How the Reagan administration tried to prevent the Iran scandal from becoming a second Watergate.

For a list of books, documentaries and resources we used to research this episode visit: bit.ly/fiascopolitics

How the Reagan administration tried to prevent the Iran scandal from becoming a second Watergate. For a list of books, documentaries and resources we used to research this episode visit: <a href="http://bit.ly/fiascopolitics">bit.ly/fiascopolitics</a>

Host Leon Neyfakh transports listeners into the day-to-day reality of our country's most pivotal historical events, bringing to life the forgotten twists and turns of the past while shedding light on the present. 

Benghazi unpacks the 2012 attack in Libya that left four Americans dead, including Ambassador Chris Stevens—and the ensuing political storm, which raised questions about America’s role in the world, established a playbook to weaponize attention in the social media age, and ultimately changed the course of U.S. history.

Iran-Contra exposes a secret war, a secret deal, and a scandal that threatened to destroy Ronald Reagan’s presidency—until it didn’t. 

Bush v. Gore recounts what happened during the contested 2000 election between Al Gore and George W. Bush, and the extraordinary legal battle that unfolded in Florida.

Subscribe to Pushkin+ to hear the entire season of Fiasco: Benghazi, ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Fiasco show page in Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm.

Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin
Subscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.fm/plus

Host Leon Neyfakh transports listeners into the day-to-day reality of our country's most pivotal historical events, bringing to life the forgotten twists and turns of the past while shedding light on the present.&nbsp;
Benghazi unpacks the 2012 attack in Libya that left four Americans dead, including Ambassador Chris Stevens&mdash;and the ensuing political storm, which raised questions about America&rsquo;s role in the world, established a playbook to weaponize attention in the social media age, and ultimately changed the course of U.S. history.
Iran-Contra exposes a secret war, a secret deal, and a scandal that threatened to destroy Ronald Reagan&rsquo;s presidency&mdash;until it didn&rsquo;t.&nbsp;
Bush v. Gore recounts what happened during the contested 2000 election between Al Gore and George W. Bush, and the extraordinary legal battle that unfolded in Florida.
Subscribe to Pushkin+ to hear the entire season of Fiasco: Benghazi, ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Fiasco show page in Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm.
Subscribe on Apple: <a href="http://apple.co/pushkin">apple.co/pushkin</a> Subscribe on Pushkin:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/join-pushkin">pushkin.fm/plus</a>

Fiasco

Host Leon Neyfakh transports listeners into the day-to-day reality of our country's most pivotal historical events, bringing to life the forgotten twists and turns of the past while shedding light on the present. 

Benghazi unpacks the 2012 attack in Libya that left four Americans dead, including Ambassador Chris Stevens—and the ensuing political storm, which raised questions about America’s role in the world, established a playbook to weaponize attention in the social media age, and ultimately changed the course of U.S. history.

Iran-Contra exposes a secret war, a secret deal, and a scandal that threatened to destroy Ronald Reagan’s presidency—until it didn’t. 

Bush v. Gore recounts what happened during the contested 2000 election between Al Gore and George W. Bush, and the extraordinary legal battle that unfolded in Florida.

Subscribe to Pushkin+ to hear the entire season of Fiasco: Iran-Contra, ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Fiasco show page in Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm.

Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin
Subscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.fm/plus

Host Leon Neyfakh transports listeners into the day-to-day reality of our country's most pivotal historical events, bringing to life the forgotten twists and turns of the past while shedding light on the present.&nbsp;
Benghazi unpacks the 2012 attack in Libya that left four Americans dead, including Ambassador Chris Stevens&mdash;and the ensuing political storm, which raised questions about America&rsquo;s role in the world, established a playbook to weaponize attention in the social media age, and ultimately changed the course of U.S. history.
Iran-Contra exposes a secret war, a secret deal, and a scandal that threatened to destroy Ronald Reagan&rsquo;s presidency&mdash;until it didn&rsquo;t.&nbsp;
Bush v. Gore recounts what happened during the contested 2000 election between Al Gore and George W. Bush, and the extraordinary legal battle that unfolded in Florida.
Subscribe to Pushkin+ to hear the entire season of Fiasco: Iran-Contra, ad-free. Find Pushkin+ on the Fiasco show page in Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm.
Subscribe on Apple: <a href="http://apple.co/pushkin">apple.co/pushkin</a> Subscribe on Pushkin:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/join-pushkin">pushkin.fm/plus</a>

Iran Contra: Episode 5 - All Out

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/4e959bcb-bbeb-45bf-a3fe-b2ca01336e7d/transcript

Here's episode 3 of Leon's new series, Death of an Artist.

There's still 3 more episodes to go. Find the rest of Death of an Artist wherever you get podcasts and binge the full season now by subscribing to Pushkin+ on the Apple Podcasts show page or at pushkin.fm/plus.

Here's episode 3 of Leon's new series, <a href="https://apple.co/4fCN9Qb">Death of an Artist</a>.
There's still 3 more episodes to go. Find the rest of Death of an Artist wherever you get podcasts and binge the full season now by subscribing to Pushkin+ on the Apple Podcasts <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/death-of-an-artist/id1628639926">show page</a> or at <a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/join-pushkin">pushkin.fm/plus</a>.

From Death of an Artist: The Train Has Left the Station

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/d8f86538-7ee9-43d7-a11f-b4bb00f05f90/transcript

Here's episode 2 of Leon's new series, Death of an Artist, a story about the joint suicide of a beloved children’s book author and her photographer husband that left behind an uneasy fellowship of friends and family caught between grief, confusion, anger, and envy. 

Michael and Petra Mathers left their house and the logistics of their afterlife to their friend Patty—unbeknownst to Patty’s sister Virginia, who considered herself one of Michael and Petra’s best friends. Patty and Virginia have different perspectives on what Michael and Petra did, but they agree on what it was like to be around them as a couple: awestruck and a bit excluded, something even Alice and Leon pick up on while looking at their dozens of photo albums. 

Find Death of an Artist wherever you get podcasts. And get early, ad-free access to the entire season now by subscribing to Pushkin+ on the Apple Podcasts show page or at pushkin.fm/plus.

Here's episode 2 of Leon's new series, <a href="https://apple.co/4fCN9Qb">Death of an Artist</a>, a story about the joint suicide of a beloved children&rsquo;s book author and her photographer husband that left behind an uneasy fellowship of friends and family caught between grief, confusion, anger, and envy.&nbsp;
Michael and Petra Mathers left their house and the logistics of their afterlife to their friend Patty&mdash;unbeknownst to Patty&rsquo;s sister Virginia, who considered herself one of Michael and Petra&rsquo;s best friends. Patty and Virginia have different perspectives on what Michael and Petra did, but they agree on what it was like to be around them as a couple: awestruck and a bit excluded, something even Alice and Leon pick up on while looking at their dozens of photo albums.&nbsp;
Find Death of an Artist wherever you get podcasts. And get early, ad-free access to the entire season now by subscribing to Pushkin+ on the Apple Podcasts <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/death-of-an-artist/id1628639926">show page</a> or at <a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/join-pushkin">pushkin.fm/plus</a>.

From Death of an Artist: It’s Lonely Without You, Friends

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ca4326b5-10b4-4a0c-b40f-b4b00112adf1/transcript

Leon here bringing you a preview of a new series of mine, Death of an Artist. Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing a few episodes with you right here on the Fiasco feed.

In February 2024, celebrated children’s book author and illustrator Petra Mathers and her husband, photographer Michael Mathers, mailed letters to dozens of friends and family members to let them know they had died by suicide. Petra and Michael were by all accounts healthy, happy, and deeply in love. As much a love story as one about death, it begs the question: what did that decision do to the people left to mourn them? My wife, journalist Alice Gregory, and I set out to interview everyone who got one of Petra and Michael’s letters—as one married couple trying to understand another. Through intimate conversations with Petra and Michael’s friends and family about their own relationships to aging, grief, death, and the friends they thought they knew, Death of an Artist weaves together a portrait of a community grappling with the Mathers’ deaths and the final words they left behind.

Here's episode 1, where we visit Oregon to begin putting together the pieces of Petra and Michael’s shared life: the start of their love story, and the end.

Search for Death of an Artist wherever you get podcasts. And get early, ad-free access to the entire season now by subscribing to Pushkin+ on the Apple Podcasts show page or at pushkin.fm/plus.

Leon here bringing you a preview of a new series of mine, <a href="https://apple.co/4fCN9Qb">Death of an Artist</a>. Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing a few episodes with you right here on the Fiasco feed.
In February 2024, celebrated children&rsquo;s book author and illustrator Petra Mathers and her husband, photographer Michael Mathers, mailed letters to dozens of friends and family members to let them know they had died by suicide. Petra and Michael were by all accounts healthy, happy, and deeply in love. As much a love story as one about death, it begs the question: what did that decision do to the people left to mourn them? My wife, journalist Alice Gregory, and I set out to interview everyone who got one of Petra and Michael&rsquo;s letters&mdash;as one married couple trying to understand another. Through intimate conversations with Petra and Michael&rsquo;s friends and family about their own relationships to aging, grief, death, and the friends they thought they knew, Death of an Artist weaves together a portrait of a community grappling with the Mathers&rsquo; deaths and the final words they left behind.
Here's episode 1, where we visit Oregon to begin putting together the pieces of Petra and Michael&rsquo;s shared life: the start of their love story, and the end.
Search for Death of an Artist wherever you get podcasts. And get early, ad-free access to the entire season now by subscribing to Pushkin+ on the Apple Podcasts <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/death-of-an-artist/id1628639926">show page</a> or at <a href="https://www.pushkin.fm/join-pushkin">pushkin.fm/plus</a>.

Death of an Artist: New from Leon Neyfakh

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/4bed7bd4-a3c6-4c23-bbf5-b4b001090940/transcript

Iran Contra: Episode 5 - All Out

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