Get Me to the Gray Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/get-me-to-the-gray Get Me to the Gray, presented by COJA Services Inc., is a podcast about the conversations we’re told we shouldn’t have. Hosted by journalist and author Paula Lehman-Ewing, the show brings people with fundamentally different ways of seeing the world into honest dialogue—where we name what divides us and keep talking anyway. COJA Services Inc. works with mission-driven organizations and brands that are clear on their values but struggle to translate that clarity into public-facing language. We help teams align internal narratives, reduce confusion before it becomes mistrust, and translate complexity into public understanding without relying on scripts, rhetoric, or generic AI language that strips voice and judgment. If you're in the greater Denver metro area, register for our LIVE events at tinyurl.com/COJAEvents © 2026 Paula Lehman-Ewing 1af10440-b59a-5a72-b0f0-7399f086c505 yes 277d0d60-d7d8-11f0-bf06-6925550eea55 Chris Principe James Ewing Jamie Konegni Jason Masino Paula Lehman-Ewing Get Me to the Gray: Season 1 Trailer en Tue, 19 May 2026 06:00:14 -0700 Tue, 19 May 2026 06:01:34 -0700 https://img.transistorcdn.com/3GVTgdzoBZtZgain3szapgJU7jYUJEwDJc-eRPHiEA4/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9mNzgz/YjQ5MmY4NmU1ODBm/YjhiNGIzZjMyNzY4/MWMxNS5wbmc.jpg Get Me to the Gray episodic Paula Lehman-Ewing Get Me to the Gray, presented by COJA Services Inc., is a podcast about the conversations we’re told we shouldn’t have. Hosted by journalist and author Paula Lehman-Ewing, the show brings people with fundamentally different ways of seeing the world into honest dialogue—where we name what divides us and keep talking anyway. COJA Services Inc. works with mission-driven organizations and brands that are clear on their values but struggle to translate that clarity into public-facing language. We help teams align internal narratives, reduce confusion before it becomes mistrust, and translate complexity into public understanding without relying on scripts, rhetoric, or generic AI language that strips voice and judgment. If you're in the greater Denver metro area, register for our LIVE events at tinyurl.com/COJAEvents Get Me to the Gray, presented by COJA Services Inc., is a podcast about the conversations we’re told we shouldn’t have. conversation, dialogue, division, disagreement, complexity, nuance, polarization, listening, curiosity, perspective, narrative, culture, power, empathy, communication Paula Lehman-Ewing info@cojaservices.com No No War Coverage Without a Fixer: What We're Not Seeing in Iran — Amjad Tadros 16 16 War Coverage Without a Fixer: What We're Not Seeing in Iran — Amjad Tadros full 3bf1f099-ec67-4bd4-9933-95bf07045afd https://share.transistor.fm/s/cf10d36b War coverage depends on infrastructure most audiences never see. The fixer — the local journalist who arranges access, speaks the language, reads the room, and absorbs the risk — is the reason foreign correspondents can tell any story at all. And the fixer disappears before it airs.

Amjad Tadros spent 33 years as CBS News' Middle East producer — one of the most decorated fixers in the history of American broadcast journalism. He won some fights to get the real story through. He lost others. The ones he lost still find him at four in the morning.

Now retired and watching a new war unfold from Jordan, Tadros is seeing what happens when that infrastructure collapses entirely. There are no independent journalists inside Iran. The internet is restricted. The coverage is being assembled in London and Washington and Dubai from satellite imagery, Telegram channels, and exile sources with their own agendas. The people who would push back on the frame are not in the room.

This is what that absence looks like — and what it reveals about what the fixer was actually providing when he was there.
Learn more about Amjad Tadros' work and book at amjadtadros.com. His book The Fixer is available on Amazon.
For information about how COJA Services teaches narrative strategies that make these kinds of conversations possible, visit cojaservices.com.

]]> War coverage depends on infrastructure most audiences never see. The fixer — the local journalist who arranges access, speaks the language, reads the room, and absorbs the risk — is the reason foreign correspondents can tell any story at all. And the fixer disappears before it airs.

Amjad Tadros spent 33 years as CBS News' Middle East producer — one of the most decorated fixers in the history of American broadcast journalism. He won some fights to get the real story through. He lost others. The ones he lost still find him at four in the morning.

Now retired and watching a new war unfold from Jordan, Tadros is seeing what happens when that infrastructure collapses entirely. There are no independent journalists inside Iran. The internet is restricted. The coverage is being assembled in London and Washington and Dubai from satellite imagery, Telegram channels, and exile sources with their own agendas. The people who would push back on the frame are not in the room.

This is what that absence looks like — and what it reveals about what the fixer was actually providing when he was there.
Learn more about Amjad Tadros' work and book at amjadtadros.com. His book The Fixer is available on Amazon.
For information about how COJA Services teaches narrative strategies that make these kinds of conversations possible, visit cojaservices.com.

]]> Tue, 19 May 2026 06:00:00 -0700 Paula Lehman-Ewing Paula Lehman-Ewing 1819 War coverage depends on infrastructure most audiences never see. The fixer — the local journalist who arranges access, speaks the language, reads the room, and absorbs the risk — is the reason foreign correspondents can tell any story at all. And the fixer disappears before it airs.

Amjad Tadros spent 33 years as CBS News' Middle East producer — one of the most decorated fixers in the history of American broadcast journalism. He won some fights to get the real story through. He lost others. The ones he lost still find him at four in the morning.

Now retired and watching a new war unfold from Jordan, Tadros is seeing what happens when that infrastructure collapses entirely. There are no independent journalists inside Iran. The internet is restricted. The coverage is being assembled in London and Washington and Dubai from satellite imagery, Telegram channels, and exile sources with their own agendas. The people who would push back on the frame are not in the room.

This is what that absence looks like — and what it reveals about what the fixer was actually providing when he was there.
Learn more about Amjad Tadros' work and book at amjadtadros.com. His book The Fixer is available on Amazon.
For information about how COJA Services teaches narrative strategies that make these kinds of conversations possible, visit cojaservices.com.

]]> war coverage, media framing, Middle East journalism, Iran war, fixer, CBS News, foreign correspondent, press freedom, media bias, Amjad Tadros, The Fixer, narrative No Chris Principe James Ewing Jamie Konegni Jason Masino Paula Lehman-Ewing Antidepressants, Mental Illness, and Unresolved Tension — with Dr. Fred Moss 15 15 Antidepressants, Mental Illness, and Unresolved Tension — with Dr. Fred Moss full 4d3c1883-9d18-454e-8956-f8fb624b0c8a https://share.transistor.fm/s/87748054 Antidepressants are in the news. A federal announcement called for reducing overprescribing of psychiatric medications — and the conversation immediately became political. This episode goes somewhere the political coverage can't follow.

