What Springfield, Ohio, Is Really About

Hosted by Michelle CottleRoss DouthatCarlos Lozada and Lydia Polgreen

Listen to and follow ‘Matter of Opinion’
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube | iHeartRadio

Donald Trump and JD Vance have sparked panic over immigration in Springfield, Ohio. This week, the hosts talk about why our country’s immigration debate is now focused on a distraction instead of the core of the issue.

Plus, Ross is hot and cold about a particular pet obsession.

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available within 24 hours of publication in the audio player above.)

Credit…Photo Illustration by The New York Times. Photo: Luke Sharrett/Getty Images/Getty Images

Recommended in this episode:

• “How the Trump Campaign Ran With Rumors About Pet-Eating Migrants — After Being Told They Weren’t True” by Kris Maher, Valerie Bauerlein and Tawnell D. Hobbs in The Wall Street Journal

• The Real ‘Border Czar’ Defends the Biden-Harris Record, “The Ezra Klein Show”

• “Go West” by Lily Lynch in The Baffler

• “Melting Pot or Civil War? A Son of Immigrants Makes the Case Against Open Borders” by Reihan Salam

• “Chimp Crazy” on HBO

Thoughts? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com.

Follow our hosts on X: Michelle Cottle (@mcottle), Ross Douthat (@DouthatNYT) and Carlos Lozada (@CarlosNYT).

“Matter of Opinion” is produced by Phoebe Lett, Sophia Alvarez Boyd and Andrea Betanzos. It is edited by Jordana Hochman. Mixing by Pat McCusker. Engineering by Carole Sabouraud. Original music by Isaac Jones, Elfin Shapiro, Carole Sabouraud and Pat McCusker. Our fact-checking team is Kate Sinclair, Mary Marge Locker and Michelle Harris. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. Our executive producer is Annie-Rose Strasser.

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, X and Threads.