Podcast appearances and mentions of Janet Mills

Welcome to The Majority Report   On today's program:   The Illinois primaries deliver mixed results for progressives in a series of campaigns flooded with cash from AIPAC, crypto and AI.   Toni Del-Sorbo, Malik Bowers and Luca Negrino from the Gotham Williamsburg Dispensary join Sam to discuss the dispensary's unlawful terminations during their successful union organizing drive to join the Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW.   Maximillian Buchholz, assistant Professor in the Department of City & Regional Planning at UC-Berkeley on to discuss a new working paper published by the London School of Economics entitled "Inequality, Not Regulation, Drives America's Housing Affordability Crisis."   In the Fun Half:   A sexual assault survivor comes out in support of Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner in light of Janet Mills unleashing an attack ad on Platner.   Alex Jones appears on Tim Pool's whilst very intoxicated.   NBC interviews some folks at a rural Pennsylvania gas station about their thoughts on the war in Iran including a triple Trump voter who feels like an idiot for supporting the president.   Senator Rand Paul clashes with Markwayne Mullin at the Senate DHS Secretary Confirmation Hearing.   all that and more   New Yorkers if you live in Senate District 27 which includes the neighborhoods of Lower Manhattan, including the East Village, Tribeca, Little Italy, Chinatown, Soho, and the Financial District and Greenwich Village support Yuh-Line Niou for State Senate    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: PROLON: ProlonLife.com/majority Get 15% off plus a $40 bonus gift when you subscribe to their 5-Day Program. NUTRAFOL: Get $10 off your first month's subscription + free shipping at Nutrafol.com when you use promo code TMR10 SUNSET LAKE:  30% off all CBD tinctures for people and pets with code Spring26 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.com

Stu Burguiere breaks down the complicated and falsehood-riddled legacy of science alarmist Paul Ehrlich following his recent passing at age 93. Then, “The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show” co-host Buck Sexton joins to explain how the Left has burrowed so deeply into our minds and lives and, more importantly, how to get it out. And things are getting nasty between the Democrats in the Maine Senate primary campaign; Stu looks at a new ad from Governor Janet Mills. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss President Donald Trump's press conference last night on the Iran War and Vice President JD Vance's political future. Then, Richard Porter joins them to discuss medical innovation when it comes to treating cancer and what steps could be taken to improve innovation in the healthcare industry. Next, they talk about new polling in the Maine Senate race, where Republican Susan Collins will likely face off against either Graham Platner or Governor Janet Mills. Then finally, they discuss, the AI program called Claude which provides surprising answers when prompted to discuss converting to Christianity. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ralph welcomes sociologist and historian Behrooz Ghamari-Tabrizi to discuss the United States' war of aggression on Iran.Behrooz Ghamari-Tabrizi is an Iranian-born American historian and sociologist. He is a Research Fellow at the Center for Place, Culture, and Politics at the CUNY Graduate Center. He was the Chair of the Department of Near Eastern Studies and Director of the Sharmin and Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies at Princeton University. He is the author of four books on different aspects and historical context of the Iranian revolution of 1979 and its aftermath.The only countries that I see that are in constant violation of international law is the United States and Israel. And frankly, I am speechless, although I'm speaking, but I am speechless—in what universe can this war be justified as self-defense? You listened to Secretary Rubio's speech in Munich where he laments 400 years of colonial rule being lost to this international law and laws of fighting wars because they want to go back to the way things were in the 18th and 19th century. This is a naked expansionist, extortionist administration here, and that's the only reason they have launched this war, and there is absolutely no justification for it.Behrooz Ghamari-TabriziFor years and years, the Israelis have been assassinating Iranian scientists. They were sabotaging Iranian industries. And actually, the Iranian government showed tremendous restraint in responding to these Israeli provocations because they didn't want to create the situation in which we find ourselves today. But then at the end of the day, calling Iran the aggressor here I think is a total ignorance of history and the context in which this war has started.Behrooz Ghamari-TabriziAll these things are not to suggest that the Iranian government in any form or shape is a democratic and just state. But the question here is about the sovereignty of the Iranian state. And the only inheritance of the revolution that has been kept throughout these forty-odd years was the question of sovereignty. Because that was one of the demands of the revolution. The question of social justice was thrown out of the window after the revolution. The question of civil liberties was thrown out of the window after the revolution. The only thing that is left is Iranian sovereignty. And according to every single intelligence study, what Iranians do outside their borders is a defensive posture. Iran does not have an expansionist agenda.Behrooz Ghamari-TabriziNews 3/6/26* Last week, Bill and Hillary Clinton testified before the House Oversight Committee on their respective relationships with financier and sexual predator, Jeffrey Epstein. Hillary Clinton, in a deposition described as contentious, maintained that she had virtually zero connections with Epstein, stating at one point “I am so tired of answering that question,” per PBS. Former President Bill Clinton meanwhile, tried to downplay his relationship with Epstein, describing it as “cordial,” and claiming that he had come to an arrangement with Epstein where the financier provided his private jet for humanitarian trips in exchange for Clinton discussing politics and economics with him. The committee pressed Clinton on this point, noting that Epstein visited the White House numerous times during Clinton's presidency and that there are photos of the two men shaking hands. Clinton told lawmakers he “did not recall those interactions.” These answers leave much to be desired.* Meanwhile, another Epstein associate occupies the Oval Office today – Donald Trump – and on February 26th the Wall Street Journal reported that the Department of Justice, under the stewardship of Attorney General Pam Bondi, has been withholding interviews with a woman who accused President Donald Trump of sexual assault back in the 1980s. As the Journal writes, the suppression of this interview “raises new questions about the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein files release and the pages that have been kept private.” The Journal adds that “Trump officials initially opposed the release of the files and then fumbled their response, including inconsistent redactions that exposed dozens of Epstein victims and initially kept some prominent men's names hidden.” However, on March 5th, POLITICO reported that the FBI has now published a trio of FBI interviews with the woman who accused the president of sexually assaulting her in collusion with Jeffrey Epstein. Trump and his allies categorically deny any wrongdoing on the part of the president, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt calling the allegations “completely baseless…backed by zero credible evidence, from a sadly disturbed woman who has an extensive criminal history.” This story also highlights what is sure to be the next flashpoint in this saga: on Wednesday, a House committee voted to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify about her handling of the Epstein files.* Turning to media news, last week we covered how Paramount-Skydance, led by the Ellison family and backed by the Trump administration, outmaneuvered Netflix to close a deal acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery – including CNN. Throughout this process, many have raised the alarm that if the Ellisons were to get their hands on CNN, they would turn it over to their ideological attack dog, Bari Weiss, as they did with CBS News. Variety is now echoing those concerns, reporting that “It's expected that Weiss will have a big role in steering CNN.” Just what exactly this role will be remains to be seen, but given her tenure as editor-in-chief of CBS News, there is much cause for concern.* In related news, Variety reports Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has filed to sell 4,004,149 shares – over $114 million worth of stock – in the company following the announcement of the sale to Paramount, including Paramount's eye-popping offer of $31 per share. Zaslav retains additional stock and options which he could cash out as the deal moves forward. Curiously, even as the Trump administration backed the Paramount buyout over the Netflix deal, the president himself continues to bank on the fiscal stability of the streaming giant, with the Hollywood Reporter documenting that Trump bought between $600,000 and $1.25 million worth of Netflix debt in January, adding to the $500,000 to $1 million in Netflix bonds that he purchased in December. This story notes that while the Netflix-Warner deal fell through, Netflix walked away with a $2.8 billion “break-up fee,” and an investment grade credit rating, unlike both WBD and Paramount.* Looking at domestic politics, this week primaries were held in Texas and North Carolina which yielded the nomination of James Talarico in Texas, beating out Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett for the Democratic nod, and the razor thin victory of incumbent Valerie Foushee over her progressive challenger Nida Allam in the Durham-Chapel Hill region. But many more primary battles lay ahead, perhaps the most interesting of which is unfolding in Maine, where the Bernie Sanders-backed veteran-turned-oysterman Graham Platner is duking it out with Chuck Schumer's preferred candidate, outgoing Governor Janet Mills. Platner, despite damaging stories, has continued to draw massive crowds and enjoys a huge polling advantage. Last week, Platner's allies, led by United Autoworkers President Shawn Fain, staged a sort of intervention with Schumer, with Fain lambasting the “shortcomings” in Democratic leaders' approach to the 2026 midterms, “particularly their failure to adequately listen to working-class voters.” Michael Monahan, a high-level official in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, also sent a letter to the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee strongly urging the DSCC to “refrain from intervening further in [the Maine] primary.” A mid-February independent poll found Platner with a 38-point lead over Mills among likely Democratic primary voters, yet the party continues to back Mills to the hilt. This from NBC.* Our remaining stories this week concern foreign affairs. First, in South Africa, it seems the forces of the Left are looking to pool their support by entering into a political alliance. According to TimesLIVE, a prominent South African online newspaper, the country's largest standalone Left party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has convened with the South African Communist Party (SACP) to discuss such an electoral pact. The SACP has long participated in a tripartite alliance with the African National Congress party (ANC), which has ruled South Africa since the end of Apartheid, but recently announced they would contest elections independently. The EFF and SACP emphasized that their priorities align on the “deep crises confronting South Africa: de-industrialisation, austerity-driven fiscal consolidation, collapsing energy security, mass unemployment, and extreme poverty.”* In another major political realignment, the Green Party of England and Wales is surging as the Labour Party, under the centrist leadership of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, continues to lose ground to the Nigel Farage-led far right party, Reform UK. The rise of the Green Party has been bubbling for some time, as progressive voters feel betrayed by Labour and the momentum behind Jeremy Corbyn's “Your Party” has fizzled, but the first major test occurred recently in the Labour stronghold riding of Groton and Denton in Greater Manchester. According to the BBC, this marks the first ever win for the Greens in a by-election, with 34-year-old plumber Hannah Spencer becoming the party's first ever MP in northern England. Reform ran second, with Labour dropping by 25% into third place. Moreover, Zeteo reports the Greens have leapfrogged ahead of Labour in national polling, second only to Reform and has become the single most popular party among voters under 50. For the past five months, the Greens have been led by self-described “eco-populist” Zack Polanski, and have espoused policies including giving councils the power to control rents, extending free school meals to all children, and imposing a new ‘wealth tax' on assets above £10m.* In Congress, Representative Ro Khanna has introduced the West Bank Human Rights Resolution to Condemn Israeli Settlement Expansion. This resolution is described as utilizing far more specific language to condemn “Israeli settler violence and referencing potential sanctions tools while also calling for a review of US policies that may indirectly subsidise settlement activity,” per the Middle East Eye. In part, this resolution is a response to the Israeli government's February 8th approval of “sweeping changes to land registration and civil control in Areas A and B of the West Bank, which Palestinians say breach the Oslo Accords and advance de facto annexation.” This resolution was drafted in conjunction with Cameron Kasky, the survivor of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting who has become a leading activist on rights for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. In a statement upon the introduction of this resolution, Kasky wrote “this is a necessary measure for Democrats and Republicans to unite behind the upholding of international law. Democrats and Republicans can agree that U.S. taxpayer money being used to subsidize the violation of international law is an outrage.”* Our final two stories concern the U.S. attacks on Iran. First, a bizarre sequence of conflicting claims between the U.S. and Spain have left many observers puzzled. First, on March 3rd, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez addressed the Iberian nation, saying “Very often great wars start with a chain of events spiralling out of control due to miscalculations, technical failures, and unforeseen circumstances. Therefore, we must learn from history and cannot play Russian roulette with the fate of millions.” Sánchez warned of “repeating the mistakes of the past,” and drew a comparison with the invasion of Iraq, concluding his government's position is “No to war,” per CNBC. More pointedly, the Spanish government prevented two jointly operated bases in its territory from being used in the strikes on Iran. Trump responded on the 4th by vowing to cut off all trade with Madrid, saying “Spain has been terrible…We don't want anything to do with Spain.” Then, on March 5th, Karoline Leavitt told the press that “With respect to Spain, I think they heard the president's message yesterday loud and clear, and it's my understanding, over the past several hours, they've agreed to cooperate with the U.S. military.” Yet, the Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares immediately responded that “The Spanish government's position on the war in the Middle East ... and the use of our bases has not changed at all.” This also from CNBC. Trump's threat to cut off trade with Spain would be difficult to follow through on, given that the 27 nations in the European Union negotiate trade agreements collectively,* Finally, far from assuaging concerns about the attacks on Iran leading to blowback, the Hill reports that, when asked during a phone call with Time magazine about whether Americans should be worried about a potential strike on the homeland, Trump replied, “I guess.” Trump went on to say “We think about it all the time. We plan for it. But yeah…we expect some things…some people will die. When you go to war, some people will die.” Stunningly, despite Trump openly declaring that we are at war with Iran sans congressional authorization and even casually admitting Americans could be killed on home soil, the feckless Congress has voted down War Powers resolutions in the House and Senate. In the upper house, the bill introduced by Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, failed 47-53, with Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky crossing party lines to support it while Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania crossed party lines to vote nay, per the AP. A similar measure in the House, introduced by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie – the duo behind the Epstein Files Transparency Act and other war powers resolutions including on Venezuela – failed by a vote of 212-219. In addition to Massie, Republican Rep. Warren Davison of Ohio voted in favor of the resolution, while four House Democrats voted nay, per Axios. Again the question is presented to us, if this won't shock Congress to action, what will?This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate running for Senate in Maine, stops by the studio to talk with Jon about Trump's impending conflict with Iran, the future of Medicare for All, and what community organizing in rural Maine taught him about building political power in our polarized era. The two discuss new polls showing Platner leading Janet Mills in the Democratic Senate primary, how his tattoo controversy has resonated with Maine voters, and what he wants to change about the Democratic Party to rebuild a winning, working-class coalition.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Chuck Todd unpacks the fallout from Trump's State of the Union address and previews what's shaping up to be a pivotal primary season. He argues that the speech wasn't designed to be coherent — it was engineered for social media moments and base solidification, with Trump drafting off the popularity of others like the Olympic hockey team rather than making a case to swing voters, and echoing Biden's mistake of trying to sell a country that doesn't feel it on the economy. He breaks down the JD Vance "fraud czar" announcement and the immediate move to suspend Medicaid funding to Minnesota as classic base-juicing, then pivots to a sharp analysis of the Iran standoff: Trump's base won't tolerate a prolonged war but might accept limited strikes, Iran knows this and could rope-a-dope the administration, and you can't air strike your way to regime change. He argues that Cuba on the brink of societal collapse with Cuban Americans eager to help rebuild — represents a far easier foreign policy win that Trump is inexplicably ignoring. He then turns to the Texas primaries, where Cornyn has trailed Paxton in every poll and likely can't win without a Trump endorsement, while the Crockett-Talarico Democratic race is showing Clinton-Sanders demographic splits with Crockett leading among groups more likely to actually vote. He notes that many of Chuck Schumer's recruited candidates nationally are already losing, and that the establishment is deeply unpopular this cycle — with a new poll showing insurgent Graham Platner crushing Janet Mills by 40 points as further proof that 2026 is shaping up as an anti-establishment wave. Katherine Mangu-Ward — editor-in-chief of Reason magazine and author of the viral New York Times op-ed "Libertarians: We Told You So" — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a sharp, wide-ranging conversation about what the libertarian moment looks like when executive power has run amok. She opens with a disarming observation: Americans tend to discover their inner libertarian whenever they dislike the president — and notes that a version of her op-ed could have been written under Biden too. But the Trump era, she argues, has vindicated libertarian warnings in ways that should alarm everyone: warrantless ICE entries that have silenced the very conservatives who once championed the Fourth Amendment, tech CEO congressional hearings that were really about locking in corporate access to state power, and a cronyism so brazen it has paradoxically made citizens hate corporations more than the government enabling them. The conversation takes a fascinating turn into policy territory rarely explored on political podcasts. Mangu-Ward engages seriously with the question of whether there's a libertarian case for nationalized healthcare. They also tackle Trump turning Democrats into free-trade activists, the risks of economic nationalism, why demands for safety net cuts fall far short of solving the budget problem, and the fine line between prediction markets and sportsbooks. Looking ahead to 2026, Mangu-Ward points to Arizona — a state that has always produced what she calls "mutant strains" of libertarianism — as the place to watch for whether libertarian-leaning candidates can finally break through at the ballot box. Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and explains his beef with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Go to https://zbiotics.com/CHUCKTODDCAST and use CHUCKTODDCAST at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics.” 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. 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! Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. American Finance Disclaimer: NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1081, for details about credit costs and terms. Or https://apply.americanfinancing.net/thechucktoddcast Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 04:00 Initial fallout from Trump’s State of the Union speech 05:45 Trump’s focus is to solidify his base, not reach swing voters 07:00 Speech wasn’t coherent, it was meant for social media moments 07:45 Trump tried to draft on the popularity of others during speech 08:30 Like Biden, Trump tried to sell the country that the economy is working 10:30 Trump announced JD Vance as “fraud czar” 11:15 Vance announces they’ll suspend Medicaid funding to Minnesota 12:15 Trump isn’t politically nimble, but knows how to juice the base 13:15 Trump’s speech only played one note to his base 15:30 It’s tough to understand what Trump is up to with Iran 16:15 Trump’s base won’t accept a prolonged war with Iran, just limited strikes 17:00 Iran knows Trump’s base isn’t on board, could rope-a-dope him 18:45 You can’t air strike your way to regime change… so what’s the plan? 20:00 25% chance of regime change, 25% chance it strengthens regime 21:15 Trump’s impatience is one of his worst political instincts 22:15 Cuba is on the brink of societal/regime collapse 23:00 Cuban Americans would jump at opportunity to rebuild Cuba 24:15 Cuba is a much easier potential foreign policy victory for Trump 25:30 War with Iran could be a massive resource drain on the U.S. 26:00 Primary season about to kick off, starting with Texas 26:30 What happens in Dem primary, will affect GOP runoff 27:15 Cornyn has trailed Paxton in every poll 28:30 Cornyn can’t win without Trump’s endorsement 30:15 Divide between Talarico and Crockett has been fascinating 30:45 Bernie Sanders & AOC have stayed out of Texas primary 32:00 If 3rd candidate gets over 3 points, real chance of Dem runoff 33:00 Polling for Talarico/Crockett shows similar splits to Clinton/Sanders 33:45 Crockett ahead with demographic groups more likely to vote 35:00 Talarico is trying to tout his electability in the general 36:00 It’s hard to know whether Talarico or Crockett is more electable 39:00 If Talarico wins, it might force Trump off the fence & to back Cornyn 40:30 It will be hard for Dems to win in Texas, but it will be competitive 41:15 Many people are betting Talarico will be the next Pete Buttigieg 42:15 New poll shows Graham Platner beating Janet Mills by 40 points 44:00 Many candidates Chuck Schumer recruited are losing 45:15 The establishment is deeply unpopular this year 54:30 Katherine Mangu-Ward joins the Chuck ToddCast 55:30 We’re all more libertarian when we don’t like the president 56:15 Motivation for writing NYT op-ed “Libertarians: We Told You So” 58:00 Libertarian has been typically conservative in western U.S. 59:00 Kentucky has been sending most libertarians to congress 1:00:00 Different version of Op-ed could have been written under Biden 1:01:45 American elections recently haven’t given anyone a mandate 1:03:00 Supreme Court begged congress to do their job in tariff decision 1:04:30 Where are the conservatives now that warrantless entries are happening? 1:06:00 Trump has bullied out libertarians and unsupportive Republicans 1:08:15 Biggest worries about big tech are worries about the state 1:09:45 Don’t want big tech to enable state actions against individual rights 1:11:45 We might need a cultural sea change for congress to rein in big tech 1:13:15 Trump’s cronyism has made citizens hate only corporations, not government 1:14:00 Less government reduces opportunity for cronyism 1:16:00 Tech CEO hearings were CEOs trying to lock in their place 1:17:00 Market discipline does seem to be working in the AI space 1:18:30 Where is some government regulation acceptable for libertarians? 1:20:30 Trump has turned Democrats into free-trade activists 1:22:00 The risks of economic nationalism 1:24:30 Where do libertarians draw the line on the social safety net? 1:25:15 Demands for safety net cuts fall very short of solving budget problem 1:27:00 Student loan debt forgiveness would benefit higher earners 1:28:30 More people want government to have a larger role 1:30:45 Is there a libertarian argument for nationalized healthcare? 1:32:45 Regulation in healthcare & childcare have exploded costs 1:35:00 Market forces haven’t worked in healthcare pricing 1:36:30 We’re being lied to about pricing practices in healthcare 1:37:45 Should insurance be able to price based on preexisting conditions? 1:39:30 Catastrophic coverage is basically illegal now 1:40:45 We should just pay out of pocket for small, regular procedures 1:42:15 Charity or government subsidies should assist preexisting conditions 1:45:00 How would a libertarian clean up the prediction markets? 1:47:30 Not a major difference between prediction markets & sportsbooks 1:50:00 Will libertarians have a moment at the ballot box in 2026? 1:50:45 Arizona has always produced mutant strains of libertarian 1:54:00 Arizona has always been libertarian socially & economically 1:55:30 It’d be interesting to hear a libertarian proposal for healthcare 1:56:00 Ask Chuck 1:56:15 Will Republicans divert focus from anti-trans rhetoric to the economy? 1:59:00 Trump’s three part strategy to State of the Union? 2:02:45 Does America’s GDP actually translate to a higher standard of living? 2:05:30 How can Florida's government function without property tax? 2:09:30 After the TX & NC primaries, will GOP candidates distance from Trump? 2:12:45 Thoughts on the Rock & Roll Hall of FameSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd unpacks the fallout from Trump's State of the Union address and previews what's shaping up to be a pivotal primary season. He argues that the speech wasn't designed to be coherent — it was engineered for social media moments and base solidification, with Trump drafting off the popularity of others like the Olympic hockey team rather than making a case to swing voters, and echoing Biden's mistake of trying to sell a country that doesn't feel it on the economy. He breaks down the JD Vance "fraud czar" announcement and the immediate move to suspend Medicaid funding to Minnesota as classic base-juicing, then pivots to a sharp analysis of the Iran standoff: Trump's base won't tolerate a prolonged war but might accept limited strikes, Iran knows this and could rope-a-dope the administration, and you can't air strike your way to regime change. He argues that Cuba on the brink of societal collapse with Cuban Americans eager to help rebuild — represents a far easier foreign policy win that Trump is inexplicably ignoring. He then turns to the Texas primaries, where Cornyn has trailed Paxton in every poll and likely can't win without a Trump endorsement, while the Crockett-Talarico Democratic race is showing Clinton-Sanders demographic splits with Crockett leading among groups more likely to actually vote. He notes that many of Chuck Schumer's recruited candidates nationally are already losing, and that the establishment is deeply unpopular this cycle — with a new poll showing insurgent Graham Platner crushing Janet Mills by 40 points as further proof that 2026 is shaping up as an anti-establishment wave. Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and explains his beef with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Go to https://zbiotics.com/CHUCKTODDCAST and use CHUCKTODDCAST at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics.” 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. 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! Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. American Finance Disclaimer: NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1081, for details about credit costs and terms. Or https://apply.americanfinancing.net/thechucktoddcast Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 01:45 Initial fallout from Trump’s State of the Union speech 03:30 Trump’s focus is to solidify his base, not reach swing voters 04:45 Speech wasn’t coherent, it was meant for social media moments 05:30 Trump tried to draft on the popularity of others during speech 06:15 Like Biden, Trump tried to sell the country that the economy is working 08:15 Trump announced JD Vance as “fraud czar” 09:00 Vance announces they’ll suspend Medicaid funding to Minnesota 10:00 Trump isn’t politically nimble, but knows how to juice the base 11:00 Trump’s speech only played one note to his base 13:15 It’s tough to understand what Trump is up to with Iran 14:00 Trump’s base won’t accept a prolonged war with Iran, just limited strikes 14:45 Iran knows Trump’s base isn’t on board, could rope-a-dope him 16:30 You can’t air strike your way to regime change… so what’s the plan? 17:45 25% chance of regime change, 25% chance it strengthens regime 19:00 Trump’s impatience is one of his worst political instincts 20:00 Cuba is on the brink of societal/regime collapse 20:45 Cuban Americans would jump at opportunity to rebuild Cuba 22:00 Cuba is a much easier potential foreign policy victory for Trump 23:15 War with Iran could be a massive resource drain on the U.S. 23:45 Primary season about to kick off, starting with Texas 24:15 What happens in Dem primary, will affect GOP runoff 25:00 Cornyn has trailed Paxton in every poll 26:15 Cornyn can’t win without Trump’s endorsement 28:00 Divide between Talarico and Crockett has been fascinating 28:30 Bernie Sanders & AOC have stayed out of Texas primary 29:45 If 3rd candidate gets over 3 points, real chance of Dem runoff 30:45 Polling for Talarico/Crockett shows similar splits to Clinton/Sanders 31:30 Crockett ahead with demographic groups more likely to vote 32:45 Talarico is trying to tout his electability in the general 33:45 It’s hard to know whether Talarico or Crockett is more electable 36:45 If Talarico wins, it might force Trump off the fence & to back Cornyn 38:15 It will be hard for Dems to win in Texas, but it will be competitive 39:00 Many people are betting Talarico will be the next Pete Buttigieg 40:00 New poll shows Graham Platner beating Janet Mills by 40 points 41:45 Many candidates Chuck Schumer recruited are losing 43:00 The establishment is deeply unpopular this yearSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, and Mike Johnson hint at plans to steal the midterm elections, from "nationalizing" the voting to straight-up sending ICE to "surround" the polls. Jon and Dan sound the alarm and offer Democrats some advice on how to respond. Then, they react to Border Czar Tom Homan's announcement that 700 DHS officers (out of 3,000) will be leaving Minneapolis, Vice President Vance's refusal to apologize to the family of Alex Pretti for calling him a "domestic terrorist," and Jeff Bezos's gutting of The Washington Post. Then Dan talks to Maine Governor and Senate candidate Janet Mills about ICE's operations in her state, what blue states can do to protect the midterms, and whether the Democratic Party has an age problem.

