Daily Kos' The Brief: Recent Episodes
Markos Moulitsas and Kerry Eleveld
A one-hour weekly political conversation hosted by Markos Moulitsas and Kerry Eleveld highlighting on-the-ground leaders of the progressive movement.
President Joe Biden successfully goaded Donald Trump into an early June debate, with Trump even acquiescing to most of the Biden team's terms. Markos and Kerry break down what to expect from Biden and from Trump.
This episode was recorded on May 28, 2024.
Kerry speaks with Matt Hildreth, the executive director of Rural Organizing and treasurer of the RuralVote.org super PAC. He explains what Democrats can—and must—do to change the political conversation in rural communities.
This episode was recorded on June 7, 2024.
Hopium Chronicles' Simon Rosenberg joins Markos to discuss the “red wave-ification” of the economy and how prepared Democrats are for November. There is still work to do but we have a better candidate—and we have the edge.
Donald Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records on May 30. What are potential voters saying about this historic news? And what is the Biden-Harris campaign doing now that the “teflon Don" is no more?
Every day brings a new prognostication that is making President Joe Biden's campaign operatives worry or freak out. Is Donald Trump running away with the election? No. Not even close.
Like many Republicans, Donald Trump has tried to sidestep the issue of abortion and reproductive rights. But he stumbled during an interview with a CBS affiliate in Pittsburgh this week, promising an “interesting” new policy that would let states restrict contraception.
Ian Bassin is the former associate White House counsel and co-founder and executive director of Protect Democracy. Protect Democracy is a nonprofit, nonpartisan group focused on anti-authoritarianism, how to protect our democracy, and safeguarding our free and fair elections.
Navigator collects, analyzes, and distributes real data on progressive messaging. The Hub Project's Bryan Bennett and Gabriela Parra talk with Kerry about what they are seeing in their research this election cycle, and which messaging can help progressive candidates win elections in 2024—and beyond.
When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. entered the 2024 presidential race as an independent, many feared (and the MAGA faithful cheered) that he would siphon off important swing-state Democrats and independents from President Biden. That doesn’t seem to be so true anymore. In fact, the opposite may be true—and Donald Trump is hopping mad about it.
This episode originally aired March 12, 2024.
The Bulwark’s Sarah Longwell joins Kerry to discuss the State of the Union and what President Biden needs to do to soundly defeat Donald Trump in November.
Zachary Mueller is the senior research director for America’s Voice and America’s Voice Education Fund. He brings his expertise on immigration politics to talk about how much money the GOP is using to promote its racist immigration campaigns.
Trump’s lose-lose situation on abortion somehow got worse this week after he released a video attempting to spin a position on the polarizing issue. What does this mean? Bad news for the Republican Party, already in disarray.
Kerry and Markos talk about Florida, its strict abortion ban, and Democratic challengers' chances in the Sunshine State.
President Joe Biden’s approval ratings have been improving since his fiery State of the Union speech—as we predicted. At the same time, the Republican Party cannot stop the infighting, even as Donald Trump’s takeover seems to be complete. Markos and Kerry get into Biden’s improving fundamentals as the race to save America heats up.
The President and CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, Patrick Gaspard, joins us to give his thoughts on what the Republican Party’s actual message is.
We are joined by our friend Christina Reynolds, who is senior VP of communications and content at EMILY’s List. Christina talks with Kerry and Markos about how small a box the Republican Party is locked into on reproductive rights.
Simon Rosenberg from the Hopium Chronicles Substack is back to talk about the facts of the 2024 election cycle. The facts are: Things look bad for Donald Trump—and even worse for the Republican Party.
Democratic voters know Joe Biden is old and MAGA voters like to pretend that Trump isn't just as long in the tooth. Both men were old the last time we did this and the only thing that’s changed is Biden is now a successful incumbent, while Trump is busy juggling trials and indictments.
Tim Miller from “The Next Level” podcast comes on to discuss Iowa, New Hampshire, and the cracks they expose in Donald Trump’s MAGA movement.
This episode first aired 1/24/2024
Republicans demanded border security, worked on a compromise deal with Democrats, and now want to blow the whole thing up. Biden is promising to remind Americans every day that the Republican Party is at fault for the lack of solutions to the problems they claim are most important.
It is primary season, and Donald Trump seems pretty low energy these days. Kerry and Markos talk about the chances of Trump stumbling through the election season and the need to press our advantage and make gains in the House and Senate. Meanwhile, the right-wing media world is losing its collective minds about Taylor Swift registering younger Americans to vote!
The Iowa primary took place Monday, and while traditional media outlets would like you to believe Trump won big the reality was anything but. Kerry and Markos talk about what the numbers really show and the possible ramifications for the rest of the primary season as well as the national election.
Trump is going to win Iowa, but what does that mean for Haley and DeSantis—and for whomever else is still (barely) in the running? Kerry and Markos talk about what to expect and what weird and wild stuff could happen this coming Monday.
Jennifer Fernandez Ancona from Way to Win joins "The Brief" to talk about how bad Republican messaging has been and what Democrats need to say in 2024 to win.
This episode originally went out on Dec. 13, 2023.
It's our last episode of the year and we wanted to talk about what we are thankful for. It turns out that Republican disarray and ineptitude topped our list. Join us to count the ways!
Markos and Kerry give their thoughts on what the country is facing in 2024. The Republican Party is running on losing issues like abortion and repealing the ACA—with no explanation of what they plan on replacing it with. Trump has a lot of criming to atone for, and the Republican platform remains set on destroying democracy.
Kerry talks with Drew Linzer, director of the online polling company Civiqs. Drew tells us what the polls say about voters’ feelings toward President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, and what the results would be if the two men were to, say … run against each other for president in 2024. Oh yeah, Drew polled to find out who thinks Donald Trump is guilty of the crimes he’s been indicted for, and whether or not he should see the inside of a jail cell.
Kerry interviews Markos to talk about what is happening in Ukraine, what needs to be done, and why the fate of Ukraine is tied to democracy’s fate in 2024.
Trump’s continuing legal problems, the car crash of a Republican debate, and the polling numbers defy the traditional media’s narrative that the Republican Party is even above water with voters.
We talk about the upcoming Republican presidential debate and how sad a situation it is. The Republican Party shot itself in the foot with a Trump-sized bullet and now it's stuck with him for the foreseeable future. We still try to game out the possible paths the Republican field might take in order to rid themselves of the Donald.
Did anything happen while we were all taking a well-deserved break? Something about Donald Trump being indicted not once, but two times! Also in the news: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign collapse. So much is happening!
Conservatives cried about how the “woke” (whatever that means) Barbie movie would fail. It didn’t. In fact, the film has struck a chord with American and International audiences. Daily Kos writer Laura Clawson joins Markos to talk about the film and the implications that the Republican Party’s fixation with mythical culture wars is failing them in bigger and bigger ways every day.
Today we have Rural Organizing’s Aftyn Behn. Markos and Aftyn talk about what has been happening in rural communities across the country and progressives’ efforts to engage those voters. Behn also gives the podcast a breakdown of which issues will make the difference in the coming elections.
Since our interview, Behn has recently announced her candidacy for the Tennessee House of Representatives in Nashville’s District 51.
Interview originally aired May 31, 2023.
Simon Rosenberg comes back to talk with us about how all of the Republican Party’s attempts to malign President Biden have failed. This episode was recorded a couple weeks before airing.
Malcolm Nance is a former United States Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer specializing in naval cryptology. He breaks down the nature of the classified materials rescued from Trump’s private residence. This interview was recorded on June 22, 2023.
Jennifer Fernandez Ancona from Way to Win joins Markos and Kerry to talk about the new messaging the Democratic Party’s national candidates are employing going into 2024. Ancona was right about the messaging needed to win the midterms, and we think she’s right about 2024.
Interview originally aired May 17, 2023.
Today Kerry is joined by Tim Miller. Miller is a political consultant and writer. A former Republican, Miller left the party after years of disappointment. His book "Why We Did It: A Travelogue from the Republican Road to Hell" is an introspective look at his personal journey through (and out) of the conservative movement.
We are joined by Christina Reynolds of Emily’s List. Reynolds is the Senior Vice President of Communications and Content at the progressive organization that works on getting women elected to office. Reynolds talks about what she is seeing up and down the ballot this election cycle on the anniversary of the outrageous Supreme Court Decision to take away the reproductive protections of Roe v. Wade.
Donald Trump is facing even more legal jeopardy and the sharks in the Republican Party seem to sense there is some blood in the water. Chris Christie has made his campaign all about going directly at Trump, and Ron DeSantis seems to be closer and closer to becoming completely isolated from the field.
Today we talk about the field of Republicans willing to go up against the MAGA monster that is Trump. It’s a veritable who cares of the Republican Party, but it is also indicative of the rot inside of the conservative world.
Today we have Rural Organizing’s Aftyn Behn. Markos and Aftyn talk about what has been happening in rural communities across the country and progressives’ efforts to engage those voters. Behn also gives the podcast a breakdown of which issues will make the difference in the coming elections.
We speak with Anderson Clayton, the 25-year-old chair of North Carolina’s Democratic Party. Clayton has a big-picture plan for 2024, and explains the granular changes needed to get out the vote on college campuses and in the rural communities of the Tar Heel State.
Jennifer Fernandez Ancona from Way to Win joins Markos and Kerry to talk about the new messaging the Democratic Party’s national candidates are employing going into 2024. Ancona was right about the messaging needed to win the midterms, and we think she’s right about 2024.
Today, Kerry is joined by Drew Linzer, the director and co-founder of the well-regarded polling company Civiqs. Drew and Kerry do a deep dive into the polling around abortion and reproductive rights and the big problems conservative candidates face in the coming elections.
Dimitri of WarTranslated has been doing the essential work of translating hours of Russian and Ukrainian video and audio during the invasion of Ukraine. He joins Markos and Kerry from London to talk about how he began this work by sifting through various sources. He is one of the only people translating information for English-speaking audiences. Dimitri’s followed the war since the beginning and has watched the evolution of the language and dispatches as the war has progressed.
The past week seems to have packed in a month’s worth of news. Markos and Kerry tackle it all, from Joe Biden’s big announcement to Tucker Carlson’s early retirement from Fox News.
Markos and Kerry are joined by Aaron Rupar today to discuss what he is seeing in the right-wing media landscape. Rupar is an independent journalist whose Public Notice Substack is a must-read for those who want to know how truly outrageous the conservative movement is. We are addicted to his Twitter account, with its never-ending stream of Republican lunacy all captured on video.
On today’s episode, Markos and Kerry are joined by a friend of the podcast, Democratic political strategist Simon Rosenberg. Rosenberg was one of the few outsiders who, like Daily Kos, kept telling the world that nothing supported the idea of a red wave. Simon and the crew break down his strategy for Democratic candidates to achieve a 55% popular vote in all elections—a number that a few years ago would have seemed unattainable, but now feels within reach.
Our planned Ukraine episode will have to wait, as Donald Trump is being arraigned in New York City for his role in falsifying records to hide hush money paid to Stormy Daniels. This is the first of a potential slew of indictments coming Trump’s way, and we are here for a celebration of karmic justice—and to talk about what happens to the Republican Party after this.
The Republican Party’s leadership and its presidential candidates have leaned further and further into doom-and-gloom “woke apocalypse” rhetoric. Kerry and Markos analyze what has so far been a losing strategy to make Americans feel frightened of demanding actual policy ideas from Republicans.
Today, Kerry is joined by Drew Linzer, the director and co-founder of the well-regarded polling company, CIVIQs. Drew and Kerry talk about a recent CIVIQs poll that asked Americans from all walks of life about trans issues, among other things. Drew talks about the methodology and how the results show that conservatives tend to have more liberal views when questions are framed in terms of fundamental rights.
Judd Legum is the founder and author of Popular Information, an independent newsletter dedicated to accountability journalism.
Judd joins Markos and Kerry to talk about the Dominion Voting Systems defamation lawsuit against Fox News and the recent revelations of behind-the-scenes deceit practiced by everyone from on-air host Tucker Carlson, to the owner of it all, Rupert Murdoch.
Markos and Kerry luxuriate in the battle going on between Donald Trump’s ascending fascism and Mitch McConnell’s neocon establishment. The fighting has become much sharper recently as the MAGA-media outlet Fox News has traveled further and further away from reality.
Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego has thrown his hat into the ring! Gallego will to try to take progressive-turned-bizarre-centrist Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s seat in 2024. Today on The Brief, Markos and Rep. Gallego talk about the state of the country and his campaign, and what Americans want from the officials they elect to office.
President Biden’s surprise visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, on Presidents’ Day was an important moment in American foreign policy, and also an equally important moment in public relations for the Democratic Party. It showed America’s support for a free and independent Ukraine, but not from an imperialistic position. Republicans haven’t had a coherent foreign policy platform besides U.S. imperialism, and now find themselves pulled in various directions as potential conservative presidential candidates try to figure out what exactly they want to pretend to believe in.
President Biden's State of the Union was a masterclass in politics. The Republican Party, like a headless hydra, is unable to find a meaningful policy to get behind. Markos and Kerry talk about the highlights of last week and the enjoyment of watching Senate and House conservatives snipe at one another.
Sarah Longwell is a longtime Republican strategist and prominent never-Trumper. Her podcast, The Focus Group, is a peek at the thousands of hours of focus groups she has conducted all across the country. Sarah comes on to give her thoughts about the state of the current Republican Party and why its future remains bleak.
Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez, President at NextGen America, is back to talk with us about young voters. She talks about whether the rising numbers of young voters we saw during the midterms are sustainable, and what still needs to be done to achieve more young voter participation in our democracy as we progress toward a better America.
Markos and Kerry are joined by University of St. Andrews Professor of Strategic Studies, Phillips P. O’Brien. O’Brien, an expert in military history, explains how we got to where we are right now, what is unique about the world’s reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the parallels between the conservative movement’s isolationism in World War II and now.
The Republican Party seems locked in a death spiral of unpopular anti-American rights policies. They seem to believe that the most important things to America are taking away people’s rights to choose what they do with their bodies and Hunter Biden’s junk. Kerry and Markos were right in their hypothesis about the midterms and they have predictions for the upcoming year and 2024.
Happy New Year! Daily Kos’ Joan McCarter is on the show today to talk about the wild garbage fire that was the Republican speaker of the House vote. Kerry and Markos also break down what this onionskin-thin conservative majority can and cannot do in the coming year, as well as what the Democratic representatives can do to make Kevin McCarthy’s life just that much tougher.
We speak with the Texas-based President at NextGen America, Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez, about what she is seeing on the ground with young voters. Historically, midterm elections hurt the political party in power. Historically, young folks do not come out to vote in high numbers. These are historic times and the Republican Party’s full embrace of fascism may have changed the traditional narrative forever.
The Republican Party continues to flail and point fingers at one another. The traditional media pretends it did not completely blow it on predicting a “red wave” a few weeks ago. On today’s episode, Markos is joined by Democratic political strategist Simon Rosenberg. Rosenberg was one of the few outsiders who, like Daily Kos, kept telling the world that these midterm races were closer than was being reported. The two do a little gloating about being right in their optimism coming into the 2022 midterm elections, give their analysis of Democratic candidates' successes, and point to signs that the Republican Party is terrified as we head into the 2024 election cycle.
Markos and Kerry discuss this past year in politics and news. It was a tough year, but it was also a year of hope: Democratic voters showed they are more engaged than they have been in decades. The discussion also includes Elon Musk and the debacle that is his reign at Twitter. Daily Kos’ The Brief will be back with new episodes in January 2023. Have a safe and happy New Year!
Jenifer Fernandez Ancona from Way to Win is our guest on this week’s Daily Kos’ The Brief. When we spoke with Jenifer back in April, she was right about Democratic messaging—and had the data to prove it. More election data has been rolling in from the midterms, and Jenifer is back to talk about what worked and what needs to change in order for the Democratic Party to keep winning.
With the Republican Party gearing up to take the majority in the 2023 Congressional term, the disarray they have been experiencing the past six years is now at Keystone Cops-level hilarity. Markos and Kerry speak with Daily Kos Senior Staff Writer Joan McCarter. Joan covers the Congress day-in and day-out, and has done so for a decade. She gives Markos and Kerry an enjoyable blow-by-blow of the Republican mud wrestling match going on right now.
The Republican Party continues to flail and point fingers at one another. The traditional media pretends it did not completely blow it on predicting a “Red Wave” a few weeks ago. On today’s episode Markos is joined by Democratic political strategist Simon Rosenberg. Rosenberg was one of the few outsiders who, like Daily Kos, kept telling the world that these midterms were closer than was being reported. The two do a little gloating about being right in their optimism coming into the 2022 midterm elections and they give their analysis on why Democratic candidates were successful and how terrified the Republican Party is going into 2024.
As the final results of the 2022 midterm elections came into focus this past week, the lack of clarity in the GOP’s leadership also became apparent. Kerry and Markos break down what this means for Democratic voters going forward and how Donald Trump’s campaign for president is a lose lose proposition for Republicans.
Election Night 2022 was full of surprises—mostly for people pushing the last couple months of traditional media narrative of a "red tsunami." The problem is that Americans are not super into the GOP. Markos and Kerry have been saying the media narrative was wrong for months, and on Tuesday, Daily Kos was validated. Time to celebrate!
On today’s Daily Kos’ The Brief, we discuss this midterm election you may have heard about. The polling and the traditional media narrative were sideswiped by reality: Americans are not super into the GOP. Markos and Kerry have been saying the media narrative was wrong for months, and on Tuesday, Daily Kos was validated
The midterm elections are this coming Tuesday. We discuss what the polls are saying—and what the polls cannot predict. The traditional and right-wing narrative continues to champion polling that downplays Democratic candidates’ successes, while ignoring polling (including their own, in some cases) that flies in the face of that narrative. Either way, it does not change the fact that you need to get out and vote! And after you vote, make sure to encourage others to get out and vote—especially those younger folks in your life. Daily Kos’ The Brief will be back on Thursday, Nov. 10, with a show dedicated to the Nov. 8. election results.
Today on The Brief, we speak with Way To Win’s co-founder and vice president, Jenifer Fernandez Ancona. Ancona comes in to discuss how grassroots progressive groups are spending money in the hopes of getting as many voters as possible out for the midterm elections. She also talks about which campaign advertisements are effective and which are not. One thing is for sure, though: We are living in historic times, and what that means for these midterms cannot be easily predicted—sohttp://dailykos.com/gotv ( )Get Out The Vote!
We speak with polling giant https://twitter.com/DrewLinzer (Drew Linzer) who runs polling firm https://civiqs.com/ (CIVIQs), comes in to talk about a new poll his team conducted for Daily Kos. He is also here to explain, as a professional, how to not stress out every time you see a poll going your way or the other way. One thing is for sure though: we are living in historic times, and what that means for these midterms cannot be easily predicted—so http://dailykos.com/gotv (Get Out The Vote!)
On today’s show we talk about the work being done to keep Nevada’s Senate Democratic. We are joined by UNITE HERE director Mario Yedida. UNITE HERE represents more than 250,000 workers throughout the U.S. and Canada who work in the hospitality, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, laundry, and airport industries. Yedida tells us about what workers in Nevada are thinking about and voting about this coming November.
On today’s show we talk about the work being done to keep Nevada’s Senate Democratic. We are joined by UNITE HERE director Mario Yedida. UNITE HERE represents more than 250,000 workers throughout the U.S. and Canada who work in the hospitality, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, laundry, and airport industries. Yedida tells us about what workers in Nevada are thinking about and voting about this coming November.
We speak with the Texas-based President at NextGen America, Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez, about what she is seeing on the ground with young voters. Historically, midterm elections hurt the political party in power. Historically, young folks do not come out to vote in high numbers. These are historic times and the Republican Party’s full embrace of fascism may have changed the traditional narrative forever.
We speak with the Texas-based President at NextGen America, Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez, about what she is seeing on the ground with young voters. Historically, midterm elections hurt the political party in power. Historically, young folks do not come out to vote in high numbers. These are historic times and the Republican Party’s full embrace of fascism may have changed the traditional narrative forever.
As the numbers for GOP candidates continue to dwindle, minority leader Kevin McCarthy attempted to release his version of a “big idea.” Markos and Kerry have a grand old time taking this policy-free statement that Republican leadership hopes will distract voters from the very real problems created by the radical right-wing Supreme Court.
As the numbers for GOP candidates continue to dwindle, minority leader Kevin McCarthy attempted to release his version of a “big idea.” Markos and Kerry have a grand old time taking this policy-free statement that Republican leadership hopes will distract voters from the very real problems created by the radical right-wing Supreme Court.
As the numbers for GOP candidates continue to dwindle, minority leader Kevin McCarthy attempted to release his version of a “big idea.” Markos and Kerry have a grand old time taking this policy-free statement that Republican leadership hopes will distract voters from the very real problems created by the radical right-wing Supreme Court.
This week Markos and Kerry talk about how every step the Republican Party makes seems to be into another pile of manure. From Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ inhumane political chicanery to South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham’s poorly received abortion bill, the GOP isn’t making any friends, even with their own voters.
This week Markos and Kerry talk about how every step the Republican Party makes seems to be into another pile of manure. From Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ inhumane political chicanery to South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham’s poorly received abortion bill, the GOP isn’t making any friends, even with their own voters.
This week Markos and Kerry talk about how every step the Republican Party makes seems to be into another pile of manure. From Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ inhumane political chicanery to South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham’s poorly received abortion bill, the GOP isn’t making any friends, even with their own voters.
Kerry Eleveld makes her triumphant return from maternity leave! Markos and Kerry speak with prominent American political strategist and president of New Democrat Network Simon Rosenberg. Simon talks about what the data is saying and why the “red wave” has turned into a ripple.
Daily Kos election’s expert Steve Singiser joins Markos to talk about what he has seen this year that gives him real hope the Democratic Party can fend off a “Red Wave” midterm.
Daily Kos election’s expert Steve Singiser joins Markos to talk about what he has seen this year that gives him real hope the Democratic Party can fend off a “Red Wave” midterm.
It has been a few weeks of vacation. Kerry is on maternity leave! Markos is joined by Daily Kos' Cara Zelaya to talk about how optimistic the numbers have been over the past few weeks since the Grand Old Party got its wish to steal away reproductive rights from tens if not hundreds of millions of Americans. Markos and Cara also talk about President Biden’s big move reducing student debt and how much more robust his plan is upon deeper inspection.
This episode originally aired December 8, 2021. Happy Listening! As we all prepare for the holidays, today, we’re going to talk to Monica Guzman, journalist and author of the upcoming book https://www.amazon.com/Never-Thought-That-Way-Conversations/dp/1637740328 (I Never Thought of it That Way), (now available for pre-order). There are clear challenges reconciling our partisanship with Guzman's desire to “be curious” when talking to our political foes, but the advice is wise and applies far beyond politics to business and our personal relationships. This podcast could very well save your holiday gatherings if you must deal with … difficult relatives.
In this episode of The Brief, first aired on Feb. 10, 2021, we speak with historian Kathleen Frydl. Discussing what it would take for Biden to be the next FDR, the Republican party's dedication to whiteness, and what historically makes for a good progressive presidency. We also discuss with Daily Kos’ own Joan McCarter all about the Senate, how the present political climate figures into their agenda, and what the consequences of falling short could be for Democrats.
In this episode of The Brief, first aired on June 7, 2022, we are joined by the executive director of Guns Down America and author of the book Guns Down: How to Defeat the NRA and Build a Safer Future with Fewer Guns, Igor Volsky. He joins Markos to discuss Uvalde, Texas, and what Democrats and Biden are and are not doing to solve our country’s gun safety issues.
In this episode of The Brief, first aired on June 8, 2021, we speak with https://www.equalityfederation.org/about/staff/ (Vivian Topping), director of advocacy and civic engagement at the Equality Federation, and https://www.nclrights.org/about-us/who-we-are/shannon-price-minter/ (Shannon Minter), legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights about the record-setting pieces of legislation the GOP has put forward to try and hurt transgender Americans.
In this episode of The Brief, first aired on Feb. 15, 2022, we speak with University of California-Berkeley law professor https://www.law.berkeley.edu/our-faculty/faculty-profiles/ian-haney-lopez/#tab_profile (Ian Haney López), a bona fide real-world Critical Race Theorist. Not the fake ones that conservatives are hyperventilating wherever Black people might reside, like in school and public libraries.
In this episode of The Brief, first aired on Feb. 15, 2022, we speak with University of California-Berkeley law professor https://www.law.berkeley.edu/our-faculty/faculty-profiles/ian-haney-lopez/#tab_profile (Ian Haney López), a bona fide real-world Critical Race Theorist. Not the fake ones that conservatives are hyperventilating wherever Black people might reside, like in school and public libraries.
In this episode of The Brief, first aired on May 17, 2022, Washington state Sen. Emily Randall, who has been knocking on doors in her tough swing district in the Kitsap Peninsula and Matt Hildreth, executive director of http://ruralorganizing.org/ (RuralOrganizing.org) talk about being on the ground talking with voters in rural areas and urban areas before, during, and after the leaked Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade. They have some interesting insights into how much of an effect it is having on voters and organizing for the midterms as well as some good ideas for what Democrats need to do to be successful in saving our democracy.
In this episode of The Brief, first aired on May 31, 2022, Elie Mystal, justice correspondent for The Nation, joins Markos to talk about his New York Times best selling book, Allow Me To Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution. After decades, the Republican Party finally achieved the Supreme Court they wanted—a radical conservative court, vastly out of step with the American public, that is destroying all the freedoms we cherish, from our right to privacy (abortion, contraception, same-sex marriage, and even interracial marriage), to our right to vote, to our right to stay alive. Mystal comes in to talk about the history of the court and the intellectual bankruptcy and inherent racism of Justices like Alito or Thomas and their “originalism” take on our Constitution.
In this episode of The Brief, first aired on June 16, 2022, Daily Kos’ Brandi Buchman breaks down everything going on with the Jan. 6 committee. She has been doggedly following the Jan. 6 committee as well as the ongoing prosecutions of both the rioters and conspirators who tried to overthrow our government after Donald Trump lost the presidential election to Joe Biden.
It took 14 years, but public opinion turned so viciously against Prohibition that a Constitutional Amendment was passed to make sure rural Christianists could no longer attempt such an outrage. And this was booze, not a core freedom to keep medical decisions private between patients and their doctors. Kerry Eleveld and I will discuss this thermonuclear political bomb, dropped months before a critical election that will determine whether we survive as a functioning democracy. We’re already seeing generic congressional ballot polling shifting in the Democrats’ direction, and hints of renewed activation amongst our core base.
It took 14 years, but public opinion turned so viciously against Prohibition that a Constitutional Amendment was passed to make sure rural Christianists could no longer attempt such an outrage. And this was booze, not a core freedom to keep medical decisions private between patients and their doctors. Kerry Eleveld and I will discuss this thermonuclear political bomb, dropped months before a critical election that will determine whether we survive as a functioning democracy. We’re already seeing generic congressional ballot polling shifting in the Democrats’ direction, and hints of renewed activation amongst our core base.
Joe Sudbay returns to geek out with Kerry Eleveld and Cara Zelaya on the Democratic Party must do, what they are doing, and what they aren’t doing. We covered student debt, the Jan. 6 committee hearings, and the history of presidents making big moves to match the big times they were living in.
Daily Kos’ Brandi Buchman has been doggedly following the Jan. 6 committee as well as the ongoing prosecutions of both the rioters and conspirators who tried to overthrow our government after Donald Trump lost the presidential election to Joe Biden. She has been interviewing congressional leaders, law enforcement, and others since January 6, 2021. Today, Brandi breaks it all down for us on Daily Kos’ The Brief.
Igor Volsky is the executive director of Guns Down America and author of the book Guns Down: How to Defeat the NRA and Build a Safer Future with Fewer Guns. He joins Markos to discuss Uvalde, Texas, and what Democrats and Biden are and are not doing to solve our country’s gun safety issues.
Elie Mystal, justice correspondent for The Nation, joins Markos to talk about his New York Times best selling book, Allow Me To Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution. After decades, the Republican Party finally achieved the Supreme Court they wanted—a radical conservative court, vastly out of step with the American public, that is destroying all the freedoms we cherish, from our right to privacy (abortion, contraception, same-sex marriage, and even interracial marriage), to our right to vote, to our right to stay alive. Mystal comes in to talk about the history of the court and the intellectual bankruptcy and inherent racism of Justices like Alito or Thomas and their “originalism” take on our Constitution.
It’s well-known mantra that the party in the White House always struggles in midterm elections, as lofty expectations give way to the grinding ineffectiveness of the American legislative process, suppressing majority support, while the out-party is energized with desires of revenge. Indeed, the out-party typically gains over 30 House seats in the first midterm of a new presidency. But anomalies exist. In 2002, George W. Bush and his Republicans rode the post-9/11 zeitgeist to congressional victories. Is 2022 more like 2002, or like any other normal midterm? Today, Kerry Eleveld and I will dig deep into the issue.
Today’s guests are Washington state Sen. Emily Randall, who has been knocking on doors in her tough swing district in the Kitsap Peninsula and Matt Hildreth, executive director of RuralOrganizing.org. Both have been on the ground talking with voters in rural areas and urban areas before, during, and after the leaked Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade. They have some interesting insights into how much of an effect it is having on voters and organizing for the midterms as well as some good ideas for what Democrats need to do to be successful in saving our democracy.
We speak with Christina Reynolds, VP of Communications at EMILY's List. EMILY’s List, along with NARAL and Planned Parenthood have announced intentions to spend at least $150 million to center abortion rights in this November’s elections.
Christine Pelosi has been a Democratic Party strategist for decades. She joins Markos and Kerry the day after Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s first draft decision obliterating decades of settled law protecting Americans’ reproductive rights to discuss what Democrats can do now and in the weeks and months ahead.
Democrats need to go on the offensive. Today's guest, Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, can prove that because that is what the Democratic Party of Wisconsin did a couple of weeks ago in local elections and they won big time. You can also read Wikler’s report about it on Daily Kos.
Jennifer Fernandez Ancona from Way to Win, is our guest on this week’s Daily Kos’ The Brief. Unlike many messaging “gurus” Jennifer has data to back up what Democrats can say to help defuse Republican culture war attacks, and what the chances are of Democrats adopting this—or any—unified message.
Our guest is Angelo Carusone, president of Media Matters, and the nation’s foremost expert on the pernicious effects Fox News has on our democracy. Carusone breaks down the evolution of the Fox News’ message since they’ve given up the pretense of having a “news” department. He also provides some ways you can make Fox News accountable in their pocketbooks.
Last I checked, not a single midterm general election ballot had been cast. But one would never know it based on all the doomsday scenarios being floated for Democrats. Joe Sudbay, a frequent guest host for SiriusXM Progress and a political consultant who works with progressive groups on issues like immigration, LGBTQ rights joins Kerry for a conversation on what Democrats must do to get out the votes we need to save democracy.
After a couple of weeks away, Kerry comes triumphantly back to the podcast to talk with Markos about what she has missed. The two also discuss how recent world events seem to have reminded many Americans why they got rid of the other guy in the first place.
If you’ve been appreciating our Ukraine coverage here at Daily Kos, here’s a chance to hear both me and Mark Sumner discuss that coverage. Daily Kos has been offering up some of the best war coverage in the biz, and this will be a chance to hear us expand on some of that coverage.
Daily Kos’ Political Director David Nir, host of The Downballot podcast, joins Markos this week. Along with Senate Majority PAC’s J.B. Poersch, we’re going to take a close look at the 2022 Senate map. Can Democrats hold the majority? Can we expand it, despite the tough political climate? And with so many Republicans like Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson and party leader Donald Trump playing kissy-face with Russian dictator and mass murderer Vladimir Putin, can the Ukraine invasion give Democrats an unexpected assist?
Today we have the triumphant return of Meteor Blades, aka, Tim Lange! He and Daily Kos’ Mark Sumner will join me to talk about how our oil addiction has fueled repressive regimes around the world and what we can do to wean ourselves for a cleaner, healthier world—one in which we’re not directly funding horrid repression and giving cause for more war.
This week’s The Briefshould be the best discussion about the war in Ukraine you’ll find anywhere. We have two incredible guests—Jon Soltz, chairman of VoteVets, former tank commander in Kosovo, and logistics officer in Iraq. You can guess where that discussion will go. We also have Brandon Friedman, former spokesperson and advisor to Julian Castro and Tammy Duckworth, who served two combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as an officer in the 101st Airborne Division.
Markos talks about whether or not Vladimir Putin has made a This week we are excited to have Ross Morales Rocketto. He is co-founder of Run for Something. Run for Something is critical progressive infrastructure and one of the premier organizations to emerge from the Resistance, urging young people to run for office. 2022 is the most important election since the last one, and once again the most important in our lifetimes. November will decide whether Republicans can stymie the rest of Joe Biden’s term while further eroding democratic norms across critical battleground states, or if we can get a real Democratic majority in both chambers, allowing for the passage of real voting reforms, D.C. statehood, Supreme Court expansion, and other critical progressive priorities. And key to this effort? We need candidates. The best candidates.
Today we speak with University of California-Berkeley law professor Ian Haney López, a bona fide real-world Critical Race Theorist. Not the fake ones that conservatives are hyperventilating wherever Black people might reside, like in school and public libraries.
President Joe Biden ran on, among other things, student debt forgiveness. It still hasn’t happened. The politics of student debt relief are more complicated than it seems on the surface. One poll pegged support at 62%, but the politics of resentment work well on this issue. Many people have already paid their loans off, so they feel jilted. Of course, college is exponentially more expensive these days than it was just a couple of decades ago, but remember: in politics, if you’re explaining, you’re losing.Joining us to talk about the issue is Cody Hounanian, executive director of the Student Debt Crisis Center joins us to discuss the how and why on the show today.
