That Trippi Show: Recent Episodes
Joe Trippi
If you're looking for someone who actually knows how presidential and national politics works to explain what's going on in 30 minutes or less, this is the show for you. Joe Trippi is a longtime Democratic campaign manager who ran the progressive Howard Dean presidential campaign in 2004 and the historic Doug Jones Senate campaign to defeat Roy Moore in 2017. He's seen it all and isn't bogged down by the viral tweets or hot takes du jour. He's looking past the headlines to answer the questions that matter: How do Democrats win key races moving forward? How do we convince voters to make Republicans pay for January 6th and its aftermath? What's happening with the campaigns for '22 and (gulp) '24? Don't just listen to the talking heads. Learn from an expert. Subscribe now to That Trippi Show. New episodes every Friday (at least!).
Who won the first GOP debate? You wouldn't know based on watching the coverage. Joe thinks he knows - but why won't he tell us who it is? What could change in Iowa? Plus, why we saw so many hopefuls tanking with general election voters in real time. And why everything we saw this week is moving Gen Z further and further away from the GOP. Did Fox try to hide the debate? And why Joe Biden was the biggest winner of the week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe is joined by Reed Galen, co-founder of the Lincoln Project, to talk all things Trump indictments and what to expect. Hint: We've still gotta beat him at the ballot box. And if you didn't think it was a vast criminal conspiracy before... of course there's video. And we check in on Ron DeSantis' latest faceplants. On the positive side - another win for Bidenomics. How do we break through the right-wing media bubble who can't stop bleating that it's failing? Watch the video of Roger Stone talking about their Georgia plan. You've gotta see it to believe it. https://twitter.com/ProjectLincoln/status/1691941817837609069 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What Joe thinks Ohio really shows about the MAGA cult. Why 57% (and counting) is a huge number. And why it's further proof the red wave was never happening in 2022. What does it mean going forward? Why the only poll that matters should set off big red warning lights flashing in MAGA campaign HQs right now and is it really, the economy, stupid? What everyone - especially the media - is missing right now about economic numbers. Hint: What happened during the early Reagan years? Take it from someone who's seen all of this before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Yeah, we have to talk about the indictments. But we've got a huge election in Ohio next week, so we welcome back David Pepper to run down what's happening in the huge special election. But first - the one stat that shows just how little these indictments are going to affect the Republican presidential primary. Joe and David explain why they may hurt Trump in the general, but the ultra-MAGA crowd has the primary locked down. And in Ohio - Why the Issue 1 vote is the front line in the fight for democracy and our rights and how we must stop the far right's attempt to claw back a victory by changing the rules. Read the indictment here: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/01/trump-indictment-full-text-2020-election-jan-6 Sign up to help in Ohio at jointheunion.us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex dive into some polling so bad we just had to talk about it. If you buy that Trump's winning women after losing them by 15 in 2020 and Dobbs - well, you can probably stop listening. So why are these polls even coming out? Joe has a theory. And yes, Ron DeSantis is having an even worse week, why he might want to fly commercial pretty fast, and of course, we get to a few of your questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Could the entire GOP field be having a worse week? Why the looming batch of indictments probably won't hurt Trump in the primary, but Joe thinks he could make the difference in the general. Yeah, Ron DeSantis is having a horrible week, is he the worst primary candidate ever? All of this is good news for Joe Biden, but why does Joe think his ceiling is even higher? And why 2024 might not be a repeat of 2020, and we have young voters to thank for it. Read more about that here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/07/19/gen-z-voters-2024/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We've been promising another AI episode, and we're really excited about this one. Our friend Bart Myers, founder of Countable, joins the show to talk about the latest developments in AI and what it means for campaigns -- especially in the current social media environment. Also - a very real threat from deepfakes -- and it's not the obvious one. What do we need to be watching out for? What's one out of the box solution for combating misinformation? And what's going to happen as Twitter goes down the tubes and more and more competitors pop up? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Was the Supreme Court decision in Moore v. Harper a big win - or a bullet dodged? UCLA law professor Rick Hasen rejoins Joe and Alex to discuss the implications of what looks like a big win for democracy -- but how could it be a time bomb? Rick gets into how this decision winds all the way back to Bush v. Gore in 2000. Also -what are the implications for the 2024 map? Finally - what about the good news from this? Why is Rick optimistic? And what can everyday Americans do to keep the Court accountable? Read Rick's latest piece in Slate here: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/06/supreme-court-voting-moore-v-harper-time-bomb.html And get the latest from Rick at electionlawblog.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
David Pepper joins Joe and Alex to talk about... multiple coups this week? Why the failed coup in Russia is bad news for Putin. Plus - what's next after the Moore v. Harper decision? What does it mean for 2024? And what group does David think the SCOTUS decision puts in the spotlight? Why Trump's bad legal week isn't hurting him politically -- why can't Ron DeSantis take advantage? And what can you, the listener, do on the front lines of the fight for our democracy? David's new book, Saving Democracy, A User's Manual for Every American, is out now - find out more at savedemocracy.us/where-to-buy/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Our friend Trygve Olson joins us to discuss a landmark new study -- one of the largest surveys in American political history, tracking extremism and polarization. How did we get here? Trygve has some insights into our electorate that may surprise you. And more importantly - how can we break the fever? What message can pro-democracy advocates deploy in 2024 to win? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Old friend, Joe Klein joins Trippi and Alex on one of the most far-reaching conversations we've had on That Trippi Show. Why Logan Roy's thoughts on his kids have some scary parallels to the American electorate. Is our democracy missing something? Joe Klein has an idea that might have been a better idea for CNN than turning into the Trump News Network. Plus, how RFK Jr.'s Presidential run is the ultimate example of indulgence. And why history will look back on Joe Biden's presidency as one of the great ones. Make sure to check out Joe's writing on Substack. You may not agree with everything he writes, but the conversations he inspires are worth a conversation...or many. Subscribe at josephklein.substack.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
With all the new entrants into the 2024 GOP primary - does it really matter? Pollster and longtime Democratic strategist Celinda Lake joins Joe and Alex - and you won't be surprised at what her answer is. What might the conventional wisdom on swing voters be missing? And what three factors does Celinda see as defining the race?
Follow Celinda on Twitter @CelindaLake.
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Another big win for Joe Biden - a but it's a quiet one. Why he deserves another victory lap - and why he isn't showboating. Just how big a deal is... the deal? And why this might spell doom for Kevin McCarthy with the ultra-MAGA crowd, who are more into Trump's latest pledge to end birthright citizenship... (again). Also - why AI alarmism is Fox News' next fear tactic. Joe lays out Fox's relationship with the MAGA base. What does it all boil down to, and what should we watch for to fight back? Watch Karine Jean-Pierre's response on AI here: https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1641524578814926860
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Our friend Mike Podhorzer joins Joe and Alex (yes, he's back) to uncover the state of the 2024 election and what's coming. Sure, Ron DeSantis had a horrendous campaign launch. But why clowning on him is missing the bigger threat. Mike also makes a really important point: Why is history repeating itself - and why ultra-MAGA tactics look a lot like Jim Crow. Plus - Mike highlights the "hack" ultra-MAGA has into our constitutional system. And we get into why the obsession with Joe Biden's approval ratings is the wrong question. What questions should the media be focused on -- and what numbers actually matter right now?
Check out Mike's Substack now and don't miss an update: https://open.substack.com/pub/michaelpodhorzer/p/dont-panic-about-bidens-approval?r=9bfgo&utm\_campaign=post&utm\_medium=web
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Actor, producer, and activist Bradley Whitford joins Joe to talk about why he's using his platform to take on the rise of fascism in the GOP. Plus - how the Brady Campaign is taking on the gun violence epidemics in America. Joe and Bradley even answer a couple of listener questions. If you want to follow Bradley or help the Brady Center, BeAHero, or the Wisconsin Democrats, click the links here:
Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence
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CNN's got some explaining to do after airing a 90-minue Trump campaign rally and calling it a "town hall." Why was it a terrible night for everyone but Trump? And instead of piling on like everyone else, Joe explains what we really need to focus on. And if you're sick of the circus, the answer isn't going to vote for a third party. Finally - Joe puts his campaign manager hat back on and explains how Democrats define the battlefield for 2024 -- setting us up to win big.
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Democrats already won big in Wisconsin this year; could Florida be next? Donna Deegan, Democratic candidate for Jacksonville Mayor, joins the pod for a special guest episode. Programming note: This is our first candidate episode -- and while future candidate episodes will be extremely rare, we thought there are a ton of lessons we all can take from this race. With early voting already going and Election Day coming up fast, how can Democrats capitalize on Donna's lead in the polls and bring home victory? Why might this election be different for Democrats -- and how is Donna flipping the script on traditional GOP narratives?
If you want to know how to help Donna win, go to donnaformayor.com now.
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Who better to ask about the future of AI than the guy who's been pioneering tech on campaigns his entire career? Joe takes the first of many deep dives on what AI is going to do to our politics and 2024. What has him waving a big red flag, and what can we do about it? And what's going to happen to Twitter? Plus, we get into several of your questions -- like why we have to keep the spotlight on Trump, and why covering this like 2016 is the worst thing we can do for our democracy.
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Why Joe Biden's language is so important and what we can all take from it, how Democrats can take back one of the most powerful concepts in politics, and of course, what the media's getting wrong about covering Joe Biden. What question has Joe mad even before Alex finished asking it? And a leaked plan from top Republican operatives that has us scratching our heads. Plus, yes, Tucker's out at Fox. but what might his next move be, and why might Trump be concerned?
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Joe and Alex dive into the fallout from the Fox lawsuit settlement. What can all of us do to keep the pressure on Fox? How do we turn the spectacle around on ultra-MAGA? Why this version of MAGA is anything but conservative. Plus, why the "war on woke" might just about be over. And despite warning after warning, what HUGE point is the mainstream media missing with their debt ceiling coverage?
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Thomas Edsall joins Joe Trippi and Alex, to discuss his latest article in the New York Times, "Republican Strategists Who have Carefully Planned All of This," and how Republicans are carefully orchestrating their expansion of how they use government power.
Show notes:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/12/opinion/republican-party-intrusive-government.html
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After the dust settles from two huge elections in Wisconsin and Chicago, what does Joe think our lessons for 2024 should be? What two issues are going to dominate 2024 -- and why might they just be MAGA kryptonite? And of course, the media fell into the Trump Trap, despite Joe's warning. Plus, what strategy does Joe call "totally insane" and doomed to fail?
Read Alex Shephard's piece in The New Republic here: https://newrepublic.com/article/171624/cable-news-trump-indictment-disastrous
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With Trump commanding headlines once again -- what trap do we ALL have to avoid falling into? What is the best way to beat him next year -- and why does Joe think very few other Republicans might step up to challenge him in the primary? Why is the Wisconsin supreme court race so crucial -- and what can Dems take away from it for the rest of the cycle? Plus, why no matter what happens with Trump, why Ron DeSantis' no-good-very-bad run just keeps getting worse.
(Note: This episode was recorded hours before the Trump indictment). Help win Wisconsin at wisdems.org and jointheunion.us!
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It's been a wild week for Donald Trump. Why does Joe think there's only one way out for him from not one, two, or three... but SIX ongoing investigations. And why does Trump, deep down, really WANT to get arrested? Plus, why "Rob" DeSantis' chances of winning a primary are gone... and have been for a while. Finally - If you're looking for ways to help in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, visit wisdems.org and jointheunion.us.
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Turns out, turning up the heat on Fox News really does pay dividends. New data showing that the leaked texts are seriously hurting the right-wing outrage machine. Also - What is the shift in the GOP really about? It's not about going more conservative. Joe and Alex dive into the much darker truth. Why even the optimists have turned dark. And why DeSantis' flip on Ukraine might be a huge blunder -- and why Joe calls it the final come-down from the fantasy that the GOP nomination is anything other than Trump's. Plus, a new revelation of one more "perfect phone call" from Trump to try to steal Georgia...
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Why this might be the beginning of a downward spiral for FOX and ultra-MAGA. What's the only way Dems can really break up the right-wing propaganda machine? We also take a look at 2024 -- and why "candidate quality" is going to keep biting the GOP over and over again. Can the American people give the GOP the necessary "wallop" to end MAGA politically? Finally, Joe and Alex answer more listener questions than ever before. Why seeing really is believing when it comes to Joe Biden's accomplishments.
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Joe explains why as a campaign manager every time Ron DeSantis goes out he cringes. Why Trump going to war with Fox News is good news for the rest of us. Why is Joe getting shades of 2016 again looking at the Republican primary field? The "yuuuge" danger Fox is facing right now. Why most of the field is stuck being a hostage, and why the press continues to get the frame wrong. And speaking of the wrong frame - why it's nuts to even consider a "succession" plan for Joe Biden when he's doing such a good job.
Watch the Fox clip Joe and Alex were laughing about: https://www.axios.com/2023/03/02/republican-2024-primary-fox-news-desantis-trump
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Guest Juliet Jeske of Decoding Fox News joins the show to explain how Fox is dividing us and even divided against itself. This week they framed Biden's democracy trip as a choice between Ukraine and Ohio, doing Putin's propaganda work for him. And then they had MTG on to talk about a "national divorce", spurring their own custody battle between Fox hosts. Is it all for the ratings? That's what the Dominion lawsuit showed. We choose our favorite texts! Follow Juliet on Twitter @DecodingFoxNews.
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Joe gives us all a reality check about the power of Trumpism and why Nikki Haley needs- to put it kindly - a whole lot of things to break her way to even be relevant. And why the "next generation" argument doesn't hold water in today's ultra-MAGA GOP. Joe and Alex also tackle what Joe thinks is the wackiest listener question we've ever gotten - we're wondering if it's from Trump himself.
Read Stuart's NYT piece on Nikki Haley here: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/13/opinion/nikki-haley-republican-party.html
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Special guest Reed Galen joins Joe and Alex for a special guest episode looking deep inside the chaos going on in the GOP right now. What all the challengers to Trump are getting wrong in 2024 -- and why running for President is way, way harder than anyone realizes. Why is it such a slog, even if you're the favorite? And why all that adds up to anyone thinking they can beat Trump is doing some wishful thinking. Plus - why popping the right-wing balloon is important in more ways than one. And we even get to a few listener questions! Check out The Lincoln Project podcast at https://lincolnproject.us/podcasts/.
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Special guest Greg Sargent of the Washington Post joins us to talk about how Joe Biden's major legislative accomplishments are political ju-jitsu. How is his investment in American workers taking aim at the MAGA grievance machine? And what can we do to counter all the negative sentiment in mainstream media with positive? Plus, why Ron DeSantis may have read the room wrong with his culture war crusades. Could they backfire even in a GOP primary? And is there an emerging new pathway for Democrats in presidential elections?
Read Greg's interview with Mark Muro here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/01/25/biden-place-based-industrial-policy-muro/
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Joe and Alex assess Joe Biden's performance after two years -- why it's nothing short of remarkable. Three major bills investing in American workers -- in ways that might surprise red-state voters. Taking on a global pandemic and Putin's Ukraine war. And that's only in two years. Why has his presidency had such a major impact? And why is it good news for Democratic candidates next fall? Plus - Alex opens Pandora's box with the phrase "Vice President Marjorie Taylor Greene." Don't say it three times in a mirror. Joe looks deep into the crazy to see what the GOP presidential hopefuls are thinking.
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Mike Podhorzer joins a special guest episode of the show - and it's one you don't want to miss. What really happened in the days after Election Day in 2020 - and how did people across the political spectrum come together to save it? Why building a coalition to protect democracy is more important than ever. What can we learn from 2022? And what lessons do we need to take into 2024 as a pro-democracy coalition? Also - Why a massive media miss at the end of 2022 probably cost the Democrats the House. And why they can't keep making the same mistakes. What do we do about it?
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Why it's all just another MAGA stunt. Why the GOP should remember - when you start a forest fire, everything in it dies. What happens when Members of Congress can't even find their own offices, let alone their staffs? We're about to find out. And why Joe thinks that long term this could have huge electoral consequences for the GOP.
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Joe and Alex are back - but the House GOP isn't. The House GOP leadership fight continues - and why even if a Speaker is chosen the fight ain't ending anytime soon.
And why this is all Trump playbook 101 - he isn't going anywhere. His election-denying protegees are now in full control of the House GOP. Plus - what President Biden is doing to capitalize on the chaos (hit, it's what he's always done) and why all this crazy has Joe's crystal ball fogging up.
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Joe and Alex both gut through feeling under the weather for a short Christmas show. A quick breakdown of President Zelenskyy's visit, what the GOP's reaction says... and surprise surprise, they elected another con man to public office. What will 2023 bring? We hope you have a very happy holiday season and we'll be back after the new year. Thanks for listening to That Trippi Show. See you next year - we have work to do.
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A story out of the AP that has us all scratching our heads - why it matters that Gen Z so strongly supported Democrats, and why we have to stamp down the false narrative that Democrats struggled with young voters. Why they think the Sinema defection is ultimately much ado about nothing. Is it a mistake for Sinema? And what it means for our party - what do Democrats everywhere need to understand? Why having someone who doesn't vote with Democrats 100% of the time is still critical to getting things done. And a reader question about how we can keep up the momentum in 2024.
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Georgia gave Herschel Walker the Heisman (Thanks, Dave Pell) -and youth voters were a big part of it. Joe and Alex break down the Georgia win and what it means with special guest Victor Shi - who's been hard at work organizing Gen Z and youth voters. What are they doing that has MAGA so freaked out? And no, Newt, it isn't just getting on TikTok. What's the path forward for Democrats to capitalize on their historic wins with Gen Z?
Check out more of Victor's work @VictorShi2020 on Twitter.
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Another wild week in the GOP may have far-reaching consequences beyond just the hand-to-hand combat for speaker. Joe and Alex welcome back Trygve Olson to discuss why "don't negotiate with terrorists" may not apply to Kevin McCarthy, who may be the first hostage elected Speaker of the House in history (if he even makes it that far). And why the whole Trump-Fuentes-Ye fiasco might have bigger negative implications for voters than the larger media narrative assumes. Plus: Why we may have a bigger opportunity to drive people off of Trump and Trumpists coming into 2024. And why Joe actually quoted Newt Gingrich... praising Biden?
Read Isaac Chotiner's piece in the New Yorker here: https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/a-right-wing-zionist-digests-trumps-anti-semite-dinner-party
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On a special guest episode of That Trippi Show, author and director of polling at the Harvard Institute of Politics, John Della Volpe, joins Joe and Alex to discuss one of the most impactful trends in politics -- growing engagement among young voters. What changed in 2018 that John and Joe see continuing through 2022 and beyond? And why John thinks Democrats might be winning the long-term battle for young voters -- and locking in gains for decades. What policies and tactics should campaigns follow to win young voters? (Hint: It's all about the relationships, not the transactions).
Follow John on Twitter @dellavolpe.
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Joe and Alex are joined by TargetSmart CEO Tom Bonier and Simon Rosenberg to break down what we actually saw in the 2022 midterms. How did a new tool help crush the narrative of the Red Mirage? And why did the media stay so locked in on the Red Wave idea? (They did their own research!) Turns out hopium on our side was more like... copium from theirs. How bad was the MAGA hangover? And what's the future of the Democratic coalition - why does it all come back to Arizona? Finally - a quick look at Georgia. How do we see the runoff shaping up?
Reminder: That Trippi Show is now part of Resolute Square, a new force in the fight against autocracy. Learn more and join us at ResoluteSquare.com/Trippi.
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What red wave? Not this time. Joe and Alex break down a historic night for Democrats - but if you've listened to the show, you knew this was coming all along. What happened in some of the key states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and others? And a surprise race in Colorado that (almost) no one saw coming. And why does Joe think young voter turnout might have lasting consequences for decades?
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Joe and Alex discuss what the final weekend of a campaign is like - and why they find themselves knocking doors, not in a studio, in the final days. What's the final weekend like for campaign staff? Can a campaign turn things around so late? Why is Trump in Iowa this week - and why that could be a bad sign for Chuck Grassley. Plus, a sign Democrats may be optimistic about Election Day turnout.
Sign up to help this weekend at action.jointheunion.us.
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Jon Ralston - Founder and CEO of the Nevada Independent, joins the show to talk Nevada in the final Deep Dive of election season! Nobody knows Nevada data better than Jon - what are the key counties he thinks will decide the election in Nevada? What is Jon seeing from the early vote that might be the "canary in the coal mine" for Democrats? What do Democrats need from the Clark County "firewall" to be confident on Election Day? And which GOP candidate does Jon think is "the most dangerous man ever to be on a ballot?" Check out Jon's early voting blog and all the Nevada Independent's vital work here: https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/the-early-voting-blog-2022
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Fresh off his Iowa trip, Joe reports back on a few days of canvassing the state - what has Iowa Democrats really energized? Joe and Alex catch up on all the good news for Democrats this week - economic numbers, encouraging polling, and more. And what's Joe's unvarnished take on the Pennsylvania debate? Did it even matter? Plus, 107,000 "found" voter registrations in Virginia... wait, what?
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A special Deep Dive episode from Iowa with special guest... Joe Trippi! Joe's in Iowa for the final push -- what's his take on how things are going in the Hawkeye State? And new data from the "Bible" of Iowa polling that shows Chuck Grassley may be in trouble - and two close races for the House. What makes Iowa different? And how do you win it? Plus - a quick look at some new national polling that's all good news for some key Democrats.
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We've got real numbers to talk about. Early voting returns are starting to come in from key states -- which numbers really matter? We asked Simon Rosenberg to come back and give his take. What numbers have us encouraged in some key battleground states? Plus, Simon gives his three reasons why early voting is the most important thing you can do this election cycle. And is there a wild card nobody is seeing? Why might we be seeing a positive swing in Nevada and the Southwest? Plus: Why has the Democratic strategy with one key group "reshaped politics"?
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On this week's Tuesday Deep Dive podcast, Trygve Olson and Paul Maslin rejoin the show to talk Wisconsin -- how do they see the two high-profile statewide matchups? What can Mandela Barnes and Tony Evers do to win? How do they reach key voters in border areas where TV can get expensive? What are the key areas we should look for as results come in? And we ask both to zoom out and explain why races are compressing everywhere. Watch out... on Election Night it could get weird for some longtime incumbent Republican Senators...
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Joe and Alex discuss why this week's new polling from Georgia really matters. What's under the hood that has Joe thinking Herschel Walker continues to be in a world of hurt? What's the latest in the fight for the House - and Joe gets into the one thing he thinks is going to decide the midterms. Also, how should a campaign capitalize on a viral debate moment like Tim Ryan's takedown of JD Vance?
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This week, our Tuesday Deep Dive podcast heads to Michigan - featuring two of our old friends, Jeff Timmer and Amy Chapman. Jeff and Amy know Michigan better than anyone -- Joe and Alex get their take on the races that matter in Michigan. Just how crazy is the Republican field? What other races besides the Big 3 statewides could matter just as much? And what kind of performance do down ballot Democrats need from Governor Whitmer to win a state Senate majority and flip a GOP-held House seat? And how do we guard against the Red Mirage?
