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The Middle
The Middle
Thursday at 8pm & Friday at 11am-Noon CST

The Middle is hosted by Jeremy Hobson, a public radio journalist and former host of NPR’s Here & Now and Marketplace Morning Report.

Jeremy grew up in the midwest, where people don’t spend every waking minute thinking about politics - but do have a lot of sway in our politics.

With The Middle, Jeremy and his team hope to use the unique position of public radio to facilitate a conversation focused on those overlooked but important voices.

Call in to The Middle at 844-464-3353

  • The Meaning of 9/11, 25 Years Later
    Twenty-five years after the September 11th attacks, a generation of Americans has grown up with no memory of that day, but its effects are still everywhere. Jeremy is joined by journalist and historian Garrett Graff, author of The Only Plane in the Sky, and Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin to examine how 9/11 reshaped American foreign policy, air travel, national security, the media and the country’s relationship with Islam. They also hear from listeners about what 9/11 means to them today, as firsthand memory gives way to history and America confronts a very different political and global landscape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
  •  How Are Climate Change and Extreme Weather Affecting You?
    On this episode of The Middle, we take your calls on how severe weather and the increasingly volatile impacts of climate change are personally affecting you - from high heat and wildfires to tropical storms and flooding. Jeremy is joined by former CNN Chief Climate Correspondent Bill Weir and Katharine Hayhoe, Chief Scientist at the Nature Conservancy. #climatechange #climatechange2026 #climatechangeandglobalwarming #climatechangenews #climatechangedocumentary #climatechangedebate #climatechangeforkids #climatechangesong #climatechangeexplained #climatechange2025 #climatechangeskeemask #climatechange101withbillnye #climatechangevideo #climatechangesolutions #climatechangegawvi #climatechangeand #climatechangeandhealth #climatechangeandagriculture #climatechangeandgreenhouseeffect #climatechangeandextremeweatherevents #climatechangeandtheocean #climatechangeandai #climatechangeandnaturaldisasters #climatechangeandfoodsecurity #climatechangeandanimals #climatechangeandpublichealth #climatechangeandmentalhealth #climatechangeandmigration #climatechangeandhumanhealth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
  • Looking Back on Three Years of The Middle
    On this special episode, Jeremy hops on the other side of the microphone to reflect on three years of The Middle - what he's learned along the way, and why the show is as relevant as ever. He's joined by journalist and author Lisa Napoli, who served as senior producer on the original run of pilots for The Middle back in 2022. Together, they revisit the big names, big moments and big issues that have defined the show's first three years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
  • Which Institutions Still Earn Your Trust?
    On this episode of The Middle, we take your calls on which institutions still earn your trust at a time when faith in American institutions overall has been steadily eroding - from the media and education to state and local government and even the Supreme Court, with recent political turmoil only accelerating that mistrust. Jeremy is joined by former Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and political analyst Yuval Levin, director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. #institutions #institutionseu5 #institutionalized #institutionsinsociology #institutionaltrading #institutionsofgovernment #institutionseu4 #institutionsandeconomicgrowth #institutionalizedsuicidaltendenciesband #institutionsbuyingbitcoin #institutionsineconomics #institutionsandeconomicdevelopment #institutionssong #institutionkodakblacklyrics #institutionsoftheeu #institutionsand #institutionsanddevelopment #institutionsandorganizations #institutionsandheadquarters #institutionsandtheirheadquarters #institutionsandeconomicgrowthmalayalam #institutionsandeconomicdevelopmentdcnorth #institutionandassociation #institutionsandtheirpublication #institutionsandinstrumentsinfinancialmarketscmainter #institutionandgenius #institutionalandtechnologicalreformsclass10 #financialinstitutionsandmarkets Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
  • Tolliver: The Man Behind the Music
    This week, Jeremy turns the tables on The Middle’s DJ Tolliver to find out more about the man behind the music. Tolliver talks about growing up in a musical family in Chicago, experiencing homelessness as a child, and building an eclectic career spanning journalism, music and acting — plus what he’s learned from three years on The Middle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
  • Does America Have a Gambling Problem?
    On this encore episode of The Middle, we're asking if America has a gambling problem. As online gambling, sports betting and prediction markets surge in popularity, questions remain over what consequences this new gambling boom could have on American society. Jeremy is joined by Axios business reporter Nathan Bomey and Manhattan Institute senior fellow Charles Fain Lehman. DJ Tolliver joins as well, plus calls from around the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
  • Chris Cillizza on the State of the Parties Ahead of the Midterms
    On this episode of The Follow Up, Jeremy is joined by political commentator and author of the So What? Substack Chris Cillizza to talk about the future direction of the Republican Party and the state of American politics ahead of the midterms as they listen to your voicemails. Jeremy also addresses your criticism of last week’s show featuring Indiana Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith. #Politics #Midterms2026 #RepublicanParty #GOP #AmericanPolitics #PoliticalPodcast #ChrisCillizza #PoliticsPodcast #ElectionSeason #PoliticalCommentary #USPolitics #Midterms #Conservatives #PoliticalAnalysis #NewsPodcast #Democracy #ElectionPolitics #PoliticalStrategy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
  • How Should the Republican Party Change?
    On this episode of The Middle, we take your calls on how the Republican Party should change, and what it might look like once President Trump is no longer its leader. With the midterms approaching, cracks are starting to show in the party. Trump's approval ratings are slipping, driven by frustration over affordability and foreign policy, and a growing number of high-profile conservatives are breaking with the party publicly. So what comes next? Jeremy is joined by Indiana Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith and conservative political commentator S.E. Cupp #republicans #republicansagainsttrump #republicansbuysneakerstoo #republicansvsdemocrats #republicansturningontrump #republicansvsdemocratsjubilee #republicansturningagainsttrump #republicansvsdemocratsexplained #republicansontrump #republicansongreenland #republicansvsmaga #republicansresigning #republicansagainstice #republicansvoteagainstreleasingepsteinfiles #republicansreacttozohran #republicansand #republicansanddemocratsexplained #republicansanddemocrats #republicansanddemocratsgettingalong #republicansanddemocratsdebate #republicansandtrump #republicansandhealthcare #republicansandchristianity #republicansandisrael #republicansanddemocratscomparingandcontrasting #republicansandepstein #republicansandbadbunny #republicansandice #republicansandvenezuela #republicansandgreenland Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
  • What Michigan's Primary Tells Us About the Democrats' Future
    On this episode of The Follow Up, Jeremy is joined by Michigan Public political director Zoe Clark to talk about what the future of the Democratic Party should look like as they listen your voicemails. They also discuss what Michigan's Democratic primary means for the future of the party. With progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed defeating establishment-backed Haley Stevens, the conversation turns to a bigger question: should Democrats push further left or focus on the middle? #Midterms2026 #DemocraticParty #MichiganPolitics #ElSayed #Progressive #ElectionSeason #PoliticsPodcast #DemPrimary #SwingVoters #2026Midterms #PoliticalAnalysis #GrassrootsPolitics #MichiganPrimary #DemocraticPrimary #USPolitics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
  • How Should the Democratic Party Change?
    On this episode of The Middle, we take your calls on how the Democratic Party should change as it looks to gain power in 2026 and beyond.As the midterms approach, a clear divide has emerged within the party between its more moderate, establishment wing and a wave of progressive breakout candidates. But which way should the party go? And are any big structural changes needed to reflect the views of the modern left?Jeremy is joined by political advisor Jamal Simmons, formerly the communications director for Vice President Kamala Harris, and political commentator Harry Sisson, one of the most influential young Democrats in America. #democrats #democratsvsrepublicans #democratsonshutdown #democratscaveonshutdown #democratsgovernmentshutdown #democratsmomentofsilence #democratslosingvoters #democratsreacttocharlie #democratsreacttovenezuela #democratsvsrepublicansjubilee #democratsvsrepublicansexplained #democratstexas #democratscharliekirk #democratsreactto2024election #democratsblindsidedbydevastatingelectionresults #democratsand #democratsandrepublicansexplained #democratsandrepublicans #democratsandmen #democratsandrepublicansdebate #democratsandrepublicansarguing #democratsandrepublicansswitch #democratsandyoungmen #democratsandimmigration #democratsandtheshutdown #democratsandwhigs #democratsandcharliekirk #democratsandrepublicanshistory #democratsandrepublicansworkingtogether #democratsandtrump Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices