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The Chuck ToddCast

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The Chuck ToddCast is back! If you're looking for smart, no-nonsense political conversation, you've come to the right place. The Chuck ToddCast goes beyond the headlines, featuring conversations with top reporters, insiders, and newsmakers from D.C. to the heartland. No scripts, no spin—just real discussions about what’s shaping our politics and why it matters.
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Episodes

Interview Only w/ Governor Wes Moore - How Democrats Can Push Back Against Trump

At the Texas Tribune Festival, Maryland Governor Wes Moore joins Chuck Todd for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership in the Trump era, the future of Democratic politics, and the policy challenges shaping the next decade. Moore reflects on governing a state uniquely positioned at the crossroads of America’s north and south — and uniquely impacted by Donald Trump’s presidency. He and Chuck dig into the shutdown’s political fallout, why the legal theory behind shutdowns has always been flim...

Nov 28, 20251 hr 13 min

Full Episode - Which Democratic Presidential Hopeful Has The Best Shot In 2028? + How Democrats Can Push Back Against Trump w/ Governor Wes Moore

On this episode of The Chuck ToddCast, Chuck previews the Democratic prospects for the 2028 presidential election, highlighting why Gavin Newsom has shot to the top of the field and debates which candidate is most likely to win the “centrist” lane. Then, at the Texas Tribune Festival, Maryland Governor Wes Moore joins Chuck Todd for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership in the Trump era, the future of Democratic politics, and the policy challenges shaping the next decade. Moore reflects o...

Nov 28, 20251 hr 52 min

Interview Only w/ Clay Travis - Politics, Playoffs & The Future Of Sports Media

Sports & political commentator Clay Travis joins Chuck Todd for a candid conversation that spans the worlds of politics, sports, and media. They explore the shifting boundaries between culture and athletics, the pressure of serving a politically-charged audience, and what Clay learned from stepping into Rush Limbaugh’s former timeslot. Clay discusses the importance of distinguishing fact from opinion, the challenges of modern political incentives, and how law school shaped his worldview. The...

Nov 26, 20251 hr 4 min

Chuck’s Commentary - The MAGA Movement May Be Hitting Its Expiration Date + Top 5 Must-Have Thanksgiving Dishes

On today’s Chuck ToddCast, Chuck breaks down why Marjorie Taylor Greene’s resignation is less an isolated drama and more a warning sign that Trump’s once-tight MAGA coalition is splintering. From Speaker Mike Johnson taking cues directly from Trump to a wave of looming GOP retirements, Chuck explains why Republicans may face a bleak 2026. He also digs into Trump’s mixed economic record, his unexpected openness to extending ACA subsidies, and the widening rift between Republicans over Ukraine, wh...

Nov 26, 20251 hr 12 min

Full Episode - The MAGA Movement May Be Hitting Its Expiration Date + Clay Travis On Politics, Playoffs & The Future Of Sports Media

On today’s Chuck ToddCast, Chuck breaks down why Marjorie Taylor Greene’s resignation is less an isolated drama and more a warning sign that Trump’s once-tight MAGA coalition is splintering. From Speaker Mike Johnson taking cues directly from Trump to a wave of looming GOP retirements, Chuck explains why Republicans may face a bleak 2026. He also digs into Trump’s mixed economic record, his unexpected openness to extending ACA subsidies, and the widening rift between Republicans over Ukraine, wh...

Nov 26, 20252 hr 14 min

Full Episode - Marjorie Taylor-Greene Is An "America First” True Believer…Trump Isn’t + The Barn, The South, and the Stories America Still Won’t Tell

Chuck Todd unpacks a seismic moment in Republican politics: Marjorie Taylor-Greene’s break from Donald Trump and her abrupt resignation from Congress. He traces how the split—months in the making—reveals deep fractures inside the “America First” movement, with MTG positioning herself as the true-believer successor to the Bannon wing while accusing both parties of fueling a self-serving “political industrial complex.” Chuck explains why her departure signals growing disillusionment among Trump’s ...

Nov 24, 20252 hr 33 min

Interview Only w/ Wright Thompson - The Barn, The South, And The Stories America Still Won’t Tell

In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, author Wright Thompson joins Chuck Todd to discuss his new book The Barn and the enduring struggle to tell the stories of civil rights in America. Wright delves into the history of Emmett Till, the ongoing battle over how Black history is taught in the South, and the limitations of projects like 1619 in capturing the full scope of systemic racism. He reflects on how the South’s “lost cause” imagery and historical amnesia continue to shape politics, culture,...

Nov 24, 20251 hr 6 min

Chuck’s Commentary - Marjorie Taylor-Greene Is An “America First” True Believer…Trump Isn’t + Trump’s Russia First Peace Plan

Chuck Todd unpacks a seismic moment in Republican politics: Marjorie Taylor-Greene’s break from Donald Trump and her abrupt resignation from Congress. He traces how the split—months in the making—reveals deep fractures inside the “America First” movement, with MTG positioning herself as the true-believer successor to the Bannon wing while accusing both parties of fueling a self-serving “political industrial complex.” Chuck explains why her departure signals growing disillusionment among Trump’s ...

Nov 24, 20251 hr 27 min

Chuck’s Commentary - New Polling Shows BIG Shift Toward Democrats + Trump’s Attempts To Manipulate The Economy Could Backfire

Chuck Todd breaks down why Donald Trump’s sudden push for a Ukraine “peace deal” may be more about political retreat than diplomacy, especially as Europe now shoulders most of the war’s cost—leaving Trump with diminished leverage abroad and a base deeply skeptical of foreign interventions. Chuck digs into new polling that shows a steady and significant shift toward Democrats, with a widening generic ballot advantage and Trump’s approval continuing to fall, suggesting the midterms—and even the Se...

Nov 20, 20251 hr 25 min

Full Episode - New Polling Shows BIG Shift Toward Democrats + Why Putin Won’t Stop, And Why Ukraine Won’t Settle

Chuck Todd breaks down why Donald Trump’s sudden push for a Ukraine “peace deal” may be more about political retreat than diplomacy, especially as Europe now shoulders most of the war’s cost—leaving Trump with diminished leverage abroad and a base deeply skeptical of foreign interventions. Chuck digs into new polling that shows a steady and significant shift toward Democrats, with a widening generic ballot advantage and Trump’s approval continuing to fall, suggesting the midterms—and even the Se...

Nov 20, 20252 hr 22 min

Interview Only w/ Anne Applebaum - Why Putin Won’t Stop, And Why Ukraine Won’t Settle

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck is joined by Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Anne Applebaum for a sweeping, unsparing look at the state of the Russia–Ukraine war and the global democratic landscape it threatens. Applebaum breaks down whether a ceasefire is even plausible this year, given Vladimir Putin’s unwavering war aims, the murky negotiators involved in back-channel talks, and Trump’s unusually warm posture toward the Kremlin. She details why Ukrainians refuse to accept a “ki...

Nov 20, 20251 hr

Chuck's Commentary - Trump’s Coalition Is Starting To Crack + Why America Can’t Quit Saudi Arabia

In this episode, Chuck Todd breaks down an extraordinary week in politics marked by a near-unanimous House vote to release the Epstein files and growing signs that Donald Trump’s decade-long grip on American politics may finally be loosening. He examines the cracks emerging in Trump’s coalition, the administration’s tariff pullbacks amid rising food costs, and the mounting Trump fatigue driving Republicans to quietly distance themselves. Chuck also tackles Trump’s escalating attacks on female re...

Nov 19, 20251 hr 10 min

Interview Only w/ Josh Turek - Why Democrats Struggle…And Can Still Win In Iowa

Interview Only w/ Josh Turek - Why Democrats Struggle…And Can Still Win In Iowa In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck sits down with Iowa Democratic senate candidate and four-time Paralympian and gold medalist Josh Turek for a deeply personal and politically sharp conversation. Josh shares his remarkable journey—from being born with spina bifida caused by his father’s exposure to Agent Orange, to discovering wheelchair basketball as a pathway to college, to becoming one of the winningest ...

Nov 19, 20251 hr 10 min

Full Episode - Trump’s Coalition Is Starting To Crack + Why Democrats Struggle…And Can Still Win In Iowa

In this episode, Chuck Todd breaks down an extraordinary week in politics marked by a near-unanimous House vote to release the Epstein files and growing signs that Donald Trump’s decade-long grip on American politics may finally be loosening. He examines the cracks emerging in Trump’s coalition, the administration’s tariff pullbacks amid rising food costs, and the mounting Trump fatigue driving Republicans to quietly distance themselves. Chuck also tackles Trump’s escalating attacks on female re...

Nov 19, 20252 hr 18 min

Interview Only w/ David Lesch - Bashar al-Assad, Broken Borders & Baseball

In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast , historian and author David Lesch joins Chuck to discuss the new book Dodgers to Damascus — an unexpected blend of Middle Eastern politics and baseball. Lesch traces his path from aspiring major-leaguer to one of America’s foremost scholars on Syria, explaining how the fall of the Ottoman Empire, artificial borders drawn by European powers, and a lack of cohesive national identity still shape the region today. He offers candid reflections on his relationshi...

Nov 17, 20251 hr 2 min

Full Episode - Donald Trump Is Rattled By The Epstein Files + Bashar al-Assad, Broken Borders & Baseball

On today’s Chuck ToddCast, Chuck breaks down how Donald Trump is being consumed by the growing Epstein feeding frenzy — from his inexplicable softness toward Ghislaine Maxwell to signs he may be genuinely afraid of what she knows. As Trump lashes out at Thomas Massie and Marjorie Taylor Greene with the same fury he once reserved for impeachment-backers, his grip on the GOP shows early signs of slipping, even as the DOJ considers whether reopening the Epstein investigation could delay the release...

Nov 17, 20252 hr 3 min

Chuck’s Commentary - Donald Trump Is Rattled By The Epstein Files + How The U.S. Government Fed Conspiratorial Thinking

On today’s episode of The Chuck ToddCast, Chuck breaks down how Donald Trump is being consumed by the growing Epstein feeding frenzy — from his inexplicable softness toward Ghislaine Maxwell to signs he may be genuinely afraid of what she knows. As Trump lashes out at Thomas Massie and Marjorie Taylor Greene with the same fury he once reserved for impeachment-backers, his grip on the GOP shows early signs of slipping, even as the DOJ considers whether reopening the Epstein investigation could de...

Nov 17, 20251 hr 2 min

New Voices - Politically Homeless: Why Traditional Conservatives Can’t Embrace MAGA

On this special “New Voices” episode of the Chuck ToddCast , political strategist Lucy Caldwell joins Chuck to reflect on her journey from running Joe Walsh’s anti-Trump Republican campaign to registering as a Democrat. She discusses the fractures within the conservative movement, the erosion of space for moderates, and why independent efforts like the Forward Party struggle to gain traction. Lucy and Chuck explore how partisan incentives discourage compromise, why the best candidates often emer...

Nov 15, 202537 min

Interview Only w/ Adam Jentleson - The Democrats’ Roadmap To Becoming A Majority Party Again

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast , Chuck sits down with Adam Jentleson, executive director of the new Searchlight Institute, to talk about how Democrats can build a broader, more durable governing coalition. Jentleson explains why Searchlight is designed to promote ideological diversity within the Democratic Party — and why policies that blend progressive and moderate ideas tend to last longer and win in more places. He warns that Democrats’ electoral path to the presidency and a 60-seat Se...

Nov 13, 20251 hr 7 min

Full Episode - From Teflon To Velcro: Why The Epstein Files Could Trigger Trump’s Lame Duck Presidency + The Democrats’ Roadmap To Becoming A Majority Party Again

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast , Chuck unpacks a tumultuous week for Donald Trump as newly released Epstein emails reignite old scandals — and this time, they may stick. With Speaker Mike Johnson appearing to serve Trump’s interests over his own members, and a worsening economy eroding public patience, Chuck explores whether we’re witnessing the beginning of Trump’s “lame duck” moment. He draws parallels between Trump’s endless stream of controversies, his history of corrupt pardons, and ...

Nov 13, 20252 hr 24 min

Chuck’s Commentary - From Teflon To Velcro: Why The Epstein Files Could Trigger Trump’s Lame Duck Presidency + Mike Johnson Has Put Republicans In A Terrible Spot

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast , Chuck unpacks a tumultuous week for Donald Trump as newly released Epstein emails reignite old scandals — and this time, they may stick. With Speaker Mike Johnson appearing to serve Trump’s interests over his own members, and a worsening economy eroding public patience, Chuck explores whether we’re witnessing the beginning of Trump’s “lame duck” moment. He draws parallels between Trump’s endless stream of controversies, his history of corrupt pardons, and ...

Nov 13, 20251 hr 16 min

Interview Only w/ Joel Willett - How Democrats Can Win In Appalachia

Former intelligence officer and Democratic senate candidate from Kentucky Joel Willett joins Chuck Todd for a wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation — from his post-9/11 path into military service to the experiences that pushed him toward the Democratic Party. They highlight the parallels between his own story and JD Vance’s , offering candid thoughts on Hillbilly Elegy and how addiction, inequality, and disillusionment shape modern politics. He argues that the fentanyl crisis can’t be so...

Nov 12, 20251 hr 7 min

Full Episode - Both Parties Showing Cracks After Government Shutdown + How Democrats Can Win In Appalachia

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast , Chuck breaks down the political fallout from the ending of the longest government shutdown in history— and what it revealed about both parties’ internal divides. He also answers listeners’ questions regarding the shutdown. Then, former intelligence officer and Democratic senate candidate from Kentucky Joel Willett joins Chuck Todd for a wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation — from his post-9/11 path into military service to the experiences that pus...

Nov 12, 20252 hr 7 min

Chuck’s Commentary - Both Parties Showing Cracks After Government Shutdown + Top 5 Senate Seat Most Likely To Flip Parties

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast , Chuck breaks down the political fallout from the ending of the longest government shutdown in history— and what it revealed about both parties’ internal divides. He also answers listeners’ questions regarding the shutdown. Finally, he gives his update ToddCast Top 5 Senate seats most likely to flip parties, and answers more non-shutdown related questions in “Ask Chuck” Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Thank ...

Nov 12, 20251 hr 2 min

Chuck’s Commentary - The End Of The Government Shutdown? + Is Trump Entering His Lame Duck Era?

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast , Chuck breaks down the latest in Washington as the government shutdown nears its end—and the political fallout begins. Democrats have shown more backbone than expected, while Donald Trump’s strategy has Republicans quietly questioning his grip on power. From his push to cut SNAP benefits for his own voters to his increasingly distorted view of the economy, Trump’s disconnect from reality is starting to cost him. Chuck also looks at the Democrats’ strong sho...

Nov 10, 20251 hr 16 min

Interview Only w/ Garrett Graff - From Nixon to Trump: America’s Nonstop Modern Presidential Scandals

Chuck Todd sits down with journalist and historian Garrett Graff, host of The Long Shadow , to unpack how America’s political scandals—from Watergate to Trump—have shaped the presidency and public trust. Graff reflects on the slow process of uncovering the truth about Nixon’s 1968 interference and how those lessons apply to Trump’s open defiance of the Presidential Records Act. The two dive into why history takes decades to judge leaders, how government secrecy really works, and why even the mos...

Nov 10, 20251 hr 15 min

Full Episode - The End Of The Government Shutdown? + From Nixon to Trump: America’s Nonstop Modern Presidential Scandals

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast , Chuck breaks down the latest in Washington as the government shutdown nears its end—and the political fallout begins. Democrats have shown more backbone than expected, while Donald Trump’s strategy has Republicans quietly questioning his grip on power. From his push to cut SNAP benefits for his own voters to his increasingly distorted view of the economy, Trump’s disconnect from reality is starting to cost him. Chuck also looks at the Democrats’ strong sho...

Nov 10, 20252 hr 31 min

Full Episode - A GREAT Night For Democrats + Democracy Denied: Inside the Push for D.C. & Puerto Rico Statehood

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck reacts to Democrats outperforming expectations across the board in Tuesday’s elections — from New Jersey to Georgia — signaling a sharp political rebuke of Donald Trump and his influence over the GOP. He breaks down why the results were more than just a good night for Democrats, how high electric bills and cost-of-living concerns shaped key races, and why even Republican strongholds are starting to shift. With Trump’s tariffs facing likely Supreme Cou...

Nov 06, 20252 hr 20 min

Interview Only w/ Rep. Oye Owolewa & George Laws Garcia - Democracy Denied: Inside the Push for D.C. & Puerto Rico Statehood

D.C. representative Oye Owolewa and Executive Director for Puerto Rico 51st George Laws Garcia join Chuck Todd for a deep dive into one of America’s most overlooked democratic debates — the fight for statehood for Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. With over 3 million Americans lacking full representation in Congress, Chuck explores the political, constitutional, and cultural hurdles standing in the way. From Puerto Rico’s 58% support for statehood to the District’s struggle under federal oversig...

Nov 06, 20251 hr

Chuck’s Commentary - A GREAT Night For Democrats + Trump’s Grip On The G.O.P. Could Slip

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck reacts to Democrats outperforming expectations across the board in Tuesday’s elections — from New Jersey to Georgia — signaling a sharp political rebuke of Donald Trump and his influence over the GOP. He breaks down why the results were more than just a good night for Democrats, how high electric bills and cost-of-living concerns shaped key races, and why even Republican strongholds are starting to shift. With Trump’s tariffs facing likely Supreme Cou...

Nov 06, 20251 hr 18 min
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