On Saturday, Biden signed legislation designed to prevent people convicted of domestic abuse from owning a gun and increase the prevalence of state "red flag" laws. The new law comes just days after the Supreme Court's conservative majority ruled there is a constitutional right to carry a handgun in public for self-defense, striking down a long-standing New York law that restricted concealed carry. This episode: congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, WNYC reporter Jon Campbell, and senior pol...
Jun 27, 2022•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast In a 6-3 vote along partisan lines, the Supreme Court's conservative majority has overturned Roe v. Wade , the 50-year-old case that was the basis for legal abortion across the United States. The result: a split national landscape, with states free to enforce laws prohibiting abortion. This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, national correspondent Sarah McCammon, demographics and culture correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and national justice correspondent Carrie Johnson. Support t...
Jun 24, 2022•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Top Trump-era Justice officials, including acting attorney general Jeffrey Rosen, testified about the former president's push to have the Justice Department substantiate his election fraud claims. He came very close to firing the officials who stood in his way and installing one who would not. And a number of Republicans who supported Trump's efforts to subvert the Democratic process asked the president for pardons, according to the testimony of administration aides. This episode: White House co...
Jun 24, 2022•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast In Nashville last week, Christian conservatives echoed Trump's claims about fraud after his speech at their conference. In Texas, the state GOP incorporated the idea that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent into the party's new platform. Sharply-partisan districts and an ever-more polarized public have drawn lawmakers like Rep. Elise Stefanik, once known for her moderate politics, to publicly promote the former president's attacks on the American democratic process. This episode: White...
Jun 22, 2022•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast The officials who appeared before the Jan. 6 committee were Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and his chief operating officer Gabriel Sterling — all Republicans who indicated then-President Trump pushed them to violate their obligations to the Constitution. The committee also heard from Shaye Moss, a former staff election worker in Georgia who was targeted by Trump and his allies over baseless conspiracy theories about election fraud. She left her ...
Jun 21, 2022•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast A special episode from our friends at Code Switch : In the wake of violence and tragedies, people are often left in search of ways to feel safe again. That almost inevitably to conversations about the role of police. On today's episode, we're talking to the author and sociologist Alex Vitale, who argues that many spaces in U.S. society over-rely on the police to prevent problems that are better addressed through other means. Doing so, he says, can prevent us from properly investing in resources ...
Jun 20, 2022•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Take our survey: https://www.npr.org/podcastsurvey Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, reportedly said she'd be willing to speak to the committee following reporting by the Washington Post that Thomas was communicating with a Trump legal adviser at the heart of the probe. And the Federal Reserve escalated its battle against inflation Wednesday, announcing the largest interest rate hike in 28 years as the central bank struggles to regain control over soaring prices. T...
Jun 17, 2022•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast The committee centered its third hearing around one person in particular: former Vice President Mike Pence, honing in on the pressure put on him by former President Trump to overturn the 2020 election. Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney began the hearing by saying: "What the president wanted the vice president to do was not just wrong. It was illegal and unconstitutional." The hearing featured live testimony from two Pence legal advisors, Greg Jacob and retired fourth circuit judge Michael Lutt...
Jun 16, 2022•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ahead of those elections, NPR held discussions with Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters in the Nevada about their concerns and priorities ahead of the midterms, ranging from the cost of living to gun violence. Then, a look at what Congress is doing to address gun violence in the wake of mass shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde, Texas, and whether any legislation has a chance of passing. Read more: https://www.npr.org/1103894544 This episode: congressional correspondents Kelsey S...
Jun 15, 2022•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast One theory: as polarization pushed policy-making out of Congress and toward states, divergent policies passed in red and blue-leaning states may have caused a big — and growing — gap in health outcomes. Read more: https://n.pr/3NUFJZr This episode: political correspondent Susan Davis, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and health correspondent Allison Aubrey. Support the show and unlock sponsor-free listening with a subscription to The NPR Politics Podcast Plus. Learn more at plus.npr.org...
Jun 14, 2022•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast The second hearing into the Jan. 6 insurrection featured a slew of clips from top Trump aides from the campaign and administration testifying that the former president was repeatedly told that voter fraud claims were not true — but he continued to double-down, both publicly and privately. And senators came to a very narrow agreement on measures designed to curb gun violence. This episode: congressional correspondent Susan Davis, congressional reporter Claudia Grisales, and senior political edito...
Jun 13, 2022•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast The hearing documenting former President Trump's role in the January 6th riot was largely told through recorded clips. But Rep. Liz Cheney — a Republican from Wyoming and an ousted member of GOP leadership — also played a starring role. Why did she break with her Republican colleagues? And in California, progressive Democrats had setbacks in two high-profile elections — the LA mayoral primary and a recall election for the District Attorney in San Francisco. This episode: demographics and culture...
Jun 10, 2022•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rep. Liz Cheney, the committee's vice chair, summed up the hearing's thesis like this: "On this point, there is no room for debate: Those who invaded our Capitol and battled law enforcement for hours were motivated by what President Trump had told them." The hearing featured produced videos of the assault on the Capitol, recorded clips of interviews with insurrectionists and senior aides to Donald Trump, and live testimony from a Capitol police officer and a documentary filmmaker. This episode: ...
Jun 10, 2022•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Trump voters largely remain enthusiastic about the former president and would considering voting for him again in 2024, but some had a hard time seeing past their affection for the conservative, incumbent politicians he was opposing when casting their primary ballots. That was great news for Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, national political correspondent Don Gonyea, and national political correspo...
Jun 08, 2022•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast The United States is hosting a major gathering of heads of state from the Americas, but some countries are upset President Biden has elected not to invite some leaders the White House described as "dictators." The move led other leaders to boycott — raising questions about whether the summit can effectively address pressing challenges like migration. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and international correspondent Carrie Kahn. Support...
Jun 07, 2022•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Commerce Department is investigating whether China is skirting U.S. tariffs by routing solar panel parts through southeast Asian manufacturers — the biggest U.S. solar panel suppliers. That scared U.S. solar panel installers, who were worried the Commerce Department would impose retroactive fees on projects built during the investigation. Forecasts for new solar energy fell by almost half. On Monday, President Biden intervened by granting a two-year hiatus on the tariffs and invoking the Def...
Jun 06, 2022•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Labor Department said Friday that U.S. businesses added 390,000 jobs in May, as the unemployment rate held steady at a very low 3.6 percent and, despite rising prices, American continue to spend. Nevertheless, voters remain concerned about the economy and the White House is scrambling to find a convincing message. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Asma Khalid, chief economics correspondent Scott Horsley, demographics and culture correspondent Dan...
Jun 03, 2022•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast Despite bipartisan efforts at a modest deal, Senate Republicans could filibuster any gun control measures that are brought to a vote. That would increase the amount of support needed to pass legislation and imperil its passage. In his speech, Biden noted that guns are the number one cause of death for American children. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, and national political correspondent Mara Liasson. Support the show and unlock spo...
Jun 03, 2022•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast The conservative majority so far appears unmoved by prevailing public opinion on the controversial social issues before them this term, though they have been notably slow to issue final opinions. That will make for a busy few weeks of rulings as the Supreme Court races to conclude its term by the middle of the summer. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg, and national justice correspondent Carrie Johnson. Support the show and unlock spo...
Jun 01, 2022•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast And President Biden and first lady Jill Biden visited with victims and their families in Texas on Sunday. The White House is considering more executive actions on guns, though substantial reform would require congressional action — something that remains very unlikely despite ongoing negotiations. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional reporter Claudia Grisales, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro. Support the show and unlock sponsor-free...
