Ken Rudin's Political Junkie: Recent Episodes
Ken Rudin
Kentucky political journalist Al Cross takes on the rumors behind the disappearance (from public view) of Sen. Mitch McConnell and, with his long career coming to an end, assesses his legacy.
And Meg Kinnard, a political reporter for the Associated Press based in South Carolina, sets up Tuesday’s Republican Senate primary to succeed the late Lindsey Graham, with all eyes on Darline Graham, who was surprisingly named to temporarily fill the seat and who now has decided to run for a full term.
PLUS: Todd Blanche gets closer to confirmation for attorney general. And Trump throws Jeanine Pirro under the pool.
Music In This Episode:
Don’t Go Near the Water by The Beach Boys
I’m Alive by The Hollies
Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves by The Eurythmics (feat. Aretha Franklin)
The post Episode #431: O Sister, Where Art Thou?; Bloodhounds For Mitch? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Donald Trump had an extraordinarily successful month of endorsing winning challengers to Republican incumbents in the primaries. Laura Merrifield Wilson of the University of Indianapolis discusses the defeats of five Indiana state senators who opposed Trump’s redistricting plan. Tyler Bridges of The Advocate/The Times-Picayune reports on how Sen. Bill Cassidy’s 2021 vote to convict Trump led to his defeat in 2026. And Matthew Wilson of Southern Methodist University explains how four-term Sen. John Cornyn fell to Texas state attorney general Ken Paxton.
Music in this episode:
The post Episode #430: Trump’s Magical Mystery Revenge & Retribution Tour appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
The meteoric rise — and dramatic fall — of Congressman Eric Swalwell is the subject of this episode. Seema Mehta, a political reporter with the Los Angeles Times, recounts how he went from media darling to alleged sex offender, ending what had initially been an improbable bid to become governor of California. And, for good measure, George Skelton, the veteran L.A. Times columnist, spells out how this sad episode exposed the weaknesses in California’s “top two” electoral system.
ALSO: Wondering the purpose of holding a White House Correspondents Dinner with a president that despises and denigrates the media. And Republicans are, with a straight face, screaming “partisanship” at Virginia’s ballot initiative that may give the Commonwealth’s Democrats, four additional congressional seats.
MUSIC IN THIS EPISODE:
Bad Blood by Taylor Swift
Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood
I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye
It’s My Party by Lesley Gore
The post Episode #429: Swalwell That Ends Well appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Kathryn Pearson of the University of Minnesota explains the scandal that may have ended Gov. Tim Walz’s political career, and the expected decision by Sen. Amy Klobuchar that she would seek to succeed him this year.
And Lou Cannon, the chief White House correspondent during the Ronald Reagan presidency and a superb Reagan biographer, died last month at the age of 92. He was last on the Political Junkie back in 2015, talking about the 1980 Republican convention and how Reagan helped his cause by picking George Bush as his running mate — and not former President Gerald Ford, who was rumored to be angling for a spot on the GOP ticket.
PLUS: The Trump administration defends the murder of a woman in Minneapolis by an ICE agent. And Greenland? Seriously?
Music in this Episode:
When the Music’s Over by the Doors
Amie by Pure Prairie League
Like to Get to Know You by Spanky & Our Gang
The post Episode #428: Walz Came Tumbling Down appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Matthew Wilson, political science professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, sets up the fierce primaries, Democratic and Republican, for the Senate in Texas. Incumbent Republican John Cornyn is facing a battle from his right from state Attorney General Ken Paxton, and firebrand liberal Rep. Jasmine Crockett is challenging James Talarico for the Democrats. No Democrat has won a Texas Senate race since 1988.
And Rob Christensen, a former political journalist with the Raleigh News & Observer, remembers Jim Hunt, the former four-term governor and a giant in North Carolina politics, who died last week.
PLUS: The Epstein Files are released (not), Elise Stefanik plans to stay and fight (not), and Trump gives his respects to Rob Reiner (not).
Music in this Episode:
Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon
U Can’t Touch This by M.C. Hammer
A Well Respected Man by The Kinks
The post Episode #427: Jasmine Crockett, Arriving; Jim Hunt, Departed. appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Congressional analyst Jack Pitney assesses the meaning of Marjorie Taylor Greene’s upcoming resignation from Congress, and weighs whether the Georgia Republican still has a future in politics, given her seeming banishment by President Trump.
And we remember Mark Mellman, the Democratic pollster who died last month, by replaying an interview we had with him in November of 2016, when Hillary Clinton and Trump were vying for the presidency.
PLUS: A selection of favorite Trump responses to reporters’ questions at press conferences.
Music in this episode:
Where Is The Love by Roberta Flack and Donnie Hathaway
You and I by Rick James
The post Episode #426: Marjorie Tinker Taylor Q’Anon Traitor Patriot appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Maine Public Radio’s Steve Mistler focuses on what may be the Democrats’ best chance at a Senate pickup in 2026, the seat of five-term Republican incumbent Susan Collins. Establishment Democrats in Washington have come up with who they feel would be the strongest opponent, popular Gov. Janet Mills; earlier this year she made a name for herself by standing up to President Trump at a governors’ conference. But she is 77 years old, and progressives back home are instead rallying behind Graham Platner, an oyster farmer and former Marine who has raised more than $4 million. However, controversial old social media posts of Platner’s have been uncovered, threatening his chances.
And there are two gubernatorial races taking place next week, in New Jersey and Virginia, states where both incumbents are term limited. Bob Holsworth of Decide Smart says that Democrats in Virginia are likely to take back the governorship with Abigail Spanberger. But media coverage is now focused on a series of ugly emails that came from the Dem candidate for attorney general, Jay Jones, whose own lead has evaporated. And in New Jersey, NJ Advance Media’s Brent Johnson reports that Democrat Mikie Sherrill’s lead has narrowed and that the Republican, Jack Ciattarelli, making his third bid for the job, is within striking distance.
Music in this Episode:
Fix You by Coldplay
Tattoo by Doreen
She’s a Sensation by the Ramones
Jersey Girl by Bruce Springsteen
The post Episode #425: Day Of The Woman? Election 2025 appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Journalist and historian Chris Whipple, author of the new book “Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History,” talks about how the Democratic Party, the Biden campaign and the candidate himself decided to ignore the reality of Biden’s mental acuity and insist on running against Trump until it was too late — and handing the White House to the Republican in the process.
PLUS: The latest on Godzilla vs. King Kong. And if you think only Biden had the cognitive problems, you’re not paying attention.
Music in this episode:
I Started a Joke by the Bee Gees
I’m Alright by Kenny Loggins
The post Episode #424: The Tragedy Of Joe Biden appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Chicago Tribune political correspondent Rick Pearson sums up the career of Dick Durbin, the Illinois Democrat who is retiring after five terms in the Senate.
PLUS: George Santos can continue to lie, only this time in prison … Remembering Donald Trump’s tirades against Barack Obama for his executive orders and golf playing … A farewell to our old friend Alan Simpson … and looking back at the final days of U.S. involvement in Vietnam, now 50 years after the evacuation.
Music in this Episode:
Dear Mr. Fantasy by Traffic
Time Is Running Out by Muse
Don’t You (Forget About Me) by Billy Idol
Friends by The Beach Boys
We Gotta Get Outta This Place by The Animals
The post Episode #423: Dick Durbin’s 44 Years Of Service appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Joe Gerth, columnist for the Louisville Courier-Journal, takes us through the long Senate career of Mitch McConnell, the Republican from Kentucky, who announced he will not seek an eighth term.
