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The Middle
The Middle
Thursday at 8PM Central
Hosted by Jeremy Hobson

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

  • Data Centers, Tunnels, Maps, and Optimism for 2026!
    On this special episode of The Middle, we chat with journalists from around the country as they share their biggest local stories of the past year, as well as some of the reasons they're hopeful for the coming year. Jeremy is joined by Blake Farmer, host of “This is Nashville" on Nashville Public Radio, Kate Archer Kent, who hosts “Wisconsin Today” on Wisconsin Public Radio and Mary Sanchez, a Kansas City-based Columnist for the Tribune Content Agency. #2025 #2026 #newyears #holidays #news #optimism #hopeful #positive #boringcompany #datacenters #artificialintelligence #redistrictingSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
  • Are You Prepared to Care for a Loved one?
    On this episode of The Middle, we're asking if you're prepared to provide care for a loved one when that time comes. One in four US adults is currently caring for an adult or child with a complex medical issue or a disability, according to AARP. Jeremy is joined by Elizabeth Edgerly, senior director of Care & Support Programs and Services at the Alzheimer's Association and Elizabeth Miller, a certified caregiving consultant and host of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast. DJ Tolliver joins as well, plus calls from around the country. #healthcare #care #caregiving #dementia #Alzheimers #medicare #caregivercrisisSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
  • Does Going Green Matter to You?
    On this episode of The Middle, we're asking if "going green" matters to you, even as the Trump administration is phasing out incentives to do so. Jeremy is joined by Joseph Romm, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media and Heatmap News Executive Editor Robinson Meyer. DJ Tolliver joins as well, plus calls from around the country. #EV #greenenergy #goinggreen #solar #solarpanels #renewable #DOE #Trump See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
  • Trump's Immigration Crackdown Tightens Further
    In this episode of One Thing Trump Did, we talk with Reuters Immigration reporter Ted Hesson about the latest major shifts in immigration policy under President Trump. After the shooting of two members of the National Guard, allegedly by an Afghan immigrant, Trump said he would stop issuing visas to people from Afghanistan and review past admissions. He also called Somali immigrants garbage, as the White House started a new enforcement operation in New Orleans. #Trump #immigration #deportation #ICE #Afghan #Somali #NewOrleans #Minnesota See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
  • What's the state of your economy?
    On this episode of The Middle, we're asking what the state of your economy is and how that picture could change depending on where you live and how you make your living. Jeremy is joined by Kansas City-based columnist Mary Sanchez and University of Michigan economist Justin Wolfers. DJ Tolliver joins as well, plus calls from around the country. #economy #tariffs #wages #inflation #spending #finance #money #spendingSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
  • Tariffs are Hurting American Farmers
    In this episode of One Thing Trump Did, we talk with Todd Gleason, who hosts the Closing Market Report for Illinois Public Media, about how tariffs are impacting American farmers. Soybean farmers are being hit particularly hard because of a drop in purchases from the largest importer of soybeans, China. Now there's talk of an aid package, which would be paid for by taxpayers. #tariffs #farming #agriculture #USDA #China #Trump #BrookeRollinsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
  • The Philosophical Middle
    On this encore episode of The Middle we explore the philosophical middle, and how philosophy can help veer us away from extremes in our daily lives. Jeremy is joined by Agnes Callard, a professor of philosophy at the University of Chicago and Stephen Asma, a professor of Philosophy at Columbia College Chicago. #philosophy #middleway #goldenmean #socrates #aristotle #plato #confucius #locke #hume #ethics #logicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
  • OTTD: Is your healthcare about to get much more expensive?
    In this episode of One Thing Trump Did, We talk with KFF Health News Chief Washington Correspondent Julie Rovner about Obamacare subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of the year. Many in Congress want to see them extended to that insurance premiums don't skyrocket, but President Trump says he has no interest in spending more money on the Affordable Care Act. Instead, he wants to send that money directly to Americans. #ACA #Obamacare #healthcare #subsidies #Trump #DrOzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
  • Will AI destroy us?
    On this episode of The Middle, we're asking if you're excited by the possibilities that AI will bring, or if you're afraid that it will destroy us all. Jeremy is joined by Andy Mills and Gregory Warner of The Last Invention podcast, which was just named by Apple as one of the best podcasts of the year. DJ Tolliver joins as well, plus calls from around the country. #AI #LLM #hacking #Anthropic #ChatGPT #Claude #artificialintelligence #humanitySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
  • OTTD: SNAP Benefits Under Fire
    In this episode of One Thing Trump Did, we look at SNAP benefits, which were partially halted by the government shutdown. The Trump Administration has claimed that the SNAP program, which has helped feed the poorest Americans for decades, is filled with fraud and needs to be reformed. Jeremy is joined by Diane Schanzenbach, an economist and Chair at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University. #SNAP #SNAPbenefits #EBT #Trump #USDA #poverty #povertyline #inflation #groceriesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.