0000

New Yorker Teddy Riley reflects on his experiences in the music industry, particularly his collaborations with iconic artists like Michael Jackson and Pharrell Williams. He discusses the evolution of American music and the importance of loyalty in both music and politics. Riley shares personal anecdotes from his upbringing in Harlem and his journey as a music producer, emphasizing the significance of spending time on music to create lasting impact.

Robyn Curnow asked him what was it like working with Michael Jackson and Teddy tells her that working with Michael was like working with your best friend.

He said, ‘you're sleeping at the studio?
I'm sleeping at the studio.’

I said, ‘but you don't sleep at studios….
you can go home.’

He said, ‘no, you're on this project 24 —
I’m on it 24.’”

Chapters

00:00 The Art of Music Production
02:44 Reflections on American Politics
06:01 Growing Up in Harlem and Early Music Experiences
10:07 Collaborating with Legends: Michael Jackson and Pharrell Williams
18:21 The Impact of Music Across Generations
20:00 The Evolution of American Music
23:05 Politics and Loyalty in America

http://www.instagram.com/teddyriley1

http://www.instagram.com/searchingforamericapod.com

http://www.x.com/wallst_farmer

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The USA Chaos Myth and Second Acts | Justin Farmer and Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 12:03:00 +0000

Robyn Curnow had friends from abroad reach out to say they’re worried about “the chaos” in America right now, and she tells each of them

That she's patiently waiting to see what happens.

Between
→ The firing of federal employees.
→ The slashing of government funding.
→ The constant signing of executive orders.
…it’s easy to see how it looks like absolute chaos.

But when it comes to everyday life?
The waters are calmer than they appear.

Her guest this week is Justin Farmer is a former news anchor turned CEO of a private investment firm.
He has decades of experience covering news and following money.

How does he feel about the “chaos” in the U.S.?

And why did he leave his successful career as an anchor at WSB-TV to start Exit Wealth Management?

This week's episode is about second acts - both Justin's and Donald Trump's.

Justin Farmer

http://www.instagram.com/wallst_farmer

http://www.exitwealth.com

Robyn Curnow

http://www.instagram.com/deviant.podcast

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Deviants and true crime | Andrew Iden

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 12:02:00 +0000

Why is there such an obsession with True Crime stories in America? Andrew Iden, host of the Deviant podcast, has made a career covering true crime stories. Robyn Curnow wanted to know, out of all of the crazy stories — which one stayed with him? He quickly said…

BTK. The killer who would Bind. Torture. Kill.

“He was a killer in the 70s and 80s and went dark for a long time.
He came back in the early 2000s.
He taunted the media.
He taunted the victims' families.
And he was living a very normal life as a postman and a guy in the community that everybody knew…

but he was literally living two separate lives.”

True Crime as an industry

Jack the Ripper, Ted Bundy, The Zodiac Killer. Whether or not you know what their crimes, most Americans know their names. I want to know… why?

Why is it that America loves true crime stories so much? Perhaps people are just drawn to stories of other people who stray from the path of “normalcy.”

DEVIANT POD

http://www.instagram.com/ajiden

ROBYN CURNOW

http://www.instagram/searchingforamericapod.com

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Sick care, Dr America? | Dr LaSonya Lopez

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 13:01:00 +0000

Dr LaSonya Lopez was taught that medicine is art. After 25 years of treating patients she quit as a doctor because she felt corporate medicine has broken the system. Robyn Curnow speaks to Dr Lopez about why she supports the questions that RFK is asking about how the medical industry works, even though she doesn't support the broader Trump presidency.

Now, she's practicing the artistry of medicine in her own way - without the burnout, and exhaustion.

Look at Dr Lopez's new ventures at:

http://www.shyftU.com

http://www.syptea.com

http://www.facebook.com/syptea

http://www.drlasonyalopez.com

CHECK OUT ROBYN's LINKS

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Dive bars, happy places and bad dudes with a CIA legend (1) | Marc Polymeropoulos

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 4 Feb 2025 12:30:00 +0000

CIA intelligence officer (ret.) Marc Polymeropoulos joins Robyn Curnow to talk about the successes and failures of his time on the frontlines in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, as well as his love of dive bars and heavy metal music.

