Tuesday was Election Day in key battleground states. In Ohio, voters codified reproductive rights into the state’s constitution. And over in Kentucky, incumbent Democratic Governor Andy Beshear won reelection over Republican challenger Daniel Cameron. Heather Williams, interim president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, breaks down the results and gives insight on what might happen in next year’s general election. And in headlines: Israel said its troops have reached the heart of...
Nov 08, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Israeli forces said they were closing in on Gaza City as of Monday night. Meanwhile, Palestinian health officials said more than 10,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began. Israel said it will not agree to a ceasefire, although White House officials said there might be “tactical pauses” on the table to allow for humanitarian efforts. Former President Donald Trump took the stand on Monday in his New York civil fraud trial. During his testimony, Trump called New York Attorney Gener...
Nov 07, 2023•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast Israeli troops said they closed in on Gaza City, and Gaza appeared to be under yet another communications blackout on Sunday – the third in 10 days. Meanwhile, the conflict at the Israel-Lebanon border has gotten more deadly after an Israeli strike killed four people Sunday evening. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in the Middle East over the last few days meeting with a host of leaders in hopes of containing the war’s fallout. On Sunday, Blinken met with Palestinian President Mahmoud ...
Nov 06, 2023•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast As Israeli troops enter Gaza City and the Palestinian death toll crosses 9,000 lives, the U.S. is pushing for a humanitarian pause in the war between Israel and Hamas. The GOP-led House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday that would provide $14.3 billion dollars in military aid to Israel, but not to Ukraine. The bill is expected to be dead on arrival in the Senate, and President Biden has also threatened to veto the legislation. And in headlines: a former Memphis police officer charged ...
Nov 03, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt opened on Wednesday for the first time since the Israel-Hamas war began. The move comes after a deal was reached this week to allow foreign nationals, aid workers, and some injured Palestinians to leave the embattled enclave. Representative George Santos of New York survived a House vote that would have removed him from Congress. But he isn’t off the hook just yet: he’s still under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, and his criminal tria...
Nov 02, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Israel confirmed that an airstrike targeting a top Hamas commander hit a densely populated refugee camp in northern Gaza, killing at least 50 people and wounding hundreds more. The attack raises fears that Israel’s continued push into the enclave will put even more Palestinian civilians in harm’s way. On Capitol Hill, anti-war protesters interrupted a U.S. Senate hearing over the White House’s emergency aid request for Israel and Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary L...
Nov 01, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast As Israel continues its air and ground offensive into Gaza, its military says it has freed an IDF soldier who was captured by Hamas on October 7th. Meanwhile, Hamas released a video of three other Israeli hostages – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it “cruel psychological propaganda,” and rejected calls for a ceasefire. A trial to determine whether Donald Trump can appear on the 2024 presidential ballot in Colorado began on Monday. The case centers on whether the former president is inel...
Oct 31, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Gaza’s Health Ministry says that over 8,000 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas. Israel has since announced it has entered the “next stage” of its operations into Gaza, after sending in more ground troops to the enclave over the weekend. Meanwhile, calls for an immediate ceasefire have grown, with protesters taking to the streets in cities around the world to demand an unconditional end to the fighting. And in headlines: the suspected gunman behi...
Oct 30, 2023•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast A manhunt is underway in Maine for the gunman behind two shootings in Maine. Eighteen people were killed and thirteen others were injured Wednesday evening, in what has become the deadliest mass killing in the U.S. this year. As the likelihood of an escalation in the war between Israel and Hamas looms, activists in the U.S. are revving up their demands for an immediate ceasefire. Eva Borgwardt with the progressive Jewish group IfNotNow joins us to talk about their push for peace and solidarity w...
Oct 27, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana is the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, ending a 22-days of GOP in-fighting since Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s ouster. While he managed to earn the support of both “moderate” and far-right Republicans, Johnson has a history of voting against abortion access and LGBTQ rights. The war between Israel and Hamas rages on, and people living on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border are on edge over skirmishes between the IDF and the militant group Hezbollah. We che...
Oct 26, 2023•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast The whirlwind saga to choose the next House speaker continues. After three rounds of secret votes late Tuesday night, House Republicans nominated Rep. Mike Johnson as their latest contender. The move came after Rep. Tom Emmer dropped out of the race just hours after he was selected as the GOP’s speaker designee. One of the two Israeli hostages recently released by Hamas told reporters she “went through hell,” during her two weeks in captivity. More than 200 others are still being held by the mil...
Oct 25, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Two more hostages held captive by Hamas were released on Monday, though Israel says more than 200 others are still being held by the militant group. Meanwhile, officials in Gaza say Israeli airstrikes have now killed over 5,000 people in the territory. Clashes along the Lebanon-Israel border are also stoking fears that the war could spill over. George Bisharat, a Middle East policy expert and professor emeritus at the University of California College of the Law San Francisco, joins us to explain...
Oct 24, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Over the weekend, the first trucks containing much-needed humanitarian aid crossed into Gaza; hours later, Hamas, through the Qatari government, released two American hostages who were captured while visiting Israel. Meanwhile, fighting has intensified between Israeli troops and Hezbollah at the Lebanese border, fueling fears that the conflict may spread. There are now nine Republicans running to become House speaker, after Rep. Jim Jordan dropped his bid after losing a third floor vote – and a ...
Oct 23, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Republicans have failed, again, to select a new House speaker. Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio – the far-right Republican who’s already lost two full floor votes – said he will continue his bid for the role, despite failing to convince the holdouts from his own party. About 20 trucks carrying vital humanitarian aid for Gaza are waiting on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing, though it’s not clear when they will be allowed to enter. Meanwhile, President Biden, in a live address from ...
Oct 20, 2023•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast President Joe Biden touched down in Israel on Wednesday in a show of support for a nation in mourning – but also warned against the human cost of being swept up by wartime rage. He also confirmed that Israel agreed to allow the beginning of humanitarian aid into Gaza from Egypt. Representative Jim Jordan once again lost his bid to become the next House speaker, with more of his Republican colleagues voting against him in the second round. A third round is scheduled for today, but his losses rais...
Oct 19, 2023•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast As President Biden prepared to visit Israel, a hospital in Gaza City was hit by a devastating blast Tuesday, killing at least 500 people. Hamas blamed it on an Israeli airstrike, though Israel denied any involvement. Hours later, the White House confirmed that a planned summit in Jordan with Arab leaders was called off. Crooked’s Tommy Vietor joins us to explain how these new developments will complicate President Biden’s wartime trip. And in headlines: Rep. Jim Jordan fell short in the first ro...
Oct 18, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast President Biden will travel to Israel tomorrow. The high-stakes visit is meant to be a show of solidarity with Israel – while also sending a message to other countries in the region to keep the conflict with Hamas from escalating. The announcement also comes amid a continued push to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. The federal government has reached a deal with the ACLU over the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy that separated thousands of migrant families. If approved,...
Oct 17, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast As Israel continues to gear up for its anticipated ground invasion of Gaza, diplomats with the United States, Egypt, and other countries are scrambling to avert a larger humanitarian crisis. Israel has given repeated orders for Gazans to evacuate south ahead of that, but basic services in that region are already incredibly strained due to years of an international blockade. And in headlines: Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan is the new GOP nominee for House Speaker, far-right Republican Jeff Landry has won L...
Oct 16, 2023•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Israel on Thursday to show support for the country, following Hamas’ attack over the weekend. He also called on Israel to exercise restraint as it continues its airstrikes on Gaza. Meanwhile, the United States and Qatar have agreed to stop Iran, which has helped Hamas in the past, from accessing $6 billion in recently unfrozen aid. And as the war continues, misinformation is spreading across social media, making it hard to tell what’s real and what’s not....
Oct 13, 2023•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast As Israel sends thousands of troops to the border with Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to form an emergency war cabinet with members of the country’s political opposition. It comes as Israel continues to pound the Palestinian territory with airstrikes, intensifying fears that the assault will create a humanitarian crisis. Meanwhile, Israel is on edge over the fate of over a hundred hostages taken by Hamas – as well as the prospect of an unprecedented ground invasion of...
Oct 12, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast The devastation from the war between Israel and Hamas continues to unfold. As of Tuesday, nearly 2,000 people combined have been killed in Israel and Gaza, with many more injured. President Biden confirmed that at least 14 Americans are among the dead, and U.S. citizens are among the hostages held by Hamas. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Israel today in a show of solidarity. The U.S. has already repositioned military assets in the region as Israel gears up for what co...
Oct 11, 2023•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast At least 1,500 people have been killed in the days since Hamas, the Palestinian armed group that controls Gaza, launched a surprise attack against Israel. Israel has since declared war, and vowed to launch a "total" siege on Gaza. Meanwhile, the U.S. and other global powers are working to stop it from becoming a conflict with multiple fronts. Parts of West Maui reopened to tourists this weekend for the first time since this summer's deadly wildfires were extinguished. State officials maintain th...
Oct 10, 2023•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast *** What A Day will be back with a new episode Tuesday, October 10th*** It's the start of a new Supreme Court term... and the start of Strict Scrutiny's fifth season! While the cases ahead may seem technical and boring, they’re actually quite significant. Hosts Melissa, Kate, and Leah preview the first oral arguments the Court will hear in October Term 2023. Listen to Strict Scrutiny every Monday wherever you get your podcasts....
Oct 09, 2023•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast Federal judges chose a new congressional map for Alabama on Thursday, after a major, two year legal fight. The final, court-approved map gives Black Alabamians more political power, and could also give Democrats an edge in 2024. Talks between SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP resume today, after negotiations to end the Hollywood actor’s strike restarted earlier this week. It’s not clear if they’re close to a deal, but the use of artificial intelligence may be a major sticking point. And in headlines: the Bide...
Oct 06, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Republicans remain divided over who should lead their delicate House majority after Kevin McCarthy was ousted as speaker. A vote for his replacement is set for next week – and so far, at least three Republicans have signaled that they want the job. Banned Books Week, an annual event to draw attention to the harms of censorship, has taken on new significance this year. Legislation in some GOP-led states has forced schools and libraries to pull many titles from their shelves, disproportionately ta...
Oct 05, 2023•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast In an unprecedented move led by far-right Republicans, Kevin McCarthy was voted out of his job as Speaker of the House. He later said he would not seek the position again, leaving the House GOP fractured and scrambling to find a new leader for their slim majority. The Supreme Court heard arguments in a major case against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The fate of the agency, which was created in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, is on the line – though the justices appeared skept...
Oct 04, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast A testy and defiant Donald Trump showed up to court yesterday in Manhattan, for the first day of his civil fraud trial. The former president called the suit, brought by New York attorney general Letitia James, a “witch hunt,” though it could cost him control of his sprawling real estate empire. Laphonza Butler will be the new junior U.S. Senator from California, after she was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to replace the late Dianne Feinstein. Marisa Lagos, political correspondent at NPR mem...
Oct 03, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Just hours before the Saturday night deadline, a bill to fund the government through mid-November passed both chambers of Congress and was signed by President Biden. The bill – which ensures the federal government can keep paying its workers for about 45 more days – included funds for natural disaster relief, but notably did not include any added funding for Ukraine. Senator Dianne Feinstein, the longest-serving woman in the U.S. Senate, died Thursday night from natural causes at her home in Was...
Oct 02, 2023•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Republicans held their first hearing Thursday in their impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. The six-hour hearing before the House Oversight Committee tried to make the case that the president benefitted from his son's business dealings – even though the Republicans' own witnesses said they didn't have any evidence to prove it. Meanwhile, the U.S. government notified federal workers that a shutdown is on the horizon if Congress doesn't reach a deal by 12:01 a.m. ET Sunday. The disruption...
Sep 29, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast The second 2024 GOP presidential debate took place yesterday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. The pool of candidates was smaller compared to the last round, but it wasn’t any less chaotic. Erin Ryan, host of Crooked Media’s “Hysteria” podcast, and Brian Beutler, founder of the Off Message newsletter, join us to break it all down. And in headlines: the American soldier who crossed into North Korea in July was transferred to U.S. custody, a federal judge in Tex...
Sep 28, 2023•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
