175: Never-Trumpers Sarah Longwell and Tim Miller on the Presidential Debate
Bulwark Founder Sarah Longwell and former Republican operative and host of the Bulwark podcast Tim Miller are worried about a dangerous potential second term of Donald Trump. The first step for Joe Biden defeating Trump? Have a good showing in this week's coming debate. Tim has prepped Presidential candidates to face Trump and shares his insight. And what messages should President Biden hit on ...
37m Jun 23, 2024
37m
174: WaPo Op-Ed Columnist Catherine Rampell
One of the biggest issues in the coming election will be the economy. So how has President Biden done on that front? We talk to Catherine Rampell about Bidenomics and how the President should tout his economic record. His opponent, Donald Trump could be a disaster for the economy if his previous term is any indication. Catherine discusses what a second Trump term could look like and the difficu...
39m Jun 16, 2024
39m
173: In Remembrance of Howard Fineman
My friend Howard Fineman died this week. He had a long career as one of Washington's most respected political reporters and began his career at the Louisville Courier Journal. There, he was able to witness the rise of Mitch McConnell and learn what kind of politician he was. In this episode from 2019, we discuss what makes McConnell tick and Howard's career. May his memory be a blessing.
54m Jun 14, 2024
54m
172: Frank Foer of The Atlantic and David Rothkopf of The Daily Beast
The war in the Middle East continues, but is a ceasefire in sight? The Biden administration has an outline of a plan. Two of our leading foreign policy experts join us to discuss. Plus, now that Donald Trump is a convicted felon, what could that mean for this election? And how does the Biden administration sell the undeniable success of the economy to the American people? Read Frank's lates...
52m Jun 09, 2024
52m
171: Dan Balz - Washington Post Chief Correspondent and Former US Attorney Harry Litman
Donald Trump has been convicted on all 34 charges in his NYC hush money trial. What does that mean for his future? We get the latest from our legal expert Harry Litman. Plus, longtime political reporter Dan Balz from the Washington Post joins for a wide ranging political discussion! Will these convictions help or hurt Trump? We also discuss the state of the Presidential race and what President ...
53m Jun 02, 2024
53m
170: In Remembrance of My Friend Bill Walton
My friend, basketball legend Bill Walton died this week after a private battle with cancer, I wanted to share our interview with Bill from March of 2022, You will hear the unbounded life force of his generous spirit. RIP Bill.
41m May 28, 2024
41m
169: Harry Litman on the Trump Trial
Former U.S. Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Harry Litman joins to discuss the Trump hush money trial. Both sides have rested. Harry has been in the courtroom watching the trial. With closing arguments coming next week, we break down what has transpired and all the possible outcomes Trump could expect as his verdict looms.  Harry has been covering the trial for the Los Angeles...
38m May 26, 2024
38m
168: Comedian Trae Crowder – The Liberal Redneck
Trae Crowder, the viral Tennessean comedian joins to discuss his upbringing in a red state, why rednecks are Trumpies and what happens to a community when the jobs leave. Learn why he understands Trump's appeal to rednecks, and how and why they transitioned from not liking Trump to supporting his every move.
43m May 19, 2024
43m
167: Judd Legum on How Elon Musk is Helping Trump
In the two years since Elon Musk bought Twitter, he's turned irt into a leading source of right wing propaganda. He spreads hateful rhetoric, platforms white nationalists and engages with unfounded conspiracy theories. He lies about President Biden, promotes racist ideology and pushes his own commentary onto X users whether they follow him or not. All of this is working to do get Donald Trump e...
41m May 12, 2024
41m
166: Molly Jong Fast, Host of the Fast Politics Podcast
Molly Jong-Fast, special correspondent for Vanity Fair and host of the Fast Politics podcast joins us for a wide ranging conversation covering Congress, abortion, the protests happening around the country and the Presidential election. She also discusses the ongoing Trump hush money scandal happening in NYC. She says the trial is "over-delivering," which could mean a guilty verdict for Trump.  ...
46m May 05, 2024
46m
165: Ari Berman on His New Book, Minority Rule
The GOP is undermining democracy all over the country. The will of the people is being subverted for a loud and active minority. In his new book, guest Ari Berman explains how and where this is happening in America. And, more importantly, what we can do to fight back. 
54m Apr 28, 2024
54m
164: Melissa Murray & Andrew Weissmann on the “Hush Money Trial”
The first criminal trial for Donald Trump is underway. The hush money trial over Stormy Daniels might be the first, but it won't be the last. But will we see the other trials before the election? And what are the consequences if Trump is found guilty? We talk to The Bestselling Authors on The Trump Indictments Andrew Weissmann and Melissa Murray! 
44m Apr 21, 2024
44m
163: Battleground States: Wisconsin: Ben Wikler – Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair
The Republican Party has spent years undoing the will of the people in the state of Wisconsin. With gerrymandered voting maps, they've been able to lose the popular vote and still have a huge majority in the state legislature. But things are changing thanks to Ben Wikler and the Wisconsin Democratic Party! In our first Battleground State episode, Ben explains the work that is being done to pres...
36m Apr 14, 2024
36m
162: Democratic Strategists Rachel Bitecofer and Justin Barasky on Democratic Messaging
The 2024 election is less than 8 months away. How do Democrats defeat Trump? How do they retain the Senate? Our guests say that it all comes down to messaging. It's important to remind voters that on issues like abortion and the economy, the Democratic Party represents their interests.  Al is on tour! Come see his NEW standup https://www.alfranken.com/appearances
48m Apr 07, 2024
48m
161: Pulitzer Prize Winning Historian Anne Applebaum of The Atlantic
We begin our wide-ranging conversation by discussing the attack on a Moscow concert hall last week. What are the implications of that violence? And who is behind it? Then delve into the US's failure to fund the Ukrainian effort and the resulting loss of life. Will we help them? Or will Republicans continue to enable Putin? Anne also lays out the dangers of a second Trump term. With autocracy on...
43m Mar 31, 2024
43m
160: NPR's Senior Political Correspondent Domenico Montanaro
Domenico Mantanaro joins us to cover the political landscape! Trump trials, the general election, the Robert Hur report, and Congress. Plus, is Donald Trump taking over the RNC to help bail him out of his financial problems? And as a reporter, how does Domenico maintain objectivity vs neutrality?  See all of Domenico's reporting here!  https://www.npr.org/people/392602474/domenico-montanar...
51m Mar 24, 2024
51m
159: Tim Miller – New Host of The Bulwark Podcast
Former Republican operative Tim Miller joins the podcast to discuss a wide range of topics! We cover Biden's re-election strategy and react to his State of the Union speech. (Plus the GOP response from Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL), With Congress as dysfunctional as it is, is there any chance of funding the effort in Ukraine? And does Tim still find common ground with his old Republican Party? Se...
46m Mar 17, 2024
46m
158: Frank Foer – The End of the Golden Age of American Jews
While anti-Semitism has run rampant among the far right, it has been growing among the political left. In Frank Foer's recent piece for The Atlantic, he explains how we got to this point. How have college campuses and schools become the center for anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic speech? How did college presidents mishandle the hate speech on their campuses? And what is the future of American Jews...
57m Mar 10, 2024
57m
157: Mini Timmaraju, President & CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All
Reproductive rights are under attack all over the country and will be one of the most important issues in the election this November. Abortion bans and limits on reproductive help are extremely unpopular and could be bad news for the Republicans enacting them. This is a must listen for reproductive rights!
47m Mar 03, 2024
47m
156: Tim Alberta on Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism
The author of the profoundly disturbing book "The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory" explains how evangelicals have been turned into a political tool for the Republican Party. Alberta grew up in the evangelical wing of the Presbyterian Church and watched as they turned their back on him after he criticized Donald Trump. How did the evangelical church turn so far towards right wing politics? Wha...
58m Feb 25, 2024
58m
155: The Atlantic’s David Frum on GOP Dysfunction
David Frum from The Atlantic Monthly discusses the chaos that Donald Trump would bring if he were elected to a second term. From the border to foreign aid to Trump's attempt to pardon his crimes... Can we withstand another Trump term? Read more from David in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/david-frum/ Al is going on tour! See if he's coming to your town and grab ticket...
40m Feb 18, 2024
40m
154: Olivia Nuzzi - Washington Correspondent for New York Magazine
Tales from the Campaign Trail
38m Feb 11, 2024
38m
153: Dahlia Lithwick on the Trump Trials
Will the Jan. 6th Trial happen in time? Or will it just be the Stormy Daniels Case?
46m Feb 04, 2024
46m
152: Michael Steele
On MAGA
44m Jan 28, 2024
44m
151: Saturday Night Live Writer & Producer Jim Downey
Al & Jim On How They Tried to Reward the Audience for Knowing Stuff but Not Punish Them for Not
1hr 9m Jan 21, 2024
1hr 9m
150: Adam Serwer of The Atlantic on What Trump Would Do the The Courts in a Second Term
The Federalist Society’s Got the Worst Ones All Lined Up
41m Jan 14, 2024
41m
149: Heather Cox Richardson on Her Book Democracy Awakening
Heather says that Trumpers have bought into an alternative reality and that we are, at this moment, on a knife’s edge. She’s an historian and not a clairvoyant. But she’s also an activist, doing all she can to spread the word through historical analysis. Beat that, Trump!
58m Jan 07, 2024
58m
147: Best Of: Patton Oswalt is Great!
Really great!
55m Dec 31, 2023
55m
148: Best Of: Jim Gaffigan, The Master!
Jim talks about comedy and his decision to come out against Trump. 
59m Dec 24, 2023
59m
146: Year in Review: Molly Jong-Fast & Mark Leibovich Look Back at the Year in Politics
A Tour of the Big Political Events of 2023
46m Dec 17, 2023
46m
145: Year in Review: Anne Applebaum & Frank Foer on Foreign Affairs
A tour of Ukraine, Russia, China, Israel, and Gaza
47m Dec 10, 2023
47m
144: In Remembrance of My Friend Norman Lear
My friend Norman Lear passed on this week at 101. A great man, who created legendary TV
46m Dec 06, 2023
46m
143: Year in Review: Joyce Vance and Barbara McQuade Review ALL the Cases Against Trump
Where they’ve been and where they’re going
45m Dec 03, 2023
45m
142: Ian Bassin On The Steps Trump Would Take to Unravel Our Democracy
Protect Democracy's Executive Director on Our Nightmare
47m Nov 26, 2023
47m
141: David Fahrenthold on The Trump Organization’s Long History of Corruption
The New York Times Reporter Puts the Current Trial Into Perspective
28m Nov 19, 2023
28m
140: David Axelrod
On the 2024 Election!
43m Nov 12, 2023
43m
139: Norm Ornstein on the Israel-Hamas War
Israel’s No-Win Situation
37m Nov 05, 2023
37m
138: WaPo Columnist Dana Milbank on the Super-MAGA House
How A Far-Right Zealot Got to be 2 nd in Line for POTUS
31m Oct 29, 2023
31m
137: Aaron David Miller on the Israel-Hamas War
An Analysis from the Middle East Scholar
42m Oct 22, 2023
42m
136: BEST OF! QAnon – Weirder Than You Know!!! Author Will Sommer
And 15% of Americans Believe this Stuff!
53m Oct 15, 2023
53m
135: Climatologist Michael Mann on How to Talk to Climate Deniers
The Climate Has Always Changed – Just Not This Fast!!!
50m Oct 08, 2023
50m
134: Norm Ornstein on the Shutdown
And what it says about our politics
52m Oct 01, 2023
52m
133: Harry Litman and George Conway!
The Trump trials and the ug-ug-ugly Garland hearings
48m Sep 24, 2023
48m
132: Anne Applebaum on the War in Ukraine
The Atlantic writer on where it stands and where it’s going.
47m Sep 17, 2023
47m
131: Franklin Foer’s New Book on Biden: The Last Politician
The Atlantic Writer on Biden’s Presidency (So Far)
48m Sep 10, 2023
48m
130: The Case for Universal Voting. Like in Australia!
WaPo’s E.J. Dionne & Harvard’s Miles Rapoport on making everyone vote!
44m Sep 03, 2023
44m
129: Molly Jong-Fast and Mark Leibovich on the GOP Debate
The Highlights and Lowlights
38m Aug 27, 2023
38m
128: Tim Miller and Charlie Cook on the First GOP Debate
The bloodbath in Milwaukee!!
51m Aug 20, 2023
51m
127: Stuart Stevens is Ashamed
Of his party and himself
49m Aug 13, 2023
49m
126: Neal Katyal on Jack Smith’s Very Smart Case
And Donald J. Tump’s Very Weak One
36m Aug 06, 2023
36m