More and more Republicans are asking Donald Trump if it might be possible for him to stop the personal attacks on Kamala Harris and focus on a persuasive message. His answer? Absolutely not. In yet another country club press conference, Trump says he's "entitled to personal attacks" because he doesn't respect Harris, calls her stupid, and rants about communists. Meanwhile, Harris and Joe Biden hold their first joint event since Biden stepped down from the race, and it's full of good policy and g...
Aug 16, 2024•48 min•Ep. 913
Jon and guest host David Axelrod discuss Donald Trump's struggles to define Kamala Harris, his rambling interview with Elon Musk, and why the Trump campaign keeps letting their candidate run his mouth so much. Then, they look at Trump and Harris's competing economic messages, how Tim Walz is faring out on the trail, and what the Harris team needs to accomplish at next week's Democratic National Convention. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this epis...
Aug 14, 2024•44 min•Ep. 912
Kamala Harris pulls ahead in three key swing states as Donald Trump continues to flail and fume to donors and supporters. JD Vance tries to go on the attack in a trio of network interviews on Sunday, but things don't go quite as planned. Then, as Harris starts laying out her own policy agenda, the officially defunct Project 2025 ends up back in the news, this time with a series of leaked training videos offering a bleak, and bizarre, picture of a second Trump term. For a closed-captioned version...
Aug 13, 2024•50 min•Ep. 911
Jon is joined Democratic message guru Anat Shenker-Osorio and longtime political strategist Michael Podhorzer to talk about how swing voters are reacting to a Harris-Walz ticket and what message the campaign will need to win them over in November. They break down why Tim Walz has been a uniquely effective messenger, how Kamala Harris is reclaiming freedom from Republicans, and how Minnesota’s 2018 “Greater than Fear” campaign set the stage for this moment. Take action with Vote Save America: Vis...
Aug 11, 2024•54 min
Trump throws a temper tantrum at Mar-a-Lago, boasting he draws bigger crowds than Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. did for the “I Have a Dream” speech. Is he freaking out because Harris is surging in the polls? Meanwhile, Harris and Walz hit Detroit, where they score a UAW union endorsement and tout her economic record. Brian Tyler Cohen discusses his new book, “Shameless: Republicans’ Deliberate Dysfunction and the Battle to Preserve Democracy,” and then joins Jon and Favs for a game called Take App...
Aug 09, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 910
VP Kamala Harris hits the road with her new running mate, Tim Walz, who lands his first official couch joke of the campaign against his GOP counterpart, JD Vance. Meanwhile, Trump tries to brand Walz as a communist. Then, Dan and guest host Melissa Murray break down Biden’s Supreme Court reforms, Trump’s January 6th case and the infinite shadiness of Justice Clarence Thomas’s flight schedule. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please em...
Aug 07, 2024•56 min•Ep. 909
We're just hours away from the announcement of VP Harris's running mate—and she's reportedly narrowed it down to Gov. Tim Walz and Gov. Josh Shapiro. Jon and Lovett talk about what they love about both finalists, what the influx of Obama veterans like David Plouffe could mean for the Harris campaign, why Trump doesn't want to debate the Vice President, and Trump's grievance-filled rally in Atlanta. Finally, they play a round of "Okay, Stop" with RFK's bizarre bear cub admission. For a closed-cap...
Aug 06, 2024•52 min•Ep. 908
Donald Trump doubles down on the racism and birtherism he unleashed onstage at the NABJ convention—repeating his attacks in social media posts and even a rally backdrop. Jon and Dan talk about what Trump's strategy might be, whether he's feeling buyer's remorse about JD Vance, and the latest on Kamala Harris's VP short list. Then, Project 2025 says it's winding down policy operations. Will it live on in Democrats' campaigns? For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a tran...
Aug 02, 2024•49 min•Ep. 907
Donald Trump suggests that Kamala Harris isn't actually Black, claims that nobody died on January 6, and belittles his interviewers before his campaign yanks him off the stage at the National Association of Black Journalists convention. Jon Lovett and guest host Stacey Abrams react to the train wreck in real time. Stacey describes the scene at Kamala Harris's big rally in Atlanta on Tuesday and offers her takes on the JD Vance disaster and how Harris should defend herself from right-wing attacks...
Jul 31, 2024•56 min•Ep. 906
Donald Trump and friends try out new lines of attack on Kamala Harris as they struggle to confront her momentum—and the new reality of the race. JD Vance still can't figure out how to move past his "childless cat ladies" comments, and Joe Biden introduces a slate of Supreme Court reforms. Then Minnesota Governor Tim Walz stops by to talk about making the case for Harris, what swing voters are looking for, and the state fair foods he can't do without. For a closed-captioned version of this episod...
Jul 30, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 905
Jon is joined by longtime pollster Sarah Longwell to discuss how swing voters are reacting to Kamala Harris’ unexpected campaign for president. How did they react to Biden’s decision to withdraw? What concerns do they have about Kamala Harris’ chances against Trump? And is her candidacy reigniting their capacity for hope? Sarah shares new focus group tape collected during Kamala Harris’ first week on the campaign trail to find the answers and talks to Jon about the Vice President’s path to the W...
Jul 28, 2024•42 min
Election Day is just over 100 days away, and the Trump team is scrambling to define Kamala Harris before she can do it herself. Jon and Dan discuss the Harris campaign rollout so far, the Right's attack playbook, and Joe Biden's Oval Office address about passing the torch. Then, former UN Ambassador Susan Rice joins the show to talk about what it really means to say Harris is a "DEI candidate," and what it's like to go through the VP vetting process. For a closed-captioned version of this episod...
Jul 26, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 904
And she's off! Kamala Harris has clinched the majority of delegates, she's breaking fundraising records and driving voter registration, and she's out on the trail offering a clear contrast to Donald Trump and his dark vision for America. Tommy and guest host Ali Velshi dissect Harris's campaign rollout, the shifting dynamics of the race, and Benjamin Netanyahu's polarizing address to Congress. Then, Pete Buttigieg—a possible VP pick—joins the show to talk about Harris, JD Vance, and everything h...
Jul 25, 2024•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 903
In a historic moment in what was already a norm-shattering campaign, Joe Biden withdraws from the presidential race and endorses Kamala Harris. As the rest of the party moves to unite behind the VP, Jon, Lovett, Dan, and Tommy talk how Biden arrived at his decision, the particular strengths that Harris brings to the race against Donald Trump, and how the GOP will look to blunt the new burst of Democratic energy and excitement. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a tr...
Jul 22, 2024•56 min•Ep. 902
Is Biden inching toward dropping out, or is he committed to staying put? If he did make a move, when would he do it, and how? Live in Madison, Jon, Lovett, Tommy, and Dan parse the latest news and discuss the worst and the weirdest of the Republican convention alongside guest host Errin Haines of The 19th and special guest Ben Wikler, chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party. Then, Sen. Tammy Baldwin stops by to talk about her crucial Senate race and what Democrats need to do to win Wisconsin ...
Jul 20, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 901
Donald Trump returns to form in a rambling, divisive, and endless acceptance speech certain to remind swing voters why they don't like him, and to remind Democrats that they can beat him. The question now is, who will be the Democratic nominee to turn the race around? With more and more party leaders (and most voters) asking for a change, it looks more likely than ever that Biden will go. Jon, Lovett, Dan, and Tommy talk about what might come next, and size up Kamala Harris's many strengths on t...
Jul 19, 2024•51 min•Ep. 900
JD Vance makes his debut as Donald Trump's running mate and doesn't exactly hit a home run. Joe Biden tests positive for COVID, details leak out about Chuck Schumer's tough-love conversation with the president, and the DNC blinks in the standoff over its plan for a virtual roll call. Jon, Lovett, Tommy, and Dan break down a truly packed day of news, from the problems with Vance's speech to the latest polling about the future of the Democratic ticket. For a closed-captioned version of this episod...
Jul 18, 2024•40 min
Donald Trump's former rivals compete to see who can praise him the hardest and who can spread the most vile lies about immigration and crime, as a smiling Trump looks on from the audience. Trump's pollster claims Republicans have put solidly blue states like New Jersey in play, and Trump himself tries to convince RFK Jr. to endorse him by spewing nonsense about childhood vaccines in a recorded call that Kennedy's son leaked. Then, Jon, Lovett, Dan, and Tommy talk about the DNC's plan to hold a v...
Jul 17, 2024•46 min•Ep. 899
After surviving a horrifying assassination attempt, Donald Trump announces J.D. Vance as his VP pick and promises to shift the tone of the Republican convention. Jon, Lovett, Dan, and Tommy talk about the VP selection, whether it's possible to "lower the temperature" of our political discourse, and Joe Biden's testy interview with Lester Holt. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name o...
Jul 16, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 898
Jon and Dan break down Joe Biden's big press conference, whether he did enough to calm nervous Democrats, and whether he's making a sharp enough case against Donald Trump—or for himself—to move the numbers and create a plausible path to victory. Plus, the latest signals from the campaign about what its strategy will be going forward, and how the Trump veepstakes is playing out with only days left to go. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode...
Jul 12, 2024•53 min•Ep. 897
The effort to remove President Biden from the ticket picks up momentum as more Democratic members of Congress speak out. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi reveals more about her position—and says "time is running short" to make the right decision. MSNBC's Jen Psaki joins Lovett to break down the latest, and to talk about openly about what Biden needs to do to hang on. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and...
Jul 11, 2024•48 min•Ep. 896
President Biden stays on the offensive, calling into his favorite morning show to excoriate the naysayers, rallying support among old allies, and vowing to everyone who will listen that he’s staying the race no matter what. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy lay out President Biden’s strategy and size up whether it’s working so far. And as the fight over Biden’s future moves to Capitol Hill, Lovett talks with Rep. Ro Khanna—a key Biden surrogate—about which way House members will go, and what Biden could be...
Jul 09, 2024•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 895
Jon is joined by youth polling experts John Della Volpe and Kristen Soltis Anderson to talk about apathy among young voters this election cycle. Why are they so disengaged? Are some truly defecting to Trump? And what message, if any, can get them out for the polls? Jon, John, and Kristen dive into the focus group tape to unpack Gen Z’s opinions of our octogenarian presidential candidates, their top economic issues, and the war in Gaza. And Anderson Clayton, the 26-year-old Chair of the North Car...
Jul 07, 2024•1 hr 13 min
President Biden’s campaign fights to contain fallout from the disastrous debate, as Democrats begin to go public with concerns. Jon, Tommy, and Dan discuss the polling and the media-frenzy, what Biden should be doing, and how all this drama could impact down-ballot races. The Supreme Court’s stunning round of right-wing decisions deals damage to American institutions, and further raises the stakes of this election. Steve Bannon goes to prison. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, clic...
Jul 03, 2024•51 min•Ep. 894
Democrats begin to grapple with two huge questions: is it possible to replace Biden at the top of the ticket—and is it wise? Mehdi Hasan joins Jon, Lovett, Tommy, and Dan, live in Boston, to debate the options. Plus, Gov. Maura Healey joins the show to give her own debate reaction and talk about rising to the challenge on immigration and abortion. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the na...
Jun 29, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 893
Joe Biden turns in a disastrous debate performance, missing an opportunity to take advantage of Donald Trump's (many) lies and unhinged moments, and sowing real doubt about his strength as a candidate over the long run. Jon, Lovett, Tommy, and Dan discuss what went wrong and what might happen now.
Jun 28, 2024•40 min•Ep. 892
The first debate is upon us, and you’re not the only one feeling nervous. Guest host Stacey Abrams joins Jon, Jon, Tommy, and Dan, live in Brooklyn, to talk about what we can learn from the 2020 debates, and what would constitute a win for Biden on Thursday night. Then, Strict Scrutiny’s Melissa Murray joins the hosts to break down the latest from the Supreme Court and what’s still to come this term, and Run for Something co-founder Amanda Litman talks with Dan about why it’s so important to hav...
Jun 27, 2024•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 891
Donald Trump vows to cut education funding by half, throws his support behind displaying the Ten Commandments in public classrooms, and offers a new, anatomically specific theory for how Joe Biden gets his pre-debate uppers. With Biden holed up in debate camp, his campaign works to set expectations, and marks the second anniversary of the end of Roe v. Wade with a blistering new attack ad and waves of surrogate events around the country. Plus, it’s publication day at last: Democracy or Else: How...
Jun 25, 2024•47 min•Ep. 890
Jon is joined by Carlos Odio and Stephanie Valencia, founders of Equis Research, the nation’s leading polling and research firm focused on the Latino electorate, to talk about what Democrats can do to win back the Latino voters who left the party for Trump in 2016 and 2020. Why are some of them leaning towards Trump? How did they react to Biden’s border actions? And what issues are they most focused on in 2024? Jon, Carlos, and Stephanie dive into the focus groups to answer these questions and L...
Jun 23, 2024•1 hr 4 min
Joe Biden heads to Camp David to prepare for next week's debate, Donald Trump bungles the expectations game, and both sides prepare for the post-broadcast clip war. Meanwhile, a new Fox News poll shows Biden ahead, and Trump lashes out at the betrayal. Then, former White House Counsel Bob Bauer stops by to talk about playing Trump in debate prep in 2020, the Supreme Court, and his new book, The Unraveling: Reflections on Politics without Ethics and Democracy in Crisis. To pre-order Democracy or ...
Jun 21, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 889
