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Tangle

Isaac Saulwww.readtangle.com
Independent, non-partisan politics news where you'll hear the best arguments from across the political spectrum on the news of the day. Plus, fascinating interviews with people in the political world. Check out our newsletter: https://www.readtangle.com/

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Episodes

PREVIEW - The Friday Edition: One last look at why Harris lost the 2024 election.

More than a week has now passed since Election Day, and before we fully pivot to focusing on the end of Biden's presidency, the current Supreme Court term, the new Congress, Trump’s appointees and the incoming administration, I think it's important to give one (potentially final) breakdown of the election we just had. I will discuss this in four parts: How should we accurately describe the results of this election? What was the deciding factor in this election? What other issues made a differenc...

Nov 15, 202418 min

Trump pushes for recess appointments.

On Sunday, President-elect Donald Trump  tweeted  that any Republican senator hoping to obtain the position of majority leader would have to approve of recess appointments for his cabinet nominees. Typically, nominees for Cabinet positions, executive offices, or high-level ambassadorships undergo a hearing where they are asked questions by members of the Senate who then vote on whether to confirm an appointee. Only a simple majority is needed for confirmation.  Ad-free podcasts ar...

Nov 14, 202431 min

Trump's mass deportation plan

In the week after the election, President-elect Donald Trump  reaffirmed his campaign promise  to deport millions of immigrants living in the United States illegally. He has also started identifying high-ranking immigration officials to carry out the policy. Ad-free podcasts are here! Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could subscribe to — and we finally launched it . You can go to tanglemedia.supercast.com to sign up! You can read today's ...

Nov 13, 202427 min

The Trump White House comes into focus.

In the week since his electoral victory, President-elect Trump has begun announcing his picks for his cabinet and key White House staff. These selections offer the first glimpse of the president-elect’s governing priorities and the leaders who will work to enact his agenda.  Ad-free podcasts are here! Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could subscribe to — and we finally launched it . You can go to tanglemedia.supercast.com to sign up! You can r...

Nov 12, 202431 min

We're off for Veterans Day, but...

In the madness of election week, we forgot to note that we are off for Veteran's Day today. As longtime readers and listeners know, the Tangle team observes all federal bank holidays, and also takes a couple "recesses" throughout the year around major holidays and congressional breaks (if Congress can take recesses, why can’t we as news reporters and consumers?). While we are off today, we still wanted to provide you with a little bit of content. So, below, we've compiled a list of some of recen...

Nov 11, 20248 min

The Friday Edition - Ken Block Interview

Isaac conducts an intriguing interview with Ken Block, who was hired by the Trump campaign shortly after the 2020 election to investigate the allegations of voter fraud. Ad-free podcasts and the full episode of today's podcast are here! Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could subscribe to — and we finally launched it . You can go to tanglemedia.supercast.com to sign up! Check out our latest YouTube video on voter fraud misinformation in Bucks County...

Nov 08, 20246 min

Kamala Harris’s concession speech

At 4:00 pm ET on Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris  addressed  a crowd of supporters at her alma mater of Howard University in Washington, D.C., to concede the election to President-elect Donald Trump. Harris  said that  she called to congratulate Trump on the victory and would help aid his administration’s transition but urged attendees to keep fighting for the issues that motivated her campaign. Ad-free podcasts are here! Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free...

Nov 07, 202427 min

The 2024 election result

Former President Donald Trump will become the 47th president of the United States, with  all   major   news outlets   calling  the race in his favor as of Wednesday morning. Trump is poised for a sweep of all seven swing states — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin — and holds a  51%–47.5% lead  in the popular vote with a large percentage of the vote in West Coast states still to be reported. Trump appears likely to s...

Nov 06, 202433 min

Election Day Interview

First, and most importantly, we want to let you all know that we'll be covering the election  live from Tangle HQ  in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We're hosting an election watch party (a  handful of tickets are still available ) and I'll be doing live interviews with guests all night. In order to tune in, you can go to  our YouTube channel  right now, subscribe, and turn on notifications. You can also plan to  tune in to the channel at 7:00pm ET. Newsletters Our neu...

Nov 05, 202444 min

The final polls of 2024

Over the weekend, several respected pollsters released their final surveys of the 2024 election, offering a snapshot of the presidential race in its last days. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have been locked in a close contest since Harris replaced President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee, and the latest polls show the candidates remain neck and neck on the eve of Election Day.  Ad-free podcasts are here! Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free ve...

Nov 04, 202429 min

The Sunday Podcast: Issac and Ari talk about election night thoughts, a possible red bubble, and play some games.

Isaac and Ari share their thoughts about potential election night results, the potential we are in a red bubble, play some game, and talk with editor Will Kaback and executive producer Jon Lall. And as always, the Airing of Grievances. Ad-free podcasts are here! For the last few years, our daily podcast has been ad-supported. In that time, we’ve gotten complaints from our listeners saying they find these ads annoying and would happily pay a subscription to get ad-free podcasts — and we fina...

Nov 03, 20241 hr 21 min

The Decision

With the election just days away, we questioned our undecideds about some of the comments they have individually made throughout the series, probed further into those statements, and ultimately discovered if they have made a decision on how they are voting. You can ⁠⁠⁠ subscribe to Tangle by clicking here⁠⁠⁠  or drop something ⁠⁠⁠ in our tip jar by clicking here.⁠⁠⁠ The Undecideds is a Tangle Media Production This episode was written by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Jon Lall Inter...

Nov 03, 20242 hr 48 minSeason 1Ep. 8

The Friday Edition - Can Kamala Harris win? And 25 closing thoughts on the election.

A couple weeks ago, I made  my final predictions  about the 2024 election.  In that post, one of my headline predictions was that Vice President Kamala Harris would win Pennsylvania but lose the election. I also argued that Trump had a path to winning in Michigan, that Democrats would win the House, and that Republicans would come away with 53 seats in the Senate. Since then, the race hasn’t fundamentally changed, but it has developed in a lot of interesting ways. I’ve been jottin...

Nov 01, 20246 min

Harris’s closing argument

On Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris  delivered a speech  at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., that was billed as the closing argument of her campaign. Harris delivered the speech at the same site as former President Donald Trump’s address to his supporters on January 6, 2021, which preceded their march to the U.S. Capitol. Harris’s campaign chair, Jen O'Malley Dillon,  said  the location of the address was meant to “crystallize the choice in this election” for voters.&nbs...

Oct 31, 202427 min

Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally

 On Sunday, October 27, former president and Republican nominee Donald Trump held a rally at a sold-out Madison Square Garden in New York City. Although Trump will be holding a  series of rallies  — mostly in swing states — for the next week, the event at Madison Square Garden was his last major event with a full complement of guest speakers before Election Day. Ad-free podcasts are here! Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could s...

Oct 30, 202425 min

National newspapers decide not to endorse.

On Friday, The Washington Post announced it would not endorse a presidential candidate in this year's election and would continue to forgo presidential endorsements in the future. Will Lewis, the paper's publisher,  announced  the decision in a column that described the non-endorsement as a return to the paper's pre-1970s tradition.  Ad-free podcasts are here! Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could subscribe to — and we finally launc...

Oct 29, 202430 min

The presidential race in Michigan

A week out from Election Day, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are neck and neck in the critical battleground state. Harris held a moderate polling lead over Trump in Michigan after she replaced President Joe Biden on the Democratic ticket, but FiveThirtyEight’s polling average now has her leading by  just 0.4 points . Harris’s struggles are due in part to  declining support  among Arab American voters in Michigan, who have been critical of the Biden ...

Oct 28, 202426 min

The Sunday Podcast: An interview with Dr. Noam Weissman

Since Isaac is off coaching his frisbee team to a national championship, Ari and he couldn't record a Sunday podcast for you all. So to make up for that, we are releasing last week's special Friday edition interview for you all to enjoy. To listen to this and all our other podcasts ad-free, please go to tanglemedia.supercast.com and sign up for a membership. On today's Friday edition, Isaac talks with Dr. Noam Weissman, Executive Vice President of OpenDor Media. Noam is a recognized thought lead...

Oct 27, 20241 hr 3 min

Trump's "enemy from within" controversy.

In the past two weeks, former President Donald Trump has made repeated references to “the enemy within” the United States, suggesting he would use the military to put down unrest caused by the left, sparking controversy as the presidential race nears its conclusion. Those remarks, in turn, have prompted former high-level members of his administration to speak out against his candidacy and question his fitness for office.  Ad-free podcasts are here! Many listeners have been asking for an ad-...

Oct 24, 202429 min

Early voting data

23 million Americans have already voted, according to  the University of Florida’s Election Lab . On September 20, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Virginia became the first three states to allow voters to return mail-in ballots for  the 2024 election . As of Wednesday, October 23, 39 states have started in-person early voting, with four states — Delaware, Maryland, New York, and New Jersey— opening up voting later this week. Ad-free podcasts are here! Many listeners have been asking for a...

Oct 23, 202428 min

Trump's visit to McDonald's.

On Sunday, former president and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump  manned the fry station  and handed out drive-through orders at a McDonald's in Feasterville-Trevose, a Philadelphia suburb in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania. Afterward, he held an informal press conference with reporters. Ad-free podcasts are here! Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could subscribe to — and we finally launched it . You can go to tangleme...

