Podcasts about independents

Our last conference preview of 2026 is one of our beefiest episodes ever: Richard and Alex preview the 18-team Big Ten, going in the following order:- 2:12: Purdue- 7:04: Maryland- 14:40: Michigan State- 20:53: Wisconsin- 25:55: Rutgers- 31:23: Penn State- 38:56: UCLA- 45:46: Northwestern- 50:24: Nebraska- 57:53: Minnesota- 1:01:25: Illinois- 1:05:59: Washington- 1:11:26: Iowa- 1:18:44: Michigan- 1:24:06: USC- 1:32:42: Oregon- 1:35:18: Ohio State- 1:42:31: Preseason honors- 1:47:29: IndianaZach Osterman and Mike Niziolek's new book is Unthinkable to Undstoppable: How Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers Stunned College Football. It comes out September 22, and you can learn more and preorder here.Producer: Anthony VitoCATCH UP ON CONFERENCE PREVIEWSThat wraps conference preview season here. See also:* SEC* Mountain West* MAC* Sun Belt* Conference USA* American* Big 12* Independents and Pac-12* ACCTHANKS TO OUR PARTNERS* Ask your tire dealer about Nokian Tyres* Shop for college sports apparel at Homefield This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Richard and Alex go into detail on all 16 teams in the SEC, as we wind toward the end of conference previews. In order:- 6:00: Ole Miss- 10:35: Georgia- 21:13: Texas A&M- 27:18: Alabama- 35:01: Texas- 41:00: Oklahoma- 50:24: Vanderbilt- 53:26: Missouri- 1:00:47: Tennessee- 1:06:05: LSU- 1:17:19: Kentucky- 1:21:26: Florida- 1:27:29: Auburn- 1:34:04: Mississippi State- 1:36:48: South Carolina- 1:40:30: Arkansas- 1:45:38: Preseason honorsProducer: Anthony VitoCATCH UP ON CONFERENCE PREVIEWSYou can catch up on all of our season preview dives by scrolling down on your podcast app of choice. You can also find our published previews here:* Big Ten* SEC* Mountain West* MAC* Sun Belt* Conference USA* American* Big 12* Independents and Pac-12* ACCTHANKS TO OUR PARTNERS* Ask your tire dealer about Nokian Tyres* Shop for college sports apparel at Homefield This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

August 23 2026; 7am: As U.S./Canada trade talks fall apart, President Trump is holding yet another spectacle in Washington, D.C. that taxpayers are contributing to -- a massive "Freedom 250 Grand Prix" IndyCar race throughout the streets of Washington, D.C. Later today, Trump will wave the green flag and will also reportedly take a “lap of honor” in The Beast. Taxpayers are footing the bill for security, which is expected to cost at least $10 million. Will Sommer, Senior Reporter for The Bulwark and Dana Millbank, Columnist for NOTUS, join “The Weekend” to discuss. For more, follow us on social media: Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.social Instagram: @theweekendmsnow TikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

August 22, 2026; 9am: As Americans continue to grapple with the ongoing affordability crisis, Trump's policies are again threatening to drive the prices we pay even higher. Trump took to Truth Social to claim Canada wanted “the benefits of being a state, without being one.” It comes after Canada said Saturday it would match "dollar for dollar" Trump's new 50% tariffs that went into effect after trade talks fell apart on Friday. Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney said his country had been “attacked” by the new American tariffs. Congressman Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania, the ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee, joins “The Weekend” to discuss. For more, follow us on social media: Bluesky: @theweekendmsnbc.bsky.social Instagram: @theweekendmsnbc TikTok: @theweekendmsnbc To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

August 22 2026; 9am: Last night at a campaign rally in Myrtle Beach, President Trump conceded that voters may not be very enthusiastic about this year's midterm elections, but encouraged them to "pretend" he's on the ballot. This comes as three more Trump-endorsed candidates lost this week in Republican primaries in Florida and Wyoming. According to MS NOW's "Races to Watch," one of the best pickup opportunities for Senate Democrats is in Maine. Troy Jackson joins “The Weekend” to discuss his bid against Senator Susan Collins. For more, follow us on social media: Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.social Instagram: @theweekendmsnow TikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

And Dems Nominated Another Socialist for Senator. And a Former Republican-turned-Dem who Can't Win. Darline Graham Knows Nothing. Calling Stephen Colbert!  Three million independent Floridians were barred from every contest on this week's ballot. More than 640,000 of them are veterans. That is not a glitch — it is the design of a rigged two-party system that closes the books a month early and dares you to switch teams just to be heard. In episode 604, Paul Rieckhoff walks through the numbers county by county, exposes how the Democratic Socialists of America keep hijacking closed primaries and then getting flattened in general elections, and makes the case that Florida is not Manhattan and Michigan is not Manhattan. He also introduces two independent veterans already on the November ballot — Mike Klein, a West Point infantry officer running for U.S. House in Florida's third district, and Lacey Villarreal, an Air Force veteran running for West Melbourne City Council — plus the widening lane for a Stephen Colbert Senate run in South Carolina against the installed Darlene Graham. Add in Pete Hegseth campaigning in Iowa while sailors on the USS Lincoln go without adequate resupply, a measles outbreak in Iowa, and a president still all gas, no brakes, and the stakes could not be clearer. Independents are not moving the needle. Independents are the needle. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we're doing to change that. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Head to cozyearth.com and use the code AMERICANS for an exclusive 20% off. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Learn more about American Veterans for Ukraine here. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It's a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. Connect with Independent Americans: Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms Read more at Substack Support ad-free episodes at Patreon  Connect: Instagram  • X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on X, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the new year.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media.  And now part of the BLEAV network!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Conference previews continue with a (mostly) business-free preview of the MAC, focused on the actual football. We've got something good, something bad, and something curious about every team in the league, in this order:- 2:41: Western Michigan- 5:41: Ohio- 8:59: Toledo- 15:02: Miami (OH)- 19:10: Central Michigan- 22:27: Akron- 25:37: Buffalo- 28:59: Kent State- 33:00: Ball State- 34:39: Eastern Michigan- 38:08: Bowling Green- 42:31: UMass- 46:39: Sacramento State- 53:15: Preseason honorsCATCH UP ON CONFERENCE PREVIEWSYou can catch up on all of our season preview dives by scrolling down on your podcast app of choice. You can also find our published previews here:* Sun Belt* Conference USA* American* Big 12* Independents and Pac-12* ACCTHANKS TO OUR PARTNERS* Ask your tire dealer about Nokian Tyres* Shop for college sports apparel at Homefield This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

 August 16 2026; 7am: The Democratic National Committee finalized sweeping changes to their primary calendar on Saturday, making South Carolina the kickoff state in the sprint to Super Tuesday. The party's membership ratified the decision during their summer meeting in Austin, Texas, moving more racially diverse states to the front of the line. With that 2028 business settled, the focus returns to this year's midterms. Three states will hold primaries on Tuesday: Alaska, Wyoming, and Florida. In Florida, voters will choose a new governor after eight years of Ron DeSantis. Democratic gubernatorial candidate for Florida, former Congressman David Jolly, joins “The Weekend” to discuss. For more, follow us on social media: Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.social Instagram: @theweekendmsnow TikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

August 16, 2026; 9am: ICE plans to spend up to $20 million dollars to purchase thousands of gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks intended to gain compliance from combative individuals. Civil rights advocates quickly sounded the alarm over the plan, saying ICE officers already face scrutiny over their use of excessive force with little oversight or accountability. But supporters of the gloves say they are generally only used in specific jail or transport situations to subdue violent suspects. Congressional Democrats plan to host a field hearing in Biddeford, Maine, tomorrow, on ICE's use of force after a deadly shooting, last month. Maine Democratic Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, who represents the district where the shooting happened, joins “The Weekend” to discuss. She has been an outspoken critic of ICE's use of force and will host tomorrow's hearing. For more, follow us on social media: Bluesky: @theweekendmsnbc.bsky.social Instagram: @theweekendmsnbc TikTok: @theweekendmsnbc To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

August 15 2026; 9am: The Democratic Party is expected to give final approval to its presidential primary calendar, with South Carolina scheduled to be the first on January 22nd. This meeting comes amid growing Democratic optimism about the midterms and surging turnout in recent primary elections. However, the party is also facing internal turmoil over questions about leadership and fundraising. DNC chair Ken Martin, joins “The Weekend” to discuss. For more, follow us on social media: Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.social Instagram: @theweekendmsnow TikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Our conference preview series rolls on with the Sun Belt. Alex and Richard have something to be excited about, something to be worried about, and a point of curiosity for every team in the league. We go in reverse standings order from last year:- 2:43: James Madison- 10:14: Old Dominion- 13:32: Coastal Carolina- 16:35: Georgia Southern- 28:01: Marshall- 31:50: Appalachian State- 38:48: Georgia State- 40:56: Troy- 46:00: Southern Miss- 48:32: Louisiana- 53:03: Arkansas State- 54:21: South Alabama- 58:03: ULM- 1:00:50: Louisiana TechProducer: Anthony VitoTHE CONFERENCE PREVIEW INDEXYou can catch up on all of our season preview dives by scrolling down on your podcast app of choice. You can also find our published previews here:* Conference USA* American* Big 12* Independents and Pac-12* ACCTHANKS TO OUR PARTNERS* Ask your tire dealer about Nokian Tyres* Shop for college sports apparel at Homefield This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Peter Milobar walked out of the B.C. Conservative caucus Friday morning. Not a backbencher with a grudge. The finance critic. Three-term Kamloops mayor, MLA since 2017, and the last big name of the moderate wing. His reason: his values no longer align with the direction of the party under Kerry-Lynne Findlay. He's the seventh MLA to leave or be pushed out since the 2024 election. That's this week's Political Happy Hour. Peter Milobar on why he left, whether he asked anyone to come with him, and what he does next (1:18) Keith Baldrey on the bigger question underneath all of this. If the Conservatives keep moving right, does something new fill the free enterprise space in the centre? (13:20) Richard Zussman on the numbers that should be keeping that party up at night. Fifty-two per cent of British Columbians say the province is on the wrong track, cost of living is the top anxiety by a mile, and the opposition is still losing ground. Two separate polls, same finding. Findlay won the leadership and got no bounce at all. Not even a dead cat bounce (28:26) The math in Victoria today: 48 New Democrats, 37 Conservatives, two Greens, six Independents. Pull up a chair. Fire up the expense account. The Jas Johal Show, weekdays 3 to 6 pacific time on 730 CKNW. #bcpoli #cdnpoli #PoliticalHappyHour Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.