May 31, 2022•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest installment of our book club, Danielle Kurtzleben talks to professor Carol Anderson about the ways in which redistricting and state voter restrictions work to shape who really has a say in elections. One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression Is Destroying Our Democracy, by Carol Anderson Support the show and unlock sponsor-free listening with a subscription to The NPR Politics Podcast Plus. Learn more at plus.npr.org/politics Connect: Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org Join the...
May 30, 2022•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast Most people know John Legend as an award-winning actor and musician. But he also has a long record of political activism. He talked to political correspondent Juana Summers about his latest push for criminal justice reform: endorsing progressive candidates in local prosecutor or district attorney's races. This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow and political correspondent Juana Summers. Support the show and unlock sponsor-free listening with a subscription to The NPR Politics Podcas...
May 28, 2022•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Senate is negotiating over limited legislation aimed at reducing gun violence, although those negotiations are narrow in scope and unlikely to produce results. And the number of competitive elections to serve in the House of Representatives has been declining rapidly over the last 20 years, thanks to gerrymandering and partisan sorting. This episode: congressional correspondent Susan Davis, congressional reporter Claudia Grisales, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montan...
May 27, 2022•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast An opt-in police misconduct database and new conduct standards for federal police: President Biden's police reform executive action enacts reforms that fall well short of what advocates hoped for. Lawmakers previously failed to agree on a more substantial effort. This episode: congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, White House correspondent Tamara Keith, national justice correspondent Carrie Johnson. Support the show and unlock sponsor-free listening with a subscription to The NPR Politics Po...
May 26, 2022•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast A mass shooting at a Texas elementary school has many Americans again asking what can be done about gun violence. But in the face of broad Republican opposition in the Senate, there's likely no path forward for new restrictions. Also, two Trump-endorsed candidates failed to unseat incumbent Republicans in Georgia's primary elections. That doesn't mean the GOP can discount Trump's influence. This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, congressional correspondent Susan Davis, national po...
May 25, 2022•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast A court case has some voters with disabilities worried that they will not be able to rely on family or caretakers for help casting a vote without breaking the law, despite federal protections. This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, political reporter Barbara Sprunt, and voting reporter Miles Parks. Support the show and unlock sponsor-free listening with a subscription to The NPR Politics Podcast Plus. Learn more at plus.npr.org/politics Connect: Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.o...
May 24, 2022•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast President Biden said the U.S. Military would defend Taiwan if China invaded. He also announced a new, if nebulous, economic compact with 12 nations designed to counter China's influence in the region — an echo of the major Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement negotiated by the Obama administration and nixed by former president Trump. This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, White House correspondent Asma Khalid, and national political correspondent Mara Liasson. Support the sho...
May 23, 2022•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast U.S. government tariffs and Department of Agriculture buying practices helped drive consolidation in the baby formula industry. When a major plant shuttered over contamination concerns in February, the industry was already vulnerable to supply chain threats. And after decades of reluctance, Finland and Sweden now hope to join NATO, the U.S.-Europe military alliance founded to protect against possible Russian aggression. The change in stance was prompted by Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. T...
May 20, 2022•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast The leak of a draft opinion from the Supreme Court earlier this month that showed the majority-conservative court ready to overturn Roe v. Wade has led two-thirds of Democrats to say that they are more likely to vote in November, according to the latest NPR/PBS NewsHour /Marist poll. That compares to just 40% of Republicans who said so. It remains to be seen whether that enthusiasm will wane in the months before the election. This episode: White House correspondent Scott Horsley, demographics an...
May 19, 2022•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast In North Carolina, Rep. Ted Budd — boosted by Donald Trump's endorsement — secured a decisive win over the state's former two-term governor. And in Pennsylvania, Trump's pick for governor won the primary contest despite spreading false claims about the presidential election results. The state's GOP Senate primary remains too close to call. As expected, North Carolina's Cheri Beasley and Pennsylvania's John Fetterman comfortably won their states' Democratic primaries. This episode: White House co...
May 18, 2022•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
