The Cable

The Cable with Gregory Feifer - saving democracy one podcast at a time! We address the threats to democracy in Europe and the transatlantic relationship, with a particular focus on backsliding countries in Central Europe.

Do Russians really want war? 02/09/2022

Do Russians really want war? With reports that Ukraine is surrounded by some 140,000 Russian troops, the possibility of a major military conflict in Europe is closer than ever since the end of World War II. There’s been no lack of speculation about whether President Vladimir Putin intends to invade Ukraine again and why. But is what he wants the same as what most Russians want? The answer is complicated, with serious implications for the Western response. Denis Volkov, director of the Levada Center, the country’s only independent polling agency, joins The Cable from Moscow to explain. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/22074902

Is time running out for American democracy? 01/24/2022

Is time running out for American democracy? With vital voting rights legislation stalled in the Senate and Republican politicians continuing to cast doubt on President Biden’s election, the United States is heading into pivotal midterm elections later this year. Liz Hempowicz and Bruce Stokes join The Cable to discuss the danger America’s democratic institutions face and what must be done to protect them. Liz Hempowicz: Director of Public Policy, Project on Government Oversight Bruce Stokes: Visiting GMF Senior Fellow; Executive Director, Transatlantic Task Force: Together or Alone? Choices and Strategies for Transatlantic Relations for 2021 and Beyond /episode/index/show/thecable/id/21872429

There's a new democracy playbook. Will anyone use it? 12/06/2021

There's a new democracy playbook. Will anyone use it? President Joe Biden is set to host the first-ever Summit for Democracy, part of his promise to reassert democratic values around the world. But with Russia and China panning the very idea of values-based diplomacy, can the event’s more than 110 participants prove them wrong? Norman Eisen and Alina Polyakova are co-authors of a new democracy playbook released December 6, together with The Cable’s co-host Jonathan Katz. They talk to Gregory Feifer about their action plan. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/21390809

Lithuania is punching above its weight. Will it matter at Biden’s Summit for Democracy? 11/15/2021

Lithuania is punching above its weight. Will it matter at Biden’s Summit for Democracy? Lithuania is a role model for confident, democratic leadership in the 21st century, and wants to play an important role at the Summit for Democracy in early December. But will the United States and other powerful democracies come together with tangible support even as authoritarians and populists seem to be on the rise? Lithuanian Vice-Minister Mantas Adomėnas and US Assistant Deputy Secretary of State Kara McDonald joined The Cable to discuss the challenges and hopes for the summit. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/21164285

We have the Pandora Papers…Now what? 11/01/2021

We have the Pandora Papers…Now what? The Pandora Papers leak exposed some of the shadowy offshore finances the world’s wealthiest and most powerful people use to hide vast fortunes. What must be done now to combat the illicit practices helping drive massive inequities and shake liberal democracies around the globe? Karen Greenaway, who investigated financial crimes at the FBI, and Drew Sullivan, founder of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), join The Cable to explain. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/21006461

Fiona Hill: "We're dealing with our own authoritarians" 10/04/2021

Fiona Hill: "We're dealing with our own authoritarians" Fiona Hill made global headlines when she testified during an impeachment inquiry against then-President Donald Trump in 2019. She has published a new memoir tracing her journey from a hardscrabble childhood in northeastern England to the White House. She joins Greg and Jonathan to describe what her experiences, including in the Trump Administration, reflect about the most pressing questions facing liberal democracy today. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/20695340

Why Leonid Volkov is optimistic about Russia's future 09/14/2021

Why Leonid Volkov is optimistic about Russia's future Russians are set to vote in parliamentary elections later this week. Leonid Volkov—one of the architects of Alexei Navalny’s “smart voting” strategy—joins Greg and Jonathan to explain what’s at stake for Russia and the future of President Vladimir Putin’s regime. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/20467160

Transatlantic trends 06/10/2021

Transatlantic trends Joe Biden is seeking to renew the transatlantic relationship during a number of major summit meetings in Europe on his first foreign trip as US president. But after four years of Donald Trump’s assault on Washington’s closest alliances, what does public opinion on both sides of the Atlantic think about the future of US leadership, and what does it mean for hopes of addressing some of Western countries’ biggest joint challenges? /episode/index/show/thecable/id/19429109

Can the transatlantic alliance recover? 05/27/2021

Can the transatlantic alliance recover? President Joe Biden has been busy with his overarching foreign policy aim of mending ties with America’s closest allies. Progress has been made during a series of summit meetings in Europe, but what are the underlying challenges ahead? We recorded two important conversations before the summits: Constanze Stelzenmüller speaks to Greg about the transatlantic alliance's fundamental issues, followed by a discussion with Erik Brattberg and Jonathan about a democracy agenda and other priorities. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/19264487

Russian-Czech relations blow up, but for how long? 05/13/2021

Russian-Czech relations blow up, but for how long? When the Czech Republic accused Russia last month of staging an explosion at an ammunition depot in the country that killed two people in 2014, it provided shocking new evidence of the Kremlin’s secret war against its perceived rivals in the West, prompting a major rift in Czech relations with Russia. The scandal broke just days after the sacking of Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek, who frequently warned against risks posed by the Kremlin. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/19097144

Domestic extremism spreads its wings 04/29/2021

Domestic extremism spreads its wings “The most lethal and persistent terrorism-related threat to the homeland today.” That’s how US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has described domestic extremism. It’s a mounting threat to democracy and security in Europe, too, and elsewhere as hardline views enter the mainstream. Susan Corke joins Greg and Jonathan to describe the fast-evolving threat and how to address it, together with Sasha Havlicek, a pioneer in combatting hate, conflict and extremism. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/18911201

Repression in Russia 04/19/2021

Repression in Russia The last few months have seen unprecedented repression in Vladimir Putin’s Russia, with a wave of arrests and disappearances among Kremlin critics and international alarm over the deteriorating health of the imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The leading opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza joins Jonathan and Greg to explain what’s taking place in Russia, priorities for the opposition and what Western countries must do to address Putin’s mounting threat. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/18781610

Congress and advancing democracy at home and abroad 03/19/2021

Congress and advancing democracy at home and abroad With the Biden administration promising to advance democracy at home and abroad after four years of backsliding, what’s Congress’s role? Congressman David Price and Ambassador Norm Eisen join moderator Reta Jo Lewis in an important conversation about strengthening the US democracy agenda, including President Biden’s proposed 2021 democracy summit. This podcast was recorded from a live GMF webinar broadcast on March 11. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/18393941

Crisis in Georgia 03/11/2021

Crisis in Georgia The US and EU are struggling to respond to a mounting political crisis in Georgia that boiled over in the former Soviet republic with the arrest of the opposition leader Nika Melia last month. Leading former diplomats, including The Cable’s Jonathan Katz, have issued a statement calling for his release. Jonathan and Greg have an important conversation explaining the crisis and what to do about it with Ian Kelly and Tamar Chugochvili, who’s co-authored a new report on the case for supporting Georgia. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/18287084

Who's afraid of Alexei Navalny? 02/03/2021

Who's afraid of Alexei Navalny? A Russian court has sentenced the country’s main opposition leader Alexei Navalny to two-and-a-half years in prison on bogus charges after he threw down an unprecedented gauntlet to President Vladimir Putin. Olga Shorina, Kiryl Sukhotski and Pavel Butorin join Greg to discuss Navalny, Putin and where the country is heading. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/17804783

The future of the transatlantic alliance 01/21/2021

The future of the transatlantic alliance With the inauguration of Joe Biden as US president on Wednesday, work to restore America’s battered democratic institutions and its international role is beginning in earnest. The new co-directors of the Transatlantic Democracy Working Group Jonathan Katz and Jamie Fly join Susan and Greg to discuss what Washington’s priorities for reinvigorating the transatlantic alliance should be and how the TDWG plans to help. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/17637992

Kleptocracy and its discontents 12/14/2020

Kleptocracy and its discontents The rise of authoritarian kleptocrats around the world may be the main geopolitical issue of our time, and the threat to liberal democracy can’t be overstated. But although the assault on democratic institutions in the United States, Europe and elsewhere is on public display, most of us see only the tip of the iceberg. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/17188274

We need to talk about Russia 10/15/2020

We need to talk about Russia With the possibility of a new US administration taking office next year, the question of how to approach Russia is looming increasingly larger in Washington. Opposition politician Vladimir Milov and national security expert Evelyn Farkas join Susan and Greg to discuss how the opposition is coping after Alexei Navalny’s poisoning and how should Western countries must deal with President Vladimir Putin. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/16415027

Belarus protests: Art and innovation 10/08/2020

Belarus protests: Art and innovation Belarus has been in the spotlight for the past two months as protesters continue to battle Alexander Lukakshenka’s 26-year-old regime. But dissent isn’t new in the country. It’s had a vibrant, if small, civil society and a cultural scene that’s had to become resourceful, creative and resilient to navigate the state’s repression. Natalia Kaliada and Dragana Kaurin join Susan and Greg to discuss underground theater and digital innovation. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/16321748

Revolution in Belarus 08/20/2020

Revolution in Belarus Belarus is at a tipping point as the authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenka’s regime crumbles under the weight of mass popular protests. And with fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin will prop up his Belarusian ally, what comes next is anyone’s guess. Joining Susan and Greg to discuss what’s going on is David Kramer, Franak Viachorka and Vlad Kobets. First, ICWA managing editor Dan Peleschuk describes his arrest in Minsk during a brutal crackdown by the security forces. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/15682736