The Majority Report’s Emma Vigeland stops by to discuss Trump’s attempt to seize the election—and the pushback it’s getting from within his own party. Maine Governor Janet Mills about her run to become the Democratic nominee for Senate in the great state of Maine, as she looks to take Senator Susan Collins’s seat.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Monday Fun Day on the Majority Report On today's program: Progressive Democrat, Taylor Rehmet wins a special state senate election for Texas SD-9 by 17 points in a district that hasn't elected a democrat in 25 years. Despite posting at several times on Truth Social endorsing the GOP candidate, Donald Trump claims that he knows nothing about the election. Co-host of the TrueAnon Podcast, Brace Belden joins the program to discuss the Epstein files. In the Fun Half: At a breakfast event in New York City, Sen. Chuck Schumer brags about how Israel has received the most amount of aid funding ever as polling shows that only 4% of democrats support increasing monies for Israel. Trump is closing the Kennedy Center, citing needed renovations but fails to mention that dozens of booked acts have cancelled since he took control of the venue. Thousands of people filled the streets of downtown Portland, Maine to speak out against ICE and supporting the national strike as Janet Mills enjoys dinner at a nice restaurant. 5-year-old Liam Ramos has been temporarily released from the Texas detection facility. Around 330,000 Haitians face losing their temporary protected status and Jewish seniors in Florida are offering to hide their Haitian caregivers in their apartments. 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: SMALLS: For a limited time, get 60% off your first order, plus free shipping, when you head to Smalls.com/majority SHOPIFY: Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/majority WILD GRAIN: Get $30 off your first box + free Croissants in every box. Go to Wildgrain.com/MAJORITY to start your subscription. SUNSET LAKE: Use coupon code "Left Is Best" (all one word) 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.com

Two American citizens have been killed by federal agents in Minneapolis in less than three weeks. On January 24, 2026, ICU nurse Alex Pretti was shot ten times..mostly in the back...after trying to help a woman who had been shoved to the ground by ICE agents. Video shows he was disarmed before he was killed. Within hours, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem called him a "domestic terrorist." Hours after his death, Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a letter to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz with a chilling demand: hand over your state's voter rolls, or the federal agents stay. In this episode, Robin connects the dots between the ICE occupation of Minneapolis, the expansion to Maine, and the Trump administration's nationwide campaign to seize voter data from 24 states. What emerges is a terrifying picture: immigration enforcement as political weapon, federal agents as a goon squad punishing dissent, and a roadmap to consolidated authoritarian power.The execution of Alex Pretti: What the videos show vs. what DHS claimsWitness affidavits: Shot in the back, after being disarmedKristi Noem and Stephen Miller's "domestic terrorist" liePam Bondi's extortion letter: Voter rolls for peaceWhy Minnesota? Why Maine? The pattern of targeting Democratic statesThe DOJ's lawsuit against 24 states for voter dataDOGE's secret agreement to share Social Security data with election deniersWhere this is heading: Escalation, Insurrection Act, rigged midtermsThe witness who is terrified ICE is coming for herWhere is the Democratic Party?Connect With UsInstagram: @wesawthedevilpodcastTwitter/X: @wesawthedevilFacebook: @wesawthedevilPatreon: patreon.com/wesawthedevilSupport the Show If this episode resonated with you, please:Leave a 5-star rating and review on Apple PodcastsShare this episode with someone who needs to hear itSupport us on Patreon for bonus content and early accessKeywords Alex Pretti, Minneapolis shooting, ICE, Border Patrol, immigration enforcement, Kristi Noem, Pam Bondi, Tim Walz, Minnesota, voter rolls, voter suppression, DOJ lawsuit, federal agents, police brutality, state violence, Trump administration, authoritarianism, fascism, democracy, civil rights, political commentary, news analysis, current events, January 2026, Operation Metro Surge, Maine ICE raids, Janet Mills, sanctuary cities, DHS, Department of Homeland Security, execution, American citizen, registered nurse, protest, political podcast, progressive podcast, true crime adjacent, government accountability, DOGE, voter data, election integrity, Insurrection Act, national guard, political violence, Stephen Miller, Minneapolis ICE, federal occupation, immigration policy, human rightsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/we-saw-the-devil-crime-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.

Gov. Janet Mills of Maine discusses ICE's new operations in her state; MS NOW's David Noriega reports on Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty's lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security in response to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti; and why deploying armed and poorly trained paramilitary forces into America's cities is a recipe for chaos. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Recorded on January 20—the day before the launch of major ICE enforcement operations—host Billy Shore speaks with Jim Wallis, founding chair of Georgetown's Center on Faith and Justice, about federal immigration actions targeting Maine communities, featuring clips from Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Gov. Janet Mills. This episode explores faith-driven courage, community solidarity amid fear, and the destabilizing impact on families and children.​See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With the American republic hanging in the balance, Ralph calls on Democrats to pressure Republicans in the House and Senate to impeach Trump before the midterms or suffer the consequences. Then, we welcome Dino Grandoni, co-author of a Washington Post report on the surprising ways various species of animals and plants help advance our own health and longevity.Dino Grandoni is a reporter who covers life sciences for the Washington Post. He was part of a reporting team that was a finalist for the 2025 Pulitzer Prize in National Reporting for coverage of Hurricane Helene. He previously covered the Environmental Protection Agency and wrote a daily tipsheet on energy and environmental policy. He is co-author (with Hailey Haymond and Katty Huertas) of the feature “50 Species That Save Us.”The Democrats—while there are people like constitutional law expert Jamie Raskin (who has said a shadow hearing to publicly educate the American people on impeachment “is a good idea”) he's been muzzled by Hakeem Jeffries and Charlie Schumer, who basically don't want the Democrats to use the word impeachment. So who's using the word impeachment the most? Donald Trump—not only wants to impeach judges who decide against him, but he's talking about the Democrats impeaching him, and he uses the word all the time. So we have an upside-down situation here where the opposition party is not in the opposition on the most critical factor, which is that we have the most impeachable President in American history, getting worse by the day.Ralph NaderIf the founding fathers came back to life today, would any of them oppose the impeachment, conviction, and removal of office of Donald J. Trump, who talks about being a monarch? That's what they fought King George over. Of course, they would all support it.Ralph NaderWhat we have in these cards and in our stories at the Washington Post here are examples of the ways we know, the ways that scientists have uncovered how plants and animals help us. But we don't know what we don't know. There are likely numerous other ways that plants and animals are protecting human well-being that we don't know and we may very well never know if some of these species go extinct.Dino GrandoniI'm always eager to find these connections between human well-being and the well-being of nature and try to describe them in ways that are compelling to readers that get them to care about protecting nature. And also finding those instances (because I want to be objective here) of when human well-being and the well-being of nature might be in conflict, and that might involve some tough decisions that we as a society or policymakers have to make.Dino GrandoniNews 1/16/25* Our top two stories this week concern corporate wrongdoing. First, Business Insider reports that the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection has released a new report which estimates Uber Eats and DoorDash, by altering their tipping processes in the city – moving tipping prompts to less prominent locations after checkout so upfront delivery costs would appear lower – have deprived gig delivery workers of $550 million since December 2023. As this piece notes, that was the month that New York City's minimum pay law for delivery workers took effect. As a result, “The average tip for delivery workers on the apps dropped 75%...from $3.66 to $0.93, one week after the apps made the changes…The figure has since declined to $0.76 per delivery.” This report presages a new city law that “requires the apps to offer customers the option to tip before or during checkout. Both Uber and DoorDash have sued the City over the law, which is set to take effect on January 26.” Whether the administration will stick to their guns on this issue, in the face of corporate pressure, will be a major early test for Mayor Zohran Mamdani.* Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reports UnitedHealth Group “deployed aggressive tactics to collect payment-boosting diagnoses for its Medicare Advantage members.” As the Journal explains, “In Medicare Advantage, the federal government pays insurers a lump sum to oversee medical benefits for seniors and disabled people. The government pays extra for patients with certain costly medical conditions, a process called risk adjustment.” A new report from the Senate Judiciary Committee found that UnitedHealth had “turned risk adjustment into a business,” thereby exploiting Medicare Advantage and systematically and fraudulently overbilling the federal government. Due to its structure, advocates like Ralph Nader have long warned that Medicare Advantage is ripe for waste fraud and abuse, in addition to being an inferior program for seniors compared to traditional Medicare. This report supports the accuracy of these warnings. Yet, Dr. Mehmet Oz Trump's appointee to head the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, is a longtime proselytizer for Medicare Advantage and this setback is unlikely to make him reverse course, no matter the cost to patients or taxpayers.* Yet, even as these instances of corporate criminal lawlessness pile up, the Trump administration is all but abolishing the police on the corporate crime beat. In a new report, Rick Claypool, corporate crime research director at Public Citizen, documents how the administration has “canceled or halted a total of 159 enforcement actions against 166 corporations.” This amounts to corporations avoiding payments totaling $3.1 billion in penalties for misconduct. This report further documents how these corporations have ingratiated themselves with Trump, via donations to his inauguration or ballroom project, or more typical revolving door or lobbying arrangements. As Claypool himself puts it, “The ‘law enforcement' claims the White House uses as a pretext for authoritarian anti-immigrant crackdowns, city occupations, and imperial resource seizures abroad lose all credibility when cast against the lawlessness Trump allows for the pursuit of corporate profits.”* In another instance of a Trump administration giveaway to corporations, the New York Times reports the Environmental Protection Agency will “Stop Considering Lives Saved When Setting Rules on Air Pollution.” Under the new regulatory regime, the EPA will “estimate only the costs to businesses of complying with the rules.” The Times explains that different administrations have balanced these competing interests differently, always faced with the morbid dilemma of how much, in a dollar amount, to value human life; but “until now, no administration has counted it as zero.”* Moving to Congress, the big news from the Legislative Branch this week has to do with Bill and Hillary Clinton. NPR reports Congressman James Comer, Chair of the House Oversight Committee, issued subpoenas to the former president and former Secretary of State to testify in a committee hearing related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In a letter published earlier this week, the Clintons formally rejected the subpoenas, calling them “legally invalid.” The Clintons' refusal to appear tees up an opportunity for Congress to exercise its contempt power and force the couple to testify. Democrats on the Oversight Committee, who agreed to issue the subpoenas as part of a larger list, have noted that “most of the other people have not been forced to testify,” indicating that this is a political stunt rather than an earnest effort. That said, there is little doubt that, at least, former President Clinton knows more about the Epstein affair than he has stated publicly thus far and there is a good chance Congress will vote through a contempt resolution and force him to testify.* In the Senate, Elizabeth Warren, Chris Murphy and other liberal Senators are “urging their Democratic colleagues to pivot to economic populism by ‘confronting' corporate power and billionaires, warning that just talking about affordability alone won't move swing voters who backed President Trump in 2024,” per the Hill. Senators Adam Schiff of California and Tina Smith of Minnesota also signed this memo. The Senators cited a recent poll that found Americans “increasingly cannot afford basic goods such as medical care and groceries,” but they also warned that “Bland policy proposals — without a narrative explaining who is getting screwed and who is doing the screwing – will not work.” Hopefully this forceful urging by fellow Senators will move the needle within the Democratic caucus in the upper house. Nothing else seems to have driven the point home.* One candidate who seems to understand this message is Graham Platner of Maine. Platner, who is endorsed by Bernie Sanders, has a controversial past that includes a career in the Marines and a stint working for the private military contractor Blackwater. However, he is running as a staunch economic populist and New Deal style progressive Democrat – and the message appears to be working. According to Zeteo, a poll conducted in mid-December found Platner up by 15 points in the primary over his opponent, current Governor Janet Mills. More concerning is the fact that this same poll shows both Platner and Mills in a dead heat with incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins, indicating this could be a brutal, protracted and expensive campaign.* On the other end of the spectrum, Axios reported this week that former Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney, who once led the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and then served as President Biden's ambassador to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, has accepted a role as CEO and president of the Coalition for Prediction Markets. The coalition is essentially a trade association for betting websites; members include Kalshi, Crypto.com Robinhood and Coinbase, among others. The coalition will leverage Maloney's influence with Democrats, along with former Republican Congressman Patrick McHenry's influence across the aisle, to lobby for favorable regulation for their industry.* Turning to foreign affairs, prosecutors in South Korea have announced that they are seeking the death penalty for former President Yoon Suk-Yeol on “charges of masterminding an insurrection over his brief imposition of martial law in December 2024,” per Reuters. In a stunning courtroom revelation, a prosecutor said during closing arguments that “investigators confirmed the existence of a scheme allegedly directed by Yoon and his former defence minister, Kim Yong-hyun, dating back to October 2023 designed to keep Yoon in power.” The prosecutor added that “The defendant has not sincerely regretted the crime... or apologised properly to the people.” As this piece notes, South Korea has not carried out a death sentence in nearly three decades. Even still, it is remarkable to see how this case has unfolded compared to the reaction of the American judicial system to Donald Trump's attempted self-coup on January 6th, 2021.* Finally, turning to Latin America, many expected the fall of Nicolás Maduro to mean a redoubled energy crisis for the long-embargoed island nation of Cuba. Yet, the Financial Times reports that in fact, “Mexico overtook Venezuela to become Cuba's top oil supplier in 2025…helping the island weather a sharp drop in Venezuelan crude shipments.” CBS adds that “Despite President Trump's social media pronouncement…that ‘there will be no more oil or money going to Cuba — zero,' the current U.S. policy is to allow Mexico to continue to provide oil to the island, according to Energy Secretary Chris Wright.” For the time being, the administration seems open to maintaining this status quo – including maintaining cordial relations with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum – though this appears more strained than ever. Sheinbaum harshly criticized the kidnapping of Maduro, stating “unilateral action and invasion cannot be the basis for international relations in the 21st century,” while Republican Congressman Carlos Gimenez has threatened that there could be “serious consequences for trade between our countries” if Sheinbaum “continues to undermine US policy by sending oil to the murderous dictatorship in Cuba.”This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

-- On the Show -- Janet Mills, Governor of Maine, joins us to discuss her campaign for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate -- Republican Senators Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski block Donald Trump Federal Reserve nominees after the Justice Department opens a criminal probe into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell -- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivers a culture war speech, mocks military readiness, and announces Elon Musk artificial intelligence tools entering the Pentagon -- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt falsely claims evidence against Renee Nicole Good, defends the officer who killed her, and states Donald Trump fully supports the shooting -- Karoline Leavitt defends ICE actions in Minneapolis, attacks protesters, threatens Greenland, and suggests airstrikes on Iran remain an option -- Donald Trump displays new slurping sounds during speeches, prompting discussion of possible breathing or neurological issues -- Donald Trump posts a series of erratic Truth Social messages threatening tariffs, attacking courts and warning of retribution against political opponents -- Democratic lawmakers move forward with impeachment efforts against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem following the killing of Renee Nicole Good by a federal ICE agent -- On the Bonus Show: A Minnesota Hilton cancels ICE agents' reservations, Trump calls for a 10% cap on credit card interest rates, Elon Musk's X faces bans over nonconsensual bikini images, and much more... ⚠️ Ground News: Get 40% OFF their unlimited access Vantage plan at https://ground.news/pakman

The Republican Susan Collins has held one of Maine's Senate seats for nearly thirty years, and Democrats, in trying to take it away from her, have a lot at stake. Graham Platner, a combat veteran, political activist, and small-business owner who has never served in office, seemed to check many boxes for a progressive upstart. Platner, who says he and his wife earn sixty thousand dollars a year, has spoken passionately about affordability, and has called universal health care a  “moral imperative.” He seemed like a rising star, but then some of his past comments online directed against police, L.G.B.T.Q. people, sexual-assault survivors, Black people, and rural whites surfaced. A photo was published of a tattoo that he got in the Marines, which resembles a Nazi symbol, though Platner says he didn't realize it. He apologized, but will Democrats embrace him, despite ugly views in his past? “As uncomfortable as it is, and personally unenjoyable, to have to talk about stupid things I said on the internet,” he told David Remnick, “it also allows me to publicly model something I think is really important. . . . You can change your language, change the way you think about stuff.” In fact, he frames his candidacy in a way that might appeal to disappointed Trump voters: “You should be able to be proud of the fact that you can turn into a different kind of person. You can think about the world in a different way.”New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, New Yorker staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians.

