With Donald Trump's impeachment acquittal almost assured, at the moment, the Republicans occupying the anti-Donald Trump lane in the post-Trump GOP are in danger of being run over. But if the GOP’s fervor for the former president fades to any degree, Senator Ben Sasse may be better positioned than anyone to capitalize. National political correspondent David Siders and Scott Bland talk about Sasse's recent video which inflamed his party's GOP and the future of the Republican party. Scott Bland is...
Feb 12, 2021•22 min•Ep. 296
Gone are the late night tweets of yore. In their place? Meticulously managed calendars. White House correspondent Anita Kumar takes Scott Bland inside the West Wing to see who is managing President Biden's time and what that tells us about the administration — and how it plans to achieve its goals. Scott Bland is a politics editor at POLITICO.Anita Kumar is a White House correspondent and associate editor at POLITICO. Annie Rees is a producer for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is senior producer for...
Feb 05, 2021•19 min•Ep. 295
In 2006, a young man holding no political office brought down a 180+ years program and reshaped Congress forever. Scott Bland talks to POLITICO magazine reporter Zack Stanton, a former House page who leaked transcripts of sexual messages that former Congressman Mark Foley sent to teen pages... which resulted in his resignation and torpedoed the Republican hold on power for years. Scott Bland is a politics editor at POLITICO.Zack Stanton is an editor at POLITICO magazine. Annie Rees is a producer...
Jan 29, 2021•30 min•Ep. 294
"It became clear that Scott Pruitt had sought to purchase a used mattress from the Trump hotel. And I thought, 'This is not what I expected this job would look like.'" At the close of Donald Trump's presidency, POLITICO's reporters and editors share their strongest memories of the last four years. Shocking moments they witnessed, conversations they overheard and what will stay with them forever. Plus, new Playbook co-author Tara Palmeri talks to Scott Bland about what she really wants to see in ...
Jan 22, 2021•26 min•Ep. 293
He's spent a lifetime turning near-disasters into brand-building triumphs. POLITICO magazine writer Michael Kruse talks to Scott Bland about how President Trump could do it again—unless the Senate breaks the pattern. Plus, a dispatch from POLITICO Congress reporter Sarah Ferris. Scott Bland is a politics editor at POLITICO.Michael Kruse is a senior staff writer at POLITICO magazine.Annie Rees is a producer for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is senior producer for POLITICO audio.Irene Noguchi is the ...
Jan 15, 2021•26 min•Ep. 292
The government ground to a halt on Wednesday when rioters breached and laid siege to the Capitol. Hours later, Congress reconvened to complete the electoral count and confirm Joe Biden's victory. Meanwhile, Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock won their Georgia Senate races, giving Democrats a narrow Senate majority. POLITICO founding editor John Harris talks with Scott Bland about this chaotic week in politics. Scott Bland is a politics editor at POLITICO.John Harris is founding editor of P...
Jan 08, 2021•22 min•Ep. 291
"Nerdcast" presents Episode 7 of the new season of POLITICO's podcast "Global Translations": What will it take to secure access to the critical minerals we need for the future — and can we solve one environmental challenge without creating a new one? Hosts Luiza Savage and Ryan Heath talk to political leaders around the world about what they are doing to shore up access to critical minerals. Luiza Savage is the host of "Global Translations".Ryan Heath is a host of "Global Translations". Annie Re...
Jan 01, 2021•34 min•Ep. 290
"Nerdcast" presents Episode 6 of the new season of POLITICO's podcast "Global Translations": To understand how essential critical minerals are to our world, we turn to a case study: cobalt. This mineral is proving key to the future of green energy, defense and high tech manufacturing — not to mention electric vehicles. But cobalt has its challenges. Hosts Luiza Savage and Ryan Heath look at China’s dominant role in global cobalt mining and the serious problems that can arise if other countries c...
Dec 25, 2020•28 min•Ep. 289
Ahead of January's runoff election in Georgia, the Black church has been, once again, thrust into the spotlight as an organizing force for voters and as a point of contention for conservatives. POLITICO reporter Maya King talks with Dr. Freddy Haynes, senior pastor at Dallas' massive Friendship West church, about the historic role that the Black church has played in American politics, from Harriet Tubman to Martin Luther King, Jr. to Senate runoff candidate Rev. Raphael Warnock, and what he's ho...
Dec 18, 2020•24 min•Ep. 288
It's an unspoken rule not to talk politics at the dinner table — unless you have a podcast recording, then it's fine! POLITICO's Sabrina Rodriguez gets real with her Cuban family — abuela Diana, aunt Gloria and mom Martha — about their 2020 votes, and how Cuban Americans in Miami-Dade County helped Donald Trump win Florida. Then she talks to Scott Bland about whether the ultimate purple state is drifting red.Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLITICO.Sabrina Rodriguez ...
Dec 11, 2020•26 min•Ep. 287
It's a political cliche to say that the stakes couldn't be higher — but we're looking at Georgia and the stakes couldn't be higher! Republicans and Democrats are feeling the pressure as they vie for the Senate majority, which has major implications for Joe Biden's presidency. Senate reporter James Arkin talks to Scott about his latest trip down to Georgia. Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLITICO.James Arkin is a Senate campaigns reporter at POLITICO.Annie Rees is a ...
Dec 04, 2020•27 min•Ep. 286
"Nerdcast" presents Episode 5 of the new season of POLITICO's podcast "Global Translations": The technologies that protect us, move us and power our daily lives require mining minerals and metalsin distant places. But access to these essential materials is increasingly under threat. Hosts Luiza Savage and Ryan Heath talk with experts who are sounding the alarm. Luiza Savage is the host of "Global Translations".Ryan Heath is a host of "Global Translations". Annie Rees is a producer for POLITICO A...
Nov 25, 2020•24 min•Ep. 285
Dan Bongino is pushing a stolen election conspiracy theory, and he's gaining followers. Some far-right commentators like Dan are flocking to apps like Parler and Rumble, where they don't have to be fact checked by Facebook and Twitter. POLITICO reporter Maggie Severns tells Scott Bland about the conservative pundits and fringe outlets whose conspiracies will dominate far-right messaging for the next four years. Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLITICO.Maggie Severns ...
Nov 20, 2020•23 min•Ep. 284
The 2020 presidential transition is one of the most consequential transfers of power in American history: Covid-19 is raging, Joe Biden still isn't receiving classified information as prez-elect, and Donald Trump hasn't conceded the election. POLITICO Transition Playbook author Alex Thompson demystifies the process with host Scott Bland and talks about some of the frontrunners in Joe Biden's cabinet.Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLITICO.Alex Thompson is a politica...
Nov 13, 2020•24 min•Ep. 283
Election Day came and went, and on this, Day 5 of Election Week, we have a result: Joe Biden is the president-elect. POLITICO's Sudeep Reddy and Scott Bland lay out what we know, what we (still) don’t, the state of political journalism and polling after the vote and what in the world that presidential transition is going to be like. Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLITICO.Sudeep Reddy is managing editor at POLITICOAdrienne Hurst is a producer for POLITICO audio.Anni...
Nov 06, 2020•28 min•Ep. 282
It's definitely not the Election Night we dreamed of. But it definitely happened. Host Scott Bland teams up with Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel to analyze the results — or lack of results.Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is the host of "Dispatch" for POLITICO.Jenny Ament is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 04, 2020•10 min•Ep. 281
Nov. 3 is barreling toward us, but don't expect that to be the day we'll know who won the presidency. POLITICO's Zach Montellaro and Nerdcast host Scott Bland decode how to watch Election Day — and the days that follow — like a pro. Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor for POLITICO.Zach Montellaro is a politics reporter for POLITICO.Adrienne Hurst is an associate producer for POLITICO audio. Jenny Ament is a senior producer for POLITICO audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive ...
Oct 30, 2020•35 min•Ep. 280
By almost every measure, the likely outcome is that Joe Biden will win the White House. Yet less than two weeks before Election Day, the unfolding reality of 2020 is that it’s harder than ever to be sure. POLITICO's Charlie Mahtesian and Scott Bland lay out why they're not ruling out another surprise Trump victory on Nov. 3. Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor for POLITICO.Charlie Mahtesian is a senior politics editor for POLITICO.Adrienne Hurst is an associate producer for...
Oct 23, 2020•29 min•Ep. 278
While Florida Republicans used to dominate the absentee ballot game, this year there's been a stunning development: For the first time ever at this stage of a general election, Florida Democrats are outvoting Republicans. But lest they get too excited, campaign veterans warn that a wave of Republican votes is coming on Election Day. POLITICO's Marc Caputo takes Nerdcast host Scott Bland inside the must-win swing state in the final weeks of an unprecedented election year. Scott Bland is the host ...
Oct 16, 2020•35 min•Ep. 277
President Donald Trump regularly promotes the soaring stock market as a barometer of the economy's health. But the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans own 50 percent of the value of stocks held by individual households — and investors aren’t sharing the wealth. POLITICO's Victoria Guida explains how this gap is fueling an increasingly lopsided economic recovery. Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLITICO.Victoria Guida is a financial services reporter for POLITICO.Adrien...
Oct 09, 2020•25 min•Ep. 276
Evangelicals make up a bigger share of the Republican electorate. But on the courts? It's conservative Catholics who reign supreme. If confirmed, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump's nominee to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, would be the sixth Catholic justice currently sitting on the high court — five of whom were nominated by Republicans. University of Denver political science professor Joshua Wilson and POLITICO's Scott Bland dig into the conservative Catholic lega...
Oct 02, 2020•26 min•Ep. 275
Donald Trump will face Joe Biden for the first of three presidential debates on Tuesday. POLITICO's Gabby Orr and Scott Bland dive into how the president is prepping — or not — for the big day ... and why some of his supporters worry Trump has set a trap for himself by attacking Biden’s mental acumen. Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLITICO.Gabby Orr is a White House reporter for POLITICO.Adrienne Hurst is an associate producer for POLITICO audio. Jenny Ament is a s...
Sep 25, 2020•20 min•Ep. 274
After weeks of uncertainty following President Donald Trump's executive order on TikTok, the Chinese-owned video app that has stolen the hearts — if not the data — of millions of teens has found an American partner: Oracle. But will it make Americans' data any safer? POLITICO Magazine contributing editor Zachary Karabell and Scott Bland explore Trump's TikTok fight — and whether it's really a form of "national security theater." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 18, 2020•20 min•Ep. 273
For the first time, young adults born on or around September 11, 2001, will vote in a presidential election this November. America has been at war virtually every day they've been alive — and now they're coming of age politically during a world-changing pandemic. They speak up in this episode, as POLITICO Magazine contributor Garrett M. Graff and Scott Bland discuss how Gen Z voters could shake up American politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 11, 2020•21 min•Ep. 272
When Joe Biden selected Kamala Harris as his running mate, it was a historic moment — and one that made some people thousands of dollars. Traders on the website PredictIt, a stock market for politics, wager thousands of dollars on an array of political moments. Today on Nerdcast, Zach Montellaro tells Scott Bland about his conversations with political traders — one who trades semi-professionally and two who are looking to avenge their losses from the 2016 election. Scott Bland is the host of Ner...
Sep 04, 2020•33 min•Ep. 271
Are we a country that's failed disastrously to respond to a global pandemic, or a country that's overrun by protests and violence on the streets? Democrats and Republicans painted wildly different pictures of America at their party conventions this month. For the double conventions, we're featuring a double host special: Nerdcast's Scott Bland joins Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel to discuss the biggest takeaways from the past two weeks.Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLIT...
Aug 31, 2020•12 min•Ep. 270
A question from a high schooler left POLITICO chief political correspondent Tim Alberta stumped: What does it mean to be a Republican? Alberta talks with Scott Bland about whether the Republican National Convention answered that question this week — and how Donald Trump has shaped the party's future. Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLITICO.Tim Alberta is the chief political correspondent for POLITICO.Adrienne Hurst is an associate producer for POLITICO audio.Jenny A...
Aug 28, 2020•26 min•Ep. 269
The postal service is older than America itself. It delivers bills, Amazon packages and even ballots straight to your house. So what happens when, in the middle of a pandemic that has skyrocketed the demand for vote-by-mail, the USPS suddenly seems like it’s falling apart? POLITICO Magazine digital editor Zack Stanton joins Scott Bland to talk about the mail-system meltdown and what USPS expert Phil Rubio, himself a former letter carrier, says about how fundamental the postal service is to the 2...
Aug 21, 2020•26 min•Ep. 268
In-person events have long been the bedrock of political fundraising. So what happens when a global pandemic takes away in-person fundraisers? … They go to Zoom. Sure, there's awkwardness and technical difficulties, but they are helping both campaigns raise record amounts of money. And even in a post-coronavirus world, this looks like the new normal. Democratic strategist Tim Lim and GOP donor Dan Eberhart on Zoom fundraising in 2020.Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at P...
Aug 14, 2020•26 min•Ep. 267
Donald Trump's campaign says it knocks on a million doors a week. Joe Biden's campaign says it knocks on zero. Host Scott Bland talks to Miles Baker — former door knocker, organizer and current political strategist — about the silver linings of the pandemic. Halting in-person canvassing has actually been a useful way to retool campaign strategies.Scott Bland is the host of Nerdcast and a politics editor at POLITICO.Miles Baker is campaigns director at The Action Factory.Annie Rees is a producer ...
Aug 07, 2020•19 min•Ep. 266
