The DMZ

Join Matt Lewis and Bill Scher in the DMZ as they dive into the House's passage of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act". Is Donald Trump's branding genius at work with this catchy title, or does it mask a fiscal mess? They unpack the bill's contents — extending 2017 tax cuts, adding no tax on tips or overtime, and controversial Medicaid and ACA reforms that could impact millions. Will it balloon the deficit, as analysts warn, or is it a political win for Trump? Plus, a discussion on "Biden Gate" — was there a cover-up of Joe Biden's health, and how does it affect Democrats moving forward? Don't miss this lively debate on policy, politics, and perception!  

Join Matt Lewis and Bill Scher on the DMZ as they tackle three hot political topics! -- Is Senator John Fetterman spiraling, or are disgruntled staffers stirring drama? -- Could Democrats flip the Senate with Trump-backed GOP nominees faltering in Georgia, Texas, and Louisiana? -- And will Democrats impeach Trump a third time if they retake the House? Dive into the latest on Fetterman's mental health concerns, the 2026 Senate map, and the risks of impeachment in this must-watch episode.  Subscribe for more political analysis, and share your thoughts in the comments!

Did Sen. Chuck Schumer drop the ball by dodging a government shutdown fight with Donald Trump? On this episode of The DMZ, Bill Scher and Matt Lewis break down Schumer's punt on the funding bill, the growing backlash from Trump voters blindsided by ICE deportations and DOGE job cuts, and what it all means for Democrats' 2026 midterm comeback. From Elon Musk's wild influence to Medicaid cuts on the horizon, we're digging into the political mess. Is Schumer a shrug or a strategist? Can Dems turn Trump's chaos into House and Senate wins? Hit play and find out!  Key Topics:  -- Chuck Schumer's filibuster fail and government shutdown dodge  -- Donald Trump's policies hitting his own voters—ICE, DOGE, tariffs  -- 2026 midterms: Democrats' shot at the House and Senate  -- Elon Musk's DOGE and the Medicaid cuts threat

Join Matt Lewis and Bill Scher in the DMZ as they dive into:-- Donald Trump's latest moves—tariffs, federal workforce cuts, and all-out economic chaos. -- Is there a method to the madness, or is Trump risking a recession with no plan? -- From West Virginia's vibe shift to Elon Musk's DOGE-fueled firings, we unpack the stakes—stagflation, cronyism, and a GOP rooting for the bad guys. -- Are Democrats fighting back effectively, or just flailing? -- Elon Musk Misunderstood the Film “Office Space.”-- Remembering blog legend Kevin Drum-- And MUCH more!

Join Matt Lewis and Bill Scher on DMZ as they dive into the latest political analysis. In this episode, Bill discusses his provocative Washington Monthly article, "Trump's Historically Bad First Month of Polls Should Terrify Republicans." With Trump's approval ratings dropping 7 points in just one month — starting stronger than his first term but already treading water — these early numbers could spell disaster for congressional Republicans facing the 2026 midterms. From unpopular tariffs and Elon Musk's growing unpopularity to potential economic missteps like inflation and job cuts, is Trump governing as advertised, or is he overreading his mandate? Matt challenges Bill's optimism, questioning voter expectations, poll reliability, and whether Republicans can break from Trump's grip. Are Democrats poised to capitalize, or will Trump's chaos reshape the political landscape? Watch now for expert insights on Trump's presidency, GOP strategy, and the road to 2026!

Bill and Matt assess Trump's first three weeks of his second term

On this episode of The DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss...-- Why they decided to take a break from recording, and how they are planning to professionally manage a second Trump presidency.-- Mike Johnson winning enough votes to remain Speaker of The House-- Whether Trump's administration will face problems with inflation and a debt ceiling crisis-- Why Matt believes in "The Great Man" theory of campaigns-- Bill's theory that Kamala Harris could be the Democratic nominee in 2028-- And MUCH more!

On this week's DMZ, BIll and Matt discuss the seven reasons Kamala Harris lost the 2024 presidential election to Donald Trump. 

Bill revises his predictions, adding a new state into the Kamala Harris column. Matt and Bill discuss why there are two very different scenarios that could play out, based on different assumptions having to do with the electorate.

