Game On: The Race to 2022: Recent Episodes
Nathan Kiker & Patrick Zinck
Bringing the party with out partisanship, Nathan Kiker and Patrick Zinck, along with a star studded guest lineup, analyze the upcoming 2022 midterm elections. Listen in to hear from politicians, pundits, pollsters, and other masters of the dark arts to learn what really drives electoral success and failure.
Guest: Sam Katz sits down with Nathan & Patrick to discuss terrorism, counter-terrorism, and conflicts in the Middle East.
Sam Katz is a New York Times best-selling journalist with an extensive history covering Middle East security issues, international terrorism, counter-terrorism, and military special operations. He has written over than 20 books and numerous articles on the Arab-Israeli Conflict, terrorism, and counter-terrorism.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Keith Darden joins Patrick this week to discuss Putin, the Wagner rebellion, and the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War.
Dr. Keith Darden is a Professor of International Relations at American University's School of International Service. He is considered one of the top experts of Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia. His insights on Russia and Ukraine have been included in many notable publications including Foreign Affairs, the New York Times, and the Washington Post.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Chas Smith sits down with Nathan to discuss his reporting on the Middle East and Al Qaeda as well as Surfing and the Drug Epidemic.
Chas Smith is a renowned journalist who has written for Vice, Paper, and Blackbook. As a foreign correspondent, Chas reported from Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Somalia, Azerbaijan, and Colombia. He is also the author of Cocaine + Surfing, Welcome to Paradise, Now Go to Hell, and Reports from Hell.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: James Barnett sits down with Nathan and George Bogden to discuss the crisis in Sudan.
James Barnett is a research fellow at Hudson Institute, based in Lagos, Nigeria, where he studies conflict, terrorism, and geopolitics in Africa, as well as a research fellow at the Centre for Democracy and Development, based in Abuja. Barnett has written for a number of publications and research journals and is currently an editor of Hudson Institute’s journal, Current Trends in Islamist Ideology.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Lilia Arakelyan joins Nathan & George Bodgen today to discuss the ongoing international conflicts among Russia, Armenia, and Turkey.
Lilia Arakelyan is an author and professor who focuses on Russian foreign policy, nationalism, ethno-national conflicts, and international security. She also wrote Russian Foreign Policy in Eurasia: National Interests and Regional Integration and holds a Ph.D. in International Studies from the University of Miami.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Sasha Issenberg sits down with Nathan to discuss the role analytics play in our elections.
Sasha Issenberg is a journalist with work in Washington Monthly, The Atlantic, The Boston Globe, and other outlets. Most notably, he is the author of The Victory Lab: The Secret Science of Winning Campaigns. He is also a professor at UCLA.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Arash Azizi joins the show this week to discuss his work reporting on General Soleimani, Iran, and the Middle East.
Arash Azizi is a New York City based writer who covers history, cinema, and politics, specifically in Iran. He released The Shadow Commander: Soleimani, the US, and Iran's Global Ambitions, and he plans to release Iran's New Revolution: Women, Life, Freedom later this year.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Sam Quinones joins us this week to discuss his writing on the Opioid Epidemic.
Sam Quinones is a best-selling journalist who, in his recent work, has chronicled the opioid crisis in the United States. In recent years, he wrote Dreamland and The Least of Us. Both document the drug crisis in the US.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Brock Bierman joins the show this week to discuss his work with Ukraine Focus and the USAID for Europe and Eurasia.
Brock Bierman is the CEO and President of Ukraine Focus, a non-profit organization that delivers on-the-ground humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Before joining Ukraine Focus, Bierman served as the Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development for Europe and Eurasia during the Trump Administration.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Mayor Anatolii Fedoruk and Deputy Mayor Mykhailyna Skoryk-Shkarivska of Bucha, Ukraine sit down with Nathan & Patrick to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Bucha massacre, and the path ahead for Bucha and Ukraine.
Guests: Mayor Anatolii Fedoruk and Deputy Mayor Mykhailyna Skoryk-Shkarivska
Mayor Anatolii Fedoruk has been Mayor of Bucha since 1998. His leadership during Russia's occupation of Bucha led to him being awarded the State Order for Merit.
Deputy Mayor Mykhailyna Skoryk-Shkarivska oversees the economic development of Bucha and is responsible for international funds and missions to the city.
Guest: Besian Mustafa is a member of the Kosovan Parliament. He is the former Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Development.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: CIA Alum John Franchi joins the show this week to discuss the War on Ukraine, the Middle East, and China.
John Franchi spent 29 years as an officer in the Central Intelligence Agency and served in many of the world's hotspots including Northern Africa and the Middle East in high level roles. Today, he is the Director of Intelligence at Brosnan Risk.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Jonathan Alter joins the show this week to discuss the 2024 election as well as the presidencies of Biden, Obama, and FDR.
Jonathan Alter is a renowned journalist, best-selling author, Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker, and was a columnist for Newsweek for almost three decades. He's written several presidential biographies and currently hosts radio show "Alter Family Politics" with his children.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Eric Schultz joins the show this week to talk about the impact younger voters had on the midterms, his work in the Obama Administration, and more.
Eric Schultz served as Deputy White House Press Secretary during the Obama Administration and is currently the senior advisor to President Obama in his post-presidency. He is also the founder and director of the Schultz Group, a public relations, crisis management, and media relations firm.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Molly Ball joins the show this week to discuss Nancy Pelosi, new House Democratic leadership, and the 2024 presidential election.
Molly Ball is the national political correspondent for Time magazine. Before working for Time, she covered politics for The Atlantic and worked for Politico, the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and the Las Vegas Sun. She is most notably known for authoring Pelosi, a definitive biography on Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Jeff Greenfield joins the show this week to discuss his work with Robert Kennedy and how political violence has shaped today's political world.
Jeff Greenfield has worked in the political and journalism world over the last five decades. He was a speech writer for Robert Kennedy, and he has been a media analyst for CBS, CNN, PBS, and ABC. He has also written 11 books.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: George Bogden returns to the show this week to talk about the Russo-Ukrainian War and European Politics in Hungary, Poland, Turkey, and more.
Among many things, George Bodgen is a Term Member at the Council on Foreign Relations, a member of the Bretton Woods Committee, and a new leader at the Carnegie Council for Ethics and International Affairs. He received a doctorate in International Relations from the University of Oxford and a law degree from New York University.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Zac McCrary, Billy Ray, and Tara Palmeri all return to the show this week to discuss what happened on Tuesday.
Zac McCrary is a well-known Democratic pollster at Impact Research who has polled for several high-profile candidates including Joe Biden, Roy Cooper, and Hillary Clinton. He also hosts his own podcast: "Pro Politics Podcast."
Billy Ray is a Hollywood screenwriter and director famous for writing films such as Captain Phillips and The Hunger Games. Since 2016, Billy has raised money for Democratic candidates and helped hone their messaging.
Tara Palmeri is a former ABC White House Correspondent and current Senior Correspondent covering politics for Puck. From 2017 to 2021, she covered the Trump White House, and in 2021, she became author of POLITICO Playbook.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: J. Miles Coleman returns to the show this week to discuss his post-election thoughts, where predictions were right, where they were wrong, and what's still to come.
J. Miles Coleman is the Associate Editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics. He also serves as the center's Media Relations Coordinator. Prior to joining Sabato in 2019, Coleman worked at Decision Desk HQ.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Happy Election Day! Today our very own Nathan Kiker & Patrick Zinck bring you a special election day episode to give their final predictions on the midterms.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Nick Knudsen joins the show this week to discuss DemCast, past elections, and Tuesday's midterms!
Nick Knudsen is co-founder and executive director of DemCast, a digital-engagement tool allowing democratic candidates to directly communicate with their voters during their campaigns and causes. Knudsen is also a writer and organizer who worked on the 2018 and 2020 elections.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Former Congressman and 2020 Republican presidential candidate Joe Walsh joins the show this week to discuss his previous campaigns, Trump, Biden, the GOP, and 2022.
Joe Walsh is a former congressman who represented Illinois' 8th district and was a leader of the Tea Party movement. In 2020, Walsh ran for the Republican presidential nomination against Donald Trump. Currently, he hosts his own podcast: "White Flag with Joe Walsh."
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri joins the show this week to discuss her activism throughout her career.
Indrani is an Indian-Canadian-Jamaican-British human rights activist who has been recognized by the United Nations as a Women's Entrepreneurship Distinguished Fellow. Indrani is also an advocate for dyslexia awareness.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Congressman Joe Crowley returns to the show this week to give his thoughts on the upcoming midterms.
Former Congressman Crowley represented New York for 20 years in the U.S. House and was the Chair of the House Democratic Caucus before his 2018 primary loss to Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Stephanie Schriock joins the show this week to discuss the upcoming midterm elections, EMILY's List, and more.
Stephanie Schriock is a prominent political strategist and former president of EMILY's List, the largest organization in the country dedicated to electing women to office.
Keep up to date with us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Congressman David Cicilline shares his thoughts on antitrust, OPEC, and foreign policy.
Rep. Cicilline represents Rhode Island's 1st congressional district and chairs the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law. He also serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Former Congressman Joe Cunningham discusses how he's prepping for his run in the upcoming South Carolina gubernatorial election.
Cunningham served as the U.S. representative from South Carolina's 1st congressional district from 2019 to 2021 and is the Democratic nominee for the 2022 South Carolina gubernatorial election.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Rick Smith talks all things working class politics and shares his thoughts on the upcoming midterm election.
Smith is host of the Rick Smith Show - a coast to coast radio show focused on the working class. He has a long history in labor politics and his show currently has over 2.5 million podcast downloads.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Joshua Karp & Rosy Gonzalez Speers give their take on how Florida Dems are prepping for the upcoming election.
Karp is a partner at Hone Strategies and has more than a decade of experience working in senior roles on political campaigns and for national advocacy organizations. Speers is a partner at The Win Company has worked to elect Democrats in MA, AL, TX, IL, and FL. She is the go-to political consultant in Florida.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Lavora Barnes, Michigan Democratic Chair gives her take on how her party and state are preparing for the final stretch of this upcoming election.
Barnes has served as Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party since 2019 and is making history as the first African-American woman serving in this position.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Congresswoman Kendra Horn, who represented Oklahoma's 5th congressional district from 2019-2021, after pulling off one of the biggest upsets of the 2018 midterm election cycle. She is currently a candidate for U.S. Senate in Oklahoma.
Congresswoman Horn joins the show this week to discuss her ideas on how Democrats can get ahead.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Congressman Eric Swalwell, co-chair of the House Democratic Steering Committee, candidate for President in 2020, and member of the Intelligence, Judiciary, and Homeland Security committees.
Congressman Swalwell joined the show this week to talk about the changing tides in the race for the House, how he thinks Democrats will perform in November, and how we got to a point where Democrats could actually hold on to Congress.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Alex "Keendawg" Keeney, host of the Star Spangled Gamblers podcast.
Keendawg joins Nathan and Patrick to discuss the world of political betting.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Ashley All, Communications Director for Kansans for Constitutional Freedom - the organization that helped defeat the ballot measure removing abortion protections from Kansas' state Constitution. Previously, she's worked for Gov. Laura Kelly, and Senate candidate Barbara Bollier.
Ashley joins the show to talk about Kansas' surprising results in last month's Constitutional Amendment ballot measure - and what it could mean for November.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Evan McMullin, Independent candidate for U.S. Senate in Utah.
Evan McMullin joins the show to talk about his 2016 Independent Presidential run, his 2022 Independent Senatorial run, and more.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Lis Smith, political strategist, senior advisor to Pete Buttigieg's 2020 Presidential Campaign, and director of rapid response for President Obama's 2012 re-election.
Lis Smith joins the show this week to give her insights on the art of politics.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Senator Doug Jones, Former United States Senator from Alabama.
Senator Jones joins Nathan and Patrick to talk about Trump, the Supreme Court, and the 2022 midterm elections.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Robert Cahaly, Founder of Trafalgar Group. Trafalgar was the only major pollster to predict a Trump victory in 2016, and had some of the most accurate polls in 2020.
Robert comes back to the show to discuss his new outlook on 2022, his recent predictions, and potential senate race upsets.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Amanda Litman
In this episode, Nathan and Patrick spoke with former email director for Hillary Clinton and founder of Run for Something: Amanda Litman!
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: David Yankovich
In this episode, Nathan and Patrick spoke with former congressional candidate and current political consultant David Yankovich about the current failures of the Democratic Party, and his experience as a political candidate.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Steve Descano, Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney.
In this episode, Nathan and Patrick spoke progressive prosecutor Steve Descano about his progressive views, pending recalls against him, and how he is trying to change the criminal justice system in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guests: Former Virginia Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy
In this episode, Nathan and Patrick spoke former VA Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy about her historic gubernatorial race, the recent news about Roe V. Wade being in jeopardy, and what voters really want.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guests: Vanderbilt Professors John Geer and Joshua Clinton
In this episode, Nathan and Patrick spoke to Vanderbilt Professors John Geer and Joshua Clinton about polling, partisanship, and so much more.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Billy Ray, screenwriter and producer famous for writing movies such as Captain Phillips.
