Podcasts about super pacs

Tonight, we follow the money coming in from Super PACs in the competitive District 7 race between Rebecca Bennett and Congressman Tom Kean Jr. We'll break down who the big donors are. Plus, a data center fuel spill into a New Jersey creek has many activists and communities questioning the environmental impact of having those companies in their neighborhoods. And, a new rule may limit who can be a referee or official at your child's next game. Joanna Gagis takes a look at the new regulations and potential costly consequences.

P.M. Edition for Sept. 14. Industry leaders' calls for a slowdown in AI development are rippling through tech, government and financial markets. As some look at what more guardrails could look like in practice, some—including President Trump—say they're unnecessary since they could give China a competitive leg up. WSJ chief China correspondent Lingling Wei discusses how the debate is going over there. Plus, chip stocks fell over the prospect of a pullback in spending on the AI buildout… and the 10-year yield briefly touched over 5% as instability in the Middle East pushed up oil prices. We hear from markets reporter Hannah Erin Lang about what drove market moves today. And Democrats have momentum as they eye control of Congress. But as WSJ national political reporter Eliza Collins explains, there are also risks that could trip them up. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Sept. 14, 2026Disguised as a Voter Registration Site, an Elon Musk - America PAC Site Seems Designed to Vacuum Up Voter Data InsteadUsing social media, Elon Musk and his America PAC are promoting “VoteSafe.org” as a voter registration information site similar to nonpartisan site Vote.gov.  But its actual purpose may be to vacuum up voter data instead. Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today's report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgToday's LinksArticles & Resources:America PAC - VoteSave.org Site Data Collection Site Snopes - Elon Musk's VoteSafe.org shares users' personal information. Here's how we knowVote.Gov/US Election Assistance Commission - Register to Vote US Election Assistance Commission - Register and Vote in Your StateFederal Electon Commission - Leadership and structureRelated ADM Reports:American Democracy Minute - (2026) WI District Attorney Punts on Musk ChargesAmerican Democracy Minute - (2025)  Elon Musk Data Collection Scheme in Support of WI Supreme Court Candidate Offers $100 Bounty to Refer Petition Signers American Democracy Minute - (2024) Is it Illegal to Pay a $47 Bounty to Get a Registered Voter to Sign a Petition? Elon Musk's Super PAC is Doing Just That.Groups Taking Action:Public Citizen, Common Cause, Defend the Vote, End Citizens UnitedPlease follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgSubscribe for FREE at Apple Podcasts, Spotify and most podcasting platforms.#News #Democracy #DemocracyNews #ElonMusk #AmericaPAC #VoterRegistration #2026Midterms #PersonalData

Ant and James reflect on 9/11, both the day and its legacy.0:00 Introduction and Episode Preview0:24 Citizens United, Super PACs, and Money in Politics6:48 Corporate Donations, Trump, and Political Influence10:50 AI Is Putting an Entire Industry Out of Business13:56 AI, College Cheating, and the Future of Education17:28 Foolishness of the Week: Trump Threatens to Halt Trade20:48 Why Trade Deficits Aren't What Politicians Think22:24 25 Years Later: Remembering 9/1125:25 Where We Were When the Attacks Happened29:03 How 9/11 Changed America Overnight31:39 Fear, Terrorism, and the Wars That Followed 9/1134:22 How 9/11 Changed the Nature of War35:17 The War on Terror and America's “Wars on Nouns”42:28 TSA, Security Theater, and the Post-9/11 Surveillance State44:30 The Militarization of American Law Enforcement46:06 Did Americans Trade Freedom for Security?48:31 Fear, Crime, and the Lasting Legacy of 9/1150:32 Closing Thoughts: Have Some Charity in Your Heart

We discuss how the SpeechNow v. FEC decision in 2010 created Super PACs and how combating corruption in American politics starts with getting rid of Super PACs. Larry's civic action toolkit recommendations are:  Build the muscle of deliberating with each other. Start with the principle that we should not have a political system where people can buy influence and get results with their money. Lawrence Lessig is the Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership at Harvard Law School and the founder of Equal Citizens, an organization whose mission is to fix democracy by establishing truly equal citizenship.  Let's connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/Discover new ways to #BetheSpark: https://www.futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: https://x.com/milaatmos Follow Lawrence Lessig on X: https://x.com/lessigSponsor: Thank you to Shopify! Start your free trial at SHOPIFY.COM/hopefulEarly episodes for Patreon supporters:https://patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Lawrence LessigExecutive Producer: Zack TravisExecutive Editor: Mila Atmos

Sept. 10, 2026- In a Dispatches from Planet Albany excerpt, Republican Political Consultant Chapin Fay talks about the super PAC boosting Bruce Blakeman's bid for governor.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.politix.fmIt's Trumpapalooza; it's the Charlie Kirkaversary; it's been 25 years since 9/11. And that has everyone asking: Have Democrats sufficiently denounced antisemitism?In this episode, Matt and Brian discuss: * Donald Trump's seemingly deteriorating mental state; * The political valence of antisemitism vs. Islamophobia;* Why institutional opponents of antisemitism don't hold Republicans to any standard.Then, should there be a moratorium on artificial intelligence development? The nature of the risks suggest yes, but the logistical and political challenges seem insurmountable. But, then, shouldn't A.I. developers be taking a firmer stand? Why do they make dire warnings about A.I. risk out of one side of their mouth, but then devote all of their political efforts to attacking candidates who support A.I. regulation. Will there be a grand settlement before something terrible happens? Or will catastrophe be what spurs action, and we just have to hope it doesn't come too late?Answers are available in full to listeners and viewers on YouTube. Check out our new channel, or upgrade your subscription and pipe full episodes directly to your favorite podcast app via your own private feed.Further reading:* Matt on the known unknowns about data centers. * Brian goes insane. * Jacob Pachoki—chief scientist at Open AI, whose president funds the big A.I. Super PAC—on A.I. risk.

The GOP kicks off first-ever midterm convention. A record number of women run for office and pro-data center labor unions give big to the Kentucky governor's Super PAC.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.politix.fmIt's Trumpapalooza; it's the Charlie Kirkaversary; it's been 25 years since 9/11. And that has everyone asking: Have Democrats sufficiently denounced antisemitism?In this episode, Matt and Brian discuss: * Donald Trump's seemingly deteriorating mental state; * The political valence of antisemitism vs. Islamophobia;* Why institutional opponents of antisemitism don't hold Republicans to any standard.Then, should there be a moratorium on artificial intelligence development? The nature of the risks suggest yes, but the logistical and political challenges seem insurmountable. But, then, shouldn't A.I. developers be taking a firmer stand? Why do they make dire warnings about A.I. risk out of one side of their mouth, but then devote all of their political efforts to attacking candidates who support A.I. regulation. Will there be a grand settlement before something terrible happens? Or will catastrophe be what spurs action, and we just have to hope it doesn't come too late?Answers are available in full to listeners and viewers on YouTube. Check out our new channel, or upgrade your subscription and pipe full episodes directly to your favorite podcast app via your own private feed.Further reading:* Matt on the known unknowns about data centers. * Brian goes insane. * Jacob Pachoki—chief scientist at Open AI, whose president funds the big A.I. Super PAC—on A.I. risk.

This Day in Maine for Friday, September 4, 2026.

Thursday, September 3. The seven stories you need to know today.Read today's briefing.

A foreign government buying ads on a US senator's podcast sounds like satire until you follow the money. We dig into reporting from Connor Echols at Responsible Statecraft on how Israeli government “I Am Israel” ads ran on “Verdict with Ted Cruz” and how that ad revenue, via iHeartMedia, flowed to a pro-Ted Cruz Super PAC instead of landing in a normal media account. The details are technical, but the implication is simple: commercial ad buys can quietly reshape political incentives. We walk through the campaign finance machinery that makes this possible, from Citizens United era Super PAC rules to the FEC's narrow “coordination” standard that's tough to prove. We also tackle the question listeners immediately ask: doesn't FARA kick in? You'll hear why “fair market rate” tourism ads often dodge foreign agent registration, even when the campaign's stated goal is image rehabilitation in the United States. From there, we zoom out to the wider influence battle: AIPAC-linked spending tactics, why candidates sometimes treat explicit pro-Israel branding as a liability, and what polling suggests about shifting voter attitudes on Israel and Gaza, especially among Democrats. We close with a look at how recycled World War II analogies warp debate, plus Ukraine's effort to sell itself as “the Israel of Europe” and what that means for escalation, NATO fears, and gray zone retaliation.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribeDisinformation about clean energy is showing up everywhere — online after every blackout, at county commission meetings about siting new projects, in regulatory dockets stuffed with fake comments. GoodPower, which combines a C3 education arm with a C4 advocacy arm, is trying to fight back with a network of thousands of content creators, rapid-response campaigns around storms and grid failures, and an AI tool that detects manufactured public comments. I talk with CEO Leah Qusba about what they've tried, what they've measured, and what actually works.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction03:06 – What the disinformation claims, and who spreads it05:57 – From Action for the Climate Emergency to GoodPower08:38 – Building a creator network in non-political verticals14:17 – Competing with talk radio and Fox News18:26 – Winter Storm Fern and the rapid response system23:26 – Measuring whether a deployment actually worked27:24 – Pre-bunking and the 80-county experiment33:18 – Getting people off the couch and into the room38:10 – AI agents and where human judgment sits42:05 – Keeping the C3 and the C4 distinct47:13 – Battery fires, Moss Landing, and talking to fire chiefs50:54 – TrueVoice and manufactured public comment56:13 – Whether AI will overwhelm the comment process58:11 – The best messages that actually land1:04:22 – Super PACs, budgets, and what comes next

What happens an artist realizes that they can never be the only one with questions?From that reckoning, artist Eric Gottesman spent the next twenty-five years rethinking what an artist with a camera, or a big idea is actually for. In this conversation with Bill Cleveland, Gottesman traces his path from documentary photographer to collaborative image-maker in Addis Ababa's AIDS-affected communities, and eventually to co-founding For Freedoms, the artist-led initiative that has turned billboards, town halls, and even a Super PAC into tools for civic discourse.This is a conversation about authorship, collectivity, and the culture of inquiry at the heart of both artmaking and a thriving democracy.In this episode we explore:How asking the right question often matters more than delivering the right answer.Why Eric Gottesman says he has never made art alone. And why he thinks that's true for everyone.A “composite nation:” Drawing on Frederick Douglass, Gottesman is now developing projects that imagine an American identity built from multiplicity and complexity rather than a single official story.Notable MentionsPeopleEric Gottesman — Artist, educator, writer, and organizer whose collaborative work addresses nationalism, migration, structural violence, history, and civic life. He is a co-founder of For Freedoms.Wendy Ewald — Photographer and one of Gottesman's mentors. Her decades of co-authored photography projects challenge conventional divisions between photographer, subject, observer, and author.Hank Willis Thomas — Conceptual artist and For Freedoms co-founder whose work examines identity, history, media, popular culture, and representation.Claudia L. Peña — Executive director of For Freedoms, UCLA law lecturer, and practitioner of transformative and restorative justice. She appears with Gottesman and Thomas in the episode's Skoll World Forum excerpt.Baalu Girma — Influential Ethiopian journalist and novelist who disappeared after publishing Oromay, his critique of the Derg regime and its military campaign in Eritrea.Emily Shur — Photographer who worked with Hank Willis Thomas, Eric Gottesman, and Wyatt Gallery to create contemporary photographic versions of Norman Rockwell's Four Freedoms.Wyatt Gallery — Photographer, For Freedoms co-founder, and producer of the contemporary Four Freedoms project.Marc Bamuthi Joseph — Spoken-word artist, writer, librettist, and cultural strategist who developed the six questions at the heart of America, the Beautiful.aja monet — Poet, recording artist, storyteller, and organizer appearing in the October 3, 2026, America(!) the Beautiful(?) performance, which is part of For Freedom's America, the Beautiful project.Derek Goldman — Director, playwright, educator, and co-founder of Georgetown University's Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics. Gottesman and Cleveland cite his emphasis on care in cultural work.Ariel Fristoe — Founder and artistic director of Out of Hand Theater, whose work brings theater, social justice, and civic engagement together.Organizations, Institutions, and PlacesFor Freedoms — Artist-led civic organization founded in 2016. It uses public art, billboards, exhibitions, town halls, and artist commissions to encourage listening, inquiry, belonging, and civic participation.Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University — The center at Duke University where Gottesman began his work in Ethiopia in partnership with Save the Children.Save the Children — International humanitarian organization that sent Gottesman to photograph the effects of drought in Ethiopia shortly after his graduation from Duke.The Charles F. Kettering Foundation — The Charles F. Kettering Foundation, headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, operating foundation with a mission to advance inclusive democracies worldwide by fostering citizen engagement, promoting government accountability, and countering authoritarianism.Democracy and the Arts — The Kettering Foundation's focus area for integrating the power of the arts into democratic life locally, nationally, and globally.Corcoran School of the Arts & Design — George Washington University school where Gottesman serves as the W.W. Corcoran Visiting Professor in Community Engagement and where For Freedoms has been in residence.Future Currents — Organization that helps movement leaders prepare for uncertain conditions and collaboratively imagine more inclusive, just, and democratic futures.U.S. Agency for International Development — Federal agency to which evidence of the Ethiopian drought was submitted to help prompt an international aid response. The episode conversation takes note of the agency's dismantling and changed status.Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — The city in which Gottesman began collaborating with people living with HIV and with children whose parents had died of AIDS.Somali Region, Ethiopia — The drought-affected eastern region where Gottesman first confronted the power imbalances and ethical contradictions of humanitarian photography.Sheshatshiu, Labrador, Canada — Innu community where Gottesman later collaborated with Wendy Ewald and young residents on a cross-generational photographic and community-curated project.Projects, Artworks, and EventsFor Freedoms at the 2024 Skoll World Forum — The episode includes an excerpt from this presentation by Eric Gottesman, Hank Willis Thomas, and Claudia Peña about art, interdependence, democracy, and social change. The forum took place in Oxford (not London as stated in the podcast).Contemporary Four Freedoms — For Freedoms' expansive reimagining of Rockwell's four paintings. More than 100 participants created 82 images representing a broader range of American identities; its Freedom of Worship appeared on the cover of TIME.Question Bridge: Black Males — Collaborative project...

Two genuinely ridiculous things crossed Hawk's desk today, and they rhyme. First, The Atlantic reports that with his approval parked in the low thirties, the president sat his advisors down to figure out how to spend a roughly $400 million super PAC war chest, and the master plan they landed on is more of himself. The diagnosis from his own team is that voters just haven't been properly introduced to his accomplishments yet, which is a bold thing to say about the most photographed man alive. The cure is ads. About him. Problem solved. Then there's the convention. Parties hold conventions in presidential years. Everybody knows this except, apparently, the people planning a two night Trump convention in Dallas on September 9th and 10th, keynote speaker both nights, him. It lands on NFL opening night, which is a fight with the NFL that the NFL does not know it is in and will win anyway. And the cover charge is the punchline: House candidates reportedly pay their own super PAC to walk in, tiered all the way up to a six figure package Hawk reads out with the delight it deserves. His take, more or less: if you were trying to lose on purpose, it would look a lot like this. 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

Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., beat back a close challenge from Rep. Ralph Norman to win her GOP Senate primary runoff. We look at the race, and how MAGA, Inc., a super PAC affiliated with President Trump, spent big to get her over the finish line.Then, a look at the Social Security trust fund. The mechanism funding Social Security is running out of money, and potential solutions aren't popular. How might Congress fix it?This episode: voting correspondents Miles Parks and Ashley Lopez, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson.This podcast was produced and edited by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show's perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

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As the Strait of Hormuz closure pushes US petrol prices past $4 a gallon and Donald Trump's approval ratings hit rock bottom, the Republicans are increasingly worried the Iran war could create a “bloodbath” in the midterms. In this bonus episode of Iran: The Latest, Venetia Rainey is joined by chief Washington correspondent Connor Stringer to look at five ways the Middle East conflict is actively reshaping domestic US politics, from the economy to splits in the Democrats and Republicans to record spending pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC. Could Trump lose the House of Representatives because of the war?Plus, how the November US midterm elections work, what's a Super PAC, and the key primary races you need to know about. HighlightsWhy Trump could lose the House over the Iran war‘It could be a bloodbath for the Republicans'CONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyConnor Stringer, chief Washington correspondent @connorstringerWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkWinner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026Audio Producer: Joleen Goffin and David DargahiVideo Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bill McIntyre talks with spokesman Chapin Fay from Strong and Safe New York - a New York State super PAC, which has drawn major political funding to support Republican gubernatorial efforts, working to get Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman elected as New York's next governor. 

I speak with Jamie Joyce—a researcher, civic technologist, nonprofit founder of The Society Library, former Internet Archive project lead, and Democratic candidate for California's 12th Congressional District—about what pushed her to run, including threats and local political “blacklisting.” We discuss how political incentives reward “gangster” tactics, why media literacy matters (informal logic, cognitive biases, and comfort with complexity), and how misinformation spreads through saturation rather than accuracy. Jamie explains dark money mechanics (Citizens United, SpeechNow, super PACs, and 501(c)(4)/(c)(6) disclosure loopholes) and outlines parts of her 750-page MAD Act covering campaign finance transparency, surveillance, AI governance, and expanded Epstein-file disclosures via NARA with strict chain-of-custody and whistleblower protections. We also cover distrust in political appointees versus civil servants, Curtis Yarvin's “RAGE” idea, Democratic Party coordination failures, her “Just 12” congressional voting-bloc strategy, and lessons from Thomas Massie's costly primary defeat.(01:55) Why Run for Office (04:47) Threats and Pushback (06:45) Gangster Politics Explained (10:23) Truth Mapping to Soundbites (15:56) Media Literacy Essentials (20:02) Engineering Better Culture (21:50) Dark Money and Super PACs (27:38) Epstein Files Expansion Plan (34:51) Deep State Narrative and Yarvin (39:52) Silicon Valley Boy Kings (42:35) Politics and Inner Wounds (45:05) Building Truth Seeking Skills (46:53) Glasses and Sun Epiphany (50:35) Education and Democracy Levers (01:00:02) Democracy vs Republic Explained (01:03:24) Democrats Strategy and Reform (01:10:07) Just 12 Voting Bloc Plan (01:12:02) Massie Defeat and Dark Money (01:16:51) Benjamin Franklin and Elders (01:20:29) Closing and Where to FollowLearn more about Jamie's campaign

Democracy won't be saved by outrage alone—it will be saved by people who turn anger into organized, sustained action.In this August 10 BigTentUSA Substack Live, The Lincoln Project's Rick Wilson and The Existentialist Republic's Christopher Armitage argued that the fight ahead requires moving from emotional reaction to practical, repeatable civic engagement.Wilson emphasized the stakes of the 2026 midterms, arguing that a decisive electoral victory could help rebuild democratic institutions and limit attempts to undermine election results. He urged Democrats to stay focused on voters' top concerns—prices, inflation, jobs, the economy, and corruption—and to make the case for change clearly and consistently.Armitage focused on the mechanics of authoritarianism, including misinformation, information overload, and efforts to make people feel powerless. Rather than dismissing or insulting people who believe misinformation, he encouraged asking questions that prompt them to examine where their beliefs come from.Both speakers stressed the importance of grassroots organizing, especially at the state and local level. They called for sustained pressure on elected officials, stronger protection of voting rights, and participation in every election—not just presidential races. The central message was simple: meaningful change comes from millions of people taking small, concrete actions consistently. The goal isn't just to resist—it's to organize, act, and win.Actionable items mentioned:* Vote in every election, including midterms and local races such as county commissions and city councils.* If you encounter a problem voting, request a provisional ballot.* Contact state officials—particularly governors, attorneys general, and secretaries of state—to urge them to prepare for potential federal intervention or unlawful actions affecting elections.* Write letters and make calls to elected officials, including officials who may not share your political affiliation.* Pressure local and state-level officials with specific, concrete demands.* Challenge misinformation through questions, such as asking where someone heard a claim, why they believe it, and what led them to that conclusion.* Take small civic actions consistently rather than waiting for a major moment—actions should be manageable enough to do regularly, even during a morning coffee.* Focus grassroots organizing on lower-level political offices and races, where sustained public pressure can have an impact.* Keep the 2026 midterms front and center, with a focus on building a large enough electoral victory to protect democratic institutions and democratic outcomes.Learn more about The Lincoln Project:https://lincolnproject.us/Check out Rick's Substack:https://substack.com/@therickwilson Explore “The Existentialist Republic” newsletter:https://cmarmitage.substack.com/ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:Christopher Armitage is a former law enforcement officer with a background in national security. He now works as a public policy analyst, anti-authoritarian activist, and journalist. His work has been cited by Mother Jones, the Brookings Institute, and Thom Hartman.Founder of The Lincoln Project, Rick Wilson is a renowned political strategist, an award-winning ad-maker and podcast host, writer, speaker, and political commentator who appears on MSNBC, CNN, ABC News, NPR, Real Time with Bill Maher, and various American and international news outlets. A 30-year veteran of national Republican politics, Rick got his start in the 1988 Presidential campaign of George Herbert Walker Bush and has produced groundbreaking and award-winning political advertising, strategic counsel to winning political candidates, SuperPACs, state parties, the national campaign committees, and corporate, association, and government clients across the nation and around the world. Rick has authored two New York Times bestsellers – “Everything Trump Touches Dies” and “Running Against The Devil – A Plot To Save America from Trump And Democrats From Themselves” – and often writes for the Byline Times, The Washington Post, Politico, Rolling Stone, The Hill, The Bulwark, and The London Spectator. Rick's podcast also won the Best Political Podcast award at this year's prestigious Webby Awards. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bigtentnews.substack.com

The second one borrows from 1964. The original Daisy ad ran exactly once, cast Barry Goldwater as a threat to American children, and closed with Lyndon Johnson's line about loving each other or dying. Johnson won in a landslide and the spot became the most famous attack ad in American political history. In the remake, the girl picking daisies is regenerated with AI and placed on an operating table in front of a synthetic Talarico while a narrator lists procedures. Talarico's campaign says he has never supported gender reassignment surgery for minors and calls the ad a lie. The reported buy is 10 million dollars. Hawk's point is that none of this is a policy argument. It is a bet on whether voters can tell a fabricated video from a real one. 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

Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, and his own party's establishment spent roughly $83 per vote trying to stop him. Haley Stevens had the governor, Jim Clyburn, AIPAC money, and most of the state's Democratic leadership behind her. She lost anyway. Peter Schweizer and Eric Eggers go through what that result says about where the Democratic Party is headed. The DSA is 85 percent white and 4 percent black by its own membership surveys, a black-led advocacy group put $2 million into ads warning that its agenda threatens decades of progress built by black Americans, and one third of Democratic voters now tell CNN they identify as Democratic socialists. The DNC is carrying debt and borrowed against its own headquarters while left wing superPACs stay flush with Soros money. Schweizer's read: nobody in the party is going to confront the socialists, because Democrats cannot retake the Senate in November without holding that Michigan seat. 00:00 A socialist wins Michigan and the party has to live with it 00:55 The first DSA statewide win outside New York and California 02:17 $83 a vote for Stevens, $40 a vote for El-Sayed, and she still lost 02:58 Why there will be no Sister Souljah moment this time 04:22 The Teamsters are gone and the unions that replaced them are left wing 07:39 Elite overproduction and the $150,000 comparative lit degree 09:48 The DSA is 85% white, 4% black, and losing black voters 12:00 Clarence Thomas on who hands out your rights 15:02 The DNC is broke while the left wing superPACs are flush 17:43 The 2028 calendar, the Michigan AG, and a cider house that apologized The Drill Down is the flagship podcast channel of the Government Accountability Institute. 

Senate Leadership Fund's Alex Latcham joined Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer at the Punchbowl News Townhouse to break down midterm spending strategy across key states, the SAVE America Act and MUCH more! Stick around for Igor Bobic of NOTUS and our own Andrew Desiderio on That's Not Gonna Fly! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

**What will decide the battle for the U.S. Senate in 2026?** Just months ago, most political analysts thought Democrats had almost no realistic path to winning back the Senate. Today, the map looks dramatically different.In this episode of **Worth Knowing**, Matt Robison is joined by **Lauren French**, Communications Director for Senate Majority PAC, for an inside look at how Democrats believe the battlefield has shifted—and what they're seeing in polling and internal data that the public hasn't yet seen. Later, former Congressman **Paul Hodes** joins to break down the critical Maine Senate race and whether Susan Collins is more vulnerable than ever.**Topics include:*** Why Democrats suddenly have multiple paths to a Senate majority* Which Senate races are moving toward Democrats* North Carolina, Maine, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, Texas, Alaska, and more* Why affordability—not democracy—is the centerpiece of Democratic messaging* The latest on Susan Collins and Troy Jackson in Maine* How fundraising, Super PACs, and campaign strategy could shape the outcome* Whether Democratic momentum is real—or another political mirageIf you're looking for a serious, data-driven discussion of the 2026 Senate map, this conversation goes far beyond the daily headlines.**Chapters**00:00 Can Democrats really win the Senate?03:00 Lauren French joins the show04:00 Why the Senate map has changed07:00 The Super PAC debate09:00 Fundraising and Democratic strategy14:00 Why affordability is the winning message19:00 Race-by-race Senate outlook20:00 North Carolina22:00 Maine and Susan Collins25:00 Georgia and Jon Ossoff28:00 Paul Hodes joins30:00 The state of the Maine race36:00 Republican attacks on Troy Jackson40:00 Can those attacks work?43:00 Progressives, Democrats, and electability49:00 Money, Leonard Leo, and outside groups52:00 The Democratic coalition going forwardSubscribe for in-depth political analysis, interviews, and reporting that goes beyond partisan talking points.

Hawk pushes back on how that gap is being framed. The headline 510 million Republican figure folds in the roughly 400 million sitting in Donald Trump's personal super PAC, money Hawk notes Trump has not spent to help a single Republican candidate this cycle. Set that aside, he argues, and the comparison looks very different. He also explains why so many Democratic donors abandoned the DNC after 2016, when hacked emails revealed the committee favoring Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders, and why small-dollar donors now give directly to candidates instead. From there Hawk covers a New York Times report describing Martin as isolated and struggling, the botched 2024 autopsy report and the rough Jon Favreau interview that followed, the fight over moving South Carolina to the front of the primary calendar, and James Carville floating David Hogg as a replacement. His bottom line: the DNC is a mess, but the candidates are funded and positioned to retake the House. 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

Episode 52: Dinner Table Action, et al. v. Schneider, et al.Dinner Table Action, et al. v. Schneider, et al. argued before Judges Lara E. Montecalvo, O. Rogeriee Thompson, and Seth R. Aframe of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit on July 29, 2026. Argued by Charles “Chip” Miller (on behalf of Dinner Table Action) and Neal Katyal (on behalf of Equal Citizens) and Jonathan Bolton (on behalf of the State of Maine). Case Summary, from the Institute for Free Speech case page: A federal lawsuit seeks to stop a 2024 ballot initiative from placing limits on Mainers' free speech rights. The suit challenges Maine's newly enacted restrictions on contributions to independent expenditure groups, sometimes called “Super PACs.” The lawsuit also challenges requirements that force the disclosure of all donors who contribute toward independent expenditures, regardless of amount. Question 1, passed by voters in 2024, imposes a $5,000 limit on contributions to such groups. The measure, also known as the “Act to Limit Contributions to Political Action Committees That Make Independent Expenditures,” contradicts established U.S. Supreme Court precedent, as well as numerous subsequent decisions by multiple federal courts of appeal. Thirty federal appellate judges have considered such limits, and all reached the same conclusion: contribution limits cannot be applied to independent expenditure groups. Meanwhile, the law's broad disclosure requirement threatens to chill the speech and damage the associational rights of donors who wish to maintain their privacy when participating in the political process. Under current law, donors contributing less than $50 to candidates or political committees can do so without public disclosure of their identity. The new law would force disclosure of all contributors to independent expenditures, regardless of amount, a change that multiple donors have specifically told the plaintiffs would stop them from participating in the political process. Statement of Issues, from Plaintiffs-Appellees' Response Brief: Whether the First Amendment bars Maine from infringing political speech rights by limiting independent donations for independent expenditures. Whether Maine can require disclosure of small dollar donors who donate towards independent expenditures. Resources: Institute for Free Speech case page (includes all filings) Opening Brief for Defendants-Appellants Equal Citizens, Cara Mccormick, Peter Mccormick, Richard A. Bennett Plaintiffs-Appellees' Response Brief Reply Brief for Defendants-Appellants Equal Citizens, Cara Mccormick, Peter Mccormick, Richard A. Bennett District Court Order The Institute for Free Speech promotes and defends the political speech rights to freely speak, assemble, publish, and petition the government guaranteed by the First Amendment. If you're enjoying the Free Speech Arguments podcast, please subscribe and leave a review on your preferred podcast platform. To support the Institute's mission or inquire about legal assistance, please visit our website: www.ifs.org

Today: Legalize Democracy confronts corporate power, Trump's LNG exports threaten higher bills, and El-Sayed says $60 million in outside money exposes Stevens' electability claim.Subscribe to our Newsletter:https://politicsdoneright.com/newsletterPurchase our Books: As I See It: https://amzn.to/3XpvW5o How To Make AmericaUtopia: https://amzn.to/3VKVFnG It's Worth It: https://amzn.to/3VFByXP Lose Weight And BeFit Now: https://amzn.to/3xiQK3K Tribulations of anAfro-Latino Caribbean man: https://amzn.to/4c09rbE

Thank you Jason Gael, MLR, Marg KJ, Margaret Vorih, Lisa GK, and many others for tuning into my live video! * “Legalize Democracy” A Move To Amend Mini-Documentary (VIDEO): Legalize Democracy is a must-see 30-minute documentary. It is fast-paced, informational, and action-oriented. This documentary is a great tool for folks looking to get involved in grassroots movements … To hear more, visit egberto.substack.com

미국 정치, 선거를 "쩐의 전쟁"으로 부르는 건 이제 다소 식상한 표현이 됐을 만큼 다들 익숙하실 겁니다. 후보자 개인이나 정당을 위해 돈을 모으고 이를 광고 등에 지출하는 조직을 정치행동위원회(Political Action Committee), 줄여서 팩(PAC)이라고 하는데, 이 앞에 뭔가 거대한 것인 느낌을 주는 슈퍼를 붙인 슈퍼팩이란 말 미국 정치를 소개하는 기사에서 많이 들어보셨을 겁니다. 정치자금과 슈퍼팩은 이번 중간선거를 앞두고도 어김없이 쟁점이 됐는데요, 지난달 말 "정당이 후보 캠프와 조율해서 사용하는 자금의 지출도 제한할 수 없다"는 대법원판결이 또 한 번 논란에 불을 지폈습니다. 정치에 돈이 더 많이, 더 널리, 무제한에 가깝게 쓰이면 민주주의에 어떤 영향을 끼칠까요? 미국 정치자금법과 관련 규제, 이를 둘러싼 찬반 의견을 자세히 짚었습니다.

Harvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig joined Bradley for a live event last month at P&T Knitwear, co-hosted by Teddy Himler of Optimist Ventures, about the two most fundamental threats to American democracy and what to do about them. Lessig, founder of EqualCitizens.US and author of numerous books on copyright, technology, and political corruption, makes a surprisingly hopeful case that Super PACs can and will be ended without overturning Citizens United. Bradley makes his argument for mobile voting as the only scalable fix for low-turnout primaries that boost extremists in both parties. The two agree on a particular culprit — an engagement-based media economy that profits from turning Americans into "ignorant people who hate each other." Lessig offers the Titanic as a useful metaphor: If there's "a gash in the hull," don't waste your time clearing ice off the deck. This is a full-blown emergency and we need lifeboats.This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City's only free podcast recording studio.Send us an email with your thoughts on today's episode: info@firewall.media.Subscribe to Bradley's weekly newsletter and follow Bradley on Linkedin + Substack.

The Secret Court Case That Could Destroy Super PACs ForeverSUPPORT MY WORK: Buy a paid subscription to my newsletter at https://www.usermag.co   Support my work on Patreon: http://patreon.com/taylorlorenz      You've been told that Citizens United created Super PACs… but that's not the full story. In this episode of Free Speech Friday, Harvard Law Professor Lawrence Lessig reveals the obscure lower court ruling (SpeechNow v. FEC) that actually unleashed unlimited billionaire money into American elections, and the groundbreaking legal strategy that could end Super PACs by 2028 WITHOUT overturning Citizens United.Backed by an unlikely coalition including Mark Cuban and Reid Hoffman, Lessig and his group Equal Citizens helped Maine voters pass a historic ballot initiative banning Super PAC contributions. Now the case is headed to the First Circuit Court of Appeals on July 29, with famed Supreme Court litigator Neal Katyal arguing that nothing in the Constitution protects billionaires' "right" to buy elections. If the appeal succeeds, this case could reach the Supreme Court by 2027 and revive existing federal limits on campaign contributions nationwide.We break down: ▶ Why SpeechNow v. FEC — not Citizens United — created the Super PAC system ▶ How the Menendez bribery indictment exposed the "no quid pro quo" myth ▶ The originalist argument designed to win over conservative justices ▶ Billionaire outside spending's explosion from 0.3% to 19% of election money ▶ The AI Super PAC trying to block Congress from regulating artificial intelligence ▶ Why an Article V constitutional convention may be the backup plan ▶ What happens if the First Circuit rules on July 29, and the road to SCOTUSIf you care about money in politics, campaign finance reform, and getting billionaire money out of elections, this is the most important legal fight you've never heard of.

The polling is the throughline. A new American Research Group poll puts Trump's approval at 30 percent against 67 percent disapproval, below the mark where George W. Bush left office, while the Iran war itself draws just 29 percent approval. Hawk pairs that with a rising US service member death toll, now four killed at a base in Jordan, and Jason Crow's blunt assessment that Americans are done with endless Middle East conflict. From there Hawk moves fast through the day's stories: a measles case count surging past 2,295, the highest in 35 years, Trump's super PAC reportedly hoarding 400 million while not funding GOP candidates, new tariffs on Canada and generic drugs, Medicaid payments cut to California and Minnesota, cabinet members joining TikTok, Andy Biggs winning the Arizona GOP nomination, and plans for Lindsey Graham to lie in state. 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

An explosive inside account of how the Democratic establishment used every weapon in its arsenal to subvert the will of the people and stop Bernie Sanders's presidential bid in 2016-told by his chief strategist who witnessed it all firsthand.One question haunted the American left after the 2016 election: how could a grassroots movement that drew massive crowds and shattered fundraising records fail? The answer exposes fundamental flaws in American democracy itself.In How the Democrats Screwed Bernie, Sanders's chief strategist in the 2016 Democratic primary unravels how the "Clinton Machine"-a network of operatives, Super PACs, and media allies-in consort with the Democratic National Committee deployed dark money and dirty tricks to stop a wildly popular outsider candidate. A candidate who may well have been the peoples' choice and defeated Donald Trump.You'll discover how deeply the entrenched Democratic establishment orchestrated opposition research campaigns, the true story behind the voter file crisis that nearly derailed the campaign, and why primary rules are deliberately structured to favor insiders over often more compelling outsiders.This isn't just another campaign memoir. Nor is it just a reflection on the doomed Sanders's candidacy ten years hence. It is a cautionary tale about a crisis in American democracy that is becoming more urgent by the day. As voters grapple with growing distrust of political institutions, How the Democrats Screwed Bernie reveals how our democratic processes really work, how they can be manipulated by those with enough money to game the system, and how the people can make their voices heard again.This is the story the Democratic establishment doesn't want you to read.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

One of the biggest stories in the 2026 Michigan Democratic Senate primary isn't just the candidates—it's the money. AIPAC's affiliated Super PAC, United Democracy Project, has poured more than $10 million into the race backing Representative Haley Stevens, part of a broader wave of outside spending that has topped $40 million. The spending has far outpaced support for her opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, and has reignited debate over the influence of Super PACs and pro-Israel advocacy groups in Democratic primaries, especially when candidates are critical of Israeli government policy.

This week, the team discusses the details behind Apple suing OpenAI over alleged stolen hardware secrets. And the company's headaches don't stop there — a group of OpenAI employees just started a Super PAC to advocate for stronger AI guardrails. Plus, they discuss New York's first-in-the-nation data center moratorium and how the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is not telling how they used AI to shape housing policy. Later in the show, WIRED's Emily Mullin explaisn the cyclosporiasis outbreak spreading across the U.S. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An explosive inside account of how the Democratic establishment used every weapon in its arsenal to subvert the will of the people and stop Bernie Sanders's presidential bid in 2016-told by his chief strategist who witnessed it all firsthand.One question haunted the American left after the 2016 election: how could a grassroots movement that drew massive crowds and shattered fundraising records fail? The answer exposes fundamental flaws in American democracy itself.In How the Democrats Screwed Bernie, Sanders's chief strategist in the 2016 Democratic primary unravels how the "Clinton Machine"-a network of operatives, Super PACs, and media allies-in consort with the Democratic National Committee deployed dark money and dirty tricks to stop a wildly popular outsider candidate. A candidate who may well have been the peoples' choice and defeated Donald Trump.You'll discover how deeply the entrenched Democratic establishment orchestrated opposition research campaigns, the true story behind the voter file crisis that nearly derailed the campaign, and why primary rules are deliberately structured to favor insiders over often more compelling outsiders.This isn't just another campaign memoir. Nor is it just a reflection on the doomed Sanders's candidacy ten years hence. It is a cautionary tale about a crisis in American democracy that is becoming more urgent by the day. As voters grapple with growing distrust of political institutions, How the Democrats Screwed Bernie reveals how our democratic processes really work, how they can be manipulated by those with enough money to game the system, and how the people can make their voices heard again.This is the story the Democratic establishment doesn't want you to read.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-like-it-s-live--4113802/support.

Campaign donation limits look strict. Super PACs can make those limits feel almost meaningless. James Harrigan and Antony Davies join Josh Martens to debate who really controls American elections: donors, politicians, parties, or voters. How much does it cost to win a House or Senate seat? The Words and Numbers hosts explain individual contribution limits, candidate committees, political action committees, independent expenditures, and the unlimited spending available through super PACs. The conversation examines campaign finance, political incentives, the Thomas Massie race, outside spending, foreign influence, publicly funded elections, mandatory voting, gerrymandering, the Republican and Democratic duopoly, and the direct election of senators. The uncomfortable conclusion might be that campaign money is only a symptom. When government has enough power to sell favors, people will spend enormous amounts trying to control it. https://x.com/antonydavies https://x.com/JamesRHarrigan https://wordsandnumbers.org/ Chapters 00:00 James Harrigan and Antony Davies Join GML 02:00 The Thomas Massie Race and Outside Spending 03:30 What American Elections Really Cost 05:45 Campaign Money, Speech, and Property Rights 07:15 Are Voters Responsible for Selling Their Votes? 10:15 Unlimited Government and the Rise of Oligarchy 13:00 Donation Limits and the Super PAC Loophole 18:15 Political Spoils, Corporations, and Union Money 22:45 Libertarians Debate Public Election Funding 27:30 The Massie Race and Foreign Influence 31:15 Stupid Voters, Mandatory Voting, and the Party Duopoly 42:00 One Change That Could Fix American Elections Links Watch All Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi78svKlBr_8o0dDOX8DxO_Wwxu6WYhhA Watch Host Favorites: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi78svKlBr__Zu40RL7mWxCuOOe54zgy2 Join the Fed Haters Club @ https://www.goodmorningliberty.us/fedhatersclub Join GML: https://joingml.com [Martens Minute]: https://martensminute.podbean.com/ All links @ gml.bio.link Subscribe to Good Morning Liberty, like the video, and tell us who deserves more blame: donors, politicians, or voters. Share this conversation with someone who thinks contribution limits solved campaign finance. Please also leave GML a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

“America has a rigged economy held in place by a corrupt system of campaign finance.” — the message Tad Devine and Ben Tulchin developed for Bernie Sanders, which tested highest in Iowa and New Hampshire in 2015 How the Democrats Screwed Bernie. It could have been coined by Donald Trump. That was Tad Devine's first objection when his editor floated it. But as Devine, Bernie Sanders' chief strategist on his 2016 Presidential campaign, worked on the book about the 2016 campaign, he realised it most accurately expressed how he felt about what actually happened. And so the new tell-all — the inside account of the historic Sanders campaign — is, indeed, entitled How the Democrats Screwed Bernie. Devine was never an outsider. He worked on Al Gore's 2000 and John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaigns. He first met Bernie Sanders in 1996, when Peter DeFazio — the Oregon congressman for whom Devine and his partner Mike Donilon had just run a near-miraculous campaign — suggested they meet. Sanders had almost lost his House seat in 1994. Devine's campaign won it back by 26 points. Ten years later, Devine ran Sanders' successful Senate campaign against a free-spending billionaire. They won by 30 points. Devine schooled Bernie in the insider-politics of the Democratic party. But he didn't transform him into an insider. Bernie was and is always Bernie. The consummate outsider. So how, exactly, did the Dems screw Bernie? According to Devine, it was a coordinated campaign by the Clinton Machine, the DNC, and a network of Super PACs to stop a wildly popular outsider through dark money, dirty tricks, and deliberately structured primary rules. The unHillary candidate who, Devine argues, may well have been the people's choice — and could have beaten Donald Trump in November 2016. But Bernie's real legacy, Devine insists, is not what was done to him. It's his campaign message. “America has a rigged economy held in place by a corrupt system of campaign finance.” That outsider language — which Devine developed with pollster Ben Tulchin — captures how America is screwing itself. The consummate insider Trump stole Bernie's language. And if the Democrats want to screw the MAGA crowd in 2028, they need to seize back this outsider message. Five Takeaways •       The Title That Sounded Like Trump: Devine's first reaction when his Simon & Schuster editor proposed the title: I don't want to be anything like Trump. But as he worked through the process of writing the book, he came to see that the title most accurately expressed how he felt about what happened in 2016. The Democratic establishment — the Clinton Machine, the DNC, the network of Super PACs and media allies — used dark money, dirty tricks, opposition research, and deliberately structured primary rules to stop a wildly popular outsider candidate. A candidate who, the book argues, may well have been the people's choice and may well have defeated Donald Trump. •       How Devine Met Bernie: 1996, Peter DeFazio, and 26 Points: Devine was already a Democratic establishment figure when Peter DeFazio — a progressive Oregon congressman — introduced him to Sanders in early 1996. Sanders had almost lost his House seat in 1994; Devine's firm came in a month before the 1996 election and reversed the trajectory. Sanders won by 26 points. Ten years later, Devine ran Sanders' Senate campaign against a billionaire who spent the equivalent of $350 million in California, and they won by 30 points. A bond of trust formed between the establishment consultant and the independent socialist, though it was a relationship in which the label-defying aspect went both ways: Bernie, you're a United States senator, Devine told him. That is the establishment. •       The Rigged Economy Message: What Bernie Actually Contributed: The most important moment in the 2016 campaign was not a debate or a rally. It was a polling session in 2015 in which Devine and pollster Ben Tulchin combined two separate arguments — a rigged economy and a corrupt system of campaign finance — into a single sentence: “America has a rigged economy held in place by a corrupt system of campaign finance.” It tested as the highest message in Iowa and New Hampshire. That, Devine argues, is Bernie's real legacy: the identification of the structural problem. Until that problem is fixed — until the campaign finance system that rigs the economy is reformed — the economy will continue to crush the middle class and make it impossible for people to afford groceries, gas, and healthcare. •       The Real Populist vs the Phony One: Trump saw the same diagnosis Bernie had identified and grabbed it — infusing it with his xenophobia, racism, pathological lying, and contempt for democratic norms. The populist message was the same; the bundle around it was entirely different. Bernie represents a belief that government has a role in serving people. Trump represents a belief that government should serve rich people and punish everyone else, wrapped in the language of the working class. That, Devine argues, is the distinction that matters for 2028. The fight is not between left and right. It is between the real and the phony. •       AOC, Ro Khanna, and the 2028 Democratic Race: Bernie won't run in 2028. But Devine is certain that one or more Bernie-style candidates will. AOC and Ro Khanna are the most obvious — both have toured with Bernie, both share his core principles, both are committed to Medicare for All. But Devine adds: at this point in the calendar going into 2006, Barack Obama was a state senator from Illinois. The candidate who actually wins the 2028 nomination may not yet be on the radar. What is on the radar: a Democratic base that is desperate for new leadership and a new direction. And a president, Trump, who Devine believes is capable of doing anything to hold power, including worse than January 6. The only way to stop him is to beat him in elections. About the Guest Tad Devine is a Democratic political strategist with over thirty years of campaign experience. He served as chief strategist for Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign and as a senior adviser in Al Gore's 2000 and John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaigns. He has held academic positions at Boston University, the Harvard Kennedy School, and George Washington University. He is the author of How the Democrats Screwed Bernie (Simon & Schuster, July 7, 2026). References: •       How the Democrats Screwed Bernie by Tad Devine (Simon & Schuster, July 7, 2026). Publishers Weekly: “An enraging account… a keen cautionary tale.” •       Mike Donilon — Devine's former partner; later became Joe Biden's top strategist in the White House.

On this episode of the Happy Hour, Michael and Anna are joined by Nico Agosta to discuss Campaign Finance Reform. Nico is the founder of Stocking The Capitol, a platform that tracks and evaluates each member of Congress' campaign financial contributions and well as personal stock trades, and awards them a letter grade based on how clean or dirty the source of their money is. If you take only grassroots donations and you don't own stocks, you get an A. If you take lots of SuperPAC money and trade your own portfolio, then you get...an F. The concept is simple, let's get rid of SuperPACs and dark money from our political system. Nico is taking the first step by making sure you know whether or not your Congressperson is a piece of shit based on where they get their money. And we think it's great. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on Uncommon Sense, we're taking a deeper look at the Israel-Iran conflict, the continuing questions surrounding the Epstein files, and the assassination of Charlie Kirk. We'll discuss why these stories continue to dominate public conversation, explore the political and geopolitical questions people are asking, and examine why these events should be viewed together rather than in isolation.--https://www.youversion.com/bible-app

Zohran Mamdani is being called a kingmaker, and after this week's New York primaries it's easy to see why. Is the Democratic Party fundamentally shifting left, or are voters simply desperate for an alternative to the 70-year-old status quo?This week on Vibes Only, we break down the massive shockwaves from the New York primary elections. From Mayor Mamdani's new proported kingmaker status to the DSA's historic triple-crown victories upending powerful establishment machines, we look at how young, energetic hustlers are changing the face of campaigning in 2026.Plus, we dive into the heartbreaking $27 million super PAC blitz that took down AI-reform candidate Alex Bores, why Trump is blocking his own bipartisan housing bill over the SAVE Act, and the terrifying reality of national security flying blind after the expiration of FISA. Pull up a chair cause the vibes are chaotic this week, but the analysis we are bringing - it is sharp.Vibes Only is a weekly political podcast hosted by Brian Derrick and Glennis Meagher, two political operatives turned creators breaking down the news of the week in politics, elections, and culture with new episodes EVERY Thursday morning!EPISODE LINKSToday, Explained Episode with Alex BoresTulsi Gabbard Expose by The Washington PostOATH CANDIDATE OF THE WEEKSend us a text!Watch us on YoutubeFollow us on Instagram Oh, we're on TikTok tooFollow Brian on IG Follow Glennis on IG

Super PACs with ties to the artificial intelligence industry are spending millions to influence midterm elections this year. We discuss who is behind the spending and what they stand to gain.This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional reporter Eric McDaniel, and technology correspondent Shannon Bond.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Senate Republicans grapple with the SAVE Act as Democrats resist. A GOP-linked group funds Super PAC efforts in Democratic primary races, and U.S. – Iran ceasefire remains in flux.

On this Happy Hour, Michael and Anna sit down with Maia Cook, the executive director of Equal Citizens, a democracy reform organization, founded by Lawrence Lessig. Their mission? Fighting for the ultra-sexy, super popular, top of every news cycle issue: campaign finance reform, and specifically reducing the influence of Super PACs and dark money. While we kid that this issue might not be front of everyone's mind, Maia walks us through how this issue actually affects EVERY issue you care about. And the problem is way worse than we realized. We also realized the actual problem doesn't totally lie with Citizen's United, but actually a law that came about BECAUSE of Citizen's united. We promise you'll come away from this one much smarter. We sure did. Make sure you're subscribed here and check out some other ways to engage with us: Grab your 'Elect Young People' shirt. Head to our website to dive deeper on members of Congress under 45-years-old. Watch the full episode here on YouTube. Connect with us on Instagram/Threads and TikTok. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Are President Trump and MAGA Republicans publicly signaling that they plan to interfere in—and potentially rig—the 2026 midterm elections? If so, why is the media not taking the threat seriously? In this episode of Inequality Watch, Taya Graham and Stephen Janis investigate the connections between wealth inequality, political power, ICE funding, the influence of Super PACs on elections, and growing concerns about democratic accountability in Trump's America.Credits: Pre-Production: Taya Graham, Stephen JanisStudio Production / Post-Production: Cameron Granadino, Stephen JanisBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support.Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!

Jason talks about a Super PAC ad that uses an AI animated picture of Peggy Flanagan to attack her campaign. MN has a law banning deepfake political ads. Is that enough to stop these sorts of things?

In 2010, two landmark decisions transformed American campaign finance law. The first was Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The second was SpeechNow.org v. FEC. Together, these cases cleared the way for corporations and so-called Super PACs to raise and spend unlimited sums of money in elections. What followed was a new era in American politics where individuals, corporations, and industries increasingly spent more and more money to influence campaigns and public opinion. To debate the constitutional, political, and historical questions surrounding money in politics, we are joined by Larry Lessig and Paul Sherman. Lessig is a Harvard Law professor and the founder of Equal Citizens, one of the country's leading advocates for campaign finance reform. Sherman is a senior attorney at the Institute for Justice who served as co-counsel in SpeechNow.org. Read Larry's paper "If Roe, then Buckley" here. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:43 How Larry and Paul became interested in political speech and campaign finance 05:33 Citizens United, political speech, and quid pro quo corruption 18:34 What was the SpeechNow case? 32:31 Elon Musk and billionaire influence in the 2024 election 49:06 History of campaign finance regulation 51:26 First Amendment originalism, Federalist 52, and Federalist 57 01:07:07 Does money actually influence election outcomes? 01:14:20 Outro Enjoy listening to the podcast? Donate to FIRE today and get exclusive content like member webinars, special episodes, and more. If you became a FIRE Member through a donation to FIRE at fire.org and would like access to Substack's paid subscriber podcast feed, please email sotospeak@fire.org.

Something strange is unfolding in several crucial House Democratic primaries — mysterious super PACs are quietly emerging. Deputy Congressional Editor Robert O'Shaughnessy discusses the latest developments. Plus: the Cornyn-Paxton brawl reaches the finish line. Watch this episode on YouTube here! 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

The recent Kentucky primary defeat of Thomas Massie is presented as definitive proof of a rigged American political system controlled by a singular "uniparty."   Despite the narrative of defying Trump, Massie's loss was orchestrated by a massive influx of outside money from Super PACs after he supported releasing the Epstein files.  Members of Congress were told "you will be destroyed" for this vote. This election, with its unusual voter turnout and ballot dumps, shows the power of the oligarch donor class, who now also control Trump, making him a puppet.