Joining us today we have Paul Glaze, the strategic campaign manager for NGP and its affiliate, New Georgia Project Action Fund (NGP AF). NGP is largely responsible for giving us the Senate in 2020. What are they doing this year to keep Warnock in the Senate, and get Abrams into the governorship?
Our guest today is Sarah Longwell, publisher of the conservative never-Trump publication, The Bulwark, and host of The Focus Groupwith Sarah Longwellpodcast. Sarah gives her insights into the current state of the Republican Party, what she sees in terms of the GOP's ability to recapture Congress in November, and what she would advise the Democratic Party to do in terms of messaging and tactics. It’s a great look from the other side of the aisle, from a Republican that is just as terrified about the state of our democracy as we are.
Joe Trippi has worked for high-profile campaigns like Jerry Brown’s in California, Howard Dean’s for President, and Doug Jones’ for Senate. Joe has a great podcast, where he’s been sharing his long-earned political wisdom. He has argued that despite historical headwinds and Joe Biden’s low approval ratings, Democrats actually have several reasons to be optimistic this November.
Today’s guest is Daily Kos writer Dave Neiwert, the nation’s premier expert on right-wing militants and extremists.
We’ll be talking about the January 6th insurrection and the wave of prosecutions that have taken place in its wake.
Today we’re looking at the youth vote—how important it was in 2020, and how critical it will be in 2022 to have any chance of retaining control of both chambers of Congress. Our guest is Ben Wessel, the former executive director of NextGen America, an organization focused on youth voter turnout. His advice on how to keep young people engaged can’t be missed.
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-kos-the-brief/id1549983077?i=1000526586496
The show originally ran June 23, 2021.
This episode original aired July 21, 2021.
Democrats have long considered the rural vote as completely unchangeable. Are we wrong about that? Are rural values aligned with those of the Democratic Party? How can we change our messaging to appeal to rural voters without losing our progressive ideals? J.D. Scholten and John Ray join us in conversation on how the fight for rural America is far from over.
This episode originally aired December 8, 2021. Happy Holidays!
As we all prepare for the holidays, today, we’re going to talk to Monica Guzman, journalist and author of the upcoming book I Never Thought of it That Way, now available for pre-order. There are clear challenges reconciling our partisanship with Guzman's desire to “be curious” when talking to our political foes, but the advice is wise and applies far beyond politics to business and our personal relationships. This podcast could very well save your holiday gatherings if you must deal with … difficult relatives.
When we first checked in with Demand Justice executive director Brian Fallon, back in March, he it made clear that “[i]f we go to the trouble of getting rid of the filibuster to pass H.R. 1 … but then we forget to do anything about the structural problem of the judiciary that has been utterly ‘Trumpified’ over the years, then these judges will just overturn all these proposals and gut the new Voting Rights Act the way they gutted the original Voting Rights Act.” In other words, if we didn’t do something about the court system, all the legislation in the world would simply die at the hands of those Trumpy judges. Well here we are and not much has been done. But Brian explains it is not all doom and gloom, there is some hope, and there have been some positive changes in how once conservative court watchers feel about expanding the court.
Today, we’re going to talk to Monica Guzman, journalist and author of the upcoming book I Never Thought of it That Way, now available for pre-order. There are clear challenges reconciling our partisanship with Guzman's desire to “be curious” when talking to our political foes, but the advice is wise and applies far beyond politics to business and our personal relationships. This podcast could very well save your holiday gatherings if you must deal with … difficult relatives.
We at Daily Kos were prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic from the very start thanks to comprehensive and relentless coverage by Mark Sumner. He wrote his first story on the emerging pandemic on Jan. 23, 2020, and has since written 382 additional stories, including a recent update on the omicron variant. Today, Mark joins me and Cara Zelaya to talk about the evolving face of the pandemic and why we can’t allow COVID-19 to become endemic.
This episode first aired on August 25, 2021.
On this week’s episode of The Brief, hosts Markos Moulitsas and Kerry Eleveld unpacked the current state of COVID-19, voting rights, and electoral politics in Texas with special guest Julián Castro—as well as whether Castro himself is preparing for a run against Gov. Greg Abbott next year.
Castro, a Democrat from Texas, served as the mayor of San Antonio and was Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Obama. He has offered critiques of the Texas governor's lack of leadership throughout the pandemic and shared his thoughts with Moulitsas and Eleveld on how Abbott’s failure to adequately respond to the COVID-19 crisis and protect Texans’ lives is one of many reasons why the Texas Republican Party is experiencing rapid losses from their ranks.
Arizona will be a critical battleground on every possible level. We are still waiting on new maps in Arizona, but we are guaranteed competitive House seats and should have a chance at picking up the state legislature. Our guest Montserrat Arredondo of One Arizona, which worked with partner organizations to register over 250,000 new voters in the 2020 cycle.
Today, we take a look at last week’s electoral wreckage and what it means for next year’s 2022 midterm elections. Joining us are Drew Linzer, who runs Civiqs, our data and research arm, and David Nir, who runs Daily Kos Elections. We’ll look at the results, the data, and the current polling, and explore whether Democrats have any chance of holding Congress next year.
Virginia isn’t the only state with key races on the ballot, but it’s the one everyone is watching. How Virginia goes today, goes the nation next year! Or does it? Join us as we discuss Tuesday’s elections with Virginia elections expert Carolyn Fiddler, and we examine our chances of prevailing, as well as what the results (good or bad) mean for the country.
Today we’re talking to two of our in-house experts: Joan McCarter will join us to give us an update on Democratic efforts to … get anything out of the Senate, where Sens. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia remain intractable, insufferable a-holes. The delays and chaos have helped drive President Joe Biden’s numbers below 40%, making a difficult 2022 election cycle even more challenging.
And speaking of 2022, we’ll talk to Daily Kos Elections’ Stephen Wolf about the status of the redistricting process. With Republicans in greater control of the drawing of new districts following the 2020 Census reapportionment, are the early results as dire as we feared they might be?
Markos and Kerry are joined by Jamie Perrapato, Executive Director of Turn PA Blue, an organization dedicated to flipping the Pennsylvania state legislature by training and mobilizing grassroots groups and volunteers to support candidates in Southeastern PA and beyond.
North Carolina is a purple state, but one that leans red. Today, on The Brief, we talk to Marcus Bass, Deputy Director for the North Carolina Black Alliance. Also joining is La’Meshia Whittington a campaign director from North Carolina Black Alliance. This organization advocates for North Carolinas historically black institutions of faith, education, and civic service across the state. In 2020 the North Carolina Black Alliance launched SafeVoterNC, a resource for Voter Safety and Protection for underrepresented Black and Brown residents. To donate to North Carolina Black Alliance and help them in their important infrastructure work please check out: https://secure.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/102616
Arizona and Georgia’s big 2020 flips have gotten a ton of attention, and they were undoubtedly dramatic. But they weren’t the only states to flip based on dramatic Democratic gains. Today, we will talk to Art Reyes of We The People Michigan about their work to organize their community on the ground. He will be joined by one of his grassroots organizers, Kamau Clark. We will discuss how Democrats managed such a dramatic turnaround in 2020 and how 2022 is shaping up.
Virginia is one of a handful of states with statewide elections this off-year. We are exactly five weeks from Election Day, with Republicans hoping to flip what has been an increasingly reliable blue state in recent years. Joining us to talk about this critical election on our podcast, Daily Kos The Brief, are two on-the-ground experts. Gwen Mills is secretary-treasurer of UNITE-HERE. She was the architect of the union’s Take Back 2020 program—the largest labor field program in the 2020 electoral cycle, focused on safe, contactless canvassing. Also joining us is Tram Nguyen, Tram is the co-executive director of New Virginia Majority. The organization has registered nearly 300,000 new voters and has knocked on over 3.5 million doors to get people of color and young people to the polls.
Is California a bellwether for the epic incoming 2022 cycle, or is it its own blue bubble, with its own dynamics divorced from the rest of purple America? To discuss this topic, today’s guest on The Brief is Nick Rathod. He is the founder of the State Innovation Exchange, a progressive answer to ALEC—the right-wing group that writes model conservative legislation for state legislators to adopt.
Markos and Kerry talk with Jodi Hicks, CEO and President of Planned Parenthood California to talk about the awful Texas law, how it may have helped Democrats during the California recall election, and her experiences on the ground with voters facing a radicalized Supreme Court and Republican Party.
September promises to be exhaustingly jam-packed. What can Democrats actually accomplish in a Senate where their margin of error is zero? Meanwhile, Texas has just passed the nation’s most restrictive anti-abortion law, and the Supreme Court allowed it to be enforced while the law works its way up the court system. For the second half of the show, Elie Mystal will join us. He is the justice correspondent for The Nation. and one of the most interesting and fun guests in the biz. If only this topic was fun.
At 20 years, it was America’s longest war. So what now Republicans are trying to take advantage of Biden’s slide in the polls to stop what’s left of his legislative agenda. They’ll try to make an issue of it in the 2022 and 2024 elections. Will it work? Today’s guest is Jon Soltz. Soltz did two tours of duty in Iraq and is the chairman of VoteVets—the nation’s top progressive veterans’ rights organization.
This week we talk to former Democratic presidential candidate, mayor of San Antonio, and Obama-era secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Julián Castro. Castro has recently been pounding Gov. Abbott's lack of leadership on the pandemic among other failures such as the "big freeze" of February 2021. We'll unpack the current state of COVID-19, voting rights, and electoral politics in Texas with Castro—as well as whether he's positioning himself to run against Abbott next year!
Today, we will explore what to expect both politically and legally as the process unfolds with two experts in the field, Daily Kos Elections redistricting analyst and gerrymandering savant Stephen Wolf, and Simone Leeper, legal counsel at the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center. The Center also just launched PlanScore.org, a free online tool to help voting rights advocates measure partisan gerrymandering and demand fair maps.
Longtime Daily Kos readers might remember Emily Cain, as she was a Daily Kos-backed candidate for Maine’s 2nd congressional district in 2014 and 2016—the swingy rural Maine district that Democrats currently hold, but was won by Donald Trump in both his presidential races. We’ll talk to Cain about Emily’s List 2022 recruitment efforts, our chances to hold Congress, the importance of women when it comes to winning, and the double standards that women candidates and elected officials (like Vice President Kamala Harris') face.
On this week's The Brief we replay our episode with Matt Hildreth, the Executive Director of RuralOrganizing.org, a national "boldly progressive and proudly rural" organization based in Columbus, Ohio, working locally and nationally to build a rural America that is empowered, thriving, and fair. And Daily Kos communications director, Carolyn Fiddler to discuss state legislatures and whether or not the Republican Party is salvageable.
Democrats have long considered the rural vote as completely unchangeable. Are we wrong about that? Are rural values aligned with those of the Democratic Party? How can we change our messaging to appeal to rural voters without losing our progressive ideals? J.D. Scholten and John Ray join us in conversation on how the fight for rural America is far from over.
Longtime Daily Kos readers might remember Emily Cain, as she was a Daily Kos-backed candidate for Maine’s 2nd congressional district in 2014 and 2016—the swingy rural Maine district that Democrats currently hold, but was won by Donald Trump in both his presidential races. We’ll talk to Cain about Emily’s List 2022 recruitment efforts, our chances to hold Congress, the importance of women when it comes to winning, and the double standards that women candidates and elected officials (like Vice President Kamala Harris) face.
Today, Markos and Kerry speak with polling guru Drew Linzer. Linzer is the Director of Civiqs, a nationally representative online survey panel for creating scientific, real-time public opinion research.
Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas and senior political writer Kerry Eleveld talk about everything from Arizona in 2022 to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and what is going in her mind with Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07). It also Daily Kos’ The Brief’ 25th episode!
Today we’re looking at the youth vote—how important it was in 2020, and how critical it will be in 2022 to have any chance of retaining control of both chambers of Congress. Our guest is Ben Wessel, the former executive director of NextGen America, an organization focused on youth voter turnout. His advice on how to keep young people engaged can’t be missed.
As the Republican Party turns even more autocratic with folks like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, what has the political press learned about covering this dangerous party? This week we’ll be talking about the media and its coverage of both the Biden administration, and of the ongoing threat to our democracy from the increasingly autocratic and undemocratic Republican Party. Our guest is Eric Boehlert, the founder and editor of PressRun.media. Show Notes: * https://twitter.com/EricBoehlert * https://pressrun.media/ * It's not Trump's "grip" on GOP that's driving its descent into madness
Republican attacks on transgender Americans and transgender youth, in particular, have skyrocketed in 2021. Roughly 150 anti-trans bills combined have been introduced in over 30 state legislatures this year, setting a new record for anti-trans legislation in a single session. Today on Daily Kos’ The Brief Kerry and Markos explore the personal, political, and legal implications of the GOP's latest attack on the LGBTQ community and trans youth, in particular, with Vivian Topping, director of advocacy and civic engagement at the Equality Federation, and Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights.
Remember when Republicans used to claim that America was “center-right”? They don’t claim that anymore. They don’t even pretend. At this point, they realize they’ve lost the battle for the hearts and minds of Americans, and are doing everything they can to undermine, and maybe even destroy, American democracy. We also talk with Amanda Litman of Run for Something, an organization that emerged during the first year of the Trump Resistance that has helped recruit, train, and support amazing young candidates.
It is the one-year anniversary of the George Floyd murder. That murder shook up the world, leading to protests around the globe. Yet today’s guest, Yale historian Dr. Elizabeth Hinton, writes in her new book, AMERICA ON FIRE: The Untold History of Police Violence and Black Rebellion Since the 1960s, that this is nothing new—that the Black rebellion against militarized police is decades old.
We spoke with Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II about the inspiring activism he has spent decades working on. Like many who have come before him, Rev. Dr. Barber believes that his faith and an honest accounting of one’s faith demands that we keep the fight up for the poor.
This week Markos and Kerry talk with Daily Kos Elections guru Jeff Singer. Singer knows every race, every district, and every potential in the historically important upcoming 2022 midterm elections. Incumbent parties tned to lose ground during midterms but we are living in interesting times and Jeff has some insight into what might be different this time around.
This week Markos and Kerry discuss President Joe Biden’s first 100 days in office. While most of us would not have not predicted it, Joe Biden’s presidency so far is considerably more progressive than former President Barack Obama. Kerry and Markos talk about what Biden has been able to do so far and more importantly the options he has to enact even more progressive change in the coming weeks and months. Markos and Kerry discuss the many reasons for this and also dig into the strange incoherence of the Republican Party and what that might mean in the upcoming midterm elections.
This week on Daily Kos’ The Brief we talk with Daily Kos staff writer Lauren Floyd. Lauren covered every day and hour of the Derek Chauvin trial, and talks about that experience as well as what happens now in regards to police reform and federal legislation. Organizer Maurice Mitchell, the National Director of the Working Families Party, joins to talk about the Black Lives Matter movement, and the need for organizers to continue to build broader and broader coalitions. Mitchell also gives his thoughts on the Democratic Party and what needs to to happen in for the Biden administration to avoid the midterm losses suffered during Obama’s presidency.
Remember all those lawsuits pre-2020 election making it easier to vote, whether by vote by mail, or increased early vote, or myriad other such measures? Remember after the election, the case after case after case that Republicans lost, leading to tweets like “Republicans are now 1-50 in election challenges”? The man behind those legal efforts was this week's guest, Mark Elias.
Today, we’re talking to two great Texas organizers from the Texas Organizing Project. Not only have they done amazing work helping flip formerly red counties around Austin, Dallas, and Houston to the Democrats, but their advocacy work has ensured that those Democratic victories have led to critically important local reforms. We’ll talk about those victories, and what needs to be done to flip Texas Democratic at the statewide level.
Do you feel helpless about the politics of gun control? Not only are the politics of the issue clearly trending in Democrats’ direction, a new generation of activists are reimagining how advocates and Democrats alike should approach the issue to create change. We’ll also dig into what the heck is going on with the sudden GOP war on Corporate America, and the corporations that ever so briefly took a stand against GOP seditionists before greenlighting donations once again in support of congressional Republicans.
Joining us today is California Rep. Ted Lieu discussing the model minority myth and where the Asian community goes from here. We also discuss his work on the American Rescue Plan, as well as his efforts to reform America’s broken bail system. Also joining is Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, who will talk about a topic near and dear to us: filibuster reform. We are dead in the water without eliminating the ability of Republicans to block most pieces of legislation over the next two years. Can we fix it?
We talk about court reform. What is the path forward for adding seats from the lower courts all the way up to the Supreme Court? Does the Supreme Court have any ethics? Literally! We also talk about DC Statehood, why we need it now for our democracy, and the chances that this can happen under the Biden administration. Markos Moulitsas and Carolyn Fiddler speak with Brian Fallon and Bo Shuff. Brian Fallon is the former Director of Public Affairs for the U.S. Department of Justice under President Barack Obama, top aide to Sen. Chuck Schumer, and National Press Secretary for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign He is the co-founder and executive director of Demand Justice a progressive organization working on court reform. Bo Shuff is the Executive Director of DC Vote, an organization dedicated to fighting for DC statehood.
Besides the predatory nature of modern student loans and the extraordinary financial burden they have put on Americans over the past couple of decades, many economists believe that wiping away the almost $2 trillion debt would have profound benefits for the U.S. economy. On this week’s episode of The Brief, co-hosts Cara Zelaya and Kerry Eleveld talk about America’s student debt crisis with activist Melissa Byrne and Mike Pierce, the policy director and managing counsel at the Student Borrower Protection Center (SBPC).
Mississippi. Yes, Mississippi. Today, on The Brief, we talk to Mike Espy, the Democratic candidate for Senate in the Magnolia State the last two cycles, about what it will take to bring his state into the Democratic fold. We also talk to Sarah Longwell a never-Trump Republican and publisher of The Bulwark, at thebulwark.com. She discusses what the possible futures are for the Republican Party, whether or not a third party is on the horizon, and what she hears from those voters who have left Trump but not the GOP.
On this week's The Brief wehave Matt Hildreth, the Executive Director of RuralOrganizing.org, a national "boldly progressive and proudly rural" organization based in Columbus, Ohio, working locally and nationally to build a rural America that is empowered, thriving, and fair. And Daily Kos communications director, Carolyn Fiddler to discuss state legislatures and whether or not the Republican Party is salvageable.
On today's episode of The Brief we speak with our first repeat guest, Elie Mystal of The Nation. Discussing what the end of the impeachment proceedings means, what the future of Trump's criminal proceedings will look like, and what the new legacy will be for the Post-Trump GOP.
On today's episode of The Brief we speak with historian Kathleen Frydl. Discussing what it would take for Biden to be the next FDR, the Republican party's dedication to whiteness, and what historically makes for a good progressive presidency. We also discuss with Daily Kos’ own Joan McCarter all about the Senate, how the present political climate figures into their agenda, and what the consequences of falling short could be for Democrats.
Today we'll be talking to Manhattan District Attorney candidate Eliza Orlins and Emerge America’s Jill Barkley Roy discussing women in politics, the new administration, and the changes we can expect when excellent candidates get a seat at the table.
On this episode of The Brief we spoke to Nse Ufot, CEO of Stacey Abrams’ New Georgia Project, the organization that helped register almost half a million new voters in the Peach State. We learned exactly how New Georgia Project helped save our democracy and what lessons we can apply to other changing states.
Welcome to The Brief! A weekly show about politics. Here we’ll discuss the issues that are driving the news as we fight for a more progressive America. Hosted by Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas and Senior Political writer Kerry Eleveld. Trump may not be president, but Trumpism isn’t defeated. So join us every Wednesday as we discuss the battles that lay ahead, and plot a course for a more just, kind, and progressive America.
In this episode we spoke to Chuck Todd, NBC News’ political director, moderator of Meet the Press, and host of MTP Daily on MSNBC.
We discussed how Donald Trump’s four years have changed the media landscape, and whether we can expect continued accountability for Republican lies and misinformation.
We also talked with Daily Kos’ own Dave Neiwert, one of the nation’s foremost authorities on white supremacist extremist militias because that’ll obviously be a concern for the foreseeable future.
Today we’re going to go deep into the Senate with the help of two amazing guests: U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii, and Adam Jentleson, former top aide to Harry Reid and author of his new book “Kill Switch: The Rise of the Modern Senate and the Crippling of American Democracy.”
We might have some things to talk about, like the brand new Democratic Senate majority in the wake of the Georgia runoff elections, the insurrection at the Capitol, the looming impeachment trial, and the fate of President-elect Joe Biden’s 100-day agenda with our narrow 50-50 majority and the destructive filibuster (which is the topic of Jentleson’s book).