75th Governor of Maine
POPULARITY
26 episodes with Janet Mills
13 episodes with Janet Mills
23 episodes with Janet Mills
14 episodes with Janet Mills
11 episodes with Janet Mills
6 episodes with Janet Mills
3 episodes with Janet Mills
14 episodes with Janet Mills
4 episodes with Janet Mills
3 episodes with Janet Mills
2 episodes with Janet Mills
7 episodes with Janet Mills
5 episodes with Janet Mills
3 episodes with Janet Mills
2 episodes with Janet Mills
2 episodes with Janet Mills
6 episodes with Janet Mills
3 episodes with Janet Mills
Scandal-ridden Graham Platner easily defeated Governor Janet Mills to become the Democratic nominee for US Senate in Maine. Will his controversies hurt him with voters? How has the Trump era changed the way voters respond to political scandal? This week on Say More's politics panel, Globe opinion writer Abdallah Fayyad and Joan Vennochi compare Platner's campaign to another scandalous Democrat in Boston, Rachael Rollins, who is running to reclaim her role as Suffolk County District Attorney. Then, they discuss a compromise on Massachusetts rent control and the World Cup in Boston. Email us at saymore@globe.com
On Tuesday night, oyster farmer and combat veteran Graham Platner overwhelmingly sailed to victory in the Democratic Senate primary in Maine. His opponent, Gov. Janet Mills unofficially dropped out in late April, leaving Platner effectively unopposed. But a series of scandals rocked his candidacy, leaving his viability against Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November in question.The veteran has repeatedly emphasized the way his combat trauma made him a worse version of himself, and how in later years he has been able to heal and evolve. In Maine, Democrats so far appear to have accepted that message of redemption, and his promise to provide a progressive economic agenda for Maine.“It's a very working-class state that has been very badly impacted by job loss and then, in recent years, by a pretty extreme wave of gentrification,” Intercept reporter Noah Hurowitz says. “The progressive policy agenda of Graham Platner combined with the perceived authenticity of his ‘I am a fighter, I will actually do this,' whereas Janet Mills who has been in power and overseen a lot of this and has not been perceived to bring a lot of the changes that Mainers seek” is resonating with voters. We also check in on California, where Intercept contributor Jordan Uhl breaks down the latest conspiracy theories about voter suppression, which conservatives have hinged on the defeat of former reality TV star Spencer Pratt, and the early results in the governor's race. Uhl also breaks down how betting platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket are adding to the confusion, and what that could mean come November. “If they don't like the outcome, it's rigged. If they like the outcome, it's fine,” says Uhl. “At the gubernatorial level, you can see how Megyn Kelly pointing to prediction market data is symptomatic of a larger problem here. People weren't looking to actual polling data. They were looking to the behavior of gamblers to inform their analysis.”Full transcript: https://interc.pt/3S6IcaaKeep our investigations free and fearless at theintercept.com/join. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this provocative commentary, the hosts highlight a perceived double standard in how hate symbols are treated in America based on political affiliation. The segment opens by discussing two recent instances in South Carolina—in Richland County and Hilton Head—where individuals faced severe backlash and enhanced criminal charges under local hate crime ordinances for spray-painting swastikas on property. The hosts contrast these local crackdowns with the national political stage, focusing on the unfolding controversy surrounding Graham Platner, the progressive candidate who just won the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate in Maine. Despite mainstream media confirmations and reports from ex-girlfriends that Platner sports an SS Totenkopf tattoo—the symbol worn by Nazi concentration camp administrators—his popularity among the Democratic base actually surged. After his main primary opponent, Governor Janet Mills, suspended her campaign, Platner's polling numbers jumped from 61% to a commanding 73% victory. The commentary sharply critiques the political Left, accusing primary voters of harboring a deep anti-Americanism and utilizing online platforms like Blue Sky to mask extreme ideologies, concluding that the establishment is willing to overlook literal hate symbols when they are attached to an aligned political agenda. Graham Platner, Maine Senate primary, Janet Mills, Susan Collins, Richland County, Hilton Head, Hate crime laws, Swastika graffiti, SS Totenkopf tattoo, Double standards, Blue Sky, Political commentary
Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com
In part one of Red Eye Radio with Gary McNamara and Eric Harley, voters in Maine have spoken. Liberal upstart Graham Platner won Maine's Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday night, defeating Maine Gov. Janet Mills weeks after the more establishment-backed pick ended her campaign. The Associated Press called the race soon after polls in Maine closed at 8 p.m., where voters in the state are not only weighing in on one of the nation's most significant Senate races but also on a comeback attempt for a controversial former governor and a contest to decide the next governor that features several famous names. Also a Collin County jury has sentenced Karmelo Anthony to 35 years in prison after he was found guilty of murder in the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Memorial High School student Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas / Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham squeaked out a win Tuesday night in a crowded primary race for the Republican nomination in South Carolina / During a House Judiciary Committee hearing attacking the Southern Poverty Law Center, Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas gets a gentle rebuke from the niece of MLK / President Trump locks in ICE funding through end of presidency after the House passes $70B package / Social Security Administration projected to run out reserves in 7 years / and "Pet Talk" with Gary and Eric. For more talk on the issues that matter to you, listen on radio stations across America Monday-Friday 12am-5am CT (1am-6am ET and 10pm-3am PT), download the RED EYE RADIO SHOW app, asking your smart speaker, or listening at RedEyeRadioShow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Graham Platner blows out his primary in Maine following the multiple assault allegations and N*zi tattoo on his chest. The attempted murder caught on camera by a Sudanese immigrant has resulted in setting things on fire in Belfast. How did Janet Mills run this poorly of a race?! More on Karmelo Anthony.Thank you for supporting our sponsors that make The Dana Show possible…Relief Factorhttps://www.ReliefFactor.comDeclare your independence from pain with Relief Factor—start the 3-Week QuickStart for just $17.76Prebornhttps://www.PreBorn.com/DanaDonate today to help another Mother and Father experience hope. $28 sponsors one ultrasound and can help save a baby's life. Or Dial #250 and say BABYNative Path Grass Fed Collagenhttps://GetNativePath.com/DanaFor my special offer get up to 45% OFF. Try it risk-free with a 365-day money-back guarantee.Byrnahttps://Byrna.com/DanaTrusted by law enforcement, security professionals, and everyday Americans—defend yourself and your family with Byrna.HumanNhttps://Humann.com/DanaSave $5 on HumanN Cholesterol Health Daily at Sam's Club. Head to your local Sam's Club and do more to support your cholesterol health with the science-first brand. Patriot Mobilehttp://PatriotMobile.com/DANAVisit online or call 972-PATRIOT and use promo code DANA for a FREE month of service.Ghost Bedhttps://GhostBed.com/DANAGhostBed has the cooling luxury mattress you need for the best summer sleep. Use code DANA for an extra 10% off sitewide.Noble Goldhttps://NobleGoldInvestments.com/DanaIf you want to see how physical gold and silver could fit into your portfolio, download Noble Gold Investments FREE Wealth Protection Kit. Pocket HoseText DANA to 64000For a limited time, get two FREE gifts—a 360° rotating pocket pivot and thumb drive nozzle when you buy a new Pocket Hose Ballistic; just text DANA to 64000, message and data rates may apply.Subscribe today and stay in the loop on all things news with The Dana Show. Follow us here for more daily clips, updates, and commentary:YoutubeFacebookInstagramXMore InfoWebsite
Chuck Todd opens with the resolution of a story he's been tracking for weeks: Graham Platner cruised to victory in Maine, comfortably clearing 70% even with Janet Mills' name still on the ballot — which he says means the scandals that had Platner in "save my campaign" mode turned out to be far less than a five-alarm fire. The deeper lesson, Chuck argues, is uncomfortable but revealing: for a significant share of Democratic primary voters, high character has become a luxury item, because the base is so exhausted by losing and capitulating to the establishment that it will forgive a flawed candidate who actually seems willing to fight. He notes that Maine has gotten meaningfully bluer since Susan Collins was last on the ballot (Harris underperformed nationally but actually drew more raw votes in Maine than Biden did), that a generic Democrat should win this seat by six or seven points, and that the only real question left is how many squeamish Democrats sit the race out rather than pull the lever for Platner. He runs through the rest of the night — Lindsey Graham narrowly avoided a runoff in South Carolina, the GOP gubernatorial race there is headed to a runoff that knocked out both Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman — and pulls back to identify the defining theme of the entire 2026 cycle: everyone, in both parties, is running on a message of change, with no candidate anywhere running on restoration the way Biden did in 2020. The messaging this cycle is relentlessly future-focused, the exact opposite of Trump's nostalgia, and Chuck reiterates his running observation that the worst possible first name to have in politics right now is "congressman" — because Washington experience carries zero value to voters this cycle. The split-screen between the parties remains stark: Republican voters still reward confrontation while Democratic primary voters are gravitating toward electability and consensus, Democratic turnout is rising while GOP turnout is flat or falling, and the throughline that's held for a decade is only intensifying — voters are demanding major change, and they'll punish anyone who doesn't offer it. Then, Lauren Pinkston — the independent candidate for governor of Tennessee — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case that the deepest problem in her state isn't left versus right, it's the near-total absence of two-party competition that has allowed one-party rule to calcify into something genuinely unhealthy. Pinkston, who was raised in an evangelical environment where she was taught that voting Democrat meant going to hell, offers a fascinating personal and political journey: she lived in communist Laos where people were persecuted for their faith, which gave her a firsthand understanding of why the Founders deliberately kept Christianity out of the Constitution, and she's now running explicitly against the kind of Christian nationalism that teaches America was divinely ordained. She argues Citizens United is a major reason Tennessee became so uncompetitive, walks through the mechanical difficulties of mounting a serious independent campaign, and contends that Marsha Blackburn isn't nearly as strong a candidate as she thinks she is. The conversation digs into Pinkston's actual governing vision and her theory of how an independent can build a winning coalition in one of the reddest states in the country. She wants to reform education and make teaching a genuinely fun profession again, and she's passionate about the way Nashville soaks up all the state's political investment while Memphis gets neglected — pointing out that crime in Memphis is at a 20-year low yet the city still can't attract investment, and that St. Jude is struggling to recruit talent because of H1-B visa denials. Pinkston is candid about the structural obstacles: Tennessee's constitution doesn't even allow for ballot measures, the GOP holds a stranglehold on the statehouse, and Republican leadership has been kicking moderate candidates off the ballot entirely. But she argues there's a real opening — Republicans in the state are looking for an offramp that isn't a Democrat, and even staunch Democrats are frustrated with their own party. Pinkston is energized about working with the Working Families Party and the Forward Party to build toward a more moderate, genuinely competitive two-party system, argues this is the strongest group of independent candidates to run in years, and wonders aloud whether being "too educated" has perversely become a negative quality in a candidate. She closes with a sharp observation that cuts to the heart of the whole project: Americans demand more than two options for literally everything in their lives except politics, politicians increasingly rely on performance over substance, and the stakes couldn't be higher. Finally, Chuck updates his ToddCast Top 5 list of senate seats most likely to flip parties and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Predict the action all the way through the finals. Sign up now for your twenty-five dollar bonus on https://fanduel.com/predicts Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. 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. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:15 Graham Platner cruised to victory will Janet Mills still on the ballot 04:15 Platner comfortably cleared 70%, it’s not a five alarm fire 05:45 Will there be more scandals from Platner? If so, what type? 06:30 For some primary voters, high character is a luxury item 08:15 The Democratic base is tired of losing & capitulating to establishment 08:45 A Platner election victory could change perception of the Democrats 10:30 Maine has gotten bluer since the last time Collins was on the ballot 11:30 Harris underperformed nationally, but had more raw vote in Maine than Biden 13:30 How many Dems will sit out the race rather than vote for Platner? 15:00 A generic Dem should win this race by 6-7 points 16:00 Lindsey Graham manages to avoid a runoff 16:45 South Carolina GOP gubernatorial race headed to runoff 17:15 Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman didn’t make the runoff 18:30 Everybody running in 2026 is running on a message of change 19:30 There’s no message of restoration similar to Biden’s campaign 20:30 Messaging is more future focused, the opposite of Trump 21:30 The worst first name to have in politics is congressman 24:45 Washington experience won’t carry value to voters this cycle 26:00 GOP voters still seemingly reward confrontation 27:00 Dem primary voters looking to electability/consensus candidates 28:45 Dem turnout on the rise, GOP turnout stagnant or down 29:30 For a decade, voters are demanding major change 36:45 Lauren Pinkston joins the Chuck ToddCast 37:45 Why run for governor as an independent? 39:00 There’s a lack of two party competition in Tennessee 40:45 Some of the barriers for an insurgent candidacy have been removed 42:45 Citizen’s United was a big reason for TN becoming uncompetitive 43:30 Lauren was raised to feel that voting Dem meant going to hell 45:30 Politics has courted the evangelical vote & leaders for decades 46:15 Jimmy Carter’s pure faith made it harder for him to govern 47:00 Churches teach nationalism & that America was ordained by god 48:00 Founders specifically didn’t put christianity & religion into the constitution 49:00 Lauren lived in communist Laos, where people were persecuted for their faith 50:00 The mechanical difficulties of running as an independent 51:15 Businesses afraid to support a non-Republican candidate in TN 52:45 Democratic opponent has been receiving calls to drop out 54:00 Any chance Marsha Blackburn isn’t the GOP nominee? 54:45 Blackburn isn’t as strong of a candidate as she thinks she is 55:15 Three leading candidates are white women with colors in their name 56:45 What big ideas are you proposing that you hope stick with voters? 57:15 Want to reform education and make it a fun field for teachers to work 58:45 Nashville gets all the political support and Memphis gets neglected 59:30 Crime is at a 20 year low in Memphis, but it still doesn’t get investment 1:00:30 St. Jude struggling to recruit due to denial of H1-B visas 1:01:00 How would you govern with a Republican stranglehold on the statehouse? 1:01:45 State constitution doesn’t even allow for ballot measures 1:02:30 Need to invest in Chief Information Officers are the county level 1:04:00 Attracting support from disaffected Democrats and Republicans 1:06:30 There’s a deep history of good governance out of east Tennessee 1:07:45 Need leaders and not party puppets 1:08:45 GOP leadership in the state has kicked moderate candidates off the ballot 1:09:45 Republicans in the state are looking for an offramp that isn’t a Democrat 1:10:15 What does your winning coalition look like? 1:12:30 Can you succeed without winning? 1:13:00 Want to give people an onramp to political engagement 1:14:15 Excited about working with WFP and Forward Party 1:14:45 Want to create a more moderate two party system 1:16:30 Strongest group of independent candidates running in years 1:17:30 Possible that being too educated will be a negative quality in a candidate 1:19:00 Voter turnout is pretty low in both Nashville and Memphis 1:20:45 Even the most staunch Democrats are frustrated with their party 1:22:00 It will be hard to get either opponent to agree to a debate 1:24:00 People demand more than two options for everything except politics 1:26:00 Politicians rely more on performance now than substance 1:27:45 People will die if governing isn’t taken seriously 1:29:15 Lack of competition in one party states isn’t good for democracy 1:30:30 Independents have better chance to win in one party states 1:32:30 ToddCast Top 5 senate seats most likely to flip 1:33:45 More senate seats are creeping to “in play” status 1:36:00 #1 North Carolina 1:37:45 #2 Ohio 1:40:45 #3 Michigan 1:44:15 #4 Iowa 1:47:15 #5 Maine 1:52:15 Ask Chuck 1:52:30 Could politicians' investments be limited by law to index funds? 1:54:15 Correction on Jeri Ryan’s Star Trek series 1:55:45 If candidates like Platner and El-Sayed lose, could progressives change course? 2:01:45 Will Trump’s disciples try to be too much like him once he leaves politics? 2:05:30 Are you seeing a real shift in coverage from CBS News? 2:10:45 Thoughts on Brendan Soresby being reinstated after gambling on himselfSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd opens with the resolution of a story he's been tracking for weeks: Graham Platner cruised to victory in Maine, comfortably clearing 70% even with Janet Mills' name still on the ballot — which he says means the scandals that had Platner in "save my campaign" mode turned out to be far less than a five-alarm fire. The deeper lesson, Chuck argues, is uncomfortable but revealing: for a significant share of Democratic primary voters, high character has become a luxury item, because the base is so exhausted by losing and capitulating to the establishment that it will forgive a flawed candidate who actually seems willing to fight. He notes that Maine has gotten meaningfully bluer since Susan Collins was last on the ballot (Harris underperformed nationally but actually drew more raw votes in Maine than Biden did), that a generic Democrat should win this seat by six or seven points, and that the only real question left is how many squeamish Democrats sit the race out rather than pull the lever for Platner. He runs through the rest of the night — Lindsey Graham narrowly avoided a runoff in South Carolina, the GOP gubernatorial race there is headed to a runoff that knocked out both Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman — and pulls back to identify the defining theme of the entire 2026 cycle: everyone, in both parties, is running on a message of change, with no candidate anywhere running on restoration the way Biden did in 2020. The messaging this cycle is relentlessly future-focused, the exact opposite of Trump's nostalgia, and Chuck reiterates his running observation that the worst possible first name to have in politics right now is "congressman" — because Washington experience carries zero value to voters this cycle. The split-screen between the parties remains stark: Republican voters still reward confrontation while Democratic primary voters are gravitating toward electability and consensus, Democratic turnout is rising while GOP turnout is flat or falling, and the throughline that's held for a decade is only intensifying — voters are demanding major change, and they'll punish anyone who doesn't offer it. Finally, Chuck updates his ToddCast Top 5 list of senate seats most likely to flip parties and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Predict the action all the way through the finals. Sign up now for your twenty-five dollar bonus on https://fanduel.com/predicts Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. 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. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:15 Graham Platner cruised to victory will Janet Mills still on the ballot 04:15 Platner comfortably cleared 70%, it’s not a five alarm fire 05:45 Will there be more scandals from Platner? If so, what type? 06:30 For some primary voters, high character is a luxury item 08:15 The Democratic base is tired of losing & capitulating to establishment 08:45 A Platner election victory could change perception of the Democrats 10:30 Maine has gotten bluer since the last time Collins was on the ballot 11:30 Harris underperformed nationally, but had more raw vote in Maine than Biden 13:30 How many Dems will sit out the race rather than vote for Platner? 15:00 A generic Dem should win this race by 6-7 points 16:00 Lindsey Graham manages to avoid a runoff 16:45 South Carolina GOP gubernatorial race headed to runoff 17:15 Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman didn’t make the runoff 18:30 Everybody running in 2026 is running on a message of change 19:30 There’s no message of restoration similar to Biden’s campaign 20:30 Messaging is more future focused, the opposite of Trump 21:30 The worst first name to have in politics is congressman 24:45 Washington experience won’t carry value to voters this cycle 26:00 GOP voters still seemingly reward confrontation 27:00 Dem primary voters looking to electability/consensus candidates 28:45 Dem turnout on the rise, GOP turnout stagnant or down 29:30 For the past decade, voters are demanding major change 35:15 ToddCast Top 5 senate seats most likely to flip 36:30 More senate seats are creeping to “in play” status 38:45 #1 North Carolina 40:30 #2 Ohio 43:30 #3 Michigan 47:00 #4 Iowa 50:00 #5 Maine 55:00 Ask Chuck 55:15 Could politicians' investments be limited by law to index funds? 57:00 Correction on Jeri Ryan’s Star Trek series 58:30 If candidates like Platner and El-Sayed lose, could progressives change course? 1:04:30 Will Trump’s disciples try to be too much like him once he leaves politics? 1:08:15 Are you seeing a real shift in coverage from CBS News? 1:13:30 Thoughts on Brendan Soresby being reinstated after gambling on himselfSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com
Tonight's main event features the New York Knicks facing the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. Mark outlines the procedures for attendees, particularly in light of President Trump's presence in the audience. During a recent interview on Meet the Press, Kristen Welker pressed President Trump about his claims regarding a rigged election, referencing California's primary as an example. The exchange quickly became heated. Democrats are praising Welker's assertive questioning, while Republicans are commending Trump's pushback. Mark takes your calls! Mark interviews Boston radio host Howie Carr. Howie discusses a specific Al Sharpton sound bite he's anticipating. Mark and Howie analyze Scott Pelley's demeanor following his departure from 60 Minutes, noting the attention his recent comments have received. In Maine, Graham Prattner's electoral chances are currently viewed as even, while Governor Janet Mills faces significant political challenges. Howie suggests that Representative Jared Golden could be a strong candidate for governor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Howie discusses a specific Al Sharpton sound bite he's anticipating. Mark and Howie analyze Scott Pelley's demeanor following his departure from 60 Minutes, noting the attention his recent comments have received. In Maine, Graham Prattner's electoral chances are currently viewed as even, while Governor Janet Mills faces significant political challenges. Howie suggests that Representative Jared Golden could be a strong candidate for governor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tonight's main event features the New York Knicks facing the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. Mark outlines the procedures for attendees, particularly in light of President Trump's presence in the audience. During a recent interview on Meet the Press, Kristen Welker pressed President Trump about his claims regarding a rigged election, referencing California's primary as an example. The exchange quickly became heated. Democrats are praising Welker's assertive questioning, while Republicans are commending Trump's pushback. Mark interviews Boston radio host Howie Carr. Howie discusses a specific Al Sharpton sound bite he's anticipating. Mark and Howie analyze Scott Pelley's demeanor following his departure from 60 Minutes, noting the attention his recent comments have received. In Maine, Graham Prattner's electoral chances are currently viewed as even, while Governor Janet Mills faces significant political challenges. Howie suggests that Representative Jared Golden could be a strong candidate for governor. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill is addressing alleged fabricated stories about incidents at Delaney Hall, an ICE facility in Newark. President Trump is expected to announce his nomination for the next National Intelligence Director soon. Former 60 Minutes anchor Scott Pelley gave his first interview following his recent dismissal. Tanya Simon, a longtime producer with strong connections to the program, was also let go. Mark interviews NY Post journalist Miranda Devine. Miranda talks about how Scott Pelley reacted to being let go from CBS's 60 Minutes, and the conversation turns to how unpredictable job security can be in broadcasting. NBC's Kristen Welker is catching some heat for the way she handled her Meet the Press interview with President Trump about voter fraud. Miranda also shares highlights from her latest episode of Pod Force One, where she had a positive conversation with President Trump. Also, how well is Jill Biden's new book doing?