"If the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election could be summed up in the style of Dustin Hoffman learning about plastics in The Graduate, it would be: Podcasts. ("One word, Benjamin: Manosphere.") Donald Trump went on every show he could; Kamala Harris didn't. And in the contemporary " attention economy," as lab-grown paid-media sound bites lose their potency, Trump won decisively with the part of the electorate whose last-minute votes are guided by vibes and auras-also known as the most important part of the electorate."
"These fellows (and they are entirely fellows) are laser-focused on the power of streaming chit-chat: California Gov. Gavin Newsom has his own personal pod, as does Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear; former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg doesn't, but he's appeared on at least 14 others since March. Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego and Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy have been similarly prolific in their guesting. California Rep. Ro Khanna is essentially a podcast in human form. Mansplaining, it would seem, is back in a big way."
Podcasts and streaming conversations emerged as a decisive communication channel in the wake of the 2024 presidential election. Donald Trump maximized appearances across those platforms, while Kamala Harris largely avoided them. The contemporary attention economy diminished the impact of traditional paid-media sound bites, amplifying platforms that convey vibes and auras to last-minute voters. Several Democrats eying 2028 have embraced podcasting and frequent guesting, including Gavin Newsom, Andy Beshear, Pete Buttigieg, Ruben Gallego, Chris Murphy, and Ro Khanna. Mansplaining is noted as resurging in those spaces. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker gained prominence by promising resistance to a National Guard deployment to Chicago, prompting speculation about his 2028 prospects.
Read at Slate Magazine
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