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The NPR Politics Podcast

Every weekday, NPR's best political reporters are there to explain the big news coming out of Washington and the campaign trail. They don't just tell you what happened. They tell you why it matters. Every afternoon.

Political wonks - get wonkier with The NPR Politics Podcast+. Your subscription supports the podcast and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/politics

Episodes

Trump tells NPR he isn't giving up his 2020 election lies

In an interview with NPR, former President Donald Trump made it clear that he hasn't moved on from his 2020 election loss, and it's causing a rift within the Republican Party. Trump maintains his false claims that the election was stolen from him, and while most Republicans have fallen in line, some desperately want to move on. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro, and national political correspondent Mara Liasson. Conn...

Jan 12, 202215 minTranscript available on Metacast

President Biden calls for filibuster changes to pass voting rights bills

In a fiery speech in Atlanta Tuesday, President Biden urged the Senate to change filibuster rules in order to pass new voting rights protections. But Senate Democrats are divided on filibuster changes, and voting rights advocates say fiery remarks are not enough in the wake of laws passed in 19 states that restrict ballot access. This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, White House correspondent Ayesha Rascoe, and political correspondent Juana Summers. Connect: Email the show at npr...

Jan 12, 202215 minTranscript available on Metacast

Congress is back in session. Can Democrats finally pass Build Back Better?

Democrats have two major pieces of unfinished business on their to-do list. They'll try, again, to reach a compromise on President Biden's signature Build Back Better bill, and they say passing voting rights legislation is also a top priority. But they don't have the votes right now to do either. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro. Learn more about sponsor message choices...

Jan 10, 202215 minTranscript available on Metacast

Weekly Roundup: January 7th

The justices are considering whether the federal mandates governing private employers and healthcare staff are constitutional. And Republicans who back Trump's election lies are running for election administration offices across the country. This episode: politics correspondent Juana Summers, labor correspondent Andrea Hsu, senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro, and voting and disinformation reporter Miles Parks. Connect: Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org Join the NPR ...

Jan 07, 202227 minTranscript available on Metacast

'A Dagger At The Throat Of Democracy': President Biden Decries Election Lies

In a speech from the Capitol one year after the building was attacked, President Biden warned that the United States could become a nation that "accepts political violence as a norm" and allows "partisan election officials to overturn the legally expressed will of the people" if Donald Trump's supporters in the Republican party continue to bolster his election lies. This episode: demographics and culture correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, congressional reporter Claudia Grisales, and White House ...

Jan 06, 202219 minTranscript available on Metacast

Biden's COVID Response Lags Behind The Crisis, Experts Say

As the president and his team promise more tests are coming, the omicron variant continues to drive cases to new records. While the latest wave is putting a smaller share of people into the hospital, the sheer number of infections is straining the healthcare system. This episode: demographics and culture correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and health correspondent Allison Aubrey. Connect: Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org Join the NPR Politics Podcast...

Jan 05, 202214 minTranscript available on Metacast

Capitol Police Are Still Dealing With The Aftermath Of January 6th

Chief Tom Manger says that he is dealing with low morale and high turnover as the force attempts to reinvent itself in the wake of last year's attack on the Capitol. There were more than 9000 threats against members of Congress last year. This episode: demographics and culture correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, congressional reporter Claudia Grisales, and acting congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh. Connect: Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group ...

Jan 04, 202214 minTranscript available on Metacast

US Democracy Is At Risk Of Failing, According To 64% Of Americans

The sentiment is felt most acutely by Republicans, two-thirds of whom wrongly believe that "voter fraud helped Joe Biden win the 2020 election." That's according to a new NPR/Ipsos poll out Monday. A majority of Republicans and Democrats alike reject political violence, while more than 1 in 5 respondents say violence is sometimes justified to protect democracy or American culture and values. This episode: demographics and culture correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, national correspondent Joel Ros...

Jan 03, 202214 minTranscript available on Metacast

Our Favorite Political Music of 2021

Miles Parks, Juana Summers, and Ayesha Rascoe are joined by Stephen Thompson of NPR Music to discuss their favorite political music of the year. Connect: Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group . Subscribe to the NPR Politics Newsletter . Find and support your local public radio station . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

Dec 31, 202117 minTranscript available on Metacast

Our Favorite Political TV Of 2021

Miles Parks, Kelsey Snell, and Barbara Sprunt are joined by Aisha Harris of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast to discuss the year in political television. Connect: Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group . Subscribe to the NPR Politics Newsletter . Find and support your local public radio station . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...

Dec 30, 202115 minTranscript available on Metacast

What Does It Take To Combat Disinformation?

Whitney Phillips, assistant professor at Syracuse University, talks to NPR's Miles Parks about conspiracy, disinformation, and what it would take to improve civic literacy and rebuild trust in institutions in the United States. This episode: voting and disinformation reporter Miles Parks Connect: Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group . Subscribe to the NPR Politics Newsletter . Find and support your local public radio station . Learn more about sponso...

Dec 29, 202113 minTranscript available on Metacast

Why Was Marriage At The Center Of The Fight For LGBT Civil Rights?

In the latest NPR Politics Book Club, Danielle Kurtzleben talks with journalist Sasha Issenberg whose book The Engagement chronicles the path of marriage equality from a fringe issue to one of the nation's central civil rights fights. His book explores the complex ways that money and disagreements among activists shape political movements in the United States. This episode: demographics and culture correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben. Connect: Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org Join the NPR Pol...

Dec 28, 202115 minTranscript available on Metacast

Despite Early Warnings Of An Omicron Surge, Testing Remains A Problem Nationwide

Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said officials knew there would be a surge from the Omicron variant since early data became available from South Africa. Despite that, COVID-19 tests have been incredibly hard to come by as cases continue to rise. This episode: voting and disinformation reporter Miles Parks, White House correspondent Asma Khalid, and health reporter Pien Huang. Connect: Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org Join the NPR Politics Podca...

Dec 27, 202115 minTranscript available on Metacast

Interview: Longtime Hillary Clinton Aide Huma Abedin On Parenting, Faith, And 2016

Huma Abedin has worked for Hillary Clinton for a quarter-century. In a new book, Both/And , she discusses being a prominent Muslim woman in American politics, intersecting personal and political crises, and whether the tumultuous final days of the 2016 presidential election distracted Democrats from important political lessons. She speaks with NPR's Asma Khalid. This episode: demographics and culture correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, White House correspondent Asma Khalid. Connect: Email the sho...

Dec 24, 202117 minTranscript available on Metacast

How Successful Was The Biden Administration In Managing The Economy This Year?

The Biden administration laid out his main priorities as the president took office: tackling the pandemic, responding to the climate crisis, addressing racial inequality, and rejuvenating the economy. Over the next few weeks, the NPR Politics Podcast will check in on whether those goals being met. President Biden's first legislative push was the American Rescue Plan, a roughly $2 trillion economic stimulus plan that expanded help for unemployed workers and issued direct cash payments to millions...

Dec 23, 202114 minTranscript available on Metacast

How Successful Was The Biden Administration In Fighting Climate Change This Year?

The Biden administration laid out his main priorities as the president took office: tackling the pandemic, responding to the climate crisis, addressing racial inequality, and rejuvenating the economy. Over the next few weeks, the NPR Politics Podcast will check in on whether those goals being met. President Biden rejoined the Paris climate agreement and pledged to halve U.S. greenhouse gas pollution from 2005 levels by 2030. But his ambitious goals, which scientists say are necessary to avoid th...

Dec 22, 202115 minTranscript available on Metacast

How Successful Was The Biden Administration In Battling COVID This Year?

The Biden administration laid out his main priorities as he took office: tackling the pandemic, responding to the climate crisis, addressing racial inequality, and rejuvenating the economy. Over the next few weeks, the NPR Politics Podcast will check in on how those goals are going. Building on President Trump's Operation Warp Speed, the Biden administration managed to make vaccines widely-available across the country within a few months of taking office. Convincing everyone to take the vaccine ...

Dec 21, 202114 minTranscript available on Metacast

Sen. Manchin Closes The Door On Biden's Build Back Better Plan

In an appearance on Fox News Sunday, the West Virginia Democrat said he would not support the Build Back Better Act, the centerpiece of President Biden's domestic agenda. The announcement, which came after months of wheel-spinning in Congress, dooms legislation that Biden says would allow the U.S. to curb the climate crisis and better support working families. Read more: Manchin says Build Back Better's climate measures are risky. That's not true . This episode: White House correspondent Asma Kh...

Dec 20, 202115 minTranscript available on Metacast

Weekly Roundup: December 17th

President Biden acknowledged Thursday that the centerpiece of his agenda, a nearly-two trillion dollar social programs package known as the Build Back Better Act, won't pass the Senate before Christmas as Democrats had hoped. West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin is a key holdout. But Congress was able to fund the government and raise the debt ceiling, despite doubts that they could reach consensus. And: is there a rising workers' and unionization movement in the United States? Many low-income work...

Dec 17, 202124 minTranscript available on Metacast

Gun Control Activists Are Training To Run For Office

Following in the footsteps of Lucy McBath, a Georgia Democrat who won a seat in the House of Representatives after her son was shot and killed, gun control activists across the country are training to run for office at the local, state, and federal level. They face an entrenched political climate that has doomed substantive action on the issue for decades. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, politics correspondent Juana Summers, and senior political editor and correspondent Dome...

Dec 16, 202114 minTranscript available on Metacast

Extreme Wing Of House Republican Party Worries Rest Of Caucus Before Midterms

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is feeling hopeful about the midterms: President Biden's approval numbers are low and inflation is at least temporarily high. But some Republican representatives are worried their peers are too focused on Trump-style bomb-throwing and jeers to stick to a uniform, policy-focused campaign message. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, and acting congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh. Connect: Email t...

Dec 15, 202115 minTranscript available on Metacast

Donald Trump Jr. Pressed Top Trump Aide To Act During Jan. 6 Capitol Attack

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol recommended that Mark Meadows, White House chief of staff under President Trump, be charged with contempt of Congress after he stopped cooperating with the panel. The decision comes as the committee disclosed messages sent during the attack by Fox News Channel hosts, Republican lawmakers, and Donald Trump Jr. asking Meadows to act to stop the assault on the Capitol. In case you missed it: The Docket: Executive Privilege Conn...

Dec 14, 202114 minTranscript available on Metacast

How One Authoritarian Used Migrants As A Political Tool, And Why It Worries Biden

U.S. officials have accused Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko of being the latest to take advantage of desperate migrants. They say he helped bring migrants from war-torn nations to the Belarus border in order to create a humanitarian crisis and put political pressure on his European neighbors. Officials worry this type of strategy might be used again. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and reporter Charles Maynes. Connect: Sub...

Dec 13, 202115 minTranscript available on Metacast

Weekly Roundup: Texas' 6-Week Abortion Ban Will Stand For Now

The Supreme Court is allowing a lawsuit challenging Texas's 6-week abortion ban to go forward, but keeping the law in place while the suit moves through the courts. The move will maintain the status quo for abortion access in the state, while the court considers another case that could redefine Roe v. Wade. Also, a new NPR/Marist poll out this week found some major warning signs for President Biden and Congressional Democrats. Namely, many Americans aren't feeling the benefits of recent measures...

Dec 10, 202127 minTranscript available on Metacast

No One Has Been Granted Clemency During Biden Administration

Joe Biden pledged ambitious criminal justice reforms as a candidate, but has taken few steps during his time in office to deliver them. And the FBI says diversifying its special agent ranks is a top priority, but its history of abuses during the civil rights era is a major recruitment hurdle. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, national justice correspondent Carrie Johnson, and justice correspondent Ryan Lucas. Connect: Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org Join the NPR Politics...

Dec 09, 202115 minTranscript available on Metacast

What To Know About The U.S. Olympics Boycott

In response to China's human rights abuses, the United States will not send any government representatives to the 2022 Winter Olympics in the country. U.S. athletes will still compete. The move is expected to increase tensions between the two world powers. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, national political correspondent Mara Liasson, and international correspondent John Ruwitch. Connect: Subscribe to the NPR Politics Podcast here . Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org Join ...

Dec 08, 202113 minTranscript available on Metacast

Why Women Seek Abortions After 15 Weeks

The Supreme Court could allow Mississippi's ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy to take effect. In the United States, many women end up getting abortions after that point because of clinic backlogs and cost issues. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, national correspondent Sarah McCammon, and legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg. Connect: Subscribe to the NPR Politics Podcast here . Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group...

Dec 07, 202114 minTranscript available on Metacast

The High Cost Of Vaccine Conspiracies

An NPR analysis finds that people living in counties which strongly supported Donald Trump in the 2020 election could be three times more likely to die of coronavirus than those in counties which strongly supported Joe Biden. That difference appears to be driven by partisan differences in vaccination rates, as vaccine conspiracies spread among far-right voters. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, senior Science editor and correspondent Geoffrey Brumfiel, and White House correspo...

Dec 06, 202115 minTranscript available on Metacast

Weekly Roundup: December 3rd

Congress passed a short-term funding bill to avoid a government shutdown, but they only punted and they still have a long list of things to do before the end of the year. Plus, there's a lot of talk about Vice President Harris and Transportation Secretary Buttigieg. Will they or won't they run for president in 2024? This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, and White House correspondent Tamara Keith. Connect: Subscribe to the NPR Politics Pod...

Dec 03, 202125 minTranscript available on Metacast

Why Two Experts Think The Supreme Court Is Prepared To Roll Back Roe V. Wade

The Supreme Court heard arguments for a case that challenges the foundation of Roe v. Wade, the decision that originally made abortion legal. In their questioning, the conservative justices seemed primed to overturn the fifty year old precedent. That decision would radically change abortion access in the United States. This episode: political correspondent Juana Summers, legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg, and Mary Ziegler, author of Abortion And The Law In America . Connect: Subscribe t...

Dec 02, 202114 minTranscript available on Metacast