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We're up to 299 MAGA cult election deniers running for office. How many of them can we beat? Joe and Alex discuss the races that may decide the balance of power in the House. And as Mitch McConnell said... there's plenty of other "candidate quality" problems to get into with Herschel Walker's latest scandals. And don't ask Dr. Oz to dog-sit. And what does this mean for 2024 and beyond? Show Notes: Where Republican Election Deniers Are On The Ballot Near You
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In our first statewide deep dive, we take a close look at Ohio - and our Ohio friends David Pepper and Chris Gibbs join us to give their expert takes. How does a Democrat win Ohio statewide? What's Tim Ryan doing right -- and where the heck is JD Vance right now? How much does momentum mean in a state like Ohio? Which races beyond the Senate are key bellwethers? Three House districts might go a long way to deciding the balance of power in Congress.
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With less than six weeks to go until Election Day, what should campaigns be doing? Joe and Alex get into what campaigns can take from polling (hint, it's not the head-to-head numbers the media fixates on), whether it's possible to change a message this late -- and why independents in Arizona think Blake Masters is too "slippery". Turns out it's almost impossible to pretend to be moderate when you start that far MAGA. If you're looking to help Floridians recover from Hurricane Ian, our friends at the Lincoln Project put together a list of charities to help: https://bit.ly/3SLK430 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe puts his campaign manager hat back on and he and Alex discuss the GOP's latest desperate rebrand attempt. Will it really matter? And what might a GOP takeover of the House mean for Ukraine? Hint: They're saying it out loud. Also: What case does a challenger have to make to knock off an incumbent? And why the NY AG's lawsuit might be the real deal. (Thanks to Charlie Sykes for our title!) https://morningshots.thebulwark.com/p/the-art-of-the-steal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex talk the final primary results of the season -- New Hampshire's ultra-MAGA sweep proves the GOP is still totally the party of Trump -- and why that helps Democratic prospects for holding both houses of Congress. And of course, Lindsey Graham's national abortion ban has Joe and Alex both scratching their heads. Turns out an abortion ban and ending Medicare and Social Security isn't exactly popular. Finally, some listener questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Simon Rosenberg rejoins Joe and Alex to discuss the latest as we get into the home stretch. Why are the pundits so far behind? The Senate and House elections are all the same election. And Trump and the ultra-MAGA GOP just can't help themselves and keep making this a choice election. That's bad news for them. And how can we keep growing our pro-democracy coalition?
Follow Simon on Twitter at @SimonWDC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Our friend Trygve Olson rejoins Joe and Alex this week. How did a Democrat just win Alaska - a seat a Republican held for the better part of 50 years? (Hint, the pattern's continuing)... What is Joe Biden making happen that even Ronald Reagan couldn't do? And what on earth is going on inside Republican Senate HQ -- where Rick Scott and Mitch McConnell's feud is suddenly very public? And what do Joe and Trygve make of Joe Biden finally busting out the "F" word? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why the New York special election results are a huge sign for Democrats - even national pundits are coming around on Dem chances. And why the crazy might be tainting every Republican candidate nationwide. Also - what's the latest from Ohio? Joe and Alex break down why Tim Ryan's chances are real. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Former Congressman Joe Walsh joins the show to discuss why he's now fully on Team Democracy. Why is there such a disconnect privately vs publicly among public officials about supporting Trump? Why are there so few Liz Cheneys? And should Liz Cheney run in 2024 - why she shouldn't run as an independent. What's it like to primary Trump? Joe also discusses how he's bringing back voters from the cult of Trump one at a time -- with real conversations.
Check out Joe Walsh's podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/white-flag-with-joe-walsh/id1590913798 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Description: Veteran political reporter Tom Edsall joins Joe and Alex to talk the latest implications from the Mar-A-Lago raid -- what will it mean for the midterms? Could the Justice Department's actions actually energize Democrats by showing voters the real threat? And Tom talks about what many people are ignoring: What would Trump actually do as president if he wins? Read Tom's latest in the NYT here: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/03/opinion/trump-has-big-plans-for-2025.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex discuss Tuesday's results in Arizona and Kansas -- is the GOP the dog that caught the car? Joe discusses why the Kansas results remind him of the spark that was Doug Jones' historic victory in Alabama in 2017. Also, hear why one Republican operative describes Tuesday's results in Arizona as a "doomsday ticket" and another describes it as a "catastrophe for the Republican Party... and democracy." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex discuss Tuesday's results in Arizona and Kansas -- is the GOP the dog that caught the car? Joe discusses why the Kansas results remind him of the spark that was Doug Jones' historic victory in Alabama in 2017. Also, hear why one Republican operative describes Tuesday's results in Arizona as a "doomsday ticket" and another describes it as a "catastrophe for the Republican Party... and democracy." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Simon Rosenberg joins Joe and Alex to discuss why Democrats have all the momentum in national polls and how Dem chances continue to get better in the Senate and the House. Plus, what "cosmic ray" flipped a bunch of brains in the Senate? We talk about two colossal Democratic legislative wins that have the potential to reshape our national coalition -- and how House Republicans shot themselves in the foot by voting no on the CHIPS Act. Read Simon's new piece here: https://www.ndn.org/competitive-election-now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Trygve Olson joins Joe and Alex to talk about the latest 1/6 Committee hearing and what it all means. We'll let Adam Kinzinger sum it up from the latest hearing: "The forces Donald Trump ignited that day have not gone away... The militant, intolerant ideologies —the militias, the alienation, and the disaffection — the weird fantasies and disinformation. They're all still out there, ready to go. That's the 'elephant in the room.'" Plus - Trump's video outtakes, what Trygve calls his "MAGA franchise operation", the latest from the Wyoming primary, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex discuss the latest Jan 6th hearings and how crazy can break a red wave. But don't lose sight of the biggest revelation of the week: Steve Bannon says the quiet part out loud. Our country was founded to counteract the idea of a king. And Trump's whole plan was to loudly declare himself king. That's the autocratic movement we're fighting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex return to discuss why the Biden 2024 speculation and new polling misses the point. Joe talks about his experience from the Kennedy-Carter fight in 1980. What lessons can Democrats learn for this year? It's time to ignore noise like this, double down, and get to work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex take a look at a new round of Senate polls that have them both buying Democratic chances to gain in the Senate and hold the House (yes, really) this fall. Joe breaks down why this could be a historical anomaly, and Alex shares a stat that should have Dems feeling... enthusiastic. Plus, Joe gives his take on Boris Johnson's resignation in England and answers another reader question. Read Simon's take on the latest polling data here: https://www.ndn.org/analysis-dems-leading-congressional-ballot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Pollster and friend of the show Paul Maslin joins Joe and Alex to break down the big picture. After one of the most seismic weeks in American politics -- have the lines been redrawn? What will SCOTUS overturning Roe v. Wade do to voter enthusiasm? Are the hearings breaking through to the American people? And why does he think this is the beginning of the end for Trump? Plus, Paul helps us break down some of the more recent polls and figure out reasons for optimism for Democrats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Two more January 6th Committee hearings are in the books. How did Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney's opening and closing statements make an impact? What does postponing the hearings to collect more evidence mean? Joe and Alex, unlike Jeff Clark, don't plead the Fifth over 100 times. Bill Barr called stopping Trump's attempts to overthrow the election "whack-a-mole" -- what else surprised from the hearings this week? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex discuss the latest from the Jan. 6th Committee hearings. Could the testimony be turning the tide of public opinion? Who else could testify? And why the hearings have us feeling more optimistic about our chances this fall. Plus, new polling data shows that the "red wave" is nowhere to be found. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex break down the first primetime January 6th Committee hearing. Why is Trump in trouble? Joe lays out Liz Cheney's powerful case. What else was powerful from last night and how can Dems use it moving forward? How can we make sure we aren't just talking to ourselves -- and what can we do to help spread the word? If you do one thing after listening, help us burst the Fox bubble. Make sure someone in your network who might not have seen it watches the powerful video from Thursday's hearing: https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2022/06/09/new-produced-video-capitol-riot-2022-january-6-hearings-vpx.cnn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Journalist and author Frank Smyth joins the show to discuss the NRA and the gun lobby's deep-seated ideology -- all centered around the slippery slope that even a little bit of gun regulation could lead to "tyranny" and even "genocide" in their eyes. Frank's followed the NRA for nearly 40 years. He and Joe might not agree on everything but his perspective on what needs to be done is worth a listen.
Check out Frank's work at franksmyth.com. You can support the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence here: https://www.bradyunited.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe lays out a path forward and how to get Republicans on the record voting against gun control legislation -- the choice between the two parties has never been more clear. What's Mike Pence up to post January 6th? Is he about to launch his Presidential run? And what does Georgia mean for the future of Trumpism in GOP primaries? Finally, a quick field trip to Hungary, the logical place for budding autocrats to showcase their authoritarian credentials. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We peel back the onion on media reporting a little -- how do journalists balance breaking news for their outlets vs saving a story for a book? Then how do Jonathan and Alex see what's going on with the GOP today? Will this moment pass? How does the world view our democracy and how close to the edge are we? And what's a conversation that they had reporting the book that you might not have heard yet? Read This Will Not Pass here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/This-Will-Not-Pass/Jonathan-Martin/9781982172480 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex discuss what's facing Democrats through the lens of a recent Progressive Policy Institute paper by two of Joe's former Mondale team. What have we learned since 1989? And is the key to breaking the streak and beating George HW Bush the same to the key to stopping Trump? With our democracy at stake, it's time to bust some myths about the electoral landscape.
Read the report here: https://www.progressivepolicy.org/publication/the-new-politics-of-evasion%20%5Bprogressivepolicy-org%5D/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Rick Hasen joins the pod to discuss his latest book, "Cheap Speech: How Disinformation Poisons Our Politics—and How to Cure It." What can we do to fix our elections? Rick points out we have to think way beyond legal solutions or policy - it's going to take all of us working on it. And what do we make of Elon Musk's Twitter purchase and its implications for Trump and free speech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, Joe and Alex get into the electoral fallout from the leaked SCOTUS decision. Has Joe ever seen a moment like this about one issue? Then an update from Ohio, where it's getting Trumpier by the day. And some good news from Michigan - and a possible blueprint to win. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Author and professor Jonathan Haidt joins us to talk about his recent Atlantic article on social media, polarization, and just what we can do about it. Did people change, or did the dynamics between us change? And what did one Twitter engineer describe as "handing a loaded gun to a four-year-old?" How do we "change the game?" Read Jonathan's latest article here: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/05/social-media-democracy-trust-babel/629369/
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Disrupting the GOP's Outrage Machine will be a task Dems need to rally behind if we're going to restore democracy in the U.S. After this week's reports, what are Biden's next steps? Is the cancellation of federal student loan debt a realistic option? Does Rep. incumbent Mike Lee have a continued future in the UT Senate seat or can a Dem turn the tide? Plus, more listener questions answered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why does it feel like Pres. Biden is struggling to move the ball when the economy is recovering and America's battle with COVID has vastly improved? Joe gives his advice for what Dems need to say now to win in November. Remember: a repeated lie gets more power than a silent truth. Then, Joe explains why the Dems might have a crucial advantage in their battle for the House, including some staggering numbers that may have you rethinking the landscape of 2022 voter enthusiasm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bestselling author Don Winslow joins the pod to discuss his new book "City on Fire" - an Iliad-inspired crime novel set in Rhode Island we can't wait to read. You probably have also seen Don's viral videos taking down Trump and the GOP - how did Don get started with those? "If they wanted an alley fight, we'd go into the alley" And take it from someone who has no problems getting his point across -- how do we craft a winning message this fall and take on the right-wing outrage machine?
Order "City on Fire" and catch up on Don's work at donwinslow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We welcome back Simon Rosenberg, one of the clearest voices on Democratic economic messaging -- and ask him the question -- why aren't Democrats repeating a winning message? What do we have to do to turn this ship around? How do we redefine the Democratic Party as a force for economic success, and how do we make voters listen? Follow Simon on Twitter @SimonWDC. With Democrats, Things Get Better Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Garrett Graff joins the pod to discuss his book Watergate: A New History, including some stories you might not know about just how close we came to a full cover-up of a "third-rate burglary at the Watergate". Then, he discusses the parallels with Jan. 6th and the Ukraine conflict -- before turning the table on Joe and interviewing him.
Find Garrett's book here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Watergate/Garrett-M-Graff/9781982139162 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex are back to talk about the latest Russian plea to help their partner Donald Trump (key word: again!) Also - what are the implications of the Dems possibly moving Iowa back in the nomination process? What's going to happen to underdog candidates? And the listener question lightning round is back! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
No, you aren't hallucinating. A Republican Senator actually said the quiet part out loud. Yes, their battle against Roe has far-reaching consequences, and their war on the Fourteenth Amendment could expand dramatically. Heather also discusses her recent interview with President Biden and how he's meeting the moment on a global scale.
Find more from Heather: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex discuss President Biden's response to President Zelenskyy's appeal, how Biden's handling the Ukraine crisis, and what we have to get ahead of from the far-right propaganda machine. Plus, an update from The Union -- including a special town hall this coming Monday -- and what you can do to help. And of course, we find time for a few reader questions!
Join The Union Town Hall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe's back to talk President Biden's momentum -- how can Dems most effectively message great jobs numbers and deficit reduction? And where should Democrats be focused first - the House or the Senate? Also, the latest on Rick Scott's effort to hand Dems a huge win on taxes and what on earth is going on with the far-right and Ukraine. If you're reading this on your parents' cell phone plan, well, don't get subpoenaed (cough cough, Stephen Miller). Nick Carmody's tweet thread: https://twitter.com/nick_carmody/status/1501670298805948416?s=21 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Trygve Olson joins Alex this week for an update on how the flow of information from Ukraine is affecting the war on the ground. With anyone able to put 60 seconds of video online for global consumption instantly, how will this affect international perceptions of the war? Also - how does seizing a yacht change things? Finally, we discuss an important development in the Arizona Senate race. Joe'll be back next week, we promise! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Australian economist Nicholas Gruen joins the show -- and he's got some big ideas to get us past partisanship in democracy. How do you bridge the divide and bring people together to actually advance policy ideas? How do you pull people out of their partisan tribes? Find out about Nicholas's revolutionary idea and how he thinks we can get there. Follow Nicholas on Twitter @NGruen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We welcome Trygve Olson back for the latest on the Ukraine situation. How far will Putin go? What can the international community do to stand with Ukraine? The fight for democracy is a global one. You either stand with Ukraine or stand with Putin. We know what we choose. Be sure to put #standwithukraine in your social post because every piece of awareness goes a long way.
And don't forget to sign up to JoinTheUnion.us Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex are joined by OSET's Greg Miller to discuss a truly game-changing project to fix the technology behind our voting system and defend our democracy. With the challenges we face both from external actors and partisanship, it's more important than ever to make sure every American has faith in our electoral system. That's where the Trust the Vote Project and ElectionOS come in.
Find out more at: osetinstitute.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex discuss the latest on the Ukraine situation -- how has Joe Biden handled the American response so far? Could his strong leadership be one of the positive externalities Joe mentioned in his reasons for Dems to be optimistic this year? Also: Republican infighting keeps getting worse, and it's bleeding into costly primary fights. With a new poll showing Dems have a fighting chance this fall, where's the bottom... for the GOP? And a quick look at some of the under-reported elections that will be critical to defending our democracy. See Joe's interview on The Beat with Ari Melber: https://youtu.be/02h-8FOYwwk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's time for some (actual) legitimate political discourse, as Joe and Alex start with the RNC's revisionist history of the insurrection. Republicans are moving closer and closer to the point of no return, and even Mike Pence is speaking up. What's the latest in the fight for democracy? Then, a deep dive into the surprising win for Democrats with redistricting across the country. What looked like disaster may be opportunity, starting this year in the midterms. With hope for a return to "normal" in the next phase of COVID, plus a strong economy and good news with redistricting, is the worst behind us? Could Biden start to regain some steam and help push Democrats in the midterms? What other factors (SCOTUS) could help get voters energized? Support Joe and Alex and the fight for American democracy at https://jointheunion.us/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Former Ohio Democratic Party chairman and author of "Laboratories of Autocracy" David Pepper joins the show to discuss the threats to our democracy -- and what we all have to do about it. Check out David's book here:
Laboratories of Autocracy: A Wake-Up Call from Behind the Lines Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We welcome Trygve Olson back to the show with tensions in Ukraine growing. We discuss Trygve's experience in Eastern Europe and building democracy around the globe -- and what it means for the current situation. Is Putin between a rock and a hard place? How will he react? And what does it mean for our democracy at home? Lastly - Joe sets down a clear path for Dems to follow for the SCOTUS confirmation fight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Megan Matson joins the show to discuss her experience in digital grassroots organizing and how things have evolved since Joe's pioneering days with Howard Dean. But we won't bury the lede - Joe and Megan discuss the launch of The Union, the virtual organizing hub for the pro-democracy coalition, with the Lincoln Project. And especially after the Senate defeat of the voting rights bill, there's no better time than now to get involved. Find out how you can help at jointheunion.us.
We need your help - if you’re listening, you need to be part of the pro-democracy coalition. Go to jointheunion.us and tell us how you can help now. Then please do invite one friend or neighbor to join us.
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This week: Joe backs up his big prediction last week and gets into exactly why Democrats should be optimistic about their chances in 2022. It's going to take some hard work from everyone -- but this is a winnable fight. Plus, the latest from Biden's Georgia trip and the push for the voting rights bill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex discuss Joe Biden's huge speech on the anniversary of the Capitol insurrection, and what we can all do to protect our democracy. Then, what does the latest redistricting news mean for midterms? Trippi makes a huge bold prediction Democrats are going to like to hear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2022 is on the horizon, but the Build Baack Better Bill will have to wait after Joe Manchin stopped it in its track. What's next for the president's signature bill? Plus, it's almost been a year since the Jan. 6 insurrection - what's the latest with the fight for democracy? And one piece of good, underreported news: Pres. Biden got 40 federal judges confirmed this year, and it was the most diverse group ever. We discuss the impact of that and how it should affect our grade for the president.
Happy Holidays everyone, see you next year.
Show Notes: Mother Jones - What If The Media Covered The War On Democracy Like An Actual War? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex discuss a potentially huge pivot in Senate priorities. All of a sudden is Build Back Better on the back burner? Then, what's going on with Mark Meadows' texts. Hint: don't put your treason in PowerPoint form. And Joe and Alex finally get to some of their favorite listener questions from the last few weeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
First, Alex and Joe talk how important Joe Biden's Democracy Summit this week is going to be. With autocracy on the rise worldwide, we have to sound the alarm and get to work. Then, what's up with the latest round of poll numbers? Joe points out what's noise and what really matters (hint, it's mostly noise.) Finally, what's going on in Georgia? Brian Kemp is being challenged by someone to the right. And the Republican grift machine is much, much worse than you realize.
Show Notes: Anne Applebaum - The Bad Guys Are Winning Barton Gelman - The Election That Could Break America Amanda Marcotte - Destroying Democracy Can Make You Very Rich Judd Legum - Trump's new media company is a $1.6 billion mirage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex are back with plenty of news to cover. With SCOTUS hearing the latest challenge to Roe v. Wade, what are the electoral implications if the conservative Court overturns the landmark case? Then the latest news out of Georgia, where Stacey Abrams' big announcement will energize Democrats and make Georgia the center of the political world (again). Finally, what's the latest for 2024 as Trump launches a remake of the Apprentice to pick his potential running mate? And what do we make of the constant unflattering leaks about VP Harris?
David Doak's tweet
Jill Filipovic CNN Article
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Author and journalist Dave Pell joins the show to discuss his book, Please Scream Inside Your Heart, and the state of journalism and the news today. Dave is also the author of the NextDraft -- one of Joe's favorite newsletters that combines a comprehensive look at the news with a touch of humor. Joe and Alex talk to Dave about how we're supposed to process everything that seems like it's going on so fast -- and what we're all supposed to do about those feelings of impending doom.
Next Draft Book: Please Scream Inside Your Heart: Breaking News and Nervous Breakdowns in the Year that Wouldn't End Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Veteran reporter Dave Weigel joins the show to discuss how Democrats can make strides in '22, starting with another run for Beto O'Rourke for Governor of Texas. How do we handicap that race as it stands now? Plus: Will Democrats get momentum back after a flat few months for Joe Biden? Can the infrastructure and Build Back Better proposals help move voters back into the Democratic column? And, finally, can Democrats finally win Texas? Check out Dave's Washington Post series The Trailer, including his latest here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/11/16/trailer-democrats-say-build-back-better-can-save-them-does-their-data-back-that-up/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Yes, you heard it right, Infrastructure Week! President Joe Biden finally got his infrastructure bill passed. The question is, how good or bad is this for Democrats going into 2022? We talk about the implications for next year and how the GOP's recruitment struggles are good news for Democrats. Also: the January 6th committee has more subpoenas out -- who's next? This and more, all on That Trippi Show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As the Jan. 6 investigation in the House unfolds, historian and professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat joins the show to put America's authoritarian impulses in historical and global context. She contrasts Trump to historical autocrats, puts some of his skills and tendencies under the microscope, and helps diagnose the temperature of the movement in the country today. She offers some hopeful reasons for why Trump could fade in future elections, but also warnings about what has or hasn't been addressed since Jan. 6. Check out Ruth's Substack here: https://lucid.substack.com/ And buy her book, Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, here: https://www.amazon.com/Strongmen-Mussolini-Present-Ruth-Ben-Ghiat/dp/0393868419/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=strongman+ruth+benghiat&qid=1636399469&sr=8-1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex discuss why Joe’s actually feeling… okay about the elections? (At least in a historical context.) Make no mistake, this is a wake-up call for Democrats and we have a lot of work to do. So what’s the real problem here? We still have no counter to the Fox News outrage machine. How do we combat it and build a community to spread the word for democracy? And what is going on with eroding Democratic support among suburban voters? Finally, what's the biggest mistake we keep making as a party? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“It’s about digital, but it’s not about digital. Digital is the means.” Occasionally on That Trippi Show, we don’t talk politics but we welcome guests who we find have a unique, interesting perspective. This week we welcome Greek Minister of Digital Governance Kyriakos Pierrakakis to talk about the Greek government’s digital transformation connecting the government and the services it provides more easily to its citizens. How do you develop a portal for simple access to all government services in the middle of a pandemic that’s citizen-centric, not government-centric? And just as important, how do you get the users (citizens) to buy in? Listen to our discussion with the Minister now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Do yourself a favor: Before listening, give Hunter Walker's bombshell article a read here: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/exclusive-jan-6-organizers-met-congress-white-house-1245289/** Investigative journalist Hunter Walker comes on to discuss the stunning story published in Rolling Stone alleging members of Congress and White House staffers worked together to incite the infamous "protest" on Jan. 6. Walker details a "blanket pardon" allegedly dangled by Rep. Paul Gosar -- and whether Trump himself was aware of what was to come. Plus, the turning point of the whole "protest" on Jan. 6 -- which involved Trump himself. January 6th will be infamous in American history forever, but, as Walker says, the story is far from over. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex are back to talk about a ton of big news. Joe Manchin is dangling a possible defection to the GOP caucus if he doesn't get what he wants in the BBB bill. What options do the Dems have? Could he actually do it? And how do we move past the infighting?
Then, the governor's race in Virginia is going to be tight, mostly because the GOP candidate hasn't had to commit to Trumpism or moderate conservatism. Democrats must not take this one lightly -- imagine if a GOP governor had to certify election results in a contested state in '24.
Finally, the GOP is infighting as well -- Mitch McConnell has tried to focus Trump on the future instead of the Big Lie. Will Trump still turn out voters when he's not on the ticket? And how could the results of 2022 affect the prospects of Trump running for president in '24? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe welcomes Simon Rosenberg, president of NDN and the New Policy Institute. He's a Democratic campaign veteran who is both realistic and optimistic about the coalition Democrats must build to win in 2022. The discussion touches on how infighting among Democrats is becoming an obstacle for the president, and how the difficulty passing the overwhelmingly popular infrastructure bill has led to a decline in polls. But all is not as bleak as it seems. Joe, Simon and Alex have hope for the midterms and 2024, and Simon would still "rather be us than them."
Memo: Time for the Dems to Come Together
Volunteer to get out thee vote with VAA Turnout Project
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Ralph Neas, prominent civil rights leader, joins Joe and Alex this week to discuss the power of coalition and strength in united numbers, specifically in human, constitutional, and civil rights. Ralph shares his insight on how the GOP could "turn back the clock" many decades and undo a lot of the important bipartisan, pro-democracy strides we have made. Election subversion and voter suppression threaten to disenfranchise millions of Americans and undermine our democracy.
The Supreme Court Really Matters: Huffington Post Op-Ed
Chronology: How the Arizona Senate Audit in Maricopa County Is an Assault on Voting Rights
Response: The Truth Behind the Results of the Maricopa County Election Audit
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On this week's episode of That Trippi Show, we make history. Our first repeat guest has big news: he's running for Lt. Governor in Texas! Matthew Dowd -- a former Republican, by the way -- has big plans to change the course of Texas' legislative powers. Democracy is the only way to stop the autocratic GOP, and the Democratic party is the vehicle we need to use to achieve it. Support Matthew's run here: https://www.dowdtexas.com/ Follow him on Twitter here https://twitter.com/matthewjdowd?s=20
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Today, we're joined by Molly Jong-Fast, host of The New Abnormal podcast and Editor at Large at The Daily Beast. We start with her story on Gabby Petito which shook up the Internet this week, as she examined the coverage, the investigation, and the popularity of the case. Then, Joe and Alex ask Molly about the inter-party fight between Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump, which has the potential to spill into the primaries and maybe even provoke a nasty fight in the Senate. How can the GOP manage to win general elections when they have to move to the extreme right to win a primary? Finally, the discussion shifts to Texas, where Beto O'Rourke has reportedly decided to challenge Gov. Greg Abbott in the 2022 election for Governor. Could he actually unseat the Governor? Is Texas -- for real this time -- a place where Democrats could make some gains? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Journalist Judd Legum joins us this week for a fascinating show. First, Joe, Alex and Judd react to the overwhelming victory by Gov. Gavin Newsom in California's recall election. California isn't exactly a threat to go red anytime soon, but what lessons can be learned from what was once thought to be a fairly competitive race? Then, the conversation shifts towards the power of money in politics. Judd had some groundbreaking reporting earlier this year about how a small foundation essentially captured national attention by pushing a debate about Critical Race Theory into national consciousness. But money can be used for good too, especially when it comes to forcing companies to take a stance on political issues. Join Judd's Substack here: popular.info Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe is traveling this week, so we're re-offering one of our favorite conversations (in case you missed it) to hold you till next week. In June, Joe and Alex spoke to Ezra Klein, author of Why We're Polarized and New York Times podcaster and columnist. Ezra, Joe, and Alex have a fascinating discussion about polarization, how the two parties relate to each other, why disengaged voters are being pushed even further away, and what happens from here. Plus, Ezra dissects the unique importance of Joe Manchin, how rare he is in today's political climate, and how his strategy on key issues will create massive policy and procedural implications. Buy Ezra's book, Why We're Polarized, now available in paperback here. Read Ezra's column on Joe Manchin here: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/17/opinion/joe-manchin-filibuster-voting-rights.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We're joined this week by Reed Galen, co-founder of The Lincoln Project, to talk about the monumental news out of Texas and the Supreme Court early Thursday morning. The Supreme Court essentially let Roe v. Wade get undermined. What do the Democrats do to recover lost ground and serve their constituents? Is it time to pack the courts? What do you do when you're trying to play chess and, as Reed puts it, the other party is eating the pieces? And, Joe and Reed address the question that's been eating away at progressives: how do you convince voters they need to vote Democratic when Democrats are in power everywhere and this can still happen? One place Democrats are not in power is Florida, where COVID cases continue to pace the nation and Republican anti-governance is on full display. How can we organize to defeat the DeSantis, Abbotts, and other right-wing extremists putting their citizens in danger? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe Biden has hit the roughest patch of his young presidency, combating the crisis in Afghanistan and very worrisome trends with COVID. Joe and Alex give their take on what's moving Biden's approval ratings and how they look in context. Plus, despite the FDA approving the Pfizer vaccine, Trump-lite governors in Florida and Texas continue to put their own citizens in danger with anti-mask and anti-vaccine policies. Mask mandates are overwhelmingly popular nationally -- how is it a smart move politically for GOP'ers to position against them? Finally, some listener questions, and hopefully the last-ever discussion of the absurd Arizona election audit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Congressman Seth Moulton, Marine & member of the House Armed Services Committee, joins the pod to talk the situation in Afghanistan, what we need to be doing right now to save lives, and how you can help. Read Rep. Moulton's statement here: https://moulton.house.gov/press-releases/moulton-statement-on-the-situation-in-afghanistan This David Rohde piece in the New Yorker stood out to us: https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/trying-and-failing-to-save-the-family-of-the-afghan-who-saved-me Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
First, a look at some races that are flying under the radar -- governor's races. Governors of course have a massive impact on local politics -- just look at Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott -- but they also have a critical role in certifying elections. DeSantis (Florida), Evers (Wisconsin), and Georgia (Kemp) are all up in 2022 -- Joe wants to make sure Democrats are focused on these elections too (in addition to holding the House and Senate). Thanks to Jennifer Rubin, whose Washington Post op-ed got us thinking about this. Then, despite the trends for midterm elections historically, Joe is optimistic about the Senate map in 2022. There are vulnerable Republicans across the country and several high-profile retirements. Joe and Alex dive in to the key races and the places in which Democrats are actually on the offensive, and one very important swing race. Lastly, we address some listener questions (keep sending them to thattrippishow@gmail.com), including one about why Joe is willing to join Republicans at The Lincoln Project given the damage done by their party to the political system. CNN piece on the Senate: https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/11/politics/2022-senate-race-rankings-august/index.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this special episode, Joe and Alex are joined by Norm Ornstein, Contributing Editor at the Atlantic and emeritus scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. Norm gives his take on the rise of authoritarianism in mainstream Republicans, and how this time feels different even from the McCarthy era. Will congressional and party leadership be able to turn things around? How do you negotiate with a party in which the majority of members believe the election was stolen? And what if the Republicans drive so many moderates away that the GOP ceases to function? Wouldn't that be good for the Democrats? Well... not really. How many elections will it take to convince the Republicans to change course? What should be done about the filibuster? And what is possible when there is fundamental disagreement about the very existence of government? Buy Norm's book here: https://www.amazon.com/One-Nation-After-Trump-Disillusioned-ebook/dp/B06XW24YY6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tucker Carlson is fighting for democracy ... in Hungary. Tucker met with Hungary's Prime Minister to discuss, among other things, how he built a wall, changed the judiciary, and rode anti-immigrant and anti-democracy waves to change the trajectory of a nation in short order. How revealing is this for the desires of the American Right? When will dalliances with authoritarianism become doctrine? Then, Trump scored a special election win in Ohio, but Joe and Alex are skeptical about what it actually means. But they draw some more insight from the Democratic result, where a moderate outpaced a more left-leaning candidate. How affirming is that for the Biden way of doing things? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Supreme Court's reputation as an apolitical body has been permanently changed. How did we get here? Jackie Calmes from the LA Times has studied the changes in Supreme Court politics that hit a new low during the Trump presidency. Despite two impeachments and a single term, Trump and the Republicans managed to reshape the Court for decades -- and it's possible Democrats have underestimated and under-organized around the impact of the GOP's stranglehold on the judicial system. Jackie, Joe and Alex talk about the change in political strategy when it comes to appointing justices, how the Brett Kavanaugh nomination process completely missed another massive scandal, and how we recover from a climate where the Supreme Court is viewed by Republicans as the surest way to extend its minority rule. Jackie's new book, Dissent: The Radicalization of the Republican Party and Its Capture of the Court, is available here: https://www.amazon.com/Dissent-Radicalization-Republican-Party-Capture/dp/1538700794 Follow Jackie on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/jackiekcalmes?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
After 6 months, President Biden did what Trump couldn't do in 4 years -- got an infrastructure bill through the Senate. A large bipartisan majority coming together for substantive change? What is going on? Alex and Joe unpack the progress made -- and not made -- to make big strides on infrastructure. Plus, Nancy Pelosi stopped the Jan. 6 commission from turning into a Jim Jordan-imbued circus, but the Republicans did their best to sink it. What will come of this investigation, and will it move the needle for voters? And will Joe Manchin finally backing voting rights measures mean it can get through the Senate? Also, a look at a TX state-wide election that Trump endorsed and lost. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Political risk... What is it? World-renowned defender of democracy Trygve Olson joins Joe this week to discuss his ideas on the risks of economic fallout faced by political action. In this episode, Joe and Trygve lay out the bigger implications we face if the U.S. doesn't denounce and fight the autocratic movement from the right. Trygve explains the American "fraud democracy" in comparison to other historically authoritarian governments and how ultimately, this could lead to our economic and political downfall. To stop the collapse of our democratic system, Joe warns that citizens, Washington, and corporate America can't get comfortable with this being the "new normal." As Trygve states, engagement is required to be part of the solution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe Biden called it. Democracy vs. autocracy. Sound familiar? Now it's on all of us to keep spreading the word. Joe and Alex talk about Biden's Philadelphia speech ("Have you no shame?") and how it reset the battlefield for everything we've been fighting for. Then they hit on the latest in Texas and the heroic protest staged by Democratic lawmakers, why the corporate pressure campaigns are so critical, and your role to play in this fight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe announced this week that he'll be joining the Lincoln Project to help elect Democrats to fight the autocratic movement on the right. Steve Schmidt returns to talk to Joe about the cause and how if Democrats don't defeat Republicans, "we lose the country." He explains why the media, corporations and the public at large don't understand the stakes of allowing power to return to authoritarians. Joe and Steve talk next about the plans for The Lincoln Project and anti-authoritarianism in America in general. They name two huge companies that are still writing checks to pro-insurrectionists, and their plans to foment rebellion among employees. Plus: How do you defeat a movement that believes they're living in an occupied country with an illegitimate president? Do we really have to win decades of elections just to withstand authoritarianism? Read Joe's editorial in USA Today about why he's joining The Lincoln Project here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/07/06/stop-trump-authoritarianism-joe-trippi-lincoln-project/7814381002/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dan Gillmor, co-founder of Arizona State's News Co/Lab, is an expert on civil literacy and the role of journalism in our changing world. He joins the show to discuss the many changes to journalistic norms in the past few years and how to navigate a path forward. How should journalists cover politicians who intentionally and, sometimes dangerously, lie without consequence? What do former guardians of truth and once-trusted establishments still do their job when they're dismissed summarily by significant portions of the populace? And why was it so hard for journalists to just say, "Trump lied," instead of, as Dan says, using every other word in the thesaurus? Read the blog post Dan and Joe discuss here: https://medium.com/@dangillmor/dear-journalists-please-declare-independence-from-business-as-usual-fe8d3681f932 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jon Macks has spent most of his career writing for comedians like Jay Leno and Chris Rock. But before he was writing jokes for The Tonight Show and The Academy Awards, he started out working in politics with Joe. Jon joins the show to discuss whether it's possible to lampoon people like Donald Trump or Marjorie Taylor Greene, how comedy writing and political speech writing flex a lot of the same muscles, and whether the backlash to Jimmy Fallon and SNL giving Trump the usual political treatment was justified. Plus, Macks talks about prepping presidential candidates, including Joe Biden, for big debates. How do you prepare for Donald Trump? Finally, how has "cancel culture" affected the process of writing comedy? Are we better or worse off? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe is joined by Atlantic Senior Editor and CNN correspondent Ron Brownstein (@RonBrownstein) this week. The Republicans enjoy a structural advantage in the Senate, but that's amplified even more by the age and racial makeup of the American electorate at large. Ron explains why the Trump movement and the Nixon movements are similar, and what that means for the future of elections in the country. Also, Ron is a bit more bullish about the potential for Democrats to outperform expectations in the 2022 midterms. He explains why, and he and Joe get into the strategy needed for Democratic campaigns to motivate people to vote for good candidates, but also to sound the alarm about the rise of authoritarianism. Then, a discussion about President Biden's unique temperament, which does not lend itself to the urgent/hair-on-fire moment we're in with the Republican Party. Biden's popularity is likely because of his place as a vestige of politics long gone, but is his calming temperament actually a disadvantage politically when it comes to the urgency of the moment? Buy Ron's book, Rock Me On The Water, here: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/rock-me-on-the-water-ronald-brownstein Check out Ron's analysis of 2022 here: https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/22/politics/democrats-2022-turnout-congress/index.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ezra Klein, author of Why We're Polarized and NYT podcaster and columnist, joins Joe and Alex for a fascinating discussion about polarization, how the two parties relate to each other, why disengaged voters are being pushed even further away, and what happens from here. Plus, Ezra dissects the unique importance of Joe Manchin, how rare he is in today's political climate, and how his strategy on key issues will create massive policy and procedural implications. Buy Ezra's book, Why We're Polarized, now available in paperback here. Read Ezra's column on Joe Manchin here: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/17/opinion/joe-manchin-filibuster-voting-rights.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Steve Schmidt, former Republican and co-founder of The Lincoln Project, joins Joe for a striking conversation about what's propelling the authoritarian movement forward in our country and how we can fight it. The conversation touches on the composition of the authoritarian movement, how to view the importance of the 2022 elections, the power of Fox and the right-wing propaganda machines, the likelihood of future violence in American politics, and more. This is a must-listen for anyone thinking about how we can stop authoritarianism before it takes over, and the scope and urgency of the fight ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A voicemail from a listener this past week got Joe thinking: instead of focusing on working together and Democrats winning elections, how can we focus on anything but the very real threat of authoritarianism? Joe argues bipartisanship can't work right now, because there is only room for one "party" in America right now -- an anti-authoritarian, pro-democracy party. Joe suggests all of us need to take a stand against anti-democracy, from corporations to media to politicians, and accept that there is only one functioning political party at the moment. By framing today's politics in terms of the usual business in Washington, we're all missing the point. Joe argues we have to understand the big problem in front of us, and that until we deal with the black mold in our country, everything else comes second. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
National Security expert Max Boot joins Joe and Alex to talk about the staggering danger of the GOP's grasp of authoritarianism, and the impact of swing Democrat Joe Manchin backing away from voting rights legislation. They touch on the dangers of the poisonous conservative media ecosystem, how difficult it is to bridge the conversation between Americans of differing beliefs, the danger of failing to imagine worst-case scenarios, and what the biggest threat to the United States is. Plus, the story of military hero Edward Landsdale, and what unity and patriotism even looks like in the Trump era. Buy Max's latest book, The Road Not Taken, here: https://www.amazon.com/Road-Not-Taken-Lansdale-American/dp/0871409410 Max's book, The Corrosion of Conservatism, is available here: https://www.amazon.com/Corrosion-Conservatism-Why-Left-Right/dp/1631495674 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Perhaps no one is more qualified to examine the current state of American politics than a political observer who happens to be a psychotherapist. Nick Carmody joins Joe and Alex to discuss how right-wing politicians and influencers have preyed on fears and misperception to heighten paranoia and the pervasive sense of danger on the right. He explains why the two sides in American politics are unable to communicate, and why QAnon is more religion than political ideology. Plus -- is there more to the story than politics and the media? What is really going on here? And what do we do about all this? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Matthew Dowd, the chief strategist for President Bush's re-election campaign in 2004, sits down with Joe to discuss the decline of Republican principles, and how to move forward with the presence of Pres. Trump in the modern GOP. Also, a look ahead to the 2022 and 2024 races, who's standing out, and if some Democrats are too relaxed about their prospects in the midterm elections. Plus, Matthew reveals who the 2004 Bush campaign was most afraid of running against (the answer may surprise you). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex are joined by Greg Sargent of The Washington Post, author of "An Uncivil War" and the Plum Line blog. Greg joins for a somber conversation about the state of the GOP, including how low the bar has gotten in the Senate for Republicans to do the right thing. What does compromise look like in a world where pro-democracy Republicans are purged from the party? How do we hold the liars accountable while reaching out to those who were lied to? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex have had it with today's GOP, which refuses to investigate the attack on themselves Jan. 6, while continuing audits in states around the country, insisting the election was stolen. It's quite a statement when the most serious politician we discuss on today's show may be Matthew McConaughey. Then, a new poll shows Trump leading all '24 candidates by a huge margin -- but he's only getting 48% of Republican support. Joe wonders why a former president getting less than 50% of his own party is viewed as so dominant, and thinks he may not be as strong as we think. Finally, why Joe is for Matthew McConaughey running for Governor of Texas, no matter what he runs as. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Democracy Docket founder Marc Elias has been fighting GOP-led voter suppression efforts for years. In the process, he may be single-handedly saving our republic. He tells Joe and Alex the status of the fight for voter rights, the GOP's dangerous motivation to continue voter suppression, and how we can all help. How will the GOP's right to fritter away the right to vote play out, and can it actually work? Then, Joe and Alex break down Liz Cheney's ouster (and how Donald Trump called a Cheney a "Major Democrat"), 100 Republicans threatening to start a new party, and why she may be primed for a credible run for president. Marc's organization, Democracy Docket, is doing wonderful work -- follow along at this website: https://www.democracydocket.com/ New Republic article: https://newrepublic.com/article/162272/republican-voter-suppression-texas-democracy-reckoning Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
First, Joe and Alex break down a race that just took place in the El Paso area, where the Democrats squandered a chance to compete in a district Trump only won by 3 points. While that seat was not one Democrats needed to count on, it was an opportunity, and Joe is worried about Democrats losing focus. Speaking of losing focus, Democrats are already getting excited about Charlie Crist running against Fla. Gov. Ron DeSantis, and Conor Lamb potentially running for Senate in '22. Joe is excited about the rise of party stars, but is flashing warning signs now: if Lamb and Crist and Tim Ryan vacate their House seats, we're looking at committees led by Jim Jordan and Devin Nunes in 2022, and meaningless investigations into the Biden administration that jam the wheels of government. Finally, an update on the Liz Cheney/GOP fight, what it means for the party echoing the Big Lie in perpetuity, and a brief thought on Trump's ban from Facebook. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Pres. Biden made history this week, addressing Congress for the first time with two women behind him. Joe and Alex break down the president's first address, plus the shift in conversation towards economic recovery, China and the end of trickle-down economics. Then, Joe and Alex touch on the redistricting news, and why some of it has a silver lining -- and some of it is devastating (89 NY'ers missing the Census costing a reliably blue state an electoral vote!) Plus, could Liz Cheney be a real contender for the GOP nomination for President? That's a pretty big shift from the Trump era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex are joined by Katherine Stewart, author of Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism. (Buy it here) We're all wondering how evangelicals can back Donald Trump, who embodies traits so antithetical to Christian values, and there's no one better to discuss that than Katherine Stewart. She talks about the role of fear in motivating Christian Nationalists, the increasing divide between secular liberals and the Christian right, why the evangelicals are such an important electoral group, and what the future holds for the GOP and Christian politics. Then, Joe shares some memories of the late Walter Mondale, and gives an update on a big race for Operation 147. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week we're talking to James Fletcher, director of the documentary "The Accidental President," which chronicled the 2016 election. His central question was: "How did we all miss it?" While we're mercifully past the Trump presidency, the film helps us understand just how dangerous a period we are in as 2022 approaches. We also discuss whether there's a chance the people will see Trump or someone in his mold win the 2024 election and whether Joe Biden might be the most difficult president in history to run against. You can watch James' documentary here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/movie/the-accidental-president/id1548613882 Jon Last's article on The Bulwark: https://thetriad.thebulwark.com/p/reading-the-republican-autopsy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
First, Joe Biden is pushing for another massive bill, this time to improve infrastructure in the country -- and it's overwhelmingly popular. Joe digs into some data that shows the Republicans are fighting an uphill battle against effective governance. Joe explains some of the under-discussed benefits of the infrastructure bill, and then why the GOP's constant obstructionism of any effort to govern may finally backfire. Then, we talk about Matt Gaetz and if the GOP voters will care about his alleged crimes. Has the collective GOP tolerance of bad behavior let up with Trump out of office? Finally, a listener question about who the "moderate" GOP candidate in 2024 will be has Joe thinking about 1992 and how the 2024 field could shake out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex are joined by longtime friend Nicco Mele, who was the webmaster on the Dean 2004 campaign, and now is a thought leader in the digital political space. Nicco and Joe talk about how close the 2020 election truly was, and how close we came to a Trump validation and Senate/House sweep of the GOP. In reality, we were only a few thousand votes from catastrophe. They also touch on how Joe predicted Biden's ascent (much to Nicco's chagrin), the push for minority rule via voting restrictions in GOP states, why Republicans will nominate crazy candidates indefinitely, who the "mainstream media" truly is, loneliness and the power of politics as human connection, and how we regain trust with local media. Then, Joe and Nicco remember creating Dean's revolutionary internet-first messaging, and how it indirectly led to the rise of Trump and email fundraising. Nicco reminds us of the ways the Internet could bring us together the way it did in the Dean days. Subscribe to Nicco's substack here: https://nicco.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
First, Joe and Alex talk about presidential approval rating, and how it's a key metric that can indicate what will happen in 2022, and whether the Democrats can actually implement the agenda they want. Thanks to Perry Bacon from 538 for inspiring us on this topic (see article link below). Then, the GOP is in serious danger of its constituency being replaced through demographic changes. Articles referenced in this episode: @perrybaconjr on approval rating: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-democrats-in-congress-need-bidens-approval-rating-to-stay-in-the-mid-50s/ @RonBrownstein on demographic changes: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/23/politics/voting-rights-republicans-bills-demographics/index.html NC exit poll data from WP: https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/interactive/2020/exit-polls/north-carolina-exit-polls/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Good news: we're back. Insane news: 2022 campaign season is underway. We'll be looking ahead to key races, starting today with one of 2022's most intriguing Senate races: Ohio. Rob Portman is retiring, and Joe thinks there may be an opportunity in Ohio for the Democrats while Republicans fight over the direction of the party. Then, Joe updates us about his new project targeting the GOP representatives who voted against the certification of the 2020 election. See the bottom of the show notes for a starter list of some of the reps we are hoping to compete against. Finally, a look at the fight going on about the filibuster -- what can the Biden administration do with a Republican caucus that seems only to be interested in obstruction? Here is a list of a few early targets for Operation 147: MIKE GARCIA -- CA-25 LAUREN BOEBERT -- CO-3 CARLOS GIMINEZ -- FL-26 MICHELLE FISCHBACK -- MN-7 MADISON CAWTHORN -- NC-11 NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS -- NY-11 STEPHANIE BICE -- OK-5 BURGESS OWENS -- UT-4 JIM HAGEDORN -- MN-1 DAVE SCHWEIKERT -- AZ-6 RICHARD HUDSON -- NC-8 SCOTT PERRY -- PA-10 BOB GOOD -- VA-5 DARRYL ISSA -- CA50 LEE ZELDEN -- NY-1 TOM TIFFANY -- WI-7 ANDY BIGGS -- AZ-5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Fans of the show will remember how long Joe and Alex have discussed the issues the Democratic Party has had with winning critical statewide elections. There's no one better to talk about what we need to do to improve than Nicole Hobbs, co-founder of Every District. Nicole talks about three key improvements Every District is trying to make at the grassroots level, and Joe apologizes for inventing the "sky-is-falling" fundraising email in the Dean campaign. Plus, some fairly dire projections for the future of Congress based on redistricting, population trends and more... and what we can all do about it. Support Nicole and Every District at @Every_District and everydistrict.us. Then, Joe and Alex catch up on the latest impeachment news. What is the fallout here even though the Republicans are (willfully) unmoved by the Democrats' moving testimonies? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
First up this week, President Biden took a meeting with GOP Senators who want to compromise on the COVID relief package, but he seems to want to press forward with or without them. Who wins in the battle to look bipartisan — and is that what voters want? Then, Marjorie Taylor Greene takes over our show as she has almost everything else, as Joe and Alex dig into the strategy behind the Republicans’ decision on whether to keep the freshman Congresswoman on the Education Committee. (We taped before a vote was finalized.) Furthermore, Democrats launched a $500k ad buy specifically tying House GOP members to QAnon… in February of 2021, about as far as possible away from the 2022 midterms. Does Joe like this new-look aggressive Democratic media strategy? Plus, a new segment where Joe and Alex spotlight local races of great consequence begins this week -- there's a special election in the Virginia state legislature. Donate to Laurie Buchwald right here: https://www.buchwaldforsenate.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What better way to kick off Joe Biden's presidency than to have Republicans abandon their consciences before impeaching Donald Trump a second time! What's the fallout of the Republicans being forced to cling to Trump even after his loss? Then, the GOP has a massive advantage for the next decade due to their control over state legislatures. How we got here, and what we do about it. Finally, there aren't many people more equipped to discuss the democratization of the flow of money online than Joe Trippi. He goes into how the Dean campaign started raising money online, how it has parallels to the GameStop situation, and whether it's all worth it in the end. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We made it! Joe Biden is president. Joe and Alex talk about our 46th president's inaugural speech, and if "unity" is possible -- and why Joe Biden is the man to bring us closer to a healthier brand of politics than what we're accustomed to. (ie, one where the Republicans don't announce Articles of Impeachment on Day One. Then, how do the Democrats handle the power struggle in the Senate as the Republicans fight to hold on to some influence, and is it possible they could gain in 2022 instead of losing ground back? Finally, even though Donald Trump is out... how are we feeling about the way things are headed more generally? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What a ridiculous month. Joe and Alex are here to help you make sense of it all. First, the House has impeached the president for a second time, but the trial likely won't begin until Pres. Biden (that looks nice) is in office. What are the endgames for McConnell and the Republicans, and how does Biden want this to go? Then, Joe has said for years Trump would never truly go away. Well... what about now? This time next week, he'll be a disgraced former president without the ability to tweet. How does he maintain a hold on half the country -- or does he? Then, Jaime Harrison is expected to lead the DNC. What does this mean for the Democrats, a party that often is too concerned with winning federal elections and not the local, state-level ones that Republicans have wisely focused on for decades? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A lot has happened since Joe and Alex last convened. First, we address the violence incited by the president yesterday at the US Capitol, and how members of both parties responded -- and what it means from here. Could the GOP turn towards a new, less destructive agenda? Then, a reminder that the Democrats won BOTH runoffs in Georgia and the Senate Majority. What are the lessons from this stunning victory, and how does a Democratic Senate potentially guide Joe Biden's choices of where to start putting the country back together? Next, Pres.-Elect Biden nominated Merrick Garland for Attorney General, not (as we had hoped) Doug Jones. What does this final major appointment mean, and, most critically, how will Joe Biden govern? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex quickly give us an update on early returns from GA -- almost 1 million votes are in! -- and what the early voting patterns mean (if anything). Nate Cohn's Twitter thread is linked here. Next, Mitch McConnell said it was time for the GOP to "turn the page" and accept President-Elect Biden as, well, President-Elect. Why now? How much weight does the relationship between Biden and McConnell play into this decision? Plus, what does it mean for actual governance -- and for 2022 Senate races? Then, Pete Buttigieg looks to be our next Secretary of Transportation. What does Joe make of this choice -- of all the departments, why Transportation? And what does this mean for the future of the Democratic party, now that hardly any of the so-called "stars" have been elevated to big Cabinet posts? Lastly, an audience question from a listener in South Dakota asks when the Democrats will get their act together and re-invest in rural states. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Another week closer to the Senate runoffs -- another week where the Republicans are fighting each other, even after Trump went down to rally the faithful for the two candidates. What was the fallout? What is the likelihood one of the candidates on either side could run ahead of the other? And could Perdue take a hit for choosing to let Ossoff debate an empty podium? Next, the Electoral College will formally make Joe Biden the next president on Dec. 14 (Monday). Could that finally put a nail in this strange parallel universe Trump and his cohorts are inhabiting? Then, a listener question about why Democrats can't compete with the slogans and simple messaging of the Republicans. Finally, Joe and Alex address some rumors about a potential Cabinet appointment close to their hearts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex are back to break down the wild weekend ahead in Georgia, where the president plans to hold rallies for the Republican Senate candidates — all while decrying the electoral process. Then, is it true Trump may be planning an announcement for a campaign in 2024? What’s the future of every other GOP politician of note given that possibility? Finally, what does Joe make of the Biden Cabinet thus far, and what do the announcements signal about the incoming administration? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
First, a listener question so good we did it off the top -- where should the party (and donors) put their resources moving forward? Then, an update on the GA Senate races. Taking all polls with a grain of salt, what is Joe seeing from the early data? What is Trump's role in the race? What would he advise Trump to do? Next, the transition to Joe Biden's presidency is being stonewalled by an angry Trump administration. What should Biden be doing? Is there anything he should be doing differently, politically speaking? Lastly, which party is in more trouble going forward, the Trump-less (or Trump-tethered) GOP, or the Democrats, who face steep odds to hold the House and Senate by 2022? Joe diagnoses the massive problem the Democrats face, and what we can all do to stop it from hitting us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe starts off by explaining exactly why the Republicans and Mitch McConnell continue to stand by Donald Trump, even after he got blown out in the presidential election. (How good does that feel to read?) Then, what the hell do we make of any polling leading up to these Georgia Senate runoffs? What do the lessons of Doug Jones' special election win suggest about how Democrats can win those seats? Without Donald Trump on the ballot, who will show up? Finally, revisiting the fight among progressives and moderates in the Democrats, which continues to spill out into public. Joe reveals a warning related to the US Census, and presents the problem for the party -- and the solution. Finally, an audience question about how Joe Biden will be able to fill up a functioning Cabinet with the obstructionist Republicans potentially overseeing a majority in the Senate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Note: We taped on Thursday before Georgia, Pennsylvania, Nevada, North Carolina, or Alaska had been called (only Fox and the AP had called Arizona) and before Trump made his ridiculous speech Thursday night. First, Joe gives his take on what happened. The good: Joe Biden got the most presidential votes ever. We flipped the Blue Wall and Arizona and Georgia became purple states. The bad: Donald Trump got the second-most votes ever. And Doug Jones didn't get the result we wanted. Second, Joe took some heat for a tweet suggesting Democrats need to do a better job reaching conservatives in order to govern and win more votes. He explains his thinking. Finally, what the hell do we make of the entire business of polling now that they missed so egregiously? What does this mean for campaign managers like Joe? Arnon Mishkin profile Alex mentioned: https://www.businessinsider.com/fox-news-decision-desk-director-election-night-calling-races-2020-10 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe predicted 95 days ago that this election would look like 1980, where Jimmy Carter and the Democrats were wiped out behind an unpopular incumbent. Tonight, we'll see if he was right. First, given the chance, will Joe walk his prediction back? Will Election Day turnout really be dominated by Republicans? What states is Joe looking at now that the polls are locked in? Next, Axios reported Trump will declare victory if he looks to be ahead at any point. Joe explains why he's not worried about that, at least from an electoral standpoint. Then, a quick look at the Senate races (including a potential surprise), and Joe's prediction that the Democrats may win big in the Senate. And then, the exact counties Joe will be watching tonight that will have a big hand in dictating what will happen in the election. (List below) Our listener question is about split-ticket voters. COUNTIES TO WATCH: FL: Sumter, Pinellas, Miami-Dade, Hernando, Duval PA: Lackawanna, Armstrong, Indiana, Lycoming, Schuylkill, Montgomery OH: Stark, Ross, Pike Joe's map pre-election: https://www.270towin.com/maps/3zwK2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
First, Joe and Alex take a look at the latest polls and talk about where the race stands this late in the game. What does Biden's latest big lead illustrate about who's drifting from one side to the other? What is Joe's map -- more importantly, what surprise swing state is Joe putting in the Dem column? Next, what do the candidates' travel schedules this week show about how they're viewing the race? Is Biden taking an unnecessary risk going to Georgia and Iowa instead of Michigan and Pennsylvania? Finally, what will we know on Tuesday? Many are pontificating that we may not know for weeks who won the race. Joe disagrees, and thinks we may know a lot fairly quickly. Also, are you worrying day after day about the election? Joe quells some of those worries, but also asks you to lean into them. Make a difference. Finally, a listener question about exit polls, which are instrumental for how news organizations make calls. How do they work in the pandemic era? Take a look at Joe's map here: https://www.270towin.com/maps/3zwK2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today, we're joined by one of the Hacks on Tap, Mike Murphy! He's the strategic advisor to Republicans Voting Against Trump, a group working hard to turn out the swing voters who could make a huge impact in this election. Mike joins Joe and Alex to talk about the early vote returns, the huge turnout in Texas, the future of the GOP, and whether civility will return to politics. He also has a suggestion for neurotic return-watchers that we could all probably use. Plus, intel from RNC spies from Air Force One and Mike's primers on which specific counties to watch for on Election Night for a harbinger of the whole enchilada. To read Richard Ben Cramer's book Joe references: https://www.amazon.com/What-Takes-Way-White-House/dp/0679746498 To learn more about RVAT, visit https://rvat.org/. To support Joe and Alex, please visit DougJones.com/help. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex first recap the debate, which was a remarkably less terrible experience than the previous one. Who watches these final debates? Did any of Trump's meandering conspiracy theories land? Did Biden - or Trump - land any convincing blows? Next, what to make of Biden campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon cautioning campaign staff and supporters that the race is still neck and neck in battleground states? Is that true? A Biden senior advisor told Politico what states they think they need to get to 270; what does Joe think? Then, Biden is raking in unprecedented cash as we near the finish line. How does that translate into actual results? What are some of the impacts of the Biden campaign's massive financial lead over the president? Two listener questions take us home: first, about what kind of turnout to expect, and second, what early Election Night results could be a harbinger for the ultimate result. Please give us a rating on iTunes and subscribe! And support Joe and Alex by making a contribution to Doug Jones for Senate at DougJones.com/help. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex are joined by Paul Maslin, the veteran pollster who conducted the poll that had Doug Jones ahead by a point last week. How did he determine that number, and are national Democrats overlooking the Jones race? What are the trends in AL that could speak to national trends? Paul lives in Wisconsin, and shares some insight about the state of the race there, including a potential swing county and a prediction for what will happen in the state Nov. 3. Then, a broader look at the whole race. What feels like the most likely possible outcome at this point? Please subscribe, rate and review the show. See you Friday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
First, Joe and Alex recap the weird Trump Town Hall and the delightfully normal Biden Town Hall, but then explore more troubling realization of how divided our country is. Plus, a heads up to our listeners to tune into Pod Save America today, Oct. 16, for some breaking news. Please check it out and leave in the reviews that we sent you! Along with that, a look at several key Senate races. What does Mitch McConnell's PAC spending reveal about the state of Senate races in North Carolina, Maine, Texas, and others? Finally, what do we make of this idea the Republicans will show up in droves on Election Day to offset the lead the Democrats are building in early and absentee voting? Our listener question this week is about what happens if Fox calls the presidential race for Trump in a misleading fashion. Link to Pod Save America: https://crooked.com/podcast-series/pod-save-america/ Thomas Edsall's column in the NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/14/opinion/biden-trump-presidential-election.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Good news: From now till Election Day, you'll get two episodes a week! Today, Joe and Alex quickly touch on: The Biden campaign has sent surrogates to Texas and Biden himself is in Ohio. What does this mean? What do we make of the dueling messages out of the SCOTUS hearings that started Monday? Should Democrats be nervous that the Republicans may be on the verge of a surprise Senate pickup in Michigan? Subscribe, rate and review -- and don't forget to leave a question on the iTunes store or via email at thattrippishow@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
First, the VP debate was almost quaint in how civil it was. What do we make of Kamala's performance, plus what happens next with Trump's mixed messages on whether he'll show up for future debates, virtual or otherwise? Second, Trump's positive test for COVID-19 upended the entire country, and of course the wild presidential race. What happens now? And what does McConnell pushing forward on the SCOTUS nomination say about the prospects of the race? Next, polls continue to predict a Biden landslide. Joe has been predicting something to that effect for months. But now, Democrats are worried that perhaps the Biden campaign's eyes are bigger than their stomach as they make a play for places like Texas. Are they playing their alleged lead wisely? And how do you reconcile the GOP in registering new voters in swing states? Our listener question is about the wild turns in the North Carolina Senate race in the last week and how they could affect -- or not affect -- the battle for the Senate. Please leave us a question in the reviews on Apple Podcasts -- give us five stars if you're there! -- or submit one via email to ThatTrippiShow@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
(Note: this episode was taped prior to the President announced he had tested positive for COVID.) Joe and Alex agree: the debates were a mess, but the result is ultimately good for Biden. The Trump team seems to be aware they're losing, so how bad could this get? Then, a reminder that the election has already started (gulp). Over 2 million votes have already been cast, some in pivotal states like Florida, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. What are the numbers suggesting about who is voting and why? Lastly, Joe has been predicting a 1980-esque result -- the trouncing of an unpopular incumbent -- for months. What if that happens? Where do Republicans (and Democrats) go from there? Our listener question this week asks why none of us saw the country going in the direction it has. But some did. Please leave us a question in the reviews on Apple Podcasts -- give us five stars if you're there! -- or submit one via email to ThatTrippiShow@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
First: We mourn the passing of American giant Ruth Bader Ginsburg. But in our 2020 world, her death led to an explosive political conversation immediately. So, what do we do now? What should Biden do to respond to the obvious Republican hypocrisy? How could this impact turnout? Then, concerned progressives donated in record numbers to Senate campaigns last week. What do candidates like Al Gross (I-AK) and Mike Espy (D-MS) do with a sudden influx of cash? Is it too late to make a difference? And then: is it time to get pissed off? Are we supposed to just let Mitch McConnell get away with this? What are Democrats supposed to do now? Joe's take here is critical for all of us to hear. Submit a question by leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, then type your question in the reviews. Please leave us 5 stars while you're there! To send us a video or audio from what you're seeing in your state or your campaign - email thattrippishow@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
First, big news out of South Carolina where Jamie Harrison and incumbent Lindsey Graham (R) are tied in a tight Senate race. Meanwhile, challenger Sara Gideon is up big against longtime Senator Susan Collins (R) in Maine. What does this tell us about these races and the race for president? Next, Mayor Bloomberg is firing $100 million into Florida, and his public announcement is a signal. What does Joe make of the move and what happens from here? Meanwhile, why are Pence and Trump talking about Minnesota when the Democrats are pulling ahead in Arizona? Then, Joe answers a question we're all too scared to ask... what if Biden is actually winning this thing? Do we need to be as anxious as we all undoubtedly are? Is there a historical precedent for this crazy election? Finally, a listener question about door-knocking in a pandemic. Listen to Joe on Hacks on Tap: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hacks-on-tap-with-david-axelrod-and-mike-murphy/id1467297559 Read Al Hunt on The Hill re: Democratic Handwringing: https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/516647-the-polls-the-electoral-college-and-democratic-hand-wringing New Republic article by Walter Shapiro read by Alex: https://newrepublic.com/article/159355/democrats-fear-biden-upset-trump-repeat-2020 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex start with -- what else? -- the damning quotes from the President to Bob Woodward proving he knew how dangerous COVID-19 was. How should the Biden campaign use it? How can it impact the undecided voters across the country? Is Trump's support slipping -- and does Woodward's reporting accelerate that slide, or does it not move the needle? Next, a poll this week showing demographic weakness with Latino support in Florida had Democrats panicking. Is this as alarming as it liberal Twitter thought it was? Does Joe see a silver lining in this very poll? Then, the Trump campaign is reportedly running out of money, despite raising $1 billion. And, worst of all, they're still losing by 10 points and Biden raised $365 million last month. Joe breaks down what's next for the Trump campaign, and why another $2 billion may not matter unless something changes. Plus, Donald Trump has reportedly skipped debate prep - how could that factor into the closing stretches of the race? Finally, Alex asks a question about Facebook's odd new political ad policy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today Joe and Alex are joined by Stuart Stevens, author of It Was All A Lie: How The Republican Party Became Donald Trump. He was the lead strategist for Mitt Romney's 2012 campaign for President, and is currently a member of the Lincoln Project. Joe and Stuart met during simpler times (summer '16), and they start by trying to figure out how we got here from there. First, they talk about the state of the GOP, which Stevens calls a collapse unparalleled in American history. He has some very strong words for those in the party who continue to enable Donald Trump, and some insight into what Republicans close to the President say behind the scenes, including those at The Lincoln Project. Next, Stevens wrote a Washington Post op-ed this week arguing Biden will win Wisconsin despite the President pushing for it in recent weeks. Are we buying Republican enthusiasm about the Midwest? Then, we all saw the speculation of a "Red Mirage" where Trump claims victory on Election Night before all of the mail-in ballots are counted. Stuart thinks that scenario is, well, quaint. How the hell do we stop it? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Gov. Jerry Brown, the three-term former Governor of California, knows we have a lot to fix. In this conversation with Joe and Alex, Gov. Brown discusses the threat the current president poses to democracy, what problems keep him up at night, and even under a President Biden, if things can truly return to "normal." Plus, what to do next time a pandemic comes along, how to craft a winning message around climate change, impressions up close of Kamala Harris, if he considered running for president in 2020, and his stance on the athletes standing up for social justice around the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and Alex start by teasing another big guest Monday, walking through the messaging on display at the GOP convention (1:00), and discussing which party is doing a better job courting the independents and moderate Republicans that traditionally swing elections. Plus, should Democrats be panicking when we see polls showing Biden trailing Hillary in swing states at the same time in 2016? Then, we take a look at some of the biggest Senate races this fall (10:00), mainly Arizona, North Carolina and Maine. In general, is it possible Democrats could win states that still vote Trump? How do you thread that needle? A listener asks, is there a chance to push for a split-ticket voter (14:10)? Plus specific analysis on Susan Collins' race in Maine (19:10). Finally, what's next? Democrats reportedly have a large lead in mail-in ballot requests and Biden is outspending Trump massively on TV ads. Are these good signs, or in the world of Donald Trump, does nothing matter? (20:00) Lastly, a quick discussion about the protests around the Jacob Blake tragedy, and how the RNC didn't address it at all. (27:00) Please check out #Unfit, the film sponsoring this episode, at unfitfilm.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Our first guest: Sen. Doug Jones, who defeated Roy Moore in a memorable special election in Alabama in 2017. Trippi and Jones share the story of how they first started working together and how the echoes of their '17 campaign popped up throughout last week's DNC. Sen. Jones is running for re-election this fall, and Joe (and Alex) are doing all they can to get him back to the Senate. First, Joe and Doug discuss the Democratic convention and Doug's personal relationships with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Then, Doug talks about his re-election campaign, the role Mitch McConnell and Super PACs are playing in Alabama, and what their actions mean about how close the race truly is. Finally, some war stories from the campaign trail in '17, and why the Trippi/Jones relationship works. If you read this far: Joe and Doug need all the help they can get. Please visit DougJones.com/help to make a difference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
First, a special announcement about next week, and review of Biden's acceptance speech, which Trippi calls "the speech of Joe's life." (1:00) Then, the moment in Barack Obama's speech that may have been the most important -- that most of us didn't even notice. (9:00) Then, many Democrats were confused why John Kasich got more time than, say, AOC or Andrew Yang at the DNC. Was Gov. Kasich successful in converting any undecided voters? (19:00) What will the RNC look like in response? (23:00) Lastly, our listener question is about the Senate Intelligence Committee reporting even more information about Russian disinformation in the election -- and how Democrats use it, or don't. (24:00) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We finally have a VP nominee in Kamala Harris -- how should the Biden campaign to use her? What should we be watching for as she gets deployed for the first time as his #1 surrogate? (0:40) Next, what did we learn from the President's scattershot attempts to attack Kamala Harris so far? (7:50) Democrats are excited for the the vice-presidential debate between Harris and Mike Pence, but that event usually does not matter much. This time, Joe explains why it might. (12:00) Then, the unusual COVID campaign takes a new turn with the Democratic convention set to be essentially fully remote next week. Should we expect the famous "convention bounce?" (16:00) Finally, a listener question this week comes from another highly regarded campaign manager, about whether the Dems are too far behind in digital advertising compared to the Trump machine. (25:00) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
First, a listener asks how a campaign can use the insane interview Trump did with Axios this week (1:00) and if any of this seemingly unshakable stuff actually sticks to the president (6:28). Next, Joe weighs in on an Axios report that the VP choice is down to Susan Rice and Kamala Harris, and how the Obamas -- and maybe even another former president -- will help Joe Biden on the campaign trail. (7:30) Then, Joe talks about how to fight back when Trump tries to delegitimize the election results -- there's a simple strategy. (17:37) Finally, why Joe is not surprised that Republicans are helping Kanye West get on the ballot in several states, and what we all can do about it. (25:00) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
First, Joe quickly talks about Trump's ludicrous claim he wants to postpone the election and what potentially consequential message it's sending straight to his loyal Republican voters. (:30) Next, the Trump campaign has stopped running ads in Michigan this month. Are they waving the white flag in a critical state already? What opportunities does this present the Biden campaign? (2:43) After that, Joe and Alex try to read the tea leaves on VP, and Joe explains something about how hard it is to become VP from someone who's seen candidates vetted up close. (10:08) Then, Joe explains how a historical precedent from another one-term president could help predict what's going to happen in the Senate elections this fall (14:55), and one particularly interesting wrinkle in the 2020 election. Finally, a question from a listener about the future of the GOP - what does it look like beyond the Trump era? Or will the Trump era ever actually end? (21:30) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe and sidekick Alex Shashlo start by diving into the double-digit lead Biden holds over President Trump in national polls and why this truly is different from 2016 (1:00). Joe weighs in on the "secret Trump voter," (8:20) and why the Biden campaign buying ads in Texas could be brilliant (11:20). Then, Joe weighs in on reports that former Ohio Gov. John Kasich -- a Republican -- will speak on behalf of Joe Biden at the Democratic National Convention (13:20). Joe highlights this as a major opportunity for the party, and not a reason for Democrats to be up in arms. Finally, Joe says who he'd select for VP if he were Biden (19:30). Next week, we will being to take listener questions! Please write us a review on Apple Podcasts and write your question in your review, and Joe might address it on the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
That Trippi Show launches Friday, July 24. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices