Hacks On Tap - podcast cover

Hacks On Tap

Hacks On Tapwww.hacksontap.com
{"_":"When David Axelrod and Mike Murphy get together to talk politics, it’s not academic. They speak from the perspective gained through hundreds of campaigns for offices from City Hall to the White House. So if you want to know what’s really going on behind the scenes, where strategic decisions are being made, pull up a stool for Hacks on Tap. Incisive, sometimes uproarious and always entertaining, these political warhorses and their guests will give you insights you’ll only get from folks who have spent a lifetime in the political trenches of both parties. \n","$":{"audioboom:html":"1"}}
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Episodes

The Angry Trump (with Chris Christie)

This week, Axe and Murphy were joined by former New Jersey governor and recent GOP presidential hopeful, Chris Christie! The Hacks draw on Christie’s experience preparing Trump for past debates to discuss his mindset heading into the Biden debate, his legal saga and fear of jail, Nikki Haley’s endorsement, being the adult in the room, leaf blowers, surrogates, and much more.

May 28, 20241 hr 11 min

Wetting the Bed (with Howard Wolfson)

This week, Axe and Murphy are joined by the legendary Hack and master strategist, Howard Wolfson. The Hacks delve into Trump's legal troubles: where are they headed, and do voters care? They compare the Biden and Trump campaign financing reports, preview the June presidential debate, discuss foreign policy issues, and reveal Mike Murphy's pop culture presence.

May 21, 20241 hr 8 min

W.T.F., Man? (With John Heilemann)

This week, Axe and Gibbs were joined by one of our esteemed Hackeroos, a favorite among all-stars, none other than John Heilemann. Together, they delve into various topics, including the rotating cast of characters in court with Donald Trump, the latest poll findings from the New York Times, economic trends and the rising cost of living, as well as the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, plus so much more!

May 14, 20241 hr 9 min

Floors & Ceilings (with Doug Sosnik)

This week Axe and Murphy were joined by an expert Hackeroo, Doug Sosnik, former Senior Advisor to President Bill Clinton. the Hacks discuss Trump’s legal antics, Big Campaign Energy (BCE), puppy slayers, the race for GOP VP, RFK’s unbaked cake, escape valves, capitalism, and so much more.

May 07, 20241 hr 11 min

Tired, Sleepy & Gassy (with Paul Begala)

This week Murphy and Gibbs were joined by the great Paul Begala, CNN contributor and former counselor to President Bill Clinton. The Hacks discuss the White House Correspondents Dinner, Trump’s ongoing legal issues, CNN’s newest poll, unconventional media opportunities, shooting puppies(???), and so much more!

Apr 30, 20241 hr 2 min

Bubbling Over (with Scott Jennings)

This week, Axe and Murphy were joined by Scott Jennings, a GOP strategist, conservative columnist, and CNN commentator. The Hacks discuss Johnson’s Speakership and the battle to pass aid packages, star GOP recruits, foreign wars, campus free speech, Biden’s messaging, and Trump’s trials.

Apr 23, 20241 hr 5 min

Bad Options (with Whit Ayers and Jonathan Martin)

This week finds Gibbs flying solo as Axe and Murphy are, shall we say, on the run. Nevertheless, the show must go on, and Gibbs is joined by two esteemed guests: GOP pollster Whit Ayers and Jonathan Martin, renowned author of “This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden and the Battle for America’s Future". Together, they embark on a deep dive into the week's tumultuous news cycle, examining everything from the latest New York Times poll to Trump’s hush money jury selection, the challenges and opportunitie...

Apr 16, 20241 hr 2 min

Mixed Messages (with Sasha Issenberg)

This week, Axe and Murphy were joined by the distinguished Hack and renowned lie detective, Sasha Issenberg. Together, they delve into Trump's contradictory stance on abortion and his intriguing status as a Florida voter. The Hacks also dissect Biden's endeavors for student loan forgiveness, the evolving landscape of TikTok, the complexities of foreign policy, ongoing conflicts, the impact of social media, the rise of deep fakes, the lunar eclipse, and oh so much more!

Apr 09, 202458 min

Gas & Eggs (with John Heilemann)

This week Axe & Murphy were joined by a fan favorite Hackeroo, the great John Heilemann. The guys discussed Biden’s three presidents event, Trump’s holiday messaging, campaign financing, margins of error, debates, gag orders, hush money, porn stars, and so much more!

Apr 02, 202456 min

Bizarroland (with Bakari Sellers)

The week Axe and Murphy were joined by Bakari Sellers, a former South Carolina State Rep, current attorney, and political commentator—making his debut appearance on Hacks on Tap! The Hacks discussed the propitious time we find ourselves in (bet you can’t guess who chose that word), Trump as a Showman, recent polls and their contextual significance, one-party rule, running against the couch, as well as knives, forks, and geometry. And, of course, so much more!

Mar 26, 20241 hr 2 min

Nostalgia for Normalcy (with Maggie Haberman)

This week Gibbs and Murphy were joined by the scoop-master Hackeroo extraordinaire Maggie Haberman, who is the Senior Political Correspondent for the New York Times and author of “Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America”. The Hacks discuss Trump’s colorful rally in Dayton, the Ohio Senate race, Biden’s messaging problems and opportunities, and so much more. Tune in for the brilliant analysis, listen all the way through for all of Murphy’s insider gossip.

Mar 19, 202459 min

Dingbats with Chainsaws (with Amy Walter)

This week, Axe and Murphy were joined by the immortal and excellent Amy Walter, publisher, and editor-in-chief of The Cook Report with Amy Walter. The Hacks discuss Biden’s State of the Union speech and Katie Britt’s rebuttal. The guys also delve into discuss the state of the race, new campaign ads, the Trump Lobotomy Academy, guys in suits yelling at each other, loyalty purges and fun house mirrors.

Mar 13, 202459 min

Sore Bruiser (with Jen Psaki and Scott Jennings)

This week, Murray and Gibbs took off on vacation, their absence becoming our gain, as Axe welcomed two powerhouse Hackeroos, along with familiar faces Jen Psaki and Scott Jennings. The Hacks delve into the aftermath of Super Tuesday, Haley's exit and its impact on the race, the art of acceptance speeches, effective messaging strategies, weird-ass campaigns, the ever-relevant sore loser rule, and the delicate dance of punching down. Plus, they peer into their crystal ball to speculate on what Bid...

Mar 06, 202457 min

Politicianing (with Sarah Longwell)

This week, Axe and Gibbs had the pleasure of welcoming the illustrious Superstar Hackeroo and cherished friend of the pod, Sarah Longwell, who is the host of The Focus Group Podcast and publisher of The Bulwark. Together, the Hacks embark on a riveting exploration of the convoluted narratives surrounding the South Carolina primary, the tumultuous state of the GOP, the enigmatic campaign landscape in Michigan, Biden's political quagmires, Trumped-up allegations, and so much more!

Feb 27, 20241 hr 2 min

Main Character Energy (with Steve Israel)

This week Axe and Murphy were joined by former congressman and savant Steve Israel. The Hacks dissect the adventures of the world's most 'useful idiot' on his escapade to Russia, explore the sneaker culture at Sneaker Con (pun intended), draw insights from the NY-03 race and the Suozzi blueprint, delve into the realm of kitchen table issues, speculate on potential State of the Union topics, savor some nerd food, marvel at Tim Scott's miraculous flexibility in flipping his moral stances faster th...

Feb 20, 202457 min

Riding the Dragon (with Kasie Hunt)

This week Axe and Murphy were joined by CNN Anchor and Chief National Affairs Analyst, the brilliant Kasie Hunt! The Hacks discuss Biden’s age, his tumultuous press conference last week, falling into the orchestra pit, the new Michigan, immigration bill negotiations, Trump’s geopolitical antics, and so much more!

Feb 14, 20241 hr 1 min

Cynicism on Steroids (with Jonathan Martin)

This week, Gibbs and Murphy were graced with the presence of Jonathan Martin, the senior political columnist for Politico and a Sublime Hackeroo. The trio delves into Nevada (pronunciation to be disputed), Nikki, four-digit numbers, Biden’s surrogate campaign, robot campaigns, five-alarm fires, desk chairs on the Titanic, Schoolhouse Rock, calculating double crazy, everything primary, everything polling, everything everywhere, all at once, and also so much more.

Feb 07, 20241 hr 1 min

Under His Skin

This week the Axe and Murphy were joined by Jonathan Karl, ABC News’s chief Washington correspondent and co-anchor of This Week with George Stephanopoulos. The Hacks delve into the intricacies of Nikki Haley's campaign, Trump's unpredictable nature, the unique dynamics of campaigning from courthouses, the importance of reasonableness, chess with irate chimpanzees, bone spurs, bingo bango bongo, and so much more.

Jan 31, 202459 min

It’s Not Over…?

This week, the Hacks gathered to delve into the results and implications of the New Hampshire primary, decoding their significance for the upcoming 2024 political landscape. In his usual fashion, Trump pivots his ire towards Nikki Haley. Biden’s campaign begins stepping up its game, preparing for another battle with Trump. And, most importantly, our beloved Mike Murphy has a special announcement!

Jan 25, 202453 min

The Shiniest Silver Medal

Axe, Murphy, and Gibbs convene to discuss the aftermath of the Iowa Caucus. Murphy, our boots-on-the-ground maestro, serves up firsthand accounts from the caucus battlegrounds. While Axe and Gibbs dissect Biden’s messaging problem. The Hacks also discuss crow burgers, building momentum, the romance of politics, what’s cooking in the other early states, dancing bears, tiny knives, and cracked crystal balls. The Hacks also walk the political prediction plank when discussing New Hampshire.

Jan 16, 202451 min

Post Debate Hacknalysis (Another One!)

This week our trio of seasoned hacks dives headfirst into the CNN debate, mourns Chris Christie's campaign exit, and anticipates the Iowa Caucus outcomes. The gloves are off as Nikki Haley and DeSantis enter a political brawl, while Trump's town hall takes center stage. Our hacks offer sharp insights on Iowa's weather, candidates' dance moves, and the political intricacies of the great states of Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. Tune in for a whirlwind tour of the week's political rollerc...

Jan 12, 202455 min

The Trumpire Strikes Back (with Kristen Soltis Anderson)

In the run-up to the Iowa Caucus, Axe and Murphy were joined by expert Republican pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson. The Hacks dive into polling, discuss Nikki Haley’s blunder, the battle for second in Iowa, the promise of New Hampshire, blimps, blemishes, ugly zippers, and large orange marbles.

Jan 03, 202454 min

Dictator for a Day

Axe, Gibbs, and Murphy convened for their final episode of the year! The Hacks discuss recent polling, the upcoming Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire Primary, the one man Biden campaign, singing off a song sheet, Hunter Biden’s legal troubles, and the battle to be the new lion. Plus, the guys make their 2024 predictions.

Dec 13, 20231 hr 6 min

Post Debate Hacknalysis

We’ve kept you waiting long enough - here is the post debate Hacknalysis with your pals David Axelrod and Robert Gibbs.

Dec 07, 202341 min

Eyes on Iowa (with Adam Nagourney)

This week Axe and Murphy were joined by ink stained Hack, Adam Nagourney. Adam is a political reporter for the New York Times and author of “The Times: How the Newspaper of Record Survived Scandal, Scorn, and the Transformation of Journalism”. The Hacks discuss the upcoming Iowa caucus, the battle brewing between Haley and DeSantis, the cost of Thanksgiving, messages from presidents past, eating crow, and slicing the salami a little too thin. Plus, Murphy dabbles in ventriloquism.

Nov 29, 20231 hr

Hacksgiving

Axe and Murphy have a special Hacksgiving message for you!

Nov 21, 202337 min

The Circus Show (with Mark McKinnon and John Heilemann)

This week the Circus comes to town, literally, as the guys are joined by Mark McKinnon and John Heilemann, who created Showtime’s beloved show “The Circus.” The Hacks clown around while juggling a variety of topics, ranging from Biden’s acrobatics around recent poll numbers, Joe Manchin’s disappearing act, the elephants walking on a tight rope (and dropping off it), and Trump’s hare pulling. Tune in for even more puns, and even better analysis!

Nov 14, 20231 hr 2 min

Ship Show

This week Axe, Murphy, and Gibbs convened in the middle of the night to discuss the third GOP debate. The Hacks talk about the winners, the losers, and the battle for second in the Iowa caucus. Tune in to hear them discuss abortion messaging, dime store trump ideas, the royal we, panic polls, losers, and borscht sh!t.

Nov 09, 202349 min

Chaos, Vendettas & Drama (with Jonathan Martin)

This week Axe and Murphy were joined by the inimitable and unbelievable superstar Hackeroo Jonathan Martin. JMart is a senior reporter at POLITICO, and co-author of “This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden, and the Battle for America’s Future”. The guys break down the new Iowa poll, talk about who is up and who is down, Trump’s power in the GOP, the new Speaker of the House, Pence’s French vanilla problem, Dean Phillips, Israel and Palestine, the UAW strike, chat GPT speeches, and somehow so much more!...

Oct 31, 20231 hr 3 min

Congressional Clown Show (with Scott Jennings)

This week Axe and Gibbs were joined by Scott Jennings, a GOP strategist, conservative columnist, and CNN commentator. The Hacks pull back the circus curtains to reveal what’s going on behind the scenes in the speakers battle. The guys discuss the potential candidates, the relationship building across factions, role of democrats, and the commentary from the peanut gallery. The Hacks also discuss border security, Ukraine and Israel funding, Biden’s positioning on Israel, potential presidential Dem...

Oct 24, 20231 hr
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