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.

Kid and El Pres are back in the studio, and Kid isn't exactly arriving with a clear head. A relationship he thought had long-term potential has suddenly gone quiet, leaving him trying to reconcile the comfort of believing he'd found somebody to grow old with against the reality of barely communicating at all. Beneath all the usual Goin' Deep stupidity is something considerably more sincere: the realization that the podcast has always been a place where jokes cover heavier things that don't necessarily get discussed anywhere else. Kid returns from a vintage baseball weekend where the Independents got their asses kicked, the roster looked increasingly aware of its collective age and the team captain missed the festivities after getting sick. The baseball may have been rough, but the friends weekend and general distraction were exactly what Kid needed. That leads into the other major distraction of the week: Foo Fighters in Detroit. Kid and El Pres put the show among the best concerts they've attended, with Kid comparing it against an Eagles show that still holds the championship belt in his personal concert rankings. Queen of the Stone Age gets plenty of love too, along with a tease about an old Josh Homme story involving somebody connected to the show. Then artificial intelligence takes over the studio. Kid starts demonstrating how easily old photographs can now be animated, altered and completely reinvented. An innocent old Goin' Deep studio photo slowly mutates until the original Red Eye looks like he's spent the last decade secretly training for an action movie. That sends the guys into the larger question of whether AI has made fantasy so instantly available that younger people simply aren't impressed by the things that once felt forbidden or exciting. That becomes part of a bigger generational argument. Are younger audiences really less interested in sex scenes? Did growing up with unlimited access to everything fundamentally change what feels provocative? And what happened to the traditional rock star, who once existed in a world without somebody filming every stupid decision from six feet away? El Pres is meanwhile approaching retirement and beginning to imagine life without worrying quite so much about what everybody thinks. Travel enters the picture, including Paris, London, Liverpool, Abbey Road and Ireland, while Kid argues that making those memories with his son could be worth more than anything sitting around the house. There are detours through Buc-ee's chaos, social-media personalities who may or may not resemble AI, old morality films that aged spectacularly badly, Detroit Tigers anxiety, the Dodgers tempting fate, and the strange experience of podcast listeners recognizing Kid away from the microphone and knowing considerably more about his life than expected. And finally, civilization arrives at the question philosophers were apparently too frightened to ask: Why do bangs look like a warning sign? Grok is summoned. Grok is instructed to become less polite. Grok eventually concludes that bangs represent a daily declaration of war against the forehead. That seems scientific enough for this show. Listen in Go Deep

Most Americans checked out for August. Paul Rieckhoff didn't. From a beach house on Long Island, he cuts a fast, urgent episode to hit what the corporate media won't touch: today is primary day in Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont, and Wisconsin, and across those four states 21 of 22 U.S. House races are effectively decided before November ever arrives. Connecticut is the sharpest example — the only fully closed primary this week — where 935,892 unaffiliated voters, the largest voting bloc in the state, are legally barred from casting a ballot in the election that will actually pick their representatives. Paul breaks down the numbers town by town, names the 129,563 Connecticut veterans caught in that lockout, and explains why so many of them refuse to join a party on principle — the same principle they swore an oath to defend. Then he pivots to Montana, where Democrat Alani Bankhead just blew past the 5 p.m. deadline to drop out, guaranteeing she'll split the anti-Republican vote and torpedo independent veteran Seth Bodnar's shot at an incumbent Trump rubber-stamper. It's a rigged two-party system on full display in a single news cycle — and a reminder that nobody else is counting these voters, so we will. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Check the IVA overview of Washington State's primary this week.  -Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we're doing to change that. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Head to cozyearth.com and use the code AMERICANS for an exclusive 20% off. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Learn more about American Veterans for Ukraine here. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It's a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. Connect with Independent Americans: Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms Read more at Substack Support ad-free episodes at Patreon  Connect: Instagram  • X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on X, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the new year.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media.  And now part of the BLEAV network!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

California is one of the most Democratic states in the nation. But former Fox News host and British American Steve Hilton is mounting a long-shot bid to be the state's next Republican governor. He's banking on voters' disaffection with the state's notoriously high cost of living to beat Democrat Xavier Becerra in November.  While Hilton scored President Trump's endorsement ahead of the primary, he'll need to win over a lot of Democrats and Independents who loathe Trump to have any shot at winning. Is that even possible for a Republican in 2026?    Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

August 9, 2026; 9am:  President Trump's focus is drifting further away from issues like the war in Iran and the economy, and further into his retribution campaign, vanity projects, and conspiracy theories. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, a member of the House Oversight and Intel Committee, joins “The Weekend” to discuss. For more, follow us on social media: Bluesky: @theweekendmsnbc.bsky.social Instagram: @theweekendmsnbc TikTok: @theweekendmsnbc To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

August 9 2026; 7am: The new monthly employment report revealed that the U.S. lost an unexpected 23,000 jobs in July when economists originally anticipated a gain of 83,000 jobs. Plus, job numbers from May and June were revised down sharply by 103,000, suggesting the job market may be weaker than previously understood. This news comes on top of Americans already struggling with a housing shortage and the high cost of groceries and gasoline, made worse by the war in Iran. As the midterms rapidly approach, a new survey found that the majority of Americans view rising living costs as the biggest barrier to a better life, with 60% of respondents saying they wanted greater financial security. Democratic Mayor Matt Tuerk of Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Republican Mayor Daniel Rickenmann of Columbia, South Carolina join “The Weekend” to discuss the impact the economy has on their constituents. For more, follow us on social media: Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.social Instagram: @theweekendmsnow TikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

August 8 2026; 7am: The U.S. Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as the next Attorney General. Now, President Trump's former personal lawyer has become the head of the nation's chief law enforcement agency, while questions remain about whether his focus is on defending the rule of law or continuing to defend his former client. Sabrina Siddiqui, National Politics Reporter for the Wall Street Journal, and MS NOW Political Analyst Kimberly Atkins-Stohr join “The Weekend' to discuss.  For more, follow us on social media: Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.social Instagram: @theweekendmsnow TikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Gov. Katie Hobbs has reportedly settled on a lieutenant governor pick. Our Friday NewsCap panelists analyze that and the rest of the week's top stories. Plus, a pair of influencers who are willing to tackle the not-so-picture perfect side of the outdoors in Arizona.

To talk about Gov. Hobbs' potential pick for Lieutenant Governor, a candidate who wants to stop running with Clean Elections and more, The Show sat down with Christina Corieri of Consilium Consulting and Mike Haener of Lumen Strategies.

"Let's F***ing Go." Dem Drops Out in South Dakota: Brian Bengs vs Mike Rounds Is On. Two Independent Vets Win in Washington While Their County Burns.  Michigan is not Manhattan. That's the through-line of this one. The Democratic primary in Michigan handed the U.S. Senate nomination to Abdul El-Sayed, a far-left progressive in a state where roughly 17% of voters are independent and Mike Rogers is waiting on the Republican side. Paul Rieckhoff calls it what it is: another gift from a rigged two-party primary system to the MAGA machine, and one more reason the Democrats will not save you. The Bernie-vs-Schumer civil war is nominating candidates who can't galvanize independents or win general elections — and it's happening on the biggest stages in the country. But this episode is also a scoreboard for the independent veteran movement. In South Dakota, Democrat Julian Bedouin dropped out, clearing a one-on-one between IVA-endorsed independent veteran Brian Bengs and Republican Mike Rounds. In Idaho, Todd Achilles is head-to-head with 83-year-old Jim Risch. In Montana, spoiler candidate Alani Bankhead is being called on to step aside for Green Beret and Rhodes Scholar Seth Bodnar. And in Washington's top-two nonpartisan primary — the fairest system in the country — four independent vets ran while the wildfires burned, and at least two are moving on to November. Michigan is what wrong looks like. Washington is what right looks like. This is the map. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Check the IVA overview of Washington State's primary this week.  -Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we're doing to change that. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Head to cozyearth.com and use the code AMERICANS for an exclusive 20% off. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Learn more about American Veterans for Ukraine here. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It's a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. Connect with Independent Americans: Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms Read more at Substack Support ad-free episodes at Patreon  Connect: Instagram  • X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on X, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the new year.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media.  And now part of the BLEAV network!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, we discuss the following topics (with timestamps included):A preview of the upcoming CFB season for the ACC and the Independents (0:00 - 13:16)A current events in sports update (13:16 - 27:16)