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd opens with an uncomfortable truth Republicans are doing everything possible to avoid acknowledging: Trump turns 80 next week, his physical and mental decline is increasingly visible to anyone paying attention, and the GOP is now repeating exactly the same mistake Democrats made by ignoring Joe Biden's obvious deterioration. The cruelest irony: Trump literally built his entire 2024 campaign on the premise that his opponent was too old and too sleepy to do the job, but Biden's catastrophic debate finally broke the Democratic silence in a way the GOP shows no signs of replicating. Chuck argues Trump's behavior isn't unusual for an 80-year-old — it's deeply unusual for an American president. He warns that Senate Republicans made an enormous mistake by not killing the weaponization fund, that every GOP incumbent up for reelection is now vulnerable to extremely effective attack ads, and that acting DNI Bill Pulte is almost certainly holding that position illegally — the courts will probably step in to declare him ineligible. He previews Tuesday's primaries in Maine and South Carolina, where Lindsey Graham looks genuinely vulnerable, and notes that if Graham gets forced into a runoff, history says he's in real trouble. He's watching how much protest vote Janet Mills picks up in Maine, and on Graham Platner — who has been saying that the war "messed him up" — Chuck offers a pointed observation: just because behavior is explainable doesn't always make it excusable.He closes with a sharp analysis of the Scott Pelley firing at 60 Minutes, arguing the real story isn't Pelley at all — it's the Ellisons, who are using 60 Minutes as a bargaining chip with Trump to get their Paramount merger approved. He believes 60 Minutes is a symbol with massive brand equity, and Trump wants to bring it to heel or topple it altogether. Then, David French — New York Times columnist, veteran constitutional attorney, and one of the sharpest legal thinkers writing today — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a riveting conversation about how the legal system is straining to handle a world being remade by AI, an out-of-control executive branch, and the slow erosion of America's basic constitutional architecture. French opens with the chilling case the Florida Attorney General has now brought against OpenAI in connection with the Florida State University shooter, who asked ChatGPT how to disengage his weapon's safety just three minutes before opening fire. French argues that if ChatGPT had been a human person, it would unquestionably have been charged as a co-conspirator — humans get prosecuted for encouraging suicide all the time — and that when ChatGPT is speaking, OpenAI is legally speaking, full stop. He walks through the murky liability questions the law is now scrambling to answer: Google Search has never been held to the same standard as ChatGPT, but ChatGPT actively generates new speech rather than just pointing users to existing content, and French argues that litigation needs to function as a meaningful deterrent rather than mere compensation — though ultimately Congress is going to have to actually legislate AI regulation rather than leave the entire field to civil lawsuits. The conversation turns to what French sees as a more immediate constitutional crisis: Trump's blanket immunity for tax violations and the "anti-weaponization" slush fund scheme, both of which French argues are flatly indefensible on legal grounds. He explains the deeper problem — Trump suing his own government creates a fiction of an adversarial proceeding when there isn't actually one, and Trump cares far more about the liability shield than the slush fund itself, because he's trying to remove himself from the operation of the law in essentially the same way a king would. The pardon power only covers federal crimes, not civil offenses, and Congress has clear authority to stop this if it had the will. French offers several concrete reforms: require congressional approval for legal settlements above a certain dollar threshold, force members of Congress to obtain a certification in the Constitution itself, and that political parties should perform comprehensive background checks for their candidates, On the question of whether the Founders intended a Christian nation, French is unequivocal: they didn't, and Madison rebuked Christian nationalism explicitly. The deeper structural problem behind the DOJ's loss of credibility is the unitary executive theory itself — Article II of the Constitution is dangerously vague, the executive was never meant to be a co-equal branch (Congress was supposed to be most powerful), and the only durable fix may require constitutional reform to formally remove the DOJ from executive control. French closes on a hopeful note: after every dark period in American history, the country has entered a major era of reform — and he believes one is coming again. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the infamous quote “Have you no sense of decency” from the Army/McCarthy hearings, why McCarthy was one of the first American politicians to master the attention economy, and why that famous quote precipitated the decline of McCarthy’s influence. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Predict the action all the way through the finals. Sign up now for your twenty-five dollar bonus on https://fanduel.com/predicts Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. 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. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 05:30 Trump turns 80 in a week. Plans on celebrating himself with UFC fight 06:30 You can tell that Trump is not doing well physically/mentally 07:30 Republicans ignoring Trump’s decline like Dems did with Biden 10:00 Trump won’t do events where he has to stand, he sits now 11:30 Trump’s staff has been padding his schedule with private meetings 12:30 Trump built his campaign on premise his opponent was too old & sleepy 13:15 Biden’s debate broke the Dems silence, GOP hasn’t done same with Trump 14:30 Trump has influence and pull over his party that Biden didn’t 15:15 Trump’s behavior isn’t unusual for an 80 year, is unusual for a POTUS 16:00 Reinforces public perception that parties will say/defend anything for power 19:00 This will add to the credibility problems for the Republican party 19:30 Senate Republicans made huge mistake not killing the weaponization fund 20:15 Every Republican up for reelection is now vulnerable to easy attack ads 21:15 It’s probably illegal for Bill Pulte to hold the acting DNI position 23:00 Courts will likely step in to declare Pulte ineligible for position 25:30 Major primaries coming up on Tuesday including ME & SC 26:45 Lindsey Graham is vulnerable in South Carolina 27:45 Christian conservative right has always been skeptical of Graham 28:45 Outsiders have been ousting incumbents across the country 30:15 Since the Tea Party, GOP base has gone against the establishment 32:30 The anti-war vote will have qualms with Trump & Graham 33:15 Graham’s career is defined by being a political weathervane 35:00 If Graham is forced into a runoff, history says he’s in trouble 35:30 Will be interesting to see how much protest vote Janet Mills gets in ME 36:15 Platner says war messed him up… does he have the temperament for the job? 37:45 Just because behavior is explainable, doesn’t always make it excusable 38:15 Platner is in “save his campaign” mode 39:30 Bad actors will exploit California’s slow ballot counting process 40:30 Counting process requires people have faith in it, slowness hurts credibility 42:00 California has a duty to make citizens confident in the election 44:00 Thoughts on changes at 60 Minutes and Scott Pelley’s firing 44:30 Too much focus on Pelley and not enough on the Ellisons 45:00 Publicly traded media companies have all folded to & appeased Trump 47:30 Companies have a responsibility to shareholders, bad for news integrity 48:30 60 Minutes is a symbol, and Trump wants to bring it to heel/topple it 49:30 We don’t know the politics of the Ellisons, but they want their merger approved 50:30 Ellison’s know one 60 Minutes piece Trump dislikes could blow up merger 51:45 Bari Weiss is being used… is she comfortable being used? 53:00 Scott Pelley has the money to speak out and fight back 54:00 Journalists that stayed hoping to weather the storm & wait for new management 55:15 60 Minutes has incredible brand equity and is being gutted for the merger 56:45 The story is the Ellisons using 60 Minutes as a bargaining chip 1:04:00 David French joins the Chuck ToddCast 1:05:30 Insurance companies & gambling companies have opposite incentives 1:08:00 States liberalized sports gambling and the public hasn’t liked it 1:09:45 Trying to regulate after the fact can be difficult 1:11:00 Common law concepts are starting to come into regulating AI 1:11:30 Florida AG has brought criminal case against OpenAI over FSU shooter 1:13:00 There has to always be human liability in AI cases 1:15:00 If ChatGPT was a human in FSU case, it would have be charged as co-conspirator 1:16:00 Shooter asked ChatGPT how to disengage the safety 3 mins before shooting 1:18:00 In Canadian school shooting, ChatGPT’s participation was overt 1:20:30 Determining liability is murky. Google search isn’t held to same standard as ChatGPT 1:22:00 Humans can be prosecuted for encouraging someone to commit suicide 1:23:15 There are circumstances where criminal liability could apply to AI 1:23:45 When ChatGPT is speaking, OpenAI is speaking 1:25:00 Litigation needs to be a deterrent, not just compensation for victims 1:27:30 We need to pass laws regulating AI, not just pressure via civil lawsuits 1:28:45 How is blanket immunity for Trump tax violations remotely legal? 1:29:45 Congress’s job to stop weaponization fund & Trump IRS immunity 1:30:45 Legal system rests on an adversarial relationship in court cases 1:31:45 There’s no adversarial proceeding when Trump sues his own government 1:32:30 Trump cares more about liability shield than the slush fund 1:33:30 Pardon power only applies to federal crimes, not civil offenses. Can be sued 1:34:15 Trump is trying to remove himself from the operation of the law like a king 1:35:00 How can congress stop Trump’s DOJ from issuing these settlements? 1:36:45 Congress should have to approve settlements above a certain amount of $ 1:38:30 Member of congress should have to get a certification in the constitution 1:39:45 Parties should force candidates to pass a comprehensive background check 1:41:00 Why aren’t state funded partisan primaries a violation of equal protection? 1:44:15 Partisan primaries are killing the political system 1:45:00 States can say that they’ll only fund open primaries 1:46:15 Campaign finance reforms and PACs have weakened party control 1:48:00 Did the founders intend for America to be a christian nation? 1:49:00 Founders were biblically literate, but not particularly devout 1:49:30 Founders intentionally did not create a christian nation 1:50:30 Madison argued against paying clergy with tax dollars 1:51:15 Madison rebuked christian nationalism and immigration restriction 1:53:45 DOJ has lost credibility, how can we separate the DOJ from the executive? 1:54:30 Problems with DOJ are downstream from the unitary executive theory 1:55:30 Article II of the constitution is vague and inexplicit 1:56:45 After dark period, America enters periods of reform, which we badly need 1:58:45 Never supposed to be co-equal branches. Congress should have most power 1:59:30 Have to remove executive’s ability to claw power to the top 2:00:30 Would likely need constitutional reform to pull DOJ out of executive branch 2:03:00 Past congressional leaders wouldn’t voluntarily cede power 2:04:45 In late 80’s - early 90’s, congress was incentivized to compromise 2:05:30 Changes to college basketball in one-and-done and NIL era 2:07:00 Transfer portal has created a new form of one-and-done 2:08:45 NBA can only improve regular season by reducing the 82 games 2:10:15 Regular season NBA games are more intense than 30 years ago 2:13:45 ToddCast Time Machine - June 9th, 1954 2:14:15 “Have you no sense of decency?” quote becomes famous 2:15:00 Quote came during the Army/McCarthy hearings 2:15:30 The famous line didn’t end McCarthyism 2:16:15 The myth is that McCarthy created the Red Scare… he did not 2:17:00 The Cold War was not a distant abstraction, people were worried 2:17:30 McCarthy didn’t create the wave… he was surfing it 2:18:45 Mass media was growing in America and sped up the information wars 2:19:30 McCarthy understood media and how to create anticipation 2:21:00 McCarthy mastered the politics of attention, his and Trump’s mentor was Roy Cohn 2:23:00 The fear of communism still existed, but public confidence in McCarthy eroded 2:24:00 Television exposed McCarthy in a way quotes and newspapers couldn’t 2:25:30 Army/McCarthy hearings started as a personnel dispute for Roy Cohn ally 2:27:00 There were multiple institutions moving against McCarthy 2:28:00 Army chief counsel Joseph Welch spoke the infamous line 2:28:30 Welch gave words to a conclusion Americans were reaching on their own 2:31:15 Ask Chuck 2:31:30 When will congress actually hold cabinet members accountable? 2:38:15 Thoughts on DHS pulling CBP from sanctuary city airports? 2:42:15 Navigating the tension between voting for and against a candidate? 2:48:15 Thoughts on Democrats proposing a national gerrymandering ban?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd opens with an uncomfortable truth Republicans are doing everything possible to avoid acknowledging: Trump turns 80 next week, his physical and mental decline is increasingly visible to anyone paying attention, and the GOP is now repeating exactly the same mistake Democrats made by ignoring Joe Biden's obvious deterioration. The cruelest irony: Trump literally built his entire 2024 campaign on the premise that his opponent was too old and too sleepy to do the job, but Biden's catastrophic debate finally broke the Democratic silence in a way the GOP shows no signs of replicating. Chuck argues Trump's behavior isn't unusual for an 80-year-old — it's deeply unusual for an American president. He warns that Senate Republicans made an enormous mistake by not killing the weaponization fund, that every GOP incumbent up for reelection is now vulnerable to extremely effective attack ads, and that acting DNI Bill Pulte is almost certainly holding that position illegally — the courts will probably step in to declare him ineligible. He previews Tuesday's primaries in Maine and South Carolina, where Lindsey Graham looks genuinely vulnerable, and notes that if Graham gets forced into a runoff, history says he's in real trouble. He's watching how much protest vote Janet Mills picks up in Maine, and on Graham Platner — who has been saying that the war "messed him up" — Chuck offers a pointed observation: just because behavior is explainable doesn't always make it excusable.He closes with a sharp analysis of the Scott Pelley firing at 60 Minutes, arguing the real story isn't Pelley at all — it's the Ellisons, who are using 60 Minutes as a bargaining chip with Trump to get their Paramount merger approved. He believes 60 Minutes is a symbol with massive brand equity, and Trump wants to bring it to heel or topple it altogether. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the infamous quote “Have you no sense of decency” from the Army/McCarthy hearings, why McCarthy was one of the first American politicians to master the attention economy, and why that famous quote precipitated the decline of McCarthy’s influence. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Predict the action all the way through the finals. Sign up now for your twenty-five dollar bonus on https://fanduel.com/predicts Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. 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. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 05:30 Trump turns 80 in a week. Plans on celebrating himself with UFC fight 06:30 You can tell that Trump is not doing well physically/mentally 07:30 Republicans ignoring Trump’s decline like Dems did with Biden 10:00 Trump won’t do events where he has to stand, he sits now 11:30 Trump’s staff has been padding his schedule with private meetings 12:30 Trump built his campaign on premise his opponent was too old & sleepy 13:15 Biden’s debate broke the Dems silence, GOP hasn’t done same with Trump 14:30 Trump has influence and pull over his party that Biden didn’t 15:15 Trump’s behavior isn’t unusual for an 80 year, is unusual for a POTUS 16:00 Reinforces public perception that parties will say/defend anything for power 19:00 This will add to the credibility problems for the Republican party 19:30 Senate Republicans made huge mistake not killing the weaponization fund 20:15 Every Republican up for reelection is now vulnerable to easy attack ads 21:15 It’s probably illegal for Bill Pulte to hold the acting DNI position 23:00 Courts will likely step in to declare Pulte ineligible for position 25:30 Major primaries coming up on Tuesday including ME & SC 26:45 Lindsey Graham is vulnerable in South Carolina 27:45 Christian conservative right has always been skeptical of Graham 28:45 Outsiders have been ousting incumbents across the country 30:15 Since the Tea Party, GOP base has gone against the establishment 32:30 The anti-war vote will have qualms with Trump & Graham 33:15 Graham’s career is defined by being a political weathervane 35:00 If Graham is forced into a runoff, history says he’s in trouble 35:30 Will be interesting to see how much protest vote Janet Mills gets in ME 36:15 Platner says war messed him up… does he have the temperament for the job? 37:45 Just because behavior is explainable, doesn’t always make it excusable 38:15 Platner is in “save his campaign” mode 39:30 Bad actors will exploit California’s slow ballot counting process 40:30 Counting process requires people have faith in it, slowness hurts credibility 42:00 California has a duty to make citizens confident in the election 44:00 Thoughts on changes at 60 Minutes and Scott Pelley’s firing 44:30 Too much focus on Pelley and not enough on the Ellisons 45:00 Publicly traded media companies have all folded to & appeased Trump 47:30 Companies have a responsibility to shareholders, bad for news integrity 48:30 60 Minutes is a symbol, and Trump wants to bring it to heel/topple it 49:30 We don’t know the politics of the Ellisons, but they want their merger approved 50:30 Ellison’s know one 60 Minutes piece Trump dislikes could blow up merger 51:45 Bari Weiss is being used… is she comfortable being used? 53:00 Scott Pelley has the money to speak out and fight back 54:00 Journalists that stayed hoping to weather the storm & wait for new management 55:15 60 Minutes has incredible brand equity and is being gutted for the merger 56:45 The story is the Ellisons using 60 Minutes as a bargaining chip 1:02:15 ToddCast Time Machine - June 9th, 1954 1:02:45 “Have you no sense of decency?” quote becomes famous 1:03:30 Quote came during the Army/McCarthy hearings 1:04:00 The famous line didn’t end McCarthyism 1:04:45 The myth is that McCarthy created the Red Scare… he did not 1:05:30 The Cold War was not a distant abstraction, people were worried 1:06:00 McCarthy didn’t create the wave… he was surfing it 1:07:15 Mass media was growing in America and sped up the information wars 1:08:00 McCarthy understood media and how to create anticipation 1:09:30 McCarthy mastered the politics of attention, his and Trump’s mentor was Roy Cohn 1:11:30 The fear of communism still existed, but public confidence in McCarthy eroded 1:12:30 Television exposed McCarthy in a way quotes and newspapers couldn’t 1:14:00 Army/McCarthy hearings started as a personnel dispute for Roy Cohn ally 1:15:30 There were multiple institutions moving against McCarthy 1:16:30 Army chief counsel Joseph Welch spoke the infamous line 1:17:00 Welch gave words to a conclusion Americans were reaching on their own 1:19:45 Ask Chuck 1:20:00 When will congress actually hold cabinet members accountable? 1:26:45 Thoughts on DHS pulling CBP from sanctuary city airports? 1:30:45 Navigating the tension between voting for and against a candidate? 1:36:45 Thoughts on Democrats proposing a national gerrymandering ban?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Graham Platner is leading Susan Collins in one of the most important Senate races in the country, and instead of asking how Democrats can win the seat, half the party seems busy feeding its own candidate into the purity machine.We break down the allegations against Platner, what he has admitted, what he denies, and why the political background of his most prominent accuser matters. We also talk about the larger question Democrats keep refusing to answer: what exactly is the standard?Because Donald Trump has 34 felony convictions, was found civilly liable for sexual abuse, owes millions in defamation damages, and is still treated by Republicans as perfectly fit to govern. But Graham Platner, a Marine combat veteran and PTSD survivor running against Susan Collins, gets treated like an extinction-level event by his own party.Also in this episode: Trump cries election fraud while his own candidates are winning in California, Pete Hegseth's Pentagon slashes recognized faiths and leans harder into Christian nationalism, Republicans briefly flinch at a $1.8 billion weaponization slush fund before protecting the possibility of bringing it back, Trump's White House ballroom donors rake in billions in federal contracts, and the House moves to rename the Department of Defense the Department of War.It is corruption, hypocrisy, purity politics, and institutional cowardice all the way down.Keywords: Graham Platner, Susan Collins, Maine Senate race, 2026 Senate election, Democratic Party, Democratic purity test, purity politics, Trump corruption, Donald Trump, Democratic double standard, Graham Platner allegations, Susan Collins Maine, Maine primary, Senate Democrats, Chuck Schumer, John Fetterman, Bernie Sanders, Ro Khanna, Janet Mills, Project 2025, Heritage Foundation, Independent Women's Forum, Brett Kavanaugh, Trump felony convictions, E. Jean Carroll, Pete Hegseth, Department of War, Department of Defense, Christian nationalism, Pentagon religion policy, Trump election fraud claims, California primary, Xavier Becerra, Steve Hilton, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Trump ballroom, White House ballroom donors, federal contracts, weaponization fund, Democratic leadership, We Saw the Devil, political podcast, left wing politics, anti corruption, authoritarianism, media hypocrisy, Democratic infighting, Susan Collins challenger, Graham Platner Maine SenateBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/we-saw-the-devil-unfiltered-political-analysis--4433638/support.Website: http://www.wesawthedevil.comPatreon: http://www.patreon.com/wesawthedevilDiscord: https://discord.gg/X2qYXdB4Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/WeSawtheDevilInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/wesawthedevilpodcast.
When a Senate campaign gets hit with a sexting scandal, the spouse is supposed to disappear. Amy Gertner grabbed her phone, walked into a cloud of Maine blackflies, and recorded the most effective crisis response of the cycle.Everyone is covering the Wall Street Journal texts. Molly is covering the betrayal underneath them, and the moment a candidate who built his brand on owning his record reached for the worst page in the 2026 crisis playbook.Chapters:0:00 — The Reddit Bomb That Finally Detonated on Platner4:30 — How Amy Gertner's Confession Reached Genevieve McDonald8:30 — Linda Tripp, Monica Lewinsky and the Betrayal Pattern13:04 — Amy Gertner's Blackfly Video Goes Viral on X18:01 — Why Amy Nailed the Platner Playbook Solo20:00 — The NPR Interview Showing What Accountability Looks Like22:29 — The Vrabel Playbook Platner Borrowed By Mistake27:30 — Barney Frank, Janet Mills and the Democratic Party Distance30:00 — Silda Spitzer Versus the Amy Gertner Standing-By Model33:00 — The High Road Takeaway and Why Platner Is LimpingWe dissect:• Why Reddit was supposed to be Graham Platner's kryptonite, and the one trait that kept disarming every landmine until this one• The Bernie Sanders rally moment when Amy disclosed the texts to political director Genevieve McDonald, the inciting incident the WSJ buried• The Linda Tripp parallel and why the public judges the telling of a scandal as harshly as the act itself• "This is like my 20th take" — the unedited blackfly video Amy posted from a road in Sullivan, Maine, and why the imperfection is the point• The NPR interview that aired right before the WSJ broke, where Platner answered directly on the SS-resembling tattoo and Jake Auchincloss calling him disqualifying• The exact moment Platner called the texts "gossip," blamed the press, and reached for the Mike Vrabel playbook — the worst page in any 2026 crisis manual• Barney Frank criticizing Platner from hospice in Ogunquit, Janet Mills as the party's preferred candidate, and what "same technique, opposite loyalty" actually looks like• Silda Spitzer standing reluctantly behind Eliot versus Amy Gertner standing forward for Graham, with Amy Vrabel's conspicuous absence as the counter-exampleThis is not a recap of the WSJ story. It is a forensic look at why the spouse out-executed the candidate. When a campaign built on "own it, explain it, promise it" suddenly stops owning it, voters notice before pollsters do.What you'll learn:• How to tell the difference between privacy and a cover-up when a campaign says "it's handled"• Why raw, one-take video reads as truth in 2026 and a polished statement reads as guilt• What "someone else's worst" framing signals to voters, and why blaming the press accelerates the collapse• How to read a spouse's presence, posture, and word choice as the first real signal of what is actually trueYou can't blackmail someone who confesses first. The only thing you control is whether you face it before someone else does.Want More Behind the Breakdown?Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack (https://open.substack.com/pub/mollymc...) for early access to podcast episodes, private member chats, weekly live sessions, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It is the inside hub for communicators who want real strategy, clear judgment, and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly on Substack (https://mollymcpherson.substack.com/)Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter (https://www.mollymcpherson.com/newsle...)Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting (https://www.mollymcpherson.com/speaking).Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, private member chats, weekly live sessions, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It is the inside hub for communicators who want real strategy, clear judgment, and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly on Substack Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. Follow & Connect with Molly:https://www.youtube.com/mollymcphersonhttps://mollymcpherson.substack.com/https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcphersonhttps://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/...
Chuck Todd opens with what he calls the unmistakable arrival of a "YOLO caucus" in the Senate — a growing number of congressional Republicans who are simply done capitulating to Trump, evidenced by John Thune publicly declaring there's no need to "weaponize" the DNI position and by the broader sense that the non-Trump part of the GOP is openly preparing to move on. He argues Trump is doing everything possible to accelerate his own lame duck status: he's politicizing America's 250th anniversary in ways that genuinely alarm vulnerable Republicans, he failed to engage any of the former presidents in the 250th planning, and he's creating Marie Antoinette-style "let them eat cake" optics by celebrating himself at a moment of real economic pain for ordinary Americans. Trump's treatment of CNN's Kaitlan Collins was outrageous, his cranky behavior with the press is a tell that things aren't going well, and his decision to formally nominate Todd Blanche for Attorney General has essentially zero chance of confirmation — Blanche has burned his bridges in the Senate and the doomed January 6th weaponization fund was reportedly his idea in the first place. It's almost as if Trump is begging to put a neon "I'm a lame duck" sign on the White House. Chuck then turns to California, where ballots are still being counted at a pace that he says is actively eroding public trust in the democratic process itself — the state desperately needs to find a way to count faster — and notes that CA-06 was drawn as a safe Democratic seat but the top two finishers right now are both Republicans, while Spencer Pratt looks safer in the LA mayoral race than Steve Hilton does in the governor's race. He closes with a fascinating analysis of the Graham Platner situation in Maine, where Janet Mills' decision to leave her name on the ballot has created a Nikki Haley-style protest vote opportunity for nervous Democrats — Mills didn't bow out in disgrace so her floor is high, and if she pulls 25% or more in the primary, Chuck predicts very real conversations about replacing Platner will begin. The number to watch is ME-02: if Platner underperforms there, it's the clearest red flag that a candidate Democrats once viewed as a slam-dunk pickup is now in serious trouble. Finally, Chuck answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and spends a few minutes reflecting on the life of his grandmother who passed away this week. Predict the action all the way through the finals. Sign up now for your twenty-five dollar bonus on https://fanduel.com/predicts Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 06:45 Increasing # of congressional Republicans done capitulating to Trump 07:30 John Thune said we don’t need “weaponization” of DNI position 08:30 There’s a growing “YOLO caucus” in the senate 09:30 The non-Trump part of the GOP is ready to move on from Trump 10:00 Trump’s treatment of Kaitlin Collins is outrageous 11:45 Trump gets cranky with the press when things aren’t going well 12:30 Trump is a terrible negotiator 13:00 Trump is creating huge political risk politicizing America 250 13:45 Trump should have put the UFC on the national mall, not WH 15:00 Trump is celebrating himself for 250, terrible move politically 16:15 Trump didn’t engage with the former presidents for 250 17:00 Trump is creating Marie Antoinette “let them eat cake” optics 18:30 Vulnerable Republicans may fear attending Trump’s 250 events 19:00 Trump is looking to formally nominate Todd Blanche for AG 19:30 There is zero chance Todd Blanche can get confirmed 20:15 Blanche hasn’t made friends. Weaponization fund was his idea 22:15 Trump may be done listening to any rational advice 23:30 It’s like Trump wants to put a neon “I’m a lame duck” sign on WH 24:15 California ballots are still being counted. Can Steyer and Raman catch up? 26:15 Pratt seems to have a more comfortable lead than Hilton 27:30 CA-06 was drawn to be Democratic, top two so far are Republican 29:45 California desperately needs to find a way to count ballots faster 30:30 Slow count erodes trust is democracy and counting process 33:15 Graham Platner visit to D.C. went ok, but there’s trepidation 35:30 Platner wants to drive the narrative he’s still ahead of Collins 36:30 Polling has shown Platner with a massive lead over Collins for weeks 38:15 Platner’s recent scandals have him in trouble, can’t take much more 39:30 New polling shows Platner took a hit, but it’s recoverable 40:00 Janet Mills chose to keep her name on the ballot for uneasy Dems 41:00 Maine is one of the easier states to replace a candidate 42:30 How votes for Mills should be read 44:15 Mills didn’t bow out in disgrace, her floor is higher 45:30 Mills could become a protest vote for Platner, similar to Nikki Haley 47:00 If Maine voters are nervous about Platner, they can vote for Mills 49:00 If Mills gets 25% or more, then there will be talks of replacing Platner 51:15 If Platner underperforms in ME-02, that’s a red flag 55:45 Chuck’s thoughts on interview with Todd Ricketts 57:15 Salary cap proposal for MLB revealed 58:30 Salary cap could be much higher than expected to buy time 59:45 Willingness to pool local revenue is a big deal 1:00:00 Ask Chuck 1:00:15 Is voting for a candidate an indictment of the character of the voter? 1:19:15 How would the logistics work for expanding the house? 1:23:15 How much should a candidate’s private behavior affect their electability? 1:31:00 How does a state with no income tax like Florida fund services? 1:35:45 With government agreeing to large settlements, won’t future admins do the same? 1:44:30 Chuck’s eulogy for his grandmotherSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chuck Todd opens with what he calls the unmistakable arrival of a "YOLO caucus" in the Senate — a growing number of congressional Republicans who are simply done capitulating to Trump, evidenced by John Thune publicly declaring there's no need to "weaponize" the DNI position and by the broader sense that the non-Trump part of the GOP is openly preparing to move on. He argues Trump is doing everything possible to accelerate his own lame duck status: he's politicizing America's 250th anniversary in ways that genuinely alarm vulnerable Republicans, he failed to engage any of the former presidents in the 250th planning, and he's creating Marie Antoinette-style "let them eat cake" optics by celebrating himself at a moment of real economic pain for ordinary Americans. Trump's treatment of CNN's Kaitlan Collins was outrageous, his cranky behavior with the press is a tell that things aren't going well, and his decision to formally nominate Todd Blanche for Attorney General has essentially zero chance of confirmation — Blanche has burned his bridges in the Senate and the doomed January 6th weaponization fund was reportedly his idea in the first place. It's almost as if Trump is begging to put a neon "I'm a lame duck" sign on the White House. Chuck then turns to California, where ballots are still being counted at a pace that he says is actively eroding public trust in the democratic process itself — the state desperately needs to find a way to count faster — and notes that CA-06 was drawn as a safe Democratic seat but the top two finishers right now are both Republicans, while Spencer Pratt looks safer in the LA mayoral race than Steve Hilton does in the governor's race. He closes with a fascinating analysis of the Graham Platner situation in Maine, where Janet Mills' decision to leave her name on the ballot has created a Nikki Haley-style protest vote opportunity for nervous Democrats — Mills didn't bow out in disgrace so her floor is high, and if she pulls 25% or more in the primary, Chuck predicts very real conversations about replacing Platner will begin. The number to watch is ME-02: if Platner underperforms there, it's the clearest red flag that a candidate Democrats once viewed as a slam-dunk pickup is now in serious trouble. Then, Todd Ricketts — Chicago Cubs co-owner and founder of Freespoke, the search engine that labels news sources with media bias ratings — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a wide-ranging conversation that bridges the increasingly intertwined worlds of media, technology, and professional sports. Ricketts makes the case that when people are given genuinely good information from across the ideological spectrum, they tend to arrive at good answers — and that Freespoke's mission is to present all sides and then get out of the way, rather than letting ad sales determine what news you see. He pushes back on the idea that the market alone can solve the data privacy crisis, arguing data may eventually need to be regulated like a utility but that nothing changes until there's a major "event" that creates real public groundswell. Ricketts is candid about Freespoke's challenges — paywalls remain a real obstacle, the left/right labeling is imperfect and done by outside groups, and the political landscape itself is shifting in ways that scramble the traditional categories . He observes that podcasts have become a primary news source because people clearly hunger for long-form content with nuance, that politicians are now visibly afraid of giving long answers because they might get clipped, and that legacy media still doesn't seem to understand why its audience has migrated elsewhere. The second half pivots into the business of running a baseball team, and Ricketts brings the same straight-talking pragmatism to MLB's looming economic crisis. He argues you cannot sell a salary cap to MLB owners without genuine revenue sharing, because if the league itself isn't competitive then everyone eventually loses — including the owners writing the biggest checks. Players currently take roughly 48% of revenue, a number he expects to climb to around 52% in the next deal, and Ricketts is honest that half of MLB's franchises are still essentially mom-and-pop operations even as private equity money is rapidly entering the sport. He talks about the difficulty of running any sports team in 2026 because fans genuinely feel like they own the franchise, why ownership groups are increasingly building entire entertainment districts around their ballparks to control the fan experience end-to-end, and the painful broadcast rights question every team is wrestling with: fans have cut the cord, the old TV economics no longer work, and ownership has to be flexible with new broadcast partners even as they ask themselves whether season ticket holders should be entitled to free access to every game. Ricketts closes by laying out what would qualify as a disappointing season for the Cubs — a sober assessment from an owner who has watched the economics of his sport, and the media landscape his business depends on, both transform at the same time. Finally, Chuck answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and spends a few minutes reflecting on the life of his grandmother who passed away this week. Predict the action all the way through the finals. Sign up now for your twenty-five dollar bonus on https://fanduel.com/predicts Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 06:45 Increasing # of congressional Republicans done capitulating to Trump 07:30 John Thune said we don’t need “weaponization” of DNI position 08:30 There’s a growing “YOLO caucus” in the senate 09:30 The non-Trump part of the GOP is ready to move on from Trump 10:00 Trump’s treatment of Kaitlin Collins is outrageous 11:45 Trump gets cranky with the press when things aren’t going well 12:30 Trump is a terrible negotiator 13:00 Trump is creating huge political risk politicizing America 250 13:45 Trump should have put the UFC on the national mall, not WH 15:00 Trump is celebrating himself for 250, terrible move politically 16:15 Trump didn’t engage with the former presidents for 250 17:00 Trump is creating Marie Antoinette “let them eat cake” optics 18:30 Vulnerable Republicans may fear attending Trump’s 250 events 19:00 Trump is looking to formally nominate Todd Blanche for AG 19:30 There is zero chance Todd Blanche can get confirmed 20:15 Blanche hasn’t made friends. Weaponization fund was his idea 22:15 Trump may be done listening to any rational advice 23:30 It’s like Trump wants to put a neon “I’m a lame duck” sign on WH 24:15 California ballots are still being counted. Can Steyer and Raman catch up? 26:15 Pratt seems to have a more comfortable lead than Hilton 27:30 CA-06 was drawn to be Democratic, top two so far are Republican 29:45 California desperately needs to find a way to count ballots faster 30:30 Slow count erodes trust is democracy and counting process 33:15 Graham Platner visit to D.C. went ok, but there’s trepidation 35:30 Platner wants to drive the narrative he’s still ahead of Collins 36:30 Polling has shown Platner with a massive lead over Collins for weeks 38:15 Platner’s recent scandals have him in trouble, can’t take much more 39:30 New polling shows Platner took a hit, but it’s recoverable 40:00 Janet Mills chose to keep her name on the ballot for uneasy Dems 41:00 Maine is one of the easier states to replace a candidate 42:30 How votes for Mills should be read 44:15 Mills didn’t bow out in disgrace, her floor is higher 45:30 Mills could become a protest vote for Platner, similar to Nikki Haley 47:00 If Maine voters are nervous about Platner, they can vote for Mills 49:00 If Mills gets 25% or more, then there will be talks of replacing Platner 51:15 If Platner underperforms in ME-02, that’s a red flag 59:45 Todd Ricketts joins the Chuck ToddCast 1:00:30 Providing media bias ratings for online news sources 1:03:00 When people are given good info, they come up with good answers 1:03:30 Goal is to present all sides, then let people make up their mind 1:04:45 You don’t want ad sales for search to determine your information 1:07:00 Can the market fix data sales, or does the government need to regulate? 1:08:45 Should data be regulated like a utility? 1:09:15 There will need to be an “event” to cause groundswell over data privacy 1:10:15 Does Freespoke labeling news left/right cause users to seek their preferred source? 1:13:15 Politics are shifting and what used to be a “left” issue is now a right issue etc 1:14:00 Protectionism has become right and free trade has become left 1:15:45 How would someone like George Will be labled? 1:17:15 Labeling is done by outside groups and the labeling isn’t perfect 1:17:45 The company is for-profit, sells ads and has subscription model 1:18:30 All the search is AI curated, but people curate the current events page 1:19:15 Bing and Google are the direct competitors 1:20:00 The Freespoke algorithm tries to strip out bias 1:21:30 Some topics get a ton of content from one side & none from the other 1:23:00 People are informing themselves via podcasts instead of legacy news 1:23:45 Legacy media needs to understand why audience is going elsewhere 1:25:30 Popularity of podcasts show people like long form content 1:26:45 Politicians are afraid of long answers & nuance in case they get clipped 1:27:15 Paywalls are a challenge for Freespoke, but sources are still included 1:28:15 Why are there left/right labels on sports coverage? 1:29:45 What is Freespoke’s position on mis and disinformation? 1:30:30 What does Freespoke 2.0 look like? 1:31:45 AI is only as good as the people & information that train it 1:32:45 Will you get into the newsletter business? 1:34:30 Can you sell a salary cap to MLB owners without total revenue sharing? 1:35:45 If the league isn’t competitive, then everyone will eventually lose 1:37:00 Players currently get 48% of revenue, may move up to about 52% 1:38:15 Running a sports team is hard because fans feel like they own the team 1:40:15 What have you learned from running the Cubs? 1:41:45 Half the teams are still mom & pop operations, but PE is coming in 1:43:00 Ownership wants to control fan experience, building entertainment districts 1:44:00 Should teams always be available on free TV? 1:44:30 Fans have cut the cord, have to be flexible with broadcast partners 1:46:15 Should season ticket holders be able to get all game broadcasts for free? 1:47:00 What would qualify this season as disappointing for the Cubs? 1:49:45 Chuck’s thoughts on interview with Todd Ricketts 1:51:15 Salary cap proposal for MLB revealed 1:52:30 Salary cap could be much higher than expected to buy time 1:53:45 Willingness to pool local revenue is a big deal 1:54:00 Ask Chuck 1:54:15 Is voting for a candidate an indictment of the character of the voter? 2:13:15 How would the logistics work for expanding the house? 2:17:15 How much should a candidate’s private behavior affect their electability? 2:25:00 How does a state with no income tax like Florida fund services? 2:29:45 With government agreeing to large settlements, won’t future admins do the same? 2:38:30 Chuck’s eulogy for his grandmotherSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's "DMZ" podcast conversation, Washington Monthly's Bill Scher and Matt break down the chaotic Maine Democratic Senate primary one week before voters decide.Graham Platner has weathered wave after wave of scandals — old Reddit posts mocking a wounded soldier, sexting on a sketchy app, defensive ambush interviews, and more — yet polls have held. With ranked-choice voting and Gov. Janet Mills still on the ballot, Democrats have a real off-ramp — but will they take it?We debate the big questions:— Do voters actually care about character anymore?— Is “authenticity” worth the risk in a must-win Senate race?— Should Democrats lower standards to match the other side, or hold the line?— Broader implications for the party in the Trump era.— Plus: quick hits on California, Iowa, and Trump's foreign policy frustrations.Subscribe to Matt Lewis on Substack: https://mattklewis.substack.com/Support Matt Lewis at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mattlewisFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MattLewisDCTwitter: https://twitter.com/mattklewisInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattlewisreels/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVhSMpjOzydlnxm5TDcYn0A– Who is Matt Lewis? –Matt K. Lewis is a political commentator and the author of Filthy Rich Politicians.Buy Matt's books: FILTHY RICH POLITICIANS: https://www.amazon.com/Filthy-Rich-Politicians-Creatures-Ruling-Class/dp/1546004416TOO DUMB TO FAIL: https://www.amazon.com/Too-Dumb-Fail-Revolution-Conservative/dp/0316383937Copyright © 2026, BBL & BWL, LLC
Every single Democrat asked about Graham Platner yesterday gave the exact same rehearsed dodge — "let the voters decide" — from Adam Schiff to Michael Bennet to Andy Kim, word for word. Then Alexander Vindman, a Jewish American who impeached Trump over "morals and values," got hostile with a reporter for daring to ask if a guy with a Nazi tattoo should drop out of the race. Meanwhile, Janet Mills just reactivated her campaign account, and the polls show Susan Collins has been down 12 points at this stage before — and won by ten. Pledge to protect Social Security at https://aarp.org/WeEarnedIt SHOP OUR MERCH: https://store.townhallmedia.com/ BUY A LARRY MUG: https://store.townhallmedia.com/products/larry-mug Watch LARRY with Larry O'Connor LIVE — Monday-Thursday at 12PM Eastern on YouTube, Facebook, & Rumble! Find LARRY with Larry O'Connor wherever you get your podcasts! SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/7i8F7K4fqIDmqZSIHJNhMh?si=814ce2f8478944c0&nd=1&dlsi=e799ca22e81b456f APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/larry/id1730596733 Become a Townhall VIP Member today and use promo code LARRY for 50% off: https://townhall.com/subscribe?tpcc=poddescription https://townhall.com/ https://rumble.com/c/c-5769468 https://www.facebook.com/townhallcom/ https://www.instagram.com/townhallmedia/ https://twitter.com/townhallcomBecome a Townhall VIP member with promo code "LARRY": https://townhall.com/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Graham Platner's Maine Senate campaign is being derailed by a new scandal, which may lead Janet Mills to resume her campaign. Visit the Howie Carr Radio Network website to access columns, podcasts, and other exclusive content.
