Tara is joined by Rahm Emanuel to look at what he feels are the past mistakes of the Democratic Party and what needs to change moving forward. They discuss Joe Biden’s decision to not seek reelection, President Trump invoking antisemitism to defund universities, and Emanuel’s own political aspirations. For more of Tara’s independent journalism, subscribe to her newsletter The Red Letter here on Substack! Host: Tara Palmeri Guest: Rahm Emanuel Producers: Mike Wargon and Chris Sutton Production Su...
Apr 17, 2025•55 min
Tara Palmeri sits down with Maureen Dowd to talk about her latest release, Notorious. Their conversation covers everything from Elon Musk and Donald Trump to the shifting dynamics of American politics. Dowd reflects on her decades in journalism, offering a look at Washington’s current challenges and the media’s complicated relationship with figures like Trump. She also touches on her writing process, Gretchen Whitmer’s photo misstep, and the growing demand for political leaders who balance authe...
Apr 15, 2025•49 min
Tara starts the pod with some inside reporting on RFK Jr.’s mismanagement of the Dept. of Health and Human Services. She’s then joined by Rikki Schlott from the New York Post to talk about Donald Trump’s standing with Gen Z. They discuss possible breaking points Trump may be testing with young men, shine a light on the current administration’s war on universities, and speculate on how the president's current actions will hurt the Republican Party politically going forward. For more of Tara’s ind...
Apr 10, 2025•35 min
Tara is joined by author and journalist Chris Whipple to discuss his latest book, 'Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History.’ During their conversation, they focus on the passages that talk about the inner workings of Team Biden during Joe's chaotic 2024 campaign and discuss how the influence of a certain Hollywood celebrity, in concert with Democratic top brass, ultimately pressured the former president out of his own reelection bid. For more of T...
Apr 08, 2025•27 min
Tara is joined by NBC senior political analyst Jonathan Allen and senior political journalist for The Hill, Amie Parnes, to discuss their latest book, ‘Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House,’ a behind-the-scenes account of the events surrounding Joe Biden stepping down in the presidential race through the end of Kamala Harris’s unprecedented campaign. They talk about the chaotic discussions that ensued within the Democrats' top brass after Biden’s announcement, shine a light on th...
Apr 03, 2025•37 min
Tara is joined by billionaire entrepreneur and ‘Shark Tank’ co-host Mark Cuban to talk about all the hot political topics currently burning up the Hill. During their wide-ranging conversation, they cover the possible negative effects of Donald Trump’s ambitious tariffs, Elon Musk’s role in the White House, Signalgate, AI, and much more. For more of Tara’s independent journalism subscribe to her newsletter ‘The Red Letter’ here on Substack! Host: Tara Palmeri Guest: Mark Cuban Producer: Chris Sut...
Mar 31, 2025•1 hr 1 min
Tara starts the pod with an update on the Department of Defense text chain scandal currently rocking Capitol Hill. She is then joined by Teddy Schleifer from The New York Times in front of a live audience at the Sine Institute to discuss Elon Musk’s rise to the forefront of the Trump administration and subsequent red-pilling of the tech industry. They examine Musk’s clandestine entry into the world of politics, highlight the moment when his support for Trump became public, and analyze how his pr...
Mar 27, 2025•36 min
Tara begins the show by discussing Pete Hegseth accidentally sending war plans in a group chat that included Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor in chief of The Atlantic; a preview of her newsletter, where she has the details to a secret AI conference; and more. Then she welcomes Matthew Bennett, and they discuss Axios’s Alex Thompson’s list on why the Democrats lost the election, the fights Republicans are picking, and how the Democrats can get their shit together. Host: Tara Palmeri Guest: Matt Benne...
Mar 25, 2025•38 min
Tara is joined by political reporter Alex Isenstadt to discuss his new book, ‘Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power.’ He shares his intel on Trump’s political moves, campaign strategy, and cabinet selections. They go over some of Trump’s quotes in the book, and he shares what the Republican campaign team was planning for after Joe Biden’s first 2024 debate. He breaks down Trump’s vice presidential choice and how JD Vance regained both Trump and the public’s support, becoming the p...
Mar 20, 2025•37 min
Tara is joined by Gov. Kelly Armstrong to discuss Donald Trump’s tariffs and government cuts. They break down the Republican budget resolution decision that the Democrats passed in December, which is now blindsiding them. She asks Gov. Armstrong about Trump and Musk’s DOGE sledgehammer to government agencies, tariffs and how that affects North Dakota’s soybean and fertilizer trade—two of their largest exports. Lastly, Gov. Armstrong talks about getting rid of the North Dakota property tax and wh...