‘New official guidance confirms that single-sex toilets and changing rooms must be organised according to biological sex — but Green-run Lambeth Council is already considering whether it can refuse to comply.Meanwhile, more than 9,000 domestic abusers are expected to be released early over three years under Labour's prison scheme — despite fears that victims could face revenge attacks and the perpetrators have a high risk of reoffending.Kemi Badenoch defends the selection of former neo-Nazi activist Joshua Bonehill-Paine as a Conservative council candidate, arguing that he has been rehabilitated and now campaigns against antisemitism and extremism. But should redemption automatically qualify someone for public office?Also: Labour's plan to give 16 and 17-year-olds the vote could backfire spectacularly, with new figures suggesting younger voters may help elect more pro-Gaza independent candidates rather than deliver the electoral boost Labour expected.And Julia and Brendan remember Rod Liddle while condemning the cruelty of those celebrating his death online.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Plus: "Independents Aren't Real"? Kasich's Partisan Slander, Manchin's New PAC, and 45% of America Says Otherwise. Trump says he's close to an Iran deal. He's been saying he's a week away from a Putin deal for a year and a half. Paul Rieckhoff calls the head fake for what it is, warns the media not to fall for it again, and lays out the chaos Congress is trying to jam through before its six-week recess — including Todd Blanche's nomination and the weaponization fund built to compensate January 6th insurrectionists. The forever wars don't take August off, and neither do we. Then the real story: on August 4th, four independent veterans appear on a single top-two primary ballot in Eastern Washington. Nate Powell for U.S. House, Danny Tarkenton for Spokane County prosecutor, Aaron Croft for the State House, and Ronald McCoy for State Senate. Across those races, roughly 131,000 independents and 53,000 independent veterans can vote — a decisive bloc the corporate media isn't covering. Paul breaks down why open primaries are the battlefield, why John Kasich is wrong that independents aren't real, and what's coming next with Senator Joe Manchin, Heather Manchin, and Senator Angus King joining the show. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Check the IVA overview of Washington State's primary this week.  -Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we're doing to change that. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Head to cozyearth.com and use the code AMERICANS for an exclusive 20% off. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Learn more about American Veterans for Ukraine here. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It's a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. Connect with Independent Americans: Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms Read more at Substack Support ad-free episodes at Patreon  Connect: Instagram  • X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on X, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the new year.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media.  And now part of the BLEAV network!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Governor John Kasich went on national TV and told Paul Rieckhoff, to his face, that independents aren't really independent — that come November they'll just go back to the bench and put the old jersey back on. Paul's response is the spine of this episode: that's an antiquated way of looking at America in 2026. Sixty percent of young people are unaffiliated. Fifty percent of veterans are unaffiliated. Ten thousand Americans are walking out of the Republican and Democratic parties every single week. Trump is sitting at a 22% approval with independents and a 32-34% approval overall — the Bush line — with an unpopular Iran war, tariffs jacking prices, and a party heading into the midterms with 96 days on the clock. This is a media-blitz sweep of a very big week. Paul rolls through his hits on CNN, News Nation, and MS Now to break down the races the rigged two-party system doesn't want you watching: Todd Achilles running head-to-head against 83-year-old Jim Risch in Idaho after the Democrat dropped out, Seth Bodnar in Montana, Dan Osborn in Nebraska, Yemi Mobolade already governing as an independent mayor in Colorado Springs. He takes on the Politico poll showing MAGA voters shrugging off DUI convictions, bribery, domestic violence, and sexual assault allegations — and names the command climate that made that possible. And he pushes the Democrats hard: outrage isn't a plan. What's your alternative on affordability? What's your alternative to end the war in Iran? Independents are listening. So is a country starved for character. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we're doing to change that. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Learn more about American Veterans for Ukraine here. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It's a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. Connect with Independent Americans: Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms Read more at Substack Support ad-free episodes at Patreon  Connect: Instagram  • X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on X, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the new year.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media.  And now part of the BLEAV network!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Marvel is laying out its future after Avengers: Armageddon, with a new Avengers series from Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto, Maximum X-Men, Eddie Brock reuniting with Venom, new books for Mary Jane Watson and Spider-Woman, and several other major announcements. This week I break down what Marvel's post-Armageddon direction could mean, along with DC launching new ongoing series for Vixen, Static and Steel, the continued expansion of the Absolute Universe, and Terminal #1 reportedly selling 300,000 copies before taking the top spot on the Prana Bestseller list. I also cover the biggest announcements from Image, Skybound, Dark Horse, IDW, Oni Press, Archie, BOOM! Studios, Mad Cave, Ignition Press and San Diego Comic-Con, along with this week's hottest books, two weeks of Prana Top 10 Best Sellers, and the biggest Final Order Cutoff recommendations for August 3. https://linktr.ee/thecomicsource   00:00 Marvel, DC & Terminal Headlines 01:05 Intro and SDCC Catch-Up 04:12 Marvel After Avengers: Armageddon 16:10 Midnight Universe, WEBTOON & Manga 23:22 Spider-Woman, Indiana Jones & Mangaverse 26:26 Muppets, Stormbreakers & Marvel Masterworks 30:57 DC News — Vixen, Static & Steel 36:11 Batman, Gotham & DC Next Level 44:04 The Absolute Universe Expands 54:02 Image Comics & Skybound 01:00:06 Terminal, Battle Beast & Savage Dragon 01:07:58 Dark Horse Comics 01:13:43 IDW & Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 01:17:15 Oni Press & Archie Comics 01:19:32 BOOM!, Mad Cave & Ignition Press 01:27:19 Bill Sienkiewicz Documentary & Eisner Awards 01:32:03 The Warbird Movie Rumor 01:34:36 What Hit 01:37:54 Prana Top 10 — July 15 01:43:30 Prana Top 10 — July 22 01:47:56 Final Order Cutoff 01:55:24 Closing & Comic Source Weekly Shirts   News Sources Marvel https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/maximum-x-men-assemble-avengers-armageddon-aftermath-december-2026 https://www.marvel.com/articles/live-events/sdcc-2026-san-diego-comic-con-all-the-marvel-news-recap https://bleedingcool.com/comics/chip-zdarsky-marco-checchetto-launch-avengers-1-ahead-of-doomsday/ https://bleedingcool.com/comics/the-punisher-will-join-marvels-avengers-in-the-wake-of-armageddon/ https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/friendly-neighborhood-mary-jane-and-venom-new-comic-series-queen-in-black-aftermath https://bleedingcool.com/comics/spider-woman-ongoing-marvel-series-by-dan-watters-andrea-broccardo/ https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/indiana-jones-and-the-sword-of-pandemonium-bold-new-era-marvel-comics-december-2026 https://aiptcomics.com/2026/07/30/marvel-webtoon/ https://bleedingcool.com/comics/marvel-comics-launch-a-new-manga-line-in-japan-with-kadokawa-for-2026/ https://aiptcomics.com/2026/07/31/marvel-first-look-marvel-mangaverse-web-of-blood-ghostlock/ https://aiptcomics.com/2026/07/31/marvel-50-years-the-muppet-show-covers/ https://aiptcomics.com/2026/07/31/marvel-autumn-fall-stormbreakers-variant-covers/ https://bleedingcool.com/comics/the-first-new-marvel-masterworks-books-from-clover-press-revealed/ DC https://bleedingcool.com/comics/deniz-camp-reveals-details-of-upcoming-batman-shadow-of-the-bat/ https://www.comicsbeat.com/sdcc-26-dc-announces-absolute-black-canary-and-beyond-ark-m-one-shots-at-absolute-universe-panel/ Image Comics and Skybound https://imagecomics.com/press-releases/rob-liefelds-highly-anticipated-avengelyne-comic-book-set-to-launch-this-october-series-already-in-pre-production-for-adaptation https://www.comicsbeat.com/sdcc-26-robert-kirkman-talks-terminal-invincible-and-transformers-in-robert-kirkman-live/ https://www.comicsbeat.com/sdcc-26-sanford-greene-announces-bitter-root-black-white/ https://imagecomics.com/press-releases/scott-snyder-jocks-horror-masterpiece-gets-expanded-remastered-wytches-vol-1-pledged-edition-this-fall-ahead-of-tv-show-adaptation https://imagecomics.com/press-releases/jaw-dropping-savage-dragon-281-sells-out-at-distributor-instantly-rushed-back-to-print-this-week https://www.comicsbeat.com/sdcc-26-image-unleashes-its-artists-for-a-frank-panel-discussion/ Dark Horse, IDW, Oni and Independents https://www.darkhorse.com/newsfeed/dark-horse-books-presents-stranger-things-the-first-shadow/ https://www.comicsbeat.com/dark-horse-dnd-ongoing/ https://www.comicsbeat.com/sdcc-26-dark-horse-mattel-barbie-comics/ https://www.comicsbeat.com/digest-072326/ Ignition Press, Awards and Industry https://bleedingcool.com/comics/ignition-pavilion-packs-in-five-times-the-capacity-of-hall-h-at-sdcc/ https://bleedingcool.com/comics/2026-eisner-award-winners-announced-at-sdcc/ https://bleedingcool.com/comics/would-keanu-reeves-play-the-lead-in-a-bad-idea-comics-warbird-movie/ https://bleedingcool.com/comics/produce-this-last-nights-bad-idea-comics-san-diego-comic-con-party/ https://www.comicsbeat.com/bad-idea-warbird/