Look at us. Three weeks in a row! Chaper 29 of News to ME: Ken & Mike Redux. We discuss Texas politics, whether or not the MAGA victories in the primaries helps the dems in the general election, should a dem vote for Janet Mills over Graham Platner, and the transgender proposal off the ballot. Listen, enjoy, like, and subscribe!
This week, Julia sits down with 78-year-old Janet Mills, Maine's first female governor, first female DA, and first female AG in the state's history. Governor Mills, who recently suspended her Senate campaign, takes Julia behind the scenes of that legendary White House moment when she looked Trump in the eye, said "see you in court," and won. Julia also learns how Janet navigated the ups and downs of becoming a stepmom to five young girls, and what her Republican family said when she became a Democrat. Plus Julia and her 92-year-old mom Judy talk about the broad appeal of Mary Oliver and Judy's own journey to becoming a Democrat. Follow Wiser Than Me on Instagram and TikTok @wiserthanme and on Facebook at facebook.com/wiserthanmepodcast. Find us on Substack at wiserthanme.substack.com. Keep up with Janet Mills @governorjanetmills on Instagram. Pre-order the latest book from Julia's mom Judy Bowles here: https://finishinglinepress.com/product/they-spoke-of-the-river-by-judith-bowles/ Find out more about other shows on our network at @lemonadamedia on all social platforms. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today by hitting 'Subscribe' on Apple Podcasts or lemonadapremium.com for any other app. For exclusive discount codes and more information about our sponsors, visit https://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors/. For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com.
Vice President JD Vance was at a rally in Maine today and discussed fraud in the state. Vance said the federal government is willing to help fight fraud, but Janet Mills isn't looking to address it. Visit the Howie Carr Radio Network website to access columns, podcasts, and other exclusive content.
Ohio's 7th Congressional District is back on every Democratic flip list in the country, and on this episode of Purple Political Breakdown Ohio Edition, Radell Lewis sits down with two-time OH-7 Democratic congressional candidate Matt Diemer to break down why. Matt has run this district twice, in 2022 and 2024, and he knows exactly what it takes (and what it costs) to fight for a seat the national party has long written off. We dig into the new Democratic nominee Brian Poindexter, the messy reality of incumbent Max Miller's divorce and the domestic violence allegations now hanging over his reelection, the union method that worked for organized labor before the Democratic Party walked away from it, and why R+11 might really be purple plus eleven in 2026. We also break down the 2026 Ohio primary night that just shocked half the state: Allison Russo's commanding 68-32 win over Bryan Hambley in the Secretary of State Democratic primary, the Attorney General Democratic primary surprise, Vivek Ramaswamy versus Dr. Amy Acton in the governor race, Sherrod Brown's comeback campaign against Jon Husted in a Senate seat now tangled in the FirstEnergy bribery trial fallout, and what Maine's Graham Platner versus Janet Mills standoff tells us about how the national Democratic Party is picking its 2026 candidates. Plus the real conversation: vibes versus policy, why primaries make better candidates and better voters, and what an authentic working-class Ohio Democrat actually sounds like. If you live in OH-7 (Ashland, Medina, Wooster, exurban Cleveland, plus parts of Cuyahoga and Wayne), this is the breakdown of your race. If you don't, it's the case study for every flippable R+10-to-R+15 district in the country. Political solutions without political bias. Follow Matt Diemer: The Angry Democrat newsletter at theangrydem.com and The Angry Ohioan newsletter at theangryohioan.com. Standard Resource Links & Recommendations The following organizations and platforms represent valuable resources for balanced political discourse and democratic participation: PODCAST NETWORK Check Out the Podcast Website: www.purplepoliticalbreakdown.com ALIVE Podcast Network: Check out the ALIVE Network where you can catch a lot of great podcasts like my own, led by amazing Black voices. Link: https://alivepodcastnetwork.com/ CONVERSATION PLATFORMS HeadOn: A platform for contentious yet productive conversations. It's a place for hosted and unguided conversations where you can grow a following and enhance your conversations with AI features. Link: https://app.headon.ai/ Living Room Conversations: Building bridges through meaningful dialogue across political divides. Link: https://livingroomconversations.org/ UNITY MOVEMENTS Us United: A movement for unity that challenges Americans to step out of their bubbles and connect across differences. Take the Unity Pledge, join monthly "30 For US" conversation calls, wear purple (the color of unity), and participate in National Unity Day every second Saturday in December. Their programs include the Sheriff Unity Network and Unity Seats at sports events, proving that shared values are stronger than our differences. Link: https://www.us-united.org/ BALANCED NEWS & INFORMATION OtherWeb: An AI-based platform that filters news without paywalls, clickbait, or junk, helping you access diverse, unbiased content. Link: https://otherweb.com/ VOTING REFORM & DEMOCRACY Equal Vote Coalition & STAR Voting: Advocating for voting methods that ensure every vote counts equally, eliminating wasted votes and strategic voting. Link: https://www.equal.vote/star Future is Now Coalition (FiNC): A grassroots movement working to restore democracy through transparency, accountability, and innovative technology while empowering citizens and transforming American political discourse. Link: https://futureis.org/ POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT Independent Center: Resources for independent political thinking and civic engagement. Link: https://www.independentcenter.org/ GET DAILY NEWS Text 844-406-INFO (844-406-4636) with code "purple" to receive quick, unbiased, factual news delivered to your phone every morning via Informed (https://informed.now) Check Out the Unfuck America Tour & National Ground Game: https://www.nationalgroundgame.com/ Check Out the CIVICS App to Know More About Your Politicians: https://www.civicpolitics.com Subscribe to the Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/purplepoliticalbreakdown/p/welcome-to-the-purple-political-breakdown?r=3z2cmw&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true ALL LINKS https://linktr.ee/purplepoliticalbreakdown The Purple Political Breakdown is committed to fostering productive political dialogue that transcends partisan divides. We believe in the power of conversation, balanced information, and democratic participation to build a stronger society. Our mission: "Political solutions without political bias." Subscribe, rate, and share if you believe in purple politics, where we find common ground in the middle! Also if you want to be apart of the community and the conversation make sure to Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/ptPAsZtHC9
David Sirota buckles up for a drive through rural Maine with the Senate candidate that the Democratic establishment doesn't want — but can't afford to lose. Just two days after Gov. Janet Mills dropped out of Maine's U.S. Senate race, David Sirota hopped in a car with Graham Platner — the long-shot candidate who is now the presumptive Democratic nominee — for an unfiltered, on-the-road interview. In today's episode of Lever Time, you'll hear Platner on where he thinks the Democratic Party went wrong, why he thinks the United States went from President Barack Obama to President Donald Trump, how he feels about combat and war, his latest views on gun policy, and, if he wins, what kind of senator he intends to be. Get ad-free episodes, bonus content and extended interviews by becoming a member at levernews.com/join. To leave a tip for The Lever, click here. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this bite-sized bonus Focus Group episode, Sarah Longwell breaks down the political earthquake in Maine after Janet Mills dropped out of the Senate race. Why are Democratic voters rejecting establishment candidates, forgiving scandals that once would've been disqualifying, and demanding fighters over polished politicians?Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events
【聊了什么】 2026年4月29日，最高法院在 Louisiana v. Callais 案中以6-3裁定，事实上掏空了1965年《投票权法》的第二条，这也是首席大法官罗伯茨在长达四十多年司法生涯的"收官之作"。从2013年的 Shelby County 到今天，南方各州终于可以名正言顺地按党派利益重划选区，而几乎不再受到种族歧视效果的实质约束。本期节目我们请回了林三土老师，和我们一起把这场判决的来龙去脉：1965年VRA是怎么诞生的、两党围绕第二条经历过怎样的拉锯、此前的判决如何为今天埋下伏笔，以及它接下来意味着什么。 除了VRA这条主线，我们也聊了白宫记者晚宴外那场抽象的未遂枪击案、DHS停摆终于在沉默中结束、薛定谔式的伊朗战事，以及缅因州州长Janet Mills退选、Graham Plantner锁定民主党提名——这是民主党的"茶党时刻"，还是只是建制派的又一次失败？ 本期节目录制于5月3日。 更正与澄清：本期节目中提到特朗普被陪审团认定的是"性侵"而不是"强奸"。但 2023 年 8 月联邦法官 Lewis Kaplan 在驳回特朗普反诉时明确写道：说特朗普强奸了 Carroll，这个陈述"实质上是真实的"（substantially true）。之所以 5 月陪审团没勾"rape"那一栏，是因为90年代事发当时的纽约州刑法对强奸的定义非常窄，必须是阴茎侵入阴道（该法2024年已将强奸定义修改为包含更多侵入式性行为）。而陪审团认定的事实是手指强行侵入——这在纽约刑法以外的通用语境里，就是强奸。 【支持我们】 如果喜欢这期节目并希望支持我们将节目继续做下去： 也欢迎加入我们的会员计划： https://theamericanroulette.com/paid-membership/ 会员可以收到每周2-5封newsletter，可以加入会员社群，参加会员活动，并享受更多福利。 合作投稿邮箱：american.roulette.pod@gmail.com 【时间轴】 01:50 路易斯安那 v. Callais：最高法院6-3掏空投票权法第二条 04:36 从1965年立法到罗伯茨的四十年布局 07:12 2019年Rucho案埋下的伏笔 17:08 2010年中期选举：南方政治版图的彻底翻转 24:25 选区重划军备竞赛 39:55 下一步会不会是"一人一票"？ 46:50 选民反对gerrymandering，但也并不懂 56:30 白宫记者晚宴枪击案 1:04:40 DHS停摆结束：没有赢家的胜利 1:08:25 国会乱局 1:14:40 Janet Mills退选与Plantner锁定提名 1:22:33 薛定谔式的伊朗战事 【我们是谁】 美轮美换是一档深入探讨当今美国政治的中文播客。 本期的主播和嘉宾： Talich：美国政治和文化历史爱好者 王浩岚：美国政治爱好者，岚目公众号主笔兼消息二道贩子 小华：媒体人 林垚，政治学、哲学、法学学者，高校教师，公众号“林三土”，播客“时差”、“催稿拉黑”，2024年出版文集《空谈》 【 What We Talked About】 On April 29, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Louisiana v. Callais, effectively gutting Section 2 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. For Chief Justice John Roberts, this is the capstone of a four-decade judicial career devoted to dismantling the VRA. From Shelby County in 2013 to today, Southern states can now openly redraw districts along partisan lines with little meaningful constraint from claims of racial discrimination. In this episode, we're joined once again by Lin Santu to walk through the full arc of the ruling: how the VRA came into being in 1965, how the two parties fought over Section 2 across the decades, how earlier decisions laid the groundwork for what just happened, and what comes next. Beyond the VRA, we also get into the strangely amateurish attempted shooting outside the White House Correspondents' Dinner, the quiet end of the DHS shutdown, the Schrödinger's-cat status of the Iran war, and Maine governor Janet Mills dropping out of the Senate primary while Graham Plantner locks up the Democratic nomination — is this the Democrats' Tea Party moment, or just another defeat for the establishment? Recorded May 3. 【Support Us】 If you like our show and want to support us, please consider the following: Join our membership program: https://theamericanroulette.com/paid-membership/ Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/americanroulette Business Inquiries and fan mail: american.roulette.pod@gmail.com 【Timeline】 01:50 Louisiana v. Callais: Supreme Court Guts Section 2 of the VRA in 6-3 Ruling 04:36 From the 1965 VRA to Roberts' Four-Decade Crusade 07:12 How Rucho v. Common Cause (2019) Set the Stage 17:08 The 2010 Midterms: When the South Flipped for Good 24:25 The Redistricting Arms Race 39:55 Could "One Person, One Vote" Be Next? 46:50 Voters Oppose Gerrymandering — and Don't Really Get It 56:30 The Shooting Outside the White House Correspondents' Dinner 1:04:40 The DHS Shutdown Ends: A Victory With No Winners 1:08:25 Chaos on the Hill 1:14:40 Janet Mills Drops Out as Plantner Locks Up the Nomination 1:22:33 Schrödinger's Iran War 【Who We Are】 The American Roulette is a podcast dedicated to helping the Chinese-speaking community understand fast-changing U.S. politics. Our Hosts and Guests: Talich：Aficionado of American politics, culture, and history 王浩岚 (Haolan Wang): American political enthusiast, chief writer at Lán Mù WeChat Official Account, and peddler of information 小华 (Xiao Hua): Journalist, political observer Lin Yao, scholar of political science, philosophy, and law; university faculty member; author of the WeChat public account "林三土"; host of the podcasts "时差" and "催稿拉黑"; published essay collection Empty Talk (《空谈》) in 2024.