PLUS: The stunning shouting match between President Trump, cheered on by Vice President Vance, and Ukrainian President Zelensky.
The post Episode #422: How Mitch McConnell Enabled The Party Takeover By Donald appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Jeff Greenfield remembers how Presidents Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush consoled the nation during crisis and trauma, and compares their actions to those of Donald Trump, whose response to a deadly plane crash was one of blame and nastiness.
Rick Pluta of Michigan Public Radio discusses the retirement of Sen. Gary Peters (D) and the battle in 2026 to succeed him — a battle that could include Pete Buttigieg.
And Kathie Obradovich of Iowa Capital Dispatch talks of the pressures back home that may have forced Sen. Joni Ernst, a rape victim during college, to vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary, despite the sexual assault allegations against him.
PLUS: A look at the first two weeks of Trump.
Music in this episode:
It’s My Party by Lesley Gore
Mean Mr Mustard by The Beatles
America by Simon & Garfunkel
Under Pressure by Queen
The post Episode #421: The Consoler In Chief appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Donald Trump’s election opened up two Senate seats — in Ohio, where JD Vance was elected vice president, and in Florida, where Marco Rubio joined the Trump Cabinet as Secretary of State. Jeremy Pelzer, a political reporter with Cleveland.com and the Cleveland Plain Dealer, talks about new Sen. Jon Husted, who had been Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s lieutenant governor. And Susan MacManus, a leading Florida political analyst, tells us everything we need to know about Ashley Moody, the state’s former attorney general who now succeeds Rubio.
And the recent death of former President Jimmy Carter has Carter biographer Jonathan Alter wondering if the overwhelming sadness about the 39th president’s passing might be tied to the widespread revulsion of the new occupant of the White House.
Music in this episode:
Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon
Susan by Aimee Mann
Turn! Turn! Turn! by the Byrds
The post Episode #420: Decency And Civility, Then And Now appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Republican strategist Terry Holt explains what happened on November 5th and dissects some of Donald Trump’s more controversial Cabinet picks.
Aubrey Jewett of the University of Central Florida handicaps who will succeed Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio in the Senate.
Former Congresswoman Jill Long Thompson (D-IN) has a new book filled with essays from Democrats and Republicans alike making the case that bipartisanship really works … and must work.
And former Oklahoma TV anchor ScottThompson** talks of his experiences with former Sen. Fred Harris, who sought the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination on a platform of fairness and equality. Harris died last month at the age of 94.
Music in this episode:
They’re Coming to Take Me Away by Napolean XIV
I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor
Pick Me by Alec Benjamin
Long, Long, Long by the Beatles
The post Episode #419: Trump Won, And His Cabinet Choices Prove It appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Holly Michels of the Montana State News Bureau for Lee Newspapers reports on the tough re-election battle facing Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat seeking a fourth term in an overwhelmingly Republican state … and this time, with the very popular Donald Trump on the ballot.
And Rob Schofield of NC Newsline is covering the race for governor in North Carolina, where we have learned that the Republican nominee, Lt. Governor Mark Robinson — heartily endorsed by Trump — has in the past posted racist and misogynistic writings that may have all but ended his prospects for victory.
PLUS: Jack Smith still has Trump in his sites … a quick look at the VP debate … and Happy 100th for Jimmy Carter.
Music in this Episode:
Smelly Cat by Phoebe and Chrissie Hynde
Birthday by The Beatles
High Hopes by Frank Sinatra
Your Racist Friend by They Might Be Giants
The post Episode #418: Butte And The Beast appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Dan Morain, a journalist who spent decades at the Los Angeles Times and the Sacramento Bee, and who is the author of “Kamala’s Way,” the first biography of Vice President Kamala Harris, talks about her rise in California politics that has led her to the doorsteps of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
PLUS: A look back at the Harris-Trump debate, the intrusion of Taylor Swift into the political battle, and how the inclusion of Laura Loomer into Trump’s inner circle has shaken up the Republican Party.
Music heard in this episode:
Cool for Cats by Squeeze
Freedom by Beyonce
The post Episode #417: The Unfathomable Rise Of Kamala Harris appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Anti-Trump Republican strategist Mike Murphy tries to sum up a surreal month of politics, starting with Joe Biden’s debate from hell and ending with the president’s withdrawal and the likely anointment of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for president. On her VP selection, Murphy offers a prediction … and a preference.
And Matt Arco, a political reporter for the Star Ledger and NJ.com, reports on the conviction and upcoming resignation of New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez, and how it affects this year’s Senate race.
PLUS: Memories of Lyndon Johnson’s withdrawal in 1968.
Music in this episode:
Kamala! by Randy Rainbow
Running on Empty by Jackson Browne
I’m Not the Man I Used To Be by Fine Young Cannibals
The post Episode #416: I’d Walk A Mile For A Kamala appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Alan Schroeder, author of the definitive book on presidential debates, takes us on a tour of memorable debates over the years and tries to assess how next week’s “bash” (CNN pun intended) between President Biden and former President Trump may affect the November vote — if at all.
NPR’s Ron Elving adds up the pros and cons of Trump’s many potential running mates and, when pressed, announces his prediction. Ken Rudin agrees with him.
And Republican strategist Frank Donatelli recounts his career of working for GOP presidential candidates going back to Ronald Reagan and lists the VP picks that were successful … and less so.
Photo by Reuters.
Music in this episode:
Don’t Stand So Close To Me by The Police
Another Star by Stevie Wonder
Those Were the Days by Mary Hopkin
The post Episode #415: The Debate — Cui Bono? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Republican and Never-Trump strategist Mike Murphy joins us to discuss the state of politics in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts, the first time a former president was ever convicted of a crime. He also talks about the Joe Biden campaign and what he must do if he is to win re-election.
PLUS: The RNC disses Larry Hogan, Bob Good may have a bad primary, and the Libertarians boo Trump’s audacious bid for its endorsement.
Music in this Episode:
Don’t You Want Me by The Human League
Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival
The post Episode #414: Trump Law, Meet Murphy’s Law appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Pamela Wood of the Baltimore Banner sets up Tuesday’s Democratic primary in Maryland to succeed retiring Sen. Ben Cardin. David Trone and Angela Alsobrooks are engaged in an increasingly heated contest for a seat Republicans haven’t won in 44 years. But the presence of popular former Gov. Larry Hogan on the November ballot has given the GOP unexpected hope.
PLUS: Kristi Noem’s self-sabotaged bid to become Donald Trump’s running mate. And a farewell to Pete McCloskey, the maverick Republican congressman from California whose opposition to the war in Vietnam spurred him to challenge President Nixon in the 1972 primaries.
Photo by The Baltimore Banner
Music in this episode:
Vice President Fruitley by the Eels
Saigon Bride by Joan Baez
It’s a Maryland Thing by Jimmy Charles
The post Episode #413: Maryland Has A Thriller, Farewell To Pete, And A Ruff Ending For Kristi appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
NPR’s David Folkenflik sorts out the brouhaha NBC News found itself in when it hired Ronna McDaniel as a paid commentator — a hire that lasted all of four days. An all-staff mutiny followed her new employment, given her role as a Trump enabler in his effort to overturn the 2020 election. David also weighs the advantages, if any, in hiring partisan voices in news organizations — a practice that goes back decades.
And we rerun an interview we had with Joe Lieberman back in August of 2017, where the Connecticut senator and 2000 VP candidate talks about his career, Al Gore’s decision to name him to the ticket, how he saw the Bill Clinton/Lewinsky scandal, and his almost appearance as John McCain’s running mate in 2008. Lieberman died last month at 82.
PLUS: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his running mate, and the different ways Donald Trump has assessed his candidacy. And the establishment choice for the U.S. Senate pulls out of the New Jersey Democratic primary.
Music in this episode:
Jersey Girl by Bruce Springsteen
Dirty Laundry by Don Henley
Isn’t Life Strange by The Moody Blues
The post Episode #412: Old McDaniel Told A Lie appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
The announcement by Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat-turned-independent, that she would not seek a second term was hardly a surprise. But it shook up a key Senate race in a body where Republicans are closing in on a majority. Ron Hansen of the Arizona Republic lays out what’s ahead between likely nominees Ruben Gallego (D) and Kari Lake (R).
And Jacob Rubashkin, the deputy editor of Inside Elections, sums up the major results from Super Tuesday and looks ahead to next week’s Ohio Republican Senate primary, the winner to take on three-term Democrat Sherrod Brown.
Plus: A highly combative Joe Biden and a highly caffeinated Katie Britt highlight the State of the Union.
Music in this Episode:
Deja Vu by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
You Lost by Austin Archer
Tuesday’s Gone by Lynyrd Skynyrd
The post Episode #411: A Sense Of Yuma After Sinema’s Departure appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Mark Z. Barabak of the Los Angeles Times sets up Tuesday’s California Senate primary for the seat once held by Dianne Feinstein. A race long dominated by three Democratic House members — Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee — the campaign suffered a jolt when a Republican, former Dodgers star Steve Garvey, got in the race. Now there are accusations that Schiff, the acknowledged frontrunner, is trying to make sure his opponent in November is Garvey, considered the easiest to beat, rather than one of his Democratic House colleagues.
PLUS: The age issue and Joe Biden. And the sanity issue and Donald Trump. In addition, Mitch McConnell announces he will be leaving the leadership position he’s held longer than any other senator in history.
Music in this episode:
I Can’t Explain by the Who
I Hate Myself for Loving You by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
California Girls by the Beach Boys
The post Episode #410: California Girls (And Guys) appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Yale Prof. Kathryn Lofton explores the whole Taylor Swift rumor mill lunacy and explains the pitfalls celebrities encounter as they decide whether to use their fame for political ends.
And Spectrum News New York political director Bob Hardt dissects the upcoming race to succeed George Santos in New York’s Third Congressional District.
PLUS: The House GOP effort to impeach Alejandro Mayorkas blows up in Speaker Mike Jobnson’s face. And a federal appeals court unanimously rejects Donald Trump’s argument that he is immune from prosecution for actions he took as president.
Taylor Swift button designed by SmithDigital.
Music in this episode:
409 by the Beach Boys
The Winner Takes It All by November Ultra
High Hopes by Frank Sinatra
Harding, You’re the Man by Al Jolson
Anti Hero by Taylor Swift
A Life of Illusion by Joe Walsh
The post Episode #409: Swift Paranoia Taylor-Made For MAGA appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
We speak to two veterans of New Hampshire politics, former Republican state chair Fergus Cullen and longtime Democratic state lawmaker Lou D’Allesandro**. Cullen maintains that despite sizable dissatisfaction among Republicans with Donald Trump, Nikki Haley does not look like she is in a position to pose a threat to the former president. And D’Allesandro acknowledges unhappiness with President Biden’s decision to remove N.H. from its perch as the “first in the nation” primary state. But it shouldn’t be enough to threaten him in Tuesday’s contest.
Music heard in this episode:
Sitting On Top of the World by Cream
Last Dance by Donna Summer
Old Man by Neil Young
The post Episode #408: New Hampshire, Where Trump Came, Saw and Concord? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Former Partner-in-Crime Ron Elving returns to the Political Junkie for a review of 2023 and what to expect in 2024 when, by most accounts, the presidential contest will be a repeat of four years ago: Joe Biden vs. Donald Trump.
The post Episode #407: Farewell To 2023, Bracing For 2024 appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Jonathan Alter, author of a great biography about Jimmy Carter, talks about the significant role played during his life by Rosalynn Carter, his life partner and first lady, who died last month at 93.
We replayed a 2019 interview with Evan Thomas, the author of a biography of Sandra Day O’Connor, the nation’s first female Supreme Court justice, who died on December 1st.
And we heard about a fascinating podcast from WOSU’s Renee Fox, who in her series talks about the biggest political scandal in Ohio history, the fall and imprisonment of former state House Speaker Larry Householder.
PLUS: George Santos gets the boot, Doug Burgum shakes up the presidential race, Joe Manchin is ready for more trouble, and Patrick McHenry quits Congress with a surprising give me retirement or give me death message.
Music in this episode:
Out and In by the Moody Blues
This Guy’s In Love With You by Herb Alpert
Shallow by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga
Mr. Bad Example by Warren Zevon
The post Episode #406: Farewell To The Trailblazers appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
We preview two big elections that will be decided on Tuesday. Al Cross analyzes the gubernatorial contest in ruby red Kentucky, where Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, running on his record and support for reproductive rights, is thought to be favored against state Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a black Republican who is a protege of Mitch McConnell and endorsed by Donald Trump. And in Virginia, both houses of the General Assembly are up for grabs, and Bob Holsworth says a GOP sweep could enhance the national image of Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a popular Republican who is not up this year but who is putting his entire political muscle into the effort. But should Democrats hold onto the state Senate AND take the house of delegates, it could send a signal that support for abortion rights is a winning issue.
PLUS: Republicans continue harping on Biden’s mental ability while Trump continues to spew nonsense and gibberish … Mike Pence ends his presidential campaign … and GOP senators have finally had enough with Tommy Tuberville’s tactics.
Music in this episode:
I Ran (So Far Away) by A Flock of Seagulls
Shame On You by Indigo Girls
It’s Got to be Kentucky by Tom T. Hall
Freedom of Choice by Devo
The post Episode #405: Pence Is Out; Is Choice In? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
The House took some three weeks following the ouster of Kevin McCarthy, but there is a new Speaker: Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana. We follow the road to victory and discuss Donald Trump’s self-proclaimed role of kingmaker.
In addition:
— We talk to Paul Horcher, who as an independent Republican assemblyman from California in 1994 decided to bolt his party and vote for Democrat Willie Brown for Speaker … an act that got him recalled.
— We go back into the archives for a 2015 conversation with former Congressman Bob Livingston, himself a former potential House speaker, who talks, with regret, about the ousting by the far right of Speaker John Boehner. Bob also offers his thoughts on the assumed successor at the time, Kevin McCarthy, as well as a presidential field for 2016 that could include Donald Trump.
Music in this episode:
Burning Down the House by Talking Heads
What I Like About You by The Romantics
I’m Not the Man I Used to Be by Fine Young Cannibals
Trouble by Lindsey Buckingham
The post Episode #404: Master Of The House (For Now) appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
KQED’s Scott Shafer talks of the trailblazing career of Dianne Feinstein, the longtime California senator who died last month at 90.
