William Brangham
Showing 1–3 of 3 transcripts.
- Milken Institute56 min
Hail to the Chief: A Conversation With Presidential Insiders
Richard Sandler, Stuart Eizenstat, Stewart McLaurin, David Brooks, Mark Shields, William Brangham
At the Milken Institute Global Conference, former White House insiders Stuart McLaren and Stu Eisenstadt analyzed the structural limits and political necessities of the modern presidency without partisan bias. The panelists compared historical administrations, noting that while presidents like LBJ and Reagan achieved power by mastering politics and public opinion, leaders such as Carter struggled to balance diplomatic achievements with base mobilization in an era of 24/7 media scrutiny. Concluding with a call for improved civic education and a return to moderate governance, the discussion highlighted how fragmented news cycles and investigative pressures have eroded the deliberative space traditionally required for effective executive leadership.
- Y Combinator28 min
Anne Wojcicki : How to Build the Future
Anne Wojcicki, William Brangham, Dr. Kathleen King
Anne Wojcijk founded 23andMe to democratize genomic data by shifting healthcare incentives from illness monetization to preventative health, despite initial skepticism from medical professionals regarding direct-to-consumer genetic testing. Overcoming early market volatility and a regulatory transition, the company now boasts a community of over five million customers and has secured FDA approvals to leverage its massive dataset for drug discovery and large-scale intervention studies. This persistent execution of a decade-long vision aims to eventually enable personalized longevity strategies by linking genetic profiles with environmental factors like diet and exercise.
- Milken Institute59 min
Confronting Terrorism at Home and Abroad
Eric Schmitt, Brian Fishman, Nicholas Rasmussen, Linda Robinson, Terry Wolff, Nick Rasmussen, William Brangham, Amit Sharma
Experts analyze a complex terrorist landscape dominated by homegrown extremists and decentralized ISIS networks while detailing kinetic operations in Iraq and Syria that rely on a "by, with, and through" partnership model. Strategic discussions highlight significant geopolitical hurdles, including Turkish opposition to Kurdish forces in Raqqa, and underscore the necessity of long-term stabilization and governance reform over immediate military solutions. The consensus emphasizes a "Goldilocks" approach requiring sustained intelligence investment and financial warfare to dismantle the group's revenue streams and prevent a resurgence once territorial caliphate is defeated.