Dr. Fred Moss is a board-certified psychiatrist with over 45 years in practice and more than 30,000 patients across hospitals, nursing homes, correctional facilities, and private practice. He's also one of the rare psychiatrists openly questioning the system he trained in — particularly the reliance on diagnosis, labels, and medication as first-line treatment. His program Undoctor Reset and books Creative 8 and Find Your True Voice are built around a different premise: that many people labeled mentally ill are not ill so much as unheard.

Host Paula Lehman-Ewing brings a different experience to this conversation — one in which medication wasn't a shortcut but a rope. What emerged wasn't resolution. It was something more honest: a disagreement that runs deeper than treatment philosophy, all the way down to what depression actually is.

The tension doesn't resolve. That's the point.
Learn more about Dr. Moss' work:
drfred360.com
welcometohumanity.net
welcometohumanityretreat.com
Learn more about the strategy behind these conversations at COJAServices.com

]]> Antidepressants are in the news. A federal announcement called for reducing overprescribing of psychiatric medications — and the conversation immediately became political. This episode goes somewhere the political coverage can't follow.

Dr. Fred Moss is a board-certified psychiatrist with over 45 years in practice and more than 30,000 patients across hospitals, nursing homes, correctional facilities, and private practice. He's also one of the rare psychiatrists openly questioning the system he trained in — particularly the reliance on diagnosis, labels, and medication as first-line treatment. His program Undoctor Reset and books Creative 8 and Find Your True Voice are built around a different premise: that many people labeled mentally ill are not ill so much as unheard.

Host Paula Lehman-Ewing brings a different experience to this conversation — one in which medication wasn't a shortcut but a rope. What emerged wasn't resolution. It was something more honest: a disagreement that runs deeper than treatment philosophy, all the way down to what depression actually is.

The tension doesn't resolve. That's the point.
Learn more about Dr. Moss' work:
drfred360.com
welcometohumanity.net
welcometohumanityretreat.com
Learn more about the strategy behind these conversations at COJAServices.com

]]> Tue, 12 May 2026 06:00:00 -0700 Paula Lehman-Ewing Paula Lehman-Ewing 2611 Antidepressants are in the news. A federal announcement called for reducing overprescribing of psychiatric medications — and the conversation immediately became political. This episode goes somewhere the political coverage can't follow.

Dr. Fred Moss is a board-certified psychiatrist with over 45 years in practice and more than 30,000 patients across hospitals, nursing homes, correctional facilities, and private practice. He's also one of the rare psychiatrists openly questioning the system he trained in — particularly the reliance on diagnosis, labels, and medication as first-line treatment. His program Undoctor Reset and books Creative 8 and Find Your True Voice are built around a different premise: that many people labeled mentally ill are not ill so much as unheard.

Host Paula Lehman-Ewing brings a different experience to this conversation — one in which medication wasn't a shortcut but a rope. What emerged wasn't resolution. It was something more honest: a disagreement that runs deeper than treatment philosophy, all the way down to what depression actually is.

The tension doesn't resolve. That's the point.
Learn more about Dr. Moss' work:
drfred360.com
welcometohumanity.net
welcometohumanityretreat.com
Learn more about the strategy behind these conversations at COJAServices.com

]]> RFK, antidepressants, mental health, overprescribing, psychiatric medication, depression, SSRIs, mental illness, chemical imbalance, psychiatry, MAHA, mental health treatment, Fred Moss, Undoctor Reset, human connection, healing No Chris Principe James Ewing Jamie Konegni Jason Masino Paula Lehman-Ewing Come for the Craic: Irish Sessions and Who Gets to Belong 14 14 Come for the Craic: Irish Sessions and Who Gets to Belong full 79bc4e64-65ac-435f-a417-257318491792 https://share.transistor.fm/s/8d731850 Irish traditional music session etiquette has a reputation for being fluid, unspoken, and learnable — if you're let in long enough to learn it. But what happens when the people arriving at the door didn't grow up inside the culture that shaped the rules? Tara Connaghan, creator and host of In Tune with Tradition, has spent years trying to decode session behavior so more people can stop feeling anxious and start feeling welcome. Wendy Morgan has spent 20 years trying to get in — and recently realized she might never fully arrive. This conversation doesn't resolve that tension. It lives in it. What does tradition owe to newcomers? What do skilled players owe to learners? And when the gatekeeping is unconscious — when nobody's being deliberately exclusive, but the door still doesn't open — whose responsibility is it?

]]> Irish traditional music session etiquette has a reputation for being fluid, unspoken, and learnable — if you're let in long enough to learn it. But what happens when the people arriving at the door didn't grow up inside the culture that shaped the rules? Tara Connaghan, creator and host of In Tune with Tradition, has spent years trying to decode session behavior so more people can stop feeling anxious and start feeling welcome. Wendy Morgan has spent 20 years trying to get in — and recently realized she might never fully arrive. This conversation doesn't resolve that tension. It lives in it. What does tradition owe to newcomers? What do skilled players owe to learners? And when the gatekeeping is unconscious — when nobody's being deliberately exclusive, but the door still doesn't open — whose responsibility is it?

]]> Tue, 05 May 2026 06:00:00 -0700 Paula Lehman-Ewing Paula Lehman-Ewing 2835 Irish traditional music session etiquette has a reputation for being fluid, unspoken, and learnable — if you're let in long enough to learn it. But what happens when the people arriving at the door didn't grow up inside the culture that shaped the rules? Tara Connaghan, creator and host of In Tune with Tradition, has spent years trying to decode session behavior so more people can stop feeling anxious and start feeling welcome. Wendy Morgan has spent 20 years trying to get in — and recently realized she might never fully arrive. This conversation doesn't resolve that tension. It lives in it. What does tradition owe to newcomers? What do skilled players owe to learners? And when the gatekeeping is unconscious — when nobody's being deliberately exclusive, but the door still doesn't open — whose responsibility is it?

]]> Irish traditional music, session etiquette, trad sessions, music belonging, cultural preservation, folk music, music community, in tune with tradition, Donegal fiddle, traditional music access No Chris Principe James Ewing Jamie Konegni Jason Masino Paula Lehman-Ewing GMG LIVE: Prosecutorial Accountability with DA Alexis King 13 13 GMG LIVE: Prosecutorial Accountability with DA Alexis King full 7f1792bc-44c2-4484-b4b0-6a9106d1f41f https://share.transistor.fm/s/cd642bf7 Prosecutorial accountability has become a flashpoint in American justice debates — but what does it actually look like from inside the office? District Attorney Alexis King of Jefferson and Gilpin Counties joins Paula Lehman-Ewing for a live conversation recorded at Denver Book Society. King is not a skeptic of prosecution — she believes in it, has reformed it from the inside, and built the largest prosecutorial data transparency project in the country. But this conversation doesn't stay in the realm of the achievable. It moves into the harder terrain: officer-involved shootings, the limits of the reasonable belief standard, the architecture that keeps some cases beyond accountability's reach — and what "accountability" even means when no charges are filed and the officer is still on the job. King holds her framework. Paula holds the tension. Neither resolves it. That's the point. Recorded live before a public audience.

]]> Prosecutorial accountability has become a flashpoint in American justice debates — but what does it actually look like from inside the office? District Attorney Alexis King of Jefferson and Gilpin Counties joins Paula Lehman-Ewing for a live conversation recorded at Denver Book Society. King is not a skeptic of prosecution — she believes in it, has reformed it from the inside, and built the largest prosecutorial data transparency project in the country. But this conversation doesn't stay in the realm of the achievable. It moves into the harder terrain: officer-involved shootings, the limits of the reasonable belief standard, the architecture that keeps some cases beyond accountability's reach — and what "accountability" even means when no charges are filed and the officer is still on the job. King holds her framework. Paula holds the tension. Neither resolves it. That's the point. Recorded live before a public audience.

]]> Tue, 28 Apr 2026 06:00:00 -0700 Paula Lehman-Ewing Paula Lehman-Ewing 3743 Prosecutorial accountability has become a flashpoint in American justice debates — but what does it actually look like from inside the office? District Attorney Alexis King of Jefferson and Gilpin Counties joins Paula Lehman-Ewing for a live conversation recorded at Denver Book Society. King is not a skeptic of prosecution — she believes in it, has reformed it from the inside, and built the largest prosecutorial data transparency project in the country. But this conversation doesn't stay in the realm of the achievable. It moves into the harder terrain: officer-involved shootings, the limits of the reasonable belief standard, the architecture that keeps some cases beyond accountability's reach — and what "accountability" even means when no charges are filed and the officer is still on the job. King holds her framework. Paula holds the tension. Neither resolves it. That's the point. Recorded live before a public audience.

]]> prosecutorial accountability, criminal justice reform, district attorney, officer-involved shooting, progressive prosecutor, bond reform, conviction integrity, data transparency, Colorado, Alexis King, Jefferson County DA, use of deadly force, justice system, restorative justice, diversion programs No Chris Principe James Ewing Jamie Konegni Jason Masino Paula Lehman-Ewing Democracy, Authoritarianism, and the Ethics of War 12 12 Democracy, Authoritarianism, and the Ethics of War full 804962a5-8dcd-4d19-9aa5-ec8a336b787b https://share.transistor.fm/s/13a23f89 When democracy and authoritarianism go to war, the easy story is about good guys and bad guys. Daniel Bookman doesn't tell that story — but he comes close, and that's where this conversation gets interesting. Bookman is the author of Beyond Power, a philosophical framework for understanding how ethical societies form, why authoritarian regimes can't tolerate democratic neighbors, and what that means for the conflicts in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and inside the United States right now. His argument is serious and principled. It's also the kind of framework that explains a great deal — maybe too much. Host Paula Lehman-Ewing pushes on the places it strains: what happens when democratic leaders start behaving like the authoritarians they oppose? How long can existential threat justify behavior that contradicts a society's own ethical claims? Bookman doesn't dismiss the questions. But his answers leave something unresolved. That's the point.

You can find Beyond Power: Israel & The Struggle for the Ethical State

on Amazon using this LINK.

Note: There will not be a new episode next week as we are preparing for our second LIVE show. If you're in the greater Denver metro area, we hope you'll join us at Denver Book Society Sunday, April 26 at 3pm. More information about the event can be found at tinyurl.com/COJA-live2.

]]> When democracy and authoritarianism go to war, the easy story is about good guys and bad guys. Daniel Bookman doesn't tell that story — but he comes close, and that's where this conversation gets interesting. Bookman is the author of Beyond Power, a philosophical framework for understanding how ethical societies form, why authoritarian regimes can't tolerate democratic neighbors, and what that means for the conflicts in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and inside the United States right now. His argument is serious and principled. It's also the kind of framework that explains a great deal — maybe too much. Host Paula Lehman-Ewing pushes on the places it strains: what happens when democratic leaders start behaving like the authoritarians they oppose? How long can existential threat justify behavior that contradicts a society's own ethical claims? Bookman doesn't dismiss the questions. But his answers leave something unresolved. That's the point.

You can find Beyond Power: Israel & The Struggle for the Ethical State

on Amazon using this LINK.

Note: There will not be a new episode next week as we are preparing for our second LIVE show. If you're in the greater Denver metro area, we hope you'll join us at Denver Book Society Sunday, April 26 at 3pm. More information about the event can be found at tinyurl.com/COJA-live2.

]]> Tue, 14 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0700 Paula Lehman-Ewing Paula Lehman-Ewing 2418 When democracy and authoritarianism go to war, the easy story is about good guys and bad guys. Daniel Bookman doesn't tell that story — but he comes close, and that's where this conversation gets interesting. Bookman is the author of Beyond Power, a philosophical framework for understanding how ethical societies form, why authoritarian regimes can't tolerate democratic neighbors, and what that means for the conflicts in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and inside the United States right now. His argument is serious and principled. It's also the kind of framework that explains a great deal — maybe too much. Host Paula Lehman-Ewing pushes on the places it strains: what happens when democratic leaders start behaving like the authoritarians they oppose? How long can existential threat justify behavior that contradicts a society's own ethical claims? Bookman doesn't dismiss the questions. But his answers leave something unresolved. That's the point.

You can find Beyond Power: Israel & The Struggle for the Ethical State

on Amazon using this LINK.

Note: There will not be a new episode next week as we are preparing for our second LIVE show. If you're in the greater Denver metro area, we hope you'll join us at Denver Book Society Sunday, April 26 at 3pm. More information about the event can be found at tinyurl.com/COJA-live2.

]]> democracy, authoritarianism, Israel, Middle East conflict, antisemitism, geopolitics, ethics, Daniel Bookman, Beyond Power, philosophical framework, political philosophy, Gaza, power, society No Chris Principe James Ewing Jamie Konegni Jason Masino Paula Lehman-Ewing Revisited: Edwin Raymond on Reform, ICE, and Change From the Inside 11 11 Revisited: Edwin Raymond on Reform, ICE, and Change From the Inside full 675e7b13-24ad-49d5-a38e-44daaa97aaf3 https://share.transistor.fm/s/48a786a0 Can you change policing from the inside — or does the system just absorb you? That's the question retired NYPD lieutenant and highest-ranking whistleblower in department history Edwin Raymond has been living inside for years. This episode 4 of Get Me to the Gray was originally recorded live at Tattered Cover in Denver — now released with a host intro and outro that weren't there the first time. The world has caught up to this conversation. When we recorded it, ICE enforcement was something Denver was bracing for. Now it's something people are living through. Edwin and host Paula Lehman-Ewing cover prosecutorial power, restorative justice, cosmetic diversity in police reform, broken windows policing, and what the numbers out of New York actually show when a DA decides to use that office differently. They don't land in the same place. Neither will you.

