Sidebar Live: March 4 at 8 pm
Join Sidebar for live coverage of President Trump's joint address to Congress, March 4 at 8 p.m. – only at YouTube.com/WashingtonPost .
Mar 04, 2025•24 sec•Season 315Ep. 10
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
What makes Elon Musk tick?
On this episode, Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin, James Hohmann, and Washington Post DOGE reporter Faiz Siddiqui take a closer look at “special government employee” Elon Musk who continues to upend the federal government, overseeing the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency while joking that he is merely “tech support” during his appearances at the White House . What is the current relationship between President Donald Trump and Musk ? Will his “move fast, break things, rebuild” ...
Feb 27, 2025•28 min•Season 315Ep. 10
Musk’s email fallout
On this episode, Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin, and James Hohmann discuss the fallout from Elon Musk’s email to federal workers that threatened firings if they did not respond to a request to detail their work responsibilities last week. This comes at a time when Republican lawmakers in the House are finalizing language of the so-called “ big beautiful bill ”, a Trump-endorsed legislative package that would become a federal budget resolution if and when it comes up for a floor vote. With only a thr...
Feb 25, 2025•29 min•Season 315Ep. 10
King and dictator
On this episode, The Washington Post’s Libby Casey and JM Rieger are joined by metro reporter Emily Davies and White House correspondent Michael Birnbaum to discuss the escalating rhetoric used by President Donald Trump and his administration, calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “a dictator without elections,” while also meeting with Russia delegates for peace talks, notably without Ukrainian involvement. Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service, and The Trump administration also continued to cu...
Feb 20, 2025•24 min•Season 315Ep. 10
Are Elon Musk and DOGE looking at your personal tax data?
On this episode, The Washington Post's Libby Casey and JM Rieger are joined by congressional economic correspondent Jacob Bogage to discuss Elon Musk's DOGE team attempting to access a highly guarded IRS computer system that contains Americans' personal financial information. The crew breaks down what's actually in the files DOGE representatives are seeking, why, and what makes career government officials are so concerned. Then, the Trump administration continues to shrink the size of federal go...
Feb 18, 2025•26 min•Season 315Ep. 10
Gabbard, RFK Jr. confirmed as GOP lines up behind Trump
On this episode, The Washington Post's Rhonda Colvin, James Hohmann and JM Rieger sit down with media reporter Jeremy Barr to break down the Trump administration's recent spats with the media – from barring The Associated Press from Oval Office events, to removing media organizations from workspaces at the Pentagon. Plus, Trump settles with Facebook and Twitter, and demands a $20 billion settlement from CBS. Then, are Republican senators ceding all of their power to Trump and the executive branc...
Feb 13, 2025•29 min•Season 315Ep. 10
How Trump and Musk could be stopped by Congress and judges
The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann break down the pushback to President Trump and Elon Musk's attempts to drastically downsize the federal government – from what Congress is or isn't doing , on both sides of the aisle, to lawsuits and federal judges who have started to put some of Trump's efforts on hold . And is the GOP's rhetoric about the judiciary getting dangerous? Plus, Washington Post Investigations Editor David Fallis joins the show to discuss how listener...
Feb 11, 2025•32 min•Season 315Ep. 10
Federal workers 'defiant' on Musk's buyout
On this episode, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann break down the buyout offer made to federal workers as Elon Musk's DOGE continues to try to downsize government: What is the offer, is it legal, and what are union leaders saying? Plus, some breaking news on the deadline for employees to decide whether to take it. Then, how will cutting employees and programs affect Americans – and people around the world ? Finally, The Post's Anna Liss-Roy joins the show to shar...
Feb 06, 2025•27 min•Season 315Ep. 10
Musk tries to delete the federal government
The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann break down the big story in Washington this week: The Trump administration's efforts to downsize the federal government, led by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency. Is Musk allowed to access Americans' sensitive data , and eliminate government programs he doesn't like? Plus, what effect will Musk's efforts have on the federal workforce – and how will cutting programs affect Americans and people around the world?...
Feb 04, 2025•28 min
Confirmation hearings for controversial nominees
On this episode, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann break down President Trump's news conference after the Washington, D.C. plane crash – and how Trump chose to blame his predecessors, Democrats and diversity programs rather than embracing the role of consoler-in-chief. Plus, three of Trump's most controversial cabinet nominees had Senate confirmation hearings on the same day: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard . The crew breaks down their hearin...
Jan 31, 2025•38 min•Season 315Ep. 10
Trump's chaotic pause of federal grants
The Washington Post's Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann are joined by White House reporter Cat Zakrzewski to discuss President Trump's first week back in office – and what happened the night he decided to fire more than a dozen government inspectors general . Plus, Trump's pause on government grants and loans is throwing Washington – and government programs around the globe – into chaos. Who will be affected by it most? And three of Trump's most controversial cabinet nominees are set to undergo Se...
Jan 28, 2025•36 min•Season 315Ep. 10
A 'death blow' for DEI
The Washington Post's Rhonda Colvin, James Hohmann and JM Rieger are joined by immigration reporter Nick Miroff to break down the way President Trump is attempting to rapidly change the United States' immigration system – and create a culture of fear among undocumented immigrants. Plus, how is Trump quickly changing America's foreign policy – and what is he trying to accomplish by demolishing decades of affirmative action and diversity, equity and inclusion policies?...
Jan 23, 2025•30 min•Season 315Ep. 10
Pardon?
Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin, James Hohmann and Aaron Blake break down President Trump's decision to pardon or commute the sentences of the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol rioters , just hours after he was inaugurated for the second time. And Trump signed a whole lot of other executive orders ; Which ones definitely matter, which ones might end up mattering, and which ones probably won't? Plus, the tech billionaires came to Washington – including Elon Musk....
Jan 21, 2025•33 min•Season 315Ep. 10
Trump's ongoing loyalty test
On this week's episode, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin, James Hohmann and JM Rieger break down the Trump cabinet nominees whose hearings have gotten underway on Capitol Hill – and whether Democrats are effectively rallying votes against any of them. Plus, President Biden gave his farewell speech on Jan. 15 – and it wasn't the speech everyone expected. Then, what is the crew looking out for on inauguration day on Monday?
Jan 16, 2025•37 min•Season 315Ep. 10
Unconditional discharge
In this special episode, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann are joined by JM Rieger in Washington and criminal justice reporter Shayna Jacobs in New York, to discuss the sentence handed down to president-elect Trump in his New York hush money case – and why he escaped punishment after being convicted on 34 felony counts. Plus, is this the end of Trump's legal troubles?...
Jan 10, 2025•33 min•Season 315Ep. 10
The sore winner
This week, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann break down president-elect Trump's angry, grievance-filled news conference – and why Trump is so focused on those grievances despite winning the election, with Republicans winning both houses of Congress. Then, the crew recaps the latest on Trump's New York hush money case , and whether the Supreme Court might intervene before the sentencing hearing scheduled for Jan. 10....
Jan 08, 2025•43 min•Season 315Ep. 10
Speaking of Congress ...
This week, reporters Marianna Sotomayor and Marianne Levine join the show to discuss the House speaker drama that could unfold as GOP holdouts say they might not vote for current House Speaker Mike Johnson. Plus, what are Republicans' early legislative priorities – and are there signs that after winning the White House and both houses of Congress in November that the Republican party is far from unified?
Jan 02, 2025•31 min•Season 315Ep. 10
The biggest political moments of 2024
This week, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann recap the most important moments in American politics in 2024 – plus a few runners-up.
Dec 27, 2024•23 min•Season 315Ep. 10
Congress gets more Trumpy
This week, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann break down Elon Musk's successful effort to torpedo a government spending bill – and what that means about how president-elect Donald Trump's White House will function. Plus, how are Democrats preparing for a Trump presidency in which they are the minority in both the House and Senate? Later, the crew looks at longtime members of the Senate who won't be back in the next Congress – and their final messages as they prepa...
Dec 19, 2024•40 min•Season 315Ep. 10
Who's left for the Democrats?
This week, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann discuss what's left of the Democratic party after its 2024 election losses – from who's left in Congress and who will have positions of authority, to the fading presence of the party's biggest voices in recent decades. The crew breaks down who could step up as Democrats' ideological leader – and who definitely won't be in the picture. Then, what's the status of Trump's cabinet picks? Right now, it looks like the ones l...
Dec 12, 2024•48 min•Season 315Ep. 10
Unconfirmed
This week, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann discuss whether Pete Hegseth, Trump's pick for secretary of defense , can make it through the nomination process. Plus, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are on Capitol Hill touting their Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – but how much power will they really have? Then, President Biden pardoned his son Hunter last weekend. Does that represent a final departure from the norms Biden promised to uphold? And who's re...
Dec 05, 2024•47 min•Season 315Ep. 10
Gaetz withdraws as attorney general nominee
This week, the crew breaks down former rep. Matt Gaetz's sudden withdrawal as Trump's intended nominee for attorney general. Then, Libby Casey, James Hohmann and JM Rieger examine president-elect Donald Trump's promises: What does he say he will do on his first day in office ? And what priorities will come later? Plus, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is Trump's pick for Health and Human Services secretary – but will his proposed policy changes conflict with big business priorities? And can he actually tak...
Nov 21, 2024•46 min
Trump assembles his team
This week, president-elect Donald Trump picks Matt Gaetz for attorney general, causing controversy on Capitol Hill. Plus, Trump's other cabinet picks so far, the race for Senate majority leader, and the fate of Trump's legal cases.
Nov 14, 2024•47 min
Trump wins - and so does Trumpism
This week, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann break down president-elect Donald Trump's sweeping victory, and what's next for the Democratic Party after a decisive loss. Then, senior video journalist JM Rieger joins to discuss what will happen when Trump takes office in January – and who he intends to appoint in his administration.
Nov 06, 2024•38 min•Season 315Ep. 10
Who's going to win on Election Day?
This week, with five days to go before Election Day, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann break down three reasons that each of former president Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris could win the presidency. Then, which parts of the country should you keep a close eye on as results come in? James highlights three areas in critical swing states that could decide the winner.
Oct 31, 2024•47 min•Season 315Ep. 10
Elon Musk is at the door
This week, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann are joined by senior video journalists JM Rieger and Jorge Ribas to discuss two key states – Michigan and Pennsylvania – and what voters and grassroots organizers are telling them in the final weeks of the election. Plus, tech billionaire Elon Musk is using his money and influence – as well as his app, X (formerly Twitter) – in support of Trump in the final weeks of the election. But how much do those efforts rely on d...
Oct 24, 2024•50 min•Season 315Ep. 10
Is Trump slipping?
This week, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann sit down with Post reporters watching key swing states: Amy Gardner joins the show to discuss a judge's decisions in Georgia ; Yvonne Wingett Sanchez joins to discuss Arizona's senate race, the presidential election and an onerous voting law ; and Michael Brice-Saddler joins to talk about his reporting on the Harris campaign's effort to court Black male voters in Michigan . Then, the crew breaks down Vice President Kam...
Oct 17, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 315Ep. 10
The path to 270 electoral votes
This week, The Washington Post's Libby Casey and James Hohmann are joined by national political reporter Michael Scherer to discuss how Vice President Kamala Harris and f ormer president Donald Trump could each win the presidential election in November. The crew breaks down their potential paths to victory, and how each is presenting themselves to voters, with just over three weeks left until Election Day. Then, Washington Post data scientist Lenny Bronner joins the show to explain The Post's po...
Oct 10, 2024•49 min•Season 315Ep. 10
October surprise
This week, the crew breaks down how an "October surprise" can change the course of a presidential election in its final weeks – and some of the most consequential ones in American election history. And there are a few brand new ones – from special counsel J ack Smith's filing on former president Donald Trump's immunity in his Jan. 6 legal case, to Hurricane Helene and the escalating war in the Middle East. Later in the show, the crew breaks down the most interesting moments from Tuesday's vice-p...
Oct 03, 2024•55 min•Season 315Ep. 10
Preparing for the VP debate
This week, The Washington Post's Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann are joined by senior video journalist JM Rieger to preview the Oct. 1 vice-presidential debate between Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. The crew examines the two vice-presidential nominees' popularity with voters, key topics that might come up in the debate, and how vice-presidential debates actually impact elections. Later, the crew breaks down the gender dynamics in the 2024 race, from the abortion iss...
Sep 26, 2024•58 min•Season 315Ep. 10
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