In this episode, Nathan and Patrick spoke to Billy Ray about the intersection of politics and Hollywood, as well as how he is helping candidates hone in their messaging.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guests: Qasim Rashid, former Democratic nominee in Virginia's 1st Congressional District; Jimmy Fremgen, Democratic primary challenger to Doris Matsui in California's 7th Congressional District.
In this episode, Nathan and Patrick hear what it's like to run for office as a progressive challenger.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Joe Szymanski, Head of Interviews Team and Deputy Director of the Elections Team at Elections Daily.
In this episode, Nathan and Patrick hear Joe's hot takes on the North Carolina and Pennsylvania primaries from earlier this week.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guests: Mark Anthony (Patriot & Preacher Podcast), Scott Wheeler (National Republican Trust PAC), Tarina Keene (Pro-Choice Virginia), and Erin Matson (Reproaction).
This weeks extended episode discusses the recent SCOTUS leak, signaling the imminent decision to overturn the landmark Roe vs. Wade case. Join Nathan, Patrick, and a slew of guests in a deep dive on the repercussions.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Jacob Wright, a Scottish bartender turned aid worker for Highway 2 Help.
In this special episode, Nathan spoke with Jacob Wright about his work with Ukrainian refugees.
Highway To Help on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/699831784358691
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Joe Crowley, former Congressman for New York's 7th (1999-2013) and 14th (2013-2019) Congressional districts.
In this episode, Patrick and Nathan are joined by the former Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, former Congressman Joe Crowley!
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Laura Birnbaum, National Political Director for JStreet.
Nathan and Patrick are joined by Laura Birnbaum this week to discuss JStreet's goals, their role in the midterms, and other topics.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Ed Peavy, Founder of the leading Democratic targeted direct mail firm Mission Control.
Ed Peavy joins the crew to break down the evolving landscape of voter outreach.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Jessica Taylor, Senate and Governors Editor at the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter.
In this episode, Jessica Taylor joins Nathan and Patrick to share her outlook on the 2022 midterms.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Robert Cahaly, Founder of Trafalgar Group. Trafalgar was the only major pollster to predict a Trump victory in 2016, and had some of the most accurate polls in 2020.
After our episode with Zac McCrary (partner at ALG Polling / Impact Research), it seemed only fitting that we invite Robert Cahaly on the show to hear his perspective.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Miles Coleman, Associate Editor for Sabato's Crystal Ball.
In this episode, "Political Dora the Explorer" Miles Coleman joins Nathan and Patrick to share his outlook on the 2022 midterms.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Due to the situation in Ukraine, the release of this episode was delayed. For that reason, some information/insights may have changed.
In a break from our regularly scheduled program, we have a fascinating interview with Professor Keith Darden of American University. Keith is an expert on the geopolitics of Russia and Ukraine, and here to talk us to the crisis unfolding in Europe.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Dave Wasserman, Senior Editor for U.S. House of Representatives at the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter.
In this episode, elections guru Dave Wasserman joins Nathan and Patrick to share his outlook on the 2022 midterms.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Zac McCrary, partner at ALG Polling / Impact Research and host of Pro Politics with Zac McCrary.
Patrick and Nathan sit down with Zac McCrary, one of the country's top pollsters, to discuss the future of political polling and forecasting.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Tara Palmeri, Chief National Correspondent for Politico, former co-author of POLITICO Playbook and former White House correspondent for ABC News.
In this special episode, the Game On team is joined by Politico's Chief National Correspondent Tara Palmeri. We discuss what factors are driving voters as we head into the midterm election, and what each side should do to prevail in November.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guest: Joe Szymanski, Head of Interviews Team and Deputy Director of the Elections Team at Elections Daily.
In this episode, Nathan and Patrick give their take on the monumental announcement that Justice Stephen Breyer will retire from the Supreme Court. Later, they spoke with Joe Szymanski from Elections Daily about a general outlook heading into the 2022 midterms. Topics include redistricting, the primary process, and more.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod
Guests: VA Delegate Sam Rasoul (D), VA GOP Chairman Rich Anderson
In this episode Nathan and Patrick spoke to former candidate for Lieutenant Governor, Del. Sam Rasoul (D), about why he believes Democrats lost in 2021. We also spoke to Former Delegate and current Chairman of the Virginia GOP, Rich Anderson, about the Republican party's strategy going into 2022.
Keep up to date with us on Twitter and Instagram: @TheGameOnPod