What Next Plus
The problem with the news right now? It’s everywhere. And each day, it can feel like we’re all just mindlessly scrolling. It’s why we created What Next. This short daily show is here to help you make sense of things. When the news feels overwhelming, we’re here to help you answer: What next? Look for new episodes every weekday morning.
2026
Which State of the Union? Which Medicare for All?
Trump's speech often meandered from pleas for bipartisanship to accusations of “ridiculous partisan investigations.” What do we make of this state of the union?
21 min
2027
Larry Krasner and the System That Fought Back
He campaigned on a promise to reform Philadelphia’s criminal justice system. Putting theory into practice has been challenging.
16 min
2028
The Ferguson Effect
Protesters organized into a grassroots campaign to unseat a 7 term incumbent and replace him with the first black St. Louis County prosecutor.
13 min
2029
Anti-Vaxxers Brought Back the Measles
Why the spread of a preventable disease in the Pacific-Northwest should scare Texans.
14 min
2030
Don't Call Him El Chapo
The myth of El Chapo has overpowered the hard truths his trial is revealing.
11 min
2031
Howard Schultz and the Ghost of Ross Perot
A billionaire flirts with a third party presidential run and everybody loses their mind.
15 min
2032
How Big Tech Is Bleeding American Journalism
Is it time for major media companies to boycott Facebook?
17 min
2033
The Gun Rights Case Headed to the Supreme Court
In the fight to expand Second Amendment rights, a New York City gun law could be the first domino to fall.
16 min
2034
The Opposition Comes for Venezuela’s Maduro
Venezuela has been in crisis for years. Why is a network of exiled politicians sending people into the streets now?
19 min
2035
Congress Does Something
Could Thursday mark the beginning of the end of the government shutdown?
18 min
2036
Kamala Harris & the Rise of Progressive Prosecu...
Why doesn’t the reform-minded set accept Harris as one of their own?
21 min
2037
The Women Fleeing Saudi Arabia
What it’s like to escape when your every movement is policed by men.
19 min
2038
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Flips the Script
She doesn’t need to be authoritative, or vaguely androgynous, or even right. How does AOC pull that off?
20 min
2039
The L.A. Teachers' Strike
The second-largest school district in the country is having a battle royale over charter school expansion.
24 min
2040
The Gymnast Who Went Megaviral
Remember when U.S. women’s gymnastics used to be joyful?
19 min
2041
Pardons, Presidential Power, and Worry About Bi...
What can history tell us about how William Barr will handle the Mueller investigation?
24 min
2042
The Three-Headed Beast Leading U.S. Foreign Policy
15 min
2043
The Threat of National Emergency
Can President Trump get his wall by circumventing Congress?
18 min
2044
How We Became Shutdown Nation
It doesn’t have to be like this.
18 min
2045
Clemency for Cyntoia Brown
She was serving a notably harsh sentence. But what does it mean that she was freed after a publicity blitz and a celebrity assist?
15 min
2046
Battling 2020 Fatigue
Each election is an experiment. Approach it like a scientist, armed with a few hypotheses.
20 min
2047
The Republican Party Shake-Out in Kansas
What do you do when your party leaves you behind?
17 min
2048
We're in the New York Times.
No big deal.
1 min
2049
Jeff Flake Takes Another Stand
Conservatives are beginning to check the Trump administration. Is it too little, too late?
19 min
2050
The Gun Owning Doctors Changing the Gun Debate
A pediatric surgeon recommends new ways to think about gun safety. Not only because he has seen the damage that a gun can do, but because he owns guns himself.
26 min