On this week's DMZ, Bill Scher and Matt Lewis make their 2024 presidential and U.S. Senate predictions. They also discuss...-- Which candidate would get more done as president-- Whether Senate Republicans would blow up the filibuster-- Donald Trump's lousy record on deporting illegal immigrants-- Why Joe Biden's stupid "garbage" gaffe hurts Kamala Harris, and changes the subject from the Puerto Rico controversy-- Who Matt's voting for in 2024-- The Dodgers beat the Yankees!-- And MUCH more

On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss:-- Kamala Harris's CNN town hall meeting-- Is the media's double standard helping Donald Trump and hurting Kamala Harris-- Matt asks: Will sexism doom Kamala Harris?-- Kamala Harris and John Kelly agree: Trump's a fascist!-- Bill lists the three 'known unknowns' that will decide the 2024 election -- Why does Tucker Carlson want Daddy Trump to spank naughty America?-- Bill explains why Trump's longing for an 1890s-style regressive tariff system is stupid.

On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss...-- Should you move to Canada if Trump wins?-- Why pollsters have a hard time saying who will win this race — or how close it even is-- Trump's comments about the "enemy within," and why they should be getting more attention than Hillary Clinton's "Deplorables" gaffe. -- Why Kamala Harris is smart not to blame the voters for a tied race.-- And MUCH more!

On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss...-- Whether Youtube and podcasts have supplanted the mainstream media on the 2024 campaign trail— Is the gap between the popular vote and the Electoral College narrowing because of Trump's support with Hispanics?-- Matt's identity crisis, and whether JD Vance has convinced more conservatives to throw in with MAGA-- Donald Trump ducks Ben Shapiro's GOTV question-- And MUCH more!

On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt weigh-in on Tuesday's vice presidential debate, featuring Tim Walz and JD Vance. 

On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss...-- Bill's birthday and banjo pickin'-- Why Democrats should target Senate seats in Texas and Florida-- Donald Trump's condescending play for women voters-- Whether campaign stops even matter-- And MUCH more!Read Bill's latest, With the Senate on the Line, It's Time for Democrats to Spend in Florida and Texas https://washingtonmonthly.com/2024/09...Read Matt's latest: Trump is making paternalistic, delusional promises to women https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/...

On this week's DMZ with Bill Scher and Matt Lewis, they discuss:-- Whether Kamala Harris would have an easier time running as an incumbent president-- Why Matt is suddenly losing conservative friends-- Fact check mistakes made by the debate moderators -- JD Vance's attacks on Haitian immigrants, and why Ronald Reagan saw things different-- And MUCH more!

On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss Tuesday night's debate. What did Kamala Harris get right, and what caused Donald Trump to falter? Also, will Taylor Swift's endorsement of Harris move the needle? Enjoy!

On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss:-- Bill's column on how fewer troops died in combat under Biden-Harris than under Donald Trump-- Why Matt now believes Tim Walz was a good VP pick for Kamala Harris.-- A preview of next week's presidential debate.-- And MUCH more!

On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss...-- Kamala Harris's coming CNN interview, and why she's trying to win the attention economy game-- RFK, Jr., and Tulsi Gabbard endorse Donald Trump. But does it matter (and what does it say about the GOP)?-- Why Kamala Harris will probably win the debate over whether to mute the microphone in the debate.

On this week's DMZ, Bill Scher and Matt Lewis discuss...-- Why Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama pose a problem for Harris at the convention.-- Why Kamala Harris has the chance for a huge Electoral College win.-- Whether Tim Walz has survived the scandals surrounding his military survice.-- Donald Trump's campaign looks to be spiraling out of control. 

On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss...-- Kamala Harris's decision to pick Tim Walz as her running mate-- Matt thinks Josh Shapiro would have been a better pick-- Walz performs well in Philly, delivering zingers about Trump and Vance-- Will Walz's response to the 2020 unrest in Minneapolis cause him problems?-- Trump phones in to Fox & Friends to bash Walz-- Bill explains the weird reference to Vance and a couch-- Should Harris and Walz do a better job of shutting down the "Lock him up!" chants?-- Bill weighs in on JD Vance's 'Hillbilly Elegy'-- And MUCH more!

On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss....-- Kamalamania: Where'd it come from, and can it last?-- Who will Kamala pick for veep? Josh Shapiro and Mark Kelly appear to be in the lead, but Bill gives Shapiro the edge. -- Why is Donald Trump questioning Harris' Blackness?-- Bill has a theory regarding Trump telling evangelicals that this is the last time they will have to vote....-- And MUCH more!

On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss...-- Did God save Donald Trump for a purpose?-- Who is Amber Rose?-- Trump isn't T.R.-- MAGA gets J.D. Vance as Trump's running mate-- Bill says Dems shouldn't panic... yet-- Joe Biden's Lester Holt interview fails to impress. -- Dems should remember Woodrow Wilson-- And MUCH more!

On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss...-- Fall out from Joe Biden's bad debate-- Whether Biden's team has been hiding his condition-- Who should replace Biden on the Dem presidential ticket-- Why Bill thinks Kamala Harris is the safest replacement-- Whether Doug Burgum has the inside track for Trump's veep-- And MUCH more!

On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss...--- What Donald Trump and Joe Biden each need to do in Thursday night's presidential debate.-- How Donald Trump is pre-spinning the debate to make excuses for a potential loss.-- Veepstakes, and why North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum now has the inside track.-- Primary elections: Will Reps Jamaal Bowman (D) and Lauren Boebert (R) survive? 

On this week's DMZ, Bill Scher and Matt Lewis discuss...-- Matt's Daily Beast announcement-- Did Joe Biden "freeze" up again?-- The coming presidential debate.-- Donald Trump's love-hate relationship with Milwaukee.-- Trump's dubious "ground game."-- And MUCH more! 

On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss...-- Donald Trump's trial comes to a conclusion-- The Biden campaign sends actor Robert DeNiro to hold a presser outside the trial. Was this a good move?-- Trump gets booed at the Libertarian Party convention-- Justice Samuel Alito's neighbor's dispute some of his story about the upside down American flag-- And MUCH more!

On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss:-- Nikki Haley's decision to vote for Donald Trump. It was always inevitable, but still, it hurts.-- How voters have a false perception of the economy, and why Joe Biden can't seem to fix this political problem.-- It turns out Justice Samuel Alito has a second "Stop the Steal" flag problem.-- Why fears about an omnipotent "Deep State" are irrational. 

On this week's DMZ, Bill Scher and Matt Lewis discuss...-- Joe Biden challenges Donald Trump to two debates. Does this mean Biden really does believe the bad poll numbers?-- Biden's tariffs on electronic vehicles coming from China.-- Tuesday's primary elections in Maryland, West Virginia, and Nebraska.-- And MUCH more! 

On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss...-- Why Kristi Noem refuses to back down and apologize, and whether this means Trump's techniques are not transferable to others.-- Stormy Daniels testimony at Donald Trump's New York criminal trial, and why evangelicals are likely to forgive Trump and blame her.-- Trump's decision to speak at the Libertarians convention. -- Democrats the lead in the generic Congressional ballot.-- Why Trump talked down MTG before she could try to oust Speaker Mike Johnson.

On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss:-- Donald Trump's revealing interview with TIME Magazine about his second term.-- The anti-Israel protests on college campuses, and why schools should have clearly enforced rules.-- Biden's clearest electoral college path. -- The controversy over Gov. Kristi Noem killing her dog.-- And more!

On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss...-- How Joe Biden's governing philosophy gets things done, but also results in Biden rarely getting credit.-- House Speaker Mike Johnson's big week, and whether he's a more honest broker than Kevin McCarthy.-- The antisemitic protests at Columbia University, and why Bill thinks the divestment encampments on college campuses are stupid. -- The whining coming from Donald Trump and his allies about him having to be in court.-- And more!

On this week's DMZ:-- Trump's attempt to influence jurors (it only takes one!), and what happens if Trump actually wins his trial?-- Mike Johnson's attempt to survive as speaker and pass aid to fund Ukraine against Russia-- And should Sonia Sotomayor retire?

Can Donald Trump move to the center on the issue of abortion, or will Joe Biden's ads effectively tie him to the overturning of Roe v. Wade? Bill and Matt discuss this—and more!

Matt discusses a recent Twitter spat, and Bill recounts a discussion he just had on The David Pakman Show. What do these two things have in common? Both have to do with the sense (propagated by Team Trump) that things in America are horrible. Bill explains his theory regarding how Team Biden can reframe the campaign narrative. Next, Bill and Matt discuss former RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel being let go by NBC News. And lastly, they talk about RFK, Jr.'s recent vice presidential running mate, Nicole Shanahan, and why Bill contends it's an "affront to democracy."

Are media elites overreacting to Donald Trump's use of the term "blood bath"? Matt and Bill discuss. Next, they chat about Trump-backed candidate Bernie Moreno's primary victory in Ohio, and whether he will help Republicans take back the U.S. Senate in November. 

Bill and Matt start off by discussing whether Donald Trump and Senate Republicans save TikTok. Next they discuss Rep. Ken Buck's decision to quit Congress, and what it says about the state of the institution. They also discuss the Robert Hurr testimony, and whether it stalls moment Joe Biden has been gaining since his State of The Union address. 

Bill and Matt talk about Super Tuesday, and Nikki Haley's exodus from the race. Next, they preview the State of The Union, and discuss whether Biden or Trump have the cognitive abillity to be president. Lastly, they discuss Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's decision not to seek re-election in Arizona, and whether she could have survived by working harder not to alienate the progressive base.

Bill and Matt discuss whether Nikki Haley's performance in the South Carolina primary spells trouble for Donald Trump in November. Next, they turn the tables, and talk about whether Arab-American voters in Michigan could sink Joe Biden's chances. Then they talk about Donald Trump's "outreach" to African-Americans. And finally, Bill gives us an update on whether there will be another government shutdown. 

Bill and Matt discuss whether a Democrat winning the special election in New York spells trouble for Trump in November. Next, talk turns to the "age-old" question about Joe Biden—and whether America has already moved on to other news stories. 

Bill and Matt start the show by talking about Luke Combs' "Fast Car" duet with Tracy Chapman, and what it might say about "cultural appropriation. Next, talk turns to politics. They discuss Nikki Haley's loss in the Nevada primary, the GOP's inability to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and their decision not to support the bipartisan border deal that also would provide funding for Ukraine and Israel. (With all the talk of chaos, they forgot to mention a court finding that Donald Trump does not have immunity and RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel offering to step down from her post.) Lastly, Bill and Matt weigh whether a 3rd party bid might determine who wins November's presidential election.

Bill and Matt discuss the Talyor Swift/NFL conspiracy theory. They also ponder whether Trump can kill the bipartisan border deal—and more! 

Matt and Bill dissect the New Hampshire primary results.

The day after Donald Trump dominates the Iowa caucuses, Matt and Bill ponder whether it's all over but the shouting.

Ahead of the Iowa caucuses, Bill and Matt discuss the state of the GOP primary race, including this week's primary debate. Can Nikki Haley win New Hamsphire, and will that even matter? Next, they discuss Speaker Mike Johnson's attempts to avoid a government shutdown, and whether Joe Biden is capable of driving a positive message.

Bill and Matt discuss Nikki Haley's Civil War gaffe and Lauren Boebert's new congressional district. Next, they give out their DMZ awards to the winners and losers of 2023.

Season's greetings! On this week's DMZ, Bill and Matt discuss their Christmas traditions, before weighing in on the Colorado Supreme Court's decision to keep Donald Trump off the ballot. Next, talk turns to Trump's comments about illegal immigrants "poisoning the blood" of Americans.

Matt and Bill rank their favorite Christmas movies. Next, Matt admits recent polling (showing Donald Trump winning in Iowa) makes him look bad. Talk then turns to whether the GOP's vote to launch an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden will pay off or backfire. Matt and Bill also lament the decision to move the Washington Capitals and Wizards sports teams to Virginia. Lastly, Bill and Matt discuss the Senate GOP's blocking an emergency spending bill for Ukraine and Israel.

Bill and Matt discuss Wednesday night's debate, and Matt's contention that Chris Christie saved Nikki Haley. Then, Bill discusses the defense budget bill getting a temporary extension of the critical counterterrorism surveillance program known as Section 702. And lastly, Matt asks whether Joe Biden should be rooting for Republicans to impeach him.

Can Donald Trump be stopped? Matt argues Nikki Haley has a shot; Bill thinks that's a fantasy. Then, talk turns to whether recent polls about the general election should freak out Democrats.

Bill and Matt discuss the rise of antisemitism, and whether Israel is losing the PR war. Next, they discuss a history of Democratic bedwetting over a nominee's polling struggles the year before a re-election.