The Vital Center
The Niskanen CenterBoth the Republican and Democratic parties are struggling to defend the political center against illiberal extremes. America must put forward policies that can reverse our political and governmental dysfunction, advance the social welfare of all citizens, combat climate change, and confront the other forces that threaten our common interests. The podcast focuses on current politics seen in the con... more
| Publishes | Twice monthly | Episodes | 89 | Founded | 5 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | GovernmentPoliticsNews | |||
Listen to this Podcast
Latest Episodes
On February 27, 2022, three days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Olaf Scholz, who was then the Chancellor of Germany, gave a speech to an emergency session of the German parliament at which he described the attack as a Zeitenwende – an histori... more
For many decades, practitioners and scholars of foreign policy used to refer to “the West,” but today, for the most part, they don’t. What happened to the idea of “the West”? Michael Kimmage, a professor of history at Catholic University, wrote The A... more
This podcast was recorded in late August 2025. Much has occurred since then, both in Minnesota and nationally, and listeners are asked to consider the episode’s treatment of politics and current events in the context of the time in which it was recor... more
Murray Kempton (1917-97) was one of the greatest American journalists of the twentieth century. His career extended across seven decades, during which he produced somewhere around 11,000 columns, essays, and pamphlets, nearly all of them marked by hi... more
Key Facts
Similar Podcasts
People also subscribe to these shows.
Recent Guests
Host
Reviews
- Insightful podcast, but not very hopeful
While I 100% agree with the points of view expressed, they can come across as an autopsy of liberal democracy. I wish the a more problem solving approach was taken, particularly on behalf of us not breathing the exalted air of the elite that matter.
Apple Podcasts5Efbrazil
United States6 months ago - Trapped in another time
A quiet curation of academia that asserts the relevance of a problem from almost 20 years ago: that *everyone* is just too wrapped up in their respective political side.
An ironic problem is that there is no intellectual exploration outside its own highbrow confirmations. But what can you expect from Ivy League naval gazing? This might not be an issue but for how often this show brings up “populism”.
The deeper irony is that this show does not understand the past of their supposition.Extremism ... more
Apple Podcasts1Rahb GraussUnited States8 months ago - Love the Richard Kahlenberg show!!!
More on him! More on this general subject! Will read his latest book!
Apple Podcasts5robin reeseUnited States2 years ago - Fascinating Conversations
One of the best political podcasts I’ve come across. Impressive and insightful guests, and Geoffrey Kabaservice is remarkably knowledgeable and, perhaps more importantly, a skilled host. Indispensable listening for political moderates and those with an interest in modern American political history.
Apple Podcasts5DumaisnUnited States4 years ago - A Thoughtful Look at today’s issues
This is a podcast that goes beyond the headlines to look at issues affecting American politics and also provide answers on how to improve and defend American democracy. It is not to be missed.
Apple Podcasts5denminnUnited States4 years ago
Listeners Say
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #231 |  Ireland/News/Politics |
Talking Points
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Audience Metrics
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
| Listeners per Episode | |
|---|---|
| Gender Skew | |
| Location | |
| Interests | |
| Professions | |
| Age Range | |
| Household Income | |
| Social Media Reach |
Frequently Asked Questions About The Vital Center
What is The Vital Center about and what kind of topics does it cover?
Content often explores the tension within American politics, especially how both major parties are navigating a shift towards extremes. Engaging discussions feature a mix of contemporary political analysis and historical context, framing current events against the backdrop of influential political scholars and past ideas. Themes such as governance, populism, education equity, and civic engagement frequently emerge, with guests often drawn from academia and literature to provide insights into issues affecting American democracy today. A key focus is on proposing solutions and policies that seek to unify various societal segments while preserving democratic values, making the content particularly relevant for those interested in a centrist po... more
Where can I find podcast stats for The Vital Center?
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Vital Center. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Vital Center and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
How many listeners does The Vital Center get?
Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Vital Center, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.
What are the audience demographics for The Vital Center?
Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Vital Center, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.
How many subscribers and views does The Vital Center have?
To see how many followers or subscribers The Vital Center has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.
Which podcasts are similar to The Vital Center?
These podcasts share a similar audience with The Vital Center:
1. The Realignment
2. The Dishcast with Andrew Sullivan
3. Conversations with Tyler
4. The Marginal Revolution Podcast
5. Plain English with Derek Thompson
How many episodes of The Vital Center are there?
The Vital Center launched 5 years ago and published 89 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
How do I contact The Vital Center?
Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.
Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Vital Center?
Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Vital Center from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.
View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.
How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Vital Center?
Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Vital Center. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.
What guests have appeared on The Vital Center?
Recent guests on The Vital Center include:
1. Steve Grove
2. Andrew Holter
3. Sam Tanenhaus
4. Virginia Postrel
5. Alan Ehrenhalt
6. Molly Worthen
7. Matt Zwolinski
8. Dave Hopkins
To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.