Podcasts about Partisan

With basketball fresh on everyone's mind, someone with his feet in both the sports world, and the political world, discusses.  On Today's Show:Bill Bradley, two-time NBA champion with the Knicks and former U.S. senator (D NJ), host of American Voices on Sirius XM and featured in the autobiographical documentary "Rolling Along: Bill Bradley" talks about this year's NBA finals, his take on national politics, and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, an in-depth investigatory show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (6/9/26). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth is, or claiming they have the answer, is likely leading you astray, for one reason or another. Stay Vigilant. !function(r,u,m,b,l,e){r._Rumble=b,r[b]||(r[b]=function(){(r[b]._=r[b]._||[]).push(arguments);if(r[b]._.length==1){l=u.createElement(m),e=u.getElementsByTagName(m)[0],l.async=1,l.src="https://rumble.com/embedJS/u2q643"+(arguments[1].video?'.'+arguments[1].video:'')+"/?url="+encodeURIComponent(location.href)+"&args="+encodeURIComponent(JSON.stringify([].slice.apply(arguments))),e.parentNode.insertBefore(l,e)}})}(window, document, "script", "Rumble");   Rumble("play", {"video":"v78vcdm","div":"rumble_v78vcdm"}); Source Links (In Chronological Order): Federal Court Overturns Historic Fluoride Ruling as Trump Admin Fights to Keep Fluoride in the Water Digital Embassies: Host Countries Build Data Centers For Foreign Nations To Access New Tab (19) Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene

David French — New York Times columnist, veteran constitutional attorney, and one of the sharpest legal thinkers writing today — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a riveting conversation about how the legal system is straining to handle a world being remade by AI, an out-of-control executive branch, and the slow erosion of America's basic constitutional architecture. French opens with the chilling case the Florida Attorney General has now brought against OpenAI in connection with the Florida State University shooter, who asked ChatGPT how to disengage his weapon's safety just three minutes before opening fire. French argues that if ChatGPT had been a human person, it would unquestionably have been charged as a co-conspirator — humans get prosecuted for encouraging suicide all the time — and that when ChatGPT is speaking, OpenAI is legally speaking, full stop. He walks through the murky liability questions the law is now scrambling to answer: Google Search has never been held to the same standard as ChatGPT, but ChatGPT actively generates new speech rather than just pointing users to existing content, and French argues that litigation needs to function as a meaningful deterrent rather than mere compensation — though ultimately Congress is going to have to actually legislate AI regulation rather than leave the entire field to civil lawsuits. The conversation turns to what French sees as a more immediate constitutional crisis: Trump's blanket immunity for tax violations and the "anti-weaponization" slush fund scheme, both of which French argues are flatly indefensible on legal grounds. He explains the deeper problem — Trump suing his own government creates a fiction of an adversarial proceeding when there isn't actually one, and Trump cares far more about the liability shield than the slush fund itself, because he's trying to remove himself from the operation of the law in essentially the same way a king would. The pardon power only covers federal crimes, not civil offenses, and Congress has clear authority to stop this if it had the will. French offers several concrete reforms: require congressional approval for legal settlements above a certain dollar threshold, force members of Congress to obtain a certification in the Constitution itself, and that political parties should perform comprehensive background checks for their candidates, On the question of whether the Founders intended a Christian nation, French is unequivocal: they didn't, and Madison rebuked Christian nationalism explicitly. The deeper structural problem behind the DOJ's loss of credibility is the unitary executive theory itself — Article II of the Constitution is dangerously vague, the executive was never meant to be a co-equal branch (Congress was supposed to be most powerful), and the only durable fix may require constitutional reform to formally remove the DOJ from executive control. French closes on a hopeful note: after every dark period in American history, the country has entered a major era of reform — and he believes one is coming again. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 David French joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:30 Insurance companies & gambling companies have opposite incentives 04:00 States liberalized sports gambling and the public hasn’t liked it 05:45 Trying to regulate after the fact can be difficult 07:00 Common law concepts are starting to come into regulating AI 07:30 Florida AG has brought criminal case against OpenAI over FSU shooter 09:00 There has to always be human liability in AI cases 11:00 If ChatGPT was a human in FSU case, it would have be charged as co-conspirator 12:00 Shooter asked ChatGPT how to disengage the safety 3 mins before shooting 14:00 In Canadian school shooting, ChatGPT’s participation was overt 16:30 Determining liability is murky. Google search isn’t held to same standard as ChatGPT 18:00 Humans can be prosecuted for encouraging someone to commit suicide 19:15 There are circumstances where criminal liability could apply to AI 19:45 When ChatGPT is speaking, OpenAI is speaking 21:00 Litigation needs to be a deterrent, not just compensation for victims 23:30 We need to pass laws regulating AI, not just pressure via civil lawsuits 24:45 How is blanket immunity for Trump tax violations remotely legal? 25:45 Congress’s job to stop weaponization fund & Trump IRS immunity 26:45 Legal system rests on an adversarial relationship in court cases 27:45 There’s no adversarial proceeding when Trump sues his own government 28:30 Trump cares more about liability shield than the slush fund 29:30 Pardon power only applies to federal crimes, not civil offenses. Can be sued 30:15 Trump is trying to remove himself from the operation of the law like a king 31:00 How can congress stop Trump’s DOJ from issuing these settlements? 32:45 Congress should have to approve settlements above a certain amount of $ 34:30 Member of congress should have to get a certification in the constitution 35:45 Parties should force candidates to pass a comprehensive background check 37:00 Why aren’t state funded partisan primaries a violation of equal protection? 40:15 Partisan primaries are killing the political system 41:00 States can say that they’ll only fund open primaries 42:15 Campaign finance reforms and PACs have weakened party control 44:00 Did the founders intend for America to be a christian nation? 45:00 Founders were biblically literate, but not particularly devout 45:30 Founders intentionally did not create a christian nation 46:30 Madison argued against paying clergy with tax dollars 47:15 Madison rebuked christian nationalism and immigration restriction 49:45 DOJ has lost credibility, how can we separate the DOJ from the executive? 50:30 Problems with DOJ are downstream from the unitary executive theory 51:30 Article II of the constitution is vague and inexplicit 52:45 After dark period, America enters periods of reform, which we badly need 54:45 Never supposed to be co-equal branches. Congress should have most power 55:30 Have to remove executive’s ability to claw power to the top 56:30 Would likely need constitutional reform to pull DOJ out of executive branch 59:00 Past congressional leaders wouldn’t voluntarily cede power 1:00:45 In late 80’s - early 90’s, congress was incentivized to compromise 1:01:30 Changes to college basketball in one-and-done and NIL era 1:03:00 Transfer portal has created a new form of one-and-done 1:04:45 NBA can only improve regular season by reducing the 82 games 1:06:15 Regular season NBA games are more intense than 30 years agoSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens with an uncomfortable truth Republicans are doing everything possible to avoid acknowledging: Trump turns 80 next week, his physical and mental decline is increasingly visible to anyone paying attention, and the GOP is now repeating exactly the same mistake Democrats made by ignoring Joe Biden's obvious deterioration. The cruelest irony: Trump literally built his entire 2024 campaign on the premise that his opponent was too old and too sleepy to do the job, but Biden's catastrophic debate finally broke the Democratic silence in a way the GOP shows no signs of replicating. Chuck argues Trump's behavior isn't unusual for an 80-year-old — it's deeply unusual for an American president. He warns that Senate Republicans made an enormous mistake by not killing the weaponization fund, that every GOP incumbent up for reelection is now vulnerable to extremely effective attack ads, and that acting DNI Bill Pulte is almost certainly holding that position illegally — the courts will probably step in to declare him ineligible. He previews Tuesday's primaries in Maine and South Carolina, where Lindsey Graham looks genuinely vulnerable, and notes that if Graham gets forced into a runoff, history says he's in real trouble. He's watching how much protest vote Janet Mills picks up in Maine, and on Graham Platner — who has been saying that the war "messed him up" — Chuck offers a pointed observation: just because behavior is explainable doesn't always make it excusable.He closes with a sharp analysis of the Scott Pelley firing at 60 Minutes, arguing the real story isn't Pelley at all — it's the Ellisons, who are using 60 Minutes as a bargaining chip with Trump to get their Paramount merger approved. He believes 60 Minutes is a symbol with massive brand equity, and Trump wants to bring it to heel or topple it altogether. Then, David French — New York Times columnist, veteran constitutional attorney, and one of the sharpest legal thinkers writing today — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a riveting conversation about how the legal system is straining to handle a world being remade by AI, an out-of-control executive branch, and the slow erosion of America's basic constitutional architecture. French opens with the chilling case the Florida Attorney General has now brought against OpenAI in connection with the Florida State University shooter, who asked ChatGPT how to disengage his weapon's safety just three minutes before opening fire. French argues that if ChatGPT had been a human person, it would unquestionably have been charged as a co-conspirator — humans get prosecuted for encouraging suicide all the time — and that when ChatGPT is speaking, OpenAI is legally speaking, full stop. He walks through the murky liability questions the law is now scrambling to answer: Google Search has never been held to the same standard as ChatGPT, but ChatGPT actively generates new speech rather than just pointing users to existing content, and French argues that litigation needs to function as a meaningful deterrent rather than mere compensation — though ultimately Congress is going to have to actually legislate AI regulation rather than leave the entire field to civil lawsuits. The conversation turns to what French sees as a more immediate constitutional crisis: Trump's blanket immunity for tax violations and the "anti-weaponization" slush fund scheme, both of which French argues are flatly indefensible on legal grounds. He explains the deeper problem — Trump suing his own government creates a fiction of an adversarial proceeding when there isn't actually one, and Trump cares far more about the liability shield than the slush fund itself, because he's trying to remove himself from the operation of the law in essentially the same way a king would. The pardon power only covers federal crimes, not civil offenses, and Congress has clear authority to stop this if it had the will. French offers several concrete reforms: require congressional approval for legal settlements above a certain dollar threshold, force members of Congress to obtain a certification in the Constitution itself, and that political parties should perform comprehensive background checks for their candidates, On the question of whether the Founders intended a Christian nation, French is unequivocal: they didn't, and Madison rebuked Christian nationalism explicitly. The deeper structural problem behind the DOJ's loss of credibility is the unitary executive theory itself — Article II of the Constitution is dangerously vague, the executive was never meant to be a co-equal branch (Congress was supposed to be most powerful), and the only durable fix may require constitutional reform to formally remove the DOJ from executive control. French closes on a hopeful note: after every dark period in American history, the country has entered a major era of reform — and he believes one is coming again. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the infamous quote “Have you no sense of decency” from the Army/McCarthy hearings, why McCarthy was one of the first American politicians to master the attention economy, and why that famous quote precipitated the decline of McCarthy’s influence. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Predict the action all the way through the finals. Sign up now for your twenty-five dollar bonus on https://fanduel.com/predicts Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 05:30 Trump turns 80 in a week. Plans on celebrating himself with UFC fight 06:30 You can tell that Trump is not doing well physically/mentally 07:30 Republicans ignoring Trump’s decline like Dems did with Biden 10:00 Trump won’t do events where he has to stand, he sits now 11:30 Trump’s staff has been padding his schedule with private meetings 12:30 Trump built his campaign on premise his opponent was too old & sleepy 13:15 Biden’s debate broke the Dems silence, GOP hasn’t done same with Trump 14:30 Trump has influence and pull over his party that Biden didn’t 15:15 Trump’s behavior isn’t unusual for an 80 year, is unusual for a POTUS 16:00 Reinforces public perception that parties will say/defend anything for power 19:00 This will add to the credibility problems for the Republican party 19:30 Senate Republicans made huge mistake not killing the weaponization fund 20:15 Every Republican up for reelection is now vulnerable to easy attack ads 21:15 It’s probably illegal for Bill Pulte to hold the acting DNI position 23:00 Courts will likely step in to declare Pulte ineligible for position 25:30 Major primaries coming up on Tuesday including ME & SC 26:45 Lindsey Graham is vulnerable in South Carolina 27:45 Christian conservative right has always been skeptical of Graham 28:45 Outsiders have been ousting incumbents across the country 30:15 Since the Tea Party, GOP base has gone against the establishment 32:30 The anti-war vote will have qualms with Trump & Graham 33:15 Graham’s career is defined by being a political weathervane 35:00 If Graham is forced into a runoff, history says he’s in trouble 35:30 Will be interesting to see how much protest vote Janet Mills gets in ME 36:15 Platner says war messed him up… does he have the temperament for the job? 37:45 Just because behavior is explainable, doesn’t always make it excusable 38:15 Platner is in “save his campaign” mode 39:30 Bad actors will exploit California’s slow ballot counting process 40:30 Counting process requires people have faith in it, slowness hurts credibility 42:00 California has a duty to make citizens confident in the election 44:00 Thoughts on changes at 60 Minutes and Scott Pelley’s firing 44:30 Too much focus on Pelley and not enough on the Ellisons 45:00 Publicly traded media companies have all folded to & appeased Trump 47:30 Companies have a responsibility to shareholders, bad for news integrity 48:30 60 Minutes is a symbol, and Trump wants to bring it to heel/topple it 49:30 We don’t know the politics of the Ellisons, but they want their merger approved 50:30 Ellison’s know one 60 Minutes piece Trump dislikes could blow up merger 51:45 Bari Weiss is being used… is she comfortable being used? 53:00 Scott Pelley has the money to speak out and fight back 54:00 Journalists that stayed hoping to weather the storm & wait for new management 55:15 60 Minutes has incredible brand equity and is being gutted for the merger 56:45 The story is the Ellisons using 60 Minutes as a bargaining chip 1:04:00 David French joins the Chuck ToddCast 1:05:30 Insurance companies & gambling companies have opposite incentives 1:08:00 States liberalized sports gambling and the public hasn’t liked it 1:09:45 Trying to regulate after the fact can be difficult 1:11:00 Common law concepts are starting to come into regulating AI 1:11:30 Florida AG has brought criminal case against OpenAI over FSU shooter 1:13:00 There has to always be human liability in AI cases 1:15:00 If ChatGPT was a human in FSU case, it would have be charged as co-conspirator 1:16:00 Shooter asked ChatGPT how to disengage the safety 3 mins before shooting 1:18:00 In Canadian school shooting, ChatGPT’s participation was overt 1:20:30 Determining liability is murky. Google search isn’t held to same standard as ChatGPT 1:22:00 Humans can be prosecuted for encouraging someone to commit suicide 1:23:15 There are circumstances where criminal liability could apply to AI 1:23:45 When ChatGPT is speaking, OpenAI is speaking 1:25:00 Litigation needs to be a deterrent, not just compensation for victims 1:27:30 We need to pass laws regulating AI, not just pressure via civil lawsuits 1:28:45 How is blanket immunity for Trump tax violations remotely legal? 1:29:45 Congress’s job to stop weaponization fund & Trump IRS immunity 1:30:45 Legal system rests on an adversarial relationship in court cases 1:31:45 There’s no adversarial proceeding when Trump sues his own government 1:32:30 Trump cares more about liability shield than the slush fund 1:33:30 Pardon power only applies to federal crimes, not civil offenses. Can be sued 1:34:15 Trump is trying to remove himself from the operation of the law like a king 1:35:00 How can congress stop Trump’s DOJ from issuing these settlements? 1:36:45 Congress should have to approve settlements above a certain amount of $ 1:38:30 Member of congress should have to get a certification in the constitution 1:39:45 Parties should force candidates to pass a comprehensive background check 1:41:00 Why aren’t state funded partisan primaries a violation of equal protection? 1:44:15 Partisan primaries are killing the political system 1:45:00 States can say that they’ll only fund open primaries 1:46:15 Campaign finance reforms and PACs have weakened party control 1:48:00 Did the founders intend for America to be a christian nation? 1:49:00 Founders were biblically literate, but not particularly devout 1:49:30 Founders intentionally did not create a christian nation 1:50:30 Madison argued against paying clergy with tax dollars 1:51:15 Madison rebuked christian nationalism and immigration restriction 1:53:45 DOJ has lost credibility, how can we separate the DOJ from the executive? 1:54:30 Problems with DOJ are downstream from the unitary executive theory 1:55:30 Article II of the constitution is vague and inexplicit 1:56:45 After dark period, America enters periods of reform, which we badly need 1:58:45 Never supposed to be co-equal branches. Congress should have most power 1:59:30 Have to remove executive’s ability to claw power to the top 2:00:30 Would likely need constitutional reform to pull DOJ out of executive branch 2:03:00 Past congressional leaders wouldn’t voluntarily cede power 2:04:45 In late 80’s - early 90’s, congress was incentivized to compromise 2:05:30 Changes to college basketball in one-and-done and NIL era 2:07:00 Transfer portal has created a new form of one-and-done 2:08:45 NBA can only improve regular season by reducing the 82 games 2:10:15 Regular season NBA games are more intense than 30 years ago 2:13:45 ToddCast Time Machine - June 9th, 1954 2:14:15 “Have you no sense of decency?” quote becomes famous 2:15:00 Quote came during the Army/McCarthy hearings 2:15:30 The famous line didn’t end McCarthyism 2:16:15 The myth is that McCarthy created the Red Scare… he did not 2:17:00 The Cold War was not a distant abstraction, people were worried 2:17:30 McCarthy didn’t create the wave… he was surfing it 2:18:45 Mass media was growing in America and sped up the information wars 2:19:30 McCarthy understood media and how to create anticipation 2:21:00 McCarthy mastered the politics of attention, his and Trump’s mentor was Roy Cohn 2:23:00 The fear of communism still existed, but public confidence in McCarthy eroded 2:24:00 Television exposed McCarthy in a way quotes and newspapers couldn’t 2:25:30 Army/McCarthy hearings started as a personnel dispute for Roy Cohn ally 2:27:00 There were multiple institutions moving against McCarthy 2:28:00 Army chief counsel Joseph Welch spoke the infamous line 2:28:30 Welch gave words to a conclusion Americans were reaching on their own 2:31:15 Ask Chuck 2:31:30 When will congress actually hold cabinet members accountable? 2:38:15 Thoughts on DHS pulling CBP from sanctuary city airports? 2:42:15 Navigating the tension between voting for and against a candidate? 2:48:15 Thoughts on Democrats proposing a national gerrymandering ban?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tom Schenk of Amboy argues that 40 years of Democrat governors — led by Jay Inslee's 123 judicial appointments — have stacked Washington's courts with partisan judges who rubber-stamp emergency clauses, tax hikes, and the Interstate Bridge Replacement. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-forty-years-of-democrat-governors-judicial-appointments/ #WashingtonState #JudicialAppointments #ClarkCounty #Opinion #Politics #DemocratGovernors #JayInslee #InterstateBridgeReplacement #BrockmannHouse #WApolitics