Manu Raju and panelists examine a tough midterm landscape for Donald Trump amid low approval ratings and Democratic polling advantages, while unpacking a Supreme Court ruling limiting the Voting Rights Act and its expected long-term impact on redistricting and polarization. They also discuss how abortion and health care could shape races again, shifts in a key Maine Senate contest after Janet Mills steps aside, and interview Michigan candidate Mallory McMorrow on campaign controversies. The show also covers California's open governor primary and debate over funding a proposed White House ballroom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sam Tripoli, Dylan Wrenn, and Darksmith are back to break down: Comment of the Week, the fake assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents Dinner, Oz Pearlman the Israeli mentalist somehow not seeing it coming, the suspiciously calm reactions from JD Vance, Bondi, and Rubio while Cheryl Hines gets completely ignored by the Secret Service, the Henry Martinez tweet that allegedly named the shooter back in 2023 and whether the whole thing was pre-planted or backdated by Twitter insiders, the rainbow saturation butler-moment psyop and the entire coordinated influencer rollout afterward, Lindsey Graham losing his election and going full kamikaze for a $400 million taxpayer-funded "ballroom" that just happens to look exactly like the Third Temple, Shalom Baranes scoring a no-bid contract via an "urgency exemption" usually reserved for war and disasters, Trump reading scripture about Solomon's house of sacrifice on national television, the "two kings" tweet days after telling 60 Minutes he's not a king, King Charles and Donald Trump being 15th cousins because of course they are, Senate quietly voting down a resolution to block military strikes on Cuba while everyone freaks out about the shooter, Ozempic turning beautiful people into Gila monsters, Anne Hathaway tossing out "inshallah" on the Devil Wears Prada 2 press run, Megan Thee Stallion explaining why Klay Thompson should be paying her $40k a month, the 2027 mandate putting AI surveillance cameras inside every new vehicle and the Hutchinson-style kill-switch implications, Janet Mills vetoing the data center moratorium, weaponized ticks and red-meat allergies conveniently arriving while Bill Gates invests in lab-grown meat, and why moving to the Appalachians might be the only move left. Grab Tickets to Sam's Live Shows Here: https://samtripoli.com/events/ Huntington Beach, CA: 5/05 Austin, TX: 5/22 (Live Taping Of Sam Tripoli's Comedy Special) Albuquerque, NM: 6/12-6/13 Austin, TX: 6/18 Saint Petersburg, FL: 8/14 Lawerence, KS: 9/17-9/19 Tulsa, OK: 10/9-10/10 New Orleans: 11/14 Austin, TX: Dec 11th-13th Buy Our Merch or Sam Will Fight You: https://conspiracy-social-club-aka-deep-waters.myshopify.com/ Subscribe to the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AkaDeepWaters Check out Dylan's instagram - @dylanpetewrenn Check out Deep Waters Instagram: @akadeepwaters Check out Bad Tv podcast: https://bit.ly/3RYuTG0 THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: LUCY Nicotine Pouches Go to LUCY.CO/CSC and use CODE "CSC" for 20% OFF your first online order 1-800 FLOWERS To claim your Double Roses offer before they're gone, visit 1800Flowers.com/CSC BLUECHEW GOLD Go to BlueChew.com and use promo code "DEEP" to get your 3rd month free
Welcome to Last Call, a look at the biggest stories Jim and Greg covered over the past week on the 3 Martini Lunch.This week they break down Nazi tattoo guy Graham Platner effectively clinching the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination in Maine, the Justice Department's new charges against former FBI Director James Comey, and the left's bizarre insistence that the would-be White House Correspondents Dinner shooter was not political despite his manifesto. Plus, they examine the latest twist in Al Gore's climate change charade.First, Jim and Greg break down Gov. Janet Mills dropping out of the Maine U.S. Senate race, a move that all but hands the nomination to Platner. They revisit the disturbing controversies tied to Platner and highlight how aggressively Mills had previously criticized him.Next, they react to a federal grand jury returning two felony indictments against Comey tied to his “8647” Instagram post last year. Comey now faces charges of threatening to kill President Trump and then distributing that threat through social media. Jim and Greg have no love for Comey, but they explain why this prosecution is likely to fail.Then, they focus on the would-be shooter and his manifesto. And Jim and Greg are stunned as Barack Obama and others on the left claim the motive was unknown long after the manifesto had already been released.Finally, they get a good laugh as former Vice President Al Gore, after decades of warning about the supposedly catastrophic effects of global warming, is now sounding the alarm in the opposite direction.Please visit our great sponsors:Fast Growing TreesBetter plants, better growing, and an extra 20% off with code MARTINI at https://FastGrowingTrees.com/Martini for a limited time; terms and conditions may apply.Noble GoldSchedule a free gold strategy session with Noble Gold. Visit https://NobleGoldInvestments.com/3ML to learn how to build lasting financial security.New episodes every weekday.
The BP Friday team looks at Trump considering new attacks on Iran this weekend, Janet Mills dropping out of the Maine Senate Dem primary as Graham Platner's momentum rises, a NYTimes piece on the fears of an AI Underclass, and bizarre allegations from a JPMorgan employee accusing another colleague of sexual slavery. Griffin: https://www.instagram.com/griffinpdavis/ To become a Breaking Points Premium Member and watch/listen to the show AD FREE, uncut and 1 hour early visit: www.breakingpoints.com Merch Store: https://shop.breakingpoints.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on The Editors, Rich, Noah, Michael, and Dan discuss the SCOTUS ruling on racial gerrymandering, the Comey indictment, and the Maine Senate race. Editors' Picks: Rich: Giorgia Meloni's piece “Why ‘Meritocracy' Enrages the Left" Noah: Phil's post “Maine Shows Antisemitism Is a Shortcut to Success in the Modern Democratic Party” MBD: Armond White's piece “The Rummage Sale of The Devil Wears Prada 2” Dan: Noah's post “The Monarchical Logic of Trump's Tariffs” Light Items: Rich: Hotel alarm clocks Noah: Musical season MBD: Your Friends and Neighbors Dan: The Pitt Sponsors:VaerRed Flags PressCatholic Charities This podcast was edited and produced by Sarah Colleen Schutte. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Steve Hayes is joined by Jonah Goldberg, Megan McArdle, and Sarah Isgur to discuss the role of populism within the Democratic Party and the second Department of Justice indictment of James Comey. The Agenda:—Maine Gov. Janet Mills drops Senate bid—Right-wing vs. left-wing populism—Populism meets reality—The James Comey indictment—Indicting political opponents—Future of the justice system The Dispatch Podcast is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hi. Ken Klippenstein joins Katy, Cody, and Jonathan to talk about the Supreme Court effectively overturning the Voting Rights Act, the White House Correspondents' Dinner suspect, Janet Mills dropping out of the Maine Senate Race, and what got cut out of Donald Trump's "60 Minutes" interview.PATREON: https://patreon.com/somemorenewsMERCH: https://shop.somemorenews.comYOUTUBE MEMBERSHIP: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvlj0IzjSnNoduQF0l3VGng/joinMother's Day is Sunday, May 10th and bouquets are selling out fast. To claim your Double Roses offer before they're gone, visit 1800Flowers.com/NEWSSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Friday briefing: Iran war poll; Maine Senate race; border wall construction; Camp Mystic; cow burps; and moreRead today's briefing.
It's Friday, May 1st, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus United Nations urges Pakistan to ban forced conversions and marriages On April 22nd, a United Nations-appointed body urged Pakistan to intensify efforts to eradicate Islamic forced conversions and marriages, noting that young Christian girls consistently fall victim to Islamist coercion, reports MorningStarNews.org. To prevent forced conversions and marriages, Pakistan was urged to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18 across all territories, criminalize forced religious conversion, and enforce laws related to human trafficking and sexual violence. Isaiah 59:7 says, “Their feet run to evil. … They pursue evil schemes; acts of violence mark their ways.” Hegseth to Democrat: “Your hatred for President Trump blinds you.” War Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a blistering rebuke to Democratic Rep. John Garamendi of California, slamming the congressman for labeling the conflict in Iran a "quagmire" during a heated exchange, reports the New York Post. HEGSETH: "When I said reckless, feckless, and defeatist of congressional Democrats at the beginning that came after watching you say the same thing on CNN this morning: ‘a quagmire.' “My generation served in a ‘quagmire' in Iraq and Afghanistan. Years and years of nebulous missions and utopian nation-building that led us to nothing. “The way you stain the troops when you tell them two months in, Congressman, you should know better. Shame on you! Calling this a quagmire two months in. The effort, what they've undertaken, the success on the battlefield that creates strategic opportunities. The courage of a president to confront a nuclear Iran. And you call it a quagmire, handing propaganda to our enemies. “Shame on you for that statement and statements like that are reckless to our troops. Don't say, ‘I support the troops.' on one hand, and then, a two-month mission is a ‘quagmire.' Who are you cheering for here? Who you pulling for? “Our troops are doing incredible work. They've done incredible things for the entirety of this mission and achieved incredible battlefield successes. And you sit there, and go on TV for your click bait, about ‘quagmires.' It undermines the mission. “Your hatred for President Trump blinds you to the truth of the success of this mission and the historic stakes that the President is addressing which the American people support.” GOP Congressman to pro-abort: “What's your favorite form of abortion?” On April 21st, a judiciary hearing in the House of Representatives grew tense when Republican Congressman Brandon Gill of Texas pressed American University scholar Jessica Waters in graphic detail on which abortion procedure she would list as her favorite, reported FoxNews. Listen. GILL: “You're an advocate for abortion, for abortion policy. What's your favorite type of abortion?” WATERS: “I am an advocate for patients having access to the full realm of reproductive health care.” GILL: “But do you have a preferred method of abortion that you like?” WATERS: “I do not.” GILL: “Let me read through a couple different methods, and I want to get your take on how much you like these. The first type is called a suction abortion. This is when the cervix is dilated and a strong suction, 29 times the power of a household vacuum cleaner, tears the baby's body apart and sucks it through the hose into a container. Do you prefer that method?” WATERS: “I stand by my former testimony.” GILL: “That sounds kind of gross, doesn't it? It sounds pretty gruesome. Do you agree? It does to me.” WATERS: “I stand by, um, how I answered your question fully and accurately.” GILL: “Okay. What about this one? This one is called dilation and curettage. After dilation of the cervix, a sharp, looped knife is inserted into the uterus. The baby's body is cut into pieces and extracted, often by suction. Do you prefer that method?” WATERS: “What I believe we are here to talk about today is the [Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances] Act. We are not here to talk about the legality of …” GILL: “You're a pro-abortion advocate. I'm asking if you prefer the dilation and curettage method.” WATERS: “I am access to reproductive health care advocate.” GILL: “You don't want to talk about abortion itself. Why is that?” WATERS: “I would prefer to talk about the reason that the committee called the hearing.” GILL: “Is it because it's uncomfortable to talk about? It should be uncomfortable.” WATERS: “I would prefer, if you would let me finish my statement, to talk about Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which is what I was asked to talk about.” GILL: “We're talking about what that access gets. How about this one? It's called dilation and evacuation. Forceps are inserted into the uterus, grabbing and twisting the baby's body to dismember him or her. If the head is too large, it must be crushed in order to remove it. Do you prefer that method?” WATERS: “I would prefer to talk about the reason the hearing was called and the basis of my expert testimony.” GILL: “It's uncomfortable to hear this, isn't it? I think it is because it's barbaric and evil.” WATERS: “I would prefer to talk about the subject of the hearing.” GILL: “This is the subject of the hearing. This is about protests outside of abortion clinics. I'm asking you about abortion.” WATERS: “I stand by my prior testimony.” GILL: “I wouldn't want to talk about this either if I were you, because it is barbaric and evil.” Proverbs 31:8 says, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.” To thank Texas Republican Congressman Brandon Gill for his unapologetic description of the evil of abortion, send him a two-sentence thank you note to Rep. Brandon Gill, 600 Parker Square, Suite 205, Flower Mound, Texas 75028. Or call his D.C. office at (202) 225-7772. Maine Governor, a liberal Republican, drops out of Senate race And finally, liberal Republican Governor Janet Mills has suspended her candidacy for the U.S. Senate. She announced, "I very simply do not have the one thing that political campaigns unfortunately require today: the financial resources." A year ago, in the midst of the debate over men in women's sports and locker rooms, President Trump predicted the political demise of Governor Mills, to her face, at the White House. Listen. TRUMP: “Two weeks ago, I signed an executive order banning men from playing in women's sports. Many Democrats are fighting me on that. I hope you continue, because you'll never win another race. The NCAA has complied immediately, by the way. That's good. But I understand Maine … Is Maine here? The governor of Maine? Are you not going to comply with it?” MILLS: “I'm complying with state and federal laws.” TRUMP: “We are the federal law. Well, you better do it. You better do it, because you're not going to get any federal funding at all if you don't. “And by the way, your population, even though it's somewhat liberal, although I did very well there, your population doesn't want men playing in women's sports. So, you better, you better comply, because otherwise you're not getting any, any federal funding. MILLS: “See you in court.” TRUMP: “Good. I'll see you in court. I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one. And enjoy your life after Governor, because I don't think you'll be in elected politics.” That leaves Graham Platner, a controversial candidate, as the Democrat front runner in the upcoming June 9th primary. He's been endorsed by Senate leftists Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Ruben Gallego of Arizona, and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico. While GOP incumbent Senator Susan Collins of Maine has a Republican challenger in the June primary, she's likely to win and then run for a sixth term in the November general election. Close And that's The Worldview on this Friday, May 1st, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
Florida lawmakers have approved a new congressional district map designed to flip four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives from Democrat control to Republican, giving Republicans better odds at maintaining control of the chamber. We discuss what this means for voters, how it affects the midterms and whether the redistricting wars will ever end. Plus, Maine Gov. Janet Mills ends her campaign for Senate.This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, political correspondent Ashley Lopez, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
On today's Predictable w/ Stu, Stu reacts to the latest Iran war driven spike in oil prices and breaks down what the markets are signaling about where things could head next and how it may impact the 2026 midterm elections. Plus, the Supreme Court's redistricting ruling has both parties scrambling. Stu looks at which states are best positioned to take advantage and what this decision could mean for the political map moving forward. And finally, Stu's first thoughts on Janet Mills dropping her Maine Senate campaign for Nazi-tattoo enthusiast Graham Platner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's an Emmajority Report Thursday on The Majority Report On today's program: Republicans are feeling the heat going into the midterms. Conservative CNBC host Joe Kernen fact checks Steve Scalise on his lie about gas prices and the war on Iran's effect on the economy. Jeremy Scahill, journalist, author and co-founder of Drop Site News joins Emma to provide updates on the ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. Eli Hager, writer at ProPublica joins Emma to discuss his piece: "The Trump Administration Aims to Penalize Disabled Adults Who Live With Their Families". In the Fun Half: Brandon Sutton and Matt Binder join the show. Janet Mills suspends her Senate campaign in Maine, clearing the path for Graham Platner to be the Democratic Nominee to challenge Susan Collins. Susan Collins refuses to comment on Graham Platner, saying that today is about Janet Mills. Michigan candidate for Senate Haley Stevens says that Israel comes to her in her dreams, and she can see the future of Israel. Please Haley, on behalf of Abdul El-Sayed, please stay in the race. A street performer named Crackhead Barney asks Congressional candidate for NY-12 tries to get Jack Schlossberg to say Free Palestine, but he refuses. Erika Kirk is a lunatic. All that and more. To connect and organize with your local ICE rapid response team visit ICERRT.com The Congress switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. You can use this number to connect with either the U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives. Follow us on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@majorityreportfm Check us out on Twitch here: https://www.twitch.tv/themajorityreport Find our Rumble stream here: https://rumble.com/user/majorityreport Check out our alt YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/majorityreportlive Gift a Majority Report subscription here: https://fans.fm/majority/gift Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here: https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord! https://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!: https://majority.fm/app Go to https://JustCoffee.coop and use coupon code majority to get 10% off your purchase Check out today's sponsors: BABBEL: Learn a new Language and get up to 60% off your subscription at Babbel.com/MAJORITY AURA FRAMES: Exclusive $25-off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/MAJORITY. Promo Code MAJORITY ONESKIN: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code MAJORITY at https://www.oneskin.co/majority SUNSET LAKE CBD: Use coupon code "Left Is Best" for 20% off of your entire order at SunsetLakeCBD.com Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech On Instagram: @MrBryanVokey Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on YouTube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.
Perry Bacon speaks with former NBC News correspondent and editor for the Midcoast Villager in Maine, Alex Seitz-Wald. Right Now with Perry Bacon: a twice-weekly show diving into U.S. politics, democracy, and the authoritarian threats facing America. Each episode, Perry strives to go beyond daily headlines and actually connect the dots to what's happening in America. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Join Jim and Greg for the Thursday 3 Martini Lunch as they react to Nazi tattoo guy Graham Platner effectively clinching the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination in Maine, a powerful new campaign ad from Los Angeles mayoral candiate Spencer Pratt, a possibile rift in the Trump administration over the war in Iran, and a strange new poll in the California governor's race.First, Jim and Greg break down Gov. Janet Mills dropping out of the Maine U.S. Senate race, a move that all but hands the nomination to Platner. They revisit the disturbing controversies tied to Platner and highlight how aggressively Mills had previously criticized him.Next, they applaud Pratt's new ad in the LA mayor's race. It establishes a stark contrast with failed incumbent Karen Bass, but can Bass be defeated in such a deep blue area.Then, they react to a report from The Atlantic suggesting that aides to Vice President JD Vance are concerned that Donald Trump may not be receiving accurate information from the Pentagon regarding the Iran conflict and the state of U.S. missile stockpiles.Finally, they tear apart a new poll on the California governor's race over it's bizarre descriptions of the candidates.Please visit our great sponsors:Pocket HoseFor a limited time, get two free gifts—a 360° rotating pocket pivot and a thumb drive nozzle—when you buy the Pocket Hose Ballistic; just text MARTINI to 64000, message and data rates may apply.Fast Growing TreesBetter plants, better growing, and an extra 20% off with code MARTINI at https://FastGrowingTrees.com/Martini for a limited time; terms and conditions may apply.OneSkinTarget the visible signs of aging with OneSking's OS-01 Peptide. For a limited time, try OneSkin with 15% off using code 3ML at https://Oneskin.co/3MLNew episodes every weekday.
Howie continues to take calls about Janet Mills dropping out, and some callers let Howie know they aren't big fans of Collins but still plan on voting for her. Visit the Howie Carr Radio Network website to access columns, podcasts, and other exclusive content.
Grace starts the show by discussing the news that Janet Mills is bowing out of the Maine Senate race, which leaves Graham Platner as the front runner for the Democratic nomination. Visit the Howie Carr Radio Network website to access columns, podcasts, and other exclusive content.
Howie starts the show discussing the news Janet Mills is bowing out of the race and he gets flooded with calls from Mainers as they discuss the Maine Senate race. Visit the Howie Carr Radio Network website to access columns, podcasts, and other exclusive content.
Sponsored by Hers. Go to forhers.com/rushhour to get started today! In today's afternoon episode of the Rush Hour podcast, we break down the explosive hearing as Pete Hegseth faces intense questioning from senators over what many are calling an unjust war. The pressure ramps up as contradictions emerge and lawmakers demand answers the administration doesn't seem ready to give. Plus, a major political shake-up in Maine: Graham Platner scores a huge victory as Janet Mills drops out of the Senate race, sending shockwaves through the state's political landscape. What this means for the balance of power—and who stands to gain the most—could reshape the upcoming election cycle. All that and more in today's Rush Hour.
Janet Mills' Senate bid in Maine is effectively over — not that it really got off the ground in the first place. She was supposed to be the top-tier recruit, the popular governor-turned-candidate Chuck Schumer believed could finally take down Susan Collins in a state that otherwise leans blue. Instead, she spent the entire race trailing Graham Plattner who, on paper, should've been far easier to beat. It didn't matter what opposition research came out about him or how aggressively it was pushed. None of it stuck, and Mills never found a way to change the trajectory.What stands out is how little impact the traditional playbook had. There was plenty of money, plenty of ads, and a clear attempt to define Plattner early. But the race didn't move. If anything, it exposed a growing gap between campaign strategy and voter behavior. Mills relied heavily on air support, while Plattner was everywhere in person, constantly holding events and staying visible. That contrast ended up mattering more than anything that showed up in a negative ad.Politics Politics Politics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.There's also a broader lesson here about what kind of campaigning is working right now. The candidates who seem to break through are the ones who are constantly engaging, constantly talking, and constantly generating new moments. It's less about message discipline and more about presence. Plattner fits that mold, and Mills never really did. She couldn't match that energy, and in a race like this, that gap becomes impossible to ignore.Now the dynamic shifts to the general election, where Susan Collins gets a matchup she likely prefers. She can run as the steady, familiar option against a more unpredictable opponent, which has been her formula for years. But there's some risk in that calculation. Wanting a specific opponent doesn't always work out the way you expect, and recent political history has a few high profile reminders of that.Still, the immediate takeaway is simple. A highly recruited, well funded candidate lost to someone who just outworked and out-connected her. For all the sophistication in modern campaigns, this ended up being a very basic result. One candidate showed up everywhere, and the other never quite got going.Chapters00:00:00 - Intro00:04:01 - Janet Mills00:08:17 - Michael Cohen on Maine, Texas, and More00:58:58 - Iran Options01:04:58 - DHS Shutdown01:06:31 - Casey Means01:08:54 - Sarah Isgur on Supreme Court Drama01:40:05 - Wrap-up This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe
In our news wrap Thursday, Maine Gov. Mills dropped her Senate bid, Camp Mystic in Texas dropped its summer reopening plans, the Secret Service provided new details about the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting, King Charles and Queen Camilla wrapped up their state visit to the U.S., and the U.S. economy grew 2% in the first quarter of the year compared to 2025. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
Lawmakers around the U.S. are moving to restrict data center development. Maine, for example, recently passed what's being called the country's first statewide ban on data centers. The measure would prohibit building any new data centers until late 2027.As of this taping, Maine's governor, Janet Mills, was reportedly still undecided on whether she'd sign the bill. And 13 other states are also considering bans on data center development, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.Tony Pipa of the Brookings Institution talks more about how much of the pushback has to do with the speed with which data centers are popping up.
Lawmakers around the U.S. are moving to restrict data center development. Maine, for example, recently passed what's being called the country's first statewide ban on data centers. The measure would prohibit building any new data centers until late 2027.As of this taping, Maine's governor, Janet Mills, was reportedly still undecided on whether she'd sign the bill. And 13 other states are also considering bans on data center development, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.Tony Pipa of the Brookings Institution talks more about how much of the pushback has to do with the speed with which data centers are popping up.
© 2020-2026 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