And we watch history in the making as Kevin McCarthy is ousted as Speaker of the House, the first time that had ever happened.
Music in this episode:
You Don’t Move Me by Keith Richards
Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) by Kelly Clarkson
The post Episode #403: Goodbye To DiFi … And Kevin Too appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
GOP strategist Mike Murphy on Mitt Romney, Nikki Haley and this week's second Republican debate. We explore what's behind the Impeach Biden effort. And Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) has been indicted.
The post Episode #402: Murphy’s Law — On Romney, Haley And The Debates appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
The political world lost two friends of the Political Junkie in recent days, New Mexico Democrat Bill Richardson and New Hampshire Republican Gerald Carmen. We celebrate them both this week, replaying conversations we had with them years ago.
Music in this episode:
San Francisco by Scott McKenzie
The Way We Were by Barbra Streisand
The post Episode #401: From The Archives, Gone, But Not Forgotten appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan talks about Donald Trump, the GOP debate, his future plans, and memories of his father, who courageously supported Nixon's impeachment in 1974.
The post Episode #400: Larry Hogan’s Heroes appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Looking at the health -- and the political jockeying -- regarding Senators Mitch McConnell and Dianne Feinstein. Plus: Another Trump indictment and the first GOP debate on the way.
The post Episode #399: Senate Health and Politics appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Republican strategist Vin Weber gives us the inside scoop of Kevin McCarthy’s ultimately successful bid to become Speaker of the House. Former RNC chair Michael Steele sets up this month’s election for his old job, as incumbent Ronna McDaniel faces strong opposition to her bid for a fourth term. And Lou D’Allesandro, a leading New Hampshire Democrat, talks of his disappointment that, after 70 years, his state will no longer host the “first in the nation” presidential primary.
Plus: The latest on the battle for the Senate seat in California that longtime incumbent Dianne Feinstein is expected to relinquish.
Music in this episode:
California Saga by the Beach Boys
Once in a Lifetime by the Talking Heads
I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party by the Beatles
Don’t Let It Bring You Down by Neil Young
The post Episode #398: Kevin Can’t Wait appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Carl Hulse of the New York Times talks about the decision by Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema to switch from the Democratic Party and become an independent. He also talks about other famous Senate party switches — Arlen Specter, Joe Lieberman and Jim Jeffords — and how their decisions affected their careers.
And Jack Pitney of Claremont McKenna College sizes up the problems facing California Republican Kevin McCarthy, who is the clear favorite to become the next House speaker … if he can only get past hard-right conservatives and their demands.
PLUS: Will Georgia end its system of general election runoffs?
Music in this episode:
Senses Working Overtime by XTC
Should I Stay or Should I Go? by the Clash
Master of the House by Les Miserables
The post Episode #397: Sinema Vérité appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Greg Bluestein of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution sets up next week’s Georgia Senate runoff between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker. Regardless of the outcome, Democrats are assured of control of the Senate.
PLUS: Trump’s “My Dinner with Bigots.”
Music heard in this week’s episode:
Brain Damage by Pink Floyd
Let Me In by the Sensations
Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon
The post Episode #396: 51 Or 50, And Fight appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Donald Trump is running but the Justice Department may not let him get far. Nancy Pelosi is stepping down, but she's not going far. And what to make of the 2022 midterms.
The post Episode #395: Trump’s Problems, Pelosi’s Decision And A 2022 Wrap appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Debbie Walsh, the director of the Center for American Women and Politics, discusses the number of women running in next week’s elections, and what it might — or might not — say about the future of reproductive rights.
We go back into the archives for an interview with Bill Salisbury, a longtime reporter with the St. Paul Pioneer Press who covered the political career of Sen. Paul Wellstone of Minnesota. We’re repeating that conversation on the 20th anniversary of Wellstone’s death in a plane crash outside of Eveleth, Minn., 11 days before he was up for re-election.
PLUS: A review of the Fetterman-Oz debate in Pennsylvania, and reaction to the attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Music in this episode:
I’m Not the Man I Used to Be by Fine Young Cannibals
It’s Over by Roy Orbison
Just a Girl by No Doubt
In Held ‘Twas In I by Procol Harum
The post Episode #394: Women Yes, Abortion Rights Maybe appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
A detailed look of the Pennsylvania Senate race by Jonathan Tamari of the Philadelphia Inquirer. And Jacob Rubashkin of Inside Elections lays out the themes of the 2022 midterm elections.
The post Episode #393: Keystone State May Be Key To Senate Majority appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Reports on two key races this year, the Senate contest in Georgia (where GOP candidate Herschel Walker finds himself in a growing list of controversies) and the gubernatorial race in Texas (where incumbent Republican Greg Abbott and Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke held their only debate this week. Plus, a conversation with retiring AP congressional reporter Alan Fram after nearly four decades on the job.
The post O Father, Where Art Thou? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson talks about his close friend, Rep. Liz Cheney, and her chances in the August 16th primary for renomination.
The post Episode #391: She Has Everything But The Voters appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
The political future of two well-known Republican women -- Liz Cheney and Sarah Palin -- will be determined by the voters next month.
The post Episode #390: A Risk Of Failin’ For Cheney And Palin appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Some thoughts about what we saw and heard from the January 6th committee last Thursday, designed to find out who was responsible for the planning and execution of the assault on democracy.
The post Episode #389: The Facts Are There. Is Anyone Listening? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Five states are holding primaries on May 17th, with Pennsylvania and North Carolina taking top bill.
The post Episode #388: Is Trump The Wizard For Oz? And Whither Cawthorn? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Claremont McKenna College professor Jack Pitney talks about the power of Donald Trump endorsements, which propels many — but not all — candidates to victory.
Greg Bluestein of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution sets the stage for the May 24 primaries in Georgia, which is holding key contests for governor, senator and secretary of state. It’s another state where Trump’s endorsements have become an issue.
And Rutgers University professor Ross Baker remembers the late Orrin Hatch, the late Utah lawmaker, who with 42 years of service was the longest serving Republican senator in history.
Plus: Will Kevin McCarthy lying about Trump affect his bid to become House speaker?
Music in this episode:
It Keeps You Running by the Doobie Brothers
Stand By Me by Ben E. King
Georgia On My Mind by Ray Charles
Hard Headed Woman by Cat Stevens
If You Leave Me Now by Chicago
The post Episode #387: Trump’s Endorsements, Many Of Them Real People appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Journalist Tom Fiedler reports on the latest antic of freshman Rep. Madison Cawthorn, a North Carolina Republican with a history of embellishing stories and staying in the news and who may have gone too far by suggesting that some of his fellow Republicans may have partaken in sex orgies and cocaine snorting. Despite Donald Trump’s endorsement, he faces a tough fight in the May 17 primary.
Jacob Rubashkin of Inside Elections focuses on the battle for control of the Senate, which is currently deadlocked at 50-50. A win for Republicans would effectively end the Biden agenda for the remainder of his term.
And Jane Hall, a communications professor at American University, is the author of a new book: “Politics and the Media: Intersections and New Directions.” And she suggests that Trump and Fox News may be irreparably harming Americans’ faith in the media.
Music in this episode:
Sara Smile by Hall & Oates
I Predict by Sparks
Cocaine by Eric Clapton
Gimme Some Truth by Pearl Jam
The post Episode #386: Testing The Leadership’s Patience appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Liz Ruskin of Alaska Public Media reports on the death of Rep. Don Young, the senior member of Congress and the longest serving Republican in congressional history.
Howard Wilkinson of radio station WVXU recaps the zany Ohio Republican Senate debate that nearly turned into a fistfight and sets up the Ohio 3rd GOP primary for the seat of the retiring Rob Portman (R).
Plus, we share our exasperation of the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Music in this podcast
You’re Gonna Lose That Girl by The Beatles
My Way by Frank Sinatra
The Robots by Kraftwerk
The post Episode #385: Alaska’s Not Jolly Not Green Giant appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Mo Elleithee, a longtime Democratic Party insider and member of the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee, talks about plans to rewrite the presidential primary calendar for 2024 — a calendar that may dislodge Iowa from its long held leadoff spot.
Randy Krehbiel, a political reporter with the Tulsa World, discusses the upcoming resignation of Sen. James Inhofe (R) and who may succeed him. And no, it won’t be a Democrat.
Plus, we discuss the war in Ukraine and the Republican Party’s evolving attitude towards Vladimir Putin.
Music in this week’s episode:
The Unknown Soldier by the Doors
Breaking Up is Hard to Do by Neil Sedaka
Oklahoma!
The post Episode #384: America First! Iowa, Maybe Not. appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Ross Ramsey of the Texas Tribune sets up Tuesday’s primaries, the first in the nation. GOP Gov. Greg Abbott is all but assured of renomination, and will likely face Democrat Beto O’Rourke in November. But the main battle on March 1st is the Republican primary for state attorney general. Incumbent Ken Paxton is facing three challengers: former state Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman, Congressman Louie Gohmert, and George P. Bush, the state Land Commissioner, who is betting his political future on this race.
And with Presidents Day just behind us, we’re replaying a favorite segment from 2015, with author and playwright Murray Horwitz focusing on movies that feature our presidents, everything from the somber “Seven Days in May” to the anarchial “Duck Soup.”
Music heard in this episode:
A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum
Let’s Talk About Me by the Alan Parsons Project
In Held ‘Twas In I by Procol Harum
The post Episode #383: The End Of The Bush Era? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
A review of Tuesday's primaries in Texas, featuring George P Bush's attempt to topple the state attorney general. Plus, a Presidents Week look at some classic movies and the presidents they portrayed.
The post Episode #383: The End Of The Bush Era? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
The health of a New Mexico Democrat becomes critical in a Senate that is split 50-50. And Mike Pence, who spent four years as a compliant vice president, surprised many with his break from Donald Trump over the correct course of action on that fateful Jan. 6th day.
The post Episode #382: Truth Or Consequences appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
With the Senate tied at 50-50 and a crucial Supreme Court confirmation vote coming up, the last thing the Democrats wanted, politically, was to see one of its own, New Mexico’s Ben Ray Lujan, sent to the hospital with a stroke. New Mexico political blogger Joe Monahan sums up the dilemma facing a party that can’t afford to lose even one of its members.
And Joel Goldstein, a preeminent expert on the vice presidency, sums up Mike Pence’s decision to declare Donald Trump “wrong” for thinking he could pressure him into altering the 2020 electoral college results, something Trump had been insisting on as part of his effort to undo the election that made Joe Biden president.
The post Episode #382: Truth Or Consequences appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, under tremendous pressure from the left, announced his resignation this week, which allows President Biden to name a successor while the Democrats still control the Senate.
The post Episode #381: Joe Gets His Court Pick, Maybe appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
With Democrats holding on to their Senate majority until the rest of the year, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announced his resignation this week, subject to the confirmation of his successor. Robert Barnes, the Court correspondent for the Washington Post, notes the tremendous pressure Breyer was under by liberals to quit, lest the left wind up in the same position they were in 2020 — an elderly liberal justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who had been sick with cancer, dying before Donald Trump was out of the White House.
The post Episode #381: Joe Gets His Court Pick, Maybe appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Does Joe Manchin's decision to vote no on President Biden's top priority end its chances? And we remember Bob Dole, the former Senate Majority Leader and 1996 presidential nominee, who died earlier this month at the age of 98.
The post Episode #380: War Hero, Senate Giant — The Man From Russell, Kansas appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Carl Hulse of the New York Times dissects the decision by West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin to oppose President Biden’s Build Back Better bill, citing its costs.
And we remember Bob Dole, the former Senate Majority Leader and 1996 Republican presidential nominee, who died earlier this month at the age of 98. We have an interview with former Sen. Alan Simpson, who was Dole’s assistant leader for ten years in the Senate, conducted two days after Dole’s passing. And we are replaying two interviews conducted back in 2014, about Dole’s decision in 1996 to leave the Senate, which he cherished, to campaign full-time for president. Those interviews were with Sheila Burke, Dole’s longtime chief of staff, and Walt Riker, Dole’s press secretary both in the Senate and during his 1988 bid for the White House.
The post Episode #380: War Hero, Senate Giant — The Man From Russell, Kansas appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, author of the new book, “The Centrist Solution,” argues that the only way to get things done in this bitterly split Congress is for lawmakers of both parties be willing to eschew the extremes and work across party lines to get things done.
And Bob Kinzel of Vermont Public Radio lists the highlights of the long career of Patrick Leahy, who announced his retirement this week after nearly 48 years in the Senate. Bob also sizes up the field to replace Leahy in next year’s election, and says that Democrats are all but assured of keeping the seat.
Music heard in this podcast:
In the Waiting Line by Zero 7
Wait by The Beatles
Both Sides Now by Judy Collins
The post Episode #379: In The Middle Of Nowhere appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, author of a new book about centrism in politics, says both parties need to compromise if they expect anything to get done. And we review the career of Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT), who announced his retirement after nearly 48 years in office.
The post Episode #379: In The Middle Of Nowhere appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Jim Galloway, the retired political columnist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, remembers Max Cleland, the former Georgia Democratic senator who died this week and who was on the receiving end of one of the most controversial TV attack ads in political history.
And Paul Steinhauser, a political reporter with Fox News, weighs the decision by New Hampshire GOP Gov. Chris Sununu not to challenge Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan next year, a race many thought Sununu could win.
Music on this podcast:
Change Partners by Stephen Stills
Shut Up and Let Me Go by the Ting Tings
My Hero by the Foo Fighters
The post Episode #378: A Hero, To The Max appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
We remember former Georgia Democratic Sen. Max Cleland, who died last week and who was on the receiving end of one the most controversial attack ads in political history. And we weigh the decision by New Hampshire GOP Gov. Chris Sununu not to challenge Sen. Maggie Hassan (D) next year, who is thought to be vulnerable.
The post Episode #378: A Hero, To The Max appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Tuesday's gubernatorial contest in Virginia is being watched nationwide for a possible clue about what might happen in the 2022 midterms ... and how to deal with Donald Trump. And former Sen. Harry Reid makes the case for Nevada to lead off the presidential calendar, not Iowa.
The post Episode #377: Yes Virginia, This One Matters appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Bob Holsworth, the managing principal at DecideSmart and a leading analyst on Virginia politics, sets up Tuesday’s gubernatorial race between Democrat Terry McAuliffe, a former governor, and Republican Glenn Youngkin. Democrats are hoping to make this a referendum on Donald Trump, and McAuliffe is doing everything he can to tie Youngkin to the former president. But Republicans say McAuliffe is a relic from the past who is being saddled by President Biden’s problems. And with the DNC possibly prepared to dump Iowa from its perch as the lead off presidential contest every four years, former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid makes the case for Nevada, currently third on the schedule, because its demographics and diversity more closely match that of the U.S. Music heard in this episode: Trouble by Lindsey Buckingham Sink to the Bottom by Fountains of Wayne Viva Las Vegas by Dead Kennedys
A book by a longtime Republican strategist says his party has become indistinguishable from Donald Trump -- and all that's wrong with Trumpism. We look ahead to next month's historic Boston mayoral race. And we talk to Colin Powell's former chief of staff, who has the inside scoop behind Powell's infamous 2003 UN speech about "weapons of mass destruction."
The post Episode #376: Is There Hope For The GOP? Or Democracy? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Longtime Republican consultant Stuart Stevens, author of “It Was All a Lie: How the Republican Party Became Donald Trump,” talks about what he sees as the Trumpification of the GOP and what if anything can be done to save the party. Anthony Brooks of radio station WBUR sets up next month’s historic Boston mayoral race, where the winner is all but guaranteed to be a woman of color — this, after 200 years of the city electing only white men. And with Colin Powell’s death this week, we replay an interview from 2017 with his former chief of staff, Lawrence Wilkerson, who has inside information about the maneuvering behind Powell’s infamous 2003 speech to the UN about Saddam Hussein’s “weapons of mass destruction.”
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema may be driving progressives nuts by thwarting much of President Biden's agenda, but her actions may be popular back home. And we remember the unfortunate 2012 campaign gaffe of Todd Akin, who died last week, and who suggested that "legitimate rape" would not result in pregnancy.
The post Episode #375: Sinema Paradiso appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Progressive Democrats trying to help enact President Biden’s agenda are constantly butting heads with Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. They are especially frustrated with Sinema, who began her political career on the left. But since she came to the Senate in 2019, she’s been an outspoken opponent of big spending bills and found herself at odds with much of her Democratic colleagues. Dan Nowicki of the Arizona Republic says that Sinema’s approach is popular in the state, a state that long supported another maverick, the late John McCain. And Jo Mannies, a longtime Missouri political reporter, remembers former Congressman Todd Akin, who died last week. The anti-abortion Akin is best known for his 2012 campaign gaffe when, while running for the Senate, he suggested that women could not get pregnant if she were the victim of “legitimate rape.” Songs heard in this episode: Cinema by Benny Benassi I’m a Believer by the Monkees
The decision by anti-Trump Republican Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio not to seek reelection next year is seen as a victory for the former president, who retains deep loyalty among GOP voters. And we discuss the meaning of last week's defeated recall vote in California.
The post Episode #374: Trump Enemies List Loses One appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
The decision by Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio) to retire next year, rather than seek reelection, is a clear victory for Donald Trump and it helps ratify his influence in the Republican Party. Gonzalez was one of ten House Republicans to vote to impeach the 45th president, and Trump made it clear he would work for his defeat in the 2022 midterm election. Karen Kasler of Ideastream and WOSU talks about the decision and wonders if other candidates will decide to get in the race.
Miriam Pawel, author of a biography of the Browns of California, analyzes the results of last week’s recall election that kept Gov. Gavin Newsom in office. She says the lopsided results don’t bode well for the state GOP, and suggests it could have national implications.
Plus, we offer a summary of mayoral primaries in Boston and Cleveland.
Songs heard in this episode:
Jack and Diane by John Mellencamp
Al Gore Was Right by Lucas Ross
If You Leave Me Now by Chicago
Never Let You Go by Third Eye Blind
The post Episode #374: Trump Enemies List Loses One appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
John Myers of the Los Angeles Times sets up Tuesday’s recall election aimed at California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Unlike the recall of 2003, where another Democrat, Gray Davis, was successfully recalled, polls indicate that Newsom is going to survive on Sept. 14th. But win or lose, Golden State voters are going to go through another gubernatorial contest just 14 months later. And we replay an interview from August 2020 with former Illinois Sen. Adlai Stevenson III, the son of the Democratic opponent to Dwight Eisenhower in 1952 and ’56. In the interview, Young Adlai, who died last week at the age of 90, reflected on his father’s decision to open up the vice presidential nomination in 1956 to the delegates. Songs heard in the podcast Old Friends by Simon & Garfunkel California (There Is No End to Love) by U2 Adlai Stevenson by Sufjan Stevens
We set up what's at stake in Tuesday's California gubernatorial recall election. And we replay an interview from last summer with former Illinois Sen. Adlai Stevenson III, who died last week.
The post Episode #373: Can You Recall The Governor Of California? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
The withdrawal from Afghanistan is not going as well as some hoped. But did anyone ever think that extracting U.S. troops from a 20-year war was going to be easy? And let the blame game begin. This week’s show is mostly a personal essay about my relationship with Neal Conan, the longtime NPR broadcaster who died of cancer earlier this month. In addition to being a good friend, he is probably more responsible for the success of the Political Junkie program than anyone else, as he included a Political Junkie segment on Talk of the Nation every week for seven years. Music in this week’s episode A Mistake by Fiona Apple I Wanna Grow Up to Be a Politician by The Byrds
An awful month. A disastrous exit from Afghanistan. And we lost Neal Conan to cancer.
The post Episode #372: Remembering Neal Conan appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
The resignation announcement by New York's Andrew Cuomo means many things, not the least of which it will lead to the state's first female governor. A look at the hopeless complaint by Democrats that their party is the only one that cares about sexual harassment. Plus, a look at last week's two congressional primaries in Ohio.
The post Episode #371: No Mo Cuomo appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Chris Churchill of the Albany Times-Union reports on the stunning (though expected) toppling of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whose alleged history of sexual harassment — as outlined in a report by the state attorney general — left him no way out. Melissa Deckman of Washington College also discusses a theme widely discussed among some Democrats: Why is it always OUR party (Cuomo, Al Franken) who pays the ultimate sacrifice, and not the Republicans (Trump, Matt Gaetz). She argues that it’s besides the point, and that having taken down someone as powerful as Andrew Cuomo should be seen as a victory by the #MeToo movement. And Jacob Rubashkin of Inside Politics reviews the two congressional primaries held last week in Ohio, where the results sent important signals to the two major parties. Music heard in this podcast Time for Me to Fly by REO Speedwagon Creep by Radiohead Look at Miss Ohio by Gillian Welch
Texas Democrats have fled the state to hold up legislation that could make voting more difficult. But how long can this tactic work? And we remember Edwin Edwards, the former governor of Louisiana, first with a rebroadcast of our interview with him from 2014 and with a discussion about his influence with a noted Louisiana political expert.
The post Episode #370: Texas Hold ‘Em? First You Gotta Catch ‘Em. appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Abby Livingston of the Texas Tribune talks about the decision made by Texas House Democrats to flee the state in order to stymie GOP efforts to pass restrictive voting rights bills. Edwin Edwards, the former four-term governor of Louisiana known for his charm and ethical lapses, died last week. He appeared on the Political Junkie back in 2014 to reminisce about his 1991 gubernatorial contest with former KKK leader David Duke — a campaign that was national headlines at the time. We replay that interview this week. And we also talk to Tyler Bridges, the noted Louisiana political journalist, about what Edwards meant to the state. Music in this podcast: Hide and Seek by Mr. Rei I Won’t Back Down by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man by Bob Seger
Mike Gravel, the former Alaska senator who read excerpts of the Pentagon Papers on the Senate floor in 1971, died this week at the age of 91. Back in 2015, Gravel was on the Political Junkie talking about his fateful act, and we are replaying that interview this week.
We are replaying an interview we had six years ago with Mike Gravel, the former Alaska senator who died this week, about his decision to read excerpts of the Pentagon Papers on the Senate floor.
The post Episode #369: Mike Gravel And Acts Of Civil Disobedience appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Christine Chabot of Loyola University weighs the arguments of getting Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer to retire early, before Republicans have a chance of regaining control of the Senate (and the White House). And Donald Ritchie talks about his new book, “The Columnist,” about the controversial and feared journalist, the late Drew Pearson. Plus, Senate Republicans block a Democratic voting rights bill. And Eric Adams, the Brooklyn borough president, may be on his way of becoming New York City’s next mayor. Music heard in this broadcast: I’ll Be Back by The Beatles Pushin’ Too Hard by The Seeds Nowhere to Run by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas Dirty Laundry by Don Henley
Christine Chabot of Loyola University weighs the arguments of getting Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer to retire early, before Republicans have a chance of regaining control of the Senate (and the White House). And Donald Ritchie talks about his new book, “The Columnist,” about the controversial and feared journalist, the late Drew Pearson. Plus, Senate ...
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The post Episode #368: Before ‘Enemy Of The People,’ There Was A Horsewhip Committee appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
By insisting on "bipartisanship," Joe Manchin (D-WV) is jeopardizing President Biden's agenda in the Senate. And a new book explores John Glenn's orbital mission in 1962 and how it played in the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.
The post Episode #367: Heroes And Villains appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Nick Fandos of the New York Times discusses the role being played by Sen. Joe Manchin, the West Virginia Democrat whose opposition to altering the filibuster — he believes in something called “bipartisanship” — is (currently) thwarting President Biden’s agenda in the Senate. And historian Jeff Shesol talks about his new book, “Mercury Rising: John Glenn, John Kennedy, and the New Battleground of the Cold War,” describing how Glenn’s 1962 orbits around the Earth made him a national hero — and put the U.S. on at least equal footing with the Soviets in the Space Race. Plus: Primary results in Virginia and New Jersey, a new challenger to Marco Rubio in Florida, and Trump picks a favorite in North Carolina. Music heard in this episode: Mother In Law by Ernie K. Doe Betrayed by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons Mind Your Own Business by Delta 5 Space Oddity by David Bowie
We replay an interview with the late Sen. John Warner (R-VA) from 2018. And we set up this year's gubernatorial contest in the Old Dominion.
The post Episode #366: Taylor-Made For The Senate appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
We replay a 2018 interview we held with former Virginia Sen. John Warner, who died this week. Warner talks not only about his controversial “not guilty” vote during the Clinton impeachment trial, but his entire career as well … including his relationship with Elizabeth Taylor. And, staying on the Virginia theme, Bob Holsworth, a leading authority on Old Dominion politics, sets up this year’s gubernatorial election in the Commonwealth. Music in this week’s podcast We Can Work It Out by The Beatles Sweet Virginia by The Rolling Stones Respect by Aretha Franklin
Liz Cheney is out. But a former member of Congress won't stop fighting to rid the GOP of the Trump influence. And while the recall against California Gov. Newsom is underway, polls indicate that he is benefitting from his actions on vaccines and the reopening of the state.
The post Episode #365: Fighting For A New GOP. And A Different California. appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Barbara Comstock, a former Republican member of Congress from Virginia, talks about the dumping of Liz Cheney from the House GOP leadership and the hope of moving the party away from the clutches of Donald Trump. And John Myers, the Sacramento bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times, discusses the recall effort against California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Music in this Episode: Little Children by Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas It’s Too Late by Carole King No Justice No Peace by J Cruze California Saga by the Beach Boys
Liz Cheney is about to lose her House leadership position because she refuses to go along with Donald Trump's lies and misstatements. Meanwhile, President Biden needs to be cognizant of his barebones majority in the Senate and mindful of the needs of Joe Manchin, the West Virginia Democrat who has become a powerbroker in his own right.
The post Episode #364: Liz Cheney And The Party Of Intolerance appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Liz Cheney, the House Republican congresswoman from Wyoming who is her party’s third-ranking House member, has made it a habit of standing up to Donald Trump’s lies and misstatements about the validity of the 2020 election and what really happened during the Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington. For that, she is about to lose her leadership position. And she is not alone. Sen. Mitt Romney, who voted to convict Trump during the impeachment trial, barely escaped censure by the Utah GOP. Jack Pitney of Claremont McKenna College is watching this and sees an alarming lack of tolerance in the party, one that is only getting worse. Norm Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute is watching how President Biden is faring in pushing through his agenda, well aware that in a 50-50 Senate everyone’s ego needs to be massaged … perhaps none more so than Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Music heard in this episode Time is Running Out by Muse It’s My Party by Leslie Gore Expecting to Fly by Buffalo Springfield Are You Going My Way by Lenny Kravitz
A replay of our 2015 interview with Walter Mondale, who died this week at the age of 93.
The post Episode #363: Walter Mondale Fought The Good Fight appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
A look at the recall effort in California aimed at Gov. Gavin Newsom (D). Sen. Roy Blunt's (R) unexpected retirement in Missouri is likely to open the door to a fierce battle among Republicans for the seat. And Marvin Kalb remembers the life and legacy of Roger Mudd, the exemplary television political journalist who died this week at the age of 93.
The post Episode #362: Remembering Roger Mudd appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Two politicians, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) and Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) have been hit with allegations of sexual harassment. In addition to the two cases, we ask why the two parties seem to treat sexual harassment differently, at least when it comes to their own party members. And we recap some of the nuttiness at last weekend's CPAC event.
The post Episode #361: Sexual Harassment, As Seen By The Two Parties appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
A look at how her history of snarky tweets may jeopardize Neera Tanden's chances of becoming the next head of OMB. And we talk to three journalists covering a trio of Republicans who voted against Donald Trump in the second impeachment case: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Liz Cheney of Wyoming, and Richard Burr of North Carolina.
The post Episode #360: Is Biden Neera Defeat? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders hopes her service on behalf of Donald Trump will help her win the governorship in Arkansas. Meanwhile, while Democrats are unlikely to prevail in next week's Senate trial of the former president, Republicans are split over what Marjorie Taylor Greene is doing to the party. Similar intra-GOP struggles are visible in Arizona, which now has two Democratic senators for the first time in nearly 70 years. And a retirement of a popular senator in Ohio guarantees a dogfight for the seat in 2022.
The post Episode #359: From “Beat The Press” To The Governorship? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
January 2021 is the final month of Donald Trump's presidency. It also was the month where he was, for the second time, impeached by the House ... this time for inciting an insurrection. And we remember the 1954 attack on the House by Puerto Rican nationalists.
The post Episode #358: Shame. And Hope. appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
We look at what's at stake in Tuesday's Senate runoffs in Georgia. And a former senator explains why she took part in an electoral certification protest in 2005 and what it doesn't compare to what Republicans are doing this time.