August 2 2026; 7am: President Trump has once again pulled back from threats to escalate US strikes in Iran, cancelling a planned attack that was expected this weekend, saying that Mideast allies reached the “perimeters of a deal” to end the war.  Mara Karlin, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans and Capabilities in the Biden administration, joins “The Weekend” to discuss. For more, follow us on social media: Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.social Instagram: @theweekendmsnow TikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

August 1, 2026; 7am: Yesterday at Camp David, President Trump defended the anti-weaponization fund he and his attorney general have said is dead, and blamed a Democratic governor for a water-supply attack U.S. officials say was likely carried out by Iran. As Americans continue to face higher prices at the pump and the grocery store, Trump has received all-time low approval ratings across multiple polls this week, with just one-third of voters approving the job that Trump is doing as president. Elise Labbott, host of Cosmopolitics on Substack, and Jeff Mason, White House Correspondent for Bloomberg, join “The Weekend” to discuss. For more, follow us on social media: Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.social Instagram: @theweekendmsnow TikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.

July 29, 2026: 7am — Joe Manchin wants more independents in Congress  To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Insurrection Act and The Role of Governors. How to Win Over the Other Side. WNBA All-Star Game. Rocket City, USA, NASA and Trash Pandas. Trump is federalizing National Guard troops, threatening Chicago, New York, and LA with domestic deployments, and using the White House podium to launch personal attacks at anyone who pushes back. Governor JB Pritzker is one of the few Democrats actually fighting — in court, in public, and inside his own party. In his first appearance on Independent Americans, he sits down with Paul Rieckhoff for a no-BS conversation about Trump's nasty WHCD remarks, the Bears' stadium standoff, the Mamdani-Sherrill-Spanberger split in the Democratic coalition, and why he thinks the real divide right now isn't left vs. center — it's team cave vs. team fight. Paul presses Pritzker hard on the stuff independents actually care about: open primaries, the public funding of private party elections, national security credibility on the Democratic bench, and whether governors — not senators, not congressmen — are the best bet for 2028. Pritzker pushes back, defends his grocery initiative, warns about the Insurrection Act, and tells a story about calling other Democratic governors during the Minneapolis crackdown that should make every voter in America pay attention. This one is a real conversation, not a campaign stop. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we're doing to change that. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Learn more about American Veterans for Ukraine here. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It's a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. Connect with Independent Americans: Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms Read more at Substack Support ad-free episodes at Patreon  Connect: Instagram  • X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on X, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the new year.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media.  And now part of the BLEAV network!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Morning XTRA with Tug and Los delivers conservative talk on the biggest political, cultural, and news stories of the day. Smart analysis, unapologetic opinions, and real conversations every weekday morning. Every weekday from 6a to 10a! First thing to know: The White House Correspondents’ Dinner By the Numbers: Dems love socialism, but do the Independent voters So a muslim terrorist drives through a Pride parade, and they want to blame “Far-Right” terrorism Atlanta's ONLY All Conservative News & Talk Station.: https://www.xtra1063.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Morning XTRA with Tug and Los delivers conservative talk on the biggest political, cultural, and news stories of the day. Smart analysis, unapologetic opinions, and real conversations every weekday morning. Every weekday from 6a to 10a! Tug, Los, and Victor Armendariz recap a great weekend for the Braves before diving into the political stories dominating the headlines. The guys discuss why they believe the SAVE America Act could become a major issue for Democrats heading into the midterm elections, Trump having the jokes at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, polling on Democratic support for socialism, new questions surrounding the DNC, and that former President Joe Biden was compromised by China. They also examine the latest debate over Sharia law, education in America, and hear from economist Milton Friedman on why he believed capitalism works. On today's show:• Weekend recap, including another strong series for the Braves and Andruw Jones is offically a Hall of Famer• A terrorist attack at a Pride parade in Germany is blamed on "Far-Right" Terrorism• Why Sharia law must be stopped• America's education problems go beyond reading—they include math, too• Flashback: Milton Friedman explains why he trusted capitalism• "No truer words have ever been spoken"Atlanta's ONLY All Conservative News & Talk Station.: https://www.xtra1063.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

July 26, 2026; 9am: This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to decide whether to advance the nomination of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. All eyes are on two Republican committee members, Thom Tillis and John Cornyn, either of whom could tank Blanche's nomination. Meanwhile, Blanche's leadership continues to face scrutiny. Yesterday, a U.S. District Judge ordered the acting attorney general to submit to the judge unredacted copies of key Jeffrey Epstein related emails and documents along with evidence backing up the DOJ's claims that the original redactions were legitimate and followed the law under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Senator Cory Booker, a member of the Judiciary Committee, joins “The Weekend” to discuss. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

July 26, 2026; 7am: As concerns continue to grow about the steps President Trump has taken to make it harder to vote, some of his actions are hitting roadblocks. Yesterday, an appeals court upheld a lower-court ruling blocking key parts of Trump's executive order that would restrict mail-in voting in 23 states. Tomorrow, President Trump is expected to rally in the crucial battleground state of Michigan. MS NOW political analyst Eugene Robinson and former DHS Chief of Staff Miles Taylor join “The Weekend” to discuss. For more, follow us on social media: Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.social Instagram: @theweekendmsnow TikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

July 25, 2026; 9am: As the Iran war drags on in its fifth month, President Trump is weighing options to majorly intensify the war. He reportedly met with top advisers and senior cabinet members to consider his options yesterday and warned a “massive attack” is to come. Meanwhile, oil prices have surged to $100 a barrel this week, with the national average remaining over $4 a gallon per tank. Representative Ro Khanna of California joins “The Weekend” to discuss. For more, follow us on social media: Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.social Instagram: @theweekendmsnow TikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Joe and Alex discuss the latest Fox News poll that has the Senate as a toss-up. But why are the numbers under the hood even more encouraging for Democrats? Why the generic ballot keeps moving away from Trump - and the bottom continues to fall out with Independents. And what one word has Joe thinking he's seen this movie before about the Iran war? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EMERGENCY TRO FILED — 2026 California Primary Election Results Challenged! This is NOT a partisan issue.Democrat candidate Raji Rab is standing up for free and fair elections for ALL Californians — Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and No Party Preference voters alike.  Attorney fees are expensive — but this fight belongs to every single one of us. It's time We The People take our California back! On this powerful episode of Take Your Power Back Show with Kim Yeater, Raji Rab joins us to break down:The Emergency Temporary Restraining OrderShasta County counterfeit ballots now in lockdownChina's massive voter data breach exposed by President TrumpWhy every American should be fighting for a protected ballot boxThis is a MUST-WATCH episode.SUPPORT RAJI'S BATTLE FOR ELECTION INTEGRITY:https://RajiRabForGovernor.comEvery dollar fuels this critical fight for our vote, our voice, and our state.SUPPORT THE SHOW:TakeYourPowerBackShow.com LIKE • SHARE • SUBSCRIBE • COMMENT right now!Turn on notifications and share this episode everywhere — this is how we take our power back!Follow the show on YouTube • Rumble • X • Facebook • Instagram • Truth SocialGod bless California. God bless America.It's time to Take Our California Back!#EmergencyTRO #TakeYourPowerBack #RajiRab #ElectionIntegrity #California2026 #takeyourpowerback #WeThePeopleConnect with Us:• Website: TakeYourPowerBackShow.com• Rumble: rumble.com/c/TakeYourPowerBackShow• Live Stream: rumble.com/TakeYourPowerBackShow/live• Social Media:o X:@realkimyeatero Facebook: kimberlyyeatero Instagram: Takeyourpowerback_kimyeatero TikTok: takeyourpowerbackshow• Email: TYPBProducer@gmail.com Send us Fan MailSupport the show

Mamdani vs Netanyahu and Why The Answer to the Extreme Right Isn't the Extreme Left. Media Blitz Pod Four young Americans are dead. The Secretary of Defense is asking Congress for more money after months of all gas, no brakes. The Saudis are quietly telling the world they don't trust Trump to neutralize Iran — so they're going to build their own bomb. And now the Washington Post reports the administration is weighing strikes on Mali, the eighth country hit since Trump returned to office. This is what a forever war looks like when nobody in Congress is willing to stop it. Paul Rieckhoff cuts through the noise from Union Square with a no-BS media blitz — MSNBC with Nicole Wallace, CNN with Erin Burnett — and lays out the human cost the White House doesn't want you to see. He calls out Mayor Mamdani's Netanyahu stunt as the extreme-left mirror of MAGA, honors Sergeant Angel Rampersat of Queens, and asks the question no anchor will: if this war is so noble, why isn't the president's own 20-year-old son in uniform? Independents are 45% of this country. The extremes running our politics are barely a quarter. It's time to act like it. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we're doing to change that. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Learn more about American Veterans for Ukraine here. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It's a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. Connect with Independent Americans: Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms Read more at Substack Support ad-free episodes at Patreon  Connect: Instagram  • X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on X, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the new year.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media.  And now part of the BLEAV network!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.

In this episode of Leupold‘s Hunt Talk radio, Randy interviews Seth Bodnar, an independent candidate for US Senate. Like many of you, Randy is disappointed and frustrated with the two-party system. Is it feasible, when Senate elections cost hundreds of millions of dollars, to think an independent candidate can win? Seth believes that is possible, and he makes a very compelling case. Could this be the start of a modern day Bull Moose movement? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

July 19, 2026; 9am: More than two dozen House Democrats met this week for a closed-door strategy session to map out how they would respond if President Trump tried to interfere in this year's midterms. House Democrats have told MS NOW that one fear they have is that Trump could be using the Save America Act as a pretext, and if the legislation fails, Trump could declare a state of emergency to make electoral rule changes. Congressman Joe Morelle of New York, who organized the meeting with House Democrats, joins “The Weekend” along with Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. For more, follow us on social media: Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.social Instagram: @theweekendmsnow TikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

July 18, 2026; 9am: Multiple fatal shootings involving ICE officers spark a major national day of action against Trump's immigration crackdown. In response to the shootings, the Department of Homeland Security paused ICE vehicle stops except in cases that involved serious criminal targets. However, President Trump reversed the order. Andrea Flores, former Department of Homeland Security and White House official, joins “The Weekend” to discuss. For more, follow us on social media: Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.social Instagram: @theweekendmsnow TikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

2 Actions. 2 Minutes. Big Impact. ✍️Join Josh in signing the USA Facts petition demanding truth from the government: bit.ly/3QQ87CS

There is no shortage of stories reminding us of one very important fact about the modern Left:They are incredibly committed to learning absolutely nothing.It's almost impressive. At this point, refusing to learn has become a core competency. If there were a college degree in “Ignoring Reality While Demanding Reality Apologize,” half of Washington would graduate with honors.And the bill for that stubbornness is coming due.A new national survey from I&I/TIPP, a pollster with a strong track record of accurately projecting presidential election outcomes, shows President Donald Trump's standing improving heading into July. The interesting part isn't just Trump's numbers. It's where the movement is happening.Republicans are consolidating. Independents are moving. And Democrats?Well, let's just say the political weather forecast is calling for more internal thunderstorms.The phrase used in the report was that “Democratic views worsened.”That is one of those polite phrases you see in political reporting. It's like saying a restaurant's food was “interesting” when everyone at the table is quietly reaching for the antacid.Democrats aren't just having a bad week. They're having the kind of identity crisis where the GPS says, “Recalculating,” but even the GPS sounds exhausted.And this is the part that should concern Democrats: they still seem to think the problem is messaging.No.The problem is that voters are looking around and saying, “Wait a minute. The people telling us how the world works don't seem to have noticed the world.”That's a dangerous place for any political party.Because voters can forgive mistakes. They can forgive bad ideas. They can even forgive politicians being politicians.But voters do not like being treated like they're too stupid to notice what's happening.And Democrats are finding out that voters have eyes.They see the economy. They see public safety. They see immigration. They see government institutions that have spent years telling them one thing while reality keeps filing complaints.Speaking of reality, we have to talk about some of the issues where the Left expected the public to stay permanently angry.Remember when enforcing immigration laws was supposed to be political poison?Apparently not.We were told that any serious enforcement of immigration laws would create some kind of national uprising. But as enforcement ramps up, the reaction from many Americans seems less like outrage and more like, “Wait, you mean the government is actually enforcing the law?”Imagine that.It turns out there are people who believe a country should know who is entering it. Wild concept. Somewhere a bureaucrat just dropped his coffee because he heard someone say the word “border” without immediately adding a 47-page disclaimer.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's show, we are diving into the tough week our commander in chief just had. From MMA fights no one seems very excited about… to the potential end of warrantless surveillance because of an unpopular Trump hire, our dear president has been taking some big losses. Oh, and not to mention, the war with Iran is still going on. But Trump doesn't seem to care about any of it! So to talk more about Donald Trump's apparent case of senioritis, we called up Tim Miller, host of The Bulwark Podcast.And in headlines: Elon Musk becomes the world's first trillionaire, a poll finds Trump is losing favor with Independents, and a federal judge agrees to extend a court-ordered block on Trump's $1.8 billion slush fund.Show Notes: Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday