That Trippi Show

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