Mar 18, 2025•35 min
Tara is joined by Marc Caputo and Teddy Schleifer to discuss the state of the White House and the economy. Tara gets their perspective on Elon Musk’s power over Trump’s economic decisions and cabinet, as well as what they expect Democratic and Republican responses to the declining stock market will be. Host: Tara Palmeri Guests: Marc Caputo and Teddy Schleifer Producer: Olivia Crerie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 13, 2025•42 min
Tara is joined by Colorado Rep. Jason Crow to explain his walkout during Donald Trump’s address to Congress last Tuesday. They discuss the Republican decision to extend Joe Biden’s budget, which was passed in December, in hopes to reroute it toward border control and defense. Additionally, they break down the potential repercussions of freezing government credit cards, particularly for veterans. Host: Tara Palmeri Guest: Rep. Jason Crow Producer: Olivia Crerie Please sign up for “The Red Letter”...
Mar 11, 2025•44 min
Tara is joined by political adviser Joe Hack to discuss an eventful and fiery past few days on the Hill. They break down the political fallout from Donald Trump’s contentious Oval Office meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, preview the president’s State of the Union address, and speculate on the future star of the Democratic Party. For more of Tara’s reporting, please sign up for her newsletter, 'The Best and the Brightest,' at puck.news/tarapalmeri and use the discount code TARA20. Host: Tara Palm...
Mar 04, 2025•46 min
Tara starts the pod by recapping a highly chaotic week for the Trump administration. She’s then joined by Michael LaRosa, former press secretary for Jill Biden, in front of an audience at American University for her Sine Institute seminar on changing media. They discuss and dissect Jake Tapper’s upcoming book about the alleged top-level cover-up of Joe Biden’s declining health during the last year of his presidency. For more of Tara’s reporting, please sign up for her newsletter, 'The Best and t...
Feb 28, 2025•22 min
Tara is joined by freshman Senator Jim Banks (R-Indiana) to discuss Trump’s policy decisions in the first month of his second term, including whether he views Elon Musk as a conflict of interest for the Trump administration, his level of concern over potential tariffs hitting his home state, what to make of the MAHA movement, and his thoughts on whether the GOP’s upcoming tax cuts will continue to benefit corporations and billionaires over working people. For more of Tara's reporting, please sig...
Feb 20, 2025•46 min
In this special episode, recorded live in front of a group of students at American University in Washington, D.C., Tara Palmeri talks with Pennsylvania representative Brendan Boyle about what went wrong in the state in the 2024 election, Elon Musk's takeover of Washington, Donald Trump's current approval rating, Chuck Schumer's strategies to counter Trump's agenda, why Boyle believes it's no use to look back on the 2024 election, and much more. For more of Tara's reporting, please sign up for he...
Feb 12, 2025•55 min
Host Tara Palmeri welcomes Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) for a wide-ranging conversation about President Trump's plans for Gaza, how he views Trump's flurry of executive orders in the first three weeks of his presidency, Trump's ties to the tech billionaires, Elon Musk's increasing role in the government, why the Democrats can't secure votes from white men, and so much more. For more of Tara's reporting, please sign up for her newsletter, 'The Best and the Brightest,' at puck.news/tarapalmeri an...
Feb 06, 2025•51 min
Host Tara Palmeri begins by discussing the latest moves from the Trump administration and the ripple effects they could send throughout the economy. Then, Democratic insider Alex Hoffman tells Tara about what he witnessed at this past weekend’s DNC elections, where the party selected Minnesota’s Ken Martin to help the Democrats rise from the ashes over the next four years. The two discuss what Martin’s election means for the party’s future, how Kamala Harris fits into the party moving forward, t...
Feb 04, 2025•39 min
Tara starts the pod with an update on the fallout from Donald Trump’s federal funding freeze, and Robert Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation hearings. She’s then joined by lobbyist and consultant with Oxford Strategies, Shanti Stanton, to talk about the legalities of Trump’s executive orders, examine Elon Musk’s role in the chaos, and discuss what this means for the affected programs going forward. For more of Tara’s reporting, please sign up for her newsletter, 'The Best and the Brightest,' at puck.news...
Jan 30, 2025•32 min
Tara is joined by cryptocurrency industry expert Kevin Cirilli and host of the ‘Coin Stories’ podcast Natalie Brunell to discuss the state of digital currency heading into the new Donald Trump administration. They discuss the viability of cryptocurrency and Bitcoin in the U.S. economy, speculate on Trump’s actual geopolitical vision for digital currency, and talk about the effect Deepseek could have on the AI market. For more of Tara’s reporting, please sign up for her newsletter, 'The Best and ...
Jan 29, 2025•43 min
Tara joins Meghan McCain on her podcast, ‘Citizen McCain,’ to share her firsthand experiences from Donald Trump’s inauguration proceedings and the accompanying events. They then break down all the rumors surrounding Team Trump, discuss the upcoming confirmation hearings, and even spill some tea on the Obamas. To check out more of Meghan on the ‘Citizen McCain’ podcast, click here. For more of Tara’s reporting, please sign up for her newsletter, 'The Best and the Brightest,' at puck.news/tarapalm...
Jan 23, 2025•48 min
Tara is joined by Axios’ Marc Caputo from Donald Trump’s inauguration in Washington, D.C., to share their instant reactions to the events of the day and over the preceding weekend. They discuss the highlights of Trump’s speech, differentiate the rhetoric from his actual presidential intentions, and talk about their favorite moments from the event. For more of Tara’s reporting, please sign up for her newsletter, 'The Best and the Brightest,' at puck.news/tarapalmeri and use the discount code TARA...
Jan 21, 2025•45 min
Tara is joined by Pat Dennis, president of the Democratic Super PAC American Bridge 21st Century, to discuss the viability of Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees and the media’s role in exposing their inefficiencies to the American public. They shine a light on the dark world of political opposition research, speculate on which of Trump’s controversial picks will make it through confirmation, and debate the effectiveness of mainstream news on the modern voter. For more of Tara’s reporting, please si...
Jan 16, 2025•34 min
Tara is joined by ex-deputy secretary of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli to talk about the viability of Donald Trump’s ambitious immigration reforms on the eve of his inauguration. They discuss the legality of using the military to execute mass deportations, debate the effects they will have on the American people, and break down the national and international logistics of implementing such a large scale plan. For more of Tara’s reporting, please sign up for her newsletter, 'The Best and the Br...
Jan 14, 2025•52 min
Tara is joined by former Trump administration appointee and political consultant Matthew Bartlett to discuss the viability of Donald Trump’s ambitious legislative agenda as we approach Inauguration Day. They analyze Trump’s provocative Mar-a-Lago press conference from earlier in the week, speculate on what his first days in office will be like, and shine a light on the tech-bro swagger currently infecting the Hill. For more of Tara’s reporting, please sign up for her newsletter, 'The Best and th...
Jan 09, 2025•35 min
Tara is joined by British political activist and adviser Raheem Kassam to discuss and compare the current states of right-wing populism in England and the United States. They shine a light on the rising influence of the Reform party and its ideological leader (Nigel Farage) in U.K. politics, analyze Elon Musk’s political moves in Europe, and talk about what will be different about Donald Trump’s administration the second time around. For more of Tara’s reporting, please sign up for her newslette...
Jan 07, 2025•50 min
As President Biden prepares to leave American politics after 50 years of service, presidential historian Douglas Brinkley joins Tara Palmeri to reflect on Biden’s legacy. Will the history books remember him fondly for his dedication to the American people, or will a controversial final year in office overshadow President Biden's lifetime of work? Plus, the two discuss what President-Elect Donald Trump could do to help or harm the legacy of his predecessor over the next four years. For more of Ta...
Dec 31, 2024•50 min
Tara is joined by legal scholar and former political advisor John Yoo to discuss the parameters of Donald Trump’s executive power as we head closer to his upcoming presidency. They examine the myriad ways Trump can manipulate the justice system, talk about the ways he can strengthen his influence further, and shine a light on the viability of some of his proposed executive orders. For more of Tara’s reporting, please sign up for her newsletter, 'The Best and the Brightest,' at puck.news/tarapalm...
Dec 23, 2024•50 min
Tara is joined by political strategist and Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign manager, Bill Stepien, to dissect Trump’s mindset as he gets his cabinet ready for his upcoming presidency. They examine his current level of power in D.C., break down the paths forward for his legislative agenda, and examine his mercurial relationship with pollsters. For more of Tara’s reporting, please sign up for her newsletter, 'The Best and the Brightest,' at puck.news/tarapalmeri and use the discount code TARA20. Host:...
Dec 18, 2024•37 min
Tara is joined by writer, Iraq War veteran, and host of the ‘Independent Americans’ podcast Paul Rieckhoff to discuss Pete Hegseth’s bid to be secretary of defense in Donald Trump’s upcoming administration. They break down the tactics MAGA devotees are employing to pressure senators into accepting Pete’s nomination, examine the culture wars developing within the U.S. military, and talk about why Trump’s DNI nominee, Tulsi Gabbard, is an equally controversial choice for her prospective role. For ...
Dec 12, 2024•38 min
