I don't know if I've ever told you this, but the working title for this podcast was dangerous conversations.

And it started out with the idea that I'd find 10 or 12 people that I really, really wanted to talk to.

And kind of a tongue-in-cheek, playful jab at the growing hatred for civil discourse.

Because I know a lot of people that I really disagree with, that I really respect.

That was over two years ago. And the hatred for civil discourse has mutated into something that we're not even supposed to laugh at anymore.

All the reason more to have dangerous conversations, like the one that you're going to hear.

This conversation probably would have been different two years ago, but I feel like our country is at such a crossroads with people who are actively calling for the destruction of the world.

For the destruction of America, that in retrospect, I might have failed in this podcast because I'm very open-minded and open-minded with his book.

And I found so many places we could connect on. But I don't think I necessarily made him feel as comfortable as I should have.

The motivation for this podcast was to connect with people who we're not supposed to connect with.

The more unlikely the pair, the better. To have illuminating conversations with fascinating people. And we've done that.

We've had people here who vehemently disagree with each other. And we have brainstormed over and over for weeks on end trying to compile lists of all the guests that we thought would be perfect, chalkboards filled with ideas and every aspect of every podcast.

We've been designed a set to be kind of a place that kind of just lends itself to a quiet conversation.

It's kind of a sacred but somehow extravagant and minimal at the same time.

Kind of a cathedral of thought. When you walk in here, you just kind of feel calm.

Today's guest is Matthew Eglaceus. And he has, I mean, this is the vision that I had from the start. Four years after I founded the Blaze, Matthew co-founded the left-leaning vox.com.

The senior correspondent, he's been fundamental in building vox into a robust news outlet with sizeable readership. He's written exclusively for left-leaning outlets, American prospect, the Atlantis, the Atlantic slate, think progress.

He was born in the liberal bubble of New York City, currently lives in the liberal bubble of Washington DC. And in his latest book, One Billion Americans, he advocates for strengthened welfare state and fewer immigration restrictions.

So when I got this suggestion on the chalkboard, I was like, why would I do this interview again?

Because there's lots of reasons we could be better enemies. And we are supposed to hate one another. We're supposed to mock and belittle an insult.

But we don't. And we shouldn't have to. And neither should you. And as I read this, there were a lot of stuff in here I deeply agreed with.

And I don't think he knew that.

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