The Latest

Dan Gillmor, co-founder of Arizona State's News Co/Lab, is an expert on civil literacy and the role of journalism in our changing world. He joins the show to discuss the many changes to journalistic norms in the past few years and how to navigate a path forward. How should journalists cover politicians who intentionally and, sometimes dangerously, lie without consequence? What do former guardians of truth and once-trusted establishments still do their job when they're dismissed summarily by significant portions of the populace? And why was it so hard for journalists to just say, "Trump lied," instead of, as Dan says, using every other word in the thesaurus? Read the blog post Dan and Joe discuss here: https://medium.com/@dangillmor/dear-journalists-please-declare-independence-from-business-as-usual-fe8d3681f932  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jon Macks has spent most of his career writing for comedians like Jay Leno and Chris Rock. But before he was writing jokes for The Tonight Show and The Academy Awards, he started out working in politics with Joe. Jon joins the show to discuss whether it's possible to lampoon people like Donald Trump or Marjorie Taylor Greene, how comedy writing and political speech writing flex a lot of the same muscles, and whether the backlash to Jimmy Fallon and SNL giving Trump the usual political treatment was justified. Plus, Macks talks about prepping presidential candidates, including Joe Biden, for big debates. How do you prepare for Donald Trump? Finally, how has "cancel culture" affected the process of writing comedy? Are we better or worse off? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe is joined by Atlantic Senior Editor and CNN correspondent Ron Brownstein (@RonBrownstein) this week. The Republicans enjoy a structural advantage in the Senate, but that's amplified even more by the age and racial makeup of the American electorate at large. Ron explains why the Trump movement and the Nixon movements are similar, and what that means for the future of elections in the country. Also, Ron is a bit more bullish about the potential for Democrats to outperform expectations in the 2022 midterms. He explains why, and he and Joe get into the strategy needed for Democratic campaigns to motivate people to vote for good candidates, but also to sound the alarm about the rise of authoritarianism. Then, a discussion about President Biden's unique temperament, which does not lend itself to the urgent/hair-on-fire moment we're in with the Republican Party. Biden's popularity is likely because of his place as a vestige of politics long gone, but is his calming temperament actually a disadvantage politically when it comes to the urgency of the moment? Buy Ron's book, Rock Me On The Water, here: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/rock-me-on-the-water-ronald-brownstein Check out Ron's analysis of 2022 here: https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/22/politics/democrats-2022-turnout-congress/index.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ezra Klein, author of Why We're Polarized and NYT podcaster and columnist, joins Joe and Alex for a fascinating discussion about polarization, how the two parties relate to each other, why disengaged voters are being pushed even further away, and what happens from here. Plus, Ezra dissects the unique importance of Joe Manchin, how rare he is in today's political climate, and how his strategy on key issues will create massive policy and procedural implications. Buy Ezra's book, Why We're Polarized, now available in paperback here. Read Ezra's column on Joe Manchin here: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/17/opinion/joe-manchin-filibuster-voting-rights.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Schmidt, former Republican and co-founder of The Lincoln Project, joins Joe for a striking conversation about what's propelling the authoritarian movement forward in our country and how we can fight it. The conversation touches on the composition of the authoritarian movement, how to view the importance of the 2022 elections, the power of Fox and the right-wing propaganda machines, the likelihood of future violence in American politics, and more. This is a must-listen for anyone thinking about how we can stop authoritarianism before it takes over, and the scope and urgency of the fight ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A voicemail from a listener this past week got Joe thinking: instead of focusing on working together and Democrats winning elections, how can we focus on anything but the very real threat of authoritarianism? Joe argues bipartisanship can't work right now, because there is only room for one "party" in America right now -- an anti-authoritarian, pro-democracy party. Joe suggests all of us need to take a stand against anti-democracy, from corporations to media to politicians, and accept that there is only one functioning political party at the moment. By framing today's politics in terms of the usual business in Washington, we're all missing the point. Joe argues we have to understand the big problem in front of us, and that until we deal with the black mold in our country, everything else comes second. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

National Security expert Max Boot joins Joe and Alex to talk about the staggering danger of the GOP's grasp of authoritarianism, and the impact of swing Democrat Joe Manchin backing away from voting rights legislation. They touch on the dangers of the poisonous conservative media ecosystem, how difficult it is to bridge the conversation between Americans of differing beliefs, the danger of failing to imagine worst-case scenarios, and what the biggest threat to the United States is. Plus, the story of military hero Edward Landsdale, and what unity and patriotism even looks like in the Trump era. Buy Max's latest book, The Road Not Taken, here: https://www.amazon.com/Road-Not-Taken-Lansdale-American/dp/0871409410 Max's book, The Corrosion of Conservatism, is available here: https://www.amazon.com/Corrosion-Conservatism-Why-Left-Right/dp/1631495674 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Perhaps no one is more qualified to examine the current state of American politics than a political observer who happens to be a psychotherapist. Nick Carmody joins Joe and Alex to discuss how right-wing politicians and influencers have preyed on fears and misperception to heighten paranoia and the pervasive sense of danger on the right. He explains why the two sides in American politics are unable to communicate, and why QAnon is more religion than political ideology. Plus -- is there more to the story than politics and the media? What is really going on here? And what do we do about all this? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matthew Dowd, the chief strategist for President Bush's re-election campaign in 2004, sits down with Joe to discuss the decline of Republican principles, and how to move forward with the presence of Pres. Trump in the modern GOP. Also, a look ahead to the 2022 and 2024 races, who's standing out, and if some Democrats are too relaxed about their prospects in the midterm elections. Plus, Matthew reveals who the 2004 Bush campaign was most afraid of running against (the answer may surprise you). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe and Alex are joined by Greg Sargent of The Washington Post, author of "An Uncivil War" and the Plum Line blog. Greg joins for a somber conversation about the state of the GOP, including how low the bar has gotten in the Senate for Republicans to do the right thing. What does compromise look like in a world where pro-democracy Republicans are purged from the party? How do we hold the liars accountable while reaching out to those who were lied to? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe and Alex have had it with today's GOP, which refuses to investigate the attack on themselves Jan. 6, while continuing audits in states around the country, insisting the election was stolen. It's quite a statement when the most serious politician we discuss on today's show may be Matthew McConaughey. Then, a new poll shows Trump leading all '24 candidates by a huge margin -- but he's only getting 48% of Republican support. Joe wonders why a former president getting less than 50% of his own party is viewed as so dominant, and thinks he may not be as strong as we think. Finally, why Joe is for Matthew McConaughey running for Governor of Texas, no matter what he runs as. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Democracy Docket founder Marc Elias has been fighting GOP-led voter suppression efforts for years. In the process, he may be single-handedly saving our republic. He tells Joe and Alex the status of the fight for voter rights, the GOP's dangerous motivation to continue voter suppression, and how we can all help. How will the GOP's right to fritter away the right to vote play out, and can it actually work? Then, Joe and Alex break down Liz Cheney's ouster (and how Donald Trump called a Cheney a "Major Democrat"), 100 Republicans threatening to start a new party, and why she may be primed for a credible run for president. Marc's organization, Democracy Docket, is doing wonderful work -- follow along at this website: https://www.democracydocket.com/ New Republic article: https://newrepublic.com/article/162272/republican-voter-suppression-texas-democracy-reckoning Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, Joe and Alex break down a race that just took place in the El Paso area, where the Democrats squandered a chance to compete in a district Trump only won by 3 points. While that seat was not one Democrats needed to count on, it was an opportunity, and Joe is worried about Democrats losing focus. Speaking of losing focus, Democrats are already getting excited about Charlie Crist running against Fla. Gov. Ron DeSantis, and Conor Lamb potentially running for Senate in '22. Joe is excited about the rise of party stars, but is flashing warning signs now: if Lamb and Crist and Tim Ryan vacate their House seats, we're looking at committees led by Jim Jordan and Devin Nunes in 2022, and meaningless investigations into the Biden administration that jam the wheels of government. Finally, an update on the Liz Cheney/GOP fight, what it means for the party echoing the Big Lie in perpetuity, and a brief thought on Trump's ban from Facebook. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pres. Biden made history this week, addressing Congress for the first time with two women behind him. Joe and Alex break down the president's first address, plus the shift in conversation towards economic recovery, China and the end of trickle-down economics. Then, Joe and Alex touch on the redistricting news, and why some of it has a silver lining -- and some of it is devastating (89 NY'ers missing the Census costing a reliably blue state an electoral vote!) Plus, could Liz Cheney be a real contender for the GOP nomination for President? That's a pretty big shift from the Trump era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe and Alex are joined by Katherine Stewart, author of Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism. (Buy it here) We're all wondering how evangelicals can back Donald Trump, who embodies traits so antithetical to Christian values, and there's no one better to discuss that than Katherine Stewart. She talks about the role of fear in motivating Christian Nationalists, the increasing divide between secular liberals and the Christian right, why the evangelicals are such an important electoral group, and what the future holds for the GOP and Christian politics. Then, Joe shares some memories of the late Walter Mondale, and gives an update on a big race for Operation 147. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're talking to James Fletcher, director of the documentary "The Accidental President," which chronicled the 2016 election. His central question was: "How did we all miss it?" While we're mercifully past the Trump presidency, the film helps us understand just how dangerous a period we are in as 2022 approaches.  We also discuss whether there's a chance the people will see Trump or someone in his mold win the 2024 election and whether Joe Biden might be the most difficult president in history to run against.  You can watch James' documentary here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/movie/the-accidental-president/id1548613882 Jon Last's article on The Bulwark: https://thetriad.thebulwark.com/p/reading-the-republican-autopsy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, Joe Biden is pushing for another massive bill, this time to improve infrastructure in the country -- and it's overwhelmingly popular. Joe digs into some data that shows the Republicans are fighting an uphill battle against effective governance. Joe explains some of the under-discussed benefits of the infrastructure bill, and then why the GOP's constant obstructionism of any effort to govern may finally backfire. Then, we talk about Matt Gaetz and if the GOP voters will care about his alleged crimes. Has the collective GOP tolerance of bad behavior let up with Trump out of office? Finally, a listener question about who the "moderate" GOP candidate in 2024 will be has Joe thinking about 1992 and how the 2024 field could shake out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe and Alex are joined by longtime friend Nicco Mele, who was the webmaster on the Dean 2004 campaign, and now is a thought leader in the digital political space. Nicco and Joe talk about how close the 2020 election truly was, and how close we came to a Trump validation and Senate/House sweep of the GOP. In reality, we were only a few thousand votes from catastrophe. They also touch on how Joe predicted Biden's ascent (much to Nicco's chagrin), the push for minority rule via voting restrictions in GOP states, why Republicans will nominate crazy candidates indefinitely, who the "mainstream media" truly is, loneliness and the power of politics as human connection, and how we regain trust with local media. Then, Joe and Nicco remember creating Dean's revolutionary internet-first messaging, and how it indirectly led to the rise of Trump and email fundraising. Nicco reminds us of the ways the Internet could bring us together the way it did in the Dean days. Subscribe to Nicco's substack here: https://nicco.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, Joe and Alex talk about presidential approval rating, and how it's a key metric that can indicate what will happen in 2022, and whether the Democrats can actually implement the agenda they want. Thanks to Perry Bacon from 538 for inspiring us on this topic (see article link below). Then, the GOP is in serious danger of its constituency being replaced through demographic changes. Articles referenced in this episode: @perrybaconjr on approval rating: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-democrats-in-congress-need-bidens-approval-rating-to-stay-in-the-mid-50s/ @RonBrownstein on demographic changes: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/23/politics/voting-rights-republicans-bills-demographics/index.html NC exit poll data from WP: https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/interactive/2020/exit-polls/north-carolina-exit-polls/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices