Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN). The third-term Minnesota congressman announced that he will be running in the Democratic primary, issuing an unusual challenge to a sitting president of his own party. We were able to get an exclusive interview with Rep. Phillips just hours after his announcement, which we've shared a preview of after "My take" in today's podcast. For the full interview you can check it out on our YouTube channel here . You can read today's podcast here and our You can also check o...
Oct 30, 2023•21 min
Mike Johnson (R-LA). Yesterday, Republicans in the House of Representatives elected Johnson their new Speaker. His election ended three weeks without a Speaker, and came after Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH), Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Tom Emmer (R-MN) all failed to win a full floor vote after being nominated by the party. Johnson unified the party, winning the votes of all 220 Republicans in attendance, while all 209 Democrats present voted for Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). You can read today's podcast here...
Oct 26, 2023•27 min
The guilty pleas in Georgia. In less than a week, three of Trump’s former associates have agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in the Georgia election interference case and pleaded guilty to charges brought by District Attorney Fani Willis. You can read today's podcast here , today’s Under the Radar story here , and today’s “Have a nice day” story here . You can also check out our latest YouTube videos, a recording of the “My Take” from Tuesday’s Israel piece here and an intervie...
Oct 25, 2023•25 min
The U.S. deficit. In the current fiscal year, the U.S. deficit has effectively doubled from $1 trillion to $2 trillion. You can read today's podcast here , today’s Under the Radar story here , and today’s “Have a nice day” story here . You can also check out our latest YouTube videos, a recording of the “My Take” from Tuesday’s Israel piece here and an interview with Christopher Dowling-Magill about conversion therapy here . Today’s clickables: Quick hits (1:11), Today’s story (3...
Oct 24, 2023•25 min
Donald Trump's gag orders. Former President Trump has been put under gag orders in two separate trials where he is a defendant. In a civil fraud trial on Friday, Judge Arthur Engoron fined Trump $5,000 and floated the idea of jailing him for defying a partial gag order that required him to remove a social media post criticizing the judge's law clerk. You can read today's podcast here , today’s Under the Radar story here , and today’s “Have a nice day” story here . You can also check ...
Oct 23, 2023•24 min
The Gaza hospital explosion. On Tuesday, reports broke that the al-Ahli Arab Hospital, founded in 1882 by the Anglican church, had been the site of a major explosion. The hospital has about 80 beds , but was being used to house civilians during Israel's aerial bombardment of Gaza. Video footage reviewed by The New York Times showed “scores of bodies strewn across the hospital’s courtyard,” suggesting a high death toll from the explosion. Initially, news outlets reported that more than 500 civili...
Oct 19, 2023•29 min
Jim Jordan. The Ohio Republican failed to win the requisite votes to become Speaker on Tuesday, leaving his future in doubt and the House of Representatives in a state of paralysis. Jordan’s nomination for House Speaker began after a handful of Republicans ousted Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) earlier this month, citing broken promises on spending and for working with Democrats to pass a continuing resolution to keep the government from shutting down. You can read today's podcast here , today’s ...
Oct 18, 2023•25 min
Student loans. Earlier this month, student loan repayment restarted for the first time in three years. Shortly thereafter, President Biden announced an additional $9 billion in student debt cancellation, a move that impacted roughly 125,000 borrowers. The administration says approximately 3.6 million Americans have now received $127 billion of student debt relief, and the Biden administration is now exploring other options for larger-scale cancellation. You can read today's podcast here , to...
Oct 17, 2023•25 min
The protests in the United States. All across the U.S., pro-Israel and pro-Palestine protests have been roiling college campuses and cities, with high tension leading to political fallout and occasional violence. You can read the pieces by Jonathan Katz here and here . You can read today's podcast here , today’s Under the Radar story here , and today’s “Have a nice day” story here . You can also check out our latest YouTube video, a recording of the “My Take” from Tuesday’s Israel pi...
Oct 16, 2023•29 min
RFK Jr. Earlier this week, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced he will be running for president as an independent and is no longer seeking the Democratic nomination. The 69-year-old longtime environmental lawyer and activist has spent much of his career fighting pollution and pushing to rein in the power of corporations. More recently, he has sparked controversy for decrying the U.S. commitment to the war in Ukraine, questioning the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines, and for appearing on the Joe Rogan p...
Oct 12, 2023•28 min
Biden's border wall. Last week, the Biden administration said that it was waiving 26 federal laws in South Texas to allow new border wall construction. The move is Biden’s first use of executive power to pave the way for more barriers along the border, something that was a common tactic during the Trump administration. You can read today's podcast here , today’s Under the Radar story here , and today’s “Have a nice day” story here . You can also check out our latest YouTube video h...
Oct 11, 2023•26 min
The attack on Israel. Over the weekend, Hamas militants executed a surprise attack on Israel from Gaza, killing over 900 people and wounding more than 2,500. Over 250 people were found dead at a music festival in southern Israel near Gaza, with witnesses saying they fled for their lives as gunmen opened fire on them Saturday morning. Israel says more than 150 civilians and soldiers have been taken hostage. 11 American citizens have been counted among the dead. Those counted missing or dead now i...
Oct 10, 2023•35 min
Today's Friday edition is a personal essay about something that happened to me last week. If you're a new subscriber, please note we'll be back in your inbox on Tuesday (we’re off Monday for the federal holiday) with our typical edition. You can read more about the great Lew Irwin here and you can buy his book, Deadly Times , here and here . You can read today's podcast here and you can also check out our latest YouTube video here . You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something ...
Oct 06, 2023•11 min
The Amazon and Google lawsuits. Last week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon , accusing the company of monopolizing the online retail space. The FTC alleges that Amazon, worth $1.3 trillion, prevents its sellers from offering their products more cheaply on other platforms, forces sellers to use its warehouses and delivery services, and sometimes inflates costs both for consumers and sellers. It began investigating Amazon in 2019, during the Trump ad...
Oct 05, 2023•27 min
Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). Yesterday, the House of Representatives voted to remove McCarthy as Speaker, marking the first time in American history that a sitting Speaker of the House has been removed. McCarthy said on Tuesday night he will not run for Speaker again. The interim Speaker of the House, also called the speaker pro tempore, is Patrick McHenry (R-NC), a close ally of McCarthy. McHenry said Republicans will have a candidate forum next Tuesday and an election next Wednesday. You can read to...
Oct 04, 2023•28 min
Dianne Feinstein and Laphonza Butler. On Thursday night, Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein died at her home in Washington, D.C., at the age of 90. With Feinstein's death, Democrats now hold a Senate majority of 50-49. On Monday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced he would appoint Laphonza Butler, the president of EMILY's List, to fill her seat. You can read today's podcast here , today’s Under the Radar story here , and today’s “Have a nice day” story here . You can also check out our ...
Oct 03, 2023•26 min
The non-shutdown. In a dramatic few hours on Saturday, Congress avoided a government shutdown as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) passed a stopgap funding measure with the support of moderate Republicans and all but one House Democrat. The bill passed 335-91 in the House, with about half of Republicans voting against it. It then passed the Senate 88-9 hours later. President Biden signed the measure late Saturday night with just hours to spare. You can read today's podcast here , today’s Under...
Oct 02, 2023•25 min
For all the talk about how broken some parts of our democracy are, very few people are actually doing something meaningful about it. Nick Troiano is one of those people. Through his work as Executive Director of Unite America, Troiano is attempting what most people probably don't even imagine to be possible: To solve gerrymandering and political polarization. We spoke with Nick about what he thinks the way to do this is to address what he calls the "primary problem". You can read today's podcast...
Oct 02, 2023•34 min
The second Republican debate. On Wednesday night, seven Republican candidates for president participated in the second Republican debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. You can read today's podcast here and today’s “Have a nice day” story here . You can also check out our latest YouTube video here . Today’s clickables: Quick hits (1:22), Today’s story (3:10), Doug Burgum (4:50), Tim Scott (6:48), Chris Christie (8:54), Mike Pence (11:04), Nikki Haley (...
Sep 28, 2023•36 min
Rupert Murdoch steps down. On Thursday, 92-year-old Rupert Murdoch announced he was stepping down from his role as chairman of Fox Corp. and News Corp, two of the largest and most influential media holdings in the world. He also owns several large conservative news outlets and founded the Fox broadcast network. Murdoch sold many of his media assets to Walt Disney Co. in 2019, but is still an influential force at Fox News, The New York Post, and The Wall Street Journal, three of the most influent...
Sep 27, 2023•27 min
Sen. Bob Menendez. On Friday, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and his wife Nadine were indicted on three federal bribery charges related to corruption, including secretly aiding the government of Egypt and attempting to influence several prosecutions in exchange for cash, gold and other valuables. Menendez, a high-ranking Democrat who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has denied the charges and so far refused calls to resign, though he did step down as chair of the Foreign Relations Commi...
Sep 26, 2023•30 min
Today is Yom Kippur, the holiest holiday on the Jewish calendar, and I'll be spending most of the day in synagogue praying, fasting, and observing the day of atonement. If you’re interested in learning more about this day, you can go here . The House and Senate are also both out today for the holiday. As such, I’ve asked my team to help me publish a "skinny" newsletter — some quick hits (so you don't miss any news), a reader question, and a "Have nice a day" story. We'll be back in your inbox to...
Sep 25, 2023•10 min
A potential government shutdown. This week, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has struggled to wrangle his caucus as they attempt to pass a new spending bill. Government funding runs out in 10 days and a government shutdown now seems inevitable. You can read today's podcast here , today’s Under the Radar story here , and today’s “Have a nice day” story here . You can also check out our latest YouTube video here and listen to my chat with New York Post columnist Rikki Schlott on the Lost Debate...
Sep 21, 2023•28 min
The Iran prisoner swap. On Tuesday, following two years of negotiations, five Americans freed by Iran arrived back in the United States, ending their detainment a day after they were swapped for five Iranians who were being held in the United States. The U.S. also released $6 billion in Iranian oil revenue that had been frozen in overseas accounts. You can read today's podcast here , today’s Under the Radar story here , and today’s “Have a nice day” story here . You can also check out our latest...
Sep 20, 2023•26 min
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT). Last week, Romney announced he would not seek re-election in 2024, opting to retire after one term. Romney resisted pleas from colleagues like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) to stay in the Senate, citing his age and a changing party as reasons for his decision. You can read today's podcast here , today’s Under the Radar story here , and today’s “Have a nice day” story here . You can also check out our latest YouTube video here . Today’s clickables: Quick hit...
Sep 19, 2023•25 min
The United Auto Workers strike. On Friday, nearly one in 10 unionized auto workers in the United States went on strike, deploying a new strategy to push Detroit's three major automakers into raising wages. The unions are striking simultaneously at General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis (owner of Chrysler) for the first time in history, hoping to negotiate higher wages at a profitable time in the industry. The strikes are happening at GM's assembly plant in Wentzville, MO, Ford's assembly and paint...
Sep 18, 2023•29 min
New Mexico's gun ban. On Wednesday, a federal judge temporarily blocked a ban on carrying guns in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the state’s largest city. The order, put in place by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D), has stirred up national attention and controversy across the state. You can read today's podcast here , today’s Under the Radar story here , and today’s “Have a nice day” story here . You can also check out our latest YouTube video here . Today’s clickables: Quick hits (2:00), Today’s s...
Sep 14, 2023•27 min
The Biden impeachment inquiry. On Tuesday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy opened a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, pushing forward GOP efforts to find evidence of wrongdoing as the 2024 presidential election season kicks into gear. You can read today's podcast here , today’s Under the Radar story here , and today’s “Have a nice day” story here . You can also check out our latest YouTube video here . Today’s clickables: Quick hits (1:25), Today’s story (3:29), Right’s take (7:0...
Sep 13, 2023•27 min
The social media censorship case. On Friday, a federal appeals court said the Biden administration likely violated the First Amendment in some of its communications with social media companies, while conversely narrowing a lower court judge's order that had prohibited practically any communication between numerous federal agencies and social media companies. Last year, I had a very interesting conversation with Anna Massoglia, Investigations Manager at opensecrets.org , and for more background I...
Sep 12, 2023•26 min
The migrant crisis. On Wednesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) claimed that an influx of an estimated 110,000 asylum seekers from the southern border was going to “destroy” the Big Apple, saying he did not see a pathway toward fixing the issue. Adams’ comments come as New York continues to try to absorb an influx of migrants who are coming to the city and are now being housed in various shelters, hotels, office buildings, and parks across the five boroughs. Because New York is the only maj...
Sep 11, 2023•29 min