This episode sets the stage for those questions to be asked more directly. We'll be doing just that on Sunday, April 26 at Tattered Cover (Colfax) when Get Me to the Gray hosts its second live event of the season with District Attorney Alexis King. Ticket proceeds from the April 26th Alexis King event benefit GRASP Denver.

Come be in the room. Register on Eventbrite.

]]> Can you change policing from the inside — or does the system just absorb you? That's the question retired NYPD lieutenant and highest-ranking whistleblower in department history Edwin Raymond has been living inside for years. This episode 4 of Get Me to the Gray was originally recorded live at Tattered Cover in Denver — now released with a host intro and outro that weren't there the first time. The world has caught up to this conversation. When we recorded it, ICE enforcement was something Denver was bracing for. Now it's something people are living through. Edwin and host Paula Lehman-Ewing cover prosecutorial power, restorative justice, cosmetic diversity in police reform, broken windows policing, and what the numbers out of New York actually show when a DA decides to use that office differently. They don't land in the same place. Neither will you.

This episode sets the stage for those questions to be asked more directly. We'll be doing just that on Sunday, April 26 at Tattered Cover (Colfax) when Get Me to the Gray hosts its second live event of the season with District Attorney Alexis King. Ticket proceeds from the April 26th Alexis King event benefit GRASP Denver.

Come be in the room. Register on Eventbrite.

]]> Tue, 07 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0700 Paula Lehman-Ewing Paula Lehman-Ewing 3879 Can you change policing from the inside — or does the system just absorb you? That's the question retired NYPD lieutenant and highest-ranking whistleblower in department history Edwin Raymond has been living inside for years. This episode 4 of Get Me to the Gray was originally recorded live at Tattered Cover in Denver — now released with a host intro and outro that weren't there the first time. The world has caught up to this conversation. When we recorded it, ICE enforcement was something Denver was bracing for. Now it's something people are living through. Edwin and host Paula Lehman-Ewing cover prosecutorial power, restorative justice, cosmetic diversity in police reform, broken windows policing, and what the numbers out of New York actually show when a DA decides to use that office differently. They don't land in the same place. Neither will you.

This episode sets the stage for those questions to be asked more directly. We'll be doing just that on Sunday, April 26 at Tattered Cover (Colfax) when Get Me to the Gray hosts its second live event of the season with District Attorney Alexis King. Ticket proceeds from the April 26th Alexis King event benefit GRASP Denver.

Come be in the room. Register on Eventbrite.

]]> police reform, whistleblower, criminal justice reform, Edwin Raymond, prosecutorial power, ICE enforcement, restorative justice, broken windows policing, defund the police, policing from the inside, district attorney, NYPD, stop and frisk, justice reform, community policing, Denver, Colorado, Get Me to the Gray, COJA Services No Chris Principe James Ewing Jamie Konegni Jason Masino Paula Lehman-Ewing The Boys: A Conversation About Friendship, Politics, and Staying in the Room 10 10 The Boys: A Conversation About Friendship, Politics, and Staying in the Room full bbeefd99-f92e-4aa8-b53e-adc826572b51 https://share.transistor.fm/s/45de0a59 What does it take to stay friends with someone you've disagreed with politically for decades — and keep showing up anyway?

With host Paula Lehman-Ewing away on a reporting trip, COJA Marketing Director Jamie Konegni sits down with his longtime friend, Jimmy Panepinto. In this midseason palette cleanser, Jamie and Jimmy, who have clashed on politics, policy, and principle for as long as they've known each other, talk through why they're still in it. Still talking. Still laughing.

In a moment when political difference has become a reason to cut people off, this episode asks a quieter question: what do we lose when we stop having the hard conversations — and what do we gain when we don't?

Get Me to the Gray is a podcast about the space between certainty and complexity. New episodes drop weekly.

]]> What does it take to stay friends with someone you've disagreed with politically for decades — and keep showing up anyway?

With host Paula Lehman-Ewing away on a reporting trip, COJA Marketing Director Jamie Konegni sits down with his longtime friend, Jimmy Panepinto. In this midseason palette cleanser, Jamie and Jimmy, who have clashed on politics, policy, and principle for as long as they've known each other, talk through why they're still in it. Still talking. Still laughing.

In a moment when political difference has become a reason to cut people off, this episode asks a quieter question: what do we lose when we stop having the hard conversations — and what do we gain when we don't?

Get Me to the Gray is a podcast about the space between certainty and complexity. New episodes drop weekly.

]]> Tue, 31 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0700 Paula Lehman-Ewing Paula Lehman-Ewing 2192 What does it take to stay friends with someone you've disagreed with politically for decades — and keep showing up anyway?

With host Paula Lehman-Ewing away on a reporting trip, COJA Marketing Director Jamie Konegni sits down with his longtime friend, Jimmy Panepinto. In this midseason palette cleanser, Jamie and Jimmy, who have clashed on politics, policy, and principle for as long as they've known each other, talk through why they're still in it. Still talking. Still laughing.

In a moment when political difference has become a reason to cut people off, this episode asks a quieter question: what do we lose when we stop having the hard conversations — and what do we gain when we don't?

Get Me to the Gray is a podcast about the space between certainty and complexity. New episodes drop weekly.

]]> political conversation, civil dialogue, bipartisan, friendship, political disagreement, bridging divides, civic engagement, political podcast, friendship and politics, hard conversations, get me to the gray No Chris Principe James Ewing Jamie Konegni Jason Masino Paula Lehman-Ewing The Not-an-Episode Episode 9 9 The Not-an-Episode Episode full 6e26ad73-7fdb-4de0-a2d2-8d9f9f4e9dad https://share.transistor.fm/s/279bee2c No guest this week — and that's the episode.

Get Me to the Gray is built on the belief that most hard conversations are worth having. That polarization is often performance, and that real dialogue — across genuine difference — is possible if both people are willing to stay in it.

This week tested that belief. And what it gave me wasn't a failure. It was clarity.

There are extremes with which certain conversations can't be had. That's not a reason to stop trying — it's a reason to be honest about where the line is, and why it exists. This episode is about where I found mine.

Get Me to the Gray is produced by COJA Services. Visit cojaservices.com to learn more.

]]> No guest this week — and that's the episode.

Get Me to the Gray is built on the belief that most hard conversations are worth having. That polarization is often performance, and that real dialogue — across genuine difference — is possible if both people are willing to stay in it.

