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Sidebar

The Washington Post
The Washington Post’s Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann gather for a weekly in-depth conversation about politics and power. From presidential candidates to members of Congress to the judicial system, Sidebar dives deep on the topics and people at the forefront of the political conversation. The crew sits down each Thursday (with the occasional breaking news episode) to discuss what has happened that week, and what’s coming up the next week – with guest appearances from Washington Post reporters.
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Episodes

The Exit

In the last episode of our series from October about President Biden and the War in Afghanistan, he takes the reins as commander-in-chief and withdraws U.S. forces. Biden rethinks his stance on military intervention and America’s role in the world.

Dec 22, 202124 min

The War

In the second episode of our October series about President Biden and the War in Afghanistan, we look at the years after the Sept. 11 attacks when Biden called for a major nation-building effort. Over time, though, he begins to doubt his own instincts.

Dec 21, 202128 min

The Senator

On the 20th anniversary of the first U.S. strikes on Afghanistan, this three-part series explores President Biden's career as it intertwines with the war there. He ultimately chose to end the ‘forever war.’ But what role did he have in starting it?

Dec 20, 202123 min

‘A lack of decorum’: Congress in 2021

Where did Congress succeed this year and where did our governing body fall short? What does party extremism in the Capitol mean for gridlock? And is the existing American system still the best means to govern our country? Related episodes and reading One year (almost) of Biden’s America Prices are going up. Can Biden bring them down? Are we too divided for unity?...

Dec 16, 202131 min

Are we too divided for unity?

President Biden pledged to unify the country, and to do it amid tense racial and cultural division. How far has Biden come on that promise? Will he move toward more aggressively tackling social issues in year 2? Related episodes and reading One year (almost) of Biden’s America Prices are going up. Can Biden bring them down? Biden promised unity. Voters are still divided....

Dec 09, 202139 min

One year (almost) of Biden’s America

President Biden ran on the promise of returning the nation back to"normal." How far has Biden come? Washington Post White House reporters Ashley Parker, Annie Linskey and Sean Sullivan chat about where things stand nearly a year into Biden's presidency. Prices are going up. Can Biden bring them down? Biden’s climate agenda is bold. Is it enough? Biden vowed a smooth exit from Afghanistan. Now what?...

Dec 02, 202135 min

The state of Trump’s affairs

A close look at the state of Donald Trump post-presidency — his businesses, his finances, the ongoing criminal investigations into his actions and how all of those things could affect a potential political comeback.

Nov 24, 202123 min

Prices are going up. Can Biden bring them down?

What levers do presidents have to slow inflation? How much of our current economic situation can be attributed to President Biden’s policies and what can he really do to change the course of the American economy in the months ahead? Inflation emerges as defining economic challenge of Biden presidency White House takes aim at oil industry as gas prices create economic and politics rifts...

Nov 18, 202118 min

Are Biden's vaccine mandates an overreach of presidential power?

Now that the Biden administration has released rules for vaccine and testing mandates, court battles are starting to heat up. The Post’s labor reporter, and a legal expert, weigh in on what the future might hold for Biden’s vaccine workforce rules. Related episodes and reading Biden mandates vaccines for millions. Can he do that? Legal battle over Biden’s vax-or-test mandate for businesses is just beginning GOP-appointed judges freeze Biden vaccine requirement after federal lawsuit...

Nov 11, 202120 min

Biden promised unity. Voters are still divided.

In a major upset for Democrats Tuesday, Republican Glenn Youngkin eked out a victory in Virginia’s gubernatorial race. Today, we look at the results of that election, and others, to understand the nation one year after the divisive 2020 elections. Elections spur doubts for Biden’s agenda, party’s outlook A sobering reality hits Democrats...

Nov 03, 202120 min

McCarthy walks the Trump tightrope

McCarthy says he can recapture the House, but navigating an unpredictable former President Trump and keeping donors happy at the same time is sizable challenge. McCarthy wants to win in 2022 and unify the Republican party. Can he do that? Would-be speaker Kevin McCarthy walks the Trump tightrope, pursuing a GOP House The voter-fraud allegation that perfectly captures the post-2020 Republican Party One big threat to Biden’s agenda: The map...

Oct 28, 202123 min

The Exit

In the last episode of our series about President Biden and the War in Afghanistan, he takes the reins as commander-in-chief and withdraws U.S. forces. Ultimately, Biden rethinks his stance on military intervention and America’s role in the world. Listen to Part One: The Senator and Part Two: The War ....

Oct 21, 202123 min

The War

In the second episode of our series about President Biden and the War in Afghanistan, we look at the years after the Sept. 11 attacks when Biden called for a major nation-building effort. Over time, though, he begins to doubt his own instincts. Related links: Part One: The Senator

Oct 14, 202127 min

The Senator

On the 20th anniversary of the first U.S. strikes on Afghanistan, this three-part series explores President Biden's career as it intertwines with the war there. He ultimately chose to end the ‘forever war.’ But what role did he have in starting it?

Oct 07, 202122 min

American democracy in ‘Peril’

Journalists Bob Woodward and Robert Costa uncovered details about the tumultuous transition of power from President Trump to President Biden in their new book, "Peril." They reveal how close we came to constitutional and international crises. Top general was fearful Trump might spark war, new book says Thousands have been evacuated from Afghanistan. Where will they go? The presidential power to strike...

Sep 30, 202126 min

Biden’s climate agenda is bold. Is it enough?

In this episode, as President Biden address the U.N. for the first time since taking office, we revisit a conversation from August about the climate’s "unprecedented" state and Biden’s big goals toward repairing it. Can his agenda succeed?

Sep 23, 202125 min

Biden mandates vaccines for millions. Can he do that?

How can vaccine mandates effectively be enforced across the country? What precedent is there in history and law? And how do Americans and business owners feel about President Biden's executive orders mandating immunization? Biden announces sweeping new vaccine mandates for businesses, federal workers Biden’s ratings sag and workers split on vaccine mandates, Post-ABC poll finds...

Sep 16, 202117 min

America’s Song, Part 2

With his performance of “God Bless America” during Game 3 of the 2001 World Series, New York City Police Department Officer Daniel Rodriguez comforted a nation still grieving in the wake of 9/11. It felt like a timeless moment. Instead, it proved fleeting. Twenty years later, the reasons for that tell a sad American story of political divisions and the embellished patriotism that now polarizes sports. The weight of it all can be felt through the struggles of Rodriguez, a man still trying to bles...

Sep 10, 202132 min

America’s Song, Part 1

With his performance of “God Bless America” during Game 3 of the 2001 World Series, New York City Police Department Officer Daniel Rodriguez comforted a nation still grieving in the wake of 9/11. It felt like a timeless moment. Instead, it proved fleeting. Twenty years later, the reasons for that tell a sad American story of political divisions and the embellished patriotism that now polarizes sports. The weight of it all can be felt through the struggles of Rodriguez, a man still trying to bles...

Sep 09, 202137 min

The presidential power to strike

How much power should the president have to act unilaterally on drone strikes? And how will that question define a new era of U.S. warfare? Plus, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) weighs in on the balance between the president and Congress on war powers. Biden vowed a smooth exit from Afghanistan. Now what? Thousands have been evacuated from Afghanistan. Where will they go?...

Sep 02, 202129 min

Thousands have been evacuated from Afghanistan. Where will they go?

The Biden administration faces a big challenge as they try to resettle Afghanistan refugees, and while also ensuring each person arriving to the U.S. undergoes significant security checks. The political debate around what happens next has started to heat up. Biden vowed a smooth exit from Afghanistan. Now what? Biden headed for divisive debate over resettlement of Afghanistan refugees Americans prepare to welcome thousands of Afghan refugees, even as political rhetoric heats up...

Aug 26, 202118 min

Biden vowed a smooth exit from Afghanistan. Now what?

Biden sold himself as the experienced leader to undo Trump’s foreign policy missteps. But his push to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the ensuing chaos has called that claim into question. Is this moment a test for Biden? And is he passing? Biden’s promise to restore competence to the presidency is undercut by chaos in Afghanistan Post Reports: A disastrous American exit Biden says ‘America is back’ on the world stage. Is it?...

Aug 19, 202126 min

Biden’s climate agenda is bold. Is it enough?

Climate legislation moves forward as a U.N. report warns that humans have pushed the climate into "unprecedented" territory unless greenhouse gas pollution falls dramatically. President Biden has big goals to cut that pollution. Will his agenda succeed? Tracking Biden’s environmental actions...

Aug 12, 202125 min

One big threat to Biden’s agenda: The map

The 2022 midterm elections are still more than a year away. But the battle to win those races has already begun in the form of redrawing legislative and congressional districts. What can we learn about which party will emerge with the greatest advantage? Related episodes and reading ‘How to Flip the House’ series Not the'normal' Washington Biden promised How a voting law ignited a culture war...

Aug 05, 202118 min

The future of the Jan. 6 commission

The ongoing probe may have implications for the 2022 midterm race and for President Biden’s promise to tackle white supremacist violence. What might findings reveal about where the U.S. is headed? And what can the hearings tell us about what’s to come? Republicans voice opposition to Jan. 6 investigation as police officers call for accountability Will Trump stop Congress from obtaining documents and testimonies? What happens when a president asserts executive privilege?...

Jul 29, 202124 min

Biden vs. the delta variant

The delta variant raises new challenges for the Biden administration: Will they change their approach to masking? What steps can they take to combat vaccine disinformation and get more Americans vaccinated? And is the economy at risk of another meltdown? Vaccine hesitancy at home, desperation abroad The mystery of the pandemic’s origins(and what it means for Biden) White House officials debate masking push as covid infections spike...

Jul 22, 202130 min

Should the U.S. government still invest in space?

How does NASA fit in when billionaires fly to space? What are Biden’s plans for the space agency and how much of Trump’s initiatives does he plan to continue? And, ultimately, why should the government still invest in space exploration at all? Related episodes and reading As China’s space ambitions grow, NASA tells Congress it needs more money to compete Everything you need to know about going to space...

Jul 15, 202121 min

Inside the Trump White House during the pandemic response

On this episode, Post Reports host Martine Powers talks to two Post reporters who reported on chaos in the early days of the pandemic including details about how sick President Trump was and his proposal to send infected Americans to Guantánamo. Inside the extraordinary effort to save Trump from covid-19 Trump and science: An erosion of our institutions, in public and behind the scenes The president’s desperate push to reopen America...

Jul 08, 202123 min

What makes a president a good (or bad) leader?

As Americans celebrates the country's founding, we examine the presidency. How is a president’s leadership measured over time, and how do cultural moments change our historical perception? We offer insight from C-SPAN's Presidential Historians Survey. 'The Framers would not recognize the modern presidency.’ Promises made. Promises kept? C-SPAN’s Presidential Historians Survey 2021...

Jul 01, 202119 min

Biden’s evolution on criminal justice

The Biden administration is supporting a bill that would end the sentencing disparity in crack and powder cocaine offenses. But that disparity exists largely because of bills President Biden spearheaded in 80s and 90s. How much has Biden evolved? How an early Biden crime bill created the sentencing disparity for crack and cocaine trafficking Biden administration endorses bill to end disparity in drug sentencing between crack and powder cocaine Menthol cigarettes kill more Black Americans. Should...

Jun 24, 202125 min
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