Marc was one of the CIA's most highly decorated operations officers. He specialized in counterterrorism, the Middle East and South Asia and was in charge of the CIA's clandestine operations in Europe and Eurasia when he retired in 2019.

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A Russian attack and the CIA cover-up (2) | Marc Polymeropoulos

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 4 Feb 2025 12:29:00 +0000

What happened in Moscow when CIA operative Marc Polymeropoulos was attacked by an energy weapon that left him with a traumatic brain injury? There are still too many questions and not enough answers from America's intelligence community, says the decorated intelligence officer on what appears to be a systematic, targeted attack on American spies by a foreign government.

Marc discusses, what he calls, a cover-up of Havana Syndrome with Robyn Curnow in this frank, emotional conversation about a career in the shadows, only to be hurt by a shadow weapon.

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Use and abuse of the words Nazi and Hitler | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 04:15:00 +0000

During Holocaust Remembrance Week, Robyn Curnow laments the words 'Nazi' and 'Hitler' are being overused in political name-calling. Stop cherrypicking the past to pigeonhole the present, she says, especially when it comes to the Holocaust.

No. Trump and his team are not Nazis and Hitlers.

No. Americans are not like 'Germans supporting Hitler,' or 'Russians supporting Putin' blindly.

And no, Big Business is not doing a Vichy France capitulation.

Leave the Holocaust out of political mudslinging - it's a specific time in history that cannot be used as a lens today. Or ever again.
http://www.robyncurnow.net

http://www.instragram.com/searchingforamericapod

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Buckle up, Buttercup | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 04:24:00 +0000

Trump's has power and political capital. Americans - over 60% - are optimistic and want his policy promises to succeed.

The Democrats have lost the White House, the Senate, the House, the Village People and Silicon Valley in the last four years. Now the Techbros are in DC - looking to deregulate the future instead of litigating the past with identity politics.

Chapters

00:00 Trump 2.0: A New Era Begins
04:03 Political Capital and Optimism in America
11:59 The Tech Bros: Innovating Government
17:09 Looking Ahead: Open Minds and Future Trends

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Goat rodeos and space nukes | Jeffrey Lewis and Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 04:50:00 +0000

Robyn Curnow spoke to Jeffrey Lewis, pre-eminent American nuclear expert, State Department security advisor and a self-described ‘arms control wonk. ’

Robyn has known Jeffrey ever since he tweeted during President Trump’s first term that the administration’s nuclear plans were a ‘goat rodeo.’ But this time around, the world is different and Trump's team is different. They talk about non-rational actors, paranoid leaders and nuclear realities. And how Pres Trump has a great opportunity to use his power to get China and Russia to sign up to new arms control agreements for missile defense and other things.

Robyn asked him what crazy weapons some countries were testing and where he thought nuclear proliferation was a problem for 2025.

Jeffrey explains why he’s worried about the Russians going all sci-fi with a space nuke which can take out satellites and a long-range nuclear-armed underwater drone, which the North Koreans copied. He’s also concerned that if Iran gets a nuclear weapon (highly likely) then the Saudis, the Turks and the UAE will want to pony up too. And there’s the worry that Burma (Myanmar) is looking to build up its nuclear capability, alongside Taiwan and South Korea.

Saddle up, listen up!

Robyn Curnow
http://www.x.com/robyncurnow
http://www.instagram.com/robyncurnow
http://www.searchingforamericapod.com

PODCAST IS NOW ON YOUTUBE at http://youtube.com/@searchingforamericapodcast

Jeffery Lewis.
http://www.x.com/armscontrolwonk
http://www.armscontrolwonk.com
http://www.x.com/middlebury

Got a great idea for an episode? Drop Robyn a message here with the subject line PODCAST IDEA
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China, baby, it's all about China | Jim Sciutto and Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 7 Jan 2025 04:15:00 +0000

The Biggest New Year Challenge for America: China! CNN's National Security Analyst, fmr. Chief of Staff to the US Ambassador to China and author of The Return of Great Powers joins Robyn Curnow to talk about how 2025 will be the Year of the Xi-Dragon.

Xi Jin Ping's ambitions clash with Donald Trump's plans - where do they battle it out and what does it mean for America and the rest of the world?

http://www.x.com/halagorani

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New Year, New World | Jim Sciutto and Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Thu, 2 Jan 2025 04:15:00 +0000

The world is changing and it reminds CNN's National Security analyst Jim Sciutto of the 19th Century. He joins Robyn Curnow to talk about how 2025 will continue to trend towards Great Power rivalry and how that will or will not change with President Trump's reemergence on the global stage.

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Xmas cheer for the New Year | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 23:32:00 +0000

Christmas Cheer (and Fear) this happy Yuletide! Greetings from the American South where the inflatable Santas are bigger and better and BBQ pork is a seasonal delicacy.

Robyn Curnow is hopeful that the Trump team's better angels will sing this time around. She's hoping the push and pull between his Disrupters and his Enforcers will create a less chaotic Presidency and lessen the worst instincts of The Don. For various reasons, Americans have trusted Trump with the country - will he leave it in a better place or not?

Got a great idea for an episode? Drop Robyn a message here with the subject line PODCAST IDEA
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But You Don't Look Arab | Hala Gorani and Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 04:32:00 +0000

Gorani Street, Aleppo, Syria is where Hala Gorani's family lived for generations. As an American-born child of Syrian immigrant parents she and her extended family across the world are watching what is happening in Syria with a personal interest. As a journalist, Hala is reluctant to make predictions on how a post-Assad Syria will play out because she says disappointment is baked into the Syria expat experience.

Hala Gorani and Robyn Curnow were correspondents and anchors together at CNN for over twenty years. When Hala left CNN she wrote a memoir called You Don't Look Arab and other Tales of Unbelonging. Now she is an NBC correspondent and avidly watching events in Syria.

Robyn and Hala talk about about covering the Middle East, Hala's great, great grandmother who was kidnapped as a child and raised in a Constantinople harem and why they're both happier since leaving CNN.

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Trump's Road to Damascus | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 00:30:00 +0000

Is there going to be a Balkanization of Syria after the fall of Assad? Robyn Curnow, who has covered Syria since the rise of ISIS, argues that even though President Trump doesn't want America to get involved there are opportunities for the US and allies like Israel, the Kurds etc in a post-Assad vacuum.

Will the country break up and how will fragmentation play out? How many backchannel conversations have there been with US forces in Syria and the rebels now in Damascus? What games are being played out behind closed doors?

http://robyncurnow.net

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Biden's nothing-burger Africa trip | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Thu, 5 Dec 2024 22:00:00 +0000

Robyn Curnow covered all the previous US President's trips to Africa. She says Joe Biden's sleepy, whistle-stop trip to Angola is symbolic of U.S. weakness on the continent during his presidency.

She interviewed President George W. Bush in Zambia, President's Carter and Clinton in South Africa and First Lady Michelle Obama in Botswana. She was there when President Obama attended Nelson Mandela's memorial service in Soweto and present in the White House Rose Garden when President Trump welcomed Nigeria's former President.

Biden's legacy on the continent is so bad, she says a second Trump term can only do better.

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War and Peace | Lynsey Addario

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 09:51:13 +0000

War photographer Lynsey Addario captures moments in history that are difficult to witness. She talks to Robyn Curnow about being an American during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and what it is like to face danger head-on. Her path to the frontlines was an unlikely one; her parents were hairdressers and she grew up in a small Connecticut town in a large Italian-American family.

http://www.x.com/lynseyaddario

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Not Havana a good time | Robyn Curnow and Patrick Oppmann

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 04:35:00 +0000

Robyn Curnow covered Fidel Castro's funeral from Havana and was in Cuba when President Obama made an historic visit to the island. Patrick Oppmann has lived and worked as a foreign correspondent in Cuba for over a decade. Talking to Robyn from his home in Havana, Patrick weighs up what the appointment of Marco Rubio as Secretary of State.

As the son of Cuban exiles, Rubio has always taken a hardline against Havana's leadership. While much of Trump's plans for his second term are still unclear, one definite is that Marco Rubio signals bad news for the Cuban leadership.

Robyn and Patrick have worked side by side in Havana and talked on air for years. They share a number of amusing stories about the foibles of life in Havana and the Castros. And one sure thing about Trump's foreign policy.

http://www.x.com/CNN_oppmann

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What next, 'Merica? | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 04:02:00 +0000

The electoral map is red, red, red. Across America, folks decided that they preferred Donald Trump to Kamala Harris. Why did the Democrats lose so badly? How did Trump get such a wide, and deep, mandate from the American public?

A South African living in the American South, Robyn Curnow brings her outsider perspective to the conversation about why Trump won (which did not surprise her in the least.) She argues it's wrong to suggest that more than half of Americans have been brainwashed by rightwing media. Nor is every Trump voter racist and sexist. It's not that simple.

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Duh, Why Trump won | Robyn Curnow

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Thu, 7 Nov 2024 04:30:00 +0000

As Donald Trump prepares to take control again - with a huge mandate from the American public - Robyn Curnow unpacks the result with her frank outsider perspective. While she's spent time trying to understand why so many of her neighbors voted for Trump, she is also clear that this is not a race the Democrats should have lost. Why? Joe Biden made a decision to run for a second term. If he had not, would things be very different now?

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The Here Be Dragons Election | Robyn Curnow and guests

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Mon, 4 Nov 2024 04:30:00 +0000

Early European map makers drew dragons and wrote ‘Here Be Dragons’ on areas of the world that were still undiscovered or unknown. It is an HBD week in America.

We are about to sail into uncharted waters, and it’s totally and utterly unclear what the waves will reveal after the election.

In the first ten episodes of Searching for America, Robyn Curnow asked her guests to give her three words to describe America. Three words only. In this special election episode she piles all the words together and adds her own combination to the mix.

Three words to describe America?

At A Crossroads

Us vs Them

Divided. Hopeful. Protean

http://www.x.com/benjealous

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An election scarier than Halloween | Ben Jealous

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 04:05:00 +0000

Ben Jealous is one of America's civil rights leaders. He's worked with Kamala Harris in San Francisco and heads up the country's largest and oldest environmental group. Robyn Curnow talks to him about black men being 'Trump-curious,' white poverty and his personal story as the son of a mixed-race marriage that was illegal at the time.

http://www.x.com/benjealous

Ben Jealous

"We've shut down 65,000 American factories in 30 years."

"Eight out of 10 black men will vote for Kamala Harris."

Chapters

00:00 The State of American Manufacturing and Economy
01:25 Political Landscape and Predictions
05:14 Voting Trends Among Black and Latino Men
08:05 Perceptions of Progressivism and Liberalism
10:00 Kamala Harris: A New Kind of Leadership
12:23 Environmental Challenges and Global Production
14:23 Conclusion and Call to Action

Takeaways

65,000 American factories have shut down in 30 years.
Economic mobility is a significant issue for most Americans.
Donald Trump's support has grown due to populist talking points.
Poverty affects more white Americans than many realize.
Voting trends show a shift among black and Latino men.
Perceptions of liberalism can alienate centrist voters.
Kamala Harris represents a new kind of leadership.
Environmental issues are intertwined with national security.
Voter turnout is crucial in a polarized political landscape.
The current political climate is marked by anxiety and uncertainty.

American economy, manufacturing, political predictions, voting trends, Kamala Harris, environmental issues, progressive politics, civil rights, grassroots organizing, electoral college

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That's when we knew something was off with Bill Cosby | Ben Jealous

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 04:02:00 +0000

Ben Jealous has given thousands of speeches as an American civil rights leader but few would guess that he had a childhood stutter that still defines his patterns of speech. As a surfer, he says he tends to ride his words and sentences like a wave. When he was a kid, Bill Cosby humiliated his stammer which left Ben's family stunned at the contrast between Cosby's public and personal behavior.

Take listen to Ben favourite things on this bonus b-roll episode.

Ben Jealous

Three words to describe America: Big, beautiful, and divided.

Favorite landscape: Big Sur. Yosemite

Family background: My father’s family arrived in Salem, Massachusetts, around 400 years ago, coming from England. My mom’s family has been here for around the same amount of time. They were among the earliest settlers and slaves in Virginia. One of my ancestors came on one of 17 slave ships from Madagascar, and she was most likely a pirate—16 out of 17 of those ships were piloted by known European pirates.

http://www.x.com/sierraclub

http://www.instagram.com/sierraclub

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the American Experience
00:45 Defining America: A Crossroads
03:02 Personal Histories and Racial Identity
05:56 The Influence of Environment and Nature
08:47 Overcoming Challenges: Stuttering and Resilience
10:46 Reflections on Optimism and Unity

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Please, no, American politics are not 'unprecedented' | Julian Zelizer

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 04:04:00 +0000

The son of a rabbi and a renowned sociologist, Julian Zelizer is a Princeton historian who studies modern American politics in a clear, cool way. Robyn Curnow - who has covered elections around the worlld wanted to know why the politics of Donald Trump has taken so firmly root in American life and why Americans get so amped up over single issues.

And, Robyn (who was in the 'belly of the beast' at CNN) and Julian talk frankly about the mistakes the media made in covering Trump in the early days. And the arguments over if the Democrats are too radicalized and 'dangerously liberal,' as the Republicans call them.

Chapters

00:00 Complexities of American Politics
01:24 Understanding Unprecedented Politics
04:41 The Impact of Watergate on Modern Politics
06:30 Media's Role in Political Coverage
10:11 The Dynamics of the Democratic Party
12:05 Cultural Issues in American Politics
16:13 Personal Perspectives on American Identity
18:04 Jewish Identity and American Politics
20:54 Youth Engagement in Political Issues
22:44 Predictions for the Upcoming Election

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The Son of a Rabbi, LBJ and the Grateful Dead | Julian Zelizer

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 04:02:00 +0000

What are the current American leaders like? Princeton historian Julian Zelizer tells Robyn Curnow his perceptions of Trump, Biden, Vance, Harris and other leaders he's interviewed.

Three words to describe America right now? Fractured, divided and fragile.

Time travel? Oval Office, 1960's during Lyndon Johnson Presidency

Music? Grateful Dead

Ideal dinner guests? Ella Backer, Martin Luther King, FDR, Jerry Garcia.

http://www.x.com/julianzelizer

Chapters

00:00 Exploring American Identity
02:58 The Complexity of Leadership
05:54 Understanding Modern Political Figures
08:47 Cultural Reflections in Music and Art
11:49 Disappointments in Leadership
14:57 Bridging Divides and Building Community
17:30 Optimism for the Future

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Ex-CIA Station Chiefs | John Sipher and Jerry O'Shea

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 04:04:00 +0000

Two of America's high-level intelligence officers join Searching for America for a wide-ranging conversation about what might happen if Donald Trump becomes President again? Ex-CIA Station Chiefs John Sipher and Jerry O'Shea who have 60 years experience between them operating in hostile environments across the world but they agree that trying to understand America right now is "befuddling."

Robyn Curnow ask them who will win the election? "This isn't a secret that spies can steal."

Chapters

00:00 Defining American Identity
00:56 Intelligence Analysis of American Politics
02:51 Understanding Polarization and Trumpism
06:07 Foreign Influence and Election Manipulation
08:56 The Threat of Authoritarianism
11:47 Cultural Shifts and Political Resonance
15:03 Conspiracy Theories in American Society
17:08 The Future of Trumpism and Political Dynamics
20:01 The Role of Intelligence in Politics
22:54 Characterizing Donald Trump
25:45 Spycraft and Authentic Storytelling

Keywords

American identity, Trumpism, polarization, foreign influence, authoritarianism, conspiracy theories, intelligence analysis, political dynamics, cultural shifts, spycraft

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CIA, Hemmingway and a Nazi-KGB spy | Jerry O'Shea and John Sipher

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 04:03:00 +0000

Fun questions for two former CIA Station Chiefs.

Where would you time travel to in American history?

John Sipher - 1950's post-war

John O'Shea - he wants to go 50 years into the future. "It's my time machine I can do what I want with it!"

Favorite American landscape?

Jerry O'Shea - Hawaii (and Zimbabwe and South Africa globally.)

John Sipher - New England

Dream dinner party guests

Jerry O'Shea - Hemingway and lots more...

John Sipher - FDR

Worst mistake?

Jerry O'Shea - believing the narrative that Saddam had WMD

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the American Experience
01:40 Describing America: Protean and Polarized
04:26 Reflections on Time Travel in American History
06:15 Landscapes of America: Cultural Melting Pots
10:00 Dream Dinner Party Guests: Historical Figures
14:14 Art and Literature: Defining American Identity
16:08 Mistakes and Lessons Learned in Life
20:14 Understanding America's Division
26:21 What It Means to Be American in 2024

http://www.spycraftentertainment.com

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Farmers and Latinos for Trump | Leyla Santiago

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 8 Oct 2024 04:03:00 +0000

Leyla Santiago, a proud Latina with Puerto Rican roots, lives in Trump turf, as she calls it. “My neighbor has a big sign that says Farmers for Trump. There's a huge sign downtown that basically says F@#k Joe Biden right across from the church, by the way.”

For many Americans, the rural countryside is the 'real' America. Trump and his team have been hugely successful in crafting the image of rural life as something that is pure America; untainted and disrespected by outsiders, liberals and urbanites.

Yard signs are always a surefire way to gauge political persuasion in a community. Leyla’s green leafy nook of the country, which is forty-five minutes away from the nearest store, wears its pro-Trump heart on front yards.

“I think there is very much this us versus them mentality,” she says. “It's two Americas and one that is not easily understood. And so I think a lot of farmers that are for Trump will tell you that they want to vote for someone that's a little out of the box, somebody that understands them because they do feel that us versus them.”

Latinos for Trump

Trump has promised to be tough on immigration. It might just be the one issue that gives him the presidency for the second time and it could well be that Latino men in swing states are the ones to give it to him, even though Trump has used divisive language to describe South Americans coming across the southern border.

I asked Leyla why many Latino men have moved right and support Trump’s hardline threats on immigration even though he’s used racist tropes to describe them?

As a Latina woman with Puerto Rican background, Leyla says the Latino communities in the USA are a blend of different people in different places. “When he says they're coming over the border and they're not bringing their best, they're bringing the rapists and the criminals. Cubans don't consider themselves Mexicans, Puerto Ricans don't consider themselves Mexicans. And so it's a little bit like, yeah, he's talking about Latinos, but he's not talking about me.”

Crucially, she says the Republicans messaging on the economy and inflation really connects to many Latinos who have a historical and personal dislike of leftist dictatorships. “They really targeted those Cubans in Miami by putting out things like Biden is a socialist, right? You say socialism to a Venezuelan or a Cuban that has a voting registration card in the US and those are fighting words, right? Like that is fear.”

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Rural America: Yard signs in Virginia
02:49 The Politics of Identity and Belonging
06:06 The Role of Media and Journalism in Politics
08:59 Latino Voters: Shifting Allegiances and Perspectives
12:13 The Disconnect: Language, Identity, and Voting Behavior
14:57 Young Voters: The Key to the Future
18:11 The Evolution of Journalism

Keywords

Rural America, Politics, Identity, Latino Voters, Media, Journalism, Young Voters, Trump, Harris, Election 2024

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Army Brat, Dolly Parton and Puerto Rico | Leyla Santiago

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 8 Oct 2024 04:02:00 +0000

Leyla Santiago answers Robyn's questionnaire that she sends to all her guests before the show.

Three words to describe America?
AT A CROSSROADS

Where did you grow up?
I'm an Army brat, so I moved around quite a bit. Born in Puerto Rico, moved to Panama during the Noriega conflict, then moved to South Carolina when my dad was stationed at Ft. Jackson

If you could time travel, which era in American history would you like to visit? Why?
If I'm being honest, the idea of traveling back in time as a minority is not thrilling. But if I had to pick an era, I would travel back to either the roaring 20s to watch women (though not all) obtain the right to vote or to the '60s to see the civil rights movement in action, albeit tough to watch.

Iconic American landscape that means something to you? Or epitomizes your America?
Stateside, Shenandoah National Park inspires me. Of course nothing soothes my soul and inspires me quite like the mountains of Puerto Rico. They have a way of reminding me of the resilience of my own people.

Dream dinner party guests? Which Americans would you invite to you Thanksgiving table (dead or alive?)
Felisa Rincon de Gautier
Dolly Parton
Harriet Tubman
Selena

Chapters

00:00 Three words to describe America?
01:14 Dream dinner party guests
04:55 From somewhere else
08:40 Nature and Landscape in America
09:48 Echo Chambers and Political Discourse
12:48 Lessons from Family and Personal Reflections
14:44 The Current State of Being American

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The Hundred Year Old President | Kevin Sullivan

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 1 Oct 2024 04:05:00 +0000

"I think the race is a toss up," says Kevin Sullivan, "Trump has really captured the Republican Party." In this episode of Searching for America, Robyn Curnow talks with Washington Post journalist Kevin Sullivan about all the president's he has interviewed. They discuss the enduring influence of Donald Trump, the dynamics of the Biden administration, and the role of Kamala Harris as a progressive leader. Sullivan shares insights from his experiences covering American politics and reflects on the legacy of Jimmy Carter who turned 100 on Oct 1.

#America #Trump #Biden #Kamala Harris # Jimmy Carter #carter100

Chapters

00:00 Searching for America: Our Kevin Sullivan is NOT Kevin Sullivan the wrestler
01:47 Trump's Influence on American Politics and what he was like to interview
05:57 The Dynamics of the Biden Administration and Biden's long stories
10:08 Kamala Harris: A Pragmatic Progressive and what DC thinks of her
13:57 Reflections on Jimmy Carter's Legacy and his humble house in Plains, Georgia
18:10 The Global Perception of America where not all Americans are 'loud and stupid.'
21:48 The Role of Journalism in Society and being hired by Watergate editor Ben Bradlee

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Wizard of Oz and Singing Angels | Kevin Sullivan

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 1 Oct 2024 04:02:00 +0000

Every week Robyn Curnow asks her guest the same questions in this bonus episode. Where would you go if you could time travel? Dream Thanksgiving dinner guest (dead or alive)? What does it mean to be an American? Why is the country polarized? Favorite movie?

Kevin Sullivan lists his favorite things

02:49 Time Traveling
06:09 The Role of Social Media in Polarization "It's amplified the worst of us"
09:00 Patience, listening and being a decent person

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Why is Jesus on the ballot? | Doug Heye

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 04:03:00 +0000

Unlike other Western democracies, America's politics are infused with religion. Why is God part of the get-out-and-vote plans? Republican strategist Doug Heye says Republicans and Democrats have used religion to attract voters in the past but evangelical fervor for Donald Trump has turbo-charged the Republican ticket in different ways.

FOR MORE BONUS CONTENT FROM ROBYN, SIGN UP TO

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Three-day weekend in NYC in 1951 | Doug Heye

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 04:02:00 +0000

In this bonus episode, Republican strategist Doug Heye shows his foodie side by listing his favorite restaurants and imagining his dream dinner party with Julia Child, Thomas Jefferson and Hank Aaron. When Robyn Curnow asks him about his favorite Presidents, Doug Heye gives a surprising answer.

Favorite piece of music or movie: Frank Sinatra singing

What makes him cry? Maybe a few tears were shed' seeing Bruce Springsteen sing "Thunder Road"

Favorite American landscape: Yellowstone

Favorite President; Ronald Reagan. George Washington. Richard Nixon.

