Chuck Todd at his best – unscripted, informed and focused on what really matters in politics. Join Chuck each Wednesday as he talks with top reporters from the nation’s capital, plus exclusive sit-down interviews and on-the-ground dispatches from across the campaign trail.
Chuck Todd unpacks David Crowley's astonishing photo-finish win over Francesca Hong in Wisconsin — a race Crowley dropped out of, re-entered with Tony Evers' backing, and then won by roughly 3,200 votes — and argues national Democrats are far more relieved than they'll ever admit. Had Hong won, she'd have become a face of the party while being forced to spend the fall answering for past statements about defunding police, abolishing prisons, and canceling Thanksgiving rather than talking about the economy, handing Republicans an absurdly easy story to tell. Chuck credits Tony Evers for refusing to fence-sit and mounting what amounted to an emergency rescue operation, while noting Crowley isn't remotely "establishment" — he came from genuinely modest roots and ran a campaign largely defined by what he wasn't. Chuck identifies Hong's central unforced error as nationalizing her race in the closing weeks, a fundraising-driven instinct in an era where media appearances increasingly function as fundraising appeals, forgetting that the national online audience and the local electorate are not the same people. Mamdani stayed disciplined and won; Hong drifted into boutique cultural debates and lost. But Chuck cautions against reading this as a repudiation of the left: Peggy Flanagan won in Minnesota, progressives are doing better this cycle than they have in years, and the 2027 House will be younger and slightly further left. The real structural lesson is that progressives struggle in higher-turnout and open primaries, still face a persistent obstacle with African American primary voters, and — most tellingly — keep getting rejected by the working-class voters they orient their entire message toward, which is more than a messaging glitch. Abdul El-Sayed emerges a quiet winner here, now much harder to lump in with the DSA, and Chuck notes that neither AOC nor Bernie ever endorsed Hong. The rest of the monologue is a run of results that keep pointing the same direction. Trump-endorsed candidates keep losing primaries: Mike Lindell was trounced in Minnesota, Darline Graham didn't clear a third of the vote and is no lock in her runoff, and Chuck's read is that Trump's grip is measurably slipping. Fourteen-term Congressman John Larson lost his primary, part of the highest incumbent-loss rate since 1970 — in a genuine wave, Chuck says, the House could see north of 25% turnover. On Iran, he echoes Chris Christie's warning that this war turns Trump into Jimmy Carter: Iran has issued a list of demands that amounts to an "F you" ransom note, is openly watching the American election calendar and timing its moves accordingly, and — just as in 1980 — the humiliation itself is the point. All of it, Chuck notes, was Trump's own choice. He closes somewhere unexpected: giving Mark Zuckerberg genuine credit. In his 6,500-word manifesto, Zuckerberg argued that the real danger of AI is the concentration of power, writing that hoping an absolute power will benevolently provide for humanity has historically never ended well — and committing Meta to a review process before models go public. Chuck notes the argument is being made by a deeply self-interested party and that the important parts got buried in what was really a debate with Sam Altman, but he singles out one thing worth emulating: Meta funneling data center tax revenue back into teacher bonuses and job training. Communities hosting this infrastructure have to win too, and he hopes more tech CEOs adopt that philosophy. Finally, Chuck reveals his ToddCast Top 5 list of biggest non-presidential primary upsets, which David Crowley’s win taking the top spot. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and weighs in on the highly suspicious sale of the Los Angeles Lakers to Jared Kushner’s brother. Thanks to our sponsors: Upgrade your everyday. Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck / *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 04:00 Unpacking David Crowley’s win over Francesca Hong in WI 04:45 Crowley got out, then back in to the race… yet still won 05:45 If Hong had won, she would have become a face of the Dem party 06:15 Hong had past statements that would have been problematic 07:15 She would have been forced to talk about Thanksgiving, not economics 08:15 Her win would have been an easy story for Republicans to tell 08:45 Abdul El-Sayed is a winner here, harder to be lumped in with DSA 10:00 National Democrats are more relieved than they will admit 11:00 Independents don’t want either party to let extremes take over 12:00 Democrats can make the distinction between themselves & socialism 13:30 The progressives didn’t blow it, Peggy Flannagan won in Minnesota 15:00 African-American primary voters remain an obstacle for progressives 16:30 Progressives gear toward working class voters, yet are rejected by them 17:30 Not winning working class voters is more than a messaging glitch 18:30 Structure of the primary has major impact on success of progressives 19:15 Progressives run into trouble in higher turnout primaries 20:30 Open primaries result in less extremist nominees 21:15 Hong’s big unforced error was campaigning nationally in final weeks 22:00 Nationalizing your race is about fundraising 22:45 Media appearances increasingly function as fundraising appearances 23:30 National online audience & local electorate aren’t the same people 24:15 Mamdani had a disciplined message & succeeded, Hong didn’t 25:00 Ideological candidates can win when the electorate agrees with them 26:00 Ideological movements forget they can sound weird to the normies 26:30 The establishment was dangerously close to screwing this up 28:15 The establishment side of the race was a chaotic mess 29:15 Tony Evers had to mount an emergency rescue operation for Crowley 30:30 David Crowley isn’t very “establishment”, came from modest roots 31:30 Tony Evers deserves credit for putting his capital behind Crowley 32:30 Notable AOC, Sanders and top progressives didn’t endorse Hong 33:45 Getting into boutique cultural debates ends up being a problem 34:30 In Michigan & Wisconsin, the campaigns that physically showed up won 36:15 If Crowley wins & El-Sayed loses, there will be a clear lesson for Dems 38:15 Tony Evers didn’t fence sit, he picked a side and it worked 40:00 Flannagan’s win dispels idea of total repudiation of progressives 42:00 Flannagan had establishment credentials while being progressive 42:30 Progressives aren’t running the table, but are doing better this cycle 43:15 The Democratic house in ‘27 will be younger & slightly further left 44:30 Crowley’s campaign was largely about what he wasn’t 46:00 There could be multiple demographic “first” Democratic governors 47:45 Could these new primary winners end up on a presidential ticket? 49:45 Progressives are doing better, but haven’t won control of the Dem party 50:45 Democrats can blunt the narrative that the socialists are taking over 51:15 Trump endorsed candidates keep losing their primaries 51:45 Mike Lindell was trounced in Minnesota primary 52:45 Trump endorsed Darline Graham didn’t get 1/3rd of the vote 53:15 Graham isn’t a shoo-in in the runoff 55:30 Trump’s endorsement isn’t a guaranteed win, his grip is slipping 57:00 14-term congressman John Larson loses his primary 57:45 Most incumbents have lost reelection this year since 1970 58:15 In a wave election, could see over 25% turnover of the House 59:30 Chris Christie says Iran war will turn Trump into Jimmy Carter 1:00:00 Iran is humiliating Trump, and it was all Trump’s choice 1:00:30 Iran issues list of demands, basically an “F You” ransom note 1:01:30 Iran are watching the American election calendar & acting accordingly 1:02:15 In 1980, the humiliation of Carter was the point, Iran sent a message 1:03:30 Mark Zuckerberg deserves credit for something he said 1:04:15 Zuckerberg argued that AI driven concentration of power is the danger 1:04:45 He says there’s no benevolent superintelligence held by one company 1:05:15 Committed to a review board to sign off on models before going public 1:05:45 At least the argument is being made… even if by a self-interested party 1:06:30 Revenue from Meta data centers has been paid to teachers & job training 1:07:15 Meta reinvesting in communities with data centers is the right model 1:08:00 The manifesto was a debate with Sam Altman, buried the important things 1:09:15 Hope more tech CEO’s share his philosophy. Communities have to win too 1:15:00 ToddCast Top 5 biggest non-presidential primary upsets 1:17:00 #5 Joe Crowley loses to AOC 1:18:00 #4 Carol Moseley Braun 1:18:45 #3 Andrew Gillum 1:19:45 #2 Eric Cantor 1:20:45 #1 David Crawley 1:22:15 Honorable mentions 1:23:45 Ask Chuck 1:24:00 If Talarico wins close, could partisan officials mess with the outcome? 1:27:00 What makes a vice presidency successful & who makes your top 5? 1:34:45 What does it say about us that voters knew who Trump was and reelected him? 1:38:45 Can Jewish leaders like Pritzker & Ossoff campaign effectively for El-Sayed? 1:41:15 Lakers sold again, for $12B to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger 1:42:15 Mark Walter bought Lakers 14 months ago for $10B, and is already out 1:43:00 This story could be nothing… but the details warrant suspicion 1:44:30 Mark Walter’s businesses are under federal investigation right now 1:45:30 Nobody has been charged or accused of anything yet 1:46:15 Why did Walter sell so fast is not a rhetorical question anymore 1:47:00 Kushner was set to buy a piece of the World Cup, until boycott threats 1:48:00 Anyone close to Trump will be assumed guilty until proven innocent 1:49:30 Maybe everything is on the up and up… but the details are shockingSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd unpacks David Crowley's astonishing photo-finish win over Francesca Hong in Wisconsin — a race Crowley dropped out of, re-entered with Tony Evers' backing, and then won by roughly 3,200 votes — and argues national Democrats are far more relieved than they'll ever admit. Had Hong won, she'd have become a face of the party while being forced to spend the fall answering for past statements about defunding police, abolishing prisons, and canceling Thanksgiving rather than talking about the economy, handing Republicans an absurdly easy story to tell. Chuck credits Tony Evers for refusing to fence-sit and mounting what amounted to an emergency rescue operation, while noting Crowley isn't remotely "establishment" — he came from genuinely modest roots and ran a campaign largely defined by what he wasn't. Chuck identifies Hong's central unforced error as nationalizing her race in the closing weeks, a fundraising-driven instinct in an era where media appearances increasingly function as fundraising appeals, forgetting that the national online audience and the local electorate are not the same people. Mamdani stayed disciplined and won; Hong drifted into boutique cultural debates and lost. But Chuck cautions against reading this as a repudiation of the left: Peggy Flanagan won in Minnesota, progressives are doing better this cycle than they have in years, and the 2027 House will be younger and slightly further left. The real structural lesson is that progressives struggle in higher-turnout and open primaries, still face a persistent obstacle with African American primary voters, and — most tellingly — keep getting rejected by the working-class voters they orient their entire message toward, which is more than a messaging glitch. Abdul El-Sayed emerges a quiet winner here, now much harder to lump in with the DSA, and Chuck notes that neither AOC nor Bernie ever endorsed Hong. The rest of the monologue is a run of results that keep pointing the same direction. Trump-endorsed candidates keep losing primaries: Mike Lindell was trounced in Minnesota, Darline Graham didn't clear a third of the vote and is no lock in her runoff, and Chuck's read is that Trump's grip is measurably slipping. Fourteen-term Congressman John Larson lost his primary, part of the highest incumbent-loss rate since 1970 — in a genuine wave, Chuck says, the House could see north of 25% turnover. On Iran, he echoes Chris Christie's warning that this war turns Trump into Jimmy Carter: Iran has issued a list of demands that amounts to an "F you" ransom note, is openly watching the American election calendar and timing its moves accordingly, and — just as in 1980 — the humiliation itself is the point. All of it, Chuck notes, was Trump's own choice. He closes somewhere unexpected: giving Mark Zuckerberg genuine credit. In his 6,500-word manifesto, Zuckerberg argued that the real danger of AI is the concentration of power, writing that hoping an absolute power will benevolently provide for humanity has historically never ended well — and committing Meta to a review process before models go public. Chuck notes the argument is being made by a deeply self-interested party and that the important parts got buried in what was really a debate with Sam Altman, but he singles out one thing worth emulating: Meta funneling data center tax revenue back into teacher bonuses and job training. Communities hosting this infrastructure have to win too, and he hopes more tech CEOs adopt that philosophy. Then, Ben Wikler, the former Wisconsin Democratic Party chair and author of the new book This Is the Plan joins the Chuck Toddcast to argue that Democrats keep making the same category error: they keep winning change elections and then failing to deliver change, because they're trying to fix policy without first fixing the system that determines who gets to make policy. Wikler's framing is memorable and a little cheeky — you have to win the ring of power and then cast it into Mount Doom — but his point is serious. When the right wins power, it immediately restructures the system to entrench itself; Democrats win and then govern as though the rules are fixed. His plan runs through the state level, where free and fair elections are actually secured, and demands ending the filibuster and reforming the Supreme Court, including term limits for justices, because campaign finance reform is impossible without a Court willing to allow it. Wikler argues America is in the greatest period of political instability in its history, that inequality now exceeds the Gilded Age, that gerrymandering has left millions of people without a meaningful vote, and that both party bases increasingly want to fight more than they want to win — while swing and non-voters have simply given up on the system itself. He rejects the tired rebuilders-versus-renovators binary: FDR's Social Security pitch was a huge swing, incrementalism was the only path to Obamacare, and the actual art of politics is starting from values and vision and then figuring out what can pass. The conversation gets specific about Wisconsin and about trust. Wikler pushes back on the idea that Francesca Hong is too "Madison" for a statewide race, notes she's spent years traveling and listening across the state, and calls Tom Tiffany an election denier who is genuinely beatable in a cycle where affordability is the central issue. He and Chuck work through the puzzle of why Tony Evers' calm, steady approach succeeded where Biden's didn't — Evers came out forcefully against Dobbs, and, more fundamentally, you have to convince a majority of voters that government can actually work, which means doing what you said you'd do and then relentlessly telling people you did it. Wikler points to pandemic relief as the cautionary tale: those programs dramatically improved life for lower-income voters, the child tax credit cut child poverty in half, and then it all expired and Democrats got punished for the loss rather than credited for the gain — with an extension that had bipartisan support dying anyway, because the filibuster exists largely to deprive the other side of a win. He credits Ken Martin for investing in state parties, argues Democrats don't need a 50-state strategy so much as fifty different state strategies since the coalition looks different everywhere, and concedes that Trump has been the most successful Republican of this era, spawning an army of mini-mes modeling themselves on him. And yes, Chuck asks the obvious question — why not run for Senate yourself? Finally, Chuck reveals his ToddCast Top 5 list of biggest non-presidential primary upsets, which David Crowley’s win taking the top spot. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and weighs in on the highly suspicious sale of the Los Angeles Lakers to Jared Kushner’s brother. Thanks to our sponsors: Upgrade your everyday. Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck / *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 04:00 Unpacking David Crowley’s win over Francesca Hong in WI 04:45 Crowley got out, then back in to the race… yet still won 05:45 If Hong had won, she would have become a face of the Dem party 06:15 Hong had past statements that would have been problematic 07:15 She would have been forced to talk about Thanksgiving, not economics 08:15 Her win would have been an easy story for Republicans to tell 08:45 Abdul El-Sayed is a winner here, harder to be lumped in with DSA 10:00 National Democrats are more relieved than they will admit 11:00 Independents don’t want either party to let extremes take over 12:00 Democrats can make the distinction between themselves & socialism 13:30 The progressives didn’t blow it, Peggy Flannagan won in Minnesota 15:00 African-American primary voters remain an obstacle for progressives 16:30 Progressives gear toward working class voters, yet are rejected by them 17:30 Not winning working class voters is more than a messaging glitch 18:30 Structure of the primary has major impact on success of progressives 19:15 Progressives run into trouble in higher turnout primaries 20:30 Open primaries result in less extremist nominees 21:15 Hong’s big unforced error was campaigning nationally in final weeks 22:00 Nationalizing your race is about fundraising 22:45 Media appearances increasingly function as fundraising appearances 23:30 National online audience & local electorate aren’t the same people 24:15 Mamdani had a disciplined message & succeeded, Hong didn’t 25:00 Ideological candidates can win when the electorate agrees with them 26:00 Ideological movements forget they can sound weird to the normies 26:30 The establishment was dangerously close to screwing this up 28:15 The establishment side of the race was a chaotic mess 29:15 Tony Evers had to mount an emergency rescue operation for Crowley 30:30 David Crowley isn’t very “establishment”, came from modest roots 31:30 Tony Evers deserves credit for putting his capital behind Crowley 32:30 Notable AOC, Sanders and top progressives didn’t endorse Hong 33:45 Getting into boutique cultural debates ends up being a problem 34:30 In Michigan & Wisconsin, the campaigns that physically showed up won 36:15 If Crowley wins & El-Sayed loses, there will be a clear lesson for Dems 38:15 Tony Evers didn’t fence sit, he picked a side and it worked 40:00 Flannagan’s win dispels idea of total repudiation of progressives 42:00 Flannagan had establishment credentials while being progressive 42:30 Progressives aren’t running the table, but are doing better this cycle 43:15 The Democratic house in ‘27 will be younger & slightly further left 44:30 Crowley’s campaign was largely about what he wasn’t 46:00 There could be multiple demographic “first” Democratic governors 47:45 Could these new primary winners end up on a presidential ticket? 49:45 Progressives are doing better, but haven’t won control of the Dem party 50:45 Democrats can blunt the narrative that the socialists are taking over 51:15 Trump endorsed candidates keep losing their primaries 51:45 Mike Lindell was trounced in Minnesota primary 52:45 Trump endorsed Darline Graham didn’t get 1/3rd of the vote 53:15 Graham isn’t a shoo-in in the runoff 55:30 Trump’s endorsement isn’t a guaranteed win, his grip is slipping 57:00 14-term congressman John Larson loses his primary 57:45 Most incumbents have lost reelection this year since 1970 58:15 In a wave election, could see over 25% turnover of the House 59:30 Chris Christie says Iran war will turn Trump into Jimmy Carter 1:00:00 Iran is humiliating Trump, and it was all Trump’s choice 1:00:30 Iran issues list of demands, basically an “F You” ransom note 1:01:30 Iran are watching the American election calendar & acting accordingly 1:02:15 In 1980, the humiliation of Carter was the point, Iran sent a message 1:03:30 Mark Zuckerberg deserves credit for something he said 1:04:15 Zuckerberg argued that AI driven concentration of power is the danger 1:04:45 He says there’s no benevolent superintelligence held by one company 1:05:15 Committed to a review board to sign off on models before going public 1:05:45 At least the argument is being made… even if by a self-interested party 1:06:30 Revenue from Meta data centers has been paid to teachers & job training 1:07:15 Meta reinvesting in communities with data centers is the right model 1:08:00 The manifesto was a debate with Sam Altman, buried the important things 1:09:15 Hope more tech CEO’s share his philosophy. Communities have to win too 1:16:45 Ben Wikler joins The Chuck ToddCast 1:17:45 Ben’s new book is “This Is The Plan” 1:18:00 What is the plan? 1:18:30 To get political change we need, we need to change the system 1:19:15 To secure free & fair elections, need to win at the state level 1:19:45 We need an end to the filibuster and Supreme Court reform 1:20:30 There’s no one office or candidate to get us out of this mess 1:22:30 We need to win the ring of power, then cast it into Mount Doom 1:23:00 When the right wins power, they immediately change systems 1:24:00 We keep having change elections, then not getting change 1:26:15 We’re in the greatest period of political instability in American history 1:29:15 Both party bases want to fight more than want to win 1:30:15 We’re so gerrymandered, people don’t really get a vote 1:31:45 Swing/Non voters have given up on the system itself 1:36:15 Are rebuilders or renovators going to win the argument? 1:36:45 FDR’s social security pitch was a big swing 1:39:15 Incrimentalism was the only way to pass Obamacare 1:40:00 The art of politics is values/vision, then figure out what can actually pass 1:41:00 A party should be able to change laws, then face the voters 1:42:15 Need to reform the Supreme Court to reform campaign finance laws 1:43:00 Advocate for term limits for Supreme Court justices in the book 1:43:30 Inequality is now worse than it was during the Gilded Age 1:44:45 Is Francesca Hong too “Madison” of a candidate for Wisconsin gov? 1:45:30 Hong has been traveling the state & listening for years 1:46:30 Wisconsin Dem gov primary has been topsy turvy 1:47:30 Tom Tiffany is an election denier & beatable candidate 1:48:45 Affordability is the central issue this election cycle 1:51:30 Why did “calming the waters” work for Tony Evers, but not Joe Biden? 1:52:15 Evers came out very strongly against Dobbs 1:53:00 You have to convince a majority of the public that government works 1:55:00 Trust is earned by doing what you say you’ll do, then highlighting it 1:56:30 Pandemic relief had a massive positive effect on lower income voters 1:57:00 Those programs stopped, and voters punished Dems for it 1:57:45 Child tax credit cut child poverty in half, great accomplishment for Dems 1:58:15 There was bipartisan support for extended tax credit, still didn’t get done 1:58:45 Filibuster is used to deprive the other side from getting a win 2:01:15 Politicians can lay out a succession plan, but voters get their say 2:02:45 Politicians are limited in setting out a succession plan 2:04:15 How big should the Democratic tent be? 2:05:15 The coalition looks different in different states 2:06:45 Donald Trump has been the most successful GOP politician of this era 2:07:30 Every Republican politician looks to Trump as the model 2:08:00 Trump has created an army of “mini-mes” 2:09:45 What Ken Martin is doing right: Building state parties 2:12:30 Democrats don’t need a 50 state strategy, they need 50 state strategies 2:13:30 You build a local brand through your actions over time 2:14:15 When did you first think about running for office? 2:16:15 Support Tammy Baldwin’s bill to provide live Packers games 2:17:45 Most excited about Jordan Love in the upcoming season 2:19:00 Why wouldn’t you run for the senate? 2:20:30 ToddCast Top 5 biggest non-presidential primary upsets 2:22:30 #5 Joe Crowley loses to AOC 2:23:30 #4 Carol Moseley Braun 2:24:15 #3 Andrew Gillum 2:25:15 #2 Eric Cantor 2:26:15 #1 David Crawley 2:27:45 Honorable mentions 2:29:15 Ask Chuck 2:29:30 If Talarico wins close, could partisan officials mess with the outcome? 2:32:30 What makes a vice presidency successful & who makes your top 5? 2:40:15 What does it say about us that voters knew who Trump was and reelected him? 2:44:15 Can Jewish leaders like Pritzker & Ossoff campaign effectively for El-Sayed? 2:46:45 Lakers sold again, for $12B to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger 2:47:45 Mark Walter bought Lakers 14 months ago for $10B, and is already out 2:48:30 This story could be nothing… but the details warrant suspicion 2:50:00 Mark Walter’s businesses are under federal investigation right now 2:51:00 Nobody has been charged or accused of anything yet 2:51:45 Why did Walter sell so fast is not a rhetorical question anymore 2:52:30 Kushner was set to buy a piece of the World Cup, until boycott threats 2:53:30 Anyone close to Trump will be assumed guilty until proven innocent 2:55:00 Maybe everything is on the up and up… but the details are shockingSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ben Wikler, the former Wisconsin Democratic Party chair and author of the new book This Is the Plan joins the Chuck Toddcast to argue that Democrats keep making the same category error: they keep winning change elections and then failing to deliver change, because they're trying to fix policy without first fixing the system that determines who gets to make policy. Wikler's framing is memorable and a little cheeky — you have to win the ring of power and then cast it into Mount Doom — but his point is serious. When the right wins power, it immediately restructures the system to entrench itself; Democrats win and then govern as though the rules are fixed. His plan runs through the state level, where free and fair elections are actually secured, and demands ending the filibuster and reforming the Supreme Court, including term limits for justices, because campaign finance reform is impossible without a Court willing to allow it. Wikler argues America is in the greatest period of political instability in its history, that inequality now exceeds the Gilded Age, that gerrymandering has left millions of people without a meaningful vote, and that both party bases increasingly want to fight more than they want to win — while swing and non-voters have simply given up on the system itself. He rejects the tired rebuilders-versus-renovators binary: FDR's Social Security pitch was a huge swing, incrementalism was the only path to Obamacare, and the actual art of politics is starting from values and vision and then figuring out what can pass. The conversation gets specific about Wisconsin and about trust. Wikler pushes back on the idea that Francesca Hong is too "Madison" for a statewide race, notes she's spent years traveling and listening across the state, and calls Tom Tiffany an election denier who is genuinely beatable in a cycle where affordability is the central issue. He and Chuck work through the puzzle of why Tony Evers' calm, steady approach succeeded where Biden's didn't — Evers came out forcefully against Dobbs, and, more fundamentally, you have to convince a majority of voters that government can actually work, which means doing what you said you'd do and then relentlessly telling people you did it. Wikler points to pandemic relief as the cautionary tale: those programs dramatically improved life for lower-income voters, the child tax credit cut child poverty in half, and then it all expired and Democrats got punished for the loss rather than credited for the gain — with an extension that had bipartisan support dying anyway, because the filibuster exists largely to deprive the other side of a win. He credits Ken Martin for investing in state parties, argues Democrats don't need a 50-state strategy so much as fifty different state strategies since the coalition looks different everywhere, and concedes that Trump has been the most successful Republican of this era, spawning an army of mini-mes modeling themselves on him. And yes, Chuck asks the obvious question — why not run for Senate yourself? Thanks to the sponsors of The Chuck ToddCast: Upgrade your everyday. Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck / *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Ben Wikler joins The Chuck ToddCast 01:00 Ben’s new book is “This Is The Plan” 01:15 What is the plan? 01:45 To get political change we need, we need to change the system 02:30 To secure free & fair elections, need to win at the state level 03:00 We need an end to the filibuster and Supreme Court reform 03:45 There’s no one office or candidate to get us out of this mess 05:45 We need to win the ring of power, then cast it into Mount Doom 06:15 When the right wins power, they immediately change systems 07:15 We keep having change elections, then not getting change 09:30 We’re in the greatest period of political instability in American history 12:30 Both party bases want to fight more than want to win 13:30 We’re so gerrymandered, people don’t really get a vote 15:00 Swing/Non voters have given up on the system itself 19:30 Are rebuilders or renovators going to win the argument? 20:00 FDR’s social security pitch was a big swing 22:30 Incrimentalism was the only way to pass Obamacare 23:15 The art of politics is values/vision, then figure out what can actually pass 24:15 A party should be able to change laws, then face the voters 25:30 Need to reform the Supreme Court to reform campaign finance laws 26:15 Advocate for term limits for Supreme Court justices in the book 26:45 Inequality is now worse than it was during the Gilded Age 28:00 Is Francesca Hong too “Madison” of a candidate for Wisconsin gov? 28:45 Hong has been traveling the state & listening for years 29:45 Wisconsin Dem gov primary has been topsy turvy 30:45 Tom Tiffany is an election denier & beatable candidate 32:00 Affordability is the central issue this election cycle 34:45 Why did “calming the waters” work for Tony Evers, but not Joe Biden? 35:30 Evers came out very strongly against Dobbs 36:15 You have to convince a majority of the public that government works 38:15 Trust is earned by doing what you say you’ll do, then highlighting it 39:45 Pandemic relief had a massive positive effect on lower income voters 40:15 Those programs stopped, and voters punished Dems for it 41:00 Child tax credit cut child poverty in half, great accomplishment for Dems 41:30 There was bipartisan support for extended tax credit, still didn’t get done 42:00 Filibuster is used to deprive the other side from getting a win 44:30 Politicians can lay out a succession plan, but voters get their say 46:00 Politicians are limited in setting out a succession plan 47:30 How big should the Democratic tent be? 48:30 The coalition looks different in different states 50:00 Donald Trump has been the most successful GOP politician of this era 50:45 Every Republican politician looks to Trump as the model 51:15 Trump has created an army of “mini-mes” 53:00 What Ken Martin is doing right: Building state parties 55:45 Democrats don’t need a 50 state strategy, they need 50 state strategies 56:45 You build a local brand through your actions over time 57:30 When did you first think about running for office? 59:30 Support Tammy Baldwin’s bill to provide live Packers games 1:01:00 Most excited about Jordan Love in the upcoming season 1:02:15 Why wouldn’t you run for the senate?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
With 84 days to the midterms and a six-state primary night ahead, Chuck Todd and Chris Cillizza open on Chuck's least-hedged read of the cycle: Democrats haven't had a good summer, but Republicans have had a worse one, and every macro trend points to something in the neighborhood of 30 House seats and six or seven Senate seats. The only thing holding him back from calling it a pasting is the Democratic brand problem — and they dig into the polling behind it, including why Hillary Clinton's warning that the socialism-and-communism attack could land is worth taking seriously. That leads to the sharpest segment of the episode: whether Abdul El-Sayed needs to give a version of the Kennedy "I don't work for the Pope" or Obama race speech about being a Muslim American, why the traditional consultant advice to ignore it is wrong, and where he'd give it. They then flip the question to the other side, asking whether Josh Shapiro, Jon Ossoff, Rahm Emanuel, or JB Pritzker will face a parallel demand to publicly separate loyalty to the Constitution from loyalty to Israel. The back half is a clinic in reading political spin. Tim Scott's claim that Republicans will hold 54 Senate seats prompts a broader riff on why partisans now get punished for telling the truth, and why both the political industry and the media have built incentives against saying what's obvious. They break down AOC's remarkable weekend — announcing she's freezing her eggs, then telling Jon Karl she hasn't ruled out 2028 — and what it signals about staking a claim to the progressive lane before El-Sayed can. Chuck makes the case that parenthood is a real asset in presidential politics, and they assess whether Ossoff, now climbing the prediction markets, has the hunger and stamina for it, plus why Shapiro sometimes reads as a try-hard. They close with a genuinely angry exchange about Bill Cassidy's Blanche vote, the threats reshaping how senators vote, and a Nats-and-Reds baseball detour. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 84 days out and a six-state primary night ahead 00:45 Previewing the primaries 01:37 Republicans had a worse summer than Democrats 02:49 Trump makes it harder. Congress did nothing to earn reelection 03:14 Why the macro says 30 House seats and 6-7 Senate seats 04:02 Does the nominee even matter in an environment this bad? 05:14 Hillary Clinton's warning about the socialism-communism attack 06:14 In wave years, the losing party always thinks it's found a lifeline 06:45 Where the communism attack could actually work 08:27 Did "Comrade Kamala" actually help Trump in 2024? 09:42 The attack only lands if a seed has already been planted 10:47 The mailbag question: Islamophobia in the Michigan race 11:11 Using El-Sayed's full name isn't even a dog whistle 12:10 Should El-Sayed give an Islam speech? 12:55 Why the consultant advice — stay on affordability — is wrong here 14:13 The Obama-and-Reverend-Wright precedent 15:45 Mike Rogers, Hassan Piker & a false attribution in circulation 17:24 Jackie Robinson, Kennedy, and breaking barriers 20:15 The flip side: will a Jewish candidate face the same demand? 22:10 The line each of them may have to draw on Netanyahu 23:02 Fever swamp vs. what voters actually care about 23:33 The insulting premise, and the Catholic parallel from the 1950s 25:05 Tim Scott tells Manu Raju Republicans will have 54 seats 26:51 Why partisans now get punished for telling the truth 28:49 Scott on Paxton, and what you're required to say out loud 30:42 Why they do the live streams — no election-night patty cake 31:47 The rare politicians who still say it plainly 32:41 AOC announces she's freezing her eggs 33:26 AOC says she's open to 2028 34:45 The El-Sayed factor: a swing-state progressive with more juice 36:23 Chuck's argument: you're a stronger candidate if you're a parent 37:52 Bush, Obama, Biden & families as political assets 38:51 Even Trump's kids softened him in 2016 41:08 The Howard Stern statistic about listeners who hate you 41:24 Ossoff passes Newsom in the Kalshi and Polymarket 2028 odds 42:10 Why Ossoff clearly has the ambition 44:08 Ossoff and Pritzker could bridge the party's divide 45:17 Pritzker's own money and his own record 46:07 Does Mark Kelly have the hunger? Does Wes Moore? 47:47 Where Shapiro crosses from wanting it to trying too hard 48:28 Des Moines in November, and why nobody likes a try-hard 49:18 Cassidy & Blanche 50:40 The part that doesn't get reported: threats to families 51:21 You signed up to put the public ahead of yourself 53:15 Trump tells Punchbowl the voters are angry at Republicans, not him 53:46 Will he actually spend the super PAC money? 54:04 The truth-serum question: would Trump rather be replaced by a Democrat? 54:20 Nats sweep the Reds 55:32 What is wrong with the Cincinnati Reds? 57:42 The Nats' 34-year-old analytics managerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd opens with the Greenland oil expedition, an episode so strange it borders on parody: an American oil company drilling in defiance of another country's laws, with Trump's blessing, and — the detail that breaks the brain — Dr. Phil hired to document the whole thing. It's a fitting overture for a week in which the Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as Attorney General 50-49 at four in the morning before fleeing town for recess, with only Collins and Murkowski defecting. Chuck admits he was wrong; he never thought Blanche would actually get there. What galls him is the surrender it represents. Bill Cassidy's rationale — that Trump "needs someone to tell him no" — is laughable given that Blanche has said outright that the rule of law belongs to Trump and the DOJ won't be independent. John Cornyn's shrug that "there's nothing we can do to rein in the president" is, Chuck argues, the confession of a coward: senators possess the authority and simply refuse to use it, giving away what little leverage they had. The debate has now been reduced to whether the Attorney General is the people's lawyer or the president's. Then takes on the question of why Democratic voters keep rewarding progressives whose politics they don't actually share, and his answer is that half the Democratic electorate did not suddenly become socialist — they're furious about 2024, and specifically about leadership deciding the nominee for them. They didn't dislike Harris; they wanted a choice, and they'd watched the establishment coalesce around Biden in 2020 to produce a presidency that ended with Trump's return. Progressives are the only Democrats willing to say the party screwed up, and voters will give you enormous latitude on the cure if they trust your diagnosis. Chuck illustrates it with a Washington Post story about the Conn brass instrument factory in Ohio, bought by Trump-supporting, tariff-championing investor John Paulson and now closing as production moves offshore — where the disillusioned employees don't plan to vote at all, because they feel the system has failed them for decades. He believes the opening in American politics right now isn't centrism, it's breaking up an establishment that voters believe is more worried about losing donors than losing their votes. He wonders aloud whether the answer is a military leader — he's intrigued by retired General Chris Donahue, essentially Captain America on paper, pushed out by Trump and Hegseth, with credibility across the aisle. Americans are exhausted by being told the other half of the country is the bad guy, they're desperate for honesty and a reboot of a captured government, and the space is wide open for someone to fill it. But Chuck’s closing caution matters: the system is badly screwed up, and that still isn't a reason to burn it all down. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit two different but related events: the signing of the Social Security Act by FDR, and Richard Nixon announcing price and wage controls to combat inflation. Chuck argues that America has always flirted with socialism even if we call it by another name. He also answers listeners questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Upgrade your everyday. Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck / *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 00:30 Trump’s crazy Greenland oil adventure 01:15 Trump is just ignoring the laws of another country 01:45 Craziest detail is oil company hired Dr. Phil to document the expedition 02:15 Trump has gone out of his way to alienate European allies 02:45 Oprah gave us Dr. Oz & Dr. Phil… which is not a good thing 06:45 U.S. senate leaves town for recess after passing funding bill 07:15 Todd Blanche is now the confirmed AG for the United States 08:00 Republicans passed none of the things they said are priorities 09:00 GOP has a trifecta and still can’t get anything done 10:00 Was wrong about Blanche, didn’t think he’d actually get confirmed 10:45 Confirmed 50-49, not surprising Collins & Murkowski defected 11:45 Cassidy’s rationale was “Trump needs someone to tell him no” 12:15 Cassidy’s rationale is laughable 13:15 Even Bill Barr had a line he wouldn’t cross with Trump 14:45 The senate gave away what little leverage they have with Trump 16:00 John Cornyn says “there’s nothing we can do to rein in the president” 16:30 These Republicans are cowards, won’t exercise their authority* 17:00 These senators need to do their job 18:00 Blanche said the rule of law belongs to Trump, DOJ won’t be independent 19:00 Debate is now if AG is the people’s lawyer or the president’s lawyer 19:45 If he were alive, Trump would have nominated Roy Cohn 20:30 You don’t want presidents deciding who gets investigated 21:30 Trump got involved with Reflecting Pool vandal case THIS WEEK 22:30 Trump’s entire life has been about wearing people down 23:15 Republicans have politicized DOJ more than any previous admin 23:45 MAGA’s premise is that two wrongs do make a right 24:15 Does anybody in congress understand the constitution? 25:30 Confirming Blanche will cause more public distrust in DOJ 26:30 Founders never wanted the president to determine rule of law 27:00 Senate didn’t get crypto or college sports bill passed before recess 27:45 Republicans claim SAVE act is existential, didn’t pass it 28:45 Why do voters entertain progressives that don’t align with them? 29:15 Half the democratic electorate didn’t suddenly become socialist 30:30 Democratic voters are pissed off, think party messed up in 2024 31:00 Voters are mad leadership decided who the ‘24 nominee would be 31:30 Voters didn’t dislike Harris, but they wanted a choice 32:30 In 2020, the establishment coalesced around Biden 33:15 Biden’s presidency was a failure since it resulted in Trump returning 34:00 Progressives are the only Dems saying the party screwed up 35:30 Like Trump, the progressives are saying leadership is full of shit 36:15 Voters will give you latitude on the cure if they trust your diagnosis 37:00 WaPo story about Conn factory closing & private equity 38:00 Factory is in Ohio, been making brass instruments 38:45 Factory is closing and laying off all the employees 39:30 Conn was bought by John Paulson, Trump supporter who supports tariffs 40:30 Paulson is moving production offshore after arguing against it 42:00 Plant employees were completely disillusioned with politics 43:00 Employees feel like the system has left them down for decades, won’t vote 44:30 Romney’s loss was due to millions of white voters sitting out entirely 45:15 Trump’s appeal brought those voters back into the electorate 47:15 Voters reward candidates that can diagnose & call out their problems 48:00 Trump proved politically dormant voters can be reactivated 48:30 There’s always a third destination for voters… the couch 49:00 If the two parties don’t reform themselves, they risk being replaced 50:15 The opening isn’t centrism, it’s breaking up the establishment 51:15 Politics requires huge amounts of money, results in capture 52:15 Voters believe reps are more worried about losing donors than their vote 53:00 Competence and morality are not the same thing in politics 53:45 Leaders need to admit that they screwed everything up 54:30 Americans are desperate for a reset & are embracing revolutionaries 55:00 A military leader might be exactly what we need in next president 55:45 Intrigued by retired general Chris Donahue & his resume 56:45 Donahue is basically Captain America & was forced out by Trump & Hegseth 58:15 Someone like Donahue could have the credibility across the aisle 59:30 Politics won’t acknowledge failure if they think it helps the other side 1:00:00 Americans are desperate for honesty & morality in politics 1:01:15 It’s exhausting being told the other half of America is the bad guys 1:03:15 Voters want to preserve the Republic, but don’t trust the leadership 1:04:00 Voters want a reboot, and a government that isn’t captured 1:05:00 The political space is waiting for someone to fill this vacuum 1:06:00 The system is screwed up, but we shouldn’t burn it all down 1:11:00 ToddCast Time Machine - Where America embraces socialism 1:12:30 Socialist policies have come from presidents of both parties 1:13:45 FDR signs the Social Security Act - Nixon announces price & wage controls 1:14:45 Americans worry about prosperity, not ideological consistency 1:17:15 Capitalism was being questioned after the Great Depression 1:17:45 FDR wanted to repair, not replace capitalism 1:18:30 Social Security started as a much smaller program than it is today 1:19:15 Congress continued adding to the program over the years 1:21:15 America imposed price & wage controls during WW2 that went beyond Nixon 1:22:00 August 15, 1971 - Nixon announces price & wage controls 1:23:15 Nixon was desperate to stop inflation 1:24:15 Administration announced ceilings on meat prices, caused shortages 1:25:30 The controls were lifted right before the election 1:26:45 We have plenty of socialist policies called by another name 1:27:45 The policies give the sense of individual control 1:28:30 Americans are allergic to government control over their choices 1:29:15 Government under Trump is acquiring stakes in American companies 1:31:00 America has always been more socialist than we like to admit 1:32:45 Ask Chuck 1:33:00 Are college educated Republican voters on the journey leftward? 1:37:00 How should Abdul El-Sayed respond to racist & Islamophobic attacks? 1:45:30 Do candidates on the same ballot create measurable coattails? 1:50:00 Any chance Republicans voted for El-Sayed thinking he’d be easier to beat? 1:53:00 Was Pirro’s dropping of Reflecting Pool case an offramp for Trump? 1:56:00 How does an everyday person help make real political change?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd opens with the Greenland oil expedition, an episode so strange it borders on parody: an American oil company drilling in defiance of another country's laws, with Trump's blessing, and — the detail that breaks the brain — Dr. Phil hired to document the whole thing. It's a fitting overture for a week in which the Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as Attorney General 50-49 at four in the morning before fleeing town for recess, with only Collins and Murkowski defecting. Chuck admits he was wrong; he never thought Blanche would actually get there. What galls him is the surrender it represents. Bill Cassidy's rationale — that Trump "needs someone to tell him no" — is laughable given that Blanche has said outright that the rule of law belongs to Trump and the DOJ won't be independent. John Cornyn's shrug that "there's nothing we can do to rein in the president" is, Chuck argues, the confession of a coward: senators possess the authority and simply refuse to use it, giving away what little leverage they had. The debate has now been reduced to whether the Attorney General is the people's lawyer or the president's. Then takes on the question of why Democratic voters keep rewarding progressives whose politics they don't actually share, and his answer is that half the Democratic electorate did not suddenly become socialist — they're furious about 2024, and specifically about leadership deciding the nominee for them. They didn't dislike Harris; they wanted a choice, and they'd watched the establishment coalesce around Biden in 2020 to produce a presidency that ended with Trump's return. Progressives are the only Democrats willing to say the party screwed up, and voters will give you enormous latitude on the cure if they trust your diagnosis. Chuck illustrates it with a Washington Post story about the Conn brass instrument factory in Ohio, bought by Trump-supporting, tariff-championing investor John Paulson and now closing as production moves offshore — where the disillusioned employees don't plan to vote at all, because they feel the system has failed them for decades. He believes the opening in American politics right now isn't centrism, it's breaking up an establishment that voters believe is more worried about losing donors than losing their votes. He wonders aloud whether the answer is a military leader — he's intrigued by retired General Chris Donahue, essentially Captain America on paper, pushed out by Trump and Hegseth, with credibility across the aisle. Americans are exhausted by being told the other half of the country is the bad guy, they're desperate for honesty and a reboot of a captured government, and the space is wide open for someone to fill it. But Chuck’s closing caution matters: the system is badly screwed up, and that still isn't a reason to burn it all down. Then, Oscar-nominated documentarian Rory Kennedy joins the Chuck Toddcast to discuss Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing, her Netflix follow-up to 2022's Downfall premiering August 19th — a film built around the death of whistleblower John Barnett and the current and former employees who came forward after it. Kennedy's central finding is damning in its simplicity: at the end of Downfall, Boeing swore it had learned its lesson and changed its ways. It hadn't. More incidents followed, whistleblowers reached out to tell her conditions had actually gotten worse, and she says she believes Boeing bears responsibility for Barnett's death. Kennedy walks Chuck through the structural rot she sees behind the headlines — a near-total lack of competition, a revolving door between the FAA and the company it's supposed to regulate, a McDonnell Douglas merger that reoriented the entire culture around quarterly earnings instead of engineering excellence, and the decision to leave Seattle in search of a non-union workforce — which matters enormously, she notes, because unions are what give workers real whistleblower protection. Boeing is simultaneously one of the most heavily subsidized companies in American history and, right now, one that isn't being held accountable in any meaningful way. Kennedy is unusually direct about the practical takeaway: she won't fly on a 737 MAX and actively chooses flights on other aircraft, pointing out the counterintuitive reality that older model planes are often the safer bet — a consumer shift that has hit budget airlines hardest. She and Chuck get into the incidents that never made national news, including oxygen masks that failed to work, and she's blunt that the Trump administration hasn't provided anything resembling adequate regulatory oversight while families of the 346 crash victims are still fighting to hold the company responsible. Kennedy sees this fall's elections as a genuine chance to put people in place who care about the flying public, and reflects candidly on how she's feeling about American politics generally — that this administration is making choices that are hurting a lot of people. There's also a lovely detour into Ethel, her documentary about her mother, which she says holds a special place in her heart, plus a look at what she's working on next. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit two different but related events: the signing of the Social Security Act by FDR, and Richard Nixon announcing price and wage controls to combat inflation. Chuck argues that America has always flirted with socialism even if we call it by another name. He also answers listeners questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Upgrade your everyday. Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck / *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 00:30 Trump’s crazy Greenland oil adventure 01:15 Trump is just ignoring the laws of another country 01:45 Craziest detail is oil company hired Dr. Phil to document the expedition 02:15 Trump has gone out of his way to alienate European allies 02:45 Oprah gave us Dr. Oz & Dr. Phil… which is not a good thing 06:45 U.S. senate leaves town for recess after passing funding bill 07:15 Todd Blanche is now the confirmed AG for the United States 08:00 Republicans passed none of the things they said are priorities 09:00 GOP has a trifecta and still can’t get anything done 10:00 Was wrong about Blanche, didn’t think he’d actually get confirmed 10:45 Confirmed 50-49, not surprising Collins & Murkowski defected 11:45 Cassidy’s rationale was “Trump needs someone to tell him no” 12:15 Cassidy’s rationale is laughable 13:15 Even Bill Barr had a line he wouldn’t cross with Trump 14:45 The senate gave away what little leverage they have with Trump 16:00 John Cornyn says “there’s nothing we can do to rein in the president” 16:30 These Republicans are cowards, won’t exercise their authority* 17:00 These senators need to do their job 18:00 Blanche said the rule of law belongs to Trump, DOJ won’t be independent 19:00 Debate is now if AG is the people’s lawyer or the president’s lawyer 19:45 If he were alive, Trump would have nominated Roy Cohn 20:30 You don’t want presidents deciding who gets investigated 21:30 Trump got involved with Reflecting Pool vandal case THIS WEEK 22:30 Trump’s entire life has been about wearing people down 23:15 Republicans have politicized DOJ more than any previous admin 23:45 MAGA’s premise is that two wrongs do make a right 24:15 Does anybody in congress understand the constitution? 25:30 Confirming Blanche will cause more public distrust in DOJ 26:30 Founders never wanted the president to determine rule of law 27:00 Senate didn’t get crypto or college sports bill passed before recess 27:45 Republicans claim SAVE act is existential, didn’t pass it 28:45 Why do voters entertain progressives that don’t align with them? 29:15 Half the democratic electorate didn’t suddenly become socialist 30:30 Democratic voters are pissed off, think party messed up in 2024 31:00 Voters are mad leadership decided who the ‘24 nominee would be 31:30 Voters didn’t dislike Harris, but they wanted a choice 32:30 In 2020, the establishment coalesced around Biden 33:15 Biden’s presidency was a failure since it resulted in Trump returning 34:00 Progressives are the only Dems saying the party screwed up 35:30 Like Trump, the progressives are saying leadership is full of shit 36:15 Voters will give you latitude on the cure if they trust your diagnosis 37:00 WaPo story about Conn factory closing & private equity 38:00 Factory is in Ohio, been making brass instruments 38:45 Factory is closing and laying off all the employees 39:30 Conn was bought by John Paulson, Trump supporter who supports tariffs 40:30 Paulson is moving production offshore after arguing against it 42:00 Plant employees were completely disillusioned with politics 43:00 Employees feel like the system has left them down for decades, won’t vote 44:30 Romney’s loss was due to millions of white voters sitting out entirely 45:15 Trump’s appeal brought those voters back into the electorate 47:15 Voters reward candidates that can diagnose & call out their problems 48:00 Trump proved politically dormant voters can be reactivated 48:30 There’s always a third destination for voters… the couch 49:00 If the two parties don’t reform themselves, they risk being replaced 50:15 The opening isn’t centrism, it’s breaking up the establishment 51:15 Politics requires huge amounts of money, results in capture 52:15 Voters believe reps are more worried about losing donors than their vote 53:00 Competence and morality are not the same thing in politics 53:45 Leaders need to admit that they screwed everything up 54:30 Americans are desperate for a reset & are embracing revolutionaries 55:00 A military leader might be exactly what we need in next president 55:45 Intrigued by retired general Chris Donahue & his resume 56:45 Donahue is basically Captain America & was forced out by Trump & Hegseth 58:15 Someone like Donahue could have the credibility across the aisle 59:30 Politics won’t acknowledge failure if they think it helps the other side 1:00:00 Americans are desperate for honesty & morality in politics 1:01:15 It’s exhausting being told the other half of America is the bad guys 1:03:15 Voters want to preserve the Republic, but don’t trust the leadership 1:04:00 Voters want a reboot, and a government that isn’t captured 1:05:00 The political space is waiting for someone to fill this vacuum 1:06:00 The system is screwed up, but we shouldn’t burn it all down 1:13:00 Rory Kennedy (Freefall) joins the Chuck ToddCast 1:14:30 Documentary “Ethel” about her mother holds special place in her heart 1:15:30 It became evident that Boeing knew about faulty systems on 737 MAX 1:16:15 Boeing swore they’d change, then more incidents happened 1:17:15 Believe Boeing is responsible for whistleblower John Barnett’s death 1:19:15 Lack of competition is one of the reasons Boeing has been sloppy 1:20:15 There’s a revolving door between the FAA and Boeing 1:22:00 Are Boeing’s problems coming from a single source, or multiple? 1:23:45 Boeing has long been a foundational American company 1:24:30 Parts for Boeing planes come from all over the world 1:26:00 Whistleblowers reached out to say problems had gotten worse 1:27:00 Right now, Boeing isn’t being held accountable 1:27:30 Haven’t seen Boeing make significant changes 1:29:15 Focus on profits and quarterly earnings outweighed safety 1:30:00 Boeing is one of the most subsidized companies in US history 1:31:00 McDonnell-Douglas merger has contributed to Boeing’s downfall 1:33:30 Wouldn’t fly on a 737 MAX and choose flights on other planes 1:36:00 Consumers choosing not to fly on the 737 MAX hurt budget airlines 1:37:00 Older model planes are actually safer 1:38:30 Decision to leave Seattle was to find a non-union workforce 1:39:45 Unions protect workers, give them whistleblower protection 1:41:00 Airbus is a better run company than Boeing 1:42:30 Boeing and Airbus are the only two options 1:44:45 The Trump administration hasn’t provided proper regulation for Boeing 1:45:15 Families of crash victims are still trying to hold Boeing responsible 1:48:15 Elections this fall could put people in place who care about the public 1:49:45 Incidents where the oxygen masks weren’t working 1:51:30 How are you feeling about politics these days? 1:52:00 Administration is making choices that are hurting a lot of people 1:53:30 What projects do you have coming up next? 1:56:00 Had a screening at Boeing with top executives 1:57:15 ToddCast Time Machine - Where America embraces socialism 1:58:45 Socialist policies have come from presidents of both parties 2:00:00 FDR signs the Social Security Act - Nixon announces price & wage controls 2:01:00 Americans worry about prosperity, not ideological consistency 2:03:30 Capitalism was being questioned after the Great Depression 2:04:00 FDR wanted to repair, not replace capitalism 2:04:45 Social Security started as a much smaller program than it is today 2:05:30 Congress continued adding to the program over the years 2:07:30 America imposed price & wage controls during WW2 that went beyond Nixon 2:08:15 August 15, 1971 - Nixon announces price & wage controls 2:09:30 Nixon was desperate to stop inflation 2:10:30 Administration announced ceilings on meat prices, caused shortages 2:11:45 The controls were lifted right before the election 2:13:00 We have plenty of socialist policies called by another name 2:14:00 The policies give the sense of individual control 2:14:45 Americans are allergic to government control over their choices 2:15:30 Government under Trump is acquiring stakes in American companies 2:17:15 America has always been more socialist than we like to admit 2:19:00 Ask Chuck 2:19:15 Are college educated Republican voters on the journey leftward? 2:23:15 How should Abdul El-Sayed respond to racist & Islamophobic attacks? 2:31:45 Do candidates on the same ballot create measurable coattails? 2:36:15 Any chance Republicans voted for El-Sayed thinking he’d be easier to beat? 2:39:15 Was Pirro’s dropping of Reflecting Pool case an offramp for Trump? 2:42:15 How does an everyday person help make real political change?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oscar-nominated documentarian Rory Kennedy joins the Chuck Toddcast to discuss Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing, her Netflix follow-up to 2022's Downfall premiering August 19th — a film built around the death of whistleblower John Barnett and the current and former employees who came forward after it. Kennedy's central finding is damning in its simplicity: at the end of Downfall, Boeing swore it had learned its lesson and changed its ways. It hadn't. More incidents followed, whistleblowers reached out to tell her conditions had actually gotten worse, and she says she believes Boeing bears responsibility for Barnett's death. Kennedy walks Chuck through the structural rot she sees behind the headlines — a near-total lack of competition, a revolving door between the FAA and the company it's supposed to regulate, a McDonnell Douglas merger that reoriented the entire culture around quarterly earnings instead of engineering excellence, and the decision to leave Seattle in search of a non-union workforce — which matters enormously, she notes, because unions are what give workers real whistleblower protection. Boeing is simultaneously one of the most heavily subsidized companies in American history and, right now, one that isn't being held accountable in any meaningful way. Kennedy is unusually direct about the practical takeaway: she won't fly on a 737 MAX and actively chooses flights on other aircraft, pointing out the counterintuitive reality that older model planes are often the safer bet — a consumer shift that has hit budget airlines hardest. She and Chuck get into the incidents that never made national news, including oxygen masks that failed to work, and she's blunt that the Trump administration hasn't provided anything resembling adequate regulatory oversight while families of the 346 crash victims are still fighting to hold the company responsible. Kennedy sees this fall's elections as a genuine chance to put people in place who care about the flying public, and reflects candidly on how she's feeling about American politics generally — that this administration is making choices that are hurting a lot of people. There's also a lovely detour into Ethel, her documentary about her mother, which she says holds a special place in her heart, plus a look at what she's working on next. Upgrade your everyday. Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck / *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: 00:00 Rory Kennedy (Freefall) joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:30 Documentary “Ethel” about her mother holds special place in her heart 02:30 It became evident that Boeing knew about faulty systems on 737 MAX 03:15 Boeing swore they’d change, then more incidents happened 04:15 Believe Boeing is responsible for whistleblower John Barnett’s death 06:15 Lack of competition is one of the reasons Boeing has been sloppy 07:15 There’s a revolving door between the FAA and Boeing 09:00 Are Boeing’s problems coming from a single source, or multiple? 10:45 Boeing has long been a foundational American company 11:30 Parts for Boeing planes come from all over the world 13:00 Whistleblowers reached out to say problems had gotten worse 14:00 Right now, Boeing isn’t being held accountable 14:30 Haven’t seen Boeing make significant changes 16:15 Focus on profits and quarterly earnings outweighed safety 17:00 Boeing is one of the most subsidized companies in US history 18:00 McDonell-Douglas merger has contributed to Boeing’s downfall 20:30 Wouldn’t fly on a 737 Max and choose flights on other planes 23:00 Consumers choosing not to fly on the 737 Max hurt budget airlines 24:00 Older model planes are actually safer 25:30 Decision to leave Seattle was to find a non-union workforce 26:45 Unions protect workers, give them whistleblower protection 28:00 Airbus is a better run company than Boeing 29:30 Boeing and Airbus are the only two options 31:45 The Trump administration hasn’t provided proper regulation for Boeing 32:15 Families of crash victims are still trying to hold Boeing responsible 35:15 Elections this fall could put people in place who care about the public 36:45 Incidents where the oxygen masks weren’t working 38:30 How are you feeling about politics these days? 39:00 Administration is making choices that are hurting a lot of people 40:30 What projects do you have coming up next? 43:00 Had a screening at Boeing with top executivesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd breaks down a primary night that scrambled the Senate map, starting in Michigan where Abdul El-Sayed edged Rep. Haley Stevens by roughly 20,000 votes — overcoming a nearly 8-to-1 spending disadvantage in what became the most expensive Senate primary in American history. He argues the narrow margin was actually the best thing that could have happened to El-Sayed, and while Michigan is now a harder general election for Democrats against Mike Rogers, El-Sayed can absolutely win it. The most fascinating data point buried in the results: El-Sayed carried Grand Rapids and Kent County, a place that was solidly Republican for decades, evidence that there's a growing white progressive vote reshaping the Midwest. He pushes back on the sloppy way analysts label party factions, preferring "movement" versus "governing" factions to the usual progressive-moderate shorthand, notes that electability is always situational, and cautions that money makes races competitive without guaranteeing wins. He flags that Wisconsin is now the next big test, where nobody should assume Francesca Hong runs away with it. He also spotlights results that flew under the radar: pastor Adam Hamilton beat ten other Democrats to become nominee Republicans will struggle to caricature against Roger Marshall, meaning Kansas joins Iowa as a genuine pickup opportunity in a cycle where Trump's tariffs have wrecked agricultural states. Republicans, meanwhile, leaned into Islamophobia against El-Sayed on day one, which Chuck suspects could badly boomerang. He argues the GOP would love to be rid of Max Miller, whose personal issues could drag down Bernie Moreno, though even replacing him may cost the GOP three to five points — and closes on the surreal spectacle of a president losing an increasingly global war while obsessing over his reflecting pool: Jeanine Pirro thought she could say one thing publicly and another in court, Trump says she "choked" when really she choked on reality, and Chuck’s read is that Trump wanted a headline more than a case, may be lashing out precisely because he's lost control of everything else, is desperate to get out of Iran, and might find that handing over the Strait is the least humiliating option left — all while his grip on his own voters keeps weakening. Finally Chuck presents his ToddCast Top 5 most vulnerable Democratic seats… and couldn’t make it to 5. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 04:45 Review of Tuesday’s primary results 05:30 Michigan now harder for Dems in general, but El-Sayed can win 06:30 Wisconsin primary will be next big test of divide in Democratic party 08:45 Almost losing was the best thing that could have happened to El-Sayed 09:30 Republicans don’t have many senate pickup opportunities 11:30 El-Sayed’s winning margin will be less than 20k votes13:00 El-Sayed won the race in Grand Rapids 14:15 Kent county was solidly Republican for decades 16:30 The moderate/Gerald Ford Republicans aren’t voting for the GOP 17:30 There’s a growing white, progressive vote 19:45 In 2016 many people voted for Bernie out of protest for Clinton 20:30 Fascinating that Grand Rapids became a progressive stronghold 23:00 Analysts have a hard time characterizing factions inside parties 23:45 Prefer the label of “movement” vs. “governing” factions 24:45 Electability depends on the state and the situation 25:15 Money makes races more competitive, doesn’t guarantee victory 27:30 Progressives will need a crowded primary in 2028 to win 29:15 Don’t assume Francesca Hong will run away in Dem primary in WI 31:45 Big questions loom over Wisconsin primary 33:15 Some big results in Kansas flew under the radar 34:45 Founders didn’t want judges to be elected & subject to voters 35:15 Kansas rejected elections for state Supreme Court 36:30 On day one, Republicans leaned into Islamophobia against El-Sayed 37:00 The Islamophobia could boomerang on Republicans 37:45 Dems keep putting more senate seats in play, Kansas is now one 38:15 Adam Hamilton is pastor of huge church in Kansas 39:00 Hamilton has been a bridge builder, and beat 10 other Dems 39:45 Republicans will have a hard time making a caricature of Hamilton 40:30 Hamilton will have an unusual constituency going into the race 41:30 Roger Marshall has never had a stress test in a general election 43:00 Trump’s tariffs have caused huge problems in agriculture states 44:30 Iowa and Kansas are real pickup chances for Democrats 46:00 Missouri voters sent a message on the issue of taxes 46:45 Trump has long wanted to scrap income taxes 47:30 Voters reject a high sales tax replacing income tax 49:00 Tax credits for the KC Chiefs stadium was a political loser 49:30 Voters don’t like subsidizing rich people 50:00 More stories of Republican men behaving badly 50:15 Republicans would love to get rid of Max Miller 50:45 Trump always sides with the accused over the women 51:30 Max Miller has serious personal issues 52:45 Miller could have hurt Bernie Moreno politically 53:45 Multiple disgraced former members of congress in same race in Florida 55:00 Even if Miller is replaced, the party could face a 3-5 point penalty 55:45 Iran war is going sideways & Trump is worried about Reflecting Pool 56:30 Jeanine Pirro thought she could say one thing in public & another in court 57:15 Trump says she “choked”... she choked on reality 58:00 Trump doesn’t care the facts didn’t meet the case, wanted a headline 58:30 Maybe he’s angry because he’s lost control of everything else, like Iran 59:30 Trump is desperate to get out of the war 1:00:30 Chance of the war going global is uncomfortably high 1:01:30 Trump handing over the Strait might be least humiliating option 1:02:00 Reflecting pool may be the thing Trump feels he has control over 1:02:45 Trump’s grip on his voters has weakened 1:08:00 ToddCast Top 5 Vulnerable Democratic Held Seats 1:10:45 #1 Kansas governor 1:12:15 #2 Michigan senate 1:14:00 #3 Oregon governor 1:15:15 #4 Wisconsin governor 1:16:45 #5 None - There aren’t that many vulnerable Dem seats 1:19:45 Ask Chuck 1:20:00 Is presidential health the only thing an administration can hide? 1:23:30 Thoughts on the World Cup & sportsmanship displayed? 1:25:00 Thoughts on the Fauci hearings? 1:32:00 Do bipartisan letters to the White House actually work? 1:34:30 Has politics discouraged a better investigation into the Butler shooting? 1:38:45 Does growing physical separation between public & leaders heighten their bubble?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd breaks down a primary night that scrambled the Senate map, starting in Michigan where Abdul El-Sayed edged Rep. Haley Stevens by roughly 20,000 votes — overcoming a nearly 8-to-1 spending disadvantage in what became the most expensive Senate primary in American history. He argues the narrow margin was actually the best thing that could have happened to El-Sayed, and while Michigan is now a harder general election for Democrats against Mike Rogers, El-Sayed can absolutely win it. The most fascinating data point buried in the results: El-Sayed carried Grand Rapids and Kent County, a place that was solidly Republican for decades, evidence that there's a growing white progressive vote reshaping the Midwest. He pushes back on the sloppy way analysts label party factions, preferring "movement" versus "governing" factions to the usual progressive-moderate shorthand, notes that electability is always situational, and cautions that money makes races competitive without guaranteeing wins. He flags that Wisconsin is now the next big test, where nobody should assume Francesca Hong runs away with it. He also spotlights results that flew under the radar: pastor Adam Hamilton beat ten other Democrats to become nominee Republicans will struggle to caricature against Roger Marshall, meaning Kansas joins Iowa as a genuine pickup opportunity in a cycle where Trump's tariffs have wrecked agricultural states. Republicans, meanwhile, leaned into Islamophobia against El-Sayed on day one, which Chuck suspects could badly boomerang. He argues the GOP would love to be rid of Max Miller, whose personal issues could drag down Bernie Moreno, though even replacing him may cost the GOP three to five points — and closes on the surreal spectacle of a president losing an increasingly global war while obsessing over his reflecting pool: Jeanine Pirro thought she could say one thing publicly and another in court, Trump says she "choked" when really she choked on reality, and Chuck’s read is that Trump wanted a headline more than a case, may be lashing out precisely because he's lost control of everything else, is desperate to get out of Iran, and might find that handing over the Strait is the least humiliating option left — all while his grip on his own voters keeps weakening. Then, writer-director Michael Russell Gunn joins the Chuck Toddcast to discuss The Brink of War, his feature debut about the 1986 Reykjavík Summit, hitting theaters August 14th with Jeff Daniels as Reagan, Jared Harris as Gorbachev, and J.K. Simmons as George Shultz. The film's origin story is its own remarkable piece of history: Gunn interviewed Shultz before his death in 2021, and Shultz handed him the declassified summit transcripts that became the script — the first scene between Reagan and Gorbachev is verbatim from that record. Gunn's argument for why this story matters right now is simple and pointed: these were two men with every reason to hate each other who sat in a room and tried to build a better world, at a moment when Americans have gotten very good at yelling and very bad at talking. He walks Chuck through what most people get wrong about Reykjavík — that Gorbachev was far younger than memory suggests, with no personal recollection of World War II (he brought the last WWII-era Soviet general with him to Iceland), that adversaries are always more politically divided internally than we perceive from the outside, and that the summit is simultaneously remembered as a triumph and a failure because a deal to eliminate every nuclear weapon on earth collapsed over a single word. Gunn notes that Americans instinctively read everything through game theory — winners and losers — while the Soviets understood the talks as one point on a longer arc, which is why Gorbachev rushed to a press conference to declare the whole thing a success. The conversation also works as a genuinely useful look inside how difficult political history gets made in Hollywood. Gunn explains that he assembled the actors and script first and only then went to a studio, that Simmons was hunting for a real challenge and nailed Shultz's accent on the first take, and that Daniels prepared by looping an hour of Reagan interviews through his headphones while biking around Chelsea, Michigan. He talks about the nervousness surrounding the idea of putting the two leaders alone in a room, the enormous goodwill Reagan carried into Reykjavík, and the fact that the whole world genuinely waited on that weekend with bated breath. Gunn is candid about the projects that didn't happen (he wanted to make a film about the Nunn-Lugar amendment and couldn't get it off the ground), the tradeoffs between film and limited series as formats, and why audiences have proven far hungrier for true history than the industry assumes. He and Chuck close on career advice — how Gunn broke in, why you have to "prove it" before anyone green-lights your dream project, and his observation that the things you don't get can end up mattering just as much as the things you do. And for anyone tempted to write off Reykjavík as a failure: the summit paved the way for the INF Treaty a year later, and the world's nuclear arsenals have since come down roughly 90%. Finally Chuck presents his ToddCast Top 5 most vulnerable Democratic seats… and couldn’t make it to 5. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 04:45 Review of Tuesday’s primary results 05:30 Michigan now harder for Dems in general, but El-Sayed can win 06:30 Wisconsin primary will be next big test of divide in Democratic party 08:45 Almost losing was the best thing that could have happened to El-Sayed 09:30 Republicans don’t have many senate pickup opportunities 11:30 El-Sayed’s winning margin will be less than 20k votes13:00 El-Sayed won the race in Grand Rapids 14:15 Kent county was solidly Republican for decades 16:30 The moderate/Gerald Ford Republicans aren’t voting for the GOP 17:30 There’s a growing white, progressive vote 19:45 In 2016 many people voted for Bernie out of protest for Clinton 20:30 Fascinating that Grand Rapids became a progressive stronghold 23:00 Analysts have a hard time characterizing factions inside parties 23:45 Prefer the label of “movement” vs. “governing” factions 24:45 Electability depends on the state and the situation 25:15 Money makes races more competitive, doesn’t guarantee victory 27:30 Progressives will need a crowded primary in 2028 to win 29:15 Don’t assume Francesca Hong will run away in Dem primary in WI 31:45 Big questions loom over Wisconsin primary 33:15 Some big results in Kansas flew under the radar 34:45 Founders didn’t want judges to be elected & subject to voters 35:15 Kansas rejected elections for state Supreme Court 36:30 On day one, Republicans leaned into Islamophobia against El-Sayed 37:00 The Islamophobia could boomerang on Republicans 37:45 Dems keep putting more senate seats in play, Kansas is now one 38:15 Adam Hamilton is pastor of huge church in Kansas 39:00 Hamilton has been a bridge builder, and beat 10 other Dems 39:45 Republicans will have a hard time making a caricature of Hamilton 40:30 Hamilton will have an unusual constituency going into the race 41:30 Roger Marshall has never had a stress test in a general election 43:00 Trump’s tariffs have caused huge problems in agriculture states 44:30 Iowa and Kansas are real pickup chances for Democrats 46:00 Missouri voters sent a message on the issue of taxes 46:45 Trump has long wanted to scrap income taxes 47:30 Voters reject a high sales tax replacing income tax 49:00 Tax credits for the KC Chiefs stadium was a political loser 49:30 Voters don’t like subsidizing rich people 50:00 More stories of Republican men behaving badly 50:15 Republicans would love to get rid of Max Miller 50:45 Trump always sides with the accused over the women 51:30 Max Miller has serious personal issues 52:45 Miller could have hurt Bernie Moreno politically 53:45 Multiple disgraced former members of congress in same race in Florida 55:00 Even if Miller is replaced, the party could face a 3-5 point penalty 55:45 Iran war is going sideways & Trump is worried about Reflecting Pool 56:30 Jeanine Pirro thought she could say one thing in public & another in court 57:15 Trump says she “choked”... she choked on reality 58:00 Trump doesn’t care the facts didn’t meet the case, wanted a headline 58:30 Maybe he’s angry because he’s lost control of everything else, like Iran 59:30 Trump is desperate to get out of the war 1:00:30 Chance of the war going global is uncomfortably high 1:01:30 Trump handing over the Strait might be least humiliating option 1:02:00 Reflecting pool may be the thing Trump feels he has control over 1:02:45 Trump’s grip on his voters has weakened 1:10:00 Michael Russell Gunn (The Brink of War) joins the Chuck ToddCast 1:12:30 How much time should elapse before telling a historical story? 1:14:45 How strong was Gorbachev viewed at the time of the summits? 1:15:30 We were saved by junior people/officers during the Cold War 1:16:00 We came very close to nuclear armageddon 1:17:30 Gorbachev is remembered as older than he actually was 1:18:30 Gorbachev didn’t have any memory of World War 2 1:19:30 Gorbachev brought last WW2 era general to Reykjavik 1:21:15 Adversaries are more politically divided than we perceive them 1:22:00 Reykjavik is considered both a success and a failure 1:22:30 There was a deal to get rid of every nuke, one word tanked it 1:23:00 Gorbachev rushed to a press conference to declare conference “great” 1:23:45 Reagan and Gorbachev built a relationship and some trust 1:24:15 This was one of the greatest diplomatic achievements in history 1:25:00 Americans view everything in a game theory context, winners & losers 1:25:30 Soviets viewed talks as one point in an arc 1:26:00 Transcripts of the meeting helped in creating the movie 1:28:00 Wanted to create a movie about the Nunn-Lugar amendment, but couldn’t 1:29:30 Visual of Reagan sitting across from Gorbachev was powerful 1:30:45 First scene between Reagan and Gorbachev was verbatim from transcript 1:32:30 There was something profound about their willingness to engage 1:34:15 There was nervousness about having them alone in a room 1:35:45 Reagan carried immense goodwill from Americans into Reykjavik 1:37:45 The whole world was waiting/watching the summit with bated breath 1:38:30 How close were we to getting rid of nuclear weapons? 1:39:30 We did end up reducing nuclear arsenals by 90% 1:40:00 How did Jeff Daniels prepare to play Reagan? 1:41:45 Difficulty getting mainstream actors to participate in political history? 1:42:30 How’d you pull off getting a difficult topic approved and made? 1:43:15 Got the actors and script first, then went to the studio 1:44:00 JK Simmons was looking for a real challenge 1:45:15 George Shultz is an unsung hero of American history 1:46:00 JK Simmons nailed Shultz's accent on the first take 1:47:45 You’re given more breadth in film, but not more time to produce it 1:50:30 What is the better format to tell a story? Movie, limited series etc. 1:53:00 Audiences have proven to be hungry for true history stories 1:55:15 What’s your dream project? 1:56:30 Need to “prove it” in order to get your dream project approved 1:59:15 Career advice? How did you break in and succeed in the business? 2:00:45 Things you don’t get can be just as important as what you do get 2:02:00 ToddCast Top 5 Vulnerable Democratic Held Seats 2:04:45 #1 Kansas governor 2:06:15 #2 Michigan senate 2:08:00 #3 Oregon governor 2:09:15 #4 Wisconsin governor 2:10:45 #5 None - There aren’t that many vulnerable Dem seats 2:13:45 Ask Chuck 2:14:00 Is presidential health the only thing an administration can hide? 2:17:30 Thoughts on the World Cup & sportsmanship displayed? 2:19:00 Thoughts on the Fauci hearings? 2:26:00 Do bipartisan letters to the White House actually work? 2:28:30 Has politics discouraged a better investigation into the Butler shooting? 2:32:45 Does growing physical separation between public & leaders heighten their bubble?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Writer-director Michael Russell Gunn joins the Chuck Toddcast to discuss The Brink of War, his feature debut about the 1986 Reykjavík Summit, hitting theaters August 14th with Jeff Daniels as Reagan, Jared Harris as Gorbachev, and J.K. Simmons as George Shultz. The film's origin story is its own remarkable piece of history: Gunn interviewed Shultz before his death in 2021, and Shultz handed him the declassified summit transcripts that became the script — the first scene between Reagan and Gorbachev is verbatim from that record. Gunn's argument for why this story matters right now is simple and pointed: these were two men with every reason to hate each other who sat in a room and tried to build a better world, at a moment when Americans have gotten very good at yelling and very bad at talking. He walks Chuck through what most people get wrong about Reykjavík — that Gorbachev was far younger than memory suggests, with no personal recollection of World War II (he brought the last WWII-era Soviet general with him to Iceland), that adversaries are always more politically divided internally than we perceive from the outside, and that the summit is simultaneously remembered as a triumph and a failure because a deal to eliminate every nuclear weapon on earth collapsed over a single word. Gunn notes that Americans instinctively read everything through game theory — winners and losers — while the Soviets understood the talks as one point on a longer arc, which is why Gorbachev rushed to a press conference to declare the whole thing a success. The conversation also works as a genuinely useful look inside how difficult political history gets made in Hollywood. Gunn explains that he assembled the actors and script first and only then went to a studio, that Simmons was hunting for a real challenge and nailed Shultz's accent on the first take, and that Daniels prepared by looping an hour of Reagan interviews through his headphones while biking around Chelsea, Michigan. He talks about the nervousness surrounding the idea of putting the two leaders alone in a room, the enormous goodwill Reagan carried into Reykjavík, and the fact that the whole world genuinely waited on that weekend with bated breath. Gunn is candid about the projects that didn't happen (he wanted to make a film about the Nunn-Lugar amendment and couldn't get it off the ground), the tradeoffs between film and limited series as formats, and why audiences have proven far hungrier for true history than the industry assumes. He and Chuck close on career advice — how Gunn broke in, why you have to "prove it" before anyone green-lights your dream project, and his observation that the things you don't get can end up mattering just as much as the things you do. And for anyone tempted to write off Reykjavík as a failure: the summit paved the way for the INF Treaty a year later, and the world's nuclear arsenals have since come down roughly 90%. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Michael Russell Gunn (The Brink of War) joins the Chuck ToddCast 02:30 How much time should elapse before telling a historical story? 04:45 How strong was Gorbachev viewed at the time of the summits? 05:30 We were saved by junior people/officers during the Cold War 06:00 We came very close to nuclear armageddon 07:30 Gorbachev is remembered as older than he actually was 08:30 Gorbachev didn’t have any memory of World War 2 09:30 Gorbachev brought last WW2 era general to Reykjavik 11:15 Adversaries are more politically divided than we perceive them 12:00 Reykjavik is considered both a success and a failure 12:30 There was a deal to get rid of every nuke, one word tanked it 13:00 Gorbachev rushed to a press conference to declare conference “great” 13:45 Reagan and Gorbachev built a relationship and some trust 14:15 This was one of the greatest diplomatic achievements in history 15:00 Americans view everything in a game theory context, winners & losers 15:30 Soviets viewed talks as one point in an arc 16:00 Transcripts of the meeting helped in creating the movie 18:00 Wanted to create a movie about the Nunn-Lugar amendment, but couldn’t 19:30 Visual of Reagan sitting across from Gorbachev was powerful 20:45 First scene between Reagan and Gorbachev was verbatim from transcript 22:30 There was something profound about their willingness to engage 24:15 There was nervousness about having them alone in a room 25:45 Reagan carried immense goodwill from Americans into Reykjavik 27:45 The whole world was waiting/waiting the summit with bated breath 28:30 How close were we to getting rid of nuclear weapons? 29:30 We did end up reducing nuclear arsenals by 90% 30:00 How did Jeff Daniels prepare to play Reagan? 31:45 Difficulty getting mainstream actors to participate in political history? 32:30 How’d you pull off getting a difficult topic approved and made? 33:15 Got the actors and script first, then went to the studio 34:00 JK Simmons was looking for a real challenge 35:15 George Shultz is an unsung hero of American history 36:00 JK Simmons nailed Shultz's accent on the first take 37:45 You’re given more breadth in film, but not more time to produce it 40:30 What is the better format to tell a story? Movie, limited series etc 43:00 Audiences have proven to be hungry for true history stories 45:15 What’s your dream project? 46:30 Need to “prove it” in order to get your dream project approved 49:15 Career advice? How did you break in and succeed in the business? 50:45 Things you don’t get can be just as important as what you do getSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd and Chris Cillizza burn the midnight oil for a rare Wednesday drop, breaking down a Michigan Senate primary that became the most expensive Democratic Senate primary contest in U.S. history and a genuine proxy war over the party's future. With Abdul El-Sayed leading Haley Stevens by a far narrower margin than the polling suggested, the guys unpack why Michigan is so hard to poll, why Black voters are routinely under-sampled in primary surveys, and what it says that the Whitmer-and-labor-backed machine kept this close — a double-digit El-Sayed win, Chuck argues, would have been a genuine indictment of the establishment. They then game out the general: why Republicans will now dump money into Michigan they'd never have spent against Stevens, why an Islamophobic campaign against El-Sayed could backfire spectacularly, and why the stakes for the progressive movement in 2028 are enormous either way. Plus: how the county-by-county map becomes a strategic document for every 2028 campaign now that Michigan sits in the early window. From there they widen the lens to the sleeper races nobody's watching — Kansas, where megachurch pastor Adam Hamilton emerged from a crowded Democratic field and will face Republican incumbent Roger Marshall in November, plus South Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa, where tariffs, deportations, and the ag economy have made supposedly safe seats interesting. They dig into the ugly Max Miller saga in Ohio ahead of the ballot deadline, why Trump's refusal to push him out is grimly consistent, and the human cost to a family caught in the middle. Then it's a bracing riff on whether Trump actually wants any Republican not named Trump to win in 2028, bearish takes on Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris, a Chuck rant about why abolishing the Senate and packing the Court is magical thinking, and a closing lament about the Nats' fire sale. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 A swing state picks its most liberal Senate nominee ever 00:41 Why Michigan polling is almost always wrong 00:59 The under-polled Black vote and why this race stayed close 01:48 Stevens had the machine — labor, Whitmer, and Wayne County 02:11 Double-digit El-Sayed win is an indictment of the establishment 03:18 The Bernie problem 05:18 Republicans will now spend far more against El-Sayed 05:44 Big money got rejected 06:29 Mike Rogers has never been a great fundraiser 07:16 This is now the only real Republican pickup opportunity 08:16 Maine goes regional — and why Collins is in big trouble 09:20 A loss is a body blow to the progressive movement 13:57 Why they held the episode until Wednesday 14:22 To Kansas: Adam Hamilton, wins the Democratic primary 15:15 Cook moves the race to Likely Republican 16:36 School funding, Johnson County & the issue also lifting Rob Sand 17:49 From anti-Brownback coalition to an actual Democratic Party 18:35 Why South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas are all suddenly live 19:16 Is MAGA angry enough at Thune to punish Rounds? 20:13 Tariffs and deportations have hammered the ag economy 20:38 Nebraska's hard ceiling vs. Kansas's higher ceiling 22:26 Which is closer in November — Kansas or Nebraska? 23:29 Why the Islamophobia play could backfire 24:29 Republicans' $300M advantage and where they'll actually spend it 27:27 Governing wing vs. movement wing 28:02 Why AOC engaged in Michigan but never for Graham Platner 29:03 The nationalization test: Talarico-Paxton or El-Sayed-Rogers? 32:41 The Max Miller deadline 33:38 Why the orchestrated exit didn't happen 34:00 Bernie Moreno, his daughter, and the family at the center of it 36:31 Why this is arguably bigger than the Platner story 38:52 Trump doesn't close the deal 39:53 Trump never accepts assault allegations as disqualifying 40:15 Trump puts himself before the party, always 41:06 Will he actually spend the MAGA Inc. money? 41:52 Trump doesn't want Vance or Rubio to win in 2028 43:41 Don Jr.'s changing online behavior — and what it might signal 45:05 Guilfoyle, Newsom & the weirdest political fact in America 45:31 Bearish on Gavin Newsom 47:38 Harris on abolishing the Electoral College and packing the Court 48:09 Changing the rules because you can't win under them 49:20 Why the Senate exists as a check on extremism 51:33 Both parties crashed this car 51:56 Why Schumer's anti-corruption bills are useless political theater 53:52 Congress was supposed to be the anti-corruption bureau 54:08 The Nats fire sale 55:26 Great franchises try to win now AND later 55:48 Manfred, the Dodgers & the coming salary-cap fightSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd opens with the Iran war's arrival on American soil: hackers have hit water systems across multiple states in one of the most serious cyberattacks on U.S. water infrastructure in years and investigators probing an Iranian link. Trump's response tells you everything about the presidency in its current state — he didn't blame the attacker, he blamed the victim, using the hack as an occasion to attack Minnesota Democrats. Chuck’s question hangs over the whole segment: was Trump briefed on the Iranian connection and went after Minnesota anyway? Either way, the first instinct was to find a Democrat to blame, which Chuck calls a kind of polarization disease that leaves a president caring more about his narrative than about American citizens drinking the water. It fits a pattern the episode keeps circling: Jeanine Pirro presented false evidence to a grand jury blaming a former Olympian for damage to the White House reflecting pool, dropped the case when Interior produced documents proving otherwise, and Trump publicly disagreed with dropping it because he still insists it was vandals. Chuck argues negative information never reaches Trump, and people who bring him bad news don't last long — which is how you end up with a president insisting affordability is a Democratic scam Then, Chuck highlights a Wall Street Journal piece that lays out Trump's corruption — roughly $800 million raised through what amounts to an advertised pay-to-play scheme. Anti-corruption is a devastating midterm message sitting right there for Democrats to pick up… then Chuck Schumer rolled out a bill that Chuck calls a piece of garbage: it wouldn't even cover the conduct in the WSJ story, it's likely unconstitutional because it names individuals, and — most absurdly — it creates a new anti-corruption agency inside the executive branch, meaning a corrupt president would appoint its director and seven board members and, per the Supreme Court, could fire them at will. Congress can already do every bit of the oversight the agency would perform and Schumer's answer to executive corruption is to hand the executive more power and write Congress out of its own job. He closes on Michigan and Wisconsin as the clearest signals of where the Democratic Party is headed — Abdul El-Sayed running a movement inside a Senate race with the explicit goal of changing the party, DSA-endorsed Francesca Wong leading in Wisconsin while the establishment fails to coordinate against her — and on the DSA's new call to abolish the Senate, which Senate Democrats pushed back on without ever defending the institution. Chuck defends it himself: the Senate is a feature, not a bug, a brake on political extremism, and the right response to losing an argument is to win it rather than rewrite the rules. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit Watergate and Richard Nixon’s resignation, and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 06:15 The Iran war has become a global conflict 06:45 Once again Trump issues threats, then walks them back 08:15 War is one of biggest strategic mistakes in decades 09:00 Increased gas prices have cost households additional $560 10:30 CISA warns that Iranian hackers are targeting water infrastructure 11:15 Iran could cause unreliability to the American water supply 13:00 Trump used hacking attacks to blame Minnesota Democrats 13:45 Trump didn’t blame the attacker, he blamed the victim 15:30 Jeanine Pirro blamed former Olympian for damage to reflecting pool 16:00 Dept. of Interior had documents proving otherwise, Pirro dropped case 17:00 Pirro presented false evidence to a grand jury 18:30 Trump publicly disagreed with Pirro dropping case, says it was vandals 19:30 Trump’s staff is shielding him from the truth 21:00 Trump’s lack of understanding reality is terrible for him 21:30 Trump’s low approval is a midterm disaster in the making 23:00 Stephanie Grisham says 85% of negative info is kept from Trump 24:15 People who bring Trump bad news don’t last very long 25:30 Republicans aren’t campaigning like things are going well 26:00 Ken Paxton puts out an affordability agenda, looks like a Dem proposal 27:15 Trump still saying affordability is scam made up by Democrats 28:15 Trump can’t understand the reality of the situation 28:45 Was Trump briefed on Iran hack… then attacked Minnesota anyway? 30:00 Trump’s first instinct was to find a Democrat to blame 30:45 Trump is demented with polarization disease 31:15 Trump cares more about his narrative than American citizens 32:15 Trump is bragging about his grifting an Americans are tired of it 33:15 Anti-Corruption is a massively effective midterm strategy 33:45 Chuck Schumer rolls out a stinker of an anti-corruption bill 34:45 WSJ publishes airtight piece about Trump’s overt corruption 35:45 There’s no buffer or plausible deniability for Trump in the corruption story 36:45 Trump is basically advertising that government is a pay to play scheme 37:45 There’s a list of presidential promises for favors that have been bought 38:15 Trump has raised $800m in pay for play schemes with little accounting 39:00 There is no law outlawing a president from raising unlimited money 39:30 Trump is now the biggest alligator in the swamp 40:15 Schumer’s bill is a piece of garbage, why many senators didn’t sign on 41:45 Jamie Raskin is performing oversight, Schumer wants agency to do it for him 42:30 The bill wouldn’t even cover the corruption outlined by the WSJ story 44:00 The bill is unconstitutional because it names individuals 45:00 Laws can target behavior, not individuals. It’d be thrown out in court 45:45 The agency Schumer proposed would live in the executive branch 46:15 Agency to stop a corrupt president would be staffed by the president?? 47:15 SCOTUS says president can fire the heads of exec branch agencies 48:45 If bill passed, Trump would pick agency head and 7 members of board 49:15 Congress can perform all the oversight the proposed agency would do 50:30 Congress could stop all this corruption if it wanted to 52:00 Schumer’s idea is to hand more power to the executive branch??? 54:30 The plan from congress is to write themselves out of oversight? 57:00 Schumer’s bill will never see the light of day 57:45 Michigan & Wisconsin will show where the Democratic party is headed 59:30 Abdul El-Sayed made clear his goal is to change the Democratic party 1:00:15 His campaign is a movement inside a senate race 1:01:00 Francesca Wong in Wisconsin is frontrunner & endorsed by DSA 1:01:45 Establishment hasn’t coordinated well to stop Wong 1:02:15 Movement politicians are usually right about the future, wrong about present 1:03:30 Sometimes the movement comes first, sometimes the coalition does 1:04:00 DSA has become a force, and is now calling for abolishing the senate 1:05:00 Senate democrats pushed back, but didn’t defend the senate 1:05:45 The senate is a feature, not a bug 1:06:30 The senate is a brake on political extremism 1:07:15 The response is to win the argument, not rewrite the rules 1:08:00 Movement nominees are easier to defeat than governing ones 1:13:30 Toddcast Time Machine - The five days that ended Richard Nixon 1:14:00 Nixon resigned 52 years ago, this week 1:14:45 Why is Nixon the only president that paid a price for his corruption? 1:15:45 We tell the story of Watergate backwards and start with resignation 1:17:00 The June arrests weren’t the beginning of Watergate 1:18:45 We don’t know what Nixon’s operation learned before the arrests 1:20:30 We never got full answer on the missing 18 minutes 1:21:15 Supreme Court stayed in session during summer to oversee Watergate 1:21:45 Smoking gun tape goes public six days after the break-in 1:22:30 Nixon needed 34 votes in the senate to survive, only had 16 1:23:15 Impeachment in the house was a foregone conclusion 1:23:45 Senators didn’t demand he resign, just showed Nixon the numbers 1:27:00 How different would history have looked had Nixon survived? 1:27:45 Ask Chuck 1:28:00 Is presidency becoming more powerful in a way that could outlast Trump 1:31:00 Can the U.S. government create a true unbiased media source? 1:34:45 Would mandatory voting create better political participation? 1:39:15 Would Illinois make for a better early primary state? 1:41:00 Why not hold every primary on the same day? 1:43:15 Personal anecdote about AI job displacement and fearSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd opens with the Iran war's arrival on American soil: hackers have hit water systems across multiple states in one of the most serious cyberattacks on U.S. water infrastructure in years and investigators probing an Iranian link. Trump's response tells you everything about the presidency in its current state — he didn't blame the attacker, he blamed the victim, using the hack as an occasion to attack Minnesota Democrats. Chuck’s question hangs over the whole segment: was Trump briefed on the Iranian connection and went after Minnesota anyway? Either way, the first instinct was to find a Democrat to blame, which Chuck calls a kind of polarization disease that leaves a president caring more about his narrative than about American citizens drinking the water. It fits a pattern the episode keeps circling: Jeanine Pirro presented false evidence to a grand jury blaming a former Olympian for damage to the White House reflecting pool, dropped the case when Interior produced documents proving otherwise, and Trump publicly disagreed with dropping it because he still insists it was vandals. Chuck argues negative information never reaches Trump, and people who bring him bad news don't last long — which is how you end up with a president insisting affordability is a Democratic scam Then, Chuck highlights a Wall Street Journal piece that lays out Trump's corruption — roughly $800 million raised through what amounts to an advertised pay-to-play scheme. Anti-corruption is a devastating midterm message sitting right there for Democrats to pick up… then Chuck Schumer rolled out a bill that Chuck calls a piece of garbage: it wouldn't even cover the conduct in the WSJ story, it's likely unconstitutional because it names individuals, and — most absurdly — it creates a new anti-corruption agency inside the executive branch, meaning a corrupt president would appoint its director and seven board members and, per the Supreme Court, could fire them at will. Congress can already do every bit of the oversight the agency would perform and Schumer's answer to executive corruption is to hand the executive more power and write Congress out of its own job. He closes on Michigan and Wisconsin as the clearest signals of where the Democratic Party is headed — Abdul El-Sayed running a movement inside a Senate race with the explicit goal of changing the party, DSA-endorsed Francesca Wong leading in Wisconsin while the establishment fails to coordinate against her — and on the DSA's new call to abolish the Senate, which Senate Democrats pushed back on without ever defending the institution. Chuck defends it himself: the Senate is a feature, not a bug, a brake on political extremism, and the right response to losing an argument is to win it rather than rewrite the rules. Then, Dr. Brian King — the former director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products, who was placed on administrative leave in April 2025 as part of the mass HHS layoffs joins the Chuck Toddcast to explain what happens to public health when the agency charged with protecting it gets deliberately dismantled. King walks through the extraordinary progress America made reducing cigarette smoking over decades, and how quickly that's being unwound: the tobacco industry donated millions to Trump's PAC, executives pressured the White House directly, and the payoff has been regulatory capture and mounting pressure on the FDA to bring flavored products back to market. He's clear-eyed rather than absolutist on the science — combustible products are far and away the most harmful, nicotine itself is highly addictive but isn't what's killing people, though it's genuinely not risk-free for the adolescent brain — and he walks Chuck through the comparison to caffeine, the data on whether vaping serves as a gateway back into smoking, and what's actually known about nicotine pouches, where youth usage isn't high but stubbornly isn't declining either. The industry, meanwhile, is spending roughly a million dollars an hour advertising its products while fighting every government action to reduce smoking. The conversation turns to what actually works and what's being abandoned. King argues the two most effective interventions available are reducing nicotine levels in cigarettes and banning menthol, credits Congress for getting the Tobacco Control Act right, and stresses that Congress — not the FDA acting alone — has to be the one to regulate tobacco, which is precisely why sidelining the agency is so damaging. He and Chuck get into the questions nobody in Washington wants to answer: why are cigarettes legal at all, how are sugary alcoholic beverages not treated in the same category, and where did the money from the 1998 master settlement actually go. King is pointed that the MAHA movement, for all its rhetoric about chronic disease, has done nothing prominent on tobacco, and that the FDA is now actively undermining both the science and the law it was built to enforce. His closing warning is the bleakest note of the episode: America is in a public health apocalypse that will take decades to repair, it will be enormously hard to recruit a next generation into the field, the entire world will be harmed by the collapse of American public health infrastructure — and the impacts are only just beginning to show up. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit Watergate and Richard Nixon’s resignation, and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 06:15 The Iran war has become a global conflict 06:45 Once again Trump issues threats, then walks them back 08:15 War is one of biggest strategic mistakes in decades 09:00 Increased gas prices have cost households additional $560 10:30 CISA warns that Iranian hackers are targeting water infrastructure 11:15 Iran could cause unreliability to the American water supply 13:00 Trump used hacking attacks to blame Minnesota Democrats 13:45 Trump didn’t blame the attacker, he blamed the victim 15:30 Jeanine Pirro blamed former Olympian for damage to reflecting pool 16:00 Dept. of Interior had documents proving otherwise, Pirro dropped case 17:00 Pirro presented false evidence to a grand jury 18:30 Trump publicly disagreed with Pirro dropping case, says it was vandals 19:30 Trump’s staff is shielding him from the truth 21:00 Trump’s lack of understanding reality is terrible for him 21:30 Trump’s low approval is a midterm disaster in the making 23:00 Stephanie Grisham says 85% of negative info is kept from Trump 24:15 People who bring Trump bad news don’t last very long 25:30 Republicans aren’t campaigning like things are going well 26:00 Ken Paxton puts out an affordability agenda, looks like a Dem proposal 27:15 Trump still saying affordability is scam made up by Democrats 28:15 Trump can’t understand the reality of the situation 28:45 Was Trump briefed on Iran hack… then attacked Minnesota anyway? 30:00 Trump’s first instinct was to find a Democrat to blame 30:45 Trump is demented with polarization disease 31:15 Trump cares more about his narrative than American citizens 32:15 Trump is bragging about his grifting an Americans are tired of it 33:15 Anti-Corruption is a massively effective midterm strategy 33:45 Chuck Schumer rolls out a stinker of an anti-corruption bill 34:45 WSJ publishes airtight piece about Trump’s overt corruption 35:45 There’s no buffer or plausible deniability for Trump in the corruption story 36:45 Trump is basically advertising that government is a pay to play scheme 37:45 There’s a list of presidential promises for favors that have been bought 38:15 Trump has raised $800m in pay for play schemes with little accounting 39:00 There is no law outlawing a president from raising unlimited money 39:30 Trump is now the biggest alligator in the swamp 40:15 Schumer’s bill is a piece of garbage, why many senators didn’t sign on 41:45 Jamie Raskin is performing oversight, Schumer wants agency to do it for him 42:30 The bill wouldn’t even cover the corruption outlined by the WSJ story 44:00 The bill is unconstitutional because it names individuals 45:00 Laws can target behavior, not individuals. It’d be thrown out in court 45:45 The agency Schumer proposed would live in the executive branch 46:15 Agency to stop a corrupt president would be staffed by the president?? 47:15 SCOTUS says president can fire the heads of exec branch agencies 48:45 If bill passed, Trump would pick agency head and 7 members of board 49:15 Congress can perform all the oversight the proposed agency would do 50:30 Congress could stop all this corruption if it wanted to 52:00 Schumer’s idea is to hand more power to the executive branch??? 54:30 The plan from congress is to write themselves out of oversight? 57:00 Schumer’s bill will never see the light of day 57:45 Michigan & Wisconsin will show where the Democratic party is headed 59:30 Abdul El-Sayed made clear his goal is to change the Democratic party 1:00:15 His campaign is a movement inside a senate race 1:01:00 Francesca Wong in Wisconsin is frontrunner & endorsed by DSA 1:01:45 Establishment hasn’t coordinated well to stop Wong 1:02:15 Movement politicians are usually right about the future, wrong about present 1:03:30 Sometimes the movement comes first, sometimes the coalition does 1:04:00 DSA has become a force, and is now calling for abolishing the senate 1:05:00 Senate democrats pushed back, but didn’t defend the senate 1:05:45 The senate is a feature, not a bug 1:06:30 The senate is a brake on political extremism 1:07:15 The response is to win the argument, not rewrite the rules 1:08:00 Movement nominees are easier to defeat than governing ones 1:14:15 Brian King (FDA center on tobacco) joins the Chuck ToddCast 1:18:00 We made incredible progress reducing cigarette smoking 1:18:30 Tobacco companies donated and received regulatory capture 1:19:15 Flavored vapes appeal more to kids & are problematic 1:20:45 Trump was pressured by executives from tobacco industry 1:21:30 There were multimillion dollar donations to Trump’s PAC 1:23:00 What’s the actual health data on nicotine outside of smoking? 1:23:30 Combustible products are the most harmful 1:24:00 Nicotine is highly addictive but isn’t causing the harm and deaths 1:24:45 Nicotine can harm the adolescent brain, it’s not risk free 1:25:30 Comparing nicotine vs. caffeine 1:27:15 Vaping typically isn’t a gateway back into smoking 1:28:30 There’s been pressure on FDA to bring back flavored products 1:31:00 $1M dollars an hour is being spent advertising tobacco products 1:31:45 Industry has been fighting all government action to reduce smoking 1:33:15 The FDA has been sidelined in the fight against smoking 1:33:45 Why are cigarettes even legal at all? 1:35:15 Tobacco farmers have transitioned to other crops in other countries 1:37:15 Reducing nicotine levels is highly effective 1:37:45 Outlawing menthol is also highly effective 1:39:30 Congress got it right with the Tobacco Control Act 1:41:15 How are sugary alcoholic beverages not in the same category? 1:42:15 What is age gating technology and how does it work? 1:44:15 Do we have good data on usage for people under 18? 1:46:45 Nicotine pouch usage isn’t high amongst kids, but isn’t going down 1:47:15 What is the data about health impacts from pouches? 1:48:45 Nicotine has a strong stimulant effect, helps with attention 1:49:30 Settlement in ‘98 required tobacco companies to pay costs in perpetuity 1:50:00 States have diverted those funds to other purposes 1:51:00 Did the tobacco industry actually take a hit from the settlement? 1:51:45 If still at FDA, what changes would you implement? 1:52:15 FDA has been undermining the science and the law 1:53:15 Effectiveness of banning indoor smoking 1:54:30 Should preventing underage addictions be the north star? 1:56:45 Congress has to regulate tobacco, FDA can’t do it on its own 1:57:30 MAHA hasn’t done anything prominent on tobacco 1:59:45 Is there litigation that could be pursued here? 2:01:00 We’re in a public health apocalypse, will take decades to repair 2:01:45 It will be hard to recruit people into public health 2:03:30 The entire world will be harmed by collapse of American public health 2:05:15 The impacts are just beginning to show up, will get worse 2:07:00 Toddcast Time Machine - The five days that ended Richard Nixon 2:07:30 Nixon resigned 52 years ago, this week 2:08:15 Why is Nixon the only president that paid a price for his corruption? 2:09:15 We tell the story of Watergate backwards and start with resignation 2:10:30 The June arrests weren’t the beginning of Watergate 2:12:15 We don’t know what Nixon’s operation learned before the arrests 2:14:00 We never got full answer on the missing 18 minutes 2:14:45 Supreme Court stayed in session during summer to oversee Watergate 2:15:15 Smoking gun tape goes public six days after the break-in 2:16:00 Nixon needed 34 votes in the senate to survive, only had 16 2:16:45 Impeachment in the house was a foregone conclusion 2:17:15 Senators didn’t demand he resign, just showed Nixon the numbers 2:20:30 How different would history have looked had Nixon survived? 2:21:15 Ask Chuck 2:21:30 Is presidency becoming more powerful in a way that could outlast Trump 2:24:30 Can the U.S. government create a true unbiased media source? 2:28:15 Would mandatory voting create better political participation? 2:32:45 Would Illinois make for a better early primary state? 2:34:30 Why not hold every primary on the same day? 2:36:45 Personal anecdote about AI job displacement and fearSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dr. Brian King — the former director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products, who was placed on administrative leave in April 2025 as part of the mass HHS layoffs joins the Chuck Toddcast to explain what happens to public health when the agency charged with protecting it gets deliberately dismantled. King walks through the extraordinary progress America made reducing cigarette smoking over decades, and how quickly that's being unwound: the tobacco industry donated millions to Trump's PAC, executives pressured the White House directly, and the payoff has been regulatory capture and mounting pressure on the FDA to bring flavored products back to market. He's clear-eyed rather than absolutist on the science — combustible products are far and away the most harmful, nicotine itself is highly addictive but isn't what's killing people, though it's genuinely not risk-free for the adolescent brain — and he walks Chuck through the comparison to caffeine, the data on whether vaping serves as a gateway back into smoking, and what's actually known about nicotine pouches, where youth usage isn't high but stubbornly isn't declining either. The industry, meanwhile, is spending roughly a million dollars an hour advertising its products while fighting every government action to reduce smoking. The conversation turns to what actually works and what's being abandoned. King argues the two most effective interventions available are reducing nicotine levels in cigarettes and banning menthol, credits Congress for getting the Tobacco Control Act right, and stresses that Congress — not the FDA acting alone — has to be the one to regulate tobacco, which is precisely why sidelining the agency is so damaging. He and Chuck get into the questions nobody in Washington wants to answer: why are cigarettes legal at all, how are sugary alcoholic beverages not treated in the same category, and where did the money from the 1998 master settlement actually go. King is pointed that the MAHA movement, for all its rhetoric about chronic disease, has done nothing prominent on tobacco, and that the FDA is now actively undermining both the science and the law it was built to enforce. His closing warning is the bleakest note of the episode: America is in a public health apocalypse that will take decades to repair, it will be enormously hard to recruit a next generation into the field, the entire world will be harmed by the collapse of American public health infrastructure — and the impacts are only just beginning to show up. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Brian King (FDA center on tobacco) joins the Chuck ToddCast 03:45 We made incredible progress reducing cigarette smoking 04:15 Tobacco companies donated and received regulatory capture 05:00 Flavored vapes appeal more to kids & are problematic 06:30 Trump was pressured by executives from tobacco industry 07:15 There were multimillion dollar donations to Trump’s PAC 08:45 What’s the actual health data on nicotine outside of smoking? 09:15 Combustible products are the most harmful 09:45 Nicotine is highly addictive but isn’t causing the harm and deaths 10:30 Nicotine can harm the adolescent brain, it’s not risk free 11:15 Comparing nicotine vs. caffeine 13:00 Vaping typically isn’t a gateway back into smoking 14:15 There’s been pressure on FDA to bring back flavored products 16:45 $1M dollars an hour is being spent advertising tobacco products 17:30 Industry has been fighting all government action to reduce smoking 19:00 The FDA has been sidelined in the fight against smoking 19:30 Why are cigarettes even legal at all? 21:00 Tobacco farmers have transitioned to other crops in other countries 23:00 Reducing nicotine levels is highly effective 23:30 Outlawing menthol is also highly effective 25:15 Congress got it right with the Tobacco Control Act 27:00 How are sugary alcoholic beverages not in the same category? 28:00 What is age gating technology and how does it work? 30:00 Do we have good data on usage for people under 18? 32:30 Nicotine pouch usage isn’t high amongst kids, but isn’t going down 33:00 What is the data about health impacts from pouches? 34:30 Nicotine has a strong stimulant effect, helps with attention 35:15 Settlement in ‘98 required tobacco companies to pay costs in perpetuity 35:45 States have diverted those funds to other purposes 36:45 Did the tobacco industry actually take a hit from the settlement? 37:30 If still at FDA, what changes would you implement? 38:00 FDA has been undermining the science and the law 39:00 Effectiveness of banning indoor smoking 40:15 Should preventing underage addictions be the north star? 42:30 Congress has to regulate tobacco, FDA can’t do it on its own 43:15 MAHA hasn’t done anything prominent on tobacco 45:30 Is there litigation that could be pursued here? 46:45 We’re in a public health apocalypse, will take decades to repair 47:30 It will be hard to recruit people into public health 49:15 The entire world will be harmed by collapse of American public health 51:00 The impacts are just beginning to show up, will get worseSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd and J.A. Adande sit down with longtime ESPN broadcasters Patrick McEnroe and Chris McKendry to go behind the scenes of Wimbledon. From Patrick's firsthand experience competing at the Championships to Chris's years anchoring ESPN's coverage, they share stories and insights you won't hear during the broadcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd argues Republicans and the White House are frantically trying to manufacture headlines about the past precisely because the actual news of the present is terrible for the GOP, and because the very issues that got Trump elected are the ones he's now ignoring. Democrats are winning heading into the midterms, TChuck says; the only real question is by how much, which is exactly why Republicans are so desperate to feed their base culture-war red meat as a distraction. But the story Chuck argues is being dangerously underplayed is the Iran war, which is no longer a regional conflict at all: close to thirty countries have been directly involved, multiple nations have been hit, and the Iran and Ukraine wars have effectively merged through shared supply chains — Russia has launched thousands of Iranian-made drones at Ukraine, improved and manufactured them, and is now shipping them back to Iran, while Ukrainian air defense teams have been redeployed to the Middle East and the American stockpile of interceptor missiles has been so massively depleted that commanders are rationing them. He calls the war the dumbest mistake a president has made in decades, while rising oil prices help both Iran and Russia.. It's not World War III, he cautions, but it's genuinely hard to see how it ends, and Congress should be singularly focused on it and simply isn't. He then pivots to what he calls a politics of AI that hasn't been invented yet, where the public is way ahead of the politicians: 72% of Americans have used AI in the past three months and like it, but the vast majority don't trust big tech or the AI companies, and the fierce backlash against data centers is really the manifestation of a deeper anger ever since tech companies stopped trying to improve lives and started maximizing engagement. The public isn't rejecting AI, he argues, it's rejecting the technologists, and Trump has planted himself firmly on the side of the tech companies over the public. He closes by lamenting that political energy is being spent on Fauci rather than pandemic preparedness — before quick hits on Todd Achilles getting a one-on-one race in Idaho, Seth Bodnar leading in Montana if the Democrat can be coaxed into dropping out, and the question hanging over Michigan: if Abdul El-Sayed loses, will it have been because of Mamdani's Israel speech? Finally, Chuck presents his ToddCast Top 5 Independents/Independent minded leaders who could reshape the U.S. Senate and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 02:45 Republicans & WH are trying to manufacture the headlines 03:15 Attacking Fauci, going after Smithsonian, relitigating 2020 election 04:00 These stories are about yesterday, modern headlines are bad for GOP 04:30 The issues that got Trump elected are the issues he’s ignoring 05:30 Dems are winning heading into midterms, question is by how much 07:00 Republicans are desperate to distract their base 07:45 They believe the culture war red meat will turn out their base 08:45 The Iran war is being underplayed 09:45 There have been close to thirty countries directly involved in the war 10:45 Multiple countries have been hit directly during the war 11:30 This is not a regional war 12:00 Multiple countries have been directly involved in kinetic action 13:30 Multiple countries also involved in, or hosted peace talks 15:00 The Ukraine & Iran wars have merged through supply chains 15:45 Nervous that this conflict could go global 16:15 Russia has launched thousands of Iranian made drones at Ukraine 16:45 Russia improved & manufactured drones, now shipping them back to Iran 17:30 Ukraine air defence teams have been sent to the middle east 18:45 American stockpile of air defense missiles has been massively depleted 19:30 Military commanders are having to ration interceptor missiles 20:00 This war was the dumbest mistake a president has made in decades 21:15 Both conflicts are eating from the same plate 21:45 War caused a rise in oil prices, which helped both Iran and Russia 22:15 Beijing hasn’t been a bystander in these conflicts 23:15 Decapitation strikes have been proven not to work 24:00 Everyone is learning the same lessons, including America’s adversaries 24:45 This is not World War 3, but it’s hard to see how this war ends 25:45 Congress should be singularly focused on this war, and it isn’t 27:00 This started as an Iran/Israel dispute, now the world has been dragged in 28:15 The politics of AI hasn’t been invented yet, public is ahead of politicians 29:15 72% of Americans have used AI in the past three months & like using it 29:45 Vast majority of Americans don’t trust big tech or the AI companies 31:00 There’s a disconnect on AI between politicians the American public 31:45 Backlash against data centers is the manifestation of anger at big tech 32:45 Politicians want to manage backlash, not understand what’s behind it 35:00 Seeing political banners against data centers flying over Pensacola beach 37:15 The politicians are trying to play catch up on the politics of AI 37:45 Americans didn’t always distrust big tech 38:45 Tech companies stopped trying to improve lives, now maximize engagement 40:15 Americans feel we’re being optimized, not served by big tech 41:15 Protecting kids from tech is now an issue with massive bipartisan support 42:45 The public isn’t rejecting AI, they’re rejecting the technologists 44:30 Trump sides with the tech companies over the public 45:45 Politicians are captured by, or afraid of big tech cash in politics 48:00 Frustrating that political energy is spent on Fauci, not pandemic preparedness 48:30 Fauci became a vessel for every frustration about COVID 49:00 Fauci had one job, tell the public what the medical risks were 50:30 We had 2,000 Americans dying a day 51:30 We have to remember the conditions under which decisions were made 52:00 Rand Paul released thousands of pages of Fauci’s pandemic era journals 52:30 Pleading the 5th makes people look guiltier than they are 53:15 We learned Fauci loves media attention, but so does Rand Paul 54:15 Relitigating the origins of Covid doesn’t help prepare for the next pandemic 55:15 Rand Paul is undermining his own credibility by attacking Fauci 55:45 Todd Achilles will get a 1 on 1 race in Idaho 56:30 Seth Bodnar leading in Montana in 1 on 1, but Dem resisting dropping out 57:45 If El-Sayed loses in Michigan… was it because of Mamdani’s Israel speech? 1:01:30 ToddCast Top 5 Independents who could shape the senate 1:02:00 #5 Todd Achilles 1:04:30 #4 Dan Osborne 1:06:45 #3 Seth Bodnar 1:08:00 #2 Lisa Murkowski 1:09:00 #1 John Fetterman 1:11:45 Ask Chuck 1:12:45 Correction for answer on the last pod 1:15:00 Why haven’t we heard much about the people who tried to kill Trump? 1:22:15 Can Trump take the Qatari jet that’s had taxpayer $ spent on it? 1:25:30 What motivates those closest to Trump? Do they believe what they’re saying? 1:29:00 Can you explain the history of the term “lobbyist”? 1:34:15 Thoughts on the funding model of the BBC?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd argues Republicans and the White House are frantically trying to manufacture headlines about the past precisely because the actual news of the present is terrible for the GOP, and because the very issues that got Trump elected are the ones he's now ignoring. Democrats are winning heading into the midterms, TChuck says; the only real question is by how much, which is exactly why Republicans are so desperate to feed their base culture-war red meat as a distraction. But the story Chuck argues is being dangerously underplayed is the Iran war, which is no longer a regional conflict at all: close to thirty countries have been directly involved, multiple nations have been hit, and the Iran and Ukraine wars have effectively merged through shared supply chains — Russia has launched thousands of Iranian-made drones at Ukraine, improved and manufactured them, and is now shipping them back to Iran, while Ukrainian air defense teams have been redeployed to the Middle East and the American stockpile of interceptor missiles has been so massively depleted that commanders are rationing them. He calls the war the dumbest mistake a president has made in decades, while rising oil prices help both Iran and Russia.. It's not World War III, he cautions, but it's genuinely hard to see how it ends, and Congress should be singularly focused on it and simply isn't. He then pivots to what he calls a politics of AI that hasn't been invented yet, where the public is way ahead of the politicians: 72% of Americans have used AI in the past three months and like it, but the vast majority don't trust big tech or the AI companies, and the fierce backlash against data centers is really the manifestation of a deeper anger ever since tech companies stopped trying to improve lives and started maximizing engagement. The public isn't rejecting AI, he argues, it's rejecting the technologists, and Trump has planted himself firmly on the side of the tech companies over the public. He closes by lamenting that political energy is being spent on Fauci rather than pandemic preparedness — before quick hits on Todd Achilles getting a one-on-one race in Idaho, Seth Bodnar leading in Montana if the Democrat can be coaxed into dropping out, and the question hanging over Michigan: if Abdul El-Sayed loses, will it have been because of Mamdani's Israel speech? Then, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear — the popular two-term Democrat in a deep-red state and a name increasingly floated for 2028 — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a wide-ranging conversation that opens with Kentucky's famous Fancy Farm Picnic and the increasingly countercultural idea that political disagreement shouldn't make people enemies. Beshear turns pointed on Mitch McConnell, who he says has been absent for six weeks without speaking to him, arguing that McConnell has a fundamental duty to level with the people of Kentucky about his condition.. Beshear notes the governor has no authority to declare a vacancy, calls on John Thune to help put the concerns to rest, and observes pointedly that if the situation were reversed, McConnell would be ruthlessly tactical about it — and that the right should arguably be angrier, since it's one fewer vote for the GOP agenda. Beshear reflects at length and with real emotion on the COVID years, which he calls the war of our time with a higher casualty rate than most Americans appreciate, credits Kentucky's expanded Medicaid with keeping the state from running out of hospital beds, and warning that Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" will close 35 hospitals in Kentucky alone. He's sharply critical of Rand Paul for dragging Fauci into character-assassination hearings while staying conspicuously silent on McConnell, and reminds listeners it was Trump who ordered governors to shut down the economy, not Fauci. The conversation turns to Beshear's political philosophy and the road ahead for Democrats. He rejects the "moderate" label in favor of "pragmatic," arguing that the constant battle to label everyone misses how much more complicated reality actually is. Beshear makes the case that Democrats don't win by becoming a Democratic version of McConnell or Trump, that the party needs to be the party of making the economy work again, and that it should champion structural reforms like campaign finance amendments, outlawing gerrymandering, and directly electing the president. He's visibly frustrated with Democrats who blame other Democrats when Republicans are the ones doing the damage — there's no time for "woulda-couldas," he argues, when Trump and the GOP are inflicting this much harm. As a leader in the Democratic Governors Association, Beshear lays out where he sees real opportunity: big resources heading into Georgia, the critical importance of Katie Hobbs winning in Arizona to ensure a fair 2028 election, and the DGA's willingness to spend anywhere it can win. He addresses the data center backlash as fundamentally rooted in anxiety about AI and big tech's failure to talk to the communities it moves into, and stays characteristically coy about his own 2028 ambitions. Finally, Chuck presents his ToddCast Top 5 Independents/Independent minded leaders who could reshape the U.S. Senate and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 02:45 Republicans & WH are trying to manufacture the headlines 03:15 Attacking Fauci, going after Smithsonian, relitigating 2020 election 04:00 These stories are about yesterday, modern headlines are bad for GOP 04:30 The issues that got Trump elected are the issues he’s ignoring 05:30 Dems are winning heading into midterms, question is by how much 07:00 Republicans are desperate to distract their base 07:45 They believe the culture war red meat will turn out their base 08:45 The Iran war is being underplayed 09:45 There have been close to thirty countries directly involved in the war 10:45 Multiple countries have been hit directly during the war 11:30 This is not a regional war 12:00 Multiple countries have been directly involved in kinetic action 13:30 Multiple countries also involved in, or hosted peace talks 15:00 The Ukraine & Iran wars have merged through supply chains 15:45 Nervous that this conflict could go global 16:15 Russia has launched thousands of Iranian made drones at Ukraine 16:45 Russia improved & manufactured drones, now shipping them back to Iran 17:30 Ukraine air defence teams have been sent to the middle east 18:45 American stockpile of air defense missiles has been massively depleted 19:30 Military commanders are having to ration interceptor missiles 20:00 This war was the dumbest mistake a president has made in decades 21:15 Both conflicts are eating from the same plate 21:45 War caused a rise in oil prices, which helped both Iran and Russia 22:15 Beijing hasn’t been a bystander in these conflicts 23:15 Decapitation strikes have been proven not to work 24:00 Everyone is learning the same lessons, including America’s adversaries 24:45 This is not World War 3, but it’s hard to see how this war ends 25:45 Congress should be singularly focused on this war, and it isn’t 27:00 This started as an Iran/Israel dispute, now the world has been dragged in 28:15 The politics of AI hasn’t been invented yet, public is ahead of politicians 29:15 72% of Americans have used AI in the past three months & like using it 29:45 Vast majority of Americans don’t trust big tech or the AI companies 31:00 There’s a disconnect on AI between politicians the American public 31:45 Backlash against data centers is the manifestation of anger at big tech 32:45 Politicians want to manage backlash, not understand what’s behind it 35:00 Seeing political banners against data centers flying over Pensacola beach 37:15 The politicians are trying to play catch up on the politics of AI 37:45 Americans didn’t always distrust big tech 38:45 Tech companies stopped trying to improve lives, now maximize engagement 40:15 Americans feel we’re being optimized, not served by big tech 41:15 Protecting kids from tech is now an issue with massive bipartisan support 42:45 The public isn’t rejecting AI, they’re rejecting the technologists 44:30 Trump sides with the tech companies over the public 45:45 Politicians are captured by, or afraid of big tech cash in politics 48:00 Frustrating that political energy is spent on Fauci, not pandemic preparedness 48:30 Fauci became a vessel for every frustration about COVID 49:00 Fauci had one job, tell the public what the medical risks were 50:30 We had 2,000 Americans dying a day 51:30 We have to remember the conditions under which decisions were made 52:00 Rand Paul released thousands of pages of Fauci’s pandemic era journals 52:30 Pleading the 5th makes people look guiltier than they are 53:15 We learned Fauci loves media attention, but so does Rand Paul 54:15 Relitigating the origins of Covid doesn’t help prepare for the next pandemic 55:15 Rand Paul is undermining his own credibility by attacking Fauci 55:45 Todd Achilles will get a 1 on 1 race in Idaho 56:30 Seth Bodnar leading in Montana in 1 on 1, but Dem resisting dropping out 57:45 If El-Sayed loses in Michigan… was it because of Mamdani’s Israel speech? 1:04:15 Governor Andy Beshear joins the Chuck ToddCast 1:05:30 Kentucky’s Fancy Farm Picnic & its role in politics 1:06:45 Picnic brings politicians from both sides of the aisle together 1:07:15 Having different political beliefs shouldn’t make you an “enemy” 1:07:45 Not attending the picnic to attend his son's final travel baseball game 1:09:30 Haven’t spoken to Mitch McConnell, he’s been absent six week 1:10:00 McConnell has a duty to level with the people of Kentucky 1:10:45 The governor doesn’t have authority to declare a vacancy 1:11:15 John Thune should help put the concerns to rest 1:13:00 The harm is that the senator refuses to level with his constituents 1:13:30 If situation was reversed, McConnell would be ruthlessly tactical 1:14:00 There’s one less vote for GOP agenda, the right should be more mad 1:15:00 Social media helps create a misinformation vacuum about McConnell 1:16:30 Democrats don’t win by being a Democratic version of McConnell or Trump 1:17:15 If he had to miss a week as governor, he’d feel obligated to inform the public 1:18:00 Lack of video of McConnell makes the public think he can’t do it 1:18:45 McConnell tried to beat him three straight times and failed 1:19:15 McConnell may end up tarnishing his legacy due to unexplained absence 1:20:00 Rand Paul dragged Fauci into a hearing, but mum on McConnell 1:20:45 Fauci hearings are just an exercise in character assassination 1:22:00 This feels like a personal vendetta from Paul against Fauci 1:22:45 Mike Pence set up a competent experienced team during COVID 1:23:15 Trump ordered the governors to shut down the economy, not Fauci 1:23:45 Vaccine was the fastest remedy created in human history 1:25:30 Made pandemic decisions based on what would save the most lives 1:26:00 Remember the death toll in Kentucky vividly 1:27:00 COVID was ultimate test of the parable of the good samaritan 1:27:45 COVID was the war of our time, with an even higher casualty rate 1:28:15 Teachers & educators needed to be in the first batch of vaccinations 1:29:45 Kentucky didn’t run out of hospital beds due to expanded Medicaid 1:30:15 Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill will close 35 hospitals in Kentucky 1:31:15 Doesn’t consider himself a “moderate”, but instead he’s “pragmatic” 1:32:00 Can be both pro-business and pro-worker 1:32:30 There’s a battle to label everyone, but reality is more complicated 1:33:00 How big should the Democratic tent be? 1:34:00 There’s space to do things that both sides agree on 1:34:30 Why are Democratic activists so mad at the establishment? 1:35:15 Democrats need to be the party of making the economy work again 1:35:45 Need amendments for campaign finance & outlawing gerrymandering 1:36:30 The president should be directly elected 1:37:00 Dems blame others Dems when Republicans are doing something wrong 1:37:45 Can’t do “woulda couldas” when Trump & GOP are doing so much damage 1:39:15 What’s the pitch in Wisconsin gubernatorial if both candidates are outsiders? 1:40:00 Joe Biden won on the idea of him being the most electable 1:40:30 Trump’s policies are hitting everyday Americans harder 1:41:15 Governor’s association plan to put big resources into Georgia 1:41:45 Believe that Democrats will flip the governor’s mansion in GA 1:42:15 Katie Hobbs has to win to ensure a fair election in Arizona in ‘28 1:44:30 Trump inspired Canadian boycotts that have hit the economy hard 1:45:45 Winner of the Wisconsin primary will come out stronger 1:46:15 Jocelyn Benson is a great candidate for Michigan 1:47:00 Amy Acton can win regardless of the senate race 1:47:30 Correlation between governor and senate races 1:50:15 Can Dems pull off gubernatorial upsets in Texas or Florida? 1:50:45 DGA will spend resources wherever they can win 1:52:00 Focused on winning gubernatorial races, then will ponder run in ‘28 1:52:45 Important to declare presidential candidacy early? 1:53:30 Dems primary calendar will produce candidate that can win everywhere 1:54:30 Do you consider Kentucky a southern state? 1:55:15 Could Israel splinter the party and make elections unwinnable? 1:56:00 Will Doug Jones get DGA help? 1:57:30 Data center backlash comes from concern about AI 1:58:15 Big tech isn’t talking to the communities where they put data centers 1:58:45 Tech should be paying for their electricity & fair share of taxes 2:01:15 We need rational leaders, don’t know where AI/tech is going 2:02:30 Any effort to get an NBA franchise in Kentucky? 2:04:15 Favorite NBA team 2:05:45 Chuck’s thoughts on interview with Andy Beshear 2:07:00 ToddCast Top 5 Independents who could shape the senate 2:07:30 #5 Todd Achilles 2:10:00 #4 Dan Osborne 2:12:15 #3 Seth Bodnar 2:13:30 #2 Lisa Murkowski 2:14:30 #1 John Fetterman 2:17:15 Ask Chuck 2:18:15 Correction for answer on the last pod 2:20:30 Why haven’t we heard much about the people who tried to kill Trump? 2:27:45 Can Trump take the Qatari jet that’s had taxpayer $ spent on it? 2:31:00 What motivates those closest to Trump? Do they believe what they’re saying? 2:34:30 Can you explain the history of the term “lobbyist”? 2:39:45 Thoughts on the funding model of the BBC?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear — the popular two-term Democrat in a deep-red state and a name increasingly floated for 2028 — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a wide-ranging conversation that opens with Kentucky's famous Fancy Farm Picnic and the increasingly countercultural idea that political disagreement shouldn't make people enemies. Beshear turns pointed on Mitch McConnell, who he says has been absent for six weeks without speaking to him, arguing that McConnell has a fundamental duty to level with the people of Kentucky about his condition.. Beshear notes the governor has no authority to declare a vacancy, calls on John Thune to help put the concerns to rest, and observes pointedly that if the situation were reversed, McConnell would be ruthlessly tactical about it — and that the right should arguably be angrier, since it's one fewer vote for the GOP agenda. Beshear reflects at length and with real emotion on the COVID years, which he calls the war of our time with a higher casualty rate than most Americans appreciate, credits Kentucky's expanded Medicaid with keeping the state from running out of hospital beds, and warning that Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" will close 35 hospitals in Kentucky alone. He's sharply critical of Rand Paul for dragging Fauci into character-assassination hearings while staying conspicuously silent on McConnell, and reminds listeners it was Trump who ordered governors to shut down the economy, not Fauci. The conversation turns to Beshear's political philosophy and the road ahead for Democrats. He rejects the "moderate" label in favor of "pragmatic," arguing that the constant battle to label everyone misses how much more complicated reality actually is. Beshear makes the case that Democrats don't win by becoming a Democratic version of McConnell or Trump, that the party needs to be the party of making the economy work again, and that it should champion structural reforms like campaign finance amendments, outlawing gerrymandering, and directly electing the president. He's visibly frustrated with Democrats who blame other Democrats when Republicans are the ones doing the damage — there's no time for "woulda-couldas," he argues, when Trump and the GOP are inflicting this much harm. As a leader in the Democratic Governors Association, Beshear lays out where he sees real opportunity: big resources heading into Georgia, the critical importance of Katie Hobbs winning in Arizona to ensure a fair 2028 election, and the DGA's willingness to spend anywhere it can win. He addresses the data center backlash as fundamentally rooted in anxiety about AI and big tech's failure to talk to the communities it moves into, and stays characteristically coy about his own 2028 ambitions. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Governor Andy Beshear joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:15 Kentucky’s Fancy Farm Picnic & its role in politics 02:30 Picnic brings politicians from both sides of the aisle together 03:00 Having different political beliefs shouldn’t make you an “enemy” 03:30 Not attending the picnic to attend his son's final travel baseball game 05:15 Haven’t spoken to Mitch McConnell, he’s been absent six week 05:45 McConnell has a duty to level with the people of Kentucky 06:30 The governor doesn’t have authority to declare a vacancy 07:00 John Thune should help put the concerns to rest 08:45 The harm is that the senator refuses to level with his constituents 09:15 If situation was reversed, McConnell would be ruthlessly tactical 09:45 There’s one less vote for GOP agenda, the right should be more mad 10:45 Social media helps create a misinformation vacuum about McConnell 12:15 Democrats don’t win by being a Democratic version of McConnell or Trump 13:00 If he had to miss a week as governor, he’d feel obligated to inform the public 13:45 Lack of video of McConnell makes the public think he can’t do it 14:30 McConnell tried to beat him three straight times and failed 15:00 McConnell may end up tarnishing his legacy due to unexplained absence 15:45 Rand Paul dragged Fauci into a hearing, but mum on McConnell 16:30 Fauci hearings are just an exercise in character assassination 17:45 This feels like a personal vendetta from Paul against Fauci 18:30 Mike Pence set up a competent experienced team during COVID 19:00 Trump ordered the governors to shut down the economy, not Fauci 19:30 Vaccine was the fastest remedy created in human history 21:15 Made pandemic decisions based on what would save the most lives 21:45 Remember the death toll in Kentucky vividly 22:45 COVID was ultimate test of the parable of the good samaritan 23:30 COVID was the war of our time, with an even higher casualty rate 24:00 Teachers & educators needed to be in the first batch of vaccinations 25:30 Kentucky didn’t run out of hospital beds due to expanded Medicaid 26:00 Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill will close 35 hospitals in Kentucky 27:00 Doesn’t consider himself a “moderate”, but instead he’s “pragmatic” 27:45 Can be both pro-business and pro-worker 28:15 There’s a battle to label everyone, but reality is more complicated 28:45 How big should the Democratic tent be? 29:45 There’s space to do things that both sides agree on 30:15 Why are Democratic activists so mad at the establishment? 31:00 Democrats need to be the party of making the economy work again 31:30 Need amendments for campaign finance & outlawing gerrymandering 32:15 The president should be directly elected 32:45 Dems blame others Dems when Republicans are doing something wrong 33:30 Can’t do “woulda couldas” when Trump & GOP are doing so much damage 35:00 What’s the pitch in Wisconsin gubernatorial if both candidates are outsiders? 35:45 Joe Biden won on the idea of him being the most electable 36:15 Trump’s policies are hitting everyday Americans harder 37:00 Governor’s association plan to put big resources into Georgia 37:30 Believe that Democrats will flip the governor’s mansion in GA 38:00 Katie Hobbs has to win to ensure a fair election in Arizona in ‘28 40:15 Trump inspired Canadian boycotts that have hit the economy hard 41:30 Winner of the Wisconsin primary will come out stronger 42:00 Jocelyn Benson is a great candidate for Michigan 42:45 Amy Acton can win regardless of the senate race 43:15 Correlation between governor and senate races 46:00 Can Dems pull off gubernatorial upsets in Texas or Florida? 46:30 DGA will spend resources wherever they can win 47:45 Focused on winning gubernatorial races, then will ponder run in ‘28 48:30 Important to declare presidential candidacy early? 49:15 Dems primary calendar will produce candidate that can win everywhere 50:15 Do you consider Kentucky a southern state? 51:00 Could Israel splinter the party and make elections unwinnable? 51:45 Will Doug Jones get DGA help? 53:15 Data center backlash comes from concern about AI 54:00 Big tech isn’t talking to the communities where they put data centers 54:30 Tech should be paying for their electricity & fair share of taxes 57:00 We need rational leaders, don’t know where AI/tech is going 58:15 Any effort to get an NBA franchise in Kentucky? 1:00:00 Favorite NBA teamSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd and Chris Cillizza dig into the biggest structural story of the 2028 race: the DNC's proposed new Democratic nominating calendar, which would open in South Carolina and run through Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, and Virginia. The guys make the case that a calendar starting in the least progressive early state and ending in another one looks engineered to stop a Bernie- or AOC-style insurgent — then debate who it actually helps. Chris sees a raised bar and a no-backup-plan trap for Kamala Harris; Chuck argues the map is a dream scenario for Wes Moore, with three heavily African-American states and two big military populations, while making the counterintuitive case that a splintered field could still let a progressive win South Carolina on a McCain-in-2008-style plurality. Along the way they weigh Buttigieg's veterans play, Mark Kelly's underrated prospects, Pritzker's self-funding edge, and why they'd have picked Arizona over Nevada. From there they turn to an idea from Chuck's wife for reinventing the White House Correspondents' Dinner — hand the South Lawn to reporters and their families once a year, and keep the president and the TV cameras out of it — before tackling the deepening mystery around Mitch McConnell's health and monthslong public silence, and why the conspiracy theories collapse the moment you ask what the upside would be. Then it's on to the stakes of next week's Michigan Senate primary between Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens, which both sides are treating as the first existential fight over the Democratic Party's identity, and how Zohran Mamdani may have reshaped it. They close, as always, with the Nats: the looming trade deadline, why Foster Griffin is expendable but CJ Abrams isn't, and the case for building a brand around the team's young Black stars. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 The DNC's proposed 2028 Democratic nominating calendar 01:00 The six-state lineup 01:42 Why South Carolina and Virginia matter most 02:56 Going first means six months of attention, not a week 03:52 Is South Carolina good for Kamala Harris? 04:54 Win the Black vote, win South Carolina 06:32 The Black vote isn't a monolith 07:51 The calendar is a dream scenario built for Wes Moore 08:34 Is Jon Ossoff the real winner? The neighbor-state theory 10:45 A map that looks designed to stop a Bernie or AOC insurgency 12:24 The progressive math — how 15% could be enough 13:04 A four-state path for the left: fourth, first, second, first 14:41 South Carolina as a race-ender i 15:23 The McCain lesson: 42% as a loss in 2000, 33% as a win in 2008 17:43 Southern Super Tuesday was built to stop liberals 20:08 Use the primary calendar to build the party 21:52 South Carolina's growth & the rural Black voters Democrats ignore 23:00 Why start where you can't win in November? 25:26 Why it's actually a good map for Pete Buttigieg 27:53 Why the expensive states favor self-funder JB Pritzker 30:21 Michigan gets its own week — just as the Israel issue splits the party 31:24 Why Nevada was picked for the interest groups 32:10 White House Correspondents' Dinner and why it felt so off 35:13 The pitch: hand over the South Lawn to the press corps 36:18 Keep the cameras and the president out 38:16 Trump will always make it about himself 40:13 The Mitch McConnell timeline 41:20 A proof-of-life photo — but not a proof-of-speech one 43:03 McConnell has always been intensely private 45:23 The most important Democratic primary in the country 45:49 Why Abdul El-Sayed is all but running for president 46:56 Mamdani's "arrest Netanyahu" speech reshaped the movement 48:24 Gary Peters, Whitmer & the raised stakes 50:00 The morning-after narratives already written for either outcome 53:36 El-Sayed's real problem: little traction in the Black community 54:00 To the Nats: the trade deadline is the biggest day 54:52 Trade Foster Griffin — but don't you dare trade CJ Abrams 57:03 The case for building a DC brand around Abrams & James WoodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd delivers a masterclass on the single most underappreciated force in presidential politics: the primary calendar, which he argues reveals exactly what kind of nominee a party actually wants long before a single vote is cast. He explains that the Democratic decision to put South Carolina first is by design a test of Black support and viability in the South — and one that's deliberately engineered to hurt progressives, who have consistently gotten thumped in South Carolina primaries. He believes that Democrats have badly underinvested in South Carolina and Mississippi, meaning a little TLC could plausibly turn South Carolina into a genuine swing state. The calendar's practical effect, he argues, is that it sets up well for Wes Moore (if he runs) and is nearly as favorable for Pete Buttigieg, while raising the stakes for Kamala Harris to the point that if she doesn't win South Carolina, she's essentially finished. He is sharp on the flaws of the rest of the early window — Nevada isn't the test Democrats claim because the culinary union shapes everything and Arizona would better measure the Latino vote, Michigan is theoretically ideal but is getting torn apart over Israel in ways that could hurt Democrats in a general, and Virginia (now the last stop before Super Tuesday) reliably serves as a bulwark for moderates because it's a center-left rather than hard-left blue state — and he lays out what the ideal calendar would look like for progressives and for MAGA respectively. He's blunt that Ken Martin's leadership of the DNC has been a major problem, questioning whether Democrats really want him refereeing the nomination fight when the party's money troubles are a reflection on Martin himself. He then turns to Trump backing down on Iran yet again — halting strikes less than 12 hours after issuing fresh threats — calling the entire Iran adventure easily the dumbest thing a president has done this century, especially now that an administration once committed to non-proliferation appears to be helping the Saudis with nuclear technology. He notes Democrats nominated Troy Jackson to replace Graham Platner, making the Maine Senate seat winnable again even as Trump has made the races in both Maine and Michigan harder, and closes with a run of telling contrasts: the White House openly bragging that it added tariffs to help big tech, data centers emerging as the top issue for voters in many states, Trump calling LeBron James a racist from the Oval Office while Obama quietly reached out to offer Caitlin Clark advice and comfort — a perfect encapsulation, He argues, of one leader who wants to divide and another trying to turn the temperature down. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the ratification of the 14th amendment at a time when the idea of birthright citizenship is being called into question, and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 02:30 A primary calendar shows the type of nominee a party wants 03:15 The calendar dictates where candidates spend their time 04:15 The first state on the calendar is massively important 05:00 The Democratic nominee will have to survive South Carolina 05:30 Iowa has gone first for decades 07:15 First in the calendar matters more than anything else 07:45 South Carolina is a test for black support & viability in the south 08:30 South Carolina going first is designed to hurt the viability of progressives 09:15 Going first created robust state parties in Iowa & New Hampshire 10:00 Democrats have underinvested in South Carolina & Mississippi 13:15 Strong state organizations create future candidates & elected reps 14:45 With more TLC, Democrats should be able to make SC a swing state 15:45 South Carolina will determine which candidates are viable 17:15 Progressives have gotten thumped in SC primaries 18:15 Calendar is designed to make life harder for progressives 19:45 The calendar doesn’t always produce the intended candidate 22:00 20% in a crowded field could be enough to win or take 2nd 24:00 If Kamala Harris doesn’t win South Carolina she’s basically out 24:45 On paper, this is a huge boost for Wes Moore if he runs 26:00 Whoever is in 1st place this far out is a measurement of name ID 26:30 New Hampshire Dems are upset about not being first 28:30 Nevada is not the test that Democrats claim it is 29:00 The culinary union shapes the entire state’s politics in Nevada 30:00 The DNC wanted states that could produce same-night results 31:30 Nevada isn’t a good test of the latino vote, Arizona would be better 32:45 In theory, Michigan is a good state to test, but it’s getting divided over Israel 33:30 Israel could get so divisive it could hurt Dems in a general election 34:15 Virginia is now the last state of the early window before Super Tuesday 34:45 Virginia tends to serve as a bulwark for the moderate candidates 36:00 Virginia is a blue state, but it’s a center-left state 37:15 More than any candidate, the table is set for Wes Moore 37:45 The calendar is also good for Pete Buttigieg 39:15 What the best primary calendar would look like for progressives 41:00 What the best MAGA primary calendar would look like 44:00 The calendar dictates who candidates must become during campaign 45:45 Super Tuesday was created to balance out the early base voters 47:30 Legislature control also dictated the creation of this Dem primary calendar 49:15 Ken Martin’s leadership at the DNC has been major problem 50:00 Do Dems want Martin serving as the referee for the nomination fight? 50:45 Martin is clearly not in the right headspace to lead the DNC 51:45 The DNC’s money problems are a reflection on Martin, not the party 52:45 Trump bloviated & issued more threats to Iran & he’s backing down again 53:45 Less than 12 hours after making threats, he halted strikes 54:45 Trump is completely out of ideas on Iran 55:45 Iran is easily the dumbest thing a president has done this century 56:30 For years the goal was non-proliferation, now we’re helping the Saudis? 58:15 If we’re helping Saudis with nuke technology, who are we to tell others no? 59:00 Trump’s personal financial gain may have accelerated this 59:30 Dems nominate Troy Jackson to replace Graham Platner 1:00:00 Maine senate is once again a very winnable race for Democrats 1:01:15 Trump has made the races in Michigan and Maine much harder 1:02:15 Trump has no idea what’s going on in American politics, can’t read a room 1:03:00 White House bragged that they added tariffs to help big tech 1:04:15 Data centers are the biggest issue for voters in many states 1:05:45 Trump calls LeBron James a racist at oval office press conference 1:06:45 Obama reached out to give Caitlin Clark advice & words of comfort 1:08:00 Trump showed he wants to divide, Obama tried to turn temperature down 1:09:15 Mrs. Todd’s suggestion for changing the White House Correspondents’ Dinner 1:16:00 ToddCast Time Machine - July 28th, 1968 1:16:30 This was the day William Seward certified the 14th Amendment 1:17:15 Some states tried to rescind their certification 1:17:45 Congress declared the amendment ratified 1:18:30 “Who gets to be an American?” was a question the founders left open 1:19:15 Birthright citizenship was an open question at the time 1:19:45 Dred Scott was one of the worst SCOTUS decisions of all time 1:20:30 States tried to reassemble the structures of slavery after the war 1:21:00 Abolishing slavery and securing freedom were two different things 1:21:45 Citizenship couldn’t rest on a law, it had to be in the constitution 1:22:30 Trump vs. Barbara ended with SCOTUS upholding birthright citizenship 1:23:30 The case of Won Kim Ark became foundation of this summer’s ruling 1:24:30 Congress addressed Native American citizenship in 1924 via statute 1:26:30 Someone from anywhere could become an American 1:27:15 Every generation has found new ways to fall short of the American promise 1:28:15 Certification of the 14th amendment is what makes America different 1:29:00 Ask Chuck 1:29:15 Have you seen anything to suggest Trump has a religious faith? 1:32:30 Goal of NDAA integrating more between the U.S. & Israeli militaries? 1:37:30 If a president were convicted and removed via impeachment… What happens next? 1:41:00 Recommendations for political books? 1:46:00 Has the kind of voter fraud cited by Republicans ever changed an outcome?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd delivers a masterclass on the single most underappreciated force in presidential politics: the primary calendar, which he argues reveals exactly what kind of nominee a party actually wants long before a single vote is cast. He explains that the Democratic decision to put South Carolina first is by design a test of Black support and viability in the South — and one that's deliberately engineered to hurt progressives, who have consistently gotten thumped in South Carolina primaries. He believes that Democrats have badly underinvested in South Carolina and Mississippi, meaning a little TLC could plausibly turn South Carolina into a genuine swing state. The calendar's practical effect, he argues, is that it sets up well for Wes Moore (if he runs) and is nearly as favorable for Pete Buttigieg, while raising the stakes for Kamala Harris to the point that if she doesn't win South Carolina, she's essentially finished. He is sharp on the flaws of the rest of the early window — Nevada isn't the test Democrats claim because the culinary union shapes everything and Arizona would better measure the Latino vote, Michigan is theoretically ideal but is getting torn apart over Israel in ways that could hurt Democrats in a general, and Virginia (now the last stop before Super Tuesday) reliably serves as a bulwark for moderates because it's a center-left rather than hard-left blue state — and he lays out what the ideal calendar would look like for progressives and for MAGA respectively. He's blunt that Ken Martin's leadership of the DNC has been a major problem, questioning whether Democrats really want him refereeing the nomination fight when the party's money troubles are a reflection on Martin himself. He then turns to Trump backing down on Iran yet again — halting strikes less than 12 hours after issuing fresh threats — calling the entire Iran adventure easily the dumbest thing a president has done this century, especially now that an administration once committed to non-proliferation appears to be helping the Saudis with nuclear technology. He notes Democrats nominated Troy Jackson to replace Graham Platner, making the Maine Senate seat winnable again even as Trump has made the races in both Maine and Michigan harder, and closes with a run of telling contrasts: the White House openly bragging that it added tariffs to help big tech, data centers emerging as the top issue for voters in many states, Trump calling LeBron James a racist from the Oval Office while Obama quietly reached out to offer Caitlin Clark advice and comfort — a perfect encapsulation, He argues, of one leader who wants to divide and another trying to turn the temperature down. Then, sports business reporter John Ourand — who shares an origin story with Chuck Todd at Sports Business Daily — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a deep dive into the money reshaping professional and college sports. Ourand walks through the sale of the Seattle Seahawks as a signal that the era of family-owned NFL franchises is ending, explaining how team valuations have roughly doubled in just three years thanks to new tax advantages and the simple fact that NFL ownership has become the ultimate status club for the ultra-wealthy. He and Chuck dig into whether these eye-popping valuations constitute a bubble — the NFL alone signed $110 billion in media deals over two years — and whether the sports media "middle class" could be facing a real reckoning even as streamers thrive with smaller game packages. Ourand offers a fascinating look at how leagues are navigating their relationship with the networks and production companies that broadcast them (the NFL is deliberately careful not to hurt the legacy networks it depends on), and defends the enduring value of investigative sports journalism, pointing to Pablo Torre's Clippers reporting as a reminder that nobody, including executives at ESPN, wants to be remembered as the person who killed real journalism at the network. The conversation turns to how sports and politics are increasingly colliding. Ourand contrasts Michael Jordan's studied political neutrality with the modern reality of athletes and leagues getting pulled into culture war fights whether they want to or not, noting the UFC fight at the White House pulled huge ratings and that Trump's involvement in overturning a disputed red card call may have actually boosted viewership. He praises Caitlin Clark for navigating the culture wars more gracefully than almost anyone in sports today, draws a compelling parallel between Clark and Larry Bird, and argues the WNBA under commissioner Kathy Engelbert isn't doing nearly enough to capitalize on the attention Clark has generated — in part because leagues remain skittish about race and sexuality debates they'd rather avoid entirely. Ourand closes with a detailed look at the messy economics of college sports, explaining how the biggest programs are effectively subsidizing smaller ones, why a real collective bargaining structure may eventually be inevitable, and why the sport's true power brokers could soon demand a much larger share of the revenue pie for themselves. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the ratification of the 14th amendment at a time when the idea of birthright citizenship is being called into question, and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 02:30 A primary calendar shows the type of nominee a party wants 03:15 The calendar dictates where candidates spend their time 04:15 The first state on the calendar is massively important 05:00 The Democratic nominee will have to survive South Carolina 05:30 Iowa has gone first for decades 07:15 First in the calendar matters more than anything else 07:45 South Carolina is a test for black support & viability in the south 08:30 South Carolina going first is designed to hurt the viability of progressives 09:15 Going first created robust state parties in Iowa & New Hampshire 10:00 Democrats have underinvested in South Carolina & Mississippi 13:15 Strong state organizations create future candidates & elected reps 14:45 With more TLC, Democrats should be able to make SC a swing state 15:45 South Carolina will determine which candidates are viable 17:15 Progressives have gotten thumped in SC primaries 18:15 Calendar is designed to make life harder for progressives 19:45 The calendar doesn’t always produce the intended candidate 22:00 20% in a crowded field could be enough to win or take 2nd 24:00 If Kamala Harris doesn’t win South Carolina she’s basically out 24:45 On paper, this is a huge boost for Wes Moore if he runs 26:00 Whoever is in 1st place this far out is a measurement of name ID 26:30 New Hampshire Dems are upset about not being first 28:30 Nevada is not the test that Democrats claim it is 29:00 The culinary union shapes the entire state’s politics in Nevada 30:00 The DNC wanted states that could produce same-night results 31:30 Nevada isn’t a good test of the latino vote, Arizona would be better 32:45 In theory, Michigan is a good state to test, but it’s getting divided over Israel 33:30 Israel could get so divisive it could hurt Dems in a general election 34:15 Virginia is now the last state of the early window before Super Tuesday 34:45 Virginia tends to serve as a bulwark for the moderate candidates 36:00 Virginia is a blue state, but it’s a center-left state 37:15 More than any candidate, the table is set for Wes Moore 37:45 The calendar is also good for Pete Buttigieg 39:15 What the best primary calendar would look like for progressives 41:00 What the best MAGA primary calendar would look like 44:00 The calendar dictates who candidates must become during campaign 45:45 Super Tuesday was created to balance out the early base voters 47:30 Legislature control also dictated the creation of this Dem primary calendar 49:15 Ken Martin’s leadership at the DNC has been major problem 50:00 Do Dems want Martin serving as the referee for the nomination fight? 50:45 Martin is clearly not in the right headspace to lead the DNC 51:45 The DNC’s money problems are a reflection on Martin, not the party 52:45 Trump bloviated & issued more threats to Iran & he’s backing down again 53:45 Less than 12 hours after making threats, he halted strikes 54:45 Trump is completely out of ideas on Iran 55:45 Iran is easily the dumbest thing a president has done this century 56:30 For years the goal was non-proliferation, now we’re helping the Saudis? 58:15 If we’re helping Saudis with nuke technology, who are we to tell others no? 59:00 Trump’s personal financial gain may have accelerated this 59:30 Dems nominate Troy Jackson to replace Graham Platner 1:00:00 Maine senate is once again a very winnable race for Democrats 1:01:15 Trump has made the races in Michigan and Maine much harder 1:02:15 Trump has no idea what’s going on in American politics, can’t read a room 1:03:00 White House bragged that they added tariffs to help big tech 1:04:15 Data centers are the biggest issue for voters in many states 1:05:45 Trump calls LeBron James a racist at oval office press conference 1:06:45 Obama reached out to give Caitlin Clark advice & words of comfort 1:08:00 Trump showed he wants to divide, Obama tried to turn temperature down 1:09:15 Mrs. Todd’s suggestion for changing the White House Correspondents’ Dinner 1:17:45 John Ourand joins the Chuck ToddCast 1:19:45 Chuck & John’s shared origins at Sports Business Daily 1:22:15 Who are the new owners of the Seattle Seahawks? 1:23:00 We are ending the era of the family owned teams 1:24:00 How did NFL teams double in value in 3 years? 1:25:00 NFL ownership is a club rich people want to be in 1:25:45 There are new tax advantages to owning franchises 1:28:00 Are sports franchise valuations a bubble that could burst? 1:29:45 The NFL signed $110B in deals in 2 years 1:30:15 The middle class of sports rights might face a reckoning soon 1:30:45 The PGA Tour may have cause for concern for media rights 1:33:15 Streamers are doing just fine with limited packages of games 1:33:45 If Amazon gave up their rights, the stock price probably goes up 1:35:30 The NFL conscious of not hurting the business of legacy networks 1:37:30 Will the leagues move broadcast production in-house? 1:39:45 Leagues more likely to partner with large production companies 1:42:15 There’s still a market for investigative sports journalists 1:45:15 Nobody wants to be the executive that kills journalism at ESPN 1:46:00 Reporters at ESPN are aware of where the third rail is 1:47:00 Pablo Torre’s scoop on the Clippers was a journalist’s dream 1:49:15 How are leagues/players interacting with politics? 1:50:30 Michael Jordan stayed out of the political fray 1:52:30 The UFC fight at the White House had huge ratings 1:53:00 Trump’s involvement in overturning red card possibly boosted ratings 1:55:15 Caitlin Clark has been great at avoiding be pulled into the culture wars 1:56:00 Parallels between Larry Bird & Caitlin Clark 1:58:15 The WNBA isn’t doing enough to capitalize on Clark’s popularity 2:00:30 Leagues are afraid of race & sexuality debates 2:01:15 Is Kathy Engelbert the right commissioner for the WNBA? 2:04:30 How would collective bargaining be organized in college sports? 2:07:45 The biggest college programs are subsidizing the smaller ones 2:10:15 Could big programs demand a bigger share of the revenue? 2:15:30 Where you can find John’s work 2:17:00 ToddCast Time Machine - July 28th, 1968 2:17:30 This was the day William Seward certified the 14th Amendment 2:18:15 Some states tried to rescind their certification 2:18:45 Congress declared the amendment ratified 2:19:30 “Who gets to be an American?” was a question the founders left open 2:20:15 Birthright citizenship was an open question at the time 2:20:45 Dred Scott was one of the worst SCOTUS decisions of all time 2:21:30 States tried to reassemble the structures of slavery after the war 2:22:00 Abolishing slavery and securing freedom were two different things 2:22:45 Citizenship couldn’t rest on a law, it had to be in the constitution 2:23:30 Trump vs. Barbara ended with SCOTUS upholding birthright citizenship 2:24:30 The case of Won Kim Ark became foundation of this summer’s ruling 2:25:30 Congress addressed Native American citizenship in 1924 via statute 2:27:30 Someone from anywhere could become an American 2:28:15 Every generation has found new ways to fall short of the American promise 2:29:15 Certification of the 14th amendment is what makes America different 2:30:00 Ask Chuck 2:30:15 Have you seen anything to suggest Trump has a religious faith? 2:33:30 Goal of NDAA integrating more between the U.S. & Israeli militaries? 2:38:30 If a president were convicted and removed via impeachment… What happens next? 2:42:00 Recommendations for political books? 2:47:00 Has the kind of voter fraud cited by Republicans ever changed an outcome?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sports business reporter John Ourand — who shares an origin story with Chuck Todd at Sports Business Daily — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a deep dive into the money reshaping professional and college sports. Ourand walks through the sale of the Seattle Seahawks as a signal that the era of family-owned NFL franchises is ending, explaining how team valuations have roughly doubled in just three years thanks to new tax advantages and the simple fact that NFL ownership has become the ultimate status club for the ultra-wealthy. He and Chuck dig into whether these eye-popping valuations constitute a bubble — the NFL alone signed $110 billion in media deals over two years — and whether the sports media "middle class" could be facing a real reckoning even as streamers thrive with smaller game packages. Ourand offers a fascinating look at how leagues are navigating their relationship with the networks and production companies that broadcast them (the NFL is deliberately careful not to hurt the legacy networks it depends on), and defends the enduring value of investigative sports journalism, pointing to Pablo Torre's Clippers reporting as a reminder that nobody, including executives at ESPN, wants to be remembered as the person who killed real journalism at the network. The conversation turns to how sports and politics are increasingly colliding. Ourand contrasts Michael Jordan's studied political neutrality with the modern reality of athletes and leagues getting pulled into culture war fights whether they want to or not, noting the UFC fight at the White House pulled huge ratings and that Trump's involvement in overturning a disputed red card call may have actually boosted viewership. He praises Caitlin Clark for navigating the culture wars more gracefully than almost anyone in sports today, draws a compelling parallel between Clark and Larry Bird, and argues the WNBA under commissioner Kathy Engelbert isn't doing nearly enough to capitalize on the attention Clark has generated — in part because leagues remain skittish about race and sexuality debates they'd rather avoid entirely. Ourand closes with a detailed look at the messy economics of college sports, explaining how the biggest programs are effectively subsidizing smaller ones, why a real collective bargaining structure may eventually be inevitable, and why the sport's true power brokers could soon demand a much larger share of the revenue pie for themselves. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 John Ourand joins the Chuck ToddCast 02:00 Chuck & John’s shared origins at Sports Business Daily 04:30 Who are the new owners of the Seattle Seahawks? 05:15 We are ending the era of the family owned teams 06:15 How did NFL teams double in value in 3 years? 07:15 NFL ownership is a club rich people want to be in 08:00 There are new tax advantages to owning franchises 10:15 Are sports franchise valuations a bubble that could burst? 12:00 The NFL signed $110B in deals in 2 years 12:30 The middle class of sports rights might face a reckoning soon 13:00 The PGA Tour may have cause for concern for media rights 15:30 Streamers are doing just fine with limited packages of games 16:00 If Amazon gave up their rights, the stock price probably goes up 17:45 The NFL conscious of not hurting the business of legacy networks 19:45 Will the leagues move broadcast production in-house? 22:00 Leagues more likely to partner with large production companies 24:30 There’s still a market for investigative sports journalists 27:30 Nobody wants to be the executive that kills journalism at ESPN 28:15 Reporters at ESPN are aware of where the third rail is 29:15 Pablo Torre’s scoop on the Clippers was a journalist’s dream 31:30 How are leagues/players interacting with politics? 32:45 Michael Jordan stayed out of the political fray 34:45 The UFC fight at the White House had huge ratings 35:15 Trump’s involvement in overturning red card possibly boosted ratings 37:30 Caitlin Clark has been great at avoiding be pulled into the culture wars 38:15 Parallels between Larry Bird & Caitlin Clark 40:30 The WNBA isn’t doing enough to capitalize on Clark’s popularity 42:45 Leagues are afraid of race & sexuality debates 43:30 Is Kathy Engelbert the right commissioner for the WNBA? 46:45 How would collective bargaining be organized in college sports? 50:00 The biggest college programs are subsidizing the smaller ones 52:30 Could big programs demand a bigger share of the revenue? 57:45 Where you can find John’s workSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
With almost 100 days until the midterms, Chuck Todd delivers a data-driven check-in on a midterm race that's barely moved in months — except in one crucial direction: Trump's approval went permanently underwater on Liberation Day and has been steadily eroding ever since. He walks through the map in granular detail: Democrats are heavy favorites for the House, likely picking up 15-20 seats even after redistricting wars ultimately cut in Republicans' favor. On the Senate side, Democrats have had the better year, with the map expanding to make Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska genuinely gettable in a wave election, and forcing the GOP to spend big just to hold Texas. He notes presidential approval and even more so approval within a president's own party serving as the two biggest predictors of midterm outcomes. He warns that if the war further tanks the global economy, ordinary Americans will feel it directly, making Trump's own behavior the single biggest wildcard of the entire cycle. He then pivots to the newly passed Protect College Sports Act, walking through why nearly every stakeholder except the SEC and Big Ten support it, why it functions like a de facto collective bargaining agreement without an actual union. He closes with a trio of sharp items: the year's measles outbreak has already surpassed all of 2025's cases combined, with Chuck arguing nobody bears more responsibility for undermining the vaccine than RFK Jr.; Zohran Mamdani calling Netanyahu a war criminal while conceding he has no authority to arrest him, a comment that risks complicating the affordability-focused, "get shit done" movement Mamdani has actually been building; and a notable Oregon lawsuit challenging closed primaries on First Amendment grounds, arguing that voting shouldn't require joining a private club and that independents shouldn't be locked out of the process. Finally, he presents his ToddCast Top 5 list of governor’s seats most likely to flip in the midterms, and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 06:00 Almost 100 days until the midterm elections 06:30 Not much movement in the midterms in the past few months 07:15 Trump’s approval went underwater permanently on Liberation Day 08:30 Trump’s approval has slowly eroded since that day 09:45 Trump keeps announcing new tariffs & tax increases on Americans 10:45 Democrats are heavy favorites to win the House 11:45 Redistricting wars eventually ended up helping Republicans 12:30 Realistically Dems pick up 15-20 seats 14:15 On the senate side, Dems have bad the better year, expanded map 14:45 GOP has gone from clear favorites to small favorites for senate 16:30 Trump has made things much easier for Dems to win the senate 17:00 ICE killing in Maine turned the page on the Platner debacle 18:00 In multiple states, Dems are in better shape now than six weeks ago 18:30 Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska are gettable for Dems in a wave year 19:30 Republicans will have to spend big to defend Texas 21:15 Average gain for out party in a midterm is 4 seats 21:45 Could Fetterman and Murkowski end up switching caucuses? 22:30 Knocking off incumbents is harder than winning an open seat 24:00 GOP feels like the rise of DSA gave them something to run against 26:15 Republicans feel they have to make the Democrat unacceptable 27:30 A few Republicans will survive because of their opponent 29:15 The base is still with the GOP, women & independents are not 30:15 Persuadable voters don’t like election denialism & the Iran war 31:00 Biggest predictor of a midterm election is presidential job approval 32:45 Another big predictor is approval within a president’s own party 34:00 Clinton & Bush were able to have historic overperformance 35:30 Obama had a mixed bag between 2010 and 2014 36:15 Trump is under 80% approval amongst Republicans 37:00 Republicans still have a fairly high floor despite Trump’s troubles 37:45 The Iran war has the potential to crater Trump’s approval 38:45 Dems now have a better chance to win both chambers 39:15 Trump’s behavior is a massive wildcard for the midterms 40:45 If the war tanks the global economy, Americans will feel it 42:30 Congress set to pass bill to put regulations on college sports 43:15 Almost every interested party is in favor except SEC & Big Ten 44:00 What the Protect College Sports Act does 46:00 The bill locks in a revenue share & shuts down booster collectives 46:30 The bill would require a pay cut for the biggest schools 47:15 The bill looks a lot like a collective bargaining agreement 48:15 No industry has cap on pay without a labor union… except this 49:00 The courts are likely to strike this down 50:30 This legislation is begging for legal challenges 51:30 In any other industry this would be a “company union” which was outlawed 53:00 They could fix transfer portal & eligibility and punt on the compensation 53:30 College athletes are now professionals & should be treated like it 54:30 This bill fixes nothing and just tries to jam the players 55:30 The SEC is throwing a temper tantrum over this bill 57:00 College football’s superpower is its geography, it lives everywhere 58:00 Revenue sharing is why the NFL is such a juggernaut 59:00 We’ve had more measles cases this year than all of 2025 59:30 RFK Jr. bears responsibility for this outbreak 1:00:00 Nobody has undermined the measles vaccine more than RFK 1:00:45 These outbreaks will eventually extract a political price 1:01:30 Don’t be shocked when RFK faces civil litigation 1:02:00 Mamdani gives a speech calling Netanyahu a war criminal 1:02:30 Mamdani concluded he didn’t have authority to arrest Bibi 1:03:00 Mamdani ran on affordability, not Israel & foreign policy 1:03:30 Mamdani wants to create a movement, not just govern NYC 1:04:15 Mamdani’s project a real “get shit done” competence so far 1:05:15 Is Mamdani teeing up an eventual senate run? 1:06:00 Mamdani may have made his political project just a bit harder 1:07:00 Lawsuit in Oregon is challenging closed primaries 1:07:30 Participation in elections shouldn’t require joining a club 1:08:00 1st amendment protects you from having to associate 1:08:30 Independents shouldn’t be locked out of primaries 01:13:30 ToddCast Top 5 Governor’s seats most likely to change parties 01:14:00 #5 Oregon 01:15:00 #4 Ohio 01:16:15 #3 Wisconsin 01:18:15 #2 Kansas 01:19:00 #1 Iowa 01:20:00 Ask Chuck 01:20:15 Love for Chuck’s creaky chair 01:21:30 What is your favorite political term that nobody knows its origin? 01:23:30 How was JFK’s appointment of his brother viewed at the time? 01:26:00 Dems chances of winning statewide in Iowa, Ohio and Florida? 01:27:15 Could Talarico generate any coattail effect for Dems in Texas?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
With almost 100 days until the midterms, Chuck Todd delivers a data-driven check-in on a midterm race that's barely moved in months — except in one crucial direction: Trump's approval went permanently underwater on Liberation Day and has been steadily eroding ever since. He walks through the map in granular detail: Democrats are heavy favorites for the House, likely picking up 15-20 seats even after redistricting wars ultimately cut in Republicans' favor. On the Senate side, Democrats have had the better year, with the map expanding to make Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska genuinely gettable in a wave election, and forcing the GOP to spend big just to hold Texas. He notes presidential approval and even more so approval within a president's own party serving as the two biggest predictors of midterm outcomes. He warns that if the war further tanks the global economy, ordinary Americans will feel it directly, making Trump's own behavior the single biggest wildcard of the entire cycle. He then pivots to the newly passed Protect College Sports Act, walking through why nearly every stakeholder except the SEC and Big Ten support it, why it functions like a de facto collective bargaining agreement without an actual union. He closes with a trio of sharp items: the year's measles outbreak has already surpassed all of 2025's cases combined, with Chuck arguing nobody bears more responsibility for undermining the vaccine than RFK Jr.; Zohran Mamdani calling Netanyahu a war criminal while conceding he has no authority to arrest him, a comment that risks complicating the affordability-focused, "get shit done" movement Mamdani has actually been building; and a notable Oregon lawsuit challenging closed primaries on First Amendment grounds, arguing that voting shouldn't require joining a private club and that independents shouldn't be locked out of the process. Then, Neera Tanden — president and CEO of the Center for American Progress and a longtime Democratic policy hand — joins the Chuck Toddcast for an unusually candid reckoning with where the party went wrong and what it actually needs to do next. Tanden doesn't soften the verdict: Democrats' one job in 2024 was to keep Trump out of office, and they failed, in part because the establishment let the Biden campaign go on far too long and has consequently lost credibility it hasn't earned back. She argues that in an era where every election is close, Democrats shouldn't be satisfied chasing narrow wins — the actual goal should be a decisive Electoral College victory built around a genuine 60% coalition, especially now that even longtime Trump supporters are starting to break away. Tanden is refreshingly specific on policy: she defends incrementalism as the proven Democratic playbook, argues entrenched Washington interests can block even a clear majority's will, and wants Democrats to build their economic message explicitly around working-class anxieties.They discuss the sharp moral case for the estate tax while cautioning that a wealth tax is nearly impossible to administer fairly year to year and would almost certainly be struck down by this Supreme Court. The conversation turns to the internal Democratic civil war and the road to 2026 and beyond. Tanden argues there's no rise of the DSA without Trump's return, frames the Michigan Senate primary as the real petri-dish test for the left, and is blunt that Democrats in swing states need to remember they're in swing states. She calls for a real, honest autopsy of 2024, and lays out her vision for a Democratic trifecta in 2027: pass bills that directly address the cost of living, investigate the administration's corruption and recognize that Trump's entire contract with his base rests on the promise that he can never lose. Finally, he presents his ToddCast Top 5 list of governor’s seats most likely to flip in the midterms, and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 06:00 Almost 100 days until the midterm elections 06:30 Not much movement in the midterms in the past few months 07:15 Trump’s approval went underwater permanently on Liberation Day 08:30 Trump’s approval has slowly eroded since that day 09:45 Trump keeps announcing new tariffs & tax increases on Americans 10:45 Democrats are heavy favorites to win the House 11:45 Redistricting wars eventually ended up helping Republicans 12:30 Realistically Dems pick up 15-20 seats 14:15 On the senate side, Dems have bad the better year, expanded map 14:45 GOP has gone from clear favorites to small favorites for senate 16:30 Trump has made things much easier for Dems to win the senate 17:00 ICE killing in Maine turned the page on the Platner debacle 18:00 In multiple states, Dems are in better shape now than six weeks ago 18:30 Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska are gettable for Dems in a wave year 19:30 Republicans will have to spend big to defend Texas 21:15 Average gain for out party in a midterm is 4 seats 21:45 Could Fetterman and Murkowski end up switching caucuses? 22:30 Knocking off incumbents is harder than winning an open seat 24:00 GOP feels like the rise of DSA gave them something to run against 26:15 Republicans feel they have to make the Democrat unacceptable 27:30 A few Republicans will survive because of their opponent 29:15 The base is still with the GOP, women & independents are not 30:15 Persuadable voters don’t like election denialism & the Iran war 31:00 Biggest predictor of a midterm election is presidential job approval 32:45 Another big predictor is approval within a president’s own party 34:00 Clinton & Bush were able to have historic overperformance 35:30 Obama had a mixed bag between 2010 and 2014 36:15 Trump is under 80% approval amongst Republicans 37:00 Republicans still have a fairly high floor despite Trump’s troubles 37:45 The Iran war has the potential to crater Trump’s approval 38:45 Dems now have a better chance to win both chambers 39:15 Trump’s behavior is a massive wildcard for the midterms 40:45 If the war tanks the global economy, Americans will feel it 42:30 Congress set to pass bill to put regulations on college sports 43:15 Almost every interested party is in favor except SEC & Big Ten 44:00 What the Protect College Sports Act does 46:00 The bill locks in a revenue share & shuts down booster collectives 46:30 The bill would require a pay cut for the biggest schools 47:15 The bill looks a lot like a collective bargaining agreement 48:15 No industry has cap on pay without a labor union… except this 49:00 The courts are likely to strike this down 50:30 This legislation is begging for legal challenges 51:30 In any other industry this would be a “company union” which was outlawed 53:00 They could fix transfer portal & eligibility and punt on the compensation 53:30 College athletes are now professionals & should be treated like it 54:30 This bill fixes nothing and just tries to jam the players 55:30 The SEC is throwing a temper tantrum over this bill 57:00 College football’s superpower is its geography, it lives everywhere 58:00 Revenue sharing is why the NFL is such a juggernaut 59:00 We’ve had more measles cases this year than all of 2025 59:30 RFK Jr. bears responsibility for this outbreak 1:00:00 Nobody has undermined the measles vaccine more than RFK 1:00:45 These outbreaks will eventually extract a political price 1:01:30 Don’t be shocked when RFK faces civil litigation 1:02:00 Mamdani gives a speech calling Netanyahu a war criminal 1:02:30 Mamdani concluded he didn’t have authority to arrest Bibi 1:03:00 Mamdani ran on affordability, not Israel & foreign policy 1:03:30 Mamdani wants to create a movement, not just govern NYC 1:04:15 Mamdani’s project a real “get shit done” competence so far 1:05:15 Is Mamdani teeing up an eventual senate run? 1:06:00 Mamdani may have made his political project just a bit harder 1:07:00 Lawsuit in Oregon is challenging closed primaries 1:07:30 Participation in elections shouldn’t require joining a club 1:08:00 1st amendment protects you from having to associate 1:08:30 Independents shouldn’t be locked out of primaries 01:14:00 Neera Tanden joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:15:00 Developing ideas for the country’s biggest problems 01:16:30 Democrats have real anger with the Trump administration 01:17:30 Democrats job was to keep Trump out of office & they failed 01:19:00 Pelosi thought Biden would lose and chose to act, but too late 01:20:00 The establishment allowed the Biden campaign to go on too long 01:20:30 The establishment has less credibility than in the past 01:21:15 Longtime Trump supporters are starting to break away from him 01:22:30 Every election is close, never enough for repudiation 01:23:15 Goal should be a large scale electoral college victory 01:25:00 The opportunity to build a 60% coalition 01:27:00 The problems America faces seem to big for incrementalism 01:29:45 The success of the ACA came via incrementalism 01:30:30 Medicare drug price negotiation was a huge win for Biden 01:31:30 Problem with Medicare-for-all is people are changing averse 01:32:30 Entrenched interests in Washington can stop a majority 01:35:30 Dems should organize messaging to include more working class people 01:36:00 Why do we have a trillionaire when people are struggling with basics? 01:36:45 Working class people are more sensitive to crime issues 01:38:00 People are worried about the wealthy having too much power 01:39:30 Inheritance tax would help prevent oligarchy 01:41:00 People are pessimistic their kids won’t do better than them 01:41:30 It feels like the social contract has been eroded in America 01:43:00 If you believe in merit, you should believe in the estate tax 01:44:00 A wealth tax is hard to evaluate year to year 01:44:45 Supreme Court unlikely to find wealth tax constitutional 01:45:45 State wealth taxes are not a good idea 01:47:30 Democracy is undermined when there’s an economic nobility 01:49:00 Attitudes toward inequality were different in the 90s, every group doing better 01:51:15 There’s no rise of the DSA without the return of Trump 01:52:00 Michigan primary will be the petri dish test for the left 01:53:45 Democrats in swing states need to remember they’re swing states 01:54:30 Liberals in Texas thought Talarico was more electable 01:56:30 Progressives winning in blue cities isn’t that big of an issue 01:57:15 DSA needs to be cognizant that they would struggle in swing states 01:59:00 Democratic leadership has stayed the same 02:00:15 Democrats needs to do a real autopsy on 24 02:01:00 Harris being on the ticket saved the Democrats 4 senate seats 02:03:00 If Dems win both chambers, how should they spend 2027? 02:03:45 Dems should pass bills that address the cost of living 02:04:15 The administration’s corruption needs to be investigated 02:05:30 SCOTUS basically gave Trump a pass for illegality, Dems can’t do much 02:06:45 Republicans are starting to break, but they tolerate the intolerable 02:09:15 Trump’s contract with his base is that he can’t lose 02:10:30 Which under the radar senate race do you find most fascinating? 02:11:45 Amy Acton in Ohio will be the canary in the coalmine 02:13:30 ToddCast Top 5 Governor’s seats most likely to change parties 02:14:00 #5 Oregon 02:15:00 #4 Ohio 02:16:15 #3 Wisconsin 02:18:15 #2 Kansas 02:19:00 #1 Iowa 02:20:00 Ask Chuck 02:20:15 Love for Chuck’s creaky chair 02:21:30 What is your favorite political term that nobody knows its origin? 02:23:30 How was JFK’s appointment of his brother viewed at the time? 02:26:00 Dems chances of winning statewide in Iowa, Ohio and Florida? 02:27:15 Could Talarico generate any coattail effect for Dems in Texas?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Neera Tanden — president and CEO of the Center for American Progress and a longtime Democratic policy hand — joins the Chuck Toddcast for an unusually candid reckoning with where the party went wrong and what it actually needs to do next. Tanden doesn't soften the verdict: Democrats' one job in 2024 was to keep Trump out of office, and they failed, in part because the establishment let the Biden campaign go on far too long and has consequently lost credibility it hasn't earned back. She argues that in an era where every election is close, Democrats shouldn't be satisfied chasing narrow wins — the actual goal should be a decisive Electoral College victory built around a genuine 60% coalition, especially now that even longtime Trump supporters are starting to break away. Tanden is refreshingly specific on policy: she defends incrementalism as the proven Democratic playbook (the ACA and Biden's Medicare drug price negotiations both succeeded that way, while Medicare for All keeps stalling because people are fundamentally change-averse), argues entrenched Washington interests can block even a clear majority's will, and wants Democrats to build their economic message explicitly around working-class anxieties.They discuss the sharp moral case for the estate tax while cautioning that a wealth tax is nearly impossible to administer fairly year to year and would almost certainly be struck down by this Supreme Court. The conversation turns to the internal Democratic civil war and the road to 2026 and beyond. Tanden argues there's no rise of the DSA without Trump's return, frames the Michigan Senate primary as the real petri-dish test for the left, and is blunt that Democrats in swing states need to remember they're in swing states. She calls for a real, honest autopsy of 2024, and lays out her vision for a Democratic trifecta in 2027: pass bills that directly address the cost of living, investigate the administration's corruption and recognize that Trump's entire contract with his base rests on the promise that he can never lose. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Neera Tanden joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:00 Developing ideas for the country’s biggest problems 02:30 Democrats have real anger with the Trump administration 03:30 Democrats job was to keep Trump out of office & they failed 05:00 Pelosi thought Biden would lose and chose to act, but too late 06:00 The establishment allowed the Biden campaign to go on too long 06:30 The establishment has less credibility than in the past 07:15 Longtime Trump supporters are starting to break away from him 08:30 Every election is close, never enough for repudiation 09:15 Goal should be a large scale electoral college victory 11:00 The opportunity to build a 60% coalition 13:00 The problems America faces seem to big for incrementalism 15:45 The success of the ACA came via incrementalism 16:30 Medicare drug price negotiation was a huge win for Biden 17:30 Problem with Medicare-for-all is people are changing averse 18:30 Entrenched interests in Washington can stop a majority 21:30 Dems should organize messaging to include more working class people 22:00 Why do we have a trillionaire when people are struggling with basics? 22:45 Working class people are more sensitive to crime issues 24:00 People are worried about the wealthy having too much power 25:30 Inheritance tax would help prevent oligarchy 27:00 People are pessimistic their kids won’t do better than them 27:30 It feels like the social contract has been eroded in America 29:00 If you believe in merit, you should believe in the estate tax 30:00 A wealth tax is hard to evaluate year to year 30:45 Supreme Court unlikely to find wealth tax constitutional 31:45 State wealth taxes are not a good idea 33:30 Democracy is undermined when there’s an economic nobility 35:00 Attitudes toward inequality were different in the 90s, every group doing better 37:15 There’s no rise of the DSA without the return of Trump 38:00 Michigan primary will be the petri dish test for the left 39:45 Democrats in swing states need to remember they’re swing states 40:30 Liberals in Texas thought Talarico was more electable 42:30 Progressives winning in blue cities isn’t that big of an issue 43:15 DSA needs to be cognizant that they would struggle in swing states 45:00 Democratic leadership has stayed the same 46:15 Democrats needs to do a real autopsy on 24 47:00 Harris being on the ticket saved the Democrats 4 senate seats 49:00 If Dems win both chambers, how should they spend 2027? 49:45 Dems should pass bills that address the cost of living 50:15 The administration’s corruption needs to be investigated 51:30 SCOTUS basically gave Trump a pass for illegality, Dems can’t do much 52:45 Republicans are starting to break, but they tolerate the intolerable 55:15 Trump’s contract with his base is that he can’t lose 56:30 Which under the radar senate race do you find most fascinating? 57:45 Amy Acton in Ohio will be the canary in the coalmineSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
With just 105 days until the 2026 midterms, Chuck Todd and Chris Cillizza use their last Super Tuesday before the sub-100-day mark to take stock of what they think they know. The headline: with Trump's approval stuck below 40, gas back over $4, an Iran conflict reigniting, and an ICE controversy dominating the news, nearly every fundamental points toward Republicans losing both chambers — and the guys argue the only thing standing between Democrats and a monster year is the Democrats themselves. They dig deep into the polling weeds, unpacking why the generic ballot has quietly become more of a party-ID number, why you can't compare it across cycles anymore, why independents are breaking hard left, and what to make of the model giving Democrats a 62% shot at the House while Republicans hold a 59% edge in the Senate. From there it's onto the races reshaping the map: South Carolina, where Trump ally Russell Frye jumps into the special and Lindsey Graham's appointed sister surprises everyone by running for a full term — a rare bit of GOP pragmatism that hands John Thune a much-needed win — and Maine, where Troy Jackson is set to be coronated at the Democratic convention and the ICE story has erased Susan Collins's post-Platner breathing room. Chuck and Chris also weigh the stalled Todd Blanche confirmation, the $400 million Qatari plane suddenly deemed too unsafe to fly, and why character and temperament remain the whole ballgame. Then they close on LeBron's looming decision — Heat, Cavs, or Sixers — and Chuck plugs the summer slate across the "Chuck Todd expanded universe." Timeline: 00:00 105 days out from the midterms 02:07 Why August, not July, is when politics really kicks off 03:01 Why campaigns no longer wait for Labor Day to run their hits 04:34 Trump's approval is stuck below 40 a recipe for losing both chambers 05:44 ICE story erases whatever Collins got from the Platner disaster 06:49 Democrats are more motivated 07:23 Arizona Republicans line up to nominate a candidate who can't win 08:08 Trump's primetime speech relitigating 2020 09:26 GOP candidates on the trail are running as far from Trump as possible 10:50 Trump is too lazy to be a dictator 11:54 On 2020, Trump is on an island — even his own party won't follow 14:14 The history: 20 of the last 22 midterms punish the president's party 15:05 The generic ballot vs. 2018 and 2010, for reference 15:51 Why the generic ballot is now really a party-ID number 17:31 Trust the trend lines, not the raw numbers 19:59 The StateNavigate Georgia poll that floored them 20:49 Why Democrats peak in summer polling 22:19 A smarter "informed ballot" experiment using Google search results 24:36 Democrats 62% to win the House, Republicans 59% to hold the Senate 25:20 Why the Senate number is lower than it should be 26:54 Iowa as the 50-yard line for a wave 27:42 The daunting Senate map for Dems 30:04 Why the 62% House number surprised Chris 31:52 The one thing that changed all summer — a possible new forever war 32:56 The math favors the GOP: Democrats are playing a road game 34:18 No swing districts left, and a country sorted to the bone 36:03 South Carolina: Trump ally Russell Frye jumps into the special 36:56 Graham's appointed sister surprises by running for a full term 37:30 A rare case of Trump and the GOP doing the pragmatic thing 41:13 Troy Jackson set for a coronation 42:53 The stalled Todd Blanche confirmation & the $1.8B slush fund 43:15 Why the ICE story is a real problem for Collins 44:02 Ambition as a drug — Homan, Bovino, Noem & the $50k question 45:09 The Odyssey movie and how online discourse isn't real life 47:07 The $400M Qatari plane is suddenly too unsafe to fly 48:07 Character and temperament as the whole ballgame 50:20 Quotes that aged badly 52:05 Trump as Grover Cleveland 53:34 LeBron's decision: Heat, Cavs, or Sixers 56:20 Miami and Denver as the best physical fits for a 40-year-old LeBron 57:34 The Hall of Fame "five rings table" and the chase for a fifth title 1:00:17 What the prediction markets say See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd opens with a story that seems small and turns out to be a perfect miniature of everything wrong with this Pentagon: a Blue Angels flyover at Pensacola Beach came in too low, the pilot who made the honest mistake felt terrible about it — and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, without bothering to establish a single fact about what happened, seized the moment to gloat and own the libs. Chuck calls Hegseth an absolute clown and a fake soldier, argues the incident is a window into a Pentagon where the boss cares more about winning an online argument than about the safety of the people he commands, and where the entire "military testosterone" discourse — Hegseth's fixation on creating "supertrooper" fighting men is both dumb and genuinely dangerous. His verdict: a great American military culture is being actively degraded. He extends the same argument to ICE, where the violence has been entirely predictable — the officer involved in the latest shooting had enormous red flags in his background, and the agency appears to have no meaningful vetting process at all. He also explains why, contrary to much of the commentary, he wasn't alarmed by Trump's primetime election-denial address: it was a nothingburger. Trump has no evidence, which is why he keeps turning to cranks — his endorsement of Mike Lindell tells you everything — and there's no policy response attached to his own foreign-interference allegations, since China has faced no sanction whatsoever for what Trump claims it did. He argues American elections are extraordinarily hard to overturn precisely because the system is decentralized, that Trump is too lazy to become a Putin or a Mao… A more disciplined president would frighten Chuck far more. Chuck sees a forever war taking shape in Iran: the strategy amounts to throwing kinetic weight at the problem and hoping the regime collapses, while Iran fights the asymmetric war it always planned, targeting Gulf states and now civilian survival infrastructure — hitting desalination plants could trigger a crisis lasting years — and nobody in Washington actually knows how to win. He closes with a genuinely important profile of Undersecretary Elbridge Colby, the intellectual architect of the new right's foreign policy and a favorite of JD Vance, whose vision of American retreat from its allies would effectively be the policy of a President Vance: Colby has trashed Mark Carney's "middle power" strategy and declared that no country is entitled to the American defense industry — which, notes, misses that buying military hardware is a 30-year bet on trusting an ally, and middle powers who conclude they can be coerced by Washington will simply take their money somewhere else. Quick hits on a messy Wisconsin governor's race (Tony Evers built no infrastructure and left no obvious heir in one of the country's most misunderstood swing states) and Tuesday's Arizona primary round things out. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to draw parallels between the arguments in modern American politics to the argument between Richard Nixon and Nikita Khrushchev in the infamous “kitchen debate” and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 02:15 Pensacola Beach is the home of the Blue Angels 03:15 Low flyover from Blue Angels generated massive controversy 03:45 Hegseth has allowed unsafe flyovers in the past 04:15 Hegseth’s leadership at the Pentagon has been awful 05:00 Hegseth used the flyover to try to “own the libs” 05:45 The low flyover at the beach was an honest mistake by the pilot 07:30 Online discourse about flyover was both sides trying to prove their point 08:30 Hegseth didn’t even bother to figure out the facts about the incident 09:00 The pilot felt terrible about the mistake, while Hegseth gloated 11:00 Why Chuck isn’t alarmed by Trump’s election denial primetime speech 11:45 Trump has tested constitutional boundaries unlike any other president 13:30 Trump’s endorsement of Mike Lindell says everything 14:00 Trump doesn’t have evidence of fraud, he turns to election denial cranks 15:15 Trump’s speech was a big fat nothingburger 16:30 Trump wanted government to interfere in the 2020 election 17:30 There’s no policy response to Trump’s allegations about foreign interference 18:30 China hasn’t received any sanction or response to allegations 20:00 Trump has lackeys cherry pick facts to try to sew mistrust in elections 22:00 It is extraordinarily difficult to overturn an American election 22:45 The electoral system is decentralized making it harder to meddle with 23:30 A president more disciplined than Trump would be a bigger worry 24:30 We need to repair structural weaknesses in the democracy 25:15 Trump is too lazy to become a dictator like Putin or Mao 26:00 Trump has his sycophants… but they all fear jail too 27:15 Trump wants other people to risk themselves to keep him in power 28:30 We’re on the road to a “forever war” in Iran 29:00 The plan is just to throw kinetic weight & hope the regime collapses 29:45 Iran’s whole strategy is asymmetric, targeting Gulf states 30:15 Iran is now targeting civilian survival infrastructure 30:45 Hitting desalination plants could create a yearslong crisis 31:30 Administration keeps doubling down on the same strategy 33:30 Nobody in Washington knows how to win the war 34:30 Pete Hegseth is an absolute clown… a fake soldier 35:00 The military testosterone discourse is both dumb and dangerous 36:00 Undersecretary Elbridge Colby has a big role in shaping policy 37:30 Colby wants America to retreat from the world & our allies 38:30 Colby has been embraced by JD Vance & the new right 39:15 Colby’s policies would be those of a President JD Vance 40:30 Allies realize they can be coerced by America 42:30 Colby trashed the “middle power” strategy of Mark Carney 43:00 Colby says nobody is entitled to the U.S. military industry 44:00 Buying military hardware is a 30 year bet on trusting an ally 45:00 Middle powers will look elsewhere to buy their military equipment 46:15 Hegseth wants to create testosterone driven “supertroopers” 47:00 Women aren’t being offered a similar screening 48:00 Jesse Watters comments on testosterone were beyond awful 48:30 Most watched cable host was making sexual assault jokes 49:15 Military has had a longstanding issue with sexual assault 50:00 Young men are marketed testosterone from influencers & now government 51:00 Taking outside testosterone shuts down natural production of it 51:45 Taking testosterone has major negative side effects 53:00 Our great military culture is being destroyed by Trump 53:30 The violence from ICE officers has been entirely predictable 54:15 DHS under Trump never deserves the benefit of the doubt 55:15 Officer involved in shooting had massive red flags in his background 56:00 ICE doesn’t appear to have any vetting process for recruits 1:00:00 Wisconsin governor’s race has become a political mess 1:01:00 Tony Evers didn’t build a strong infrastructure around him 1:01:30 Evers didn’t set up an obvious heir in the Democratic party 1:03:00 The party establishment hasn’t responded to all parts of the base 1:03:45 Wisconsin is one of the most misunderstood swing states 1:05:00 Democrats in Wisconsin have to make the political center comfortable 1:07:30 Arizona primary coming up on Tuesday 01:13:15 ToddCast Time Machine July 24, 1959 01:13:45 Nixon and Krushchev host the “Kitchen Debate” 01:14:45 The countries were showing off their way of life - Capitalism vs Communism 01:15:30 Soviets set up a display in New York to show off their society 01:16:15 Khrushchev believed history would belong to the communists 01:16:45 The answer to the Soviet display was a model of an American home 01:17:30 The argument was that a middle class worker could afford that home 01:18:00 America showed it offered equality of opportunity, not outcome 01:18:45 Krushchev and Nixon debated knowing the world would hear it 01:19:45 Krushchev didn’t believe Americans actually lived that well 01:20:15 Nixon argued that competition inspired innovation and growth 01:21:45 Market capitalism proved to be the more dynamic economic system 01:22:15 There are echoes of the Kitchen Debate in modern American discourse 01:23:45 The Soviet Union disappeared, the debate hasn’t 01:24:00 Ask Chuck 01:24:15 Is MLB lockout avoidable? The state of baseball card collecting? 01:34:45 Is Trump’s erosion of norms a form of the incrementalism you champion? 01:38:15 What rights are D.C. & Puerto Rico residents still missing beside representation? 01:44:00 What goes into a decision to run for office? 01:47:30 MAGA just a rework of Reagan’s slogan? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd opens with a story that seems small and turns out to be a perfect miniature of everything wrong with this Pentagon: a Blue Angels flyover at Pensacola Beach came in too low, the pilot who made the honest mistake felt terrible about it — and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, without bothering to establish a single fact about what happened, seized the moment to gloat and own the libs. Chuck calls Hegseth an absolute clown and a fake soldier, argues the incident is a window into a Pentagon where the boss cares more about winning an online argument than about the safety of the people he commands, and where the entire "military testosterone" discourse — Hegseth's fixation on creating "supertrooper" fighting men is both dumb and genuinely dangerous. His verdict: a great American military culture is being actively degraded. He extends the same argument to ICE, where the violence has been entirely predictable — the officer involved in the latest shooting had enormous red flags in his background, and the agency appears to have no meaningful vetting process at all. He also explains why, contrary to much of the commentary, he wasn't alarmed by Trump's primetime election-denial address: it was a nothingburger. Trump has no evidence, which is why he keeps turning to cranks — his endorsement of Mike Lindell tells you everything — and there's no policy response attached to his own foreign-interference allegations, since China has faced no sanction whatsoever for what Trump claims it did. He argues American elections are extraordinarily hard to overturn precisely because the system is decentralized, that Trump is too lazy to become a Putin or a Mao… A more disciplined president would frighten Chuck far more. Chuck sees a forever war taking shape in Iran: the strategy amounts to throwing kinetic weight at the problem and hoping the regime collapses, while Iran fights the asymmetric war it always planned, targeting Gulf states and now civilian survival infrastructure — hitting desalination plants could trigger a crisis lasting years — and nobody in Washington actually knows how to win. He closes with a genuinely important profile of Undersecretary Elbridge Colby, the intellectual architect of the new right's foreign policy and a favorite of JD Vance, whose vision of American retreat from its allies would effectively be the policy of a President Vance: Colby has trashed Mark Carney's "middle power" strategy and declared that no country is entitled to the American defense industry — which, notes, misses that buying military hardware is a 30-year bet on trusting an ally, and middle powers who conclude they can be coerced by Washington will simply take their money somewhere else. Quick hits on a messy Wisconsin governor's race (Tony Evers built no infrastructure and left no obvious heir in one of the country's most misunderstood swing states) and Tuesday's Arizona primary round things out. Then, bestselling novelist Daniel Silva — creator of the Gabriel Allon series — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a conversation that starts with the craft of spy fiction and quickly becomes something closer to a threat assessment. Silva's newest plot turns on drones, and he's blunt that this isn't speculative: he believes it's a matter of time before a drone carries out an assassination or a mass-casualty attack. He talks about the strange responsibility of writing a fictional event that could plausibly happen next month, why he deliberately withholds visual detail so readers build the scene themselves, and what he learned reporting out how modern kidnappings and ransom negotiations actually work. The darker current running underneath is his read on American intelligence: the FBI is no longer the same place, the U.S. is jettisoning allies and hollowing out its agencies, and Silva poses the question a novelist is uniquely positioned to ask — if you're the GRU right now, where would you most want an asset placed? He notes that the best assets often don't know they're assets, that NATO held a crisis meeting about Trump, and that this is precisely the moment to be putting the screws to a vulnerable Putin, since Ukraine has victory in sight and isn't desperate for any deal. The conversation turns personal when Chuck asks how Silva handles Israel's collapsing global reputation in a series built around an Israeli intelligence officer. Silva says the shift was entirely foreseeable, that he has no interest in writing about Gaza, and that what saddens him most is the "fortress Israel" mindset — a country founded on European-style socialist ideals now convinced it can go it alone, siloed from the world, while antisemitism surges globally in a way he warns only ever needs the right set of circumstances to reignite. He and Chuck range across the forces reshaping the century: giant corporations approaching the power of nation-states, a new generation of the ultra-wealthy who simply don't believe in philanthropy, AI's capacity to wipe out the knowledge economy, and Silva's conviction that the next great political crisis may be a climate-driven natural disaster — noting that the last major El Niño produced famines that killed millions, that today's migration patterns are already climate-driven, and that people are dying right now as a direct result of cutting humanitarian aid. He's unsparing on writing and AI), amused and appalled that Trump has turned the National Mall into a mess with a reflecting pool gone "Kermit green," and closes on the question every prolific novelist gets asked and rarely answers honestly: does he ever actually rest? Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to draw parallels between the arguments in modern American politics to the argument between Richard Nixon and Nikita Khrushchev in the infamous “kitchen debate” and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 02:15 Pensacola Beach is the home of the Blue Angels 03:15 Low flyover from Blue Angels generated massive controversy 03:45 Hegseth has allowed unsafe flyovers in the past 04:15 Hegseth’s leadership at the Pentagon has been awful 05:00 Hegseth used the flyover to try to “own the libs” 05:45 The low flyover at the beach was an honest mistake by the pilot 07:30 Online discourse about flyover was both sides trying to prove their point 08:30 Hegseth didn’t even bother to figure out the facts about the incident 09:00 The pilot felt terrible about the mistake, while Hegseth gloated 11:00 Why Chuck isn’t alarmed by Trump’s election denial primetime speech 11:45 Trump has tested constitutional boundaries unlike any other president 13:30 Trump’s endorsement of Mike Lindell says everything 14:00 Trump doesn’t have evidence of fraud, he turns to election denial cranks 15:15 Trump’s speech was a big fat nothingburger 16:30 Trump wanted government to interfere in the 2020 election 17:30 There’s no policy response to Trump’s allegations about foreign interference 18:30 China hasn’t received any sanction or response to allegations 20:00 Trump has lackeys cherry pick facts to try to sew mistrust in elections 22:00 It is extraordinarily difficult to overturn an American election 22:45 The electoral system is decentralized making it harder to meddle with 23:30 A president more disciplined than Trump would be a bigger worry 24:30 We need to repair structural weaknesses in the democracy 25:15 Trump is too lazy to become a dictator like Putin or Mao 26:00 Trump has his sycophants… but they all fear jail too 27:15 Trump wants other people to risk themselves to keep him in power 28:30 We’re on the road to a “forever war” in Iran 29:00 The plan is just to throw kinetic weight & hope the regime collapses 29:45 Iran’s whole strategy is asymmetric, targeting Gulf states 30:15 Iran is now targeting civilian survival infrastructure 30:45 Hitting desalination plants could create a yearslong crisis 31:30 Administration keeps doubling down on the same strategy 33:30 Nobody in Washington knows how to win the war 34:30 Pete Hegseth is an absolute clown… a fake soldier 35:00 The military testosterone discourse is both dumb and dangerous 36:00 Undersecretary Elbridge Colby has a big role in shaping policy 37:30 Colby wants America to retreat from the world & our allies 38:30 Colby has been embraced by JD Vance & the new right 39:15 Colby’s policies would be those of a President JD Vance 40:30 Allies realize they can be coerced by America 42:30 Colby trashed the “middle power” strategy of Mark Carney 43:00 Colby says nobody is entitled to the U.S. military industry 44:00 Buying military hardware is a 30 year bet on trusting an ally 45:00 Middle powers will look elsewhere to buy their military equipment 46:15 Hegseth wants to create testosterone driven “supertroopers” 47:00 Women aren’t being offered a similar screening 48:00 Jesse Watters comments on testosterone were beyond awful 48:30 Most watched cable host was making sexual assault jokes 49:15 Military has had a longstanding issue with sexual assault 50:00 Young men are marketed testosterone from influencers & now government 51:00 Taking outside testosterone shuts down natural production of it 51:45 Taking testosterone has major negative side effects 53:00 Our great military culture is being destroyed by Trump 53:30 The violence from ICE officers has been entirely predictable 54:15 DHS under Trump never deserves the benefit of the doubt 55:15 Officer involved in shooting had massive red flags in his background 56:00 ICE doesn’t appear to have any vetting process for recruits 1:00:00 Wisconsin governor’s race has become a political mess 1:01:00 Tony Evers didn’t build a strong infrastructure around him 1:01:30 Evers didn’t set up an obvious heir in the Democratic party 1:03:00 The party establishment hasn’t responded to all parts of the base 1:03:45 Wisconsin is one of the most misunderstood swing states 1:05:00 Democrats in Wisconsin have to make the political center comfortable 1:07:30 Arizona primary coming up on Tuesday 01:14:00 Daniel Silva joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:15:00 Gabriel Allon is ageless 01:16:45 How much do you put yourself into Gabriel Allon? 01:17:30 Gabriel’s character allows Daniel to pursue things he’s interested in 01:19:15 Potentially creating a spin-off series 01:20:30 Vibe of the book series is European art 01:21:15 How did you learn about modern kidnappings and negotiations 01:23:15 Not writing with great visual detail to allow readers to imagine it 01:24:15 We are going to have a major incident triggered by drones 01:25:15 Ukraine has become the drone specialists of the world 01:26:00 Drones will eventually carry out an assassination or mass casualty event 01:27:15 Any trepidation creating a fictional event that could actually happen? 01:28:15 There was an emergency drone incident in Copenhagen 01:28:45 Europeans are already very nervous about impacts of drones 01:29:30 There are cameras everywhere in modern society 01:30:45 The level of criminality & corruption in the world is staggering 01:32:00 The current FBI is no longer the same place 01:32:45 We are jettising allies and destroying our intelligence agencies 01:33:30 If you are the GRU… where would you want an asset to be? 01:34:30 There are different types of intelligence assets 01:35:00 Some of the best assets don’t realize they are assets 01:36:15 Crisis meeting held at NATO headquarters about Trump 01:39:30 We should be putting the screws to Putin right now, he’s vulnerable 01:40:15 Ukraine has victory in sight, they aren’t desperate for a deal 01:41:00 How do you tackle Israel’s reputation in the world in the books? 01:43:30 The changes to Israel’s reputation were foreseeable 01:44:00 Don’t want to write about the war in Gaza 01:45:00 Is all hope for a two state solution gone? 01:47:45 There’s a “fortress Israel” mindset, they think they can do it alone 01:48:15 Is Gabriel Allon still a zionist? 01:49:00 Israel was founded with tenets of European style socialism 01:50:00 It’s sad seeing Israel becoming so siloed from the world 01:51:30 There’s been a major resurgence of antisemitism 01:53:15 It only takes the right set of circumstances to reignite antisemitism 01:54:30 Giant corporations are becoming as powerful as nation states 01:56:00 The new generation of ultra wealthy don’t believe in philanthropy 01:56:45 AI has the ability to wipe out the knowledge economy 01:58:00 The next great political crisis might be a climate driven natural disaster 01:58:45 The last great El Nino created massive famine, killing millions 01:59:30 The current migration patterns are climate driven 02:00:00 People are dying as a direct result of cutting humanitarian aid 02:03:30 Trump has turned the national mall into a mess 02:04:15 The reflecting pool is now “Kermit green” 02:05:30 If you could write your next book about anything, what would it be? 02:06:30 Don’t think he could write non-fiction, too many novels to write 02:08:15 If you use AI to do your writing, then that isn’t writing 02:11:30 Anthropic CEO gave a reasoned answer to AI military applications 02:12:00 Could have an AI version of yourself that lives forever 02:13:15 Do you ever take a rest from writing? 02:16:30 ToddCast Time Machine July 24, 1959 02:17:00 Nixon and Krushchev host the “Kitchen Debate” 02:18:00 The countries were showing off their way of life - Capitalism vs Communism 02:18:45 Soviets set up a display in New York to show off their society 02:19:30 Khrushchev believed history would belong to the communists 02:20:00 The answer to the Soviet display was a model of an American home 02:20:45 The argument was that a middle class worker could afford that home 02:21:15 America showed it offered equality of opportunity, not outcome 02:22:00 Krushchev and Nixon debated knowing the world would hear it 02:23:00 Krushchev didn’t believe Americans actually lived that well 02:23:30 Nixon argued that competition inspired innovation and growth 02:25:00 Market capitalism proved to be the more dynamic economic system 02:25:30 There are echoes of the Kitchen Debate in modern American discourse 02:27:00 The Soviet Union disappeared, the debate hasn’t 02:27:15 Ask Chuck 02:27:30 Is MLB lockout avoidable? The state of baseball card collecting? 02:38:00 Is Trump’s erosion of norms a form of the incrementalism you champion? 02:41:30 What rights are D.C. & Puerto Rico residents still missing beside representation? 02:47:15 What goes into a decision to run for office? 02:50:45 MAGA just a rework of Reagan’s slogan? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bestselling novelist Daniel Silva — creator of the Gabriel Allon series — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a conversation that starts with the craft of spy fiction and quickly becomes something closer to a threat assessment. Silva's newest plot turns on drones, and he's blunt that this isn't speculative: he believes it's a matter of time before a drone carries out an assassination or a mass-casualty attack. He talks about the strange responsibility of writing a fictional event that could plausibly happen next month, why he deliberately withholds visual detail so readers build the scene themselves, and what he learned reporting out how modern kidnappings and ransom negotiations actually work. The darker current running underneath is his read on American intelligence: the FBI is no longer the same place, the U.S. is jettisoning allies and hollowing out its agencies, and Silva poses the question a novelist is uniquely positioned to ask — if you're the GRU right now, where would you most want an asset placed? He notes that the best assets often don't know they're assets, that NATO held a crisis meeting about Trump, and that this is precisely the moment to be putting the screws to a vulnerable Putin, since Ukraine has victory in sight and isn't desperate for any deal. The conversation turns personal when Chuck asks how Silva handles Israel's collapsing global reputation in a series built around an Israeli intelligence officer. Silva says the shift was entirely foreseeable, that he has no interest in writing about Gaza, and that what saddens him most is the "fortress Israel" mindset — a country founded on European-style socialist ideals now convinced it can go it alone, siloed from the world, while antisemitism surges globally in a way he warns only ever needs the right set of circumstances to reignite. He and Chuck range across the forces reshaping the century: giant corporations approaching the power of nation-states, a new generation of the ultra-wealthy who simply don't believe in philanthropy, AI's capacity to wipe out the knowledge economy, and Silva's conviction that the next great political crisis may be a climate-driven natural disaster — noting that the last major El Niño produced famines that killed millions, that today's migration patterns are already climate-driven, and that people are dying right now as a direct result of cutting humanitarian aid. He's unsparing on writing and AI), amused and appalled that Trump has turned the National Mall into a mess with a reflecting pool gone "Kermit green," and closes on the question every prolific novelist gets asked and rarely answers honestly: does he ever actually rest? Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Daniel Silva joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:00 Gabriel Allon is ageless 02:45 How much do you put yourself into Gabriel Allon? 03:30 Gabriel’s character allows Daniel to pursue things he’s interested in 05:15 Potentially creating a spin-off series 06:30 Vibe of the book series is European art 07:15 How did you learn about modern kidnappings and negotiations 09:15 Not writing with great visual detail to allow readers to imagine it 10:15 We are going to have a major incident triggered by drones 11:15 Ukraine has become the drone specialists of the world 12:00 Drones will eventually carry out an assassination or mass casualty event 13:15 Any trepidation creating a fictional event that could actually happen? 14:15 There was an emergency drone incident in Copenhagen 14:45 Europeans are already very nervous about impacts of drones 15:30 There are cameras everywhere in modern society 16:45 The level of criminality & corruption in the world is staggering 18:00 The current FBI is no longer the same place 18:45 We are jettising allies and destroying our intelligence agencies 19:30 If you are the GRU… where would you want an asset to be? 20:30 There are different types of intelligence assets 21:00 Some of the best assets don’t realize they are assets 22:15 Crisis meeting held at NATO headquarters about Trump 25:30 We should be putting the screws to Putin right now, he’s vulnerable 26:15 Ukraine has victory in sight, they aren’t desperate for a deal 27:00 How do you tackle Israel’s reputation in the world in the books? 29:30 The changes to Israel’s reputation were foreseeable 30:00 Don’t want to write about the war in Gaza 31:00 Is all hope for a two state solution gone? 33:45 There’s a “fortress Israel” mindset, they think they can do it alone 34:15 Is Gabriel Allon still a zionist? 35:00 Israel was founded with tenets of European style socialism 36:00 It’s sad seeing Israel becoming so siloed from the world 37:30 There’s been a major resurgence of antisemitism 39:15 It only takes the right set of circumstances to reignite antisemitism 40:30 Giant corporations are becoming as powerful as nation states 42:00 The new generation of ultra wealthy don’t believe in philanthropy 42:45 AI has the ability to wipe out the knowledge economy 44:00 The next great political crisis might be a climate driven natural disaster 44:45 The last great El Nino created massive famine, killing millions 45:30 The current migration patterns are climate driven 46:00 People are dying as a direct result of cutting humanitarian aid 49:30 Trump has turned the national mall into a mess 50:15 The reflecting pool is now “Kermit green” 51:30 If you could write your next book about anything, what would it be? 52:30 Don’t think he could write non-fiction, too many novels to write 54:15 If you use AI to do your writing, then that isn’t writing 57:30 Anthropic CEO gave a reasoned answer to AI military applications 58:00 Could have an AI version of yourself that lives forever 59:15 Do you ever take a rest from writing?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd opens with the news that Trump is planning a primetime address to push election denialism, and uses it as a lens to examine how thoroughly fealty to the 2020 fraud lie has become the price of admission in Trump's Washington. He argues Todd Blanche should have no place in the Department of Justice, that he failed his test under questioning from John Cornyn, and that the weaponization fund could become the red line that finally moves Collins, Tillis, and Cornyn — because an inability to confirm Blanche would be a clear sign of Trump's weakening grip on the GOP. He points to the surreal spectacle of Jay Clayton refusing to answer Jon Ossoff's simple question of who won the 2020 election, looking like a ridiculous sycophant in the process, and to Trump endorsing MyPillow's Mike Lindell — the single biggest election conspiracy theorist in the country, a man who's lost every court case and been forced to pay $5 million over his false claims. He reminds listeners that it was Trump's own appointees who ran election security in 2020, that every major election denier from Giuliani on down has been forced to retract in court, and that Georgia's full hand recount matched the machines exactly — the only real constant in Trumpworld is that any outcome Trump dislikes gets branded fraud. He then turns to the mounting deaths during ICE encounters, arguing the violence isn't an anomaly but an entirely predictable consequence of an agency whose culture has been deliberately reshaped: DHS recruited candidates with violent psychological profiles using white nationalist slogans, imposed quotas that put officers under enormous stress, and pushed them into vehicle stops that former officials admit ICE has no experience conducting. In two fatal shootings the men killed weren't even the targets, witnesses have disputed the DHS account, there's no body cam footage, and Chuck argues DHS has zero credibility, even as Trump clearly wants the theater and the violent confrontations. On Iran, Chuck is blunt that having less leverage than before the war started is simply what losing a war looks like: the administration badly underestimated Iran's willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz, Iran deliberately decentralized its regime to survive decapitation strikes, and after three failed military strategies in five months, Trump has spent the entire war negotiating against himself — meaning the best America can now hope for is a managed stalemate, because Iran can't beat the U.S. military, it just has to wait out an increasingly impatient Trump. He closes on a lighter note with the House passing a bill to make daylight saving time permanent, offering the contrarian reminder that the public always wants permanent DST until they actually get it — kids forced to go to school in pitch darkness, and the simple reality that what's good for you in the evening is bad for someone else in the morning. Finally, Chuck presents his ToddCast Top 5 list of professional athletes best positioned to run for political office and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:00 Trump planning primetime address to push election denialism 04:15 Todd Blanche should have no place in the Department of Justice 05:00 Blanche failed the test when questioned by John Cornyn 05:30 Weaponization fund could be the red line for Collins, Tillis and Cornyn 07:00 Inability to confirm Blanche would show Trump’s weakening grip on GOP 08:15 John Ossoff asked simple question Jay Clayton wouldn’t answer 09:00 Clayton refused to answer “who won the 2020 election?” 09:30 You must agree with election denialism to work for Trump 10:30 Clayton looked like a ridiculous sycophant 12:00 Administration convinced deportations will help in midterms 12:30 Trump is completely misreading the situation, but nobody will tell him 13:15 Trump gives his endorsement to Mike Lindell from MyPillow 13:45 Trump supporting biggest election conspiracy theorist in the country* 14:30 Lindell was forced to pay $5 million due to his false claims 15:15 Lindell has lost every time his claims ended up in court 15:45 Lindell is a lunatic 16:45 The only constant for Trump is “it’s fraud” if he doesn’t get his way 17:30 It was Trump appointees who ran election security in 2020 18:15 The election fraud claims from Trumpworld kept changing 19:15 Guliani was forced to refute his election denial in court 20:00 Every election denier has had to retract in a court of law 21:15 Georgia conducted a full recount and it matched the machines 23:00 Multiple deaths have occurred during encounters with ICE 24:00 In the two shootings the men killed were not the targets of the operation 24:45 Witnesses have challenged DHS account & there’s no body cam footage 25:15 DHS has no credibility, can’t trust their account of events 26:00 ICE announced they have paused most vehicle stops nationwide 28:00 Trump wants the theater with ICE, he wants violent confrontations* 29:30 The violence isn’t an anomaly, it’s entirely predictable 30:00 DHS’s recruiting for ICE has changed the culture of the organization 31:00 ICE targeted candidates with a violent psychological profile 32:15 ICE used white nationalist slogans in recruitment ads 34:00 The culture of ICE promotes violent confrontation 34:45 Administration’s quotas has put officers under stress 36:45 Former ICE officials admit the agency doesn’t have experience for vehicle stops 37:30 Tragedy isn’t a risk under these circumstances… it’s a guarantee 38:15 Federal law enforcement has turned into a theater of dominance 39:00 ICE set itself up for a war… and we’re seeing the consequences 39:45 Iran has more leverage than before the war… that’s called losing 40:15 Houthis may close another chokepoint 41:15 The U.S. military always knew the Strait of Hormuz was the ballgame 41:45 Administration underestimated Iran’s willingness to close the Strait 42:30 Iran set up the regime to be decentralized in case of decapitation strikes 43:15 We’ve tried 3 major military strategies in 5 months & none worked 44:30 Trump has negotiated against himself for the entire war 46:00 This has now become a fight over leverage 47:00 Every week the war grinds on, the more unpopular it becomes 47:30 Iran can’t beat the U.S. military, they just need to wait out Trump 48:15 The best we can hope for is a managed stalemate 48:45 House passed a bill to make daylight savings time permanent 49:45 The public always wants permanent daylight savings, until they get it 50:15 Kids are forced to get to school in the dark, results in deaths 51:30 What’s good for you in the evening is bad for someone else in the morning 57:00 ToddCast Top 5 American athletes that could transition to politics 1:01:00 #5 Travis Kelce 1:02:15 #4 Paul Skenes 1:03:15 #3 Patrick Mahomes 1:04:00 #2 Steph Curry 1:05:00 #1 Caitlin Clark 1:08:15 Ask Chuck 1:08:30 Favorite old 40s and 50s films? 1:14:45 Your work made a real difference in my life 1:16:15 Are there any states where a congressperson could do what Farage did in UK? 1:19:45 Why don’t presidential campaigns create buzz around VP selection? 1:24:15 What signs would show us we’re turning the corner on this divisive era?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd opens with the news that Trump is planning a primetime address to push election denialism, and uses it as a lens to examine how thoroughly fealty to the 2020 fraud lie has become the price of admission in Trump's Washington. He argues Todd Blanche should have no place in the Department of Justice, that he failed his test under questioning from John Cornyn, and that the weaponization fund could become the red line that finally moves Collins, Tillis, and Cornyn — because an inability to confirm Blanche would be a clear sign of Trump's weakening grip on the GOP. He points to the surreal spectacle of Jay Clayton refusing to answer Jon Ossoff's simple question of who won the 2020 election, looking like a ridiculous sycophant in the process, and to Trump endorsing MyPillow's Mike Lindell — the single biggest election conspiracy theorist in the country, a man who's lost every court case and been forced to pay $5 million over his false claims. He reminds listeners that it was Trump's own appointees who ran election security in 2020, that every major election denier from Giuliani on down has been forced to retract in court, and that Georgia's full hand recount matched the machines exactly — the only real constant in Trumpworld is that any outcome Trump dislikes gets branded fraud. He then turns to the mounting deaths during ICE encounters, arguing the violence isn't an anomaly but an entirely predictable consequence of an agency whose culture has been deliberately reshaped: DHS recruited candidates with violent psychological profiles using white nationalist slogans, imposed quotas that put officers under enormous stress, and pushed them into vehicle stops that former officials admit ICE has no experience conducting. In two fatal shootings the men killed weren't even the targets, witnesses have disputed the DHS account, there's no body cam footage, and Chuck argues DHS has zero credibility, even as Trump clearly wants the theater and the violent confrontations. On Iran, Chuck is blunt that having less leverage than before the war started is simply what losing a war looks like: the administration badly underestimated Iran's willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz, Iran deliberately decentralized its regime to survive decapitation strikes, and after three failed military strategies in five months, Trump has spent the entire war negotiating against himself — meaning the best America can now hope for is a managed stalemate, because Iran can't beat the U.S. military, it just has to wait out an increasingly impatient Trump. He closes on a lighter note with the House passing a bill to make daylight saving time permanent, offering the contrarian reminder that the public always wants permanent DST until they actually get it — kids forced to go to school in pitch darkness, and the simple reality that what's good for you in the evening is bad for someone else in the morning. Then, John Opdycke — founder and president of Open Primaries, one of the leading organizations pushing to end closed partisan primaries — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case that the exclusion of independent voters is one of the great overlooked scandals of American democracy. Opdycke walks through the byzantine patchwork of voter and party registration rules that vary wildly by state, explains why so many independents sit out partisan primaries entirely, and argues that after 30 years of closed primaries the cumulative effect has been a system where the parties function as both the umpires and the players — a structure that simply doesn't work. He makes the bipartisan argument that tax dollars shouldn't fund the private nominating contests of what are essentially private organizations, and is pointedly critical of Democrats for actively fighting open primary initiatives.He notes that policies with 80% public support routinely fail to pass because voters don't actually have a meaningful say. The conversation turns tactical and forward-looking, with Opdycke offering a sober assessment of the broader reform landscape and its persistent failures. He argues the ranked-choice voting movement has made serious tactical errors, that the party in power always fights ranked choice voting, and that the modern reform and independent movement suffers from a fundamental lack of a compelling public face — as well as from philanthropic funders who attach outcome expectations that distort the work. Opdycke is candid that third parties fare poorly in nearly every electoral system, that Ross Perot's Reform Party is now essentially a shell, and that the American people still don't trust the reform movement — but he sees real opportunity in specific fights, particularly mobilizing Florida's independents to change the law and pursuing top-two systems that would genuinely open the door to competition. He notes the striking statistic that 10,000 people per week are changing their voter registration, laments the general lack of curiosity (and polling) about who swing voters actually are, and argues there's meaningful left-right overlap among libertarians that reformers could tap. They explore whether the redistricting wars could create a backlash against the two-party system, why there are only about 25 competitive House districts left, and why several states are now actually moving back toward closed primaries. They close with a clear-eyed take on 2028: the reform movement needs a credible presidential candidate, and with 2028 shaping up to be a wild and unpredictable year, the opening for that kind of disruption may be wider than it's been in decades. Finally, Chuck presents his ToddCast Top 5 list of professional athletes best positioned to run for political office and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:00 Trump planning primetime address to push election denialism 04:15 Todd Blanche should have no place in the Department of Justice 05:00 Blanche failed the test when questioned by John Cornyn 05:30 Weaponization fund could be the red line for Collins, Tillis and Cornyn 07:00 Inability to confirm Blanche would show Trump’s weakening grip on GOP 08:15 John Ossoff asked simple question Jay Clayton wouldn’t answer 09:00 Clayton refused to answer “who won the 2020 election?” 09:30 You must agree with election denialism to work for Trump 10:30 Clayton looked like a ridiculous sycophant 12:00 Administration convinced deportations will help in midterms 12:30 Trump is completely misreading the situation, but nobody will tell him 13:15 Trump gives his endorsement to Mike Lindell from MyPillow 13:45 Trump supporting biggest election conspiracy theorist in the country* 14:30 Lindell was forced to pay $5 million due to his false claims 15:15 Lindell has lost every time his claims ended up in court 15:45 Lindell is a lunatic 16:45 The only constant for Trump is “it’s fraud” if he doesn’t get his way 17:30 It was Trump appointees who ran election security in 2020 18:15 The election fraud claims from Trumpworld kept changing 19:15 Guliani was forced to refute his election denial in court 20:00 Every election denier has had to retract in a court of law 21:15 Georgia conducted a full recount and it matched the machines 23:00 Multiple deaths have occurred during encounters with ICE 24:00 In the two shootings the men killed were not the targets of the operation 24:45 Witnesses have challenged DHS account & there’s no body cam footage 25:15 DHS has no credibility, can’t trust their account of events 26:00 ICE announced they have paused most vehicle stops nationwide 28:00 Trump wants the theater with ICE, he wants violent confrontations* 29:30 The violence isn’t an anomaly, it’s entirely predictable 30:00 DHS’s recruiting for ICE has changed the culture of the organization 31:00 ICE targeted candidates with a violent psychological profile 32:15 ICE used white nationalist slogans in recruitment ads 34:00 The culture of ICE promotes violent confrontation 34:45 Administration’s quotas has put officers under stress 36:45 Former ICE officials admit the agency doesn’t have experience for vehicle stops 37:30 Tragedy isn’t a risk under these circumstances… it’s a guarantee 38:15 Federal law enforcement has turned into a theater of dominance 39:00 ICE set itself up for a war… and we’re seeing the consequences 39:45 Iran has more leverage than before the war… that’s called losing 40:15 Houthis may close another chokepoint 41:15 The U.S. military always knew the Strait of Hormuz was the ballgame 41:45 Administration underestimated Iran’s willingness to close the Strait 42:30 Iran set up the regime to be decentralized in case of decapitation strikes 43:15 We’ve tried 3 major military strategies in 5 months & none worked 44:30 Trump has negotiated against himself for the entire war 46:00 This has now become a fight over leverage 47:00 Every week the war grinds on, the more unpopular it becomes 47:30 Iran can’t beat the U.S. military, they just need to wait out Trump 48:15 The best we can hope for is a managed stalemate 48:45 House passed a bill to make daylight savings time permanent 49:45 The public always wants permanent daylight savings, until they get it 50:15 Kids are forced to get to school in the dark, results in deaths 51:30 What’s good for you in the evening is bad for someone else in the morning 00:00 John Opdycke joins the Chuck ToddCast 59:45 Voter & party registration rules vary greatly by state 1:01:00 Why do so many independents sit out partisan primaries? 1:03:30 NYC Democratic party actively fought open primary initiative 1:05:00 There have been cumulative effects of 30 years of closed primaries 1:06:15 Voter apathy across the board for voting in primaries 1:07:00 Independents showing strong support for Open Primaries 1:08:45 Parties have every right to choose their candidates 1:09:15 Parties now are both the umpires and the players, it doesn’t work 1:11:00 There’s bipartisan arguments for not using tax dollars for private orgs 1:12:15 Why are Democrats fighting against open primaries? 1:14:15 Ross Perot’s Reform Party is basically a shell at this point 1:17:00 Independent voters are incorrectly understood as in the middle 1:17:30 Independents are moderate in temperament, not ideology 1:19:15 Politics post-Clinton/Gingrich designed to keep independents down 1:20:15 The modern reform/independent movement lacks a face 1:21:15 Philanthropic funders come with expectations of outcomes 1:22:15 Ranked choice voting movement has made serious tactical errors 1:24:30 Party in power always fights ranked choice voting 1:26:00 Exclusion of independent voters is a Jim Crow level violation of rights 1:26:30 Policies with 80% support don’t pass, voters don’t have a say 1:28:00 Third parties don’t do well in almost any electoral system 1:29:15 Swing voters are ignored until October 1:29:45 Which states offer best opportunities for a third party? 1:30:30 Independents require the Democrat to drop out in senate races 1:34:00 Could the redistricting wars create backlash to the two party system? 1:34:45 There’s only 25 competitive house district 1:35:30 Leaders in several states now looking to go back to closed primaries 1:36:45 The American people don’t trust the Reform movement 1:38:45 Mobilizing independents in Florida to change the law 1:41:15 There’s left-right overlap amongst the libertarians 1:42:45 There’s a lack of curiosity about independent/swing voters 1:44:45 10,000 people per week change their voter registration 1:45:30 We need a flood of polling and research about independent voters 1:46:45 What does success look like for Open Primaries this year? 1:49:45 A top two system would open up the door to competition 1:51:15 There are fewer “generic” candidates, much more variance 1:53:45 The Reform movement needs a presidential candidate in ‘28 1:57:30 Perot had to scare both parties to get them to make reforms 1:59:00 Have to creative in ‘28, it will be a wild year in politics 2:00:00 Primaries should be open to all voters 2:00:15 ToddCast Top 5 American athletes that could transition to politics 2:04:15 #5 Travis Kelce 2:05:30 #4 Paul Skenes 2:06:30 #3 Patrick Mahomes 2:07:15 #2 Steph Curry 2:08:15 #1 Caitlin Clark 2:11:30 Ask Chuck 2:11:45 Favorite old 40s and 50s films? 2:18:00 Your work made a real difference in my life 2:19:30 Are there any states where a congressperson could do what Farage did in UK? 2:23:00 Why don’t presidential campaigns create buzz around VP selection? 2:27:30 What signs would show us we’re turning the corner on this divisive era?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
John Opdycke — founder and president of Open Primaries, one of the leading organizations pushing to end closed partisan primaries — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case that the exclusion of independent voters is one of the great overlooked scandals of American democracy. Opdycke walks through the byzantine patchwork of voter and party registration rules that vary wildly by state, explains why so many independents sit out partisan primaries entirely, and argues that after 30 years of closed primaries the cumulative effect has been a system where the parties function as both the umpires and the players — a structure that simply doesn't work. He makes the bipartisan argument that tax dollars shouldn't fund the private nominating contests of what are essentially private organizations, and is pointedly critical of Democrats for actively fighting open primary initiatives.He notes that policies with 80% public support routinely fail to pass because voters don't actually have a meaningful say. The conversation turns tactical and forward-looking, with Opdycke offering a sober assessment of the broader reform landscape and its persistent failures. He argues the ranked-choice voting movement has made serious tactical errors, that the party in power always fights ranked choice voting, and that the modern reform and independent movement suffers from a fundamental lack of a compelling public face — as well as from philanthropic funders who attach outcome expectations that distort the work. Opdycke is candid that third parties fare poorly in nearly every electoral system, that Ross Perot's Reform Party is now essentially a shell, and that the American people still don't trust the reform movement — but he sees real opportunity in specific fights, particularly mobilizing Florida's independents to change the law and pursuing top-two systems that would genuinely open the door to competition. He notes the striking statistic that 10,000 people per week are changing their voter registration, laments the general lack of curiosity (and polling) about who swing voters actually are, and argues there's meaningful left-right overlap among libertarians that reformers could tap. They explore whether the redistricting wars could create a backlash against the two-party system, why there are only about 25 competitive House districts left, and why several states are now actually moving back toward closed primaries. They close with a clear-eyed take on 2028: the reform movement needs a credible presidential candidate, and with 2028 shaping up to be a wild and unpredictable year, the opening for that kind of disruption may be wider than it's been in decades. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 John Opdycke joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:45 Voter & party registration rules vary greatly by state 03:00 Why do so many independents sit out partisan primaries? 05:30 NYC Democratic party actively fought open primary initiative 07:00 There have been cumulative effects of 30 years of closed primaries 08:15 Voter apathy across the board for voting in primaries 09:00 Independents showing strong support for Open Primaries 10:45 Parties have every right to choose their candidates 11:15 Parties now are both the umpires and the players, it doesn’t work 13:00 There’s bipartisan arguments for not using tax dollars for private orgs 14:15 Why are Democrats fighting against open primaries? 16:15 Ross Perot’s Reform Party is basically a shell at this point 19:00 Independent voters are incorrectly understood as in the middle 19:30 Independents are moderate in temperament, not ideology 21:15 Politics post-Clinton/Gingrich designed to keep independents down 22:15 The modern reform/independent movement lacks a face 23:15 Philanthropic funders come with expectations of outcomes 24:15 Ranked choice voting movement has made serious tactical errors 26:30 Party in power always fights ranked choice voting 28:00 Exclusion of independent voters is a Jim Crow level violation of rights 28:30 Policies with 80% support don’t pass, voters don’t have a say 30:00 Third parties don’t do well in almost any electoral system 31:15 Swing voters are ignored until October 31:45 Which states offer best opportunities for a third party? 32:30 Independents require the Democrat to drop out in senate races 36:00 Could the redistricting wars create backlash to the two party system? 36:45 There’s only 25 competitive house district 37:30 Leaders in several states now looking to go back to closed primaries 38:45 The American people don’t trust the Reform movement 40:45 Mobilizing independents in Florida to change the law 43:15 There’s left-right overlap amongst the libertarians 44:45 There’s a lack of curiosity about independent/swing voters 46:45 10,000 people per week change their voter registration 47:30 We need a flood of polling and research about independent voters 48:45 What does success look like for Open Primaries this year? 51:45 A top two system would open up the door to competition 53:15 There are fewer “generic” candidates, much more variance 55:45 The Reform movement needs a presidential candidate in ‘28 59:30 Perot had to scare both parties to get them to make reforms 1:01:00 Have to creative in ‘28, it will be a wild year in politicsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chris Cillizza and Chuck Todd open on a jolting weekend in politics: the sudden death of Lindsey Graham and the frantic — and faintly unseemly — scramble to replace him. Rather than relitigate Graham through the usual partisan lens, the guys argue that his loss, alongside the coming departures of Cornyn, Tillis, Cassidy, Durbin and others, amounts to a gutting of the Senate's dealmaking center, and they lay out their favorite framework for understanding him: the difference between "ideologues" and "politicians," and why the politicians are the ones who actually get things passed. They break down the near-term fallout for Trump, who just lost his most effective back-channel to skeptical senators and to Ukraine, and handicap the wide-open South Carolina race — from Henry McMaster's likely caretaker appointment to a crowded August primary featuring Pamela Evette, Nancy Mace, and a possible Trey Gowdy compromise play. From there it's on to two health stories the news cycle nearly buried — the mystery around Mitch McConnell's fall, pneumonia and rehab stay, and Trump's latest Walter Reed cognitive test — before a deep dive into Maine, where Susan Collins suddenly has no opponent after Graham Platner's exit and seven Democrats will fight it out at a 600-person nominating convention. Chuck and Chris debate whether Collins is now more or less vulnerable, take a spirited detour through New England blue bloods and Platner's "oyster farmer" branding, and skewer the knives-out world of political consultants. Then they close personal and sporty: their National Journal origin story, and a nerdy back-and-forth on the reinvented Home Run Derby, All-Star nostalgia, a World Baseball Classic pitch, and the Nats' latest heartbreak. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Welcome to Super Tuesdays 01:29 Lindsey Graham dies Saturday night of an aortic rupture 02:01 When death hits mid-campaign, everything accelerates 03:59 The "humans vs. aliens" acting analogy, applied to politicians 04:43 Ideologues vs. politicians — and why Graham was the latter 05:42 Democratic senators genuinely liked working with Graham 06:21 The real story: the gutting of the Senate's dealmaking center 11:33 Graham would've been a Democrat if he'd grown up in Oregon 14:26 Near-term fallout — Graham was Thune & Trump's whisperer 14:59 Why Todd Blanche's confirmation just got harder 16:14 Zelensky lost his best Trump whisperer, too 17:30 Republicans have functionally lost control of the Senate 19:37 An open South Carolina Senate seat comes once a generation 22:09 South Carolina's factional GOP sets up a free-for-all 24:43 A full six-year term raises the stakes 29:06 Could Trey Gowdy be the compromise candidate? 31:02 What is going on with Mitch McConnell? 35:45 The buried health story: Trump's new Walter Reed cognitive test 36:36 Should cognitive tests be mandatory for presidents over 75? 38:26 On Graham, Trump can only make it about himself 39:32 The Butler anniversary crowd-size claim 40:32 To Maine: Collins is the most vulnerable Republican 41:02 Handicapping the seven-Democrat nominating convention 45:07 Is Susan Collins more or less vulnerable than a month ago? 47:13 Why the right Democratic nominee could actually beat her 51:15 Platner's privilege & the "oyster farmer" brand 51:39 The knives-out world of nepo-baby campaign consultants 51:56 Chuck & Chris's National Journal origin story 54:35 Why "he's a farmer, not a politician" branding is hypnotic nonsense 56:20 To sports: the reinvented, 20-swing Home Run Derby 56:41 The Nats blow three leads 58:04 Empty-nesting & the streaming shows worth your night 59:42 All-Star nostalgia in the age of the MLB app and interleague play 1:02:42 A pitch for a two-week WBC break every July 1:04:25 The Futures Game & Nats prospect Eli Willits 1:05:06 Wrap-up: subscribe to Super TuesdaysSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd devotes much of this episode to a rich, personal reflection on the death of Senator Lindsey Graham at 71 — a figure who can only be understood if you separate the ideologues from the pure politicians, because Graham was unambiguously the latter. Graham always wanted to be in the middle of the Republican Party, treated his Senate seat as something as precious to him as a spouse, and was a genuine political creature who could nonetheless work with everyone, partnering with both Trump and Obama across his career. Chuck shares personal memories — interviewing Graham alongside John McCain, the two of them giving outsized attention to the Steele Dossier; Graham losing his parents in his 20s and raising his 13-year-old sister; even reassuring Chuck’s own wife about her worries over Trump — and argues that Graham, for all his capitulations, actually served as one of the few moderating forces on Trump. He lays out the very real political fallout: Todd Blanche's confirmation as Attorney General is now in serious jeopardy, Graham leaves a massive vacuum in the GOP conference, and his South Carolina seat could actually be competitive for Democrat Annie Andrews if the Republican primary lurches far enough to the right. From there Chuck draws a series of parallels between American and British politics — Labour returning to power on a promise of competence and stability, Nigel Farage (like Trump) trying to convert political fame into personal wealth, and the satirical candidate "Count Binface" holding up a mirror to a political culture that has become pure theater — musing, only half-jokingly, that America could use its own Count Binface. Chuck closes on a sober note about the U.S.-Israel relationship, which he believes is heading for a real retreat: he recalls how close the region came to a two-state peace two decades ago, how the collapse of that moment allowed radicalism to escalate on both sides until each could argue the other doesn't want peace, and points to Rahm Emanuel's recent speech in Israel — warning that Israel must articulate a vision for what comes after the war or risk isolating itself from younger and moderate Americans — as the sound of someone trying to save a political center that vanishes the moment people conclude moderates don't have answers. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to break down the messy build up and coalitions involved in the Spanish civil war, and what lessons modern America can take from it. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and make a proposal for a change to the baseball Hall of Fame. From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 04:15 Senator Lindsey Graham dead at 71 04:45 Reactions to Graham are filtered through one’s personal politics 05:30 There are ideologues and there are politicians. Graham was the latter 06:45 Graham always wanted to be in the middle of the Republican party 09:00 Graham’s senate seat was as important to him as a spouse 11:15 Certain people are just political creatures, like Graham and Cruz 12:45 Graham was able to work with everyone on both sides of the aisle 13:30 Graham worked with both Trump and Obama 15:30 Conspiracy theories are swirling about Graham’s death 16:15 There needs to be a thorough autopsy to put conspiracies to rest 17:30 Chuck interviewed Graham & McCain, they mentioned the Steele Dossier 18:15 Graham and McCain gave the most attention to the Dossier 20:30 Graham’s parents died in his 20s, he raised his 13 year old sister 22:30 Chuck had Graham as a dark horse candidate for 2008 23:15 Graham was aware of the rumors and never addressed them directly 24:30 The real world impact on politics from Graham’s passing 25:00 Todd Blanche’s confirmation is now in serious jeopardy 25:30 Graham leaves a massive vacuum in the GOP conference 28:00 Graham kept Trump from fully going down the fascist road 29:15 Unlike Trump, Graham sees Putin as a threat & backed Ukraine 31:15 Impact on the South Carolina elections 32:00 There will be lots of Republicans looking to jump into the primary 33:15 If primary goes super right-wing, Democrat Annie Andrews has a shot 35:15 Graham reassured Chuck’s wife after expressing worries about Trump 37:45 Graham knew if he had gone hard on Trump, he’d lose his senate seat 38:45 There are parallels between U.S. and U.K politics 39:45 Labour came back into power promising competence and stability 40:45 Nigel Farage, like Trump… is trying to turn political fame into wealth 42:30 “Count Binface” has been challenging Farage as a satirical candidate 43:30 The man who made UK politics theatrical, now facing a theatrical challenge 44:00 The U.S. could really use a “Count Binface” to hold up a mirror 45:15 What if we accepted the premise of politics as entertainment? 46:00 Should we host a political reality show on an island 47:15 Governing experience has become a liability in American politics 48:00 Media rewards performance more than competency 50:15 There is going to be a retreat in the American-Israeli partnership 50:45 20 years ago we were very close to peace & two state solution 52:45 When moderation & compromise fail, radicalism takes its place 54:00 There was a serious chance for peace two decades ago 54:30 After both sides walked away, the radicalism escalated 56:15 The extremes can now argue the other side doesn’t want peace 57:00 Rahm Emmanuel travels to Israel to give speech 58:00 Rahm says Israel must provide vision for what comes after war 59:15 Rahm warns Israel risks isolating itself from younger & moderate Americans 1:00:45 Rahm sounds like someone trying to save the political center 1:02:00 Moderation disappears when it feels like moderates don’t have answers 01:12:00 ToddCast Time Machine - July 17th, 1936 01:12:30 Start of the Spanish civil war 01:13:15 Why does Spain’s civil war stand out in history? 01:14:30 The war wasn’t simply a fight between left and right 01:15:00 1930s Spain had every divide imaginable 01:16:00 Political violence became common, political center got smaller 01:16:45 The left wing coalition that won was barely united at all 01:17:45 Military units in Morocco revolted, then coup spread to Spain 01:18:30 Franco eventually united a fascist coalition with military command 01:19:15 The left’s internal divisions became one of Franco’s advantages 01:20:30 Civilians became part of the battlefield and were targeted 01:22:00 George Orwell’s writing came directly from his experiences in Spain 01:23:15 The fascist wing won the war and Franco ruled until 1975 01:24:00 Pluralism only emerged after decades of authoritarian rule 01:25:30 The transition out of authoritarianism came from exhaustion, not agreement 01:27:00 Sharing power with opponents is preferable to violence 01:28:15 Book recommendations for learning more about the Spanish civil war 01:29:15 Ask Chuck 01:29:30 How can we get back to lasting governance and progress? 01:35:00 Could Trump run as VP or speaker then ascend back to the presidency? 01:38:15 Why do prominent political interviews not have aggressive follow ups? 01:44:45 Who was the best pitcher of this generation that’s retiring? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd devotes much of this episode to a rich, personal reflection on the death of Senator Lindsey Graham at 71 — a figure who can only be understood if you separate the ideologues from the pure politicians, because Graham was unambiguously the latter. Graham always wanted to be in the middle of the Republican Party, treated his Senate seat as something as precious to him as a spouse, and was a genuine political creature who could nonetheless work with everyone, partnering with both Trump and Obama across his career. Chuck shares personal memories — interviewing Graham alongside John McCain, the two of them giving outsized attention to the Steele Dossier; Graham losing his parents in his 20s and raising his 13-year-old sister; even reassuring Chuck’s own wife about her worries over Trump — and argues that Graham, for all his capitulations, actually served as one of the few moderating forces on Trump. He lays out the very real political fallout: Todd Blanche's confirmation as Attorney General is now in serious jeopardy, Graham leaves a massive vacuum in the GOP conference, and his South Carolina seat could actually be competitive for Democrat Annie Andrews if the Republican primary lurches far enough to the right. From there Chuck draws a series of parallels between American and British politics — Labour returning to power on a promise of competence and stability, Nigel Farage (like Trump) trying to convert political fame into personal wealth, and the satirical candidate "Count Binface" holding up a mirror to a political culture that has become pure theater — musing, only half-jokingly, that America could use its own Count Binface. Chuck closes on a sober note about the U.S.-Israel relationship, which he believes is heading for a real retreat: he recalls how close the region came to a two-state peace two decades ago, how the collapse of that moment allowed radicalism to escalate on both sides until each could argue the other doesn't want peace, and points to Rahm Emanuel's recent speech in Israel — warning that Israel must articulate a vision for what comes after the war or risk isolating itself from younger and moderate Americans — as the sound of someone trying to save a political center that vanishes the moment people conclude moderates don't have answers. Then, John Morgan — founder of Morgan & Morgan, one of the largest personal injury firms in the country & author of "Life is Luck: Lessons From a Paperboy and How to Improve Your Luck" joins the Chuck Toddcast for a wide-ranging conversation about civil litigation, the failures of government regulation, and his plan to launch a third party in Florida. Morgan makes the case that civil litigation has grown precisely because government has failed to regulate — social media is a genuine threat to human wellbeing (especially for children), monopolies are squeezing consumers, and processed foods, he argues, are the new tobacco: extremely harmful and ripe for legal reckoning. He offers a candid, colorful assessment of his former firm member RFK Jr. — "smart and crazy," a man who falls down some rabbit holes but also champions legitimate causes — and walks through the thorny reality that vaccine makers enjoy total indemnity while sovereign immunity exists in some form in all 50 states. Morgan is refreshingly honest about the ethics of his own industry, arguing that ads gloating about settlement numbers are a mistake because the real goal of a settlement is to give someone back something they lost, not to celebrate a payday. The heart of the conversation is Morgan's plan to launch a new third party in Florida called "Common Ground," rooted in his conviction that the two-party system itself is what's fundamentally broken in America. Morgan argues that moderates should function as the tiebreakers in a polarized system — that picking up just a few seats could turn an uncommitted moderate bloc into a genuine fulcrum of power in Congress — and explains why he'd rather build something new than partner with the existing Forward Party. He handicaps Florida's political landscape with an insider's candor: Byron Donalds likely wins the governorship but it'll be close, the Charlie Crist party-switch playbook never worked, and he's genuinely unsure whether voters can find David Jolly credible after his own party change.. Morgan laments that too many people now enter politics for the pension and salary rather than public service, criticizes DeSantis for appointing cronies as university presidents, and argues age limits are overdue because government should be about the future and very few politicians remain effective past 70. Along the way he explains why he thinks Texas Democrats fielded a more viable ticket than Florida's (James Talarico, he says, simply has "it"), why Andy Beshear won in Kentucky, why charter schools are about money rather than choice, and why DeSantis's property tax proposal could become a Brexit-style case study in voters making decisions that make no sense once the consequences arrive. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to break down the messy build up and coalitions involved in the Spanish civil war, and what lessons modern America can take from it. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and make a proposal for a change to the baseball Hall of Fame. Get John Morgan's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Life-is-Luck/dp/B0H2K52H4G/ref=sr_1_1?crid=LF7S7OGAT46F&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.CaRKVB4mHJGTS0bVFd7ONcU6YfsmpGl_tDncLiWRzCNecvHPOVtdrMbXsFl_LNyLxyW8nLRxXL3j5wdKGrHq7hSKazupgR14cC3u74xjkQpTUw2_xdJsVkC21K2kobaEZpdGZJsOkB5HdKgNBvyzjcb0eh8sdqhprrTbUo_1Fss.iLY1CiUpIpHB0Z1TbM0GJH2COy5EqaDcd3D_ItY0mfg&dib_tag=se&keywords=John+Morgan+life+is+luck&qid=1784135091&s=books&sprefix=john+morgan+life+is+luck%2Cstripbooks%2C177&sr=1-1 From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Timeline: 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 04:15 Senator Lindsey Graham dead at 71 04:45 Reactions to Graham are filtered through one’s personal politics 05:30 There are ideologues and there are politicians. Graham was the latter 06:45 Graham always wanted to be in the middle of the Republican party 09:00 Graham’s senate seat was as important to him as a spouse 11:15 Certain people are just political creatures, like Graham and Cruz 12:45 Graham was able to work with everyone on both sides of the aisle 13:30 Graham worked with both Trump and Obama 15:30 Conspiracy theories are swirling about Graham’s death 16:15 There needs to be a thorough autopsy to put conspiracies to rest 17:30 Chuck interviewed Graham & McCain, they mentioned the Steele Dossier 18:15 Graham and McCain gave the most attention to the Dossier 20:30 Graham’s parents died in his 20s, he raised his 13 year old sister 22:30 Chuck had Graham as a dark horse candidate for 2008 23:15 Graham was aware of the rumors and never addressed them directly 24:30 The real world impact on politics from Graham’s passing 25:00 Todd Blanche’s confirmation is now in serious jeopardy 25:30 Graham leaves a massive vacuum in the GOP conference 28:00 Graham kept Trump from fully going down the fascist road 29:15 Unlike Trump, Graham sees Putin as a threat & backed Ukraine 31:15 Impact on the South Carolina elections 32:00 There will be lots of Republicans looking to jump into the primary 33:15 If primary goes super right-wing, Democrat Annie Andrews has a shot 35:15 Graham reassured Chuck’s wife after expressing worries about Trump 37:45 Graham knew if he had gone hard on Trump, he’d lose his senate seat 38:45 There are parallels between U.S. and U.K politics 39:45 Labour came back into power promising competence and stability 40:45 Nigel Farage, like Trump… is trying to turn political fame into wealth 42:30 “Count Binface” has been challenging Farage as a satirical candidate 43:30 The man who made UK politics theatrical, now facing a theatrical challenge 44:00 The U.S. could really use a “Count Binface” to hold up a mirror 45:15 What if we accepted the premise of politics as entertainment? 46:00 Should we host a political reality show on an island 47:15 Governing experience has become a liability in American politics 48:00 Media rewards performance more than competency 50:15 There is going to be a retreat in the American-Israeli partnership 50:45 20 years ago we were very close to peace & two state solution 52:45 When moderation & compromise fail, radicalism takes its place 54:00 There was a serious chance for peace two decades ago 54:30 After both sides walked away, the radicalism escalated 56:15 The extremes can now argue the other side doesn’t want peace 57:00 Rahm Emmanuel travels to Israel to give speech 58:00 Rahm says Israel must provide vision for what comes after war 59:15 Rahm warns Israel risks isolating itself from younger & moderate Americans 1:00:45 Rahm sounds like someone trying to save the political center 1:02:00 Moderation disappears when it feels like moderates don’t have answers 01:12:30 John Morgan joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:13:15 What is most difficult about nationalizing a law firm? 01:14:15 When screening for good lawyers, it’s obvious who stands out 01:15:30 Lawsuits always seem frivolous until it happens to you 01:16:15 Ads that gloat about settlement numbers are a mistake 01:17:00 The goal of settlements is to give back something that was lost 01:18:15 Thoughts on private equity using civil litigation to hedge? 01:18:45 Involvement in cases against big tech companies 01:19:15 Social media is a threat to human wellbeing, especially children 01:21:00 Civil litigation has grown as government has failed to regulate 01:22:30 Monopolies are squeezing consumers 01:23:00 Processed foods are like tobacco, extremely harmful 01:23:30 RFK Jr. was a member of the firm, he’s smart and crazy 01:24:45 RFK falls down some BS rabbit holes but also has good causes 01:25:15 Vaccine makers have total indemnity 01:26:00 Sovereign immunity exists in some fashion in all 50 states 01:26:30 What’s your process for vetting science? 01:28:00 Will be launching a third party in Florida - The Common Ground 01:30:00 Other wealthy people have considered starting third parties 01:32:30 The two party system is what is broken in the country 01:33:00 Why not partner with the Forward Party? 01:34:30 Moderates should be the tiebreakers 01:36:00 A few uncommitted moderates could be a swing vote in congress 01:36:45 All you need to do is pick up a few seats to act as a fulcrum 01:38:15 It’s likely that Donalds wins in Florida, but it will be close 01:39:00 Why didn’t the Charlie Crist move work for Florida Democrats? 01:40:15 Can voters find David Jolly credible after changing parties? 01:42:00 More people are getting into politics for a pension & salary 01:43:00 People are going into politics for the wrong reasons 01:44:15 DeSantis appointed his cronies to be university presidents 01:45:00 Still deciding on whether to support Donalds or Jolly 01:46:30 Vindman doesn’t have a chance at winning 01:47:30 Texas Dem ticket is more liberal, why is it more viable than Florida’s? 01:48:15 James Talarico is very formidable, he has “it” 01:50:30 Andy Beshear won because Bevin turned on public school teachers 01:51:15 Charter schools aren’t about choice, they’re about money 01:52:00 Parental involvement is the best indicator of school performance 01:53:15 How would you message against DeSantis’s property tax proposal? 01:54:15 Americans are less interested in “us” and more interested in “me” 01:54:45 Implementing the property tax proposal will be like Brexit 01:57:00 Voters can make decisions that make no sense 01:57:45 Had the itch to run for office, but unlikely to do it 01:58:15 Government is for the future, should be age limits for elected officials 01:59:30 Very few elder politicians remain effective past 70 years old 02:02:30 Thoughts on the interview with John Morgan 02:03:00 ToddCast Time Machine - July 17th, 1936 02:03:30 Start of the Spanish civil war 02:04:15 Why does Spain’s civil war stand out in history? 02:05:30 The war wasn’t simply a fight between left and right 02:06:00 1930s Spain had every divide imaginable 02:07:00 Political violence became common, political center got smaller 02:07:45 The left wing coalition that won was barely united at all 02:08:45 Military units in Morocco revolted, then coup spread to Spain 02:09:30 Franco eventually united a fascist coalition with military command 02:10:15 The left’s internal divisions became one of Franco’s advantages 02:11:30 Civilians became part of the battlefield and were targeted 02:13:00 George Orwell’s writing came directly from his experiences in Spain 02:14:15 The fascist wing won the war and Franco ruled until 1975 02:15:00 Pluralism only emerged after decades of authoritarian rule 02:16:30 The transition out of authoritarianism came from exhaustion, not agreement 02:18:00 Sharing power with opponents is preferable to violence 02:19:15 Book recommendations for learning more about the Spanish civil war 02:20:15 Ask Chuck 02:20:30 How can we get back to lasting governance and progress? 02:26:00 Could Trump run as VP or speaker then ascend back to the presidency? 02:29:15 Why do prominent political interviews not have aggressive follow ups? 02:35:45 Who was the best pitcher of this generation that’s retiring? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
John Morgan — founder of Morgan & Morgan, one of the largest personal injury firms in the country & author of "Life is Luck: Lessons From a Paperboy and How to Improve Your Luck" joins the Chuck Toddcast for a wide-ranging conversation about civil litigation, the failures of government regulation, and his plan to launch a third party in Florida. Morgan makes the case that civil litigation has grown precisely because government has failed to regulate — social media is a genuine threat to human wellbeing (especially for children), monopolies are squeezing consumers, and processed foods, he argues, are the new tobacco: extremely harmful and ripe for legal reckoning. He offers a candid, colorful assessment of his former firm member RFK Jr. — "smart and crazy," a man who falls down some rabbit holes but also champions legitimate causes — and walks through the thorny reality that vaccine makers enjoy total indemnity while sovereign immunity exists in some form in all 50 states. Morgan is refreshingly honest about the ethics of his own industry, arguing that ads gloating about settlement numbers are a mistake because the real goal of a settlement is to give someone back something they lost, not to celebrate a payday. The heart of the conversation is Morgan's plan to launch a new third party in Florida called "Common Ground," rooted in his conviction that the two-party system itself is what's fundamentally broken in America. Morgan argues that moderates should function as the tiebreakers in a polarized system — that picking up just a few seats could turn an uncommitted moderate bloc into a genuine fulcrum of power in Congress — and explains why he'd rather build something new than partner with the existing Forward Party. He handicaps Florida's political landscape with an insider's candor: Byron Donalds likely wins the governorship but it'll be close, the Charlie Crist party-switch playbook never worked, and he's genuinely unsure whether voters can find David Jolly credible after his own party change.. Morgan laments that too many people now enter politics for the pension and salary rather than public service, criticizes DeSantis for appointing cronies as university presidents, and argues age limits are overdue because government should be about the future and very few politicians remain effective past 70. Along the way he explains why he thinks Texas Democrats fielded a more viable ticket than Florida's (James Talarico, he says, simply has "it"), why Andy Beshear won in Kentucky, why charter schools are about money rather than choice, and why DeSantis's property tax proposal could become a Brexit-style case study in voters making decisions that make no sense once the consequences arrive. Get John's book here https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Life-is-Luck/dp/B0H2K52H4G/ref=sr_1_1?crid=LF7S7OGAT46F&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.CaRKVB4mHJGTS0bVFd7ONcU6YfsmpGl_tDncLiWRzCNecvHPOVtdrMbXsFl_LNyLxyW8nLRxXL3j5wdKGrHq7hSKazupgR14cC3u74xjkQpTUw2_xdJsVkC21K2kobaEZpdGZJsOkB5HdKgNBvyzjcb0eh8sdqhprrTbUo_1Fss.iLY1CiUpIpHB0Z1TbM0GJH2COy5EqaDcd3D_ItY0mfg&dib_tag=se&keywords=John+Morgan+life+is+luck&qid=1784135091&s=books&sprefix=john+morgan+life+is+luck%2Cstripbooks%2C177&sr=1-1 Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Timeline: 00:00 John Morgan joins the Chuck ToddCast 00:45 What is most difficult about nationalizing a law firm? 01:45 When screening for good lawyers, it’s obvious who stands out 03:00 Lawsuits always seem frivolous until it happens to you 03:45 Ads that gloat about settlement numbers are a mistake 04:15 The goal of settlements is to give back something that was lost 05:00 Thoughts on private equity using civil litigation to hedge? 06:15 Involvement in cases against big tech companies 06:45 Social media is a threat to human wellbeing, especially children 08:30 Civil litigation has grown as government has failed to regulate 10:00 Monopolies are squeezing consumers 10:30 Processed foods are like tobacco, extremely harmful 11:00 RFK Jr. was a member of the firm, he’s smart and crazy 12:15 RFK falls down some BS rabbit holes but also has good causes 12:45 Vaccine makers have total indemnity 13:30 Sovereign immunity exists in some fashion in all 50 states 14:00 What’s your process for vetting science? 15:30 Will be launching a third party in Florida - The Common Ground 17:30 Other wealthy people have considered starting third parties 20:00 The two party system is what is broken in the country 20:30 Why not partner with the Forward Party? 22:00 Moderates should be the tiebreakers 23:30 A few uncommitted moderates could be a swing vote in congress 24:15 All you need to do is pick up a few seats to act as a fulcrum 25:45 It’s likely that Donalds wins in Florida, but it will be close 26:30 Why didn’t the Charlie Crist move work for Florida Democrats? 27:45 Can voters find David Jolly credible after changing parties? 29:30 More people are getting into politics for a pension & salary 30:30 People are going into politics for the wrong reasons 31:45 DeSantis appointed his cronies to be university presidents 32:30 Still deciding on whether to support Donalds or Jolly 34:00 Vindman doesn’t have a chance at winning 35:00 Texas Dem ticket is more liberal, why is it more viable than Florida’s? 35:45 James Talarico is very formidable, he has “it” 38:00 Andy Beshear won because Bevin turned on public school teachers 38:45 Charter schools aren’t about choice, they’re about money 39:30 Parental involvement is the best indicator of school performance 40:45 How would you message against DeSantis’s property tax proposal? 41:45 Americans are less interested in “us” and more interested in “me” 42:15 Implementing the property tax proposal will be like Brexit 44:30 Voters can make decisions that make no sense 45:15 Had the itch to run for office, but unlikely to do it 45:45 Government is for the future, should be age limits for elected officials 47:00 Very few elder politicians remain effective past 70 years oldSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd reflects on the death of Senator Lindsey Graham at 71, offering a candid assessment of one of the most complex and consequential figures in modern Republican politics. Todd argues that Graham was never really an ideologue — he was a man who wanted to be in the middle of everything, whose true north was international affairs, and who ultimately pivoted to Trump as a means of political survival because he loved his Senate seat more than almost anything. Todd breaks down the very real chaos Graham's death could unleash: it may complicate or even sink Todd Blanche's confirmation as Attorney General, and it's certain to trigger a crowded scramble of South Carolina Republicans racing to replace him. Timeline: 00:00 Senator Lindsey Graham dead at 71 00:45 Everyone had their theory for Graham’s motivations 02:00 Graham wasn’t an ideologue, wanted to be involved in everything 02:45 Graham pivoted to Trump for political survival 03:30 International affairs were Graham’s north star 04:30 He loved his senate seat more than almost anything 05:15 Graham’s death will cause some chaos 06:00 This might mean Todd Blanche doesn’t get confirmed as AG 06:30 There will be a LOT of Republicans running to replace him See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd opens with the Iran war back on and the rug pulled out from under the world economy once again — but his central argument is that this is now the biggest broken campaign promise in 40 years. He draws a crucial distinction between ordinary campaign lies and genuinely major broken promises: "build the wall" was a broken promise that didn't much hurt Trump, but "no new wars" was foundational to his appeal, and the Iran calamity is now actively damaging the economy and making everyday life harder for the voters who trusted him. He notes candidate Trump was actually right that an Iran war would be irresponsible, that securing anything would require a months- or years-long ground commitment Trump won't make, and that the president was so consumed with keeping his birthday celebration on schedule that he tried to time the war around it. Marco Rubio, as always, has vanished now that things are going badly. Todd flags the NATO meetings underway in Turkey (a complicated ally Trump only engages because he and Erdogan play by the same strongman rules), marvels that Trump remains inexplicably sympathetic to a Putin who has never been weaker, and warns that all of it is making Americans less safe. He then turns to the Maine Senate race, which has become a genuine debacle: Todd argues Graham Platner was caught in a clear lie to Democratic senators about Jenny Racicot — who has said publicly she believes Platner sexually assaulted her — and that Platner knew both what she believed and that she was talking to reporters. Todd is emphatic that the lies need to be called out, that leaning into misogyny is no way to win back working-class white men, and that progressives cannot let Trump set the bar for acceptable character. He frames the whole primary through the fighter-versus-winner divide, notes this could be the second high-profile Bernie-endorsed candidate to lose (raising the stakes for Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and underscoring how much harder it is for progressives to win statewide), and argues the progressive left urgently needs to get its house in order. Todd closes with two intriguing threads: the swirling rumors about Mitch McConnell's health and status (his seat is on the ballot in November, and Kentucky's legislature changed its vacancy-appointment law in a way that may violate the state constitution but has never been tested in court), and the escalating fight between the Trump administration and the Smithsonian — where Todd concedes the administration had a couple of fair critiques but argues that its core complaint, that the museum is "woke" for simply asking questions about history, amounts to demanding the Smithsonian swap one alleged ideology for an openly right-wing one, when the honest approach to contested history is simply to present the facts and let people interpret them. Finally, Chuck updates the ToddCast Top 5 most likely senate flips if Maine is off the board for Democrats post-Platner scandal and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code CHUCKTODDCAST at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/chucktoddcast From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 05:00 The Iran war is now back on 06:00 The rug has been pulled on the world economy once again 06:30 The Iranians won this conflict, they have more leverage 07:30 There’s a difference between campaign lies & major broken promises 09:30 “Build the wall” was a broken promise, but didn’t impact Trump much 10:45 Trump’s other major promise was “No new wars” & Iran is a calamity 12:30 This broken promise is damaging the economy & making life difficult 13:15 When things are going badly, Marco Rubio disappears 14:30 This will be the biggest broken campaign promise in 40 years* 15:00 Candidate Trump was right that an Iran war would be irresponsible 16:15 Ground troops would be a months… if not years commitment 17:30 Trump wanted to stop the war in time for his birthday party 18:00 Trump was more concerned with keeping celebrations on schedule 18:45 NATO meetings currently taking place in Turkey…a complicated ally 19:30 Trump likely only attends this meeting because Erdogan is hosting 20:45 Trump & Erdogan are world leaders that play by the same rules 21:30 Putin has never been this weak as the ruler of Russia 23:00 It’s still perplexing that Trump is so sympathetic to Putin 24:15 Shirking Putin would make things easier for Trump…but he still doesn’t 25:00 Trump’s actions are making us all less safe 26:00 The Maine senate race has turned into a massive debacle 27:30 The framing is “Do you want to fight, or do you want to win?” 28:15 How much leverage does Platner have in choosing his replacement? 29:30 Democratic base wants a fighter, not a uniter this primary cycle 32:00 Pragmatic Democrats should make the “winning” case 32:45 Susan Collins has overperformed “generic Republican” for 30 years 34:30 Platner was caught in a clear lie to Democratic senators * 35:45 Jenny Racicot made clear she believed she was sexually assaulted by Platner 36:45 Platner knew she what she believed and that Racicot was talking to reporters* 38:00 He clearly lied to senators and the lies need to be called out* 39:30 Leaning into misogyny isn’t the way to win back white men 40:15 Platner was the left's idea of how to appeal to working class white men 41:30 Progressives can’t let Trump set the bar for character 42:30 Democrats should be thankful there’s time to fix this 44:30 This could be two high profile races that Bernie endorsees have lost 46:30 It’s much harder for progressives to win in statewide races 47:15 This puts more pressure on Abdul El-Sayed to win in Michigan 48:00 The progressive left needs to get their house in order 49:45 Rumors are flying about the status of Mitch McConnell 50:30 If Republicans wanted to put the rumors to bed, it’d be easy to do 51:30 McConnell’s seat is on the ballot in November 52:00 KY legislature changed law on vacancy appointments, against state constitution 53:00 Law change has never been tested in the courts 54:15 Simplest explanation might be McConnell wants to keep it private 56:00 Could keeping the illusion of McConnell going help with a SCOTUS confirmation? 57:00 This wouldn’t change a confirmation vote by much since he can’t vote 59:30 Fight between Trump administration and the Smithsonian 1:00:00 Administration had a couple fair critiques, but most wasn’t 1:00:30 Administration claimed the Smithsonian is “woke” 1:02:45 Another complaint was not enough America 250 programming/exhibits 1:05:00 Simply asking questions about history isn’t proof of an ideology 1:05:45 Administration is demanding the Smithsonian adopt their own ideology 1:06:30 Report claims left-wing bias, but now insists on a right-wing bias 1:09:15 History is open to interpretation, it’s best to present the facts 01:14:45 Chuck’s thoughts on the interview with Tad Devine 01:15:15 ToddCast Top 5 most likely senate flips if Maine is off the board 01:15:45 #1 North Carolina 01:16:15 #2 Michigan 01:19:30 #3 Ohio 01:20:00 #4 Alaska 01:20:45 #5 Iowa 01:21:00 If all these flip, Dems need to find one more seat 01:23:15 Susan Collins still unlikely to win, but Dems have to get it together 01:24:15 Democrats have to nominate a woman after Platner scandal 01:25:00 Ask Chuck 01:25:30 What’s one widely believed political myth that isn’t true? 01:29:15 Comparison of Trump’s impact on Atlantic City to Robert Moses? 01:31:45 Are Republicans not aware a future Dem could use expanded presidential powers? 01:34:45 USMNT loses to Belgium, whatever Trump touches dies See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd opens with the Iran war back on and the rug pulled out from under the world economy once again — but his central argument is that this is now the biggest broken campaign promise in 40 years. He draws a crucial distinction between ordinary campaign lies and genuinely major broken promises: "build the wall" was a broken promise that didn't much hurt Trump, but "no new wars" was foundational to his appeal, and the Iran calamity is now actively damaging the economy and making everyday life harder for the voters who trusted him. He notes candidate Trump was actually right that an Iran war would be irresponsible, that securing anything would require a months- or years-long ground commitment Trump won't make, and that the president was so consumed with keeping his birthday celebration on schedule that he tried to time the war around it. Marco Rubio, as always, has vanished now that things are going badly. Todd flags the NATO meetings underway in Turkey (a complicated ally Trump only engages because he and Erdogan play by the same strongman rules), marvels that Trump remains inexplicably sympathetic to a Putin who has never been weaker, and warns that all of it is making Americans less safe. He then turns to the Maine Senate race, which has become a genuine debacle: Todd argues Graham Platner was caught in a clear lie to Democratic senators about Jenny Racicot — who has said publicly she believes Platner sexually assaulted her — and that Platner knew both what she believed and that she was talking to reporters. Todd is emphatic that the lies need to be called out, that leaning into misogyny is no way to win back working-class white men, and that progressives cannot let Trump set the bar for acceptable character. He frames the whole primary through the fighter-versus-winner divide, notes this could be the second high-profile Bernie-endorsed candidate to lose (raising the stakes for Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and underscoring how much harder it is for progressives to win statewide), and argues the progressive left urgently needs to get its house in order. Todd closes with two intriguing threads: the swirling rumors about Mitch McConnell's health and status (his seat is on the ballot in November, and Kentucky's legislature changed its vacancy-appointment law in a way that may violate the state constitution but has never been tested in court), and the escalating fight between the Trump administration and the Smithsonian — where Todd concedes the administration had a couple of fair critiques but argues that its core complaint, that the museum is "woke" for simply asking questions about history, amounts to demanding the Smithsonian swap one alleged ideology for an openly right-wing one, when the honest approach to contested history is simply to present the facts and let people interpret them. Then, legendary Democratic strategist Tad Devine — a senior adviser to Bernie Sanders' 2016 campaign and a veteran of multiple presidential campaigns — joins the Chuck Toddcast with a new book and a provocative thesis: the Democratic Party actively screwed Bernie Sanders, and in doing so screwed itself. Devine says he got angrier and angrier as he wrote the book, revisiting how Sanders couldn't get booked on the Sunday shows for years, how the nominating process was rigged in Hillary Clinton's favor by a party establishment that gave far too much weight to insiders and superdelegates, and how roughly half of Obama's 2008 supporters migrated to Bernie in 2016. Devine wrestles honestly with the central tension of Sanders' relationship to the party: Bernie would never actually register as a Democrat (unlike Zohran Mamdani, who embraced the label), begrudgingly agreeing only to put "Democrat" next to his name, describing his agenda as the "second agenda of Benjamin Franklin" and understanding perfectly well that the word "socialism" is toxic to many voters even as he refused to abandon it. The what-ifs are tantalizing: Devine argues that if Bernie had been declared the winner of Iowa on caucus night in 2016, the whole race might have unfolded differently, and that if Sanders had won the first three states, the establishment would have mobilized to stop him by any means necessary. The conversation broadens into a sweeping critique of how Democrats choose their nominees and what the party needs to reform. Devine argues the party must give voters far more control over nominations, that the primary calendar is one of the most important and underappreciated parts of the entire process, and that independents should be allowed to participate in either party's primary rather than being forced to register months in advance. He credits Sanders with hitting on the enduring insight that the system is rigged against working people — a message supercharged after the Supreme Court unleashed the flood of money into politics following Obama's election — and makes the striking counterfactual case that Bernie would have beaten Trump in 2016 because, unlike Hillary Clinton, he could credibly run as a change candidate, and the white working-class vote wouldn't have broken so heavily toward Trump. Devine muses that Sherrod Brown would have made a strong running mate for Sanders, wonders aloud whether Bernie would ever have said yes to Clinton as a running mate, and argues that electing Bernie would have been a powerful national reckoning. He's clear-eyed about the party's deeper problem — the DNC is fundamentally risk-averse, and politics is about taking risks. Finally, Chuck updates the ToddCast Top 5 most likely senate flips if Maine is off the board for Democrats post-Platner scandal and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code CHUCKTODDCAST at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/chucktoddcast From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 05:00 The Iran war is now back on 06:00 The rug has been pulled on the world economy once again 06:30 The Iranians won this conflict, they have more leverage 07:30 There’s a difference between campaign lies & major broken promises 09:30 “Build the wall” was a broken promise, but didn’t impact Trump much 10:45 Trump’s other major promise was “No new wars” & Iran is a calamity 12:30 This broken promise is damaging the economy & making life difficult 13:15 When things are going badly, Marco Rubio disappears 14:30 This will be the biggest broken campaign promise in 40 years* 15:00 Candidate Trump was right that an Iran war would be irresponsible 16:15 Ground troops would be a months… if not years commitment 17:30 Trump wanted to stop the war in time for his birthday party 18:00 Trump was more concerned with keeping celebrations on schedule 18:45 NATO meetings currently taking place in Turkey…a complicated ally 19:30 Trump likely only attends this meeting because Erdogan is hosting 20:45 Trump & Erdogan are world leaders that play by the same rules 21:30 Putin has never been this weak as the ruler of Russia 23:00 It’s still perplexing that Trump is so sympathetic to Putin 24:15 Shirking Putin would make things easier for Trump…but he still doesn’t 25:00 Trump’s actions are making us all less safe 26:00 The Maine senate race has turned into a massive debacle 27:30 The framing is “Do you want to fight, or do you want to win?” 28:15 How much leverage does Platner have in choosing his replacement? 29:30 Democratic base wants a fighter, not a uniter this primary cycle 32:00 Pragmatic Democrats should make the “winning” case 32:45 Susan Collins has overperformed “generic Republican” for 30 years 34:30 Platner was caught in a clear lie to Democratic senators * 35:45 Jenny Racicot made clear she believed she was sexually assaulted by Platner 36:45 Platner knew she what she believed and that Racicot was talking to reporters* 38:00 He clearly lied to senators and the lies need to be called out* 39:30 Leaning into misogyny isn’t the way to win back white men 40:15 Platner was the left's idea of how to appeal to working class white men 41:30 Progressives can’t let Trump set the bar for character 42:30 Democrats should be thankful there’s time to fix this 44:30 This could be two high profile races that Bernie endorsees have lost 46:30 It’s much harder for progressives to win in statewide races 47:15 This puts more pressure on Abdul El-Sayed to win in Michigan 48:00 The progressive left needs to get their house in order 49:45 Rumors are flying about the status of Mitch McConnell 50:30 If Republicans wanted to put the rumors to bed, it’d be easy to do 51:30 McConnell’s seat is on the ballot in November 52:00 KY legislature changed law on vacancy appointments, against state constitution 53:00 Law change has never been tested in the courts 54:15 Simplest explanation might be McConnell wants to keep it private 56:00 Could keeping the illusion of McConnell going help with a SCOTUS confirmation? 57:00 This wouldn’t change a confirmation vote by much since he can’t vote 59:30 Fight between Trump administration and the Smithsonian 1:00:00 Administration had a couple fair critiques, but most wasn’t 1:00:30 Administration claimed the Smithsonian is “woke” 1:02:45 Another complaint was not enough America 250 programming/exhibits 1:05:00 Simply asking questions about history isn’t proof of an ideology 1:05:45 Administration is demanding the Smithsonian adopt their own ideology 1:06:30 Report claims left-wing bias, but now insists on a right-wing bias 1:09:15 History is open to interpretation, it’s best to present the facts 01:16:15 Tad Devine joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:17:30 Why do you say that the Democrats screwed Bernie? 01:18:45 Got more and more upset while writing the book 01:20:15 Sanders couldn’t get booked on the Sunday shows for years 01:23:00 Half of Obama’s supporters went to Bernie 01:24:00 Obama didn’t learn the fundamental lesson of his own campaign 01:26:00 The nominating process was rigged by the Democratic party 01:27:00 Gore didn’t control the party until he became the nominee in 2000 01:29:15 Why not play favorites when Bernie wouldn’t register as a Democrat? 01:30:00 Mamdani said he was Democrat, Bernie never would 01:31:15 Bernie begrudgingly agreed to Democratic Party next to his name 01:32:45 Bernie described his agenda as “2nd agenda of Benjamin Franklin” 01:34:00 People recoil at the word socialism, not necessarily the policies 01:34:45 Bernie understands the word socialism is toxic, but doesn’t care 01:36:15 Campaign needed to embrace the tapestry of America 01:36:45 Would election go differently if declared winner of Iowa on caucus night? 01:38:00 Both campaigns essentially said they won Iowa in 2016 primary 01:39:15 Bernie didn’t want to be a back-bencher, motivated him to run 01:40:15 Best measure of support is in open primaries 01:40:45 In how many states did Trump eaten into Bernie’s support? 01:41:30 If Bernie won first three states, establishment would try to stop him 01:42:15 Why did Bernie stand down for Biden? 01:43:15 Biden took Bernie’s infrastructure proposal and turned it into law 01:44:30 Was Bernie running to win or to make a point? 01:45:15 Tried to make a point, then grassroots energy swelled 01:46:45 The party needs to give voters more control over nominations 01:48:00 Dukakis wanted to get rid of the superdelegates 01:49:15 Democratic party gave too much weight to party insiders 01:50:00 It’s not just a DNC problem, there’s issues with media coverage 01:50:45 Primary calendar is one of the most important parts of process 01:52:15 Independents should be allowed to participate in either primary 01:54:00 Had to register as Dem in fall of 2015 to vote in 2016 primary 01:56:15 Bernie hit on the idea that the system is rigged against working people 01:57:15 After Obama won, SCOTUS allowed the flood of money into politics 01:59:00 Most people want money out of politics, need legislation or amendment 02:00:30 Voters need to be empowered to solve America’s problems 02:01:30 How do we get leaders that will let the reforms happen? 02:03:00 Should we have a broader or narrower definition of Democrat? 02:04:15 It was remarkable that Bernie did so well with the youngest voters 02:05:45 Bernie would have beaten Trump, Hillary couldn’t be a change candidate 02:07:15 White working class vote wouldn’t have gone mostly to Trump 02:08:45 Sherrod Brown would have been a strong running mate for Bernie 02:09:30 Would Bernie have said yes to Clinton as a running mate? 02:10:45 Electing Bernie would have been a powerful reckoning 02:12:00 The DNC is risk averse and politics is about risk taking 02:13:15 Bernie shouldn’t run in 2028, he’s too old 02:14:00 When Bernie is with Mamdani, he seems like Bernie’s son 02:15:15 AOC - Run for senate or run for president? 02:16:15 Who will get Bernie’s affection as his successor 02:20:30 Chuck’s thoughts on the interview with Tad Devine 02:21:00 ToddCast Top 5 most likely senate flips if Maine is off the board 02:21:30 #1 North Carolina 02:22:00 #2 Michigan 02:25:15 #3 Ohio 02:25:45 #4 Alaska 02:26:30 #5 Iowa 02:26:45 If all these flip, Dems need to find one more seat 02:29:00 Susan Collins still unlikely to win, but Dems have to get it together 02:30:00 Democrats have to nominate a woman after Platner scandal 02:30:45 Ask Chuck 02:31:15 What’s one widely believed political myth that isn’t true? 02:35:00 Comparison of Trump’s impact on Atlantic City to Robert Moses? 02:37:30 Are Republicans not aware a future Dem could use expanded presidential powers? 02:40:30 USMNT loses to Belgium, whatever Trump touches dies See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Legendary Democratic strategist Tad Devine — a senior adviser to Bernie Sanders' 2016 campaign and a veteran of multiple presidential campaigns — joins the Chuck Toddcast with a new book and a provocative thesis: the Democratic Party actively screwed Bernie Sanders, and in doing so screwed itself. Devine says he got angrier and angrier as he wrote the book, revisiting how Sanders couldn't get booked on the Sunday shows for years, how the nominating process was rigged in Hillary Clinton's favor by a party establishment that gave far too much weight to insiders and superdelegates, and how roughly half of Obama's 2008 supporters migrated to Bernie in 2016. Devine wrestles honestly with the central tension of Sanders' relationship to the party: Bernie would never actually register as a Democrat (unlike Zohran Mamdani, who embraced the label), begrudgingly agreeing only to put "Democrat" next to his name, describing his agenda as the "second agenda of Benjamin Franklin" and understanding perfectly well that the word "socialism" is toxic to many voters even as he refused to abandon it. The what-ifs are tantalizing: Devine argues that if Bernie had been declared the winner of Iowa on caucus night in 2016, the whole race might have unfolded differently, and that if Sanders had won the first three states, the establishment would have mobilized to stop him by any means necessary. The conversation broadens into a sweeping critique of how Democrats choose their nominees and what the party needs to reform. Devine argues the party must give voters far more control over nominations, that the primary calendar is one of the most important and underappreciated parts of the entire process, and that independents should be allowed to participate in either party's primary rather than being forced to register months in advance. He credits Sanders with hitting on the enduring insight that the system is rigged against working people — a message supercharged after the Supreme Court unleashed the flood of money into politics following Obama's election — and makes the striking counterfactual case that Bernie would have beaten Trump in 2016 because, unlike Hillary Clinton, he could credibly run as a change candidate, and the white working-class vote wouldn't have broken so heavily toward Trump. Devine muses that Sherrod Brown would have made a strong running mate for Sanders, wonders aloud whether Bernie would ever have said yes to Clinton as a running mate, and argues that electing Bernie would have been a powerful national reckoning. He's clear-eyed about the party's deeper problem — the DNC is fundamentally risk-averse, and politics is about taking risks. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Tad Devine joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:15 Why do you say that the Democrats screwed Bernie? 02:30 Got more and more upset while writing the book 04:00 Sanders couldn’t get booked on the Sunday shows for years 06:45 Half of Obama’s supporters went to Bernie 07:45 Obama didn’t learn the fundamental lesson of his own campaign 09:45 The nominating process was rigged by the Democratic party 10:45 Gore didn’t control the party until he became the nominee in 2000 13:00 Why not play favorites when Bernie wouldn’t register as a Democrat? 13:45 Mamdani said he was Democrat, Bernie never would 15:00 Bernie begrudgingly agreed to Democratic Party next to his name 16:30 Bernie described his agenda as “2nd agenda of Benjamin Franklin” 17:45 People recoil at the word socialism, not necessarily the policies 18:30 Bernie understands the word socialism is toxic, but doesn’t care 20:00 Campaign needed to embrace the tapestry of America 20:30 Would election go differently if declared winner of Iowa on caucus night? 21:45 Both campaigns essentially said they won Iowa in 2016 primary 23:00 Bernie didn’t want to be a back-bencher, motivated him to run 24:00 Best measure of support is in open primaries 24:30 In how many states did Trump eaten into Bernie’s support? 25:15 If Bernie won first three states, establishment would try to stop him 26:00 Why did Bernie stand down for Biden? 27:00 Biden took Bernie’s infrastructure proposal and turned it into law 28:15 Was Bernie running to win or to make a point? 29:00 Tried to make a point, then grassroots energy swelled 30:30 The party needs to give voters more control over nominations 31:45 Dukakis wanted to get rid of the superdelegates 33:00 Democratic party gave too much weight to party insiders 33:45 It’s not just a DNC problem, there’s issues with media coverage 34:30 Primary calendar is one of the most important parts of process 36:00 Independents should be allowed to participate in either primary 37:45 Had to register as Dem in fall of 2015 to vote in 2016 primary 40:00 Bernie hit on the idea that the system is rigged against working people 41:00 After Obama won, SCOTUS allowed the flood of money into politics 42:45 Most people want money out of politics, need legislation or amendment 44:15 Voters need to be empowered to solve America’s problems 45:15 How do we get leaders that will let the reforms happen? 46:45 Should we have a broader or narrower definition of Democrat? 48:00 It was remarkable that Bernie did so well with the youngest voters 49:30 Bernie would have beaten Trump, Hillary couldn’t be a change candidate 51:00 White working class vote wouldn’t have gone mostly to Trump 52:30 Sherrod Brown would have been a strong running mate for Bernie 53:15 Would Bernie have said yes to Clinton as a running mate? 54:30 Electing Bernie would have been a powerful reckoning 55:45 The DNC is risk averse and politics is about risk taking 57:00 Bernie shouldn’t run in 2028, he’s too old 57:45 When Bernie is with Mamdani, he seems like Bernie’s son 59:00 AOC - Run for senate or run for president? 1:00:00 Who will get Bernie’s affection as his successorSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd and J.A. Adande tell you the INCREDIBLE story behind Wimbledon. It didn't just become the most prestigious tournament in tennis—it helped create the sport we know today. From a croquet club raising money for a broken lawn roller to becoming one of the most iconic sporting events in the world, Wimbledon has shaped the rules, traditions, legends, and culture of modern tennis for nearly 150 years. Chuck and J.A. trace the full history of the tournament, from its Victorian origins to unforgettable champions like Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Björn Borg, Martina Navratilova, Pete Sampras, Billie Jean King, Althea Gibson, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Venus Williams, and more. Along the way, we explore how Wimbledon changed tennis forever—and why the sport wouldn't be the same without it. Whether you're a lifelong tennis fan or just discovering the magic of Wimbledon, this is the story behind the world's most famous tennis tournament. Timeline:(Timestamps may vary based on ad placements) 00:00 How Wimbledon Created Modern Tennis 07:09 Federer vs. Nadal: The Greatest Match Ever? 11:37 The Surprising Origin of Wimbledon 22:50 Wimbledon's Traditions Explained 35:35 The First Wimbledon Champions 55:08 Why Everyone Wears White at Wimbledon 01:11:00 Rod Laver, Billie Jean King & the Open Era 01:28:55 Althea Gibson Breaks Tennis' Color Barrier 01:43:00 Breakfast at Wimbledon & America's Obsession 02:08:13 Borg vs. McEnroe & Tennis' Greatest Rivalries 02:29:36 Federer, Serena & the Greatest Champions 02:53:40 Our Wimbledon Mount Rushmore 03:01:10 Why Wimbledon Still Defines TennisSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chris Cillizza and Chuck Todd launch Super Tuesdays — the now-on-every-feed version of the show they've been doing together — with a wide-ranging conversation that runs from Trump's self-centered Fourth of July to the summer's most consequential Senate primaries. First, Chris starts with the update that the USMNT lost to Belgium after President Trump intervened to get star striker Falorin Balogun’s red card overturned and wonders if Trump curses every sports team he involves himself with. He also weighs in on the latest developments surrounding Graham Platner. Then, the guys break down why Trump's 250th-anniversary flop and his eye-popping financial disclosure ($2.2 billion in his first year back, $1.4 billion of it from crypto) add up to what Chuck calls "late-stage Trumpism" — a president who's more isolated, less able to self-correct, and increasingly celebrating his own version of patriotism by himself. From there it's onto the world stage: Trump's trip to the NATO summit, his instinct to break the alliance, and why throwing a lifeline to a historically vulnerable Putin makes no strategic sense. The back half turns to the 2026 map and the 2028 shadow race. Chuck and Chris dig into Mallory McMorrow's exit and the now one-on-one Abdul El-Sayed–Haley Stevens fight in Michigan, the outsider-vs-insider dynamic driving Democratic primaries, and what the Black vote means from Detroit to Karen Bass's LA. They size up the Wes Moore–Pritzker–Buttigieg field, decode the Graham Platner drama in Maine and why Susan Collins stays chronically underrated, and offer a sharp consumer's guide to why the NYT and Fox polls tell such different stories. Then they close the way only these two would — Trump's alleged FIFA meddling ahead of USA–Belgium, a lesson on how corruption always comes back around, LeBron's next move, and a deep Nationals All-Star and trade-deadline dive. Timeline: 00:00 USMNT loses to Belgium 07:00 Welcome to Super Tuesdays 09:25 Chuck watched 90% of Trump's July 4th speech 09:45 How it compares to Reagan & the 1986 Statue of Liberty centennial 11:11 Gerald Ford's restrained 1976 bicentennial in an election year 11:31 Trump threw away years of 250th anniversary planning 12:44 Trump's financial disclosure: $2.2B in year one, $1.4B from crypto 13:16 The Trump Bible and the tchotchke economy 14:24 "You should've seen what they wanted to put in that disclosure" 15:45 No elected officials showed up to celebrate the 4th with Trump 16:46 Trump is celebrating his version of patriotism by himself 17:05 The K-shaped economy & why Trump is insulated from the 80% 18:37 The case that we've reached "late-stage Trumpism" 21:06 AI-written speeches Trump can't even stick to 22:00 Expect a staff exodus after the midterms 23:12 Trump will never give a "shellacking" concession speech 23:38 The GOP language shift from "socialists" to "communists" 24:15 Trump heads to the NATO summit — can he actually break NATO? 25:32 Trump the transactionalist & the FIFA-Qatar corruption aside 26:36 Trump, Putin, and the shared goal of weakening Europe 28:50 Putin has never been this vulnerable 31:11 Why Trump is drawn to strongmen and rogues 32:20 Trump has no lifelong friends — everyone he gets close to gets alienated 33:37 Transactional "friends" like Howard Lutnick 34:11 To the Senate: Mallory McMorrow drops out of Michigan 35:44 Democratic primary energy is outsider vs. insider 36:38 El-Sayed is a genuinely talented communicator 38:04 Jackson & Bernie's Michigan wins as a pattern 39:34 Progressives' persistent problem with the Black vote 42:06 Michigan is the Democratic-held seat the party overlooks 43:30 How Michigan slipped from the blue wall 44:46 If El-Sayed and Paxton both win, donors panic 45:37 The 2028 hunt for the "most electable" Democrat 47:32 The real dividing line: fix the institutions or blow them up 49:09 Pritzker is the overlooked progressive-with-a-record 51:07 Pete Buttigieg's Biden baggage is heavier than he thinks 51:35 The Graham Platner story brewing in Maine 51:56 Collins vs. Platner is basically a toss-up 52:38 Trump takes credit for FIFA siding with the US over Belgium 54:50 A generic Democrat would beat Collins by ten 57:23 NYT forecasting vs. Fox snapshot polling 59:53 The real battlegrounds: Iowa, Ohio, Alaska 1:00:11 Where Democrats find another seat — Kansas, Mississippi 1:02:04 Jolly vs. Byron Donalds & the closer-than-you-think governor's race 1:04:00 The World Cup, Balogun's red card & USA-Belgium 1:05:23 No other president would have intervened with FIFA 1:05:49 Left-leaning soccer fans rationalizing corruption that helps them 1:08:16 A birthright-citizen Balogun & soccer's Trump ambivalence 1:08:59 LeBron's "Decision Part 10" & Rich Paul's genius whiteboard 1:10:29 Why the Warriors fit LeBron's game 1:12:19 LeBron wants to play guard, not power forward 1:14:00 Nats All-Stars: James Wood & CJ Abrams snubs and starters 1:16:53 The Aug. 3 trade deadline: buyer, seller, or stand pat? 1:18:19 Abrams & Wood among the game's best Black players 1:18:45 Building the Nats around Black stars in a majority-Black city 1:19:59 Baseball's demographics & the "no Bubbas in Connecticut" bitSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd delivers a sweeping, big-picture meditation on the Trump era and where it's ultimately headed, arguing that despite the widespread conviction that Trump is teflon and that nothing will ever take him down, his presidency will end not with a bang but a whimper — and history won't remember it well. He predicts that a century from now Trump will be remembered somewhere between Grover Cleveland and Richard Nixon, and that his act, like every previous iteration of Trump, will eventually wear out its welcome with the public — because it always has, and he's already entered some version of lame-duck territory. The heart of the episode is Chuck’s astonishment at Trump's financial disclosure, which he calls a brazen catalog of impeachable offenses. His sharpest line reframes Trump's entire brand: he doesn't actually "own the libs" — he owns the people who send him money, and he's utterly oblivious to the plight of anyone who isn't rich. He closes on a genuinely searching note — observing that Trump is visibly aging and less sharp, that the country is tired of him and it's starting to show, that his single greatest fear is exposure and ridicule, and that he's proving to be nothing more than a grifter. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the admission of several western states into the union and how it built the modern senate. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 04:00 Trump has been teflon, we’re convinced nothing will take him down 05:00 Trump era will end in a whimper, history won’t remember it well 07:15 In 100 years, Trump will be as remembered like Cleveland or Nixon 08:15 Trump admitted to rank corruption in his financial disclosures 09:45 Eventually, Trump’s act will wear out its welcome 10:45 Those who criticized Hunter Biden should be outraged about Trump 12:15 Trump has already entered some version of lame duck territory 14:00 Every era of Trump eventually wore out with the public 16:00 In politics, Trump has had nine lives. Survived when nobody else would 17:30 January 6th should have been the end of Trump… but wasn’t 19:15 The bribes from the middle east just keep getting worse and worse 21:15 Trump has lost his ability to influence anyone but his base 22:30 Trump’s financial disclosure is a catalog of impeachable offenses 23:15 Trump’s act feels like it’s entering its late-stage form 24:15 Trump made America 250 participation an endorsement of himself 28:00 Financial disclosure showed how brazen his corruption is 29:30 Trump’s disclosure was 927 pages, Obama’s was 8 31:00 Trump was anti-crypto until he realized he could monetize it personally 31:45 Trump has converted the presidency into a business 33:00 Trump doesn’t “own the libs”... he owns the people who send him money* 36:00 Trump is oblivious to the plight of anyone who isn’t rich 37:45 Trump has stakes in tons of companies with government contracts 39:30 In a healthy political system, this level of corruption would force retreat 41:15 Almost no Republicans appeared with him as he monetized the 4th of July 42:30 America should have been about the country, Trump made it about himself 44:15 Trump ignored warnings about the heat, put his own supporters at risk 46:30 The botched reflected pool is a perfect metaphor for Trump’s presidency 48:15 The white supremacist Patriot Front showed up in DC 49:00 Patriot Front felt emboldened and welcomed enough to show up in Trump’s DC 51:30 Trump is aging and not as sharp 52:15 The country is tired of Trump and it’s starting to show 53:30 Trump’s biggest fear is exposure and ridicule 55:30 Trump is politically vulnerable, he’s proving to only be a grifter 57:00 How did the country turn itself over to this man twice? 1:04:00 ToddCast Time Machine - July 10th, 1890 1:04:30 The U.S. had just admitted six new states and twelve Republican senators 1:05:15 Settlers were building the west, politicians were building the senate 1:07:00 Congress needed to replace votes from the south with votes from the west 1:08:15 Political considerations are why we have two Dakotas 1:08:45 The western states provided votes for a stronger federal government 1:10:30 The politicians had a public mandate to admit these states 1:11:15 Republicans built and maintained their political coalition via statehood admission 1:12:45 Politicians will always seek to give themselves political advantage 1:13:15 The map of America is a map based on political considerations 1:14:00 D.C. and Puerto Rico will eventually become states 1:14:45 Ask Chuck 1:15:00 Thoughts on D.C. statehood, do you support it? 1:18:15 What would it take for a 3rd party to have a viable chance of winning? 1:21:45 If Democrats take control of congress, do they risk stopping Trump’s arch? 1:25:00 What is holding back Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio governor’s race? 1:28:45 How could the Supreme Court overturn a constitutional amendment? 1:32:00 Props to Charleston, South Carolina and Miami helmetSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd delivers a sweeping, big-picture meditation on the Trump era and where it's ultimately headed, arguing that despite the widespread conviction that Trump is teflon and that nothing will ever take him down, his presidency will end not with a bang but a whimper — and history won't remember it well. He predicts that a century from now Trump will be remembered somewhere between Grover Cleveland and Richard Nixon, and that his act, like every previous iteration of Trump, will eventually wear out its welcome with the public — because it always has, and he's already entered some version of lame-duck territory. The heart of the episode is Chuck’s astonishment at Trump's financial disclosure, which he calls a brazen catalog of impeachable offenses. His sharpest line reframes Trump's entire brand: he doesn't actually "own the libs" — he owns the people who send him money, and he's utterly oblivious to the plight of anyone who isn't rich. He closes on a genuinely searching note — observing that Trump is visibly aging and less sharp, that the country is tired of him and it's starting to show, that his single greatest fear is exposure and ridicule, and that he's proving to be nothing more than a grifter. Then, Carolyn Ryan — deputy managing editor of The New York Times — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a candid conversation about the state of American journalism at a moment when the Times has become, as Ryan puts it, one of the last big independent organizations left in news. Ryan makes the case that serious journalism has become almost impossible without the resources the Times can still muster — deep-dive reporting requires enormous time, the best legal team in the business to withstand the threats and lawsuits now routinely aimed at the press, and an ownership structure insulated from market pressure. She's blunt about the difference the Ochs-Sulzberger family makes: newsrooms owned by publicly traded companies inevitably change their behavior to satisfy shareholders, while the family that controls the Times is, in her words, "ride or die" for journalism — a distinction that has never mattered more than it does now, even as she praises the excellent nonprofit newsrooms springing up around the country. Ryan explains how the Times is building regional reporting hubs and investing heavily in places like Texas on the theory that a truly national news organization needs a journalist in every state, why book reporting from stars like Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan often lands with more impact and candor than day-to-day breaking news, and how the paper decides which reporters get the coveted book leave that produces those deeper stories. The conversation gets into the harder editorial questions facing the Times in the Trump era. Ryan discusses the paper's major investment in a more rigorous polling and data operation , its aggressive push into video to reach younger audiences, and the perennial tension over whether there should be a brighter line between the newsroom and the opinion page — a separation the Times has tried to clarify through design changes and by being more transparent about its process. Ryan is thoughtful about one of the thorniest challenges in modern journalism: how to handle the obvious lies told by Trump and other political figures, explaining that to actually call something a "lie" you have to establish intent, that the audience cares enormously about how things are described, and that the language should always be direct and forthright without tipping into hysteria. She closes with a sharp critique of the Pentagon kicking out reporters and banning contact with unauthorized military members — a policy she argues is not only unconstitutional but a direct threat to the journalism that keeps the public informed about how its military actually operates. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the admission of several western states into the union and how it built the modern senate. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 04:00 Trump has been teflon, we’re convinced nothing will take him down 05:00 Trump era will end in a whimper, history won’t remember it well 07:15 In 100 years, Trump will be as remembered like Cleveland or Nixon 08:15 Trump admitted to rank corruption in his financial disclosures 09:45 Eventually, Trump’s act will wear out its welcome 10:45 Those who criticized Hunter Biden should be outraged about Trump 12:15 Trump has already entered some version of lame duck territory 14:00 Every era of Trump eventually wore out with the public 16:00 In politics, Trump has had nine lives. Survived when nobody else would 17:30 January 6th should have been the end of Trump… but wasn’t 19:15 The bribes from the middle east just keep getting worse and worse 21:15 Trump has lost his ability to influence anyone but his base 22:30 Trump’s financial disclosure is a catalog of impeachable offenses 23:15 Trump’s act feels like it’s entering its late-stage form 24:15 Trump made America 250 participation an endorsement of himself 28:00 Financial disclosure showed how brazen his corruption is 29:30 Trump’s disclosure was 927 pages, Obama’s was 8 31:00 Trump was anti-crypto until he realized he could monetize it personally 31:45 Trump has converted the presidency into a business 33:00 Trump doesn’t “own the libs”... he owns the people who send him money* 36:00 Trump is oblivious to the plight of anyone who isn’t rich 37:45 Trump has stakes in tons of companies with government contracts 39:30 In a healthy political system, this level of corruption would force retreat 41:15 Almost no Republicans appeared with him as he monetized the 4th of July 42:30 America should have been about the country, Trump made it about himself 44:15 Trump ignored warnings about the heat, put his own supporters at risk 46:30 The botched reflected pool is a perfect metaphor for Trump’s presidency 48:15 The white supremacist Patriot Front showed up in DC 49:00 Patriot Front felt emboldened and welcomed enough to show up in Trump’s DC 51:30 Trump is aging and not as sharp 52:15 The country is tired of Trump and it’s starting to show 53:30 Trump’s biggest fear is exposure and ridicule 55:30 Trump is politically vulnerable, he’s proving to only be a grifter 57:00 How did the country turn itself over to this man twice? 1:05:15 Carolyn Ryan joins the Chuck ToddCast 1:07:00 The NYT is the last big independent organization left in news 1:08:00 Positives & concerns about the state of media? 1:09:30 NYT stress importance of fact based reporting 1:10:15 It’s important for journalists to have access to resources 1:11:45 Journalists require access to legal resources 1:12:45 Deep dive journalism requires lots of time & resources 1:13:15 NYT has the best legal team in the business 1:14:15 Newsrooms owned by publicly traded companies change behavior 1:15:45 The Ochz-Sulzberger family is ride or die for journalism 1:16:45 Great non-profit newsrooms exist around the country 1:19:15 NYT is trying to build hubs in certain cities & regions 1:19:45 Book reporting can have greater impact than day-to-day reporting 1:21:15 What’s the NYT policy regarding book vs day-to-day reporting? 1:22:00 Haberman/Swan are a singular force in journalism 1:22:45 Haberman is a scoop machine 1:23:15 Situation room with Bibi scoop broke in the paper months ago 1:24:00 Book reporting offers depth and candor that breaking news doesn’t 1:26:00 How do you decide which reporters can go on book leave? 1:27:45 NYT has created a much more rigorous polling unit 1:28:15 Polling and data are huge investments for the Times 1:30:00 State level polls are a great way to take temperature on issues 1:31:15 Public opinion shift on Israel has been historically fast 1:32:45 NYT investing big in video to reach a younger audience 1:34:45 Journalism has to adapt to new technologies/platforms 1:37:45 Should there be a brighter line between the NYT & opinion page? 1:38:30 Times isn’t guided by audience capture or clicks 1:39:30 Changed the design of the opinion segment to differentiate it 1:41:15 Is the fact checking process the same for opinion pieces? 1:43:30 Have to be forthright about the journalism process for the audience 1:45:15 The impact of having your newsroom centered in NYC? 1:48:45 It’s important to elevate journalists from across the country 1:49:45 NYT is investing heavily in reporting in Texas 1:51:00 You want a national strategy, have a journalist in every state 1:53:15 Grappling with publishing Trump’s & others obvious lies 1:54:15 To call something a lie, you have to understand intent 1:55:45 The audience really cares about how things are described 1:56:15 Language should be direct & forthright, not hysterical 1:58:45 Audience is being numbed to the corruption stories 2:01:30 Unclear how the Dem establishment responds to progressive uprising 2:02:30 What’s being missed by Pentagon kicking out reporters? 2:03:15 Banning talking to unauthorized military members is unconstitutional 2:05:15 The importance of access journalism 2:08:15 Chuck’s thoughts on the interview with Caroline Ryan 2:11:00 ToddCast Time Machine - July 10th, 1890 2:11:30 The U.S. had just admitted six new states and twelve Republican senators 2:12:15 Settlers were building the west, politicians were building the senate 2:14:00 Congress needed to replace votes from the south with votes from the west 2:15:15 Political considerations are why we have two Dakotas 2:15:45 The western states provided votes for a stronger federal government 2:17:30 The politicians had a public mandate to admit these states 2:18:15 Republicans built and maintained their political coalition via statehood admission 2:19:45 Politicians will always seek to give themselves political advantage 2:20:15 The map of America is a map based on political considerations 2:21:00 D.C. and Puerto Rico will eventually become states 2:21:45 Ask Chuck 2:22:00 Thoughts on D.C. statehood, do you support it? 2:25:15 What would it take for a 3rd party to have a viable chance of winning? 2:28:45 If Democrats take control of congress, do they risk stopping Trump’s arch? 2:32:00 What is holding back Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio governor’s race? 2:35:45 How could the Supreme Court overturn a constitutional amendment? 2:39:00 Props to Charleston, South Carolina and Miami helmet 2:40:15 Thoughts on LeBron & his free agencySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Carolyn Ryan — deputy managing editor of The New York Times — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a candid conversation about the state of American journalism at a moment when the Times has become, as Ryan puts it, one of the last big independent organizations left in news. Ryan makes the case that serious journalism has become almost impossible without the resources the Times can still muster — deep-dive reporting requires enormous time, the best legal team in the business to withstand the threats and lawsuits now routinely aimed at the press, and an ownership structure insulated from market pressure. She's blunt about the difference the Ochs-Sulzberger family makes: newsrooms owned by publicly traded companies inevitably change their behavior to satisfy shareholders, while the family that controls the Times is, in her words, "ride or die" for journalism — a distinction that has never mattered more than it does now, even as she praises the excellent nonprofit newsrooms springing up around the country. Ryan explains how the Times is building regional reporting hubs and investing heavily in places like Texas on the theory that a truly national news organization needs a journalist in every state, why book reporting from stars like Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan often lands with more impact and candor than day-to-day breaking news, and how the paper decides which reporters get the coveted book leave that produces those deeper stories. The conversation gets into the harder editorial questions facing the Times in the Trump era. Ryan discusses the paper's major investment in a more rigorous polling and data operation , its aggressive push into video to reach younger audiences, and the perennial tension over whether there should be a brighter line between the newsroom and the opinion page — a separation the Times has tried to clarify through design changes and by being more transparent about its process. Ryan is thoughtful about one of the thorniest challenges in modern journalism: how to handle the obvious lies told by Trump and other political figures, explaining that to actually call something a "lie" you have to establish intent, that the audience cares enormously about how things are described, and that the language should always be direct and forthright without tipping into hysteria. She closes with a sharp critique of the Pentagon kicking out reporters and banning contact with unauthorized military members — a policy she argues is not only unconstitutional but a direct threat to the journalism that keeps the public informed about how its military actually operates. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Carolyn Ryan joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:45 The NYT is the last big independent organization left in news 02:45 Positives & concerns about the state of media? 04:15 NYT stress importance of fact based reporting 05:00 It’s important for journalists to have access to resources 06:30 Journalists require access to legal resources 07:30 Deep dive journalism requires lots of time & resources 08:00 NYT has the best legal team in the business 09:00 Newsrooms owned by publicly traded companies change behavior 10:30 The Ochz-Sulzberger family is ride or die for journalism 11:30 Great non-profit newsrooms exist around the country 14:00 NYT is trying to build hubs in certain cities & regions 14:30 Book reporting can have greater impact than day-to-day reporting 16:00 What’s the NYT policy regarding book vs day-to-day reporting? 16:45 Haberman/Swan are a singular force in journalism 17:30 Haberman is a scoop machine 18:00 Situation room with Bibi scoop broke in the paper months ago 18:45 Book reporting offers depth and candor that breaking news doesn’t 20:45 How do you decide which reporters can go on book leave? 22:30 NYT has created a much more rigorous polling unit 23:00 Polling and data are huge investments for the Times 24:45 State level polls are a great way to take temperature on issues 26:00 Public opinion shift on Israel has been historically fast 27:30 NYT investing big in video to reach a younger audience 29:30 Journalism has to adapt to new technologies/platforms 32:30 Should there be a brighter line between the NYT & opinion page? 33:15 Times isn’t guided by audience capture or clicks 34:15 Changed the design of the opinion segment to differentiate it 36:00 Is the fact checking process the same for opinion pieces? 38:15 Have to be forthright about the journalism process for the audience 40:00 The impact of having your newsroom centered in NYC? 43:30 It’s important to elevate journalists from across the country 44:30 NYT is investing heavily in reporting in Texas 45:45 You want a national strategy, have a journalist in every state 48:00 Grappling with publishing Trump’s & others obvious lies 49:00 To call something a lie, you have to understand intent 50:30 The audience really cares about how things are described 51:00 Language should be direct & forthright, not hysterical 53:30 Audience is being numbed to the corruption stories 56:15 Unclear how the Dem establishment responds to progressive uprising 57:15 What’s being missed by Pentagon kicking out reporters? 58:00 Banning talking to unauthorized military members is unconstitutional 1:00:00 The importance of access journalismSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd delivers a genuinely heartfelt lament that America's 250th anniversary — a moment that should have been enormous — has been shrunk, cheapened, and ultimately ruined by a president who turned the country's birthday into his own political rally. He argues the American experiment is a remarkable achievement worth celebrating in full, that "a more perfect union" is the single greatest phrase in the founding documents precisely because it acknowledges the country is a perpetual work in progress, and that the 250th should have been a moment to celebrate American progress rather than run from American history — to recognize that America is fundamentally an idea rather than an ethnicity. Instead, Trump has made the nation's birthday about Donald Trump: he created his own version of the celebration, turned "The Great American Fair" into a dud, and once again demonstrated his belief that everyone and everything must accommodate him. He says he feels genuinely betrayed watching the brand of America get sullied and cheapened this way, and argues the country desperately needs a president capable of rising above himself — something Trump has proven, again and again, he simply cannot do. He finds a silver lining in the Supreme Court blocking Trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship, arguing it proves this is a conservative court but not purely a Trump court — though he's sharply critical of the Court's campaign finance ruling, which he frames as a straightforward bailout of the Republican Party.. He closes by looking ahead: the Colorado primaries raised the question of whether the DSA movement has truly broken through. Finally, he presents his ToddCast Top 5 list of the best fictional presidents seen on TV & movies and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:30 The American 250 celebration sucks… Trump ruined it 04:00 America 250 should be much bigger, and keeps feeling smaller 05:45 The American experiment is a remarkable achievement 07:00 Modern American democracy didn’t start until the 1960s 07:30 “More Perfect Union” is greatest phrase in founding documents 08:15 250 should be celebrating our progress, not afraid of our history 09:00 SCOTUS blocking Trump’s ban on birthright citizenship was important 09:30 America is an idea, not an ethnicity 10:30 This was a moment to celebrate and also understand our history 11:00 Donald Trump has made the country’s birthday about Donald Trump* 12:15 Trump created his own version of the celebration 13:00 He turned the country’s birthday into his own political rally 14:45 Trump thinks everyone should accommodate him. Insult to Americans 15:30 The country needs a president that can rise above himself. Trump can’t 16:30 The Great American Fair could have been amazing. Instead it’s a dud 18:15 The big anniversaries force us to look at ourselves, not like what we see 19:45 Love the American story BECAUSE it’s complicated 21:00 Trump is showing us who he is by stealing this anniversary from us 22:00 Trump has sullied the brand of America, doesn’t have to be at 275 22:45 Feel betrayed as an American by this, resent seeing it cheapened 24:00 SCOTUS showed it’s a conservative court, but not a Trump court 25:15 There are partisans on the court, but the court itself isn’t purely partisan 26:15 Campaign finance ruling is a bail out of the Republican party 26:45 Campaigns can buy TV ads at a lower rate, outside groups can’t 28:00 Republicans have more big $ donors, Dems have more small $ donors 30:15 Court shows deference to congress if they are explicit in what they want 31:45 There will still be an effort to block birthright citizenship 32:30 Did Colorado primaries show the DSA movement has broken through? 33:15 Michigan will be the real test for the DSA 36:15 Let this be a lesson to anyone coming from Bidenworld 38:00 If Dems win both chambers, smooth path for Jeffries to speakership 38:45 Failure to win the senate will cause lots of finger pointing 45:00 ToddCast Top 5 Fictional Presidents 46:00 #5 David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) from 24 47:00 #4 Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) from Veep 48:30 #3 James Marshall (Harrison Ford) from Air Force One 50:15 #2 Thomas Whitmore (Bill Pullman) from Independence Day 51:15 #1 Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho (Terry Crews) from Idiocracy 53:30 Ask Chuck 53:45 What’s the point of voting down ballot when politicians vote on party lines? 1:01:30 Issue with Mamdani’s comments on Israel and religious/ethno states? 1:05:45 Expanding vote by mail? 1:07:30 Could Trump legally mount a write-in campaign? 1:12:30 Is America still not ready to elect a woman president? 1:16:00 What’s your take on the NPR retraction on Alito retirement? 1:23:15 How will Rubio/Vance dynamic play out in ‘28? 1:27:45 What’s the latest a SCOTUS justice can retire & get confirmed?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd delivers a genuinely heartfelt lament that America's 250th anniversary — a moment that should have been enormous — has been shrunk, cheapened, and ultimately ruined by a president who turned the country's birthday into his own political rally. He argues the American experiment is a remarkable achievement worth celebrating in full, that "a more perfect union" is the single greatest phrase in the founding documents precisely because it acknowledges the country is a perpetual work in progress, and that the 250th should have been a moment to celebrate American progress rather than run from American history — to recognize that America is fundamentally an idea rather than an ethnicity. Instead, Trump has made the nation's birthday about Donald Trump: he created his own version of the celebration, turned "The Great American Fair" into a dud, and once again demonstrated his belief that everyone and everything must accommodate him. He says he feels genuinely betrayed watching the brand of America get sullied and cheapened this way, and argues the country desperately needs a president capable of rising above himself — something Trump has proven, again and again, he simply cannot do. He finds a silver lining in the Supreme Court blocking Trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship, arguing it proves this is a conservative court but not purely a Trump court — though he's sharply critical of the Court's campaign finance ruling, which he frames as a straightforward bailout of the Republican Party.. He closes by looking ahead: the Colorado primaries raised the question of whether the DSA movement has truly broken through. Then, Debbie Cox Bultan — CEO of the NewDEAL, a network of center-left state and local elected officials focused on delivering results rather than fighting culture wars — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case for the unglamorous, often-overlooked pragmatic wing of the Democratic Party. Bultan argues that the center-left's defining challenge is structural and almost temperamental: moderates and pragmatists are, by their very nature, not the loud part of the coalition, which means they get drowned out. She rejects the premise that "fighting the other side" has to mean yelling, argues that governing effectively is still the best way for talented officials to rise through the ranks. Bultan notes a crucial asymmetry that gives her hope: the left has not actually dominated Democratic primaries the way the right has captured GOP primaries, in part because the perception of electability matters far more to base Democratic voters than it does to the Republican base — and she points to how even Mamdani's focus on affordability carried genuine cross-party appeal as evidence that pragmatic, results-oriented messaging still works. The conversation digs into the deeper tensions facing the party heading into a favorable 2026 and a wide-open 2028. Bultan introduces the concept of "pragmatic disruption" — the idea that the people who genuinely want to disrupt a broken system actually need government to work to do it. Bultan argues the leadership of key left-leaning interest groups has drifted much further left than the actual Democratic electorate, advises candidates to stop answering interest-group questionnaires that force them into litmus-test corners, and warns that base voters can become obsessed with issues only 1% of the electorate actually cares about. She frames this moment — with Trump as a uniquely norm-breaking figure and the country's 250th anniversary approaching — as the perfect opening for a serious conversation about democracy reform. Finally, he presents his ToddCast Top 5 list of the best fictional presidents seen on TV & movies and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:30 The American 250 celebration sucks… Trump ruined it 04:00 America 250 should be much bigger, and keeps feeling smaller 05:45 The American experiment is a remarkable achievement 07:00 Modern American democracy didn’t start until the 1960s 07:30 “More Perfect Union” is greatest phrase in founding documents 08:15 250 should be celebrating our progress, not afraid of our history 09:00 SCOTUS blocking Trump’s ban on birthright citizenship was important 09:30 America is an idea, not an ethnicity 10:30 This was a moment to celebrate and also understand our history 11:00 Donald Trump has made the country’s birthday about Donald Trump* 12:15 Trump created his own version of the celebration 13:00 He turned the country’s birthday into his own political rally 14:45 Trump thinks everyone should accommodate him. Insult to Americans 15:30 The country needs a president that can rise above himself. Trump can’t 16:30 The Great American Fair could have been amazing. Instead it’s a dud 18:15 The big anniversaries force us to look at ourselves, not like what we see 19:45 Love the American story BECAUSE it’s complicated 21:00 Trump is showing us who he is by stealing this anniversary from us 22:00 Trump has sullied the brand of America, doesn’t have to be at 275 22:45 Feel betrayed as an American by this, resent seeing it cheapened 24:00 SCOTUS showed it’s a conservative court, but not a Trump court 25:15 There are partisans on the court, but the court itself isn’t purely partisan 26:15 Campaign finance ruling is a bail out of the Republican party 26:45 Campaigns can buy TV ads at a lower rate, outside groups can’t 28:00 Republicans have more big $ donors, Dems have more small $ donors 30:15 Court shows deference to congress if they are explicit in what they want 31:45 There will still be an effort to block birthright citizenship 32:30 Did Colorado primaries show the DSA movement has broken through? 33:15 Michigan will be the real test for the DSA 36:15 Let this be a lesson to anyone coming from Bidenworld 38:00 If Dems win both chambers, smooth path for Jeffries to speakership 38:45 Failure to win the senate will cause lots of finger pointing 46:30 Debbie Cox Bultan (New Deal Leaders) joins the Chuck ToddCast 48:30 What is the best way to describe the center-left? 50:00 New Deal is a group of center-left officials trying to deliver results 51:15 What’s different between New Deal and the DLCC? 51:45 Need to modernize progressive politics for the 21st century 53:15 Members don’t have to declare which part of coalition they are in 53:45 Governing effectively is the best way to rise up the ranks 55:00 The democratic pipeline for talent has proven to be effective 55:30 Want to support talented candidates once they get elected 56:45 By nature, the moderates/centrists aren’t a loud part of the coalition 57:45 Some voters treat bipartisan compromise as treason 58:30 Reject the idea that “fighting the other side” means yelling 59:15 20% of Democratic voters post the vast majority of online content 1:00:45 The political conflict isn’t just online, it’s starting to be everywhere 1:03:15 The institutionalists are now between the center left and right 1:04:00 State & local officials are the bright spots in American politics 1:05:15 Primary season heightens partisanship 1:06:00 The left hasn’t dominated Democratic primary elections 1:06:45 Perception of electability matters more to base Dems than base GOP 1:07:30 Mamdani’s focus on affordability has had cross party appeal to voters 1:08:45 Is there such a thing as “pragmatic disruption”? 1:09:45 People who want to be disrupters need government to work 1:14:15 Do Democrats need to diversify the backgrounds of their office holders? 1:15:00 More veterans are now running as Democrats 1:17:45 Trump is a uniquely troubling and norm-breaking person 1:18:30 Feels like beginning of the 20th century, need major reforms 1:19:45 The 250th anniversary is a great time to talk about democracy reform 1:20:45 Democrats are going to have a great election in ‘26 1:21:15 If Dems win both chambers, how do they govern with Trump? 1:23:00 What do you say to progressives who have never had the presidency? 1:25:15 The word socialism has a different meaning to different voters 1:26:00 Can center-left Dems get behind a DSA nominee? 1:28:00 Do progressives really want to risk someone like RFK running healthcare? 1:28:30 Progressives can’t rebrand the world socialism 1:30:45 Leadership of key interest groups on left are much further left now 1:31:15 Candidates shouldn’t answer questionnaires from interest groups 1:32:15 Base voters can obsess over issues 1% of electorate cares about 1:33:30 The donors are part of the problem, but that’s starting to change 1:34:30 Democrats need to do a lot more listening 1:35:00 What could you provide a local official that wants to run for higher office? 1:36:00 Helping candidates with pragmatic governing and skill development 1:39:15 Civic engagement and national service could help the country heal 1:42:30 ToddCast Top 5 Fictional Presidents 1:43:30 #5 David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) from 24 1:44:30 #4 Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) from Veep 1:46:00 #3 James Marshall (Harrison Ford) from Air Force One 1:47:45 #2 Thomas Whitmore (Bill Pullman) from Independence Day 1:48:45 #1 Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho (Terry Crews) from Idiocracy 1:51:00 Ask Chuck 1:51:15 What’s the point of voting down ballot when politicians vote on party lines? 1:59:00 Issue with Mamdani’s comments on Israel and religious/ethno states? 2:03:15 Expanding vote by mail? 2:05:00 Could Trump legally mount a write-in campaign? 2:10:00 Is America still not ready to elect a woman president? 2:13:30 What’s your take on the NPR retraction on Alito retirement? 2:20:45 How will Rubio/Vance dynamic play out in ‘28? 2:25:15 What’s the latest a SCOTUS justice can retire & get confirmed?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Debbie Cox Bultan — CEO of the NewDEAL, a network of center-left state and local elected officials focused on delivering results rather than fighting culture wars — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case for the unglamorous, often-overlooked pragmatic wing of the Democratic Party. Bultan argues that the center-left's defining challenge is structural and almost temperamental: moderates and pragmatists are, by their very nature, not the loud part of the coalition, which means they get drowned out. She rejects the premise that "fighting the other side" has to mean yelling, argues that governing effectively is still the best way for talented officials to rise through the ranks. Bultan notes a crucial asymmetry that gives her hope: the left has not actually dominated Democratic primaries the way the right has captured GOP primaries, in part because the perception of electability matters far more to base Democratic voters than it does to the Republican base — and she points to how even Mamdani's focus on affordability carried genuine cross-party appeal as evidence that pragmatic, results-oriented messaging still works. The conversation digs into the deeper tensions facing the party heading into a favorable 2026 and a wide-open 2028. Bultan introduces the concept of "pragmatic disruption" — the idea that the people who genuinely want to disrupt a broken system actually need government to work to do it. Bultan argues the leadership of key left-leaning interest groups has drifted much further left than the actual Democratic electorate, advises candidates to stop answering interest-group questionnaires that force them into litmus-test corners, and warns that base voters can become obsessed with issues only 1% of the electorate actually cares about. She frames this moment — with Trump as a uniquely norm-breaking figure and the country's 250th anniversary approaching — as the perfect opening for a serious conversation about democracy reform. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements 00:00 Debbie Cox Bultan (New Deal Leaders) joins the Chuck ToddCast 02:00 What is the best way to describe the center-left? 03:30 New Deal is a group of center-left officials trying to deliver results 04:45 What’s different between New Deal and the DLCC? 05:15 Need to modernize progressive politics for the 21st century 06:45 Members don’t have to declare which part of coalition they are in 07:15 Governing effectively is the best way to rise up the ranks 08:30 The democratic pipeline for talent has proven to be effective 09:00 Want to support talented candidates once they get elected 10:15 By nature, the moderates/centrists aren’t a loud part of the coalition 11:15 Some voters treat bipartisan compromise as treason 12:00 Reject the idea that “fighting the other side” means yelling 12:45 20% of Democratic voters post the vast majority of online content 14:15 The political conflict isn’t just online, it’s starting to be everywhere 16:45 The institutionalists are now between the center left and right 17:30 State & local officials are the bright spots in American politics 18:45 Primary season heightens partisanship 19:30 The left hasn’t dominated Democratic primary elections 20:15 Perception of electability matters more to base Dems than base GOP 21:00 Mamdani’s focus on affordability has had cross party appeal to voters 22:15 Is there such a thing as “pragmatic disruption”? 23:15 People who want to be disrupters need government to work 27:45 Do Democrats need to diversify the backgrounds of their office holders? 28:30 More veterans are now running as Democrats 31:15 Trump is a uniquely troubling and norm-breaking person 32:00 Feels like beginning of the 20th century, need major reforms 33:15 The 250th anniversary is a great time to talk about democracy reform 34:15 Democrats are going to have a great election in ‘26 34:45 If Dems win both chambers, how do they govern with Trump? 36:30 What do you say to progressives who have never had the presidency? 38:45 The word socialism has a different meaning to different voters 39:30 Can center-left Dems get behind a DSA nominee? 41:30 Do progressives really want to risk someone like RFK running healthcare? 42:00 Progressives can’t rebrand the world socialism 44:15 Leadership of key interest groups on left are much further left now 44:45 Candidates shouldn’t answer questionnaires from interest groups 45:45 Base voters can obsess over issues 1% of electorate cares about 47:00 The donors are part of the problem, but that’s starting to change 48:00 Democrats need to do a lot more listening 48:30 What could you provide a local official that wants to run for higher office? 49:30 Helping candidates with pragmatic governing and skill development 52:45 Civic engagement and national service could help the country heal 54:45 People need to understand “with rights come responsibilities”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd opens with the Iran ceasefire collapsing as the U.S. and Iran trade strikes again — but the real story, he argues, is that the U.S. military just inadvertently revealed Trump was lying about the war all along. The targets American forces hit in this latest round were the very targets Trump claimed weeks ago had already been destroyed; either Iran somehow reconstituted its entire military in a single week, or the president lied to the country, and CENTCOM's own report makes clear which it was. He warns that lying about war is historically not a small thing for a president to survive, no matter how badly Trump wants to memory-hole the entire episode. He then turns to the escalating Democratic fight over taxing billionaires, taking a characteristically nuanced position: billionaires are genuinely undertaxed, but "tax the rich" doesn't work as actual policy the way it works as a slogan, the loopholes built into the code exist to avoid unintended consequences, and the changes to the inheritance "death tax" are responsible for an enormous share of current inequality. He assesses Zohran Mamdani taking a victory lap as the new face of the DSA (and increasingly comfortable as a face of the Democratic Party), praising him as a genuinely compelling performer and possible heir to the Bernie movement while questioning whether his story can travel beyond New York City. He closes with one of his favorite structural arguments — that the far-left and far-right are now feeding off each other's fear, that a faction doesn't need to capture the whole country, just one congressional caucus, and that the founders' actual protection against factions was supposed to be a multitude of them — which is exactly why the House was meant to scale with the population and why Congress's choice to freeze its size needs to be reversed. He also looks ahead at fascinating Colorado primaries. Finally, he hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to explain the origin of the name of the bikini swimsuit, and why America’s relationship with nuclear technology changed over time. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Asl Chuck” segment. From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 05:15 U.S. and Iran trade strikes again, ceasefire not holding 06:15 The U.S. military basically revealed Trump was lying about the war 06:45 Historically, voters don’t accept lies from presidents about war 07:30 The targets the U.S. hit were targets Trump said were already destroyed 08:30 Three weeks ago Trump said Iran had nothing… clearly it wasn’t true 09:15 Making the case that Trump is full of shit isn’t hard* 10:30 Either Iran reconstituted its military in a week, or Trump lied. 11:15 CENTCOM’s report shows that Trump lied to the country 13:15 Trump announced on his birthday that he had ended the war 14:00 Handing Iran billions of dollars is hardly the “surrender” Trump proclaimed 15:45 Lying about war is not a small thing for a president to do 17:15 Trump thought he could memory-hole the Iran war, Iran won’t let him 17:45 There’s a right way to tax billionaires, but it’s not currently being proposed 19:00 Billionaires are undertaxed, but tax policy doesn’t work as a slogan 19:45 Loopholes are built into the tax code to avoid unintended consequences 20:30 Reforms to the inheritance tax allow the wealthy to avoid taxation 21:45 Closing other loopholes could raise hundreds of billions 23:00 Taxing billionaires is fine, but you can’t mess up tax code in the process 24:30 The Newsom vs. Khanna fight - Both are making good points 25:00 A state level wealth tax could create a shortfall in the long term 25:45 The “death tax” change is responsible for much of the current inequality 26:30 “Fair share” polls well, but requires major changes to the tax code 27:30 Tax reform isn’t simple or quick, requires real work from congress 28:15 Mamdani takes a victory lap, wants to be face of the DSA movement 29:30 Mamdani is fine with being the face of the Democratic party 31:00 Mamdani is telling a compelling story, but can it go beyond NYC? 33:00 Mamdani had a weak defense of the Dan Goldman coffee incident 34:00 Mamdani is very good as a performer, could be heir to Bernie movement 35:45 The far-left and the far-right are feeding off of each other 36:30 Trump ramps up rhetoric against DSA, calls them “godless communists” 37:30 The DSA and Trump both working off the fear of each other 38:45 A faction doesn’t need to capture the country, just one caucus 39:30 The founders’ protection from factions, was a multitude of factions 41:30 The House of Representatives was supposed to scale with the country 43:15 Congress chose to stop letting the House grow, needs to change 46:45 The Colorado primaries will be fascinating 48:15 Michael Bennett has to carry the banner of being a D.C. creature 48:45 John Hickenlooper facing a viable challenge from the left 50:30 The DSA candidate for congress is ahead in the polls 55:15 ToddCast Time Machine 56:15 July 1946 The bikini swimsuit named after atomic bomb test 58:45 Both fear and optimism rose about nuclear technology 59:30 We didn’t have an enemy yet with an atomic bomb 1:00:15 The atom wasn’t viewed just as a weapon, but as the future 1:01:45 We were exporting the atomic age and that seemed cool 1:02:15 The people on bikini atoll were being told to leave their homes 1:03:15 The vibe changed once the Soviets detonated their first bomb 1:04:15 Very few people know why the bikini swimsuit carries its name 1:05:45 Ask Chuck 1:06:00 Do you see somebody jumping into ‘28 presidential race prior to midterms? 1:11:15 What do you think happened in the meeting between Trump & senators? 1:19:15 Thoughts on college athletics eligibility changes? 1:22:15 Thoughts on straight-ticket voting? 1:24:15 Is the premise that moderate Democrats are more “electable” overstated? 1:31:45 Would reforms that redistribute power meaningfully improve our system? 1:33:45 Any go-to books on civics and the constitution?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd opens with the Iran ceasefire collapsing as the U.S. and Iran trade strikes again — but the real story, he argues, is that the U.S. military just inadvertently revealed Trump was lying about the war all along. The targets American forces hit in this latest round were the very targets Trump claimed weeks ago had already been destroyed; either Iran somehow reconstituted its entire military in a single week, or the president lied to the country, and CENTCOM's own report makes clear which it was. He warns that lying about war is historically not a small thing for a president to survive, no matter how badly Trump wants to memory-hole the entire episode. He then turns to the escalating Democratic fight over taxing billionaires, taking a characteristically nuanced position: billionaires are genuinely undertaxed, but "tax the rich" doesn't work as actual policy the way it works as a slogan, the loopholes built into the code exist to avoid unintended consequences, and the changes to the inheritance "death tax" are responsible for an enormous share of current inequality. He assesses Zohran Mamdani taking a victory lap as the new face of the DSA (and increasingly comfortable as a face of the Democratic Party), praising him as a genuinely compelling performer and possible heir to the Bernie movement while questioning whether his story can travel beyond New York City. He closes with one of his favorite structural arguments — that the far-left and far-right are now feeding off each other's fear, that a faction doesn't need to capture the whole country, just one congressional caucus, and that the founders' actual protection against factions was supposed to be a multitude of them — which is exactly why the House was meant to scale with the population and why Congress's choice to freeze its size needs to be reversed. He also looks ahead at fascinating Colorado primaries. Then, Alvaro Bedoya — the former FTC Commissioner whom Trump fired in an unprecedented break with a century of agency-independence norms — joins the Chuck Toddcast to explain why his firing matters far beyond his own career, and what it reveals about the collision between corporate power and consumer protection in the Trump era. Bedoya makes the legal case plainly: removal "for cause" is clearly written into the law, Congress needs to codify FTC independence, and while he's skeptical this Supreme Court will rule in favor of agency independence, the circumstances of his dismissal are damning — he believes he was fired specifically for suing companies that happened to be Trump donors. The Amazon case is his exhibit A: the FTC was actively pursuing Amazon until Trump intervened, and after Amazon funneled millions to Trump, the investigations simply evaporated — proof, Bedoya argues, that existing laws against bribery and corruption clearly aren't working. He walks through the sprawling, well-funded lobbying effort against meaningful privacy legislation, and offers vivid examples of how unchecked data collection harms ordinary people. His prescription is structural: America needs genuine restrictions on what data can be collected and how it can be used, paired with serious antitrust enforcement — but the agencies tasked with that work have been starved of the resources they need. The conversation opens up into a fascinating, wide-ranging debate about monopoly power and consolidation across the American economy. Bedoya argues that streaming bills were already climbing even before the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger — a deal he believes there's a clear consumer case to block. He notes that Thomas Jefferson once argued for an anti-monopoly amendment in the Bill of Rights, that consolidation has hammered workers across countless industries, and that America is now suffering a genuine "drought of creativity" because of relentless media mergers — pointing out that there are only three serious buyers of documentary films left, and that half of America's TV news archive is about to be owned by a single family. Bedoya is honest about the nuances (Costco throws its weight around but has genuinely been good for consumers; vertically integrated health insurers are universally loathed), wrestles with whether unilateral Democratic executive action is even the answer, and warns that in this environment it's dangerously easy for regulators to simply get overwhelmed. Finally, he hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to explain the origin of the name of the bikini swimsuit, and why America’s relationship with nuclear technology changed over time. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Asl Chuck” segment. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 05:15 U.S. and Iran trade strikes again, ceasefire not holding 06:15 The U.S. military basically revealed Trump was lying about the war 06:45 Historically, voters don’t accept lies from presidents about war 07:30 The targets the U.S. hit were targets Trump said were already destroyed 08:30 Three weeks ago Trump said Iran had nothing… clearly it wasn’t true 09:15 Making the case that Trump is full of shit isn’t hard* 10:30 Either Iran reconstituted its military in a week, or Trump lied. 11:15 CENTCOM’s report shows that Trump lied to the country 13:15 Trump announced on his birthday that he had ended the war 14:00 Handing Iran billions of dollars is hardly the “surrender” Trump proclaimed 15:45 Lying about war is not a small thing for a president to do 17:15 Trump thought he could memory-hole the Iran war, Iran won’t let him 17:45 There’s a right way to tax billionaires, but it’s not currently being proposed 19:00 Billionaires are undertaxed, but tax policy doesn’t work as a slogan 19:45 Loopholes are built into the tax code to avoid unintended consequences 20:30 Reforms to the inheritance tax allow the wealthy to avoid taxation 21:45 Closing other loopholes could raise hundreds of billions 23:00 Taxing billionaires is fine, but you can’t mess up tax code in the process 24:30 The Newsom vs. Khanna fight - Both are making good points 25:00 A state level wealth tax could create a shortfall in the long term 25:45 The “death tax” change is responsible for much of the current inequality 26:30 “Fair share” polls well, but requires major changes to the tax code 27:30 Tax reform isn’t simple or quick, requires real work from congress 28:15 Mamdani takes a victory lap, wants to be face of the DSA movement 29:30 Mamdani is fine with being the face of the Democratic party 31:00 Mamdani is telling a compelling story, but can it go beyond NYC? 33:00 Mamdani had a weak defense of the Dan Goldman coffee incident 34:00 Mamdani is very good as a performer, could be heir to Bernie movement 35:45 The far-left and the far-right are feeding off of each other 36:30 Trump ramps up rhetoric against DSA, calls them “godless communists” 37:30 The DSA and Trump both working off the fear of each other 38:45 A faction doesn’t need to capture the country, just one caucus 39:30 The founders’ protection from factions, was a multitude of factions 41:30 The House of Representatives was supposed to scale with the country 43:15 Congress chose to stop letting the House grow, needs to change 46:45 The Colorado primaries will be fascinating 48:15 Michael Bennett has to carry the banner of being a D.C. creature 48:45 John Hickenlooper facing a viable challenge from the left 50:30 The DSA candidate for congress is ahead in the polls 56:45 Alvaro Bedoya joins the Chuck ToddCast 58:45 Trump broke a long standing norm to fire Alvaro from the FTC 59:15 Congress needs to codify FTC independence 1:00:15 Firing “for cause” is very clearly written into the law 1:02:15 This Supreme Court unlikely to rule for agency independence 1:02:45 Was likely fired for suing companies that were Trump donors 1:03:30 You want consumers to be protected from political donors 1:05:15 FTC was pursuing case against Amazon until Trump intervened 1:06:45 Amazon funneled millions to Trump, investigations went away 1:07:15 Laws against bribery & corruption clearly aren’t working 1:09:15 How should government tackle consumer privacy protections? 1:10:00 There is a massive lobbying effort against privacy laws 1:11:15 Background actors were being scanned rather than being paid 1:12:15 Privacy can sometimes be an abstract concept to people 1:12:45 Labor unions are the group actually winning in this space 1:15:00 Need protections around privacy, data collection and antitrust 1:15:45 Need restrictions on collecting certain data and how it is used 1:17:15 Against law to use SEC database to solicit donations, not enforced 1:17:45 Agencies have been starved of resources needed for enforcement 1:20:00 Meta has grown massive and Zuckerberg retains total control 1:22:15 The debate about whether to break up the biggest companies 1:23:00 Breaking up AT&T benefitted consumers, ended long distance rates 1:23:45 T-Mobile merger should not have been allowed 1:24:45 Streaming bills going up even before Paramount WB merger 1:28:15 Jefferson argued for an amendment against monopolies in Bill of Rights 1:30:45 Consolidation has hurt workers in a variety of industries 1:31:30 Has there been a consolidation that’s been good for consumers? 1:34:00 Costco throws its weight around, but has been good for consumers 1:35:00 Health insurers are vertically integrated, and consumers loathe them 1:36:15 Iheart’s merger was allowed as an effort to preserve a “dying industry” 1:37:45 Paramount/WB only shot of catching Netflix/Disney is to merge? 1:39:00 Loading up the company with $80B in debt won’t produce a healthy firm 1:39:45 There are only 3 buyers of serious documentary films 1:41:00 Half of America’s TV news archive is about to be owned by one family 1:42:15 There are clear consumer cases for preventing the Paramount/WB merger 1:45:15 There’s been a cycle of innovation, then consolidation 1:46:45 We are suffering a drought of creativity due to mergers 1:49:00 There are antitrust exceptions for co-ops, can FTC encourage them? 1:51:00 Is unilateral Democratic executive branch action the answer here? 1:52:15 In this environment, it’s easy for regulators to get overwhelmed 1:53:00 The White House UFC fight was corrupt 1:55:45 Making the UFC event private at the WH was made it feel dirty 1:58:30 Favorite potential 2028 candidates? 2:00:30 Popular movements are effective pushing back against corporate power 2:02:30 ToddCast Time Machine 2:03:30 July 1946 The bikini swimsuit named after atomic bomb test 2:06:00 Both fear and optimism rose about nuclear technology 2:06:45 We didn’t have an enemy yet with an atomic bomb 2:07:30 The atom wasn’t viewed just as a weapon, but as the future 2:09:00 We were exporting the atomic age and that seemed cool 2:09:30 The people on bikini atoll were being told to leave their homes 2:10:30 The vibe changed once the Soviets detonated their first bomb 2:11:30 Very few people know why the bikini swimsuit carries its name 2:13:00 Ask Chuck 2:13:15 Do you see somebody jumping into ‘28 presidential race prior to midterms? 2:18:30 What do you think happened in the meeting between Trump & senators? 2:26:30 Thoughts on college athletics eligibility changes? 2:29:30 Thoughts on straight-ticket voting? 2:31:30 Is the premise that moderate Democrats are more “electable” overstated? 2:39:00 Would reforms that redistribute power meaningfully improve our system? 2:41:00 Any go-to books on civics and the constitution?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Alvaro Bedoya — the former FTC Commissioner whom Trump fired in an unprecedented break with a century of agency-independence norms — joins the Chuck Toddcast to explain why his firing matters far beyond his own career, and what it reveals about the collision between corporate power and consumer protection in the Trump era. Bedoya makes the legal case plainly: removal "for cause" is clearly written into the law, Congress needs to codify FTC independence, and while he's skeptical this Supreme Court will rule in favor of agency independence, the circumstances of his dismissal are damning — he believes he was fired specifically for suing companies that happened to be Trump donors. The Amazon case is his exhibit A: the FTC was actively pursuing Amazon until Trump intervened, and after Amazon funneled millions to Trump, the investigations simply evaporated — proof, Bedoya argues, that existing laws against bribery and corruption clearly aren't working. He walks through the sprawling, well-funded lobbying effort against meaningful privacy legislation, and offers vivid examples of how unchecked data collection harms ordinary people. His prescription is structural: America needs genuine restrictions on what data can be collected and how it can be used, paired with serious antitrust enforcement — but the agencies tasked with that work have been starved of the resources they need. The conversation opens up into a fascinating, wide-ranging debate about monopoly power and consolidation across the American economy. Bedoya argues that streaming bills were already climbing even before the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger — a deal he believes there's a clear consumer case to block. He notes that Thomas Jefferson once argued for an anti-monopoly amendment in the Bill of Rights, that consolidation has hammered workers across countless industries, and that America is now suffering a genuine "drought of creativity" because of relentless media mergers — pointing out that there are only three serious buyers of documentary films left, and that half of America's TV news archive is about to be owned by a single family. Bedoya is honest about the nuances (Costco throws its weight around but has genuinely been good for consumers; vertically integrated health insurers are universally loathed), wrestles with whether unilateral Democratic executive action is even the answer, and warns that in this environment it's dangerously easy for regulators to simply get overwhelmed. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Alvaro Bedoya joins the Chuck ToddCast 02:00 Trump broke a long standing norm to fire Alvaro from the FTC 02:30 Congress needs to codify FTC independence 03:30 Firing “for cause” is very clearly written into the law 05:30 This Supreme Court unlikely to rule for agency independence 06:00 Was likely fired for suing companies that were Trump donors 06:45 You want consumers to be protected from political donors 08:30 FTC was pursuing case against Amazon until Trump intervened 10:00 Amazon funneled millions to Trump, investigations went away 10:30 Laws against bribery & corruption clearly aren’t working 12:30 How should government tackle consumer privacy protections? 13:15 There is a massive lobbying effort against privacy laws 14:30 Background actors were being scanned rather than being paid 15:30 Privacy can sometimes be an abstract concept to people 16:00 Labor unions are the group actually winning in this space 18:15 Need protections around privacy, data collection and antitrust 19:00 Need restrictions on collecting certain data and how it is used 20:30 Against law to use SEC database to solicit donations, not enforced 21:00 Agencies have been starved of resources needed for enforcement 23:15 Meta has grown massive and Zuckerberg retains total control 25:30 The debate about whether to break up the biggest companies 26:15 Breaking up AT&T benefitted consumers, ended long distance rates 27:00 T-Mobile merger should not have been allowed 28:00 Streaming bills going up even before Paramount WB merger 31:30 Jefferson argued for an amendment against monopolies in Bill of Rights 34:00 Consolidation has hurt workers in a variety of industries 34:45 Has there been a consolidation that’s been good for consumers? 37:15 Costco throws its weight around, but has been good for consumers 38:15 Health insurers are vertically integrated, and consumers loathe them 39:30 Iheart’s merger was allowed as an effort to preserve a “dying industry” 41:00 Paramount/WB only shot of catching Netflix/Disney is to merge? 42:15 Loading up the company with $80B in debt won’t produce a healthy firm 43:00 There are only 3 buyers of serious documentary films 44:15 Half of America’s TV news archive is about to be owned by one family 45:30 There are clear consumer cases for preventing the Paramount/WB merger 48:30 There’s been a cycle of innovation, then consolidation 50:00 We are suffering a drought of creativity due to mergers 52:15 There are antitrust exceptions for co-ops, can FTC encourage them? 54:15 Is unilateral Democratic executive branch action the answer here? 55:30 In this environment, it’s easy for regulators to get overwhelmed 56:15 The White House UFC fight was corrupt 59:00 Making the UFC event private at the WH was made it feel dirty 1:01:45 Favorite potential 2028 candidates? 1:03:45 Popular movements are effective pushing back against corporate powerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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