Supreme Courting The Voters with Dan Pfeiffer
President Biden reaffirmed his commitment to nominating a Black woman to the Supreme Court yesterday, and said that he would announce his choice by the end of February. Plus, Justice Stephen Breyer formally announced his retirement. We were joined by Dan Pfeiffer, former White House Communications Director during the Obama administration and one of the hosts of Pod Save America, to discuss the ...
22m Jan 28, 2022
22m
Don’t Breyer Because It’s Over, Smile Because It Happened
The 83-year-old Justice Stephen Breyer intends to retire at the end of this Supreme Court term in June, according to multiple reports yesterday. The oldest justice on the court, Breyer has been under enormous pressure to retire while Democrats have the slimmest control of the Senate. Leah Litman, a law professor at the University of Michigan and co-host of the podcast Strict Scrutiny, joins us ...
17m Jan 27, 2022
17m
All Eyes On Ukraine with Ben Rhodes
Russia conducted a series of military drills yesterday while Ukraine received a shipment of weapons including antitank missiles from the U.S. These were some of the latest turns since diplomatic negotiations between the U.S. and Russia have faltered and now both are accusing the other of ratcheting up tensions. Ben Rhodes, a former deputy national security adviser in the Obama administration an...
20m Jan 26, 2022
20m
Could A Conservative Court End Affirmative Action?
The Supreme Court announced yesterday that it will hear cases on the right of universities to consider race in admissions. The court has historically ruled that universities have a limited right to consider an applicant’s race during the admission process, but the court’s conservative majority could upend decades of precedent. Lawyer and journalist Jay Willis joins us to discuss what we can exp...
17m Jan 25, 2022
17m
The Palin New York Times
New U.S. cases of COVID are down slightly from the peak brought on by the Omicron variant. Average daily cases are closer to 700,000 than 800,000, which is where they were earlier in the month, and hospitalizations are at a record high but have started to level off. We look at the numbers and discuss new data on the efficacy of booster vaccine doses. The Sarah Palin v. The New York Times libel...
16m Jan 24, 2022
16m
You Can't Spell Ivanka Without Subpoena
A number of inquiries into former President Trump’s interference in the 2020 election are advancing. Yesterday, the House committee investigating last year’s insurrection asked Ivanka Trump to testify. Meanwhile, a Georgia District Attorney asked a judge to convene a special grand jury in a separate, ongoing criminal investigation into the former president.  Famed fashion journalist and editor...
21m Jan 21, 2022
21m
Biden Looks Back At It
Today is the first anniversary of President Biden taking office. Yesterday, he held his first formal news conference in months to discuss his administration’s accomplishments and progress over the past year. We share our biggest takeaways from the speech that covered COVID to Congress to Afghanistan, and more.  Verizon and AT&T agreed to turn on nationwide 5G service yesterday, except near air...
19m Jan 20, 2022
19m
The Kyiv To Diplomacy
Tensions between the U.S. and Russia are rising after last week’s summit in Geneva ended with no resolution between the two countries over Ukraine. We hear an excerpt of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s exclusive interview with Pod Save The World just hours before he went overseas yesterday to meet with Ukraine’s president and Russia’s foreign minister. Tomorrow, jury selection is expected ...
17m Jan 19, 2022
17m
The Anti-Capitalist Legacy Of MLK Jr.
Yesterday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In addition to fighting racial inequality, working to pass major civil rights laws, and more, Martin Luther King Jr. was also well known for critiquing capitalism and how it disenfranchises the working class. Andrew Douglas and Jared Loggins, authors of the book, “Prophet of Discontent: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Critique of Racial Capitalism,” join...
17m Jan 18, 2022
17m
Vaccine Mandate, We Hardly Knew Ye
The Supreme Court yesterday blocked the Biden administration’s attempt to enforce a vaccine or testing mandate for private employers. Meanwhile, Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin said that they, again, will not support changing the filibuster rules to pass new voting rights measures.  More than 8,000 grocery store workers in Colorado have begun a strike against their employer, the Kroger-...
21m Jan 14, 2022
21m
An Awards Season Unlike Any Other with Rebecca Keegan
Hollywood is going through some massive changes. The Golden Globes, usually the start of awards show season, was a non-event when it took place earlier this week because of problems that face the organization that puts it on, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Plus, theatres continue to struggle to lure back moviegoers except with big tentpole films. The Hollywood Reporter’s Senior Film E...
16m Jan 13, 2022
16m
Voting Rights Now, Not Later with LaTosha Brown
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Atlanta, Georgia yesterday to make a stand for voting rights. Absent from the audience to Biden’s speech were several Georgia voting rights groups that refused to attend. Black Voters Matter co-founder LaTosha Brown joins us to discuss why activists like her sat this one out and what they’re concerned about ahead of this year’s mi...
22m Jan 12, 2022
22m
The Prognosis For Elizabeth Holmes And Silicon Valley
Former Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud investors, last week. U.S. prosecutors declared the high-profile verdict a win, despite her not being found guilty on a number of other charges. New York Times reporter Erin Griffith joins us to discuss what’s next in the sentencing, and the case’s implications for Silicon Valley. And in headlines: Sever...
14m Jan 11, 2022
14m
The Test Is In The Mail
President Biden announced last month that his administration purchased 500 million at-home Covid-19 tests that Americans will be able to order for free. That pledge came while the country was dealing with Omicron, which has only continued to fuel an explosive growth in cases. We answer some of the questions of when and where those tests will become available. The U.S. meets with Russia today i...
20m Jan 10, 2022
20m
Biden Looks For Mr. Voting Rights Now
Voting rights have gone back to being the White House’s top priority, but Congress is struggling to pass protections because Senate Democrats must contend with a potential Republican filibuster.  Today, the Supreme Court will hear two challenges to the White House’s vaccine mandate for private employers and healthcare facilities. The federal rule was supposed to take effect January 4 but the O...
20m Jan 07, 2022
20m
365 Days Since Last Insurrection with Rep. Mondaire Jones
Today marks a year since the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol where supporters of former President Donald Trump tried to violently overturn the 2020 election. Among the Congressmembers who saw all of this unfold is New York Rep. Mondaire Jones. He joins us to discuss the work the House committee is doing to investigate that day, what more needs to be done and what the future of our democracy lo...
18m Jan 06, 2022
18m
New Year, Same Omicron with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed
The Omicron variant has absolutely exploded in the US in the last few weeks. On Monday alone, the U.S. reported an astonishing record 1.08 million cases, and the CDC estimates that Omicron is responsible for about 95 percent of known infections through January 1st. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed of “America Dissected” joins us again to discuss everything from testing to schools to the CDC’s quarantine reco...
26m Jan 05, 2022
26m
I'm Feeling 2022
2021 is done, and we are excited to tell you all about what you need to know throughout 2022. In our first episode of the year, we talk about the big story our hosts will be keeping an eye on this year.  Stories include: the ever-evolving pandemic, the upcoming midterm elections, the future of the criminal justice system, and the political landscape of trans rights in America. Follow us on In...
17m Jan 04, 2022
17m
WAD We Covered In 2021
The year is coming to a close, so we look back at the stories we thought were the biggest and most memorable of 2021.  We talk about the historic visibility of trans and nonbinary people, the brouhaha over critical race theory, the divisive anti-vaccine movement, and the effort to unionize workers across the country. Show Notes: This is our last What A Day of 2021. We’ll be back with new epi...
27m Dec 17, 2021
27m
I'm Not Dreaming Of A COVID Christmas with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed
As we jump head first into the holiday season, COVID-19 news has been overwhelming. Britain logged its highest number of daily COVID cases ever, attributed to a steep rise in confirmed Omicron cases, and organizations in the U.S. are changing their COVID-19 policies. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed joins us to give us a sense of how we should view this moment.  And in headlines: The monthly child tax credi...
18m Dec 16, 2021
18m
The Human Cost Of Military Pollution In Hawai'i with Kai Kahele
Tens of thousands of military families in O’ahu have been living without clean water for weeks after their water well was contaminated with petroleum. Many people got severely ill and some were even hospitalized for skin rashes, chemical burns, and vomiting. Hawai’i Congressman Kai Kahele joins us to discuss the gravity of the situation and how we got here.  And in headlines: the Senate voted ...
22m Dec 15, 2021
22m
A Settlement For Victims Of Larry Nassar
We’ve reached another grim benchmark since the pandemic began almost two years ago. According to the New York Times database, the U.S. has reached 50 million known cases of COVID-19. The country is also on the cusp of passing or has already passed 800,000 deaths, with the last 100,000 happening at a relatively quick pace. USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee agreed to a...
16m Dec 14, 2021
16m
Venti Vidi Vici
At least 100 people have died after tornadoes ripped through at least six states on Friday night. Search and rescue efforts continued throughout the weekend in Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.  On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled that health providers could sue to block a law like Texas’s abortion ban, which allows private citizens to file a lawsuit against any...
19m Dec 13, 2021
19m
Last Call For Congress
Today is the last day that Congress is scheduled to be in session for 2021. Just yesterday, the Senate voted and paved the way for Democrats to raise the debt limit so the country doesn’t default on its loans. Crooked Media’s Editor in Chief Brian Beutler joins us to catch us up on what our lawmakers have been up to all year. And in headlines: workers at a Starbucks store in Buffalo, New York,...
18m Dec 10, 2021
18m
A New Surge In Labor Organizing with Marty Walsh
Today, votes will be counted in the effort to unionize three Starbucks stores in Buffalo, New York, with the result expected this afternoon. If that vote is successful, they would be the first unionized Starbucks in the country. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh joins us again to discuss labor movements like this one and what’s driving them. And in headlines: Pfizer said its vaccine booster shot can...
13m Dec 09, 2021
13m
The Gerrymandering Went Down In Georgia with Bee Nguyen
Redistricting efforts are underway across the country, but it's become a contentious process. The Department of Justice, for example, filed a lawsuit against the newly drawn maps in Texas on Monday, arguing that the maps discriminate against voters of color. Today, we zero in on what redistricting efforts look like in Georgia, a battleground state that Republicans want to control . Democratic ...
21m Dec 08, 2021
21m
Lock Me Out Of The Ballgame
The US Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit against Texas over the state's recently updated redistricting maps. The DOJ claims that Texas's maps are unconstitutional and a violation of the Voting Rights Act because they unfairly dilute minority voting power.  MLB locked out all of its players last week after a five-year collective bargaining agreement between owners and players expire...
17m Dec 07, 2021
17m
It Goes Omicron And On
Omicron cases were found in at least 17 U.S. states and they aren’t all due to travel to southern Africa. Public health officials and experts say that the variant was possibly circulating in the U.S. prior to its initial discovery across the globe, but it’s too early to tell if it causes more severe disease.  Descendants of Black revolutionary leader Marcus Garvey have requested that President...
17m Dec 06, 2021
17m
"Remain In Mexico" Returns
More cases of the omicron variant have been identified in the U.S., and the Biden administration announced a new plan to make at-home rapid tests covered by private health insurance, launch family vaccination clinics, extend the federal mask mandate on public transportation, and more. Mexico agreed to allow the U.S. to restart the controversial “Remain in Mexico” asylum policy that was put int...
20m Dec 03, 2021
20m
Supply Chain Reaction with Labor Secretary Marty Walsh
The Supreme Court heard a case yesterday that could ultimately reverse the constitutional right to an abortion. And it looks like the justices were leaning towards upholding a Mississippi law that bars abortion after 15 weeks. The first confirmed case of the omicron variant has been identified in the U.S. President Biden urged people to not panic and encouraged more vaccinations and boosters. ...
20m Dec 02, 2021
20m
A SCOTUS Case That Could Overturn Roe
Today, the Supreme Court hears what is likely the most consequential reproductive health case in decades. The case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, will decide whether or not Mississippi can prohibit abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. And the worst case scenario is that the high court uses the case to completely overturn Roe v. Wade. We lay out what listeners should watch...
19m Dec 01, 2021
19m
A Variant: Age Of Omicron
Over the last 24 hours, world leaders and health officials had more to say about the Omicron variant, even as we wait for more scientific information to come out. The World Health Organization said in part that Omicron poses a “very high” global risk, and multiple countries have imposed controversial travel restrictions. President Biden made his first remarks about Omicron yesterday and emphasi...
14m Nov 30, 2021
14m
Omicron The Road Again with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed
Scientists in South Africa announced on Thursday that they detected a new variant of the coronavirus: Omicron. Cases caused by the variant have been identified in almost a dozen countries, but not yet in the U.S. Epidemiologist and host of “America Dissected” Dr. Abdul El-Sayed gives us a better sense of what we know and the much bigger amount of things we don’t.  And in headlines: Ghislaine M...
19m Nov 29, 2021
19m
Giving Thanks For Antibodies with Dr. Ashish Jha
Thanksgiving is almost here in the U.S., where COVID cases are up by more than 20 percent compared to last month. Dr. Ashish Jha, the Dean of Brown’s School of Public Health, helps us understand how we should compare these stats to last year, and what we can expect as we head into the holiday season. And in headlines: Kevin Strickland was exonerated after 43 years in prison, a jury holds three...
22m Nov 24, 2021
22m
Tragedy At A Wisconsin Christmas Parade
Attorneys presented closing arguments in the trial of the three Georgia men charged with murdering Ahmaud Arbery, yesterday. Now, we wait for the jury to decide whether they’ll be convicted. On Sunday night, a man plowed his vehicle into a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin. At least five people died and several others were injured in the incident. Police are charging the suspect with fiv...
16m Nov 23, 2021
16m
Reckoning With The Rittenhouse Verdict
After four days of deliberation, a Wisconsin jury found Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty on all counts on Friday. As a defendant, Rittenhouse had a strong case under the law, but over the weekend, people expressed their discontent with the verdict. We discuss the result in the broader context of the criminal justice system and its bearing on issues of race in America. And in headlines: protesters t...
16m Nov 22, 2021
16m
Legislating Environmental Justice with EPA's Michael Regan
House Democrats are on the verge of passing President Biden's Build Back Better bill, and once they do, it will head to the Senate. The $1.9 trillion social spending bill is a key part of Biden’s agenda. Both that legislation and the recently passed infrastructure bill have provisions to address climate change. And all this week, EPA administrator Michael Regan has been touring the country to ...
22m Nov 19, 2021
22m
Trans Rights, Representation, and Remembrance With Kate Sosin
This week is Trans Awareness Week, leading up to the Trans Day of Remembrance on Saturday. This year is particularly important because 2021 is the deadliest year on record for trans and nonbinary people in the U.S., according to the Human Rights Campaign. Kate Sosin, the LGBTQ+ Reporter for the non-profit news organization, The 19th, joins us to discuss the rights and safety of trans people in ...
19m Nov 18, 2021
19m
The Promised Cleveland with Mayor-Elect Justin Bibb
Mayor-elect of Cleveland, Justin Bibb, comes on the show to discuss his win and what he hopes to achieve in his first 100 days. The 34-year-old had never run for political office before but during the race, he prioritized public safety and policing among other issues, which proved to be successful.  And in headlines: Pfizer asked the FDA for authorization of its COVID treatment pill, current a...
19m Nov 17, 2021
19m
Minding The Map In Georgia
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees voted to ratify new film and TV contracts after months of negotiations. The results were announced yesterday, and it establishes three year contracts for the union’s over 60,000 impacted members.  Yesterday, Georgia’s Republican-led state House approved the bill that would redraw state assembly maps, and the state Senate voted it through...
17m Nov 16, 2021
17m
Freed Britney with Ashley Fetters Maloy
Britney Spears is finally free. Last Friday, a Los Angeles judge ended her 13 year conservatorship where her father, Jamie, oversaw many aspects of her life. Washington Post’s Ashley Fetters Maloy, who has been covering the court hearings, joins us about what this means for others who are fighting their own conservatorships. And in headlines: President Biden signs the bipartisan infrastructure...
17m Nov 15, 2021
17m
The Read On Redistricting
The 2020 Census data and the redistricting that comes after will have big implications for who gets represented and who gets to stay in power for the next decade. The debate over redrawing maps is currently being worked out in key states such as Florida, South Carolina, and Maryland. Michael Li, senior counsel for the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program, joins us. And in headlines: nearly one m...
20m Nov 12, 2021
20m
Inflation Nation
A new report by the Labor Department shows that inflation continued to spike last month. Consumer prices jumped 6.2 percent between October of this year and last year. That’s the fastest pace since 1990. We also dive into the supply chain issues and labor shortage felt in everyday life.  And in headlines: Kyle Rittenhouse took the stand yesterday, victims of the lead water crisis in the Flint,...
15m Nov 11, 2021
15m
COP26 Rock with Ben Rhodes
The UN Climate Summit in Glasgow, aka COP26, brought together leaders from all over the world to combat climate change, and it wraps up in a few days. Ben Rhodes, the host of Crooked Media’s “Pod Save The World,” is in Glasgow right now with former President Obama. He joins us to break down the biggest takeaways from the summit. And in headlines: Moderna filed an application to patent the tech...
18m Nov 10, 2021
18m
With A Court This Right, What Could Go Wrong?
The U.S. ended a year and a half-long pandemic travel ban, reopening borders to vaccinated travelers from 33 countries. Yesterday was an emotional day as families around the world were finally able to reunite after being apart. We take a step back and discuss the Supreme Court during the middle of its term. Jay Willis, who runs the legal site Balls and Strikes, breaks down how these justices a...
21m Nov 09, 2021
21m
Vaccines, Family Style with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed
The Biden administration set a January 4th deadline for companies with 100 or more employees to have their workforce fully vaccinated, or start weekly testing. And this past week, the CDC signed off on Pfizer’s COVID vaccine for children ages 5-11. That means an estimated 28 million kids are eligible. Epidemiologist and host of “America Dissected,” Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, joins us to unpack the lat...
22m Nov 05, 2021
22m
Voters Reject Police Overhaul In Minneapolis
We discuss more election results and analyze where Democrats and progressives stand now. Some highlights include Michelle Wu becoming the first woman and first person of color as Boston’s mayor. Some lowlights include Republican businessman Glenn Youngkin defeating Democrat Terry McAuliffe for Virginia’s next governor.  Voters in Minneapolis also rejected a proposal that would have replaced th...
17m Nov 04, 2021
17m
Local Elections That Impact Criminal Justice
Election day has come and gone with several important contests on the line. In New York, Eric Adams triumphed to become the city’s next mayor. And in Minneapolis, voters struck down a ballot measure that would’ve transformed the city’s police department. We also explain that there are a number of elected positions that have an enormous impact on your local community. We focus on three of them,...
16m Nov 03, 2021
16m
The Stakes Of Election Day 2021
It’s election day, again! We are following major gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey, mayoral contests in Cleveland, Buffalo, Atlanta and Boston, as well as ballot measures, city council, and more. Amanda Litman, co-founder and co-executive director of Run for Something, joins us to break everything down. And in headlines: the COP26 UN Climate Conference began in Glasgow, Scotland, ...
19m Nov 02, 2021
19m
Hasta Barista Baby
President Biden and other leaders formally endorsed a new global corporate minimum tax at the G20 Summit in Rome. Under this agreement, corporations trying to avoid taxes by moving their profits to low-tax countries will now be forced to pay the difference. The world leaders also made several pledges on the environment ahead of a UN Climate Summit that began in Scotland. Employees at several S...
16m Nov 01, 2021
16m