Real Talkers are fired up over separatist talking points and Mark Carney's position on Donald Trump. Tyler W., Michael in Calgary, Geoff in Toronto, and Garth sound off in The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park. FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com WHEN YOU VISIT THE DQs IN PALISADES, NAMAO, NEWCASTLE, WESTMOUNT, or BASELINE ROAD, BE SURE TO TELL 'EM REAL TALK SENT YOU! REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR THE REAL TALK GOLF CLASSIC on JUNE 18 at THE RANCH: https://www.ryanjespersen.com/real-ta... FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, X, INSTAGRAM, and LINKEDIN: @realtalkrj & @ryanjespersen JOIN US ON FACEBOOK: @ryanjespersen REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: patreon.com/ryanjespersen The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

On this episode of The Federalist Radio Hour, author Carson Holloway, a professor of political science at the University of Nebraska Omaha, joins Federalist Elections Correspondent Matt Kittle to explain everything wrong with the Supreme Court's 1964 New York Times v. Sullivan decision and discuss how that judicial activism emboldened the partisan press to defame their political opponents.You can buy Holloway's book No Liberty to Libel: The Constitutional Case Against New York Times v. Sullivan here.The Federalist Foundation is a nonprofit, and we depend entirely on our listeners and readers — not corporations. If you value fearless, independent journalism, please consider a tax-deductible gift today at TheFederalist.com/donate. Your support keeps us going.

This week, hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot are digging into the Sound Opinions archives to share some rare tracks recorded in live sessions for past episodes. They'll share songs by Sleater Kinney, Courtney Barnett, Drive-By Truckers and more. The hosts will also review the new album from JPEGMAFIA.Join our Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/3sivr9TBecome a member on Patreon: https://bit.ly/3slWZvcSign up for our newsletter: https://bit.ly/4frcVZoMake a donation via PayPal: https://bit.ly/3dmt9lUSend us a Voice Memo: Desktop: bit.ly/2RyD5Ah Mobile: sayhi.chat/soundops Featured Songs:Courtney Barnett, "Scott Says (Live on Sound Opinions)," Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, Mom + Pop Music, 2015JPEGMAFIA, "babygirl," Experimental Rap, AWAL, 2026JPEGMAFIA, "The Ghost of Emmett Till," Experimental Rap, AWAL, 2026Mudhoney, "1995 (Live on Sound Opinions)," My Brother the Cow, Reprise, 1995Hüsker Dü, "Diane," Metal Circus, SST, 1983Zola Jesus, "Hunger (Live on Sound Opinions)," Taiga, Mute, 2014Sleater-Kinney, "Get Up (Live on Sound Opinions)," The Hot Rock, Kill Rock Stars, 1999Torres, "Ferris Wheel (Live on Sound Opinions)," Sprinter, Partisan, 2015Hüsker Dü, "Pink Turns to Blue," Zen Arcade, SST, 1984Drive-By Truckers, "What It Means (Live on Sound Opinions)," American Band, ATO, 2016Against Me!, "True Trans Soul Rebel (Live on Sound Opinions)," Transgender Dysphoria Blues, Total Treble, 2014Diana Ross, "I'm Coming Out," Diana, Motown, 1980See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

'BradCast' 6/3/2026: Corrupt, Partisan SCOTUS Ends All Claim to Legitimacy with Mid-Election Alabama Ruling; Primary election results by Progressive Voices

Jeffrey Epstein's rise, protection, and long run of abuse cannot be honestly framed as a partisan scandal. He cultivated relationships across the political spectrum—courting Democrats and Republicans, donating to candidates, socializing with presidents and princes, embedding himself in elite universities, financial institutions, and think tanks. His 2008 non-prosecution agreement in Florida was negotiated under a Republican U.S. attorney, but later federal oversight failures, intelligence lapses, and regulatory blind spots spanned multiple administrations. He moved easily between Wall Street, academia, philanthropy, and politics, exploiting a culture in which wealth and access often buy insulation. The machinery that allowed him to operate—deferred prosecution deals, sealed records, lax oversight in federal detention, and elite deference—was not owned by one party. It was enabled by a system that too often prioritizes influence, reputation management, and institutional self-protection over transparency and accountability.Reducing Epstein to a left-versus-right talking point obscures the broader failure: a bipartisan ecosystem of power that tolerated, minimized, or ignored red flags because he was useful, connected, or financially valuable. Figures from both sides distanced themselves only after public exposure forced their hand. The revolving doors between government, finance, and academia, along with opaque plea negotiations and limited victim notification, reveal structural weaknesses that transcend party labels. When scrutiny becomes selective—weaponized against political opponents while allies receive softer treatment—it reinforces the very dynamics that allowed Epstein to thrive. Accountability, if it is to mean anything, must confront institutional incentives, prosecutorial discretion, and elite gatekeeping across administrations. The scandal endures not because it belongs to one ideology, but because it exposed a system in which power protected power.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Epstein was invited to gatherings with a dozen members of Congress years after his initial arrest, documents reveal | The IndependentBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Partisan divides threaten America's 250th anniversary celebrations, a catastrophic Blue Origin rocket blowup deals major blows to the Bezos-owned company and NASA, and a fresh wave of controversy besets Maine Democrat Senate hopeful Graham Platner. Reporting by Megan Basham. Plus, we speak with Leroy Chiao and Jon Fetherston. Get the facts first with Morning Wire. Thumbnail Image Credit: Kevin M. Sackett - - - Ep. 2816 - - - Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 - - - Today's Sponsors: Lean - Get started with 20% off and free rush shipping so you can add LEAN to your healthy diet and exercise plan. Visit https://takelean.com and enter WIRE at checkout. Zocdoc - Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://Zocdoc.com/WIRE to find and instantly book a doctor you love today. - - - Privacy Policy: https://www.dailywire.com/privacy morning wire,morning wire podcast,the morning wire podcast,Georgia Howe,John Bickley,daily wire podcast,podcast,news podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New poll has James Talarico (D) leading Ken Paxton (R) by 3 points — 47% to 44% — in the Texas Senate race. But Kalshi (where people bet real money) currently favors Paxton by around 60%. The reason, Texas remains solidly red, and betting markets have no incentive to flatter anyone.  JD Rucker fills in for Wendy!  

Michael Henderson, associate professor at Louisiana State University, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Henderson's paper, “Blowback or Buy-In: Public Opinion in Response to Charter School Penetration,” which was presented at “School Choice: Impacts on Participants, Non-Participants, Educators, and Entrepreneurs,” a conference hosted by the Harvard Kennedy School's Program on Education Policy and Governance on May 7 and 8, 2026.

Martina McBride has pulled out of the America 250 celebration set for the Washington Mall. She claims it’s because of politics. I wish I could tell you that I’m surprised by McBride’s cowardice, but I’m not. When it comes to modern-day entertainers, courage is hard to come by. But I am troubled by her lack of patriotism. Martina McBride had a chance to be a part of a diverse soundtrack to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday. Instead, she chose to be a partisan rather than a patriot. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greg Belfrage talks to listeners about the artists who dropped out of Trump's Freedom 250 Concert. Martina McBride stated she dropped out when she found out it was not a non-partisan event. Greg asks his listeners if America's celebrations are non-partisan or not. Most of the responses agreed that these celebrations are partisan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cutting Through the Chaos with Wallace Garneau – Gerrymandering becomes more than a mapmaking dispute as Americans lose faith in elections, courts, and democratic rules. Partisan redistricting exposes a deeper legitimacy crisis, where each side sees defeat as existential and the nation drifts toward tribal politics, mistrust, and a cold civil war that threatens the republic itself today...

Partisan tension, pandemic learning loss, cell phones everywhere, and the AI takeover of everything. On this special episode we dive into the modern challenges of teaching in Philadelphia in this award-nominated story by Ben Seal.

Hour 4: The Ultimate Sacrifice and the Death of CompromiseRyan Wrecker brought the Memorial Day broadcast to a powerful close, weaving together the solemn meaning of the holiday, the breakdown of modern political unity, and a legendary musical tribute.13th: The Ultimate Sacrifice: Wrecker opened the hour by re-centering the audience on the true purpose of Memorial Day. He challenged the commercialized barbecue culture, reminding listeners to pause and honor the Gold Star families and the fallen service members who paid the ultimate price for American freedom.14th: The Book of Compromise: Turning to current events, the monologue connected the holiday to the unfolding U.S.–Iran peace deal framework. Wrecker debated the brutal realities of wartime diplomacy, questioning whether Trump's weekend negotiations represented a pragmatic step to avoid further American casualties or a dangerous concession to an adversary.15th: Interview with Aaron Perlut: Author Aaron Perlut joined the show to discuss his book, The Death of Compromise. Perlut and Wrecker detailed how hyper-partisanship and an all-or-nothing political culture have destroyed the nation's ability to find common ground, rendering the type of consensus needed for both domestic governance and major foreign policy agreements nearly impossible.16th: A Legendary Musical Tribute: The show concluded on a deeply patriotic and emotional note. Wrecker closed out the broadcast by playing Ray Charles' iconic rendition of "America the Beautiful," offering it as a final, soaring tribute to the memory of the nation's fallen heroes.

Chuck Todd walks through a primary night that should make every elected Republican break out in a cold sweat — Democrats outvoted Republicans by 100,000 votes in Georgia. He argues we now have a fully formed "woke right" — and Trump is leading it. The man who built his political brand on refusing to conform to anyone's mindset has become the most aggressive cancel culture warrior in American politics, ending the careers of Republicans who cross him. The downstream consequences are catastrophic for the GOP: Republicans will now have to dump enormous money into Texas to defend a seat that was supposed to be safe, and Texas joins North Carolina and Ohio as an expensive trio Republicans will struggle to defend. Trump appears either clueless or in denial that he's systematically setting his own party up for massive failure, but Chuck notes a "YOLO caucus" is quietly emerging among Senate Republicans who know they're toast and may act more independently. He closes with a moving tribute to Barney Frank, who died at 86 after 32 years in Congress — the architect of Dodd-Frank, the first openly gay member of Congress, who came out in 1987 at the height of the AIDS crisis and endured Gingrich-era homophobia that he felt punished him beyond what any straight politician would have faced. Frank's parting message to today's Democrats sits at the center of Todd's episode and arguably explains why the party keeps losing winnable elections: "Don't litmus test yourselves into oblivion." Then. former Senator, Tennessee Governor, and Education Secretary Lamar Alexander joins the Chuck Toddcast to discuss his new memoir The Education of a Senator and an offer his extraordinary perspective on American politics shaped by five decades in public life — including the surreal experience of being sworn in as governor under emergency circumstances because his predecessor was openly selling pardons for cash and eventually went to prison for selling whiskey licenses. (For listeners absorbing the news of Trump's modern pardon market, the historical echoes are impossible to miss.) Alexander shares stories that capture an entirely different era: how he had to govern in a bipartisan manner from day one to handle the scandal he inherited, how an inquiry surfaced about springing MLK's killer from prison, and how Southern governors of his generation had to drag their states out of the 1950s and into something resembling modernity. Alexander argues that style matters enormously in politics — and reveals that he predicted Trump's presidency years before it happened, because he saw clearly that American politics was being consumed by money and media in ways that disincentivized actual legislating. He walks through his theory of education reform, defends "No Child Left Behind"'s standards-based approach, and offers the wonkish but fascinating idea he once pitched to Reagan: have states and the federal government swap administration of Medicaid and K-12 education. The conversation broadens into Alexander's diagnosis of what's gone wrong with American politics and the path back. He argues that partisan primaries have created more ideologically extreme candidates than the system can absorb, and that people will always find ways around campaign finance limits — meaning the real fix has to be structural. Alexander offers a remarkable assessment of recent presidents: governor is the best preparation for the presidency, Carter didn't understand Washington when he arrived but Clinton did, and George W. Bush was the most "normal guy" of the modern era. He reflects on his famous healthcare debates with Obama (both gave each other notes afterwards rather than playing for spectacle), shares his concerns about state budgets becoming dangerously reliant on vice taxes, and asks the question no Republican can answer honestly anymore: could you propose raising the gas tax in today's GOP? Alexander is candid about Trump's mixed legacy — the party had become ossified and Trump did break it open, but pardoning the January 6th rioters was a profound error because the peaceful transfer of power is the single most important element of American democracy. He warns that we lack genuine two-party competition right now, that the next Republican nominee needs a fundamentally different temperament than Trump, and that the lack of character and morality in modern politics may be dissuading exactly the kind of people we most need to run. Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Predict the action all the way through the finals. Sign up now for your twenty-five dollar bonus on https://fanduel.com/predicts Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 02:30 Georgia Republican senate race headed to runoff 04:00 Democrats outvoted Republicans by 100k votes in Georgia 05:30 Breakdown of primary results from Idaho 06:00 An independent has a better chance to win in Idaho than a Dem 06:30 Brad Little was able to stand up to Trump & survive 07:00 You can’t oppose Trump and be a Republican in good standing 08:00 We now have a “woke right” that Trump is leading 08:45 Trump’s initial appeal was not having to conform to a certain mindset 09:30 Cancel culture is now Trump targeting any Republican who crosses him 10:45 Republicans can’t oppose taxpayer funding for Trump’s ballroom 11:30 Trump is as defensive about Epstein as he was about Russia 12:45 There’s a lot of circumstantial evidence with Trump/Epstein 13:15 Trump angry that Lauren Boebert won’t drop Epstein 14:00 Ken Paxton’s election denialism is what won him Trump’s support 15:15 Cassidy and Cornyn supported 90% of Trump’s agenda…wasn’t enough 15:45 Elected Republicans know that Trump can end their career in a primary 17:00 It’s Trump’s party but he’s setting it up for massive failure 17:45 GOP senators relieved they don’t have to vote for ballroom funding 18:15 There’s a growing YOLO caucus in the Republican senate 19:15 Republicans will have to spend way more money in Texas now 20:00 Cornyn has raised $400m for Republicans 22:15 Trump seems clueless or in denial that the GOP is set up to fail in the fall 23:45 Paxton is so corrupt he belongs nowhere near political power 24:15 Talarico can beat Paxton, but it will be close 25:00 Trump doesn’t usually spend money that doesn’t help Trump 26:30 Republicans are now playing defense…do they concede NC? 28:30 Texas, NC and Ohio become an expensive trio for GOP to defend 29:00 Several other potential Democratic senate pickups 35:00 Barney Frank passes away at 86, served in congress 32 years 37:15 Dodd-Frank has stood the test of time 37:45 Frank was a barrier breaker as first openly gay member of congress 38:15 Frank came out in 1987 at the height of the AIDS crisis 39:30 Republicans led by Gingrich used Frank’s sexuality as a cudgel 40:45 Frank felt overly punished because he was a gay man 43:00 Frank had to work in a place where homophobia was rampant 44:00 Frank’s closing message to Dems - “Don’t litmus test yourselves into oblivion” 45:30 Frank was a larger public figure than he gets credit for 49:00 Sen. Lamar Alexander joins The Chuck ToddCast 50:30 Being a senator vs. being a governor 51:30 There are always 8-10 senators that are better than the rest 52:15 Ted Kennedy was an incredibly effective senator 53:45 The governor he succeeded was selling pardons for cash 55:30 The prior governor eventually went to jail for selling whiskey licenses 57:15 There was an inquiry about springing MLK Jr.’s killer from prison 58:30 Had to work in a bipartisan manner on day 1 to handle the scandal 59:30 Southern governors had to bring southern states out of the 50’s 1:01:45 How would you update & modernize public education? 1:03:15 Mississippi has had great success emphasizing phonics 1:04:00 Schools are best governed community by community 1:04:30 Don’t need a Dept. of Education for higher ed 1:05:00 Federal money should allow money to follow low income students 1:05:45 You need advocacy but not management from Washington 1:06:30 Hard to argue with standards created by “No Child Left Behind” 1:08:00 If you’re entering politics it should be to accomplish something 1:09:00 Goal isn’t necessarily bipartisanship, it’s to get a result 1:10:00 Style matters in politics 1:11:15 Politics has become all money and media - Predicted Trump as president 1:12:00 The digital democracy doesn’t provide incentive for legislating 1:13:30 Money has consumed our politics, how do we fix it? 1:14:45 NC senate race could be the first billion dollar senate race 1:15:15 People always find a way around campaign finance limits 1:17:00 John Kerry was first pres. candidate to spend huge sums of personal $ 1:18:45 Why couldn’t John Baker get traction but George Bush did? 1:20:00 Governor is the best job to prepare you for the presidency 1:21:00 Carter didn’t understand D.C. when he got there, Clinton did 1:21:45 George W. Bush was the most “normal guy” out of recent presidents 1:23:30 Debate with Obama over healthcare gave both sides a platform for their views 1:24:45 Didn’t want to over debate Obama for spectacle, give him notes afterwards 1:25:30 Proposed states swapping Medicaid admin for K-12 admin to Reagan 1:26:45 Medicaid was cramping states ability to effectively manage public ed 1:27:15 Vice taxes have been relied on as a way to pad state government budgets 1:28:30 Are we too reliant on vices to fund state budgets? 1:29:45 Could you propose a raise to gas tax in today’s GOP? 1:31:15 Where is the Republican party headed in the post-Trump era? 1:32:00 Partisan primaries created more ideologically extreme candidates 1:34:15 Most national politicians from Tennessee came from eastern TN 1:34:45 Elements of Trumpism were emerging in early 2000’s GOP politics 1:36:45 GOP needs to nominate someone with a different temperament than Trump 1:37:30 Lack of character and morality in modern politics 1:38:30 Politics has caused ruptures in families, might dissuade good people from running 1:40:00 Trump has been both good & bad for the GOP - The party had become ossified 1:41:00 Trump made a major error in pardoning the J6 rioters 1:41:45 The peaceful transfer of power is the most important element of democracy 1:43:00 Washington shouldn’t operate on a pay to play basis 1:44:45 When did you first connect with Doug Bailey? 1:46:45 What advice did you get from Bailey when you were governor? 1:49:00 Purpose of memoir was to explain the goals he had as a public servant 1:50:15 The republic will survive, but we have work to do to make it survive 1:51:30 We suffer from a lack of two party competition 1:53:15 Ask Chuck 1:53:30 Is it possible the U.S. ever defaults on the national debt? 1:57:45 Is there a scenario where states coordinate gerrymandering reforms? 2:01:15 Are Dems in a no win scenario when it comes to redistricting? 2:06:30 Any chance senators like Cornyn or Cassidy could break ranks? 2:11:15 How can you say don’t fight fire with fire to people whose rights are threatened?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Senator, Tennessee Governor, and Education Secretary Lamar Alexander joins the Chuck Toddcast to discuss his new memoir The Education of a Senator and an offer his extraordinary perspective on American politics shaped by five decades in public life — including the surreal experience of being sworn in as governor under emergency circumstances because his predecessor was openly selling pardons for cash and eventually went to prison for selling whiskey licenses. (For listeners absorbing the news of Trump's modern pardon market, the historical echoes are impossible to miss.) Alexander shares stories that capture an entirely different era: how he had to govern in a bipartisan manner from day one to handle the scandal he inherited, how an inquiry surfaced about springing MLK's killer from prison, and how Southern governors of his generation had to drag their states out of the 1950s and into something resembling modernity. Alexander argues that style matters enormously in politics — and reveals that he predicted Trump's presidency years before it happened, because he saw clearly that American politics was being consumed by money and media in ways that disincentivized actual legislating. He walks through his theory of education reform, defends "No Child Left Behind"'s standards-based approach, and offers the wonkish but fascinating idea he once pitched to Reagan: have states and the federal government swap administration of Medicaid and K-12 education. The conversation broadens into Alexander's diagnosis of what's gone wrong with American politics and the path back. He argues that partisan primaries have created more ideologically extreme candidates than the system can absorb, and that people will always find ways around campaign finance limits — meaning the real fix has to be structural. Alexander offers a remarkable assessment of recent presidents: governor is the best preparation for the presidency, Carter didn't understand Washington when he arrived but Clinton did, and George W. Bush was the most "normal guy" of the modern era. He reflects on his famous healthcare debates with Obama (both gave each other notes afterwards rather than playing for spectacle), shares his concerns about state budgets becoming dangerously reliant on vice taxes, and asks the question no Republican can answer honestly anymore: could you propose raising the gas tax in today's GOP? Alexander is candid about Trump's mixed legacy — the party had become ossified and Trump did break it open, but pardoning the January 6th rioters was a profound error because the peaceful transfer of power is the single most important element of American democracy. He warns that we lack genuine two-party competition right now, that the next Republican nominee needs a fundamentally different temperament than Trump, and that the lack of character and morality in modern politics may be dissuading exactly the kind of people we most need to run. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Sen. Lamar Alexander joins The Chuck ToddCast 01:30 Being a senator vs. being a governor 02:30 There are always 8-10 senators that are better than the rest 03:15 Ted Kennedy was an incredibly effective senator 04:45 The governor he succeeded was selling pardons for cash 06:30 The prior governor eventually went to jail for selling whiskey licenses 08:15 There was an inquiry about springing MLK Jr.’s killer from prison 09:30 Had to work in a bipartisan manner on day 1 to handle the scandal 10:30 Southern governors had to bring southern states out of the 50’s 12:45 How would you update & modernize public education? 14:15 Mississippi has had great success emphasizing phonics 15:00 Schools are best governed community by community 15:30 Don’t need a Dept. of Education for higher ed 16:00 Federal money should allow money to follow low income students 16:45 You need advocacy but not management from Washington 17:30 Hard to argue with standards created by “No Child Left Behind” 19:00 If you’re entering politics it should be to accomplish something 20:00 Goal isn’t necessarily bipartisanship, it’s to get a result 21:00 Style matters in politics 22:15 Politics has become all money and media - Predicted Trump as president 23:00 The digital democracy doesn’t provide incentive for legislating 24:30 Money has consumed our politics, how do we fix it? 25:45 NC senate race could be the first billion dollar senate race 26:15 People always find a way around campaign finance limits 28:00 John Kerry was first pres. candidate to spend huge sums of personal $ 29:45 Why couldn’t John Baker get traction but George Bush did? 31:00 Governor is the best job to prepare you for the presidency 32:00 Carter didn’t understand D.C. when he got there, Clinton did 32:45 George W. Bush was the most “normal guy” out of recent presidents 34:30 Debate with Obama over healthcare gave both sides a platform for their views 35:45 Didn’t want to over debate Obama for spectacle, give him notes afterwards 36:30 Proposed states swapping Medicaid admin for K-12 admin to Reagan 37;45 Medicaid was cramping states ability to effectively manage public ed 38:15 Vice taxes have been relied on as a way to pad state government budgets 39:30 Are we too reliant on vices to fund state budgets? 40:45 Could you propose a raise to gas tax in today’s GOP? 42:15 Where is the Republican party headed in the post-Trump era? 43:00 Partisan primaries created more ideologically extreme candidates 45:15 Most national politicians from Tennessee came from eastern TN 45:45 Elements of Trumpism were emerging in early 2000’s GOP politics 47:45 GOP needs to nominate someone with a different temperament than Trump 48:30 Lack of character and morality in modern politics 49:30 Politics has caused ruptures in families, might dissuade good people from running 51:00 Trump has been both good & bad for the GOP - The party had become ossified 52:00 Trump made a major error in pardoning the J6 rioters 52:45 The peaceful transfer of power is the most important element of democracy 54:00 Washington shouldn’t operate on a pay to play basis 55:45 When did you first connect with Doug Bailey? 57:45 What advice did you get from Bailey when you were governor? 1:00:00 Purpose of memoir was to explain the goals he had as a public servant 1:01:15 The republic will survive, but we have work to do to make it survive 1:02:30 We suffer from a lack of two party competitionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

JD Vance Really Sucks. War Powers Act on Iran Finally Advances. Senator Redneck Will Be Governor Redneck. Zelensky Promises More Strikes in Russia—GOOD. Knicks Miracle Comeback.  Congressman Tom Massie lost in Kentucky last night — sort of. Trump and the MAGA machine spent tens of millions to take out the GOP Congressman who crossed him, and in the process made Massie a household name with a ready-made presidential-grade platform: no war in Iran, no tariffs, no Trump, and no stopping the release of the Epstein files. Paul Rieckhoff opens Episode 528 with a no-BS solo briefing on what last night's primaries really mean, why JD Vance is lying about Ukraine, why January 6 rioters may now go from prisons to pardons to payouts, why James Murdoch buying Vox Media's podcast network should put every independent voice on alert, and why the NY Knicks comeback and leadership is bigger than basketball.  Then Paul sits down with Dr. Karen Matthews (https://www.matthewsforcongress.com/) — Navy veteran, radiologist, small business owner, and independent candidate in California's 23rd district. CA-23 isn't Gavin Newsom's California. It's Reagan's California: working class, libertarian-leaning, a third independent, with one of the best VAs in the country and a slice of Fort Irwin inside its lines. Matthews lays out why the incumbent doesn't show up, why the Democrats have given up, and why California's open primary on June 2nd may be the single biggest day for the independent movement in years. This is what the angry middle sounds like when it stops complaining and starts running. It'll leave you inspired.  -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Join IVA and stand up to Trump's Forever Wars. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Learn more about American Veterans for Ukraine here. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It's a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. Connect with Independent Americans: Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms Read more at Substack Support ad-free episodes at Patreon  Connect: Instagram  • X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on X, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the new year.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media.  And now part of the BLEAV network!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Husain Haqqani and Bill Roggio observe that Washington is currently distracted by domestic politics and upcoming midterms, pushing the Iran war to secondary headlines. Global leadership has eroded due to partisan squabbling over issues like high gas prices. (2/16)1970S CASTRO

What happens when a Democrat speechwriter for the AFL-CIO and an unaffiliated conservative election denier sit down and discover they agree on more than they disagree? Ashe welcomes Tricia Calvaresi, the last Democrat to challenge Lauren Boebert, for a conversation that earns its question mark. From Colorado's NGO corruption machine to the broken mental health system, the globalist central planning apparatus to the civil war inside the Democratic Party, this one goes everywhere. Ashe closes with an exclusive update from her visit with Tina Peters in prison, including what Tina wants first when she walks out. It's a steak. Obviously.

In this episode:A critical investigation into a a Ukrainian partisan movementCatching up with post-election HungaryUkraine's outreach to the Arab world during the Iran warScandal over Israel importing grain from occupied territoriesMoldova takes big Ysteps to break free from Russian influenceArmenia holds summit with European leadersElectoral news from Latvia, Bulgaria, and RomaniaLinksInvestigation: A secret program, 'suicidal' missions, and death, torture in occupied UkraineExposed: How Ukrainian Wheat Stolen by Russia Is Smuggled to IsraelTwitterAnthony: @BartawayUkraine Without Hype: @HypeUkraineOther Social Media⁠⁠⁠⁠http://youtube.com/@UkraineWithoutHype⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://tiktok.com/@ukrainewithouthype⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://instagram.com/ukrainewithouthype/⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/UkraineWithoutHype⁠⁠⁠⁠Resources and Charitieshttps://linktr.ee/ukrainewithouthype

This week on Truth to Power, we get you ready for the Primary Election here in Louisville taking place on Tuesday, May 19th (with early voting already underway!). Back on the evening of April 14th at Central High School, a Candidate Forum was held for Louisville's first-ever non-partisan Mayoral race. Eight candidates vying to become Louisville's next mayor participated to discuss their priorities and values. For the first time this year, the races for Louisville mayor and Metro Council are nonpartisan. Louisville Public Media, the Louisville Urban League and WDRB collaborated on this public forum to hear from candidates for mayor. Unlike in past years, every mayoral candidate will appear on all Jefferson County ballots in a nonpartisan section. The two who receive the most votes will move on to the general election in November. Kenya Young, the President and CEO of Louisville Public Media, co-moderated this Mayoral Candidate Forum with Gilbert Corsey of WDRB. All active candidates were invited to participate and eight did. Since then, one participant, Jeff Yocum, bowed out of the race. Two other candidates – Bill Wells and JusAustin Lane – previously withdrew. The candidates introduced themselves to the live audience at Central High School and responded to questions on a number of topics including affordable housing, data centers, police, public safety and business and development. Candidates from across the political spectrum attended the forum, and many were united in their criticism of incumbent Democratic Mayor Craig Greenberg, who did not attend. The full list of candidates who appeared at the forum includes: Lisa Holliday Harris Tina Burnell Matthew Solomon Bailey Jeff Yocum (withdrawn) Bob DeVore Stephen Dattilo Jody Hurt Shameka Parrish-Wright Early, no-excuse voting is taking place May 14-16 and primary election day is May 19. Find polling locations and sample ballots at https://GoVote.ky.gov You can watch the entire, un-edited two-hour forum at https://www.lpm.org/news/2026-05-11/watch-louisville-mayoral-candidates-take-part-in-forum-ahead-of-primary-election Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 7pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

This week, we're taking a closer look at one of the few issues that appears to unite Americans across the political spectrum: concern about money in politics. From campaign spending and lobbying to billionaire influence and “dark money,” recent polling suggests large majorities of Americans believe wealth and special interests now hold too much power in shaping elections and political decision-making. Many also say the current system weakens democracy and creates the appearance of corruption, concerns that cut across party lines. At the same time, campaign finance reform has historically struggled to become a top public priority, even as election spending continues to reach record highs. In this segment, we break down what Americans think about the role of money in politics, why these concerns have become so widespread, and what they reveal about trust in the political system today. We're also examining how pets are increasingly becoming central to American family life. Pet ownership has reached record levels in the United States, and nearly all pet owners now describe their animals as part of the family. For many younger Americans especially, pets are not just companions but emotional anchors, sources of stability, and in some cases even substitutes for traditional milestones like marriage or parenthood. At the same time, the share of households with children continues to decline, while spending on pets continues to rise. In this segment, we explore what these changing attitudes toward pets reveal about shifting ideas surrounding family, adulthood, caregiving, and modern American life. And finally, for our fun fact we are breaking down our dreams. Do you remember the details, the vibes, or nothing at all?

Mark Zandi — chief economist at Moody's Analytics and one of the most quoted forecasters in America — joins the Chuck Toddcast to deliver a remarkably sobering verdict on where the economy actually stands: without the $700 billion currently being poured into AI investment, the United States would already be in or close to recession. The latest CPI and PPI reports came back ugly and uglier, oil shocks from the Iran war will keep prices elevated through 2027 even if the war ended tomorrow (Zandi says don't expect $3 gas again until then), real disposable income has been flat or falling for a year, FHA mortgage delinquencies are at their highest level since the Great Recession, and the bottom 40% of earners are living genuinely paycheck to paycheck. Zandi pushes back on lazy comparisons to the 1970s — conditions were objectively worse then, with a self-reinforcing wage-price loop that took a brutal recession to break — but warns that nominating Kevin Warsh as Fed chair specifically to cut rates would risk replaying exactly that movie, and that a policy of low rates at any cost would be catastrophic. The deeper diagnosis is brutal: employment was growing steadily and inflation was easing until Liberation Day, when both reversed simultaneously — meaning Trump's tariffs are the most obvious thing to cut, and the question of who actually benefits from them gets harder to answer every month. The mass deportation policy is costing the country roughly 0.5-0.7% of GDP growth that normal immigration would have provided, with agriculture, construction, hospitality and services taking direct hits. Zandi sees economic weakness most pronounced in the South and West, healthcare-anchored cities like Philadelphia outperforming Florida and Texas, and a national debt now exceeding GDP that's setting the conditions for a potential bond market sell-off — with global investors already being advised to diversify away from the dollar as America deglobalizes and the world quietly pulls away. His most striking observation: the fixes are all sitting on the shelf. America doesn't need new ideas to solve any of this — it needs the political will to use the ones we already have, and that will probably won't materialize until a genuine crisis forces it. By the midterms, voters will be feeling the worst of it, and while partisan media can try to spin the numbers all it wants — reality is much harder to spin. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Mark Zandi joins the Chuck ToddCast 00:45 CPI inflation and PPI inflation reports came back ugly & uglier 02:00 The through lines are ugly and going to get worse due to oil prices 02:45 Even if the war ended today, higher prices would last all year 03:15 Inflation has been accelerating under Trump, was on track under Biden 04:15 Inflation was worse during Covid combined with start of Ukraine war 07:00 Economy and stagflation were much worse in the 70s than now 07:45 Conditions different from 70s, there was a self-reinforcing loop in 70s 08:30 The only way out of 70s stagflation was a very severe recession 09:15 Kevin Warsh nominated for Fed chair to lower interest rates 10:00 If Warsh cuts interest rates, we risk a repeat of the 70s 10:45 A policy of low rates at any cost would be catastrophic 11:15 Rate cuts won’t happen since they are set by a board 11:45 Economy won’t have time to recover in time for the midterm elections 13:00 Partisan media can try to spin the economy, but reality is hard to spin 14:15 We won’t be back to $3/gallon gas until 2027 most likely 14:45 Last 3 months, the economy got a boost due to tax refunds that are fading 16:00 Real disposable income has fallen or stayed stagnant the past year 16:45 Bottom 40% earners are struggling badly, living paycheck to paycheck 17:45 FHA mortgage delinquency rates are rising, highest since great recession 19:00 Things will feel worse economically by the midterm election 20:30 Without $700B in AI investment, we’d be close to, or in a recession 22:45 Last two jobs reports better than expected, tax cuts acted as stimulus 23:30 The job market is still very weak 24:30 With normal immigration we’d grow GDP by 0.5-0.7%, and lost that 25:30 Data shows immigrants don’t take jobs native born workers have 26:30 Lack of immigrants will hit state & local government budgets hard 27:15 Agriculture, construction, hospitality and services hit hard by deportations 29:00 Air travel hasn’t fallen off due to economic conditions… yet 29:45 High end consumer spending on recreation hasn’t fallen off at all 30:45 Is the proposal to cap credit card interest rate at 10% a good idea? 31:30 Companies won’t offer credit lines to consumers without great credit scores 32:15 Trump cutting the tariffs is the most obvious solution to higher prices 33:00 Employment was increasing regularly until Liberation Day tariffs 33:30 Inflation also took off on Liberation Day 34:15 Who actually benefits from Trump’s tariffs? 35:30 Suspending gas tax would result in .10-.15c lower prices at pump 37:30 Cutting the gas tax likely won’t result in any political benefit 39:00 Economic weakness most pronounced in the south & the west 41:00 Cities with big healthcare industries having most job growth, Philly leading 42:45 Pennsylvania economy rowing faster than Florida or Texas 43:15 America’s national debt exceeds GDP, how concerned should we be? 45:30 Indicators show we having a massive debt and deficit problem 47:00 The conditions for a sell off in the bond market are in place 47:30 It’s going to take a crisis to generate political will to act on the debt 48:45 America is deglobalizing, and world pulling away from us 49:15 Investors being advised to diversify away from the dollar 50:30 The fixes to the economy are all sitting on the shelf. Don’t need new ideas 52:00 AI job displacement hasn’t hit hard yet, but could be coming soonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens by previewing Mark Zandi's sobering economic forecast from this episode and arrives at a simple, devastating conclusion: every single policy decision Trump has made has made the economy worse, tax refunds have already been gobbled up by inflation, and the math guarantees voters will feel even worse by the midterms — meaning Republicans on the ballot should be furious with the president, and those in swing districts have no choice but to start distancing themselves from his policies now. But the real heat in this episode comes from his analysis of Trump's trip to Beijing to meet Xi Jinping, which he frames as the diplomatic equivalent of going hat in hand. He argues there's simply no winning a trade war with China, that scrapping the TPP and the JCPOA will go down as two of the most colossal strategic mistakes of the modern era, and that Trump's combined Iran and China policies have somehow managed to strengthen both adversaries simultaneously — to the point that his foreign policy decisions are starting to make him look, in Chuck’s words, like a Manchurian candidate. The world is now beginning to view the United States itself as the global boogeyman, and Trump's presidency is doing damage to America's long-term standing that will take a generation to repair. The brutal irony, he notes, is that Trump now needs more from China than China needs from America: China is the only country with real leverage over Iran, defenders of Taiwanese independence are quietly terrified that Trump could trade them away for an economic off-ramp, and Xi gets to sit across the table from a desperate American president whose negotiating position keeps eroding by the day. Then, Mark Zandi — chief economist at Moody's Analytics and one of the most quoted forecasters in America — joins the Chuck Toddcast to deliver a remarkably sobering verdict on where the economy actually stands: without the $700 billion currently being poured into AI investment, the United States would already be in or close to recession. The latest CPI and PPI reports came back ugly and uglier, oil shocks from the Iran war will keep prices elevated through 2027 even if the war ended tomorrow (Zandi says don't expect $3 gas again until then), real disposable income has been flat or falling for a year, FHA mortgage delinquencies are at their highest level since the Great Recession, and the bottom 40% of earners are living genuinely paycheck to paycheck. Zandi pushes back on lazy comparisons to the 1970s — conditions were objectively worse then, with a self-reinforcing wage-price loop that took a brutal recession to break — but warns that nominating Kevin Warsh as Fed chair specifically to cut rates would risk replaying exactly that movie, and that a policy of low rates at any cost would be catastrophic. The deeper diagnosis is brutal: employment was growing steadily and inflation was easing until Liberation Day, when both reversed simultaneously — meaning Trump's tariffs are the most obvious thing to cut, and the question of who actually benefits from them gets harder to answer every month. The mass deportation policy is costing the country roughly 0.5-0.7% of GDP growth that normal immigration would have provided, with agriculture, construction, hospitality and services taking direct hits. Zandi sees economic weakness most pronounced in the South and West, healthcare-anchored cities like Philadelphia outperforming Florida and Texas, and a national debt now exceeding GDP that's setting the conditions for a potential bond market sell-off — with global investors already being advised to diversify away from the dollar as America deglobalizes and the world quietly pulls away. His most striking observation: the fixes are all sitting on the shelf. America doesn't need new ideas to solve any of this — it needs the political will to use the ones we already have, and that will probably won't materialize until a genuine crisis forces it. By the midterms, voters will be feeling the worst of it, and while partisan media can try to spin the numbers all it wants — reality is much harder to spin. Finally, Chuck answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Try ShipStation free for 60 days with full access to all features, No credit card needed! Go to https://ShipStation.com and use code TODDCAST for 60 days for free! 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. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 01:00 Mark Zandi paints a sobering picture about state of the economy 02:30 Every Trump policy decision has made has made the economy worse 03:45 Tax refunds have been gobbled up by inflation 04:15 The economy will only feel worse to people by midterm elections 06:30 Republicans on the ballot should be furious with Trump 07:15 Republicans in swing areas have to distance from Trump policies 08:15 Trump in China to meet with Xi Jinping 09:00 There’s no winning a trade war with China 10:30 Getting rid of the TPP & JCPOA were colossal mistakes 11:30 Trump is losing the Iran war and strengthened Iran & China 12:00 Trump’s policies make him look like a Manchurian candidate 12:30 The world is now starting to view the US as the boogeyman 13:15 Trump’s presidency has been terribly damaging long term to the US 14:30 We need more from China than they need from us 15:00 China is the only country that could lean on Iran 15:45 Defenders of Taiwan independence worried Trump could cave 16:45 Trump is desperate for Xi’s help 21:00 Mark Zandi joins the Chuck ToddCast 21:45 CPI inflation and PPI inflation reports came back ugly & uglier 23:00 The through lines are ugly and going to get worse due to oil prices 23:45 Even if the war ended today, higher prices would last all year 24:15 Inflation has been accelerating under Trump, was on track under Biden 25:15 Inflation was worse during Covid combined with start of Ukraine war 28:00 Economy and stagflation were much worse in the 70s than now 28:45 Conditions different from 70s, there was a self-reinforcing loop in 70s 29:30 The only way out of 70s stagflation was a very severe recession 30:15 Kevin Warsh nominated for Fed chair to lower interest rates 31:00 If Warsh cuts interest rates, we risk a repeat of the 70s 31:45 A policy of low rates at any cost would be catastrophic 32:15 Rate cuts won’t happen since they are set by a board 32:45 Economy won’t have time to recover in time for the midterm elections 34:00 Partisan media can try to spin the economy, but reality is hard to spin 35:15 We won’t be back to $3/gallon gas until 2027 most likely 35:45 Last 3 months, the economy got a boost due to tax refunds that are fading 37:00 Real disposable income has fallen or stayed stagnant the past year 37:45 Bottom 40% earners are struggling badly, living paycheck to paycheck 38:45 FHA mortgage delinquency rates are rising, highest since great recession 40:00 Things will feel worse economically by the midterm election 41:30 Without $700B in AI investment, we’d be close to, or in a recession 43:45 Last two jobs reports better than expected, tax cuts acted as stimulus 44:30 The job market is still very weak 45:30 With normal immigration we’d grow GDP by 0.5-0.7%, and lost that 46:30 Data shows immigrants don’t take jobs native born workers have 47:30 Lack of immigrants will hit state & local government budgets hard 48:15 Agriculture, construction, hospitality and services hit hard by deportations 50:00 Air travel hasn’t fallen off due to economic conditions… yet 50:45 High end consumer spending on recreation hasn’t fallen off at all 51:45 Is the proposal to cap credit card interest rate at 10% a good idea? 52:30 Companies won’t offer credit lines to consumers without great credit scores 53:15 Trump cutting the tariffs is the most obvious solution to higher prices 54:00 Employment was increasing regularly until Liberation Day tariffs 54:30 Inflation also took off on Liberation Day 55:15 Who actually benefits from Trump’s tariffs? 56:30 Suspending gas tax would result in .10-.15c lower prices at pump 58:30 Cutting the gas tax likely won’t result in any political benefit 1:00:00 Economic weakness most pronounced in the south & the west 1:02:00 Cities with big healthcare industries having most job growth, Philly leading 1:03:45 Pennsylvania economy rowing faster than Florida or Texas 1:04:15 America’s national debt exceeds GDP, how concerned should we be? 1:06:30 Indicators show we having a massive debt and deficit problem 1:08:00 The conditions for a sell off in the bond market are in place 1:08:30 It’s going to take a crisis to generate political will to act on the debt 1:09:45 America is deglobalizing, and world pulling away from us 1:10:15 Investors being advised to diversify away from the dollar 1:11:30 The fixes to the economy are all sitting on the shelf. Don’t need new ideas 1:13:00 AI job displacement hasn’t hit hard yet, but could be coming soon 1:16:15 Need a stiff drink after the interview with Mark Zandi 1:16:45 Ask Chuck 1:17:00 Alternative idea for formula to expand the house of representatives? 1:21:45 Will there be any impact from Susan Collins disclosing her tremors? 1:25:30 Thanks for interview with lawyers suing big tech, screen time is down 1:26:45 Could you argue that SCOTUS striking down New Deal policy was most impactful? 1:28:45 Is Dems gerrymandering more about deterrence and not pure hypocrisy? 1:33:15 If a justice steps down, who would Trump nominate. What would impacts be? 1:37:45 Thanks for the pod. It’s helped me get through long dialysis sessions 1:39:15 NBA playoffs reactionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Don and Tom tackle the strange psychology of politics and investing, exploring how Republicans and Democrats consistently perceive the economy and markets differently depending on who occupies the White House. Drawing on research from Spencer Jakab, the University of Michigan, and Dimensional Fund Advisors, they argue that long-term market performance has historically shown little correlation to presidential party affiliation, despite investors' emotional reactions. The episode also features a thoughtful listener discussion about pensions in public safety careers, including the hidden risks of not paying into Social Security and the limitations of pensions as wealth-building tools. Additional listener questions cover Vanguard target-date fund combinations and the drawbacks of holding a costly variable annuity inside an IRA. The show wraps with commentary on pay-to-play podcast awards, Don's surprisingly modest Amazon book ranking triumph, and updates on his upcoming Civil War novel The Line Uncrossed which has been pre-released for podcast listeners in an exclusive ebook bonus package at donmcdonald.com0:05 Politics, perception, and the “presidential puzzle”2:26 Partisan views on the economy and stock market3:51 Why presidents have limited long-term market impact6:03 Emotions, investing, and politically themed ETFs8:18 Why asset allocation matters more than politics8:51 Performance of the MAGA ETF vs. expectations10:51 Listener question: pensions, Social Security, and public safety careers15:11 The importance of supplemental retirement savings alongside pensions16:38 Why pensions provide income but not generational wealth19:45 Listener question: mixing Vanguard Target Date 2035 and 2040 funds21:48 Debate over “rebalancing” target-date funds22:57 Listener question: variable annuity inside an IRA at Edward Jones24:28 Why variable annuities can be expensive and inefficient25:11 Fake podcast awards and pay-to-play recognition schemes27:07 “Financial Physics” Amazon ranking discussion28:32 Don's upcoming novel The Line Uncrossed and Civil War inspirationQuestions? Comments? Click!

