August 10, 2021

The U.S. is almost out of Afghanistan and the Taliban is moving in with rapid speed. The fundamentalist group’s offensive is happening much faster than feared, as it claims it has now taken over its seventh provincial capital in five days. To discuss the U.S. withdrawal and the Taliban advances, NATO’s former head joins the show, alongside Pakistan’s former ambassador in D.C.

Cecily Strong is a household name for the many roles she inhabits on “Saturday Night Live." But it’s not all laughter and light for Strong. The sudden death of her beloved cousin from brain cancer last year and her own isolation during the pandemic caused her to reflect on her life and her personal struggles with depression and anxiety. She details this journey in her new memoir.

NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo has resigned. The state’s chief executive finally bowed to the pressure to step aside after the New York attorney general released a report concluding he sexually harassed 11 women. Cuomo continues to deny he ever crossed a line, but today admitted it was best for the state if he steps aside. NY Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins joins the program to weigh in.

The word “freedom” gets thrown around a lot, but what does it actually mean? Pulitzer Prize-winning author Louis Menand wanted to find out, and in his new book he explores the concept of freedom and how its core value is still deeply entrenched within America’s culture. He speaks with Walter Isaacson about how freedom has been expressed in the best possible way through music, art, and literature.