This week tested that belief. And what it gave me wasn't a failure. It was clarity.

There are extremes with which certain conversations can't be had. That's not a reason to stop trying — it's a reason to be honest about where the line is, and why it exists. This episode is about where I found mine.

Get Me to the Gray is produced by COJA Services. Visit cojaservices.com to learn more.

]]> Tue, 24 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0700 Paula Lehman-Ewing Paula Lehman-Ewing 548 No guest this week — and that's the episode.

Get Me to the Gray is built on the belief that most hard conversations are worth having. That polarization is often performance, and that real dialogue — across genuine difference — is possible if both people are willing to stay in it.

This week tested that belief. And what it gave me wasn't a failure. It was clarity.

There are extremes with which certain conversations can't be had. That's not a reason to stop trying — it's a reason to be honest about where the line is, and why it exists. This episode is about where I found mine.

Get Me to the Gray is produced by COJA Services. Visit cojaservices.com to learn more.

]]> antisemitism, free Palestine, Gaza, occupied territory, DEI, critical race theory, Christopher Rufo, Holocaust, Jewish identity, Palestinian liberation, structural racism, white privilege, George Floyd, Phillips Exeter Academy, podcast ethics, misinformation, media accountability, difficult conversations, polarization, free speech No Chris Principe James Ewing Jamie Konegni Jason Masino Paula Lehman-Ewing Who Should Control the Internet? 8 8 Who Should Control the Internet? full da29b27b-c242-4462-945c-2f0c2f1d7a84 https://share.transistor.fm/s/d312fb33 In this episode of Get Me to the Gray, Paula speaks with researcher and decentralized technology advocate Wouter Constant about Nostr, an open protocol designed to move social media away from centralized platforms like Meta, Google, and X.

Instead of a single company controlling the platform, Nostr distributes communication across independent servers called relays, allowing anyone to build apps that connect to the same network.

Supporters argue this architecture reduces corporate control and protects free expression. But it also raises difficult questions: if no company is in charge, who is responsible when things go wrong?

What follows is a conversation about the trade-offs between freedom and accountability, the limits of corporate moderation, the risks of open systems, and what it might mean to rebuild the internet’s communication infrastructure from the ground up.
You can check out Wouter's Nostr page here.

]]> In this episode of Get Me to the Gray, Paula speaks with researcher and decentralized technology advocate Wouter Constant about Nostr, an open protocol designed to move social media away from centralized platforms like Meta, Google, and X.

Instead of a single company controlling the platform, Nostr distributes communication across independent servers called relays, allowing anyone to build apps that connect to the same network.

Supporters argue this architecture reduces corporate control and protects free expression. But it also raises difficult questions: if no company is in charge, who is responsible when things go wrong?

What follows is a conversation about the trade-offs between freedom and accountability, the limits of corporate moderation, the risks of open systems, and what it might mean to rebuild the internet’s communication infrastructure from the ground up.
You can check out Wouter's Nostr page here.

]]> Tue, 17 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0700 Paula Lehman-Ewing Paula Lehman-Ewing 2002 In this episode of Get Me to the Gray, Paula speaks with researcher and decentralized technology advocate Wouter Constant about Nostr, an open protocol designed to move social media away from centralized platforms like Meta, Google, and X.

Instead of a single company controlling the platform, Nostr distributes communication across independent servers called relays, allowing anyone to build apps that connect to the same network.

Supporters argue this architecture reduces corporate control and protects free expression. But it also raises difficult questions: if no company is in charge, who is responsible when things go wrong?

What follows is a conversation about the trade-offs between freedom and accountability, the limits of corporate moderation, the risks of open systems, and what it might mean to rebuild the internet’s communication infrastructure from the ground up.
You can check out Wouter's Nostr page here.

]]> nostr, decentralized internet, decentralization, internet governance, free speech online, platform moderation, social media infrastructure, digital accountability, open protocols, relay networks, tech ethics, internet architecture, digital power, online platforms, technology and society, network effects, open web No Chris Principe James Ewing Jamie Konegni Jason Masino Paula Lehman-Ewing The Narrative Takeover 7 7 The Narrative Takeover full d34b1468-5f6d-4ad5-8262-ad94b33c6d99 https://share.transistor.fm/s/3a252550 What happens when public narratives move faster than the systems meant to deliver justice?

In this episode of Get Me to the Gray, Paula Lehman-Ewing sits down with filmmaker and commentator Sara Alessandrini to explore how media narratives shape public perception around political figures and social movements. Drawing on Alessandrini’s docuseries This Is What New Yorkers Say, the conversation examines the tension between due process and public accountability, the role of media in amplifying political narratives, and the challenges of navigating truth in an era of polarized storytelling.

]]> What happens when public narratives move faster than the systems meant to deliver justice?

In this episode of Get Me to the Gray, Paula Lehman-Ewing sits down with filmmaker and commentator Sara Alessandrini to explore how media narratives shape public perception around political figures and social movements. Drawing on Alessandrini’s docuseries This Is What New Yorkers Say, the conversation examines the tension between due process and public accountability, the role of media in amplifying political narratives, and the challenges of navigating truth in an era of polarized storytelling.

]]> Tue, 10 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0700 Paula Lehman-Ewing Paula Lehman-Ewing 2043 What happens when public narratives move faster than the systems meant to deliver justice?

In this episode of Get Me to the Gray, Paula Lehman-Ewing sits down with filmmaker and commentator Sara Alessandrini to explore how media narratives shape public perception around political figures and social movements. Drawing on Alessandrini’s docuseries This Is What New Yorkers Say, the conversation examines the tension between due process and public accountability, the role of media in amplifying political narratives, and the challenges of navigating truth in an era of polarized storytelling.

]]> media narratives, Andrew Cuomo, Zohran Mamdani, political accountability, due process, MeToo movement, media bias, political storytelling, public perception, social movements, cancel culture, narrative power, political discourse, journalism ethics, Get Me to the Gray podcast No Chris Principe James Ewing Jamie Konegni Jason Masino Paula Lehman-Ewing Israel and Palestine: Holding Two Truths at Once 6 6 Israel and Palestine: Holding Two Truths at Once full 81fec542-ec5f-4321-8ee9-bb0030748e87 https://share.transistor.fm/s/bc7409d2 Important contextual note: This conversation was recorded before the escalation between Israel and Iran this weekend.

I’m releasing it as scheduled because the issues we discuss — peace, security, and human dignity — are especially relevant in moments like this. As a narrative consulting agency, we believe that if we only talk about these questions when things are calm, we miss the moments when they matter most. 


What does peace require in a place shaped by generations of conflict?

Paula speaks with peace studies scholar Raphael Cohen Almagor about the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, the conditions necessary for peace, and why negotiations have repeatedly failed.

The conversation explores security, human dignity, and the challenges of talking honestly about Israel and Palestine in a polarized world.
Learn more about Raphael and his upcoming book at almagor.blogspot.com.

]]> Important contextual note: This conversation was recorded before the escalation between Israel and Iran this weekend.

I’m releasing it as scheduled because the issues we discuss — peace, security, and human dignity — are especially relevant in moments like this. As a narrative consulting agency, we believe that if we only talk about these questions when things are calm, we miss the moments when they matter most. 


What does peace require in a place shaped by generations of conflict?

Paula speaks with peace studies scholar Raphael Cohen Almagor about the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, the conditions necessary for peace, and why negotiations have repeatedly failed.

The conversation explores security, human dignity, and the challenges of talking honestly about Israel and Palestine in a polarized world.
Learn more about Raphael and his upcoming book at almagor.blogspot.com.

]]> Tue, 03 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0800 Paula Lehman-Ewing Paula Lehman-Ewing 2651 Important contextual note: This conversation was recorded before the escalation between Israel and Iran this weekend.

I’m releasing it as scheduled because the issues we discuss — peace, security, and human dignity — are especially relevant in moments like this. As a narrative consulting agency, we believe that if we only talk about these questions when things are calm, we miss the moments when they matter most. 


What does peace require in a place shaped by generations of conflict?

Paula speaks with peace studies scholar Raphael Cohen Almagor about the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, the conditions necessary for peace, and why negotiations have repeatedly failed.

The conversation explores security, human dignity, and the challenges of talking honestly about Israel and Palestine in a polarized world.
Learn more about Raphael and his upcoming book at almagor.blogspot.com.

]]> israel palestine conflict, israel palestine peace, middle east peace process, israel gaza war, peace negotiations, raphael cohen almagor, israel palestine history, two state solution, occupation and conflict, antisemitism and criticism of israel, gaza humanitarian crisis, peace studies, conflict resolution, political leadership and peace, get me to the gray No Chris Principe James Ewing Jamie Konegni Jason Masino Paula Lehman-Ewing Reform Meets Reality: Inside the Limits of Progressive Prosecution 5 5 Reform Meets Reality: Inside the Limits of Progressive Prosecution full 8fc00722-a188-4fa1-a6e5-b9afd7de80e3 https://share.transistor.fm/s/1fdadd4e What happens when reform ideas collide with real institutions?

In this episode, Paula speaks with Cristine Soto DeBerry, founder and executive director of the Prosecutors Alliance and former chief of staff to San Francisco district attorneys George Gascón and Chesa Boudin.

Drawing on her experience inside one of the country’s most closely watched progressive prosecution offices, DeBerry describes the challenges of translating campaign promises into policy — and the institutional resistance that often follows.

The conversation explores the tension between reform and public safety, the role of internal buy-in inside prosecutor’s offices, and the political pressures that shape reform efforts long after the election is over.

It also examines a question reform movements continue to face: whether backlash reflects rejection of reform itself — or a loss of public trust when change fails to make people feel safer.
Learn more about Prosecutors Alliance at prosecutorsalliance.org.
For more information about Prosecutors Alliance C4 visit prosecutorsallianceaction.org.

]]> What happens when reform ideas collide with real institutions?

In this episode, Paula speaks with Cristine Soto DeBerry, founder and executive director of the Prosecutors Alliance and former chief of staff to San Francisco district attorneys George Gascón and Chesa Boudin.

Drawing on her experience inside one of the country’s most closely watched progressive prosecution offices, DeBerry describes the challenges of translating campaign promises into policy — and the institutional resistance that often follows.

The conversation explores the tension between reform and public safety, the role of internal buy-in inside prosecutor’s offices, and the political pressures that shape reform efforts long after the election is over.

It also examines a question reform movements continue to face: whether backlash reflects rejection of reform itself — or a loss of public trust when change fails to make people feel safer.
Learn more about Prosecutors Alliance at prosecutorsalliance.org.
For more information about Prosecutors Alliance C4 visit prosecutorsallianceaction.org.

]]> Tue, 24 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0800 Paula Lehman-Ewing Paula Lehman-Ewing 2447 What happens when reform ideas collide with real institutions?

In this episode, Paula speaks with Cristine Soto DeBerry, founder and executive director of the Prosecutors Alliance and former chief of staff to San Francisco district attorneys George Gascón and Chesa Boudin.

Drawing on her experience inside one of the country’s most closely watched progressive prosecution offices, DeBerry describes the challenges of translating campaign promises into policy — and the institutional resistance that often follows.

The conversation explores the tension between reform and public safety, the role of internal buy-in inside prosecutor’s offices, and the political pressures that shape reform efforts long after the election is over.

It also examines a question reform movements continue to face: whether backlash reflects rejection of reform itself — or a loss of public trust when change fails to make people feel safer.
Learn more about Prosecutors Alliance at prosecutorsalliance.org.
For more information about Prosecutors Alliance C4 visit prosecutorsallianceaction.org.

]]> progressive prosecution, criminal justice reform, prosecutors alliance, chesa boudin, george gascon, prosecution reform, public safety, criminal justice policy, district attorney reform, justice system reform, prosecutorial discretion, justice reform backlash, criminal justice politics, law and policy, get me to the gray No Chris Principe James Ewing Jamie Konegni Jason Masino Paula Lehman-Ewing GMG LIVE: Whistleblowers, Abolition, and the Gray Space Between 4 4 GMG LIVE: Whistleblowers, Abolition, and the Gray Space Between full dcbc6bae-e8f2-4b64-a749-82fe72ebe149 https://share.transistor.fm/s/53d425dc Recorded LIVE at Tattered Cover Book Store, Paula Lehman-Ewing speaks with retired NYPD lieutenant, whistleblower, and author Edwin Raymond about the unresolved tension between inside and outside approaches to change in policing.


Edwin joined the NYPD after experiencing police harassment as a teenager, determined to challenge discriminatory practices from within. He later became the highest-ranking whistleblower in NYPD history and the lead plaintiff in the federal lawsuit Raymond v. City of New York.

Together, Paula and Edwin explore the difficult questions that sit between reform and abolition: Can a system built to resist accountability actually change? Is incremental reform progress — or the system absorbing change to survive? Are justice-minded officers a path forward, or a contradiction?

The conversation moves through whistleblowing, broken-windows policing, restorative justice, ICE enforcement, leadership, recruitment culture, and the emotional cost of challenging institutions from the inside. This episode doesn’t offer easy answers — it sits in the tension between two worldviews trying to imagine a different future for public safety.

Recorded live in Denver with audience Q&A.
To attend a LIVE recording visit bit.ly/COJAEvents
Learn more about Edwin at edwinraymond.com
Watch Crime + Punishment on YouTube or Hulu

]]> Recorded LIVE at Tattered Cover Book Store, Paula Lehman-Ewing speaks with retired NYPD lieutenant, whistleblower, and author Edwin Raymond about the unresolved tension between inside and outside approaches to change in policing.


Edwin joined the NYPD after experiencing police harassment as a teenager, determined to challenge discriminatory practices from within. He later became the highest-ranking whistleblower in NYPD history and the lead plaintiff in the federal lawsuit Raymond v. City of New York.

Together, Paula and Edwin explore the difficult questions that sit between reform and abolition: Can a system built to resist accountability actually change? Is incremental reform progress — or the system absorbing change to survive? Are justice-minded officers a path forward, or a contradiction?

The conversation moves through whistleblowing, broken-windows policing, restorative justice, ICE enforcement, leadership, recruitment culture, and the emotional cost of challenging institutions from the inside. This episode doesn’t offer easy answers — it sits in the tension between two worldviews trying to imagine a different future for public safety.

Recorded live in Denver with audience Q&A.
To attend a LIVE recording visit bit.ly/COJAEvents
Learn more about Edwin at edwinraymond.com
Watch Crime + Punishment on YouTube or Hulu

]]> Tue, 17 Feb 2026 11:52:37 -0800 Paula Lehman-Ewing Paula Lehman-Ewing 3491 Recorded LIVE at Tattered Cover Book Store, Paula Lehman-Ewing speaks with retired NYPD lieutenant, whistleblower, and author Edwin Raymond about the unresolved tension between inside and outside approaches to change in policing.


Edwin joined the NYPD after experiencing police harassment as a teenager, determined to challenge discriminatory practices from within. He later became the highest-ranking whistleblower in NYPD history and the lead plaintiff in the federal lawsuit Raymond v. City of New York.

Together, Paula and Edwin explore the difficult questions that sit between reform and abolition: Can a system built to resist accountability actually change? Is incremental reform progress — or the system absorbing change to survive? Are justice-minded officers a path forward, or a contradiction?

The conversation moves through whistleblowing, broken-windows policing, restorative justice, ICE enforcement, leadership, recruitment culture, and the emotional cost of challenging institutions from the inside. This episode doesn’t offer easy answers — it sits in the tension between two worldviews trying to imagine a different future for public safety.

Recorded live in Denver with audience Q&A.
To attend a LIVE recording visit bit.ly/COJAEvents
Learn more about Edwin at edwinraymond.com
Watch Crime + Punishment on YouTube or Hulu

]]> police reform, police abolition, Edwin Raymond, NYPD whistleblower, criminal justice reform, policing in America, broken windows policing, restorative justice, ICE enforcement, public safety debate, criminal justice podcast, justice minded officers, police accountability, policing culture, whistleblowers, abolition vs reform, Crime and Punishment documentary, Raymond v City of New York, community policing, criminal justice dialogue No Chris Principe James Ewing Jamie Konegni Jason Masino Tattered Cover Book Store Paula Lehman-Ewing The Elephant in the Studio 3 3 The Elephant in the Studio full 21234953-6fb3-43ab-9eed-ebc929944a39 https://share.transistor.fm/s/42e57d58 What happens when a liberal and a conservative sit down — not to debate, but to think out loud together?

In this episode of Get Me to the Gray, Paula Lehman-Ewing speaks with Josh Lewis, a CPA, government auditor, and conservative writer behind Saving Elephants, about a core political divide: whether the systems we’ve inherited are capable of correcting harm, or whether they were built to benefit some while excluding others — and therefore need to be reimagined.

Paula approaches the conversation from the perspective that questions preserving institutions that have consistently failed marginalized communities. Josh argues from a conservative framework that imperfect institutions may still be the most durable tools for reform. Together, they explore urgency versus restraint, reform versus rupture, and who bears the cost of change. 


Note: There will be no new episode next Tuesday due to our live Get Me to the Gray event in Denver. If you’re local, we’d love to see you there. Tickets are available at tinyurl.com/COJAEvents. The recording from that conversation will be released here in two weeks.

]]> What happens when a liberal and a conservative sit down — not to debate, but to think out loud together?

In this episode of Get Me to the Gray, Paula Lehman-Ewing speaks with Josh Lewis, a CPA, government auditor, and conservative writer behind Saving Elephants, about a core political divide: whether the systems we’ve inherited are capable of correcting harm, or whether they were built to benefit some while excluding others — and therefore need to be reimagined.

Paula approaches the conversation from the perspective that questions preserving institutions that have consistently failed marginalized communities. Josh argues from a conservative framework that imperfect institutions may still be the most durable tools for reform. Together, they explore urgency versus restraint, reform versus rupture, and who bears the cost of change. 


Note: There will be no new episode next Tuesday due to our live Get Me to the Gray event in Denver. If you’re local, we’d love to see you there. Tickets are available at tinyurl.com/COJAEvents. The recording from that conversation will be released here in two weeks.

]]> Tue, 03 Feb 2026 06:19:31 -0800 Paula Lehman-Ewing Paula Lehman-Ewing 2008 What happens when a liberal and a conservative sit down — not to debate, but to think out loud together?

In this episode of Get Me to the Gray, Paula Lehman-Ewing speaks with Josh Lewis, a CPA, government auditor, and conservative writer behind Saving Elephants, about a core political divide: whether the systems we’ve inherited are capable of correcting harm, or whether they were built to benefit some while excluding others — and therefore need to be reimagined.

Paula approaches the conversation from the perspective that questions preserving institutions that have consistently failed marginalized communities. Josh argues from a conservative framework that imperfect institutions may still be the most durable tools for reform. Together, they explore urgency versus restraint, reform versus rupture, and who bears the cost of change. 


Note: There will be no new episode next Tuesday due to our live Get Me to the Gray event in Denver. If you’re local, we’d love to see you there. Tickets are available at tinyurl.com/COJAEvents. The recording from that conversation will be released here in two weeks.

]]> conservatism, social change, institutional reform, justice, systems of power, tradition, political philosophy, civil society, reform vs revolution, systemic harm, public institutions, accountability, Edmund Burke, Angela Davis, American democracy, Get Me to the Gray No Chris Principe James Ewing Jamie Konegni Jason Masino Paula Lehman-Ewing The Gray Between Punishment and Prevention 2 2 The Gray Between Punishment and Prevention full bf1a0790-c1a8-48cf-9325-f796bd8f7515 https://share.transistor.fm/s/72a532e9 What do we do when the stories we tell about violence stop helping us solve it?

In this episode of Get Me to the Gray, Paula Lehman-Ewing sits down with criminologist David M. Kennedy to confront one of the most uncomfortable questions in public life: how do we reduce violence without falling into either punishment-for-punishment’s-sake or denial that harm is happening at all?

The conversation unfolds inside a tension most people avoid. On one side is the instinct to respond to violence with overwhelming force. On the other is the belief that structural change alone will eventually make violence disappear. Kennedy argues that both approaches miss what’s actually happening on the ground — and that the truth lives in the space between them.
To learn more about David Kennedy and focussed deterrence, visit nnscommunities.org.

]]> What do we do when the stories we tell about violence stop helping us solve it?

In this episode of Get Me to the Gray, Paula Lehman-Ewing sits down with criminologist David M. Kennedy to confront one of the most uncomfortable questions in public life: how do we reduce violence without falling into either punishment-for-punishment’s-sake or denial that harm is happening at all?

The conversation unfolds inside a tension most people avoid. On one side is the instinct to respond to violence with overwhelming force. On the other is the belief that structural change alone will eventually make violence disappear. Kennedy argues that both approaches miss what’s actually happening on the ground — and that the truth lives in the space between them.
To learn more about David Kennedy and focussed deterrence, visit nnscommunities.org.

]]> Tue, 27 Jan 2026 06:00:00 -0800 Paula Lehman-Ewing Paula Lehman-Ewing 2201 What do we do when the stories we tell about violence stop helping us solve it?

In this episode of Get Me to the Gray, Paula Lehman-Ewing sits down with criminologist David M. Kennedy to confront one of the most uncomfortable questions in public life: how do we reduce violence without falling into either punishment-for-punishment’s-sake or denial that harm is happening at all?

The conversation unfolds inside a tension most people avoid. On one side is the instinct to respond to violence with overwhelming force. On the other is the belief that structural change alone will eventually make violence disappear. Kennedy argues that both approaches miss what’s actually happening on the ground — and that the truth lives in the space between them.
To learn more about David Kennedy and focussed deterrence, visit nnscommunities.org.

]]> gun violence, focused deterrence, David Kennedy, public safety, criminal justice reform, violence prevention, mass incarceration, policing reform, community violence, racial disparities, criminal justice policy, harm reduction, crime prevention, social determinants of violence, public safety strategy, mass incarceration critique, gun policy, urban violence, Get Me to the Gray podcast No Chris Principe James Ewing Jamie Konegni Jason Masino Paula Lehman-Ewing And You Thought You Lived in a Capitalist Country 1 1 And You Thought You Lived in a Capitalist Country full da1dc651-2207-43c2-9d61-5fb152674aa4 https://share.transistor.fm/s/47e6e438 This episode is about getting to the heart of what capitalism and socialism mean and how no true example of either actually exists.

In this episode of Get Me to the Gray, Paula Lehman-Ewing sits down with economist Doug Cardell for a candid, unscripted conversation that cuts through ideology and into reality. Together, they explore how capitalism and socialism are often treated as fixed, opposing systems—despite the fact that no true version of either exists in practice. What emerges is a conversation about power, implementation, and the gap between economic theory and lived experience.

Rather than debating labels, this episode examines how systems actually function, who benefits from the way they’re structured, and why so many political arguments get stuck before they ever reach substance. It’s a conversation about tension, assumptions, and what happens when ideas meet the real world.

Doug's book Why Socialism Struggles is now available for purchase, and you can learn more about him at DougCardell.com.

]]> This episode is about getting to the heart of what capitalism and socialism mean and how no true example of either actually exists.

In this episode of Get Me to the Gray, Paula Lehman-Ewing sits down with economist Doug Cardell for a candid, unscripted conversation that cuts through ideology and into reality. Together, they explore how capitalism and socialism are often treated as fixed, opposing systems—despite the fact that no true version of either exists in practice. What emerges is a conversation about power, implementation, and the gap between economic theory and lived experience.

Rather than debating labels, this episode examines how systems actually function, who benefits from the way they’re structured, and why so many political arguments get stuck before they ever reach substance. It’s a conversation about tension, assumptions, and what happens when ideas meet the real world.

Doug's book Why Socialism Struggles is now available for purchase, and you can learn more about him at DougCardell.com.

]]> Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:46:56 -0800 Paula Lehman-Ewing Paula Lehman-Ewing 1824 This episode is about getting to the heart of what capitalism and socialism mean and how no true example of either actually exists.

In this episode of Get Me to the Gray, Paula Lehman-Ewing sits down with economist Doug Cardell for a candid, unscripted conversation that cuts through ideology and into reality. Together, they explore how capitalism and socialism are often treated as fixed, opposing systems—despite the fact that no true version of either exists in practice. What emerges is a conversation about power, implementation, and the gap between economic theory and lived experience.

Rather than debating labels, this episode examines how systems actually function, who benefits from the way they’re structured, and why so many political arguments get stuck before they ever reach substance. It’s a conversation about tension, assumptions, and what happens when ideas meet the real world.

Doug's book Why Socialism Struggles is now available for purchase, and you can learn more about him at DougCardell.com.

]]> capitalism, socialism, political economy, economic systems, government and markets, power and policy, political ideology, capitalism vs socialism, economic theory No Chris Principe James Ewing Jamie Konegni Jason Masino Paula Lehman-Ewing Get Me to the Gray: Season 1 Trailer Get Me to the Gray: Season 1 Trailer trailer 3dfbccc6-a534-4488-9ef6-32a25309fae0 https://share.transistor.fm/s/cf7cb1a3 Welcome to Get Me to the Gray. This episode is the trailer.

Hosted by journalist and author Paula Lehman-Ewing, the show creates space for conversations many of us avoid—across deep disagreement, uncertainty, and difference. This isn’t debate or performance, but dialogue that stays in the room when things get hard.

Full episodes launch soon. Follow the show to be part of it from the beginning.

]]> Welcome to Get Me to the Gray. This episode is the trailer.

Hosted by journalist and author Paula Lehman-Ewing, the show creates space for conversations many of us avoid—across deep disagreement, uncertainty, and difference. This isn’t debate or performance, but dialogue that stays in the room when things get hard.

Full episodes launch soon. Follow the show to be part of it from the beginning.

]]> Fri, 12 Dec 2025 12:29:50 -0800 Paula Lehman-Ewing Paula Lehman-Ewing 99 Welcome to Get Me to the Gray. This episode is the trailer.

Hosted by journalist and author Paula Lehman-Ewing, the show creates space for conversations many of us avoid—across deep disagreement, uncertainty, and difference. This isn’t debate or performance, but dialogue that stays in the room when things get hard.

Full episodes launch soon. Follow the show to be part of it from the beginning.

]]> conversation, dialogue, division, disagreement, complexity, nuance, polarization, listening, curiosity, perspective, narrative, culture, power, empathy, communication No James Ewing Jamie Konegni Jason Masino Paula Lehman-Ewing