The post Episode #357: For All The Marbles appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
It's the Political Junkie 2020 Remembrances Special, where we celebrate the lives of memorable politicians who left us this year.
The post Episode #356: The 2020 Remembrances Special appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
A new book examines why "faithless electors" are faithless, why they break from their parties' nominees in the Electoral College. And we speak to one such elector, a 1976 Ford elector who nonetheless voted for Reagan.
The post Episode #355: The Electoral College vs. Trump University appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
A former Republican congressman argues that 2020 was a great year for the GOP, despite Trump's defeat. And a former New York state comptroller discusses the life and legacy of the late David Dinkins, NYC's only black mayor, and the past and future of African-American politics in the city.
The post Episode #354: David Dinkins and the Harlem Gang of Four appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Georgia will be experiencing two Senate runoffs next month. Back in 1992, Senator Wyche Fowler was forced into a runoff of his own -- where he lost his seat. Fowler offers similarities and differences between now and then.
The post Episode #353: You Never Forget Your First Runoff appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
The two Georgia Senate runoffs on Jan. 5th will determine which party gets control. Democrats must win both if they are to claim the majority; if they don't, Mitch McConnell will remain as majority leader.
The post Episode #352: Georgia On Everyone’s Mind appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Joe Biden may have won the presidency, but he'll serve without the expected Democratic Senate victory, and with a smaller House majority as well. And California Gov. Gavin Newsom will have a tough decision to make in naming a successor to Sen. Kamala Harris.
The post Episode #351: Biden Wins (Don’t Tell Trump); GOP Wins Too. appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
A look at the key battles for the Senate, with Democrats needing a net three (or four) seats to win the majority. And whither the Republican Party in the aftermath (or the continuation) of Trump?
The post Episode #350: This Is Us appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Joe Biden's problems with articulating a coherent policy on court reform has brought comparisons to what FDR faced when he tried to pack the Supreme Court in 1937. And a White House correspondent talks about why he asked President Trump at a news conference why he continues to lie to the American people.
The post Episode #349: One Will Be Muted On Nov. 3rd appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Two Senate races in the Carolinas are the focus this week, as incumbent Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina is trying to hold off a stiff challenge from Democrat Jamie Harrison, while in North Carolina, marital infidelity charges leveled at Democrat Cal Cunningham could jeopardize his chances against GOP Sen. Thom Tillis.
The post Episode #348: Charges Of Hypocrisy And Betrayal In The Carolinas appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Selected and limited information from the White House about the president's health has continued with Trump and the coronavirus. And we look back at some great moments in VP debate history.
The post Episode #347: More White House Obfuscations Of The Truth appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Republicans are being accused of hypocrisy, but at the end of the day there will be a new, very conservative Supreme Court justice to succeed the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg. And remembering the hoopla behind Bill Bradley's presidential candidacy two decades ago.
The post Episode #346: The Notorious Mitch McConnell appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Ron Elving analyzes the state of the presidential race with less than eight weeks to go. Plus, could Minnesota, which hasn't voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 1972, flip to Donald Trump this year? And we break down the battle for control of the Senate.
The post Episode #345: Soon To Be Unemployed? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
On this special episode, we look back at many great moments from the history of presidential and vice presidential debates, with commentary from several journalists and historians on how those moments may have helped pave the way for the winner to reach the White House.
The post Episode #344: Great Moments in Presidential Debates appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
The Republicans wrap up their convention, setting the 2020 election into full swing. We hear from a Republican who avoided Trump in 2016 explain why he's supporting him this year. Plus, a look at QAnon conspiracy theorists winning Republican primaries for the House and Senate, and we preview a tight Massachusetts Senate primary between two Democrats with similar policy positions.
The post Episode #343: Looking For Four More appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
The Democrats hold a convention like no other. We review the moments that highlighted an emotional and historic week. Plus, unpacking President Trump's attacks on the U.S. Postal Service. And we remember the 1956 Democratic convention, when Adlai Stevenson asked the delegates to decide who his running mate would be.
The post Episode #342: Dems the Word appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Far from the coronations they are today, political conventions used to be filled with moments that were contentious, memorable and historic. We journey through political history and revisit historic moments from national party conventions of the past, and consider how the role of conventions in the presidential race has evolved from then to today.
The post Episode #341: Great Moments in Convention History appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
We review the latest scorecard of Joe Biden’s running mate hopefuls. Plus, a look ahead to next week's Minnesota primary and a recap of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's first term in the House. And, author Bruce Watson, who has written a defining book about the Freedom Summer, remembers the horror, and the hope, of those days.
The post Episode #340: Hope, and Fear, During The Freedom Summer appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
We discuss what President Trump might do if Joe Biden is declared the winner in November. Plus, in his new biography of Joe McCarthy, Larry Tye suggests eerie similarities to politics of the present day. And we remember Charles Evers, the brother of the late civil rights leader Medgar Evers, who died last week at the age of 97.
The post Episode #339: America’s Love/Hate Affair With Demagogues appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton of the District of Columbia recounts her long relationship with the late Georgia Congressman John Lewis. Plus, we set up the battle to win a Kansas Senate seat, and recall when the Georgia delegation was split between backers of segregationist Lester Maddox and civil rights activist Julian Bond at the Democratic convention of 1968.
The post Episode #338: Honor. Courage. Dignity. Hero. appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
We talk with former Virginia governor Douglas Wilder about his history-making political career. Plus, we examine the extent of voter suppression in this country. And famed TV newsman Marvin Kalb shares his thoughts on President Trump’s attacks on the press.
The post Episode #337: Yes Virginia, It Was Historic appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Will Sen. Susan Collins' votes to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh and acquit President Trump come back to haunt her in November? Plus, a new book traces the acrimony and hyperpartisanship in our politics to Newt Gingrich. And Bob Shrum, a top aide to John Kerry, talks about the decision to pick John Edwards as Kerry’s running mate.
The post Episode #336: What Hath Newt Wrought? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
Neal Conan sorts out Joe Biden’s potential VP picks, Supreme Court expert Amy Howe weighs in on Chief Justice John Roberts' decisions on gay rights, DACA, and abortion. And we look at how the latest round of Kennedys are seeking to keep their political family tradition alive.
The post Episode #335: The Anticipation Builds appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
This week on the Political Junkie, an examination of the definite voting trends that have developed during the pandemic. Plus, why several self-inflicted mishaps by former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper now put his Senate primary nomination in question. And, Howard Dean candidly explains what went wrong in his bid for the 2004 Democratic nomination.
The post Episode #334: House Primaries Claim Yet Another N.Y. Democrat appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
We break down the landmark Supreme Court decision that forbids job discrimination against LGBTQ people. Plus, a look at why several Democratic members of Congress are facing tough opposition in next Tuesday's New York primary. And a rightwing Virginia congressman sees his political career end in response to his officiating at a same-sex wedding.
The post Episode #333: A Landmark Ruling About Job Discrimination and Gays appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.
We examine the primary day nightmare in Georgia, with long lines and broken voting machines. NPR's Ron Elving returns to size up all the potential running mates for Joe Biden. And we remember the career of Robert Byrd, who broke the Senate longevity record 14 years ago this week.
The post Episode #332: Who for #2? appeared first on Ken Rudin's Political Junkie.