"Never, Ever Allow Free and Fair Elections"
This is Fidel's advice to Daniel Ortega, today's strongman leader of Nicaragua. Wonder who else was listening? This is no longer a foreign piece of business but a thing threatening our own democracy r...
28 Jul 202230min
Take Me to Funky Town
In a fun twist, John Feeley interviews Laura on what she's learned about foreign service officers. Why doesn't the average Joe know how great they are? Is it because they are boring? Or is it just bec...
21 Jul 202248min
In Vodka Veritas
In this glorious encore episode, we say bottoms up to vacay! That's where we are and where you should be, too! Ambassador Dick Hoagland, having served many years in Russia and former Soviet republics,...
16 Jul 202228min
The Merchant of Death is Back in the News
Here's our earlier episode about Victor Bout, reposted, as he is again in the headlines, part of a proposed prisoner swap with Russia in exchange for a WNBA player. What? Yes, indeed. Victor Bout, Rus...
7 Jul 202230min
The Failure of the Liberal Democratic Model
Ambassador Kevin Whitaker walks us through one of the most significant polticial events in Colombia's history: its recent election of outsider candidate Gustavo Petro. How have political parties lost ...
1 Jul 202250min
Cross-Border Diplomacy
"We build trust," says Marcela Celorio, Counsul General of Mexico in Los Angeles, in our first-ever interview with a diplomat representing another country. Marcela shares stories cross-border diplomat...
23 Jun 202231min
Gift or Gaffe?
Ambassador Rufus Gifford, Chief of Protocol for the United States, knows the very real power of setting the stage for successful diplomacy, especially post-pandemic, as we all hunger for personal huma...
16 Jun 202223min
Planning the Summit
Dave Silverman, Deputy National Summit Coordinator, Summit of the Americas, talks about the complexity and diplomatic significance of setting the Summit's agenda. Democracy, climate change and other ...
9 Jun 202234min