Digital transatlantic alliance 08/07/2020

Digital transatlantic alliance The internet has changed how democracy functions. With digital platforms fueling divisiveness and enabling manipulation by individual bad actors and states alike, liberal democracies are struggling to keep up. Marietje Schaake and Tomicah Tilleman join Susan and Greg to discuss how to ensure the right architecture to guarantee the free exchange of ideas, fair voting and other key conditions for democracy. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/15525872

What do Europeans think of America now? 07/16/2020

What do Europeans think of America now? Europeans have looked on in disbelief and dismay as America’s alliances with its most important transatlantic allies have come under attack by an isolationist president who sees personal political gain in undermining common liberal democratic values. Reinhard Bütikofer and Ben Haddad join to discuss what Europeans think of the United States now and how they see America’s future role in a changing world. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/15239051

Russia under Putin's constitution 07/09/2020

Russia under Putin's constitution Vladimir Putin has done virtually everything to ensure he’ll be able to remain Russian president for life after a referendum last week, when officials said a majority of voters approved a series of changes to the constitution. The veteran human rights activist Tanya Lokshina joins Susan and Greg to discuss what process revealed about politics under Putin, what’s changed in the constitution, and what it means for the country’s future. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/15144212

Covid-19, disinformation and transatlantic democracy 05/28/2020

Covid-19, disinformation and transatlantic democracy With the coronavirus pandemic raising serious challenges for voting and other vital democratic functions, the threat from disinformation is becoming especially acute—not least in the United States ahead of the November election. Leading experts Karen Kornbluh and Spencer Boyer join Susan and Greg to describe the problem and what transatlantic alliance countries must do to ensure the functioning of democracy. (This episode was recorded as webinar on May 20.) /episode/index/show/thecable/id/14605973

Poland's ghost election 05/14/2020

Poland's ghost election Poland is wrestling with a political crisis after its ruling Law and Justice party agreed to postpone Europe’s first presidential election since the outbreak of the coronavirus. The 11th-hour decision stopped the party’s chaotic drive to hold a ballot by mail—denounced as a power grab by critics—but the matter is far from resolved. Wojciech Przybylski in Warsaw and Emily Schultheis in Berlin join Susan and Greg to discuss what happened, what may lie ahead and what other countries can learn. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/14421062

Politics in the pandemic: Russia and Turkey 04/30/2020

Politics in the pandemic: Russia and Turkey The spread of Covid-19 is confronting Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan with unprecedented challenges to their autocratic rule. David Kramer and Soner Cagaptay join Susan and Greg to discuss how the outbreak is hitting two countries that pose the transatlantic alliance some of its biggest challenges, how each government is handling the crisis and how the two historical rivals are cooperating as well as competing in Syria and on other fronts. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/14216882

Coronavirus in the age of mass protests 04/01/2020

Coronavirus in the age of mass protests Democracy has been in global decline for the past 14 years. Now it’s confronted with a crisis not seen in the modern era. Autocrats are seeking to exploit the Covid-19 pandemic as democracies grapple with their own various responses. But could this be a pivotal moment, when liberal democratic leaders and transnational institutions such as the EU begin to restore trust after a decade of rising global mass protests over lack of faith in politicians and institutions? /episode/index/show/thecable/id/13806374

Returning democracy and human rights to foreign policy 03/26/2020

Returning democracy and human rights to foreign policy The coronavirus has starkly illustrated how the internal governance of nation states matters to international affairs. So after years of American retreat from promoting democracy and human rights around the world, how should a new administration return to supporting the core transatlantic values that have long underpinned our security and prosperity? Greg and Susan talk to Nicole Bibbins Sedaca, her colleague Lindsay Lloyd, and Dan Baer, US ambassador to the OSCE under the Obama administration. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/13714979

Election 2020 03/19/2020

Election 2020 If a new administration takes office next January, the monumental task of restoring America’s democratic reputation and tattered alliances will become a major priority. Greg and Susan talk to Democratic campaign advisers Anthony Robinson and Max Bergmann about the immediate future for a new foreign policy what the candidates should be doing to prepare. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/13616582

Poland on the brink 03/12/2020

Poland on the brink Judges in Poland have been taking to the streets to protest the ruling Law and Justice Party’s crackdown on judicial independence. Susan moderates a Transatlantic Democracy Working Group roundtable discussion at the German Marshall Fund in Washington to discuss the latest target in the government’s systematic dismantlement of democratic checks and balances. /episode/index/show/thecable/id/13525310

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