I really like Marc Ambinder and have followed his career closely. However, this podcast is detrimental to his reputation because the sound quality is just terrible. While his voice comes across as if he's in someone's basement, his guests sound as if they've been recorded on a cassette tape. Some parts of Michael Cohen's interview sounded worse than the Watergate tapes. You wouldn't record a TV show with a super 8mm camera anymore, why are you doing the equivalent to a podcast? Given that, Mr. Ambinder should abstain from begging for good ratings. Compare his interview of friend Andrew Sullivan with Ezra Klein's. Nonwithstanding the content, the quality of the sound is very grating.

I was wondering where Ambinder went after he stopped his politics writing. Glad to have his informed voice back with his network of great guests!

The seeds of a good podcast are here. Great guests, solid analysis. The explainer on the Brazillian political crisis fulfilled a need that hadn't been met elsewhere in journalism--no other source successfully explained why the mood in Brazil was so anxious. The only downside is that the audio quality can sometimes be poor.

Interesting subjects and topics - Ambinder is an effective interviewer. The podcast lacks three things right now: consistency in timing (when can I expect it?), consistent audio quality and consistent structure to the episodes. I enjoyed Ambinder's writing for The Atlantic, but I'm not sure of the value proposition or even the mission statement of the podcast. High hopes.

Marc is an essential voice for podcasting and brings a career’s worth of knowledge, humor and insight to everything he does. He has the depth of the best Washington insider with the humanity gained after extricating oneself from the confines of its geographic and philosophical boundaries. Plus, he loves Penn & Teller, so you know he’s a good dude. Can’t wait to see what guests he has on in the future.

Knowledge Wonderland is an instant hit. Marc's noted ability to ask the right question and connect with those he interviews and his deep connections across the political and economic leadership placed this on my must-listen list. After this first episode I already feel better prepared to meet our uncertain future. I look forward to many more.