Sports team: Tar Heels.

First job: Mr Barbecue, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. "I'll never forget the customer who returned his french fries because they tasted like potatoes."

http://www.x.com/dougheye

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Poor teeth, rural voters | Sarah Smarsh

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 16:00:00 +0000

Sarah Smarsh's grandmother had dentures in her twenties, after her teeth were pulled out due to poverty. Robyn Curnow asks why good or bad teeth explain whether America is a meritocracy?

Smarsh's new book is called Bone of Bone; Essays on America by a Daughter of the Working Class.

Robyn wanted to talk to Sarah because she's rare commodity in America - a whisperer or translator of two Americas; rural, white, poor middle America and the educated, urbane newsrooms of the coasts. As one of the few people in a newsroom who have worked in a wheat field, Smarsh says she takes the stereotypes of middle America personally because they can get her people so wrong.

Not all white, poor Americans in rural areas are Trump supporters, in the same way not all New Yorkers are walking around with Black Lives Matter t-shirts. Sarah blames a fractured media and the Democrat Party ignoring large chunks of America where people have felt ignored, and to whom Donald Trump speak to.

How to bring divided Americans together? Dolly Parton, the Patron Saint of the American Working Class.

http://www.x.com/scribnerbooks

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Bone-of-the-Bone/Sarah-Smarsh/9781668055601

http://www.x.com/sarah_smarsh

http://www.instagram.com/sarah_smarsh

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Texas two-step and Bourbon | Sarah Smarsh

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 16:00:00 +0000

Even though her family says American politicians 'are all crooks,' Sarah Smarsh was asked to run for Senate after she became a rare voice of an ignored part of America; the white, poor, rural working class. She choose not to go to run for office but instead wrote another book about her life in Kansas while working to save the prairies and fight against the stereotypes that paint her people as backwards.

The solution to American polarization? More honky-tonks, dancing and bourbon.

Her favorite landscape? The American prairie where she lives.

American movie? Wizard of Oz (even though everyone always says to her, 'You're not in Kansas anymore.")

Dinner party guests (dead or alive)? Dolores Huerta. Jodie Foster. Toni Morrison.

Three words to describe America? Stressed, militarized and empire. The USA spends to much money policing the world and underinvests in taking care of its own people.

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Back-to-school battles over ideas | Josh Clark

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 04:07:00 +0000

We need to immerse kids in more ambiguity, says headteacher Josh Clark, who is also on the board of the National Association of Independent Schools. How do the divisions in America manifest in schools?

Is pressure to say the right thing and give the 'correct answer' stifling debate and critical thinking in classrooms? Why have kids lost the ability to put themselves in another person's shoes? Does simplification of complicated issues create less empathy?

Josh Clark's dad was a prison warder which meant Josh grew up in the warder's house inside a prison complex in Hopewell, Virginia. "My first friend in life was Nelson. Nelson was an inmate who worked in our yard. He smuggled cocaine into the country in a private plane in the 70s. I was seven. I thought he walked on water."

Growing up in the dynamic of the federal prison system gave Josh a perspective that informs his views on right, wrong, legal, illegal and the need to understand ambiguities and embrace complexity.

http://www.madebydyslexia.org

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Dazed and Confused, U.S.A. | Josh Clark

admin@bleav.com (Robyn Curnow + Bleav) — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 04:04:00 +0000

Josh Clark would love to time travel to the 1850's just before the Civil War when the country was dealing with what it meant to be an American. As a Southerner, who grew up Mississippi, he is intrigued by a country that was grappling with itself and at the same time embracing transcendentalism. He lists his favorite books from the pre-Civil War days, written during an time of national tension. Leaves of Grass, Moby Dick and the Scarlet Letter.

Motto: Make it New.

Best President: Abraham Lincoln.

Greatest fear for America: Apathy

What can bring Americans together in divided times? Football, of course. And in particular, college football in the South. (Go Tennessee...)