A coalition of six major banking trade organizations is warning that last-minute compromise language in the Senate's long-stalled Clarity Act could still permit crypto firms to offer interest-like rewards on stablecoins. The warning could set up a potentially decisive fight just as lawmakers race against the congressional calendar to advance digital asset legislation.~This episode is sponsored by Tangem~Tangem ➜ https://bit.ly/TangemPBNUse Code: "PBN" for Additional Discounts!Guest: Guest: Adam Minehardt - Chief Policy Officer at HyperliquidFollow on X ➜ https://x.com/adam_minehardt00:00 Intro00:10 Sponsor: Tangem01:00 Odds collapse01:20 ABA Mother's Day PANIC03:00 What happened?04:20 Patrick Witt05:00 Last minute Bank bullshit06:30 Bank interests07:00 Yield compromise09:00 Coinbase Lawyer: Banks outcry will end soon10:00 Is Coinbase being too naive?12:30 Hyperliquid Policy Center15:00 Partisan split17:50 key politicians to watch19:45 Pushback this week?21:00 Time risks23:00 Trump calls out banks?23:30 BTC strategic reserve24:20 SEC/CFTC perps trading25:30 OCC policy fight26:00 Warren amendments26:30 JP Morgan buys out Coinbase28:00 Crypto Skyrockets on Friday?#Crypto #Hyperliquid #Ethereum~Banks in Full-Blown PANIC!

State Representative Mike Koslow breaks down his exchange with the Wentzville School Board president, arguing that claims of “nonpartisan” school boards don't match reality given political activism, social media conduct, and party-aligned involvement. He defends the push to move school board and bond elections from April to November, saying higher turnout prevents small, highly motivated voting blocs from dominating outcomes. Koslow also criticizes the Missouri NEA's influence in local school board races and argues that election timing has been strategically used to benefit one side in St. Charles County. Hashtags: #MikeKoslow #WentzvilleSchools #SchoolBoardElections #MissouriPolitics #ElectionReform #StCharlesCounty #EducationPolicy

Today's sermon is for Easter 6 (A) and is titled Unity is Not Partisan. It was written by Susan Butterworth and read by the Rev. Danáe Ashley. Sermons That Work is an offering of the Episcopal Church's Office of Communication. For more free resources, including sermons, Bible studies, bulletin inserts, and more, visit episcopalchurch.org/sermons. We would love it if you'd rate, review, and subscribe to our podcast on your favorite podcasting platform – and while you're at it, share it with a friend!

"The Asymmetry of Redistricting Rulings." GUEST: Richard Epstein Professor Richard Epstein critiques the Supreme Court for banning race-based redistricting while permitting political gerrymandering, arguing that frequent, partisan reapportionments are a "disaster" for democracy.

Historical context provides a sobering look at this moment, drawing parallels between the struggles in Selma and Birmingham and the current judicial landscape. The bravery of civil rights icons like John Lewis and the tragic sacrifices of activists in Mississippi highlight the high cost of the rights now being systematically undid with a word processor. Political figures are already moving to capitalize on this ruling, with plans to redraw congressional districts in ways that could zero out black representation in the House of Representatives. This isn't just about technical tweaks to the law; it is about the future of the 15th Amendment and the fundamental right to a meaningful vote. The ripple effects of this decision will be felt in state legislatures and city councils across the country as partisan gerrymandering receives a green light from the highest bench. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

This week the Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act, threatening legal protections that have helped several communities gain representation in American politics. To tell us more, KCBS' Steve Scott spoke with KCBS Insider Phil Matier.

For the first time since the U.S. went to war with Iran, Defense Secretary Hegseth faced sharp questions on Wednesday from Congress. During the hearing, the Pentagon revealed that the war so far has cost $25 billion. The fighting is on hold, but the military maintains its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

For the first time since the U.S. went to war with Iran, Defense Secretary Hegseth faced sharp questions on Wednesday from Congress. During the hearing, the Pentagon revealed that the war so far has cost $25 billion. The fighting is on hold, but the military maintains its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Howie Kurtz on the glaring security lapses during a third assassination attempt on President Trump at the Washington Hilton, the Trump administration's pressure on the EEOC to prioritize cases favoring its political agenda, and Taylor Swift's high-stakes legal move to trademark her voice and likeness against the rise of AI.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David Brooks of The Atlantic and Jonathan Capehart of MS NOW join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including the Justice Department dropping its probe into Fed Chair Jerome Powell after admitting it lacked evidence, voters in Virginia approving a redistricting effort benefiting Democrats and President Trump saying he's in no rush to end the Iran war. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

David Brooks of The Atlantic and Jonathan Capehart of MS NOW join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including the Justice Department dropping its probe into Fed Chair Jerome Powell after admitting it lacked evidence, voters in Virginia approving a redistricting effort benefiting Democrats and President Trump saying he's in no rush to end the Iran war. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

NPR's Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter join Geoff Bennett to discuss the latest political news, including Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer leaving her post, partisan redistricting and the midterms and Democratic fundraising advantages. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

NPR's Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter join Geoff Bennett to discuss the latest political news, including Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer leaving her post, partisan redistricting and the midterms and Democratic fundraising advantages. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In this episode, Chris and Shaun sit down with Andy Rotherham, co-founder of Bellwether Education Partners and a veteran of the Clinton White House. Andy has spent over 30 years at the intersection of education policy and social impact, but he's also a music enthusiast, a Red Sox fan, a Boston bar investor, a podcaster himself, and a man willing to run a 5k in a full Easter Bunny costume to surprise his daughter.We dive into the "no-fluff" reality of the American education system, discussing why school "averages" are often not helpful and how we can actually move the needle on equity. We also explore the "modern vice" landscape—from the gamification of sports betting to the pervasive influence of social media on youth.In this episode, we discuss:The McCaskill Update: A shout-out to previous guest John McCaskill on his new book, Dialing Your Leadership .The History of a "Planned Community": Growing up in Reston, Virginia, and how its "hippie experiment" origins shaped Andy's worldview .The Trillion-Dollar Industry: Why education spending is both too much and not enough, and the desperate need for honest performance audits .The "Omni Cause": The quantitative shift in how gambling, weed, and social media are impacting the next generation .A Personal "Why": Andy's commitment to the Pan-Mass Challenge and raising funds for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in memory of his fathers .Speed Round: Andy's life mantra, "What's the worst that can happen?"Resources Mentioned:Bellwether Education PartnersEduwonk (Substack)Pan-Mass Challenge / Dana-FarberD.I.A.L. IN YOUR LEADERSHIP by John McCaskillThanks to our sponsor, Mental. Mental is a wellness app built specifically for men, offering a sanctuary from "toxic positivity" and generic advice. It provides personalized, affordable, and science-backed support through real-life coaching designed to help you navigate life's messiest challenges. If you've been thinking about doing something for your mental health, visit https://app.getmental.com/subscribe to get started.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more people find these important conversations!

Professor Luke Foster laments the decline of persuasive speech in the United States Congress, contrasting modern partisan anger with the powerful 18th-century parliamentary debates that shaped governance through high-level education and genuine legislative policy authority. (8)1947 DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT, LONG BEACH

Jimmy's Monologue - Exposing fraud shouldn't be partisan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve Hayes is joined by David Drucker, Mike Warren, and Jonathan Martin, Politico's politics bureau chief, to discuss the upcoming midterm elections and the Democrats' ongoing identity crisis.The Agenda:—The Trump effect on 2026 midterms—Partisan redistricting efforts—Scandals in state primaries—Democratic identity crisis—The GOP after 2028—NWYT: Meals with sourcesShow Notes:—On the Road with Jonathan Martin The Dispatch Podcast is a production of ⁠The Dispatch⁠, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—⁠click here⁠. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member ⁠by clicking here⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In his first State of the Union address of his second term, President Trump offered a rosy portrait of a United States that has lost confidence in his leadership. He also relentlessly baited Democrats, who want to win back control of Congress in the midterms this fall. David E. Sanger, a White House correspondent for The New York Times, takes us inside the room. Guest: David E. Sanger, the White House and National Security Correspondent for The New York Times, reporting on President Trump and his administration. Background reading:  During his State of the Union address, Mr. Trump heralded economic and border policies while deriding Democrats. Here are some fact checks of his speech. Photo: Kenny Holston/The New York Times For more information on today's episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.