It's our birthday!

We're celebrating our #PTBday by looking back at the year, the incredible guests we've had, and the episodes we've produced. It's been an amazing year and we want to thank our guests and listeners for helping us build #PressTheButton.

Dive in below!

Dr. Carol Cohn, founding director of @Consortium_GSHR and author of the seminal piece "Sex & Death in the Rational World of Defense", kicked off #PressTheButton with her appearance on our first episode. Thanks, Carol!

Full interview: https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/an-interview-with-dr-carol-cohn-setting-of-the-doomsday-clock

. @nedprice of @natsecaction dropped in to join us for our second episode. Ned evaluated the missed opportunities at Trump's #HanoiSummit (remember that?) and underscored the importance of rejoining the #Iran Deal.

Listen here: https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/an-interview-with-ned-price-director-of-policy-and-communications-with-national-security-action

On our third episode, @Leahgreenb, co-founder of @IndivisibleTeam and one of @TIME's 100 most influential people of 2019, discussed her journey from congressional staffer to community organizer.

If you missed this one, it's worth going back to: https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/leah-greenberg-indivisible-co-founder-one-of-times-100-most-influential-people-of-2019

@MaggieCaroline, founder of @NatSecGirlSquad, sat down with @Cirincione in our fourth episode to discuss how she's bringing diversity and inclusion into the national security and defense conversation. #PTBday

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/maggie-feldman-piltch-interview-in-the-silo-with-michael-douglas-rep-ted-lieu-and-others

#PTB005: Ambassador @wendyrsherman, one of the leading and most prominent experts on #Iran, shared her thoughts on the #maximumpressure campaign with us. A year later, we see the administration's policy continues to fail.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/wendy-r-sherman-interview-early-warning-with-kelsey-davenport-of-the-arms-control-association

We're reflecting on the first year of #PressTheButton for our #PTBday

Did you hear Senator @ChrisVanHollen's interview on our 6th episode? Senator Van Hollen has been an advocate for saner, safer nuclear policy for years. Listen below!

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/senator-chris-van-hollen-interview-early-warning-with-erica-fein-of-win-without-war

Should the world renounce nuclear weapons? Nobel Prize winner @BeaFihn of @nuclearban thinks so. She spoke with @Cirincione, sharing her humanitarian perspective on nuclear weapons and arguing that it shouldn’t be legal to wipe out an entire city.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/beatrice-fihn-of-nobel-peace-prize-winning-international-campaign-to-abolish-nuclear-weapons

Eric Schlosser – an investigative journalist, author and filmmaker – examined strategies for saner nuclear policy, the fallibility of our nuclear command and control system and how deterrence works with us in our 8th episode. #PTBday

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/eric-schlosser-investigative-journalist-and-author-in-discussion-with-joe-cirincione

Then we were joined by @DonteStallworth , former @Patriots wide receiver. Donté now dedicates himself to exploring issues of national security. He talked with @Cirincione about #Iran and how to improve US nuclear policy.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/donte-stallworth-former-nfl-wide-receiver-joins-joe-cirincione-in-conversation

#PTBday continues!

We were thrilled to have @brhodes, former National Security Advisor to President Obama, join us for our 10th episode. Ben gave us an honest reflection of the success and lessons learned by the administration on nuclear policy.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/ben-rhodes-former-deputy-national-security-advisor-joins-joe-cirincione-in-conversation

Episode 11 featured the legendary Daniel Ellsberg. Daniel is the former US military analyst known for releasing the Pentagon Papers in 1971! He also wrote "The Doomsday Machine" and shared his thoughts on nuclear deterrence theory with us.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/daniel-ellsberg-writer-activist-and-former-military-analyst-joins-joe-cirincione-in-conversation

. @JBWolfsthal, former Senior Director for Arms Control and Nonproliferation in the Obama White House, shared his experience and what lessons the next US president should learn from both Obama's and Trump's approaches to nuclear policy.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/jon-wolfsthal-former-special-assistant-to-president-obama-speaks-with-joe-cirincione

We joined @RepAnthonyBrown (MD-4) in his office in the US Capitol for our 13th episode. He shared his history in the US military, and his support for congressional efforts to prevent a new war with #Iran.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/us-representative-anthony-brown-interview-early-warning-with-mary-kaszynski-and-catherine-killough

Then we were fortunate to hear from @suzannedimaggio.

Suzanne lent us her take on what the US got wrong in negotiating with #NorthKorea as well as her reasons for joining the @QuincyInst, a new think-tank moving US foreign policy away from endless war.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/suzanne-dimaggio-of-carnegie-endowment-for-international-peace-in-conversation-with-joe-cirincione

Nuclear historian and creator of NUKEMAP ( https://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/ ), @wellerstein, gave us a rundown through the history of nuclear weapons, deterrence theory, and why we never really left the 'first' nuclear age.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/alex-wellerstein-historian-of-science-and-creator-of-nukemap-in-discussion-with-joe-cirincione

Award-winning director and artist Smriti @Keshari discussed her work on "The Bomb", a critically-acclaimed multimedia experience she directed and produced with Eric Schlosser. This was our 16th episode. How time flies! #PTBDay

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/smriti-keshari-director-and-artist-speaks-with-joe-cirincione-in-the-silo-explores-bombshelltoe

Ep. 17 fell on the anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing. We used this episode to reflect on the events and rationale that led to the only instances of nuclear weapons being used in combat and to examine why we need a #NoFirstUse policy. #PTBday https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/remembering-hiroshima-and-nagasaki-and-why-we-need-a-no-first-use-policy

. @Rob_Malley, President and CEO of @CrisisGroup, sat down with @Cirincione as tensions with #Iran were rising. He said he saw this escalation as a 21st Century 'Guns of August'.

We would only find out later how correct he was.

#PTBday

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/robert-malley-of-international-crisis-group-speaks-with-joe-cirincione

We're continuing to look back on the first year of #PressTheButton, and what a year it's been!

We spoke w/ @WilliamHartung, the leading expert on Pentagon spending. He talked about the moral responsibility that defense contractors hold.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/william-hartung-of-the-center-for-international-policy-in-conversation-with-joe-cirincione

Lynn Rusten is @NTI_WMD's Vice President of the Global Nuclear Policy Program.

She joined us for our 20th episode and gave us a full rundown on the history of arms control. She also discussed the future of the #NewSTART agreement.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/lynn-rusten-in-conversation-with-joe-cirincione-early-warning-with-matt-korda

Then we were joined by @barbaraslavin1, one of the most expert and informed voices when it comes to #Iran.

Barbara talked to @Cirincione about the rising tensions in the Middle East and the effects of Trump's 'maximum pressure' campaign toward Iran.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/barbara-slavin-of-the-atlantic-council-speaks-with-joe-cirincione-early-warning-with-tom-collina

. @nukestrat is who you go to when you need to know anything about global nuclear stockpiles.

Hans's work at @FAScientists is unrivaled and we were thankful to have him come by to discuss Chinese and Russian modernization plans.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/hans-kristensen-in-conversation-with-joe-cirincione-early-warning-with-leon-ratz

. @tparsi, Executive Vice President of @QuincyInst, breaks down the firing of John Bolton and how his warped worldview is indicative of the way Washington thinks about nat'l security.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/boltons-gone-risk-of-war-remains-in-the-silo-looks-back-at-chain-reaction-2019

As the Executive Director of @Livableworld and @nukes_of_hazard, @RepTierney is challenging the idea that US national security depends on ever-increasing defense spending.

He spoke with #PressTheButton about his work on the #NDAA.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/nobody-calls-me-chicken

We went to the US Capitol building to hear from @RepRoKhanna (D-CA-17) about the bipartisan legislation that he drafted with @RepMattGaetz to prevent a war with #Iran.

@RepRoKhanna also explained what an impeachment inquiry means for national security.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/the-impeachment-edition

Emma Belcher, director of the Nuclear Challenges program at @macfound, joined us to discuss how philanthropy can create a safer, more secure world, and what the new arms race means for the fight against nuclear threats.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/the-nuclear-philanthropist

Next up, @MichelleEDover interviewed @natsecHeather, the director of @NewAmerica's "New Models of Policy Change" project, who gave us an honest evaluation of US national security and foreign policy under President Donald Trump. #PTBday

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/turkey-troubles

Then @GerryConnolly (D-VA) gave us an insider view of the impeachment crisis and its impact on U.S. foreign policy.

Connolly serves on the Foreign Affairs and the Oversight Committees, which were both crucial within the impeachment inquiry. #PTBday

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/frontlines-of-impeachment

. @RepAdamSmith (D-WA), Chairman of HASC, presented us with an exclusive look at the future of US nuclear policy, outlining the challenges that lie ahead for building a global security framework and reducing the number of nuclear weapons.

https://ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/latest-podcast-interview-rep-adam-smith

The renowned Dr. Zia Mian, physicist and co-director of @Princeton's @WilsonSchool, dove deep with @MichelleEDover examining the tensions between #India and #Pakistan.

He asks if the nuclear world order is worth saving. Is it? Listen below. #PTBday

https://ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/nuclear-order-worth-saving

. @BeyondtheBomb’s @TrisInToledo and @cmoo11_ spoke with @Cirincione to discuss their experiences organizing a nationwide, grassroots movement to prevent nuclear war.

They talk about their own efforts to bring #NoFirstUse through Congress.

https://ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/bomb-squad

Then, Ambassador @LauraSHHolgate of @NTI_WMD joined @MichelleEDover to reflect on the one-year anniversary of Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy, a leadership network co-founded by Holgate and Dover aiming to promote gender equality in the nuclear field.

https://www.ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/gender-champions-0

. @jwcglaser & @capreble of the @CatoInstitute examined the Trump Administration's approach to a foreign policy.

Glaser and Preble argue the belief of American primacy has guided the US since the end of the Cold War and it might be time to change.

https://ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/fuel-fire

. @ArmsControlWonk, expert in nuclear nonproliferation and geopolitics sat down with us for a discussion on presidential authority, and how the next administration should tackle nuclear policy issues.

Check out the @ACWPodcast, too!

https://ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/tough-lessons-advice-next-president

Last year, @Katefolb, Director of @HollywdHealth, connected @Cirincione w/ @CBS's @MadamSecretary to walk the showrunners through what would happen if the White House believed the United States was under nuclear attack. She shared her work w/ us.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/hollywood-and-the-bomb

. @madeleine, Secretary of State under President Bill Clinton, shared with us how she sees globalization and tech advances exacerbating the already serious dangers of nuclear weapons, cyber warfare, artificial intelligence, and automated weapons.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/madam-secretary

Ambassador @SEFBurk, another foreign policy all-star, revisited her experience working under President Barack Obama to strengthen the Non-Proliferation Treaty and shared how she plans to fight to keep the treaty alive.

Can the NPT survive?

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/can-the-npt-survive

In the wake of a spiraling national security crisis caused by the assassination of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani, we spoke with @SPMiles42, the Executive Director of @WinWithoutWar.

Stephen explained how we could deescalate to avoid war w/ Iran.

https://www.ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/war-not-spectator-sport

. @IvoHDaalder, former Ambassador to NATO and current president of the @ChicagoCouncil, shared his advice on how the next administration should approach nuclear policy as well as what it takes to build a world free of nuclear weapons.

https://www.ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/one-reason-have-nukes

. @KelseyDav, director for nonproliferation policy at the @ArmsControlNow, joined Joe Cirincione and Michelle Dover to debunk a few myths surrounding #Iran and the bomb, and what 'breakout time' really means.

How close is Iran to a bomb? Listen below.

https://www.ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/breaking-down-breakout

We were thrilled to have Mary Robinson, fmr President of Ireland, and Ban Ki-moon, fmr Sec. Gen. of the U.N., join #PressTheButton. Both are now working with @TheElders.

We spoke with them about the setting of the #DoomsdayClock back in January.

https://www.ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/100-seconds-midnight

Then, @Cirincione announced his upcoming retirement officially on the air.

“It's been a great thirteen years here at the helm of Ploughshares. But all good things have to come to an end. And this has been one of the best things in my life.”

https://www.ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/all-good-things

What does a feminist foreign policy look like, and what would it mean for nuclear policy? We sat down for an in-depth interview with @lyricthompson, the director of policy and advocacy at the @ICRW to explore these questions.

#PTBday

https://ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/crafting-feminist-foreign-policy

Back in February, @WilliamHartung returned for his second appearance on Press the Button to break down The Trump administration's budget request for 2021, which calls for $75 billion in nuclear weapons spending.

https://ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/exploding-budgets

A few weeks ago, @atomicbell, senior policy director at @nukes_of_hazard, gave us a sobering assessment of the current moment in our nuclear history, as well as how to prevent the worst from happening during the Trump administration and beyond. #PTBday

https://www.ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/nuclear-insecurity

In March we sat down with Jessica Mathews, former President of the @CarnegieEndow, for a wide-ranging conversation on how bipartisan consensus enabled an out-of-control US military spending spree that continues to this day.

https://ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/ending-military-spending-spree

We also spoke with @PamHamamoto, former ambassador to the UN in Geneva, just a few weeks ago.

Pam shared her experiences leading the US’s largest overseas multilateral diplomatic post and the #WomensInitiative Campaign at @plough_shares.

https://www.ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/diplomats-big-win

. @CDDorminey and @Corey_Greer_ from @WomensAction joined us recently for a discussion on the Pentagon's latest budget as well as how @WomensAction's grassroots efforts are sparking a new wave of public interest in nuclear issues.

https://ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/will-win

Gretchen Hund, former Director of @PNNLab's Center for Global Security and current @plough_shares board member, has been on the ground in nuclear clean-up zones.

She joined us to discuss the environmental impact of nuclear technology and nuclear weapons.

https://ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/muck-suck-and-truck

We also heard from @LizSchoffWatson, exec. director of the @WeBuildProgress.

She talked about her organization's work lobbying for key progressive measures to be included in the $2tr stimulus bill passed by Congress in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/were-all-together

. @ArianeTabatabai, Middle East expert and adjunct senior research fellow at Columbia University, showed us how the COVID-19 pandemic is hitting Iran hard and suggested some ways that the US can help.

https://www.ploughshares.org/issues-analysis/article/covid-19-iran-and-us-national-security

We celebrated our podiversary–our #PTBday–with @RepRaskin, who spoke with us about Congress's pandemic response legislation and what it will take to repair the holes in our social contract.

https://soundcloud.com/user-954653529/fixing-the-holes-in-our-social-contract

It's been an excellent year and we want to thank our listeners for the support we've received. Thank you! Dive back into this thread any time to find episodes you and interviews you might have missed. All our episodes are posted at the link below. https://www.ploughshares.org/pressthebutton