This Day in Maine Friday, November 7, 2025

Graham Platner's at one point was up forty points on Janet Mills and then the infamous tattoo appeared, but has it sunk any of his support?  Visit the Howie Carr Radio Network website to access columns, podcasts, and other exclusive content.

This Graham Platner saga just keeps delivering. Every time I think we've hit the ceiling on oppo drops, the elevator dings and we're in a whole new suite of controversy. It's not that the content was entirely new in tone. We've already seen him refer to himself as an Antifa supersoldier and admit to having an SS tattoo (which, to his credit, he covered up). But the latest batch of Reddit posts that surfaced added a thick layer of ugly homophobia. Explicit posts. Graphic anecdotes. And not from his teenage years or during some misunderstood youthful rebellion. These posts span several years, even continuing into the Biden administration.I've always said that if you're running as an outsider candidate, having some skeletons in your closet isn't necessarily a bad thing. It can actually help. Nobody expects a populist outsider to be perfect. The electorate doesn't want a robot. They want someone who talks like them, even if it means sometimes saying the wrong thing. And even as Platner tests the outer limits of that rule, here's the twist: the polling. A new University of New Hampshire poll of likely voters in Maine had Platner at 58 percent. That's not just a lead. That's a blowout. Janet Mills is at 24 percent. If those numbers hold up, then Chuck Schumer and company are right to be panicking.Politics Politics Politics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Still, Platner's campaign has been running scared. Apology videos. Zoom interviews. Carefully worded statements about how he doesn't think that way anymore. But from where I sit, this guy is doing everything but what he should. If I were advising his campaign, I'd be yelling: go on offense. The proper response to all of this should be simple — I deleted the posts before you ever knew my name. I deleted them because they didn't reflect who I am anymore. That's growth. That's accountability. And that's all anyone should expect. Instead, we get these soft, hedged statements. You're not going to convince anyone that you're the perfect candidate — stop trying.What kills me is how obvious the pressure is from the Democratic establishment. You can feel Chuck Schumer's fingerprints all over this. They're running the classic drip-drip-drip strategy, hoping to humiliate Platner into dropping out. But if you're Platner — and especially if you believe those polling numbers — why would you flinch? Schumer and Mills are the ones who should be sweating. They've failed to unseat Susan Collins time and time again. They trot out the same kind of “perfect” candidate every cycle and lose. And now, when someone is actually running strong in the polls, they're scrambling to blow it all up.I'm not defending what Platner posted. It was gross. And people are right to be upset. But this is a high-stakes game, and the voters of Maine seem willing to give him a shot. The question now is whether Platner will take the opportunity and run with it — or keep playing defense while the party machine steamrolls him. Personally, I'm tired of watching him take these hits and not swing back. I've been saying it all week. If you want to win, you have to punch. You can't win a Senate seat on your heels. So please, for the love of political strategy — say their names, take their power, and act like you're trying to win this damn thing.Chapters00:00:00 - Intro00:03:19 - Graham Platner00:17:55 - Update00:18:57 - SNAP00:21:40 - White House East Wing00:28:36 - Beef Prices00:31:08 - Interview with Juliegrace Brufke00:59:39 - 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

On this week's episode of The DMZ, Bill Scher and Matt Lewis discuss:-- Despite all the scandals, Graham Platner, a first-time candidate, is leading Gov. Janet Mills by a whopping 34 points (!) in Maine's Senate Race. Bill and Matt discuss why that's the case, and what it might say about the state of American politics.-- Are Democrats winning the government shutdown PR battle?-- John Fetterman raised a mere $330K during the third quarter fundraising period.-- Donald Trump takes a wrecking ball to the East Wing of the White House. Is this a metaphor for his presidency?-- And MUCH more!Follow Matt Lewis & Cut Through the Noise:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MattLewisDCTwitter: https://twitter.com/mattklewisInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattklewis/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 book: https://www.amazon.com/Filthy-Rich-Politicians-Creatures-Ruling-Class/dp/1546004416Copyright © 2025, BBL & BWL, LLC

On the heels of the No Kings protests that drew an estimated seven million Americans, there seems to be a strong coalition to take on Trump and the GOP. But, what will the Democrats' message be? Jessica Tarlov and guest host David Frum of The Atlantic discuss the Democratic Party's predicament — and the value of tacking to the center. Plus: is there a justifiable rationale for the Trump administration's deadly strikes on boats in the Caribbean? And, Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner's insurgent campaign was set back last week by years of past internet comments coming to light. He has taken responsibility for his remarks — but, in a primary against Gov. Janet Mills, will it matter? Follow Jessica Tarlov, @JessicaTarlov.  Follow Prof G, @profgalloway. Follow Raging Moderates, @RagingModeratesPod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RagingModerates  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kate and Josh discuss the massive protests over the weekend and weigh in on the great Janet Mills v. Graham Platner debate.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's not every day that the most interesting story in American politics is a Senate primary in Maine, but here we are. This race, at least for now, has everything: a populist outsider, a messy internal fight, a supposedly safe Democrat, and a very unfortunate tattoo. If the Democrats blow a winnable seat in 2026, you can probably trace it back to this moment, and to one name: Graham Platner.Platner launched his campaign with the kind of fire Democrats usually dream of and then quickly move to kill. He's ex-military, tattooed, and came out swinging against the party establishment. Think Fetterman with a more overtly socialist bent — and the endorsements to match. Bernie Sanders, Ro Khanna, a digital team built for viral insurgency. His launch video was raw and effective, casting him as the only one who'd fight Collins like it meant something. But before he could define himself, the knives came out. Old Reddit comments. Unpolished statements. And most notably, a chest tattoo that bears an uncomfortable resemblance to an SS death's head symbol.Politics Politics Politics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Now, he says the tattoo was a drunk decision made while serving overseas — something picked off the wall at a shop in Croatia. That tracks. Plenty of service members come home with something dumb etched into their skin. But politics isn't fair. The second it surfaced, it became a narrative — a “secret Nazi” smear that, while ridiculous, is now baked into every conversation about the guy. And that's not something most voters are willing to fact-check. The perception — not the reality — becomes the problem.Still, the bigger issue isn't the ink. It's how Platner handled it. His entire appeal is built on strength and authenticity — and he responded like a nervous staffer trying to keep his job. The apology video was soft. It was long. It was careful. None of that fits the image he's built. If you're running on being the guy who doesn't back down, you can't fold the first time someone calls you a name. He needed to come out swinging — not just at the press, but at the party that clearly doesn't want him there.Because make no mistake, they don't. Janet Mills is the Schumer pick. She's the “safe” one — a proven fundraiser, a party loyalist, and the kind of candidate who rarely wins a general in a state like Maine but always gets through the primary. That's why the long knives came out for Platner. And if he doesn't wake up and fight them like they're already trying to end his campaign — which they are — then he doesn't deserve the spot. Not because he's a bad guy, or because he's unelectable. But because he misunderstood the moment.This is a fight. Not a conversation. Not a listening tour. A fight. And if he doesn't start treating it like one, he's already lost.Chapters00:00:00 - Intro00:02:26 - Graham Platner00:16:10 - Interview with Josh Jennings and Andrew Heaton00:45:58 - Update00:46:13 - Trump-Putin00:49:03 - Israel-Hamas00:52:30 - Shutdown00:56:30 - Interview with Josh Jennings and Andrew Heaton, con't01:23:09 - 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

Jason Kander and Ravi Gupta break down JB Pritzker's sharp warning to Trump over invoking the Insurrection Act and Obama joining the “imagine if Obama did it” chorus. They analyze Trump's explosive comments comparing U.S. cities like Chicago and Portland to Egypt, Tish James's latest legal moves, and Eric Trump's wild claim that Jack Smith planted classified folders at Mar-a-Lago. Kander and Gupta also dive into the stunning New York Times report on the forced resignation of a U.S. attorney in Virginia who refused to pursue flimsy charges tied to Trump's demands for a Russia-related investigation. Plus, they discuss Trump's hot-mic moment with Indonesia's president, Janet Mills's surprising Senate run in Maine, the leaked racist Young Republicans chat, and how America's growing literacy crisis fits into the broader political decay. This and more on the podcast that helps you, the majority of Americans who believe in progress, convince your conservative friends and family to join us—this is Majority 54! Prize Picks: Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/MAJORITY and use code MAJORITY and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup! Majority 54 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/majority54 Jason on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JasonKander Jason on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonkander/ Ravi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaviMGupta Ravi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ravimgupta Ravi on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LostDebate Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast The Influence Continuum: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan Mea Culpa with Michael Cohen: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/mea-culpa-with-michael-cohen The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show Burn the Boats: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 Political Beatdown: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/political-beatdown On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Coalition of the Sane: https://meidasnews.com/tag/coalition-of-the-sane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SEASON 4 EPISODE 25: COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN A-Block (2:30) SPECIAL COMMENT: Is Trump Bombing Boats off Venezuela to test to see if he can get away with Bombing Americans in America? I mean now he says he’s going to try to get away with Bombing Venezuelans in Venezuela. If, 72 hours before Saturday’s No Kings protests around the country, we are at the stage – (and we are AT the stage) that Trump is threatening to invade Boston and San Francisco, and where Trump’s lackeys are calling everybody who disagrees with him “Antifa” and Trump has declared “Antifa” a quote “Domestic Terrorist Organization” – acronym DTO, and we’re at the stage where Trump has again this week – Tuesday morning – had the Secretary of Brylcreem blow up a probable sardine fishing boat in the Caribbean after declaring it was “affiliated with a “DESIGNATED Terrorist Organization” – acronym ALSO DTO… if we are blowing up people Trump and Trump alone gets to decide were in DESIGNATED DTO’s and in the process destroying ALL evidence for-or-against, how far in his madness and Stephen Miller’s evil are we from Trump blowing up people Trump and Trump alone gets to decide were in DOMESTIC D-T-O’s and in the process destroying ALL evidence for-or-against? The huge leap from bombing DTO’s to bombing… DTO’s. It's a big step. But it’s one even Trump, as his body disintegrates, can still manage. Plus my ex Olivia Nuzzi has reportedly written a new book. So now you know what to get me for Christmas. I have title suggestions. They are not cordial ones. B-Block (34:00) THE WORST PERSONS IN THE WORLD: Fox's Emily Compagno assumes anybody criticizing the appointment of Bari Weiss is an antisemite. Including critics who are Jewish. There is a MAGA celebrity chef named Andrew Gruel, from "Gravy Concepts" and he's one of Fox's Antifa experts. And then there is Governor Janet Mills of Maine who is trying to bigfoot Graham Platner and actually make Susan Collins the youngster in the race. C-Block (46:25) THINGS I PROMISED NOT TO TELL: The actual anniversary was two weeks ago, but whenever the leaves start to fall I think of the 1993 launch of ESPN2. The inside saga of the night I achieved immortality by announcing "Good Evening And Welcome To The End Of Our Careers."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

State House correspondent Kevin Miller spoke with political science professor Jim Melcher from the University of Maine-Farmington about Gov. Janet Mills' bid for the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins next fall.

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck breaks down a week that feels like a case study in America’s democratic backslide. With the government shutdown dragging on and Donald Trump disengaged from any real effort to end it, Republicans in Congress are paralyzed — and Democrats risk losing ground the longer it continues. Chuck examines how Trump’s brand of politics has reshaped the culture, from congressional dysfunction to GOP leaders dodging accountability on everything from Epstein files to free speech hypocrisy. Later, he dives into the Supreme Court’s looming decision on the Voting Rights Act, the ripple effects of potential gerrymandering shifts in the Sun Belt, and the latest shake-ups in Democratic primaries — from Janet Mills’ funding alliances to Florida’s Hector Mujica making AI a centerpiece of his campaign. It’s a snapshot of a democracy under strain — and a politics struggling to evolve. Finally, Chuck answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and previews the upcoming weekend in college football. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 00:45 The government shutdown non-update update 01:30 Trump is not engaged at all in trying to end the government shutdown 03:15 Prior presidents didn't engage in foreign trips during shutdowns 04:45 Republicans in congress can't negotiate without Trump 06:15 The longer the shutdown goes, the more Dems lose what they gained 07:30 Trump received more votes in LA county than 15 states he carried 08:30 Trump is punishing his own voters in blue states/cities 11:00 Mike Johnson's refusal to convene house gives Epstein theory credence 12:15 Johnson doesn't want members to have to take vote on Epstein files 13:45 Republicans trying to brand No Kings protests as a "Hate America" rally 14:15 Saying protestors "hate america"…is un-American 16:15 Donald Trump has culturally changed America for the worse 17:00 Release of abhorrent group chat from young Republican leaders 18:00 MAGA argues for "no speech police", but only for themselves 19:15 Speech should always be free, but speech does carry consequences 21:15 SCOTUS hearing case that could potentially end the Voting Rights Act 22:00 Fears over gerrymandering from SCOTUS ruling may be overblow 23:15 Gerrymandering could create many more swing seats in sun belt 25:45 We don't yet know whether the ruling will disenfranchise black voters 26:30 DSCC set up joint fundraising committee with Janet Mills in Maine 27:45 UAW has already endorsed Platner over Mills 28:00 Seth Moulton mounts primary challenge against Ed Markey 29:15 Generational vs. Ideological change in Democratic primaries? 30:00 New ads running for VA DA race addressing Jay Jones texts 31:00 Ad highlights Spanberger's refusal to endorse Jones 33:30 Democrat Hector Mujica enters Florida senate race 34:45 Mujica highlights federal job cuts and AI job displacement in ad 36:45 Mujica is the first candidate to really centralize AI in their pitch 38:15 AI advances might remind people of importance of human connectivity 40:15 Chuck's thoughts on interview with Michael McFaul 40:45 Ask Chuck 41:00 How closely does "The Morning Show" reflect an actual newsroom? 47:00 Do FCS and Div 2 & 3 programs more accurately rep college football? 51:15 Is Greg Abbot sending troops to Chicago to build a national profile? 56:45 What podcasts do you regularly listen to? 1:00:00 Why are conservatives attacking Bad Bunny's citizenship when he's American? 1:05:00 College football previewSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck breaks down a week that feels like a case study in America’s democratic backslide. With the government shutdown dragging on and Donald Trump disengaged from any real effort to end it, Republicans in Congress are paralyzed — and Democrats risk losing ground the longer it continues. Chuck examines how Trump’s brand of politics has reshaped the culture, from congressional dysfunction to GOP leaders dodging accountability on everything from Epstein files to free speech hypocrisy. Later, he dives into the Supreme Court’s looming decision on the Voting Rights Act, the ripple effects of potential gerrymandering shifts in the Sun Belt, and the latest shake-ups in Democratic primaries — from Janet Mills’ funding alliances to Florida’s Hector Mujica making AI a centerpiece of his campaign. It’s a snapshot of a democracy under strain — and a politics struggling to evolve. Then, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul joins Chuck Todd for a sweeping conversation about whether the world is slipping back into a pre–World War II world order marked by isolationism, power struggles, and a fading commitment to democracy. McFaul argues we’ve entered a new era of great power competition, with China offering an alternative world order and America retreating from its role as the global stabilizer. The two discuss how Trump’s “strong vs. weak” worldview reshapes alliances, why autocracy is gaining ideological ground inside the U.S., and what happens when America stops believing in exporting democracy. From the growing unity of the European Union post-Ukraine to Taiwan’s fears of being sold out to Beijing, Todd and McFaul explore whether it will take another crisis to “sober up” American politics. They also debate Trump’s paradoxical legacy — destabilizing allies while showing skill in Middle East negotiations — and what kind of leadership it will take to rebuild collective security and moral credibility in an increasingly unstable world. Finally, Chuck answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and previews the upcoming weekend in college football. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:15 It’s strange having an American president that’s not pro-democracy 04:15 The government shutdown non-update update 05:00 Trump is not engaged at all in trying to end the government shutdown 06:45 Prior presidents didn’t engage in foreign trips during shutdowns 08:15 Republicans in congress can’t negotiate without Trump 09:45 The longer the shutdown goes, the more Dems lose what they gained 11:00 Trump received more votes in LA county than 15 states he carried 12:00 Trump is punishing his own voters in blue states/cities 14:30 Mike Johnson’s refusal to convene house gives Epstein theory credence 15:45 Johnson doesn’t want members to have to take vote on Epstein files 17:15 Republicans trying to brand No Kings protests as a “Hate America” rally 17:45 Saying protestors “hate america”…is un-American 19:45 Donald Trump has culturally changed America for the worse 20:30 Release of abhorrent group chat from young Republican leaders 21:30 MAGA argues for “no speech police”, but only for themselves 22:45 Speech should always be free, but speech does carry consequences 24:45 SCOTUS hearing case that could potentially end the Voting Rights Act 25:30 Fears over gerrymandering from SCOTUS ruling may be overblow 26:45 Gerrymandering could create many more swing seats in sun belt 29:15 We don’t yet know whether the ruling will disenfranchise black voters 30:00 DSCC set up joint fundraising committee with Janet Mills in Maine 31:15 UAW has already endorsed Platner over Mills 31:30 Seth Moulton mounts primary challenge against Ed Markey 32:45 Generational vs. Ideological change in Democratic primaries? 33:30 New ads running for VA DA race addressing Jay Jones texts 34:30 Ad highlights Spanberger’s refusal to endorse Jones 37:00 Democrat Hector Mujica enters Florida senate race 38:15 Mujica highlights federal job cuts and AI job displacement in ad 40:15 Mujica is the first candidate to really centralize AI in their pitch 41:45 AI advances might remind people of importance of human connectivity 44:00 Michael McFaul joins the Chuck ToddCast 45:00 Are we in a similar set of conditions to pre-WW2? 46:00 We've entered a new era of great power competition 47:15 In some ways we're in a cold war, in some way we're not 48:00 Our economy is highly intertwined with China's 48:45 America's isolationism similar to 1930's 51:00 Was the cold war an outlier period for American & world history? 52:30 Everyone understood the USSR as an adversary during cold war 53:15 America was the great power during cold war, underestimated ourselves 54:15 The "law of the jungle" is returning as the US retreats from the world 56:00 No unity around "small d" Democracy in America, can't export it 57:15 Trump defines the world by "strong leaders vs. weak leaders" 58:15 Trump's style of diplomacy works in middle east, not with allies 59:30 China is another hegemon, and offering a different world order 1:00:30 Autocrats vs Democrats fight is between countries & domestic 1:01:45 Many Americans now closer to Putin ideologically than Democrats 1:03:15 Venezuelan activist wins Nobel, her message to Trump was brilliant 1:04:15 We should have done more to help democracy in Venezuela 1:07:00 Trump shut down NGOs that promote democracy on world stage 1:07:45 America needs to run a better pro-democracy campaign worldwide 1:08:30 America's security arrangement w/Europe was working well 1:09:45 Something bad will have to happen to sober up American politics 1:12:30 There's a fear of debate in American politics & on campuses 1:14:15 The importance of debate on college campuses 1:16:45 The EU has gathered collective strength as America retreats 1:17:45 Russia invasion of Ukraine + Reelection of Trump recalibrated Europe 1:19:45 Europe has gained unity and clarity 1:21:15 Trump deserves credit for trying to end the Russia/Ukraine war 1:23:00 How will the great power conflict play out in Asia 1:24:30 We need more alliances and collective security in Asia to counter China 1:25:15 Taiwan is nervous the US will sell them out to China 1:26:00 Invasion of Taiwan might be the event to wake up the west 1:26:45 Trump's skill set is uniquely suited to negotiations in middle east 1:28:30 Chuck's thoughts on interview with Michael McFaul 1:29:00 Ask Chuck 1:29:15 How closely does "The Morning Show" reflect an actual newsroom? 1:35:15 Do FCS and Div 2 & 3 programs more accurately rep college football? 1:39:30 Is Greg Abbot sending troops to Chicago to build a national profile? 1:45:00 What podcasts do you regularly listen to? 1:48:15 Why are conservatives attacking Bad Bunny's citizenship when he's American? 1:53:15 College football previewSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on Donald Trump being haunted by his first major loss of the term when Maine's Governor Janet Mills stood up to him and beat him had in court and Meiselas interviews Governor Mills who announced her Senate run today. Visit https://meidasplus.com for more! Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast The Influence Continuum: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan Mea Culpa with Michael Cohen: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/mea-culpa-with-michael-cohen The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show Burn the Boats: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 Political Beatdown: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/political-beatdown On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Coalition of the Sane: https://meidasnews.com/tag/coalition-of-the-sane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight on The Last Word: The Trump administration dodges questions about the Tom Homan FBI probe. Also, Maine Governor Janet Mills launches a Senate bid against Susan Collins. Plus, early voting is underway in the Virginia governor's race. And a new book, “1929,” details Wall Street's greatest crash. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, Gov. Janet Mills, Abigail Spanberger, and Andrew Ross Sorkin join Lawrence O'Donnell. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Taylor starts the hour discussing the Maine senate race, and Janet Mills in an interview said Graham Platner was too untested to run against Collins. Then, Platner put out one of the most cringe-inducing political ads.  Visit the Howie Carr Radio Network website to access columns, podcasts, and other exclusive content.