Oct 22, 202428 min

Yahya Sinwar’s death

On Thursday, the Israeli military  announced  it had killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in an operation in southern Gaza the day prior. Sinwar was one of the primary architects of Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel and was believed to have been hiding in Gaza’s tunnel system since the attack. Despite Sinwar’s death, both sides have  resisted  engaging in renewed ceasefire talks.  Ad-free podcasts are here! Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast...

Oct 21, 202429 min

The Sunday Podcast: Isaac and Ari share their predictions about the presidential, house and senate races. Also, the truth is finally spoken about the robots.

Isaac and Ari share their predictions about the presidential, house and senate races as well as events surrounding the election. Also, the truth is finally spoken about the robots. And as always, the Airing of Grievances. Ad-free podcasts are here! For the last few years, our daily podcast has been ad-supported. In that time, we’ve gotten complaints from our listeners saying they find these ads annoying and would happily pay a subscription to get ad-free podcasts — and we finally launched i...

Oct 21, 20242 hr 32 min

Primetime

We spoke our undecided voters about the Democratic National Convention, Kamala Harris' first interview, and the debate between Harris and former President Donald Trump. The election is now 18 days away. You can ⁠⁠⁠ subscribe to Tangle by clicking here⁠⁠⁠  or drop something ⁠⁠⁠ in our tip jar by clicking here.⁠⁠⁠ The Undecideds is a Tangle Media Production This episode was written by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Jon Lall Interviews were conducted by Magdalena Bokowa, Will Kaback, ...

Oct 18, 20241 hr 12 minSeason 1Ep. 7

SPECIAL EDITION: The Senate races.

On November 5, in addition to presidential, House, state and local elections, voters will be casting ballots in  34 Senate elections  in 33 different states. Currently, a coalition of 47 Democrats and four independent senators holds a 51-49 advantage over Republicans in Congress’s upper chamber. This year, Republicans are only defending 11 of the 33 Senate seats up for election and are  likely to hold all 11 . Two of the 23 Democratic seats up for election — in West Virginia and M...

Oct 17, 202433 min

Kamala Harris’s latest economic proposals

On Monday, Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled  new proposals  focused on helping black men build wealth, capitalize on economic opportunities, and protect their rights. Details of Harris’s plan include: Ad-free podcasts are here! Many listeners have been asking for an ad-free version of this podcast that they could subscribe to — and we finally launched it . You can go to tanglemedia.supercast.com to sign up! You can read today's podcast ⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ , our “Under the Radar” story ⁠he...

Oct 16, 202426 min

FEMA funding and the disaster response.

Last Wednesday, Hurricane Milton  made landfall  in Florida as a Category 3 storm, knocking out power to 3.2 million people and  killing  at least eight. Two weeks earlier, Hurricane Helene ravaged the Southeast, killing  more than 250 people  and resulting in widespread devastation. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which  coordinates the federal response  to disasters that exceed the capabilities of local and state authorities, has become t...

Oct 15, 202432 min

The Sunday Podcast: Tangle gets some love, the Jack Smith filing and Isaac and Ari argue about cooking techniques and more

On today's episode, Tangle gets some love from some big pod casters, Isaac and Ari argue about cooking techniques, talk about the Jack Smith filing and Isaac tries to guess which movies are which president's favorites. Ad-free podcasts are here! For the last few years, our daily podcast has been ad-supported. In that time, we’ve gotten complaints from our listeners saying they find these ads annoying and would happily pay a subscription to get ad-free podcasts — and we finally launched it ....

Oct 13, 202432 min

FULL EPISODE - The Friday Edition: 2024 Ballot 10 ballot initiatives that will define the election.

Today, we’re focusing on 10 ballot initiatives that we think exemplify this moment in U.S. politics. In Tangle fashion, we’ll give a neutral overview of the measure and what advocates and opponents are saying about it. However, we won’t be giving our take — the intent of this piece is to highlight a selection of ballot initiatives that tell a story about the salient issues of this election. We’ll let you decide what arguments sound the strongest to you. This is a full episode preview of our Frid...

Oct 11, 202430 min

The Supreme Court takes up ghost guns.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in  Garland v. VanDerStok , a case challenging a 2022 Biden administration rule that regulated unserialized firearms, also known as “ghost guns.” A group of firearms owners, gun rights groups and manufacturers challenged the rule, arguing that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) exceeded its authority in issuing the regulation. During arguments, a majority of justices on the court  seemed skeptical  of th...

Oct 10, 202431 min