EASY LISTENING DEP'T.: President Donald Trump announced that the United States had murdered six more people on the high seas yesterday, in its fifth unprovoked attack on unarmed boats in the Caribbean, "asserting," as the New York Times puts it, "without evidence that they had been transporting drugs." Along with the social media post announcing the killing, the Times writes, "the President also posted a 33 second aerial surveillance video showing a small boat floating and then being struck by a missile and exploding. Unlike some previous announcements, the President did not identify the nationality of the people who were killed, or name a specific drug cartel or criminal gang with which they were supposedly associated." The Times goes on to once again run through the ways in which these killings are entirely illegal and unjustified under every legal analysis, and how the Trump administration has produced no substantive arguments otherwise, and how Congress has not identifiably authorized any such use of military force. Please visit, read, and support INDIGNITY! https://www.indignity.net/

This Day in Maine for Wednesday, October 15th, 2025.

Chuck Todd examines the mounting political and institutional strain as the government shutdown drags on — and why Democrats may need to declare a partial victory just to move forward. The episode explores how Trump’s rise has exposed deep vulnerabilities in the American system, from unchecked profiteering and politicized justice to the growing entanglement of big tech, big money, and government power. Todd breaks down the Democrats’ limited leverage, the GOP’s dependence on Trump’s engagement, and the urgent need for new constitutional and institutional guardrails. Plus, he looks at the emerging generational clash in the Democratic Party senate primary in Maine, as Janet Mills and Graham Platner become avatars for an “old vs. new” fight that could reshape the party’s future. Then, Chuck sits down with veteran Democratic strategist and data expert Tom Bonier to unpack one of the biggest political mysteries of the Trump era: why Democrats are losing voter registrations—and how the GOP got so good at winning them. From the fallout of the Bernie-Clinton primary to the brand erosion under Biden, Bonier traces how Democrats’ messaging, outsourcing, and demographic targeting have backfired while Republicans quietly built lasting grassroots infrastructure, particularly among younger and working-class voters. The conversation dives deep into the changing dynamics of party loyalty and political identity—why Gen Z and Latino voters are shifting, how Trump reactivated the “missing white vote,” and why college campuses have become unlikely conservative battlegrounds. Todd and Bonier also explore the Democrats’ shrinking Senate map, the Midwest’s populist tilt, and how data-driven strategies like “mixed mode” polling could determine which party defines the next generation of American politics. Finally, he gives his ToddCast Top 5 list of potential political comebacks where politicians could win their old seat back, then answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 06:15 Democrats need to find a way to declare victory and end shutdown 07:30 Democrats drew attention to healthcare, but will see diminishing returns 08:15 Trump’s rise has exposed tremendous vulnerabilities in our system 09:45 There’s nobody in Trump’s feedback loop that will expose him to bad info 11:00 Democrats need how to learn to embrace small victories 13:30 Democrats only have the power to win the argument 15:15 Republicans won’t move without Trump engaging on shutdown 16:30 Trump takes victory lap on Israel, hard part is making agreement stick 17:30 If profiting off the presidency goes unchecked, we risk more in the future 18:45 Emoluments clause is not enough, need a constitutional amendment 19:30 Big tech, big money and the government have all become intertwined 22:00 Two big reforms that could help fix the democracy 24:00 We need to reform the Justice Department to prevent politicization 25:30 Companies that capitulated to Trump had the law on their side 27:00 The country needs to build new guardrails 28:00 Janet Mills vs Graham Platner will become avatars for “old vs new” 29:45 The older generation of Democratic leaders refuses to retire 31:30 If Mills wins, she’ll be the oldest freshman senator of all time 32:15 Graham Platner already has released attack ad against Mills 33:30 Platner vs. Mills will become a headache and money sink for Democrats 36:30 Tom Bonier joins the Chuck Toddcast 38:15 Where did trend of Democrats shedding voter registrations begin? 39:15 Bernie/Clinton primary was when Dem brand took initial hit 40:30 Downturn in Dem brand came during Biden's four years 42:15 Democrats outsource their registration efforts more than GOP 43:30 Registration efforts targeted friendly demographics 44:30 Registered partisan turnout between 20' and 24' was 1 point 45:30 What can Dems learn from Republicans registration tactics? 46:30 The 2012 GOP autopsy was right, but didn't foresee Trump 47:15 Obama's campaign targeted younger voters & won 48:00 GOP created a consistent presence on college campuses 48:45 For Gen Z, their first interaction with government was Covid 49:30 Gender gap amongst younger voters was 25+ points 50:30 Trump won big with voters who don't consume much news 52:00 Why Gen X became the generation that most supports Trump 53:00 When someone registers for a party, that tends to stick 55:00 Trump brought out the "missing white vote" 56:00 Dems dominating with higher educated, higher propensity voters 57:45 Younger white men are overwhelmingly registering Republican 59:30 Younger voters are generally registering as unaffiliated 1:00:45 Are Dems counting on Trump voters only showing up for Trump? 1:01:30 Climate looks similar to 17' except Dems are more unpopular 1:02:30 What is causing the Democrats "brand problem"? 1:03:15 Voters didn't know about Biden's accomplishments 1:04:30 The importance of branding your agenda 1:05:30 Are there a "hard 7" number of swing states, or could others join? 1:07:00 Texas trending more blue, Florida trending more red 1:07:45 Migration patterns have made Florida tough for Democrats 1:08:30 Democrats have almost no margin for error to win the senate 1:09:15 What 4-6 states should Dems target to expand senate map? 1:11:30 Is the midwest out of reach for Dems for a generation? 1:12:45 Midwest voters are populist more than D or R 1:14:00 How and where can Dems stem losses in blue states? 1:15:45 Voter mobilization is easier to fix than persuasion 1:16:30 Why have Georgia and Arizona become more friendly to Dems? 1:17:45 API voters swung toward Trump in 24' but are swinging back 1:18:30 Latino voters are economically sensitive and more swingySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd examines the mounting political and institutional strain as the government shutdown drags on — and why Democrats may need to declare a partial victory just to move forward. The episode explores how Trump’s rise has exposed deep vulnerabilities in the American system, from unchecked profiteering and politicized justice to the growing entanglement of big tech, big money, and government power. Todd breaks down the Democrats’ limited leverage, the GOP’s dependence on Trump’s engagement, and the urgent need for new constitutional and institutional guardrails. Plus, he looks at the emerging generational clash in the Democratic Party senate primary in Maine, as Janet Mills and Graham Platner become avatars for an “old vs. new” fight that could reshape the party’s future. Finally, he gives his ToddCast Top 5 list of potential political comebacks where politicians could win their old seat back, then answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 02:15 Democrats need to find a way to declare victory and end shutdown 03:30 Democrats drew attention to healthcare, but will see diminishing returns 04:15 Trump's rise has exposed tremendous vulnerabilities in our system 05:45 There's nobody in Trump's feedback loop that will expose him to bad info 07:00 Democrats need how to learn to embrace small victories 09:30 Democrats only have the power to win the argument 11:15 Republicans won't move without Trump engaging on shutdown 12:30 Trump takes victory lap on Israel, hard part is making agreement stick 13:30 If profiting off the presidency goes unchecked, we risk more in the future 14:45 Emoluments clause is not enough, need a constitutional amendment 15:30 Big tech, big money and the government have all become intertwined 18:00 Two big reforms that could help fix the democracy 20:00 We need to reform the Justice Department to prevent politicization 21:30 Companies that capitulated to Trump had the law on their side 23:00 The country needs to build new guardrails 24:00 Janet Mills vs Graham Platner will become avatars for "old vs new" 25:45 The older generation of Democratic leaders refuses to retire 27:30 If Mills wins, she'll be the oldest freshman senator of all time 28:15 Graham Platner already has released attack ad against Mills 29:30 Platner vs. Mills will become a headache and money sink for Democrats 32:30 Chuck's thoughts on interview with Tom Bonier 33:30 ToddCast Top 5 - Most Likely Political Comebacks 35:00 #1 Jesse Jackson Jr. 37:00 #2 Cori Bush 38:15 #3 John E. Sununu 41:15 #4 Sherrod Brown 42:15 Honorable mentions 43:00 #5 Javier Suarez 49:15 Ask Chuck 49:30 Why aren't presidential debates moderated as vigorously as local debates? 53:45 What are legal repercussions for violations of the HATCH Act? 59:00 Appreciation for interview with Paul Glastris on higher education 1:01:30 What is likely for Universal Basic Income as AI takes jobs?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Jim and Greg for the Tuesday 3 Martini Lunch as they welcome tightening polls in the Virginia governor's race, cringe at Christiane Amanpour's disturbing comments about Israeli hostages, and preview what could be an ugly U.S. Senate primary among Democrats in Maine.First, they break down new polling showing Republican Winsome Earle-Sears cutting Democrat Abigail Spanberger's lead to less than three points. The momentum shift comes after revelations that Democratic attorney general nominee Jay Jones sent violent text messages about murdering political opponents and wishing harm on their children. The same poll shows GOP Attorney General Jason Miyares up nearly six points over Jones. Jim unloads on Jones for acting like a "psychopath" toward the opposing party, but he's not sure it will be enough to push Republicans to victory.Next, they wince as CNN's Christiane Amanpour suggests Israeli hostages were treated better than people in Gaza during the recent war. She later issued an on-camera apology, but Jim is disgusted that Amanpour could not hide her disdain for Israel for even one day.Finally, they turn to Maine, where Gov. Janet Mills is entering the U.S. Senate race to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Mills is leaning heavily on her brief defiance of President Trump over gender policies. Meanwhile, a big primary fight among Democrats could be coming. The 77-year-old Mills faces veteran Graham Platner, who is enthusiastically endorsed by Bernie Sanders.Please visit our great sponsors:Sponsored by Quo, formerly known as Open Phone: Get started free and save 20% on your first 6 months and port your existing numbers at no extra charge—no missed calls, no missed customers. Visit https://Quo.com/3MLOpen a new qualified IRA or cash account with Noble Gold and get a free 10-ounce Silver Flag Bar plus a Silver American Eagle Proof Coin—visit https://NobleGoldInvestments.com/3ML

Janet Mills is running for Maine Senate and her campaign announcement video is really bad. Then, Barack Obama went on the WTF podcast and boy does he have some nerve.  Visit the Howie Carr Radio Network website to access columns, podcasts, and other exclusive content.

Janet Mills was set to ride off into the sunset of her political life, then Sen Chuck Schumer stepped in and now she's running for a Maine senate seat.  Visit the Howie Carr Radio Network website to access columns, podcasts, and other exclusive content.

AP correspondent Ed Donahue reports on a potential new challenger for a Maine senator.

In the few weeks since announcing his run for Senate, political outsider Graham Platner is drawing big crowds and raising lots of money. But Maine's incumbent, Republican Sen. Susan Collins, is no easy political mark. Nor is Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who may soon enter the race.

Maine Governor Janet Mills is protecting the rights and benefits of people in her state. “When you're right on the law and you're right on the public policy, why shouldn't you stand up? That's the way bullies act: they don't stop unless you stand up to them. And even then, you've got to fight with all you've got,” she says. Mills is standing up to the Trump Administration's deep cuts to important benefits like SNAP. “Whatever they do for billionaires - which is another argument, another debate - they shouldn't be slashing food benefits for hungry kids.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Max and Ally discuss how Senate Democratic leaders are closer than ever to landing Maine Gov. Janet Mills, their top recruit to take on GOP Sen. Susan Collins in 2026. This story was featured in The Readback, our weekend digest featuring the best of Punchbowl News this week. Want more in-depth daily coverage from Congress? Subscribe to our free Punchbowl News AM newsletter at punchbowl.news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an off-kilter move for someone who is reportedly gearing up to challenge Sen. Susan Collins for her seat, Governor Janet Mills on Monday offered universal praise for Collins’ actions in office. “She’s in a tough position,” said Mills. “I appreciate everything she is doing.” Collins, who has long been personally friendly with Mills, said… The post Podcast: Mills should be pressuring Collins, not praising her first appeared on Maine Beacon.

There's a bonafide primary contest among Democrats in the Maine race for the U.S. Senate. And one of the leading contestants, Gov. Janet Mills, isn't even an official candidate yet.

Congress is barreling toward another funding showdown — and the odds of a shutdown are rising. Anna and Jake break down Senate Majority Leader John Thune's strategy, a bipartisan push to repeal Syria sanctions and the latest signs that Maine Gov. Janet Mills may take on Sen. Susan Collins. Punchbowl News is on YouTube! Subscribe to our channel today to see all the new ways we're investing in video. Want more in-depth daily coverage from Congress? Subscribe to our free Punchbowl News AM newsletter at punchbowl.news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Graham Plattner is running for Senate in Maine. He's not a career politician. He's not a household name. He's a newcomer, and he's coming in with the kind of video that's designed to break through the noise. It's everything you'd expect from someone trying to signal that they're different — kettlebell lifting, scuba diving, oyster farming, military gear. This is Fetterman-core, and I mean that in the pre-stroke, media-savvy, meme-friendly way. It's intentionally loud, intentionally masculine, and intentionally designed to get people talking.But this isn't just a vibe campaign. Plattner's already built a real team. He's working with the same media shop that did ads for Zohran Mamdani in New York and helped elect Fetterman in Pennsylvania. These aren't DCCC types. They're insurgent operatives with a history of getting attention — and winning. That tells me Plattner's not just here to make a point. He's running to win. And in a state like Maine, where ideological boundaries don't map neatly onto party lines, he might actually have a shot.Democratic leadership, though, has other plans. Chuck Schumer and his operation would clearly prefer Janet Mills. She's the sitting governor, she's 77 years old, and she'd walk into the race with a national fundraising network already behind her. But that's exactly the kind of candidate a guy like Plattner is built to run against. If she enters, it turns this race into a referendum on the Democratic establishment. And it gives Susan Collins exactly what she wants: two Democrats locked in a bitter primary while she gears up for a calm general election campaign.Maine is weird politically. I don't mean that as an insult — I mean it's unpredictable in a way that defies national modeling. This is a state that elects independents, splits tickets, and shrugs at coastal assumptions. A candidate like Plattner, who's running a progressive but culturally savvy campaign, could actually catch fire. He's already signaling that he's not going to run from the Second Amendment — which would make him a unicorn among progressives — and he seems to get that guns, culture, and economic populism all intersect here in a way that's not neat or clean.It's early, and most people outside the state probably haven't even heard of him. But he's getting coverage. And he's trying to frame himself as the guy who will show up everywhere — from left-wing podcasts to centrist fundraisers to gun ranges in rural districts. If he pulls it off, it won't just be a Maine story. It'll be a signal that Democrats are still capable of producing candidates who can speak across class and cultural lines without watering down the message. We'll see if he holds up under pressure.Trump, Zelensky, and the Shape of a Ukraine DealTrump's pushing a peace summit with Russia and Ukraine, and the location that's gained traction is Budapest. That's not a random choice. Budapest is where Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons in exchange for guarantees that turned out to be meaningless. Putin invaded anyway. So now, years later, trying to broker a peace deal in that same city feels almost poetic — or cynical, depending on how you look at it. Macron wants Geneva. Putin wants Moscow. Orbán, who runs Hungary, is offering Budapest as neutral turf. That offer seems to be sticking.The terms of the talks are shifting. Zelensky isn't being required to agree to a ceasefire before negotiations begin — which is a major departure from the Biden administration's stance. Trump's team seems to believe that real movement can happen only if you start talking now, without preconditions. That's risky. But it's also more flexible. The Russians are now suggesting they might accept something like NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine — just without the name “NATO.” That's a big shift. If they're serious, it opens up a lane for something that looks like independence and protection without triggering all-out war.Zelensky, for his part, is in a bind. His approval rating has dropped. His party just lost ground. The economy is on life support. And the longer the war goes on, the harder it is to keep Ukrainians fully on board with total resistance. That's not a moral failing — it's exhaustion. What Ukraine wants now, more than anything, is certainty. If they're going to give up territory — and no one's saying that out loud, but everyone's thinking it — then they want to know they'll never have to fight this war again. That's where the Article 5-style guarantees come in.Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, is reportedly testing those waters. And Marco Rubio said the quiet part out loud — that if Ukraine can get real security commitments in exchange for ending the war, it's worth exploring. This isn't the “bleed Russia dry” strategy the Biden administration backed. That was about regime change through attrition. This is something else. It's about containment, closure, and trying to make sure the region doesn't explode again five years down the line.No one's pretending this is clean. Crimea isn't coming back. Parts of the Donbas are going to remain contested forever. But if a deal gets Ukraine real protection, even without NATO branding, and gets Russia out of the areas it's willing to surrender, that's movement. And right now, movement is the only thing that separates this from another decade of trench warfare and broken promises. Whether it holds is anyone's guess. But it's on the table now — and for the first time in a long time, that actually matters.Chapters00:00:00 - Intro00:04:42 - Maine Midterms00:18:08 - Update00:19:04 - Trilateral Meetin00:30:04 - DC Fed Takeover00:33:24 - Epstein Files00:36:00 - Interview with Alex Epstein01:34:40 - 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

President Trump is off to go to a NATO summit, and Canadians have been offended by President Trump and Gov. Janet Mills as always has tried to defy the President.  Visit the Howie Carr Radio Network website to access columns, podcasts, and other exclusive content.

Erin and Alyssa are together IN PERSON to discuss the latest news from the Texas bill that would mandate wastewater testing for mifepristone, to how Janet Mills' resistance to funding cuts paid off, to a preview of the papal conclave. Then Parker Molloy, author of The Present Age newsletter, joins for a conversation about the problems with the mainstream media's coverage of the Trump administration's attacks on transgender youth. Finally, in Sani-Petty they discuss podcasts that are keeping them sane.  The Debt GalaAssigned MediaErin in the Morning 'We won': Maine Gov. Mills celebrates state's legal settlement with USDA over funding freeze (WMTW 5/2)NIH cancels participation in Safe to Sleep campaign that decreased infant deaths (Stat  4/30)Former Vice President Pence defends Constitution after getting Profile in Courage Award (AP 5/5)Bizarre Texas Bill Wants to Test the Water for Birth Control, Abortion Pills (Jezebel 4/23)Major News Outlets Can't Bring Themselves to Call Conversion Therapy What It Is (The Present Age 5/5)Who are the main contenders to be the next pope? (Al Jazeera 5/5)Vatican to deactivate mobile phone signal ahead of secret meeting to elect new pope (CNN 5/6)

Trump 2.0 is showing so little concern for his political standing that even Fox made primetime room for Karl Rove to vent about how he's failing at the fundamentals. Our aspiring Gaddafi doesn't care that tariffs aren't popular or that he sounds like Mr. Scrooge when he says kids should have fewer toys. And while belt-tightening is good enough for average Americans, he's throwing himself a giant, ostentatious military parade that will cost tens of millions of dollars. Plus, conservatives in the Anglosphere take another hit, this time down under—and thumbs-up for Maine Gov. Janet Mills, thumbs-down for Gretchen Whitmer.  Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes Today's "Morning Shots" Jonathan's recent newsletter on Gretchen Whitmer The Atlantic's recent interview with Trump (gifted)

On Friday's Mark Levin Show, Ben Ferguson from the Ben Ferguson podcast fills in. Democrats are in an uproar over Elon Musk, displaying behavior that seems petty and unhinged. Instead of focusing on pressing issues, they target Musk and President Trump. Musk is transforming the culture surrounding economic mismanagement and the left's agenda, which doesn't align with the country's needs or desires. He has efficiently exposed and removed individuals causing harm to the nation. Additionally, President Trump has assembled a remarkable team dedicated to repairing and improving the country, necessitating the removal of harmful individuals. The President of the United States shouldn't have to contend with district judges undermining his efforts. Lastly, some schools are resisting Trump's ban on biological men participating in women's sports. Governor Janet Mills is defying Trump's law, stating that Maine will not comply. A viral video reveals schools in Maine allowing biological men to compete in women's sports. Mills responded by saying, "We'll see you in court." Her strategy involves using the law while not adhering to it. Where are the feminists supporting women's rights? Mills has no right to ignore a federal law affecting women's rights; this is illegal, and she should step down as governor.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices