That Trippi Show

Today Joe and Alex are joined by Stuart Stevens, author of It Was All A Lie: How The Republican Party Became Donald Trump. He was the lead strategist for Mitt Romney's 2012 campaign for President, and is currently a member of the Lincoln Project. Joe and Stuart met during simpler times (summer '16), and they start by trying to figure out how we got here from there. First, they talk about the state of the GOP, which Stevens calls a collapse unparalleled in American history. He has some very strong words for those in the party who continue to enable Donald Trump, and some insight into what Republicans close to the President say behind the scenes, including those at The Lincoln Project. Next, Stevens wrote a Washington Post op-ed this week arguing Biden will win Wisconsin despite the President pushing for it in recent weeks. Are we buying Republican enthusiasm about the Midwest? Then, we all saw the speculation of a "Red Mirage" where Trump claims victory on Election Night before all of the mail-in ballots are counted. Stuart thinks that scenario is, well, quaint. How the hell do we stop it? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gov. Jerry Brown, the three-term former Governor of California, knows we have a lot to fix. In this conversation with Joe and Alex, Gov. Brown discusses the threat the current president poses to democracy, what problems keep him up at night, and even under a President Biden, if things can truly return to "normal." Plus, what to do next time a pandemic comes along, how to craft a winning message around climate change, impressions up close of Kamala Harris, if he considered running for president in 2020, and his stance on the athletes standing up for social justice around the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe and Alex start by teasing another big guest Monday, walking through the messaging on display at the GOP convention (1:00), and discussing which party is doing a better job courting the independents and moderate Republicans that traditionally swing elections. Plus, should Democrats be panicking when we see polls showing Biden trailing Hillary in swing states at the same time in 2016? Then, we take a look at some of the biggest Senate races this fall (10:00), mainly Arizona, North Carolina and Maine. In general, is it possible Democrats could win states that still vote Trump? How do you thread that needle? A listener asks, is there a chance to push for a split-ticket voter (14:10)? Plus specific analysis on Susan Collins' race in Maine (19:10). Finally, what's next? Democrats reportedly have a large lead in mail-in ballot requests and Biden is outspending Trump massively on TV ads. Are these good signs, or in the world of Donald Trump, does nothing matter? (20:00) Lastly, a quick discussion about the protests around the Jacob Blake tragedy, and how the RNC didn't address it at all. (27:00) Please check out #Unfit, the film sponsoring this episode, at unfitfilm.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our first guest: Sen. Doug Jones, who defeated Roy Moore in a memorable special election in Alabama in 2017. Trippi and Jones share the story of how they first started working together and how the echoes of their '17 campaign popped up throughout last week's DNC. Sen. Jones is running for re-election this fall, and Joe (and Alex) are doing all they can to get him back to the Senate. First, Joe and Doug discuss the Democratic convention and Doug's personal relationships with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Then, Doug talks about his re-election campaign, the role Mitch McConnell and Super PACs are playing in Alabama, and what their actions mean about how close the race truly is. Finally, some war stories from the campaign trail in '17, and why the Trippi/Jones relationship works. If you read this far: Joe and Doug need all the help they can get. Please visit DougJones.com/help to make a difference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, a special announcement about next week, and review of Biden's acceptance speech, which Trippi calls "the speech of Joe's life." (1:00) Then, the moment in Barack Obama's speech that may have been the most important -- that most of us didn't even notice. (9:00) Then, many Democrats were confused why John Kasich got more time than, say, AOC or Andrew Yang at the DNC. Was Gov. Kasich successful in converting any undecided voters? (19:00) What will the RNC look like in response? (23:00) Lastly, our listener question is about the Senate Intelligence Committee reporting even more information about Russian disinformation in the election -- and how Democrats use it, or don't. (24:00) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We finally have a VP nominee in Kamala Harris -- how should the Biden campaign to use her? What should we be watching for as she gets deployed for the first time as his #1 surrogate? (0:40) Next, what did we learn from the President's scattershot attempts to attack Kamala Harris so far? (7:50) Democrats are excited for the the vice-presidential debate between Harris and Mike Pence, but that event usually does not matter much. This time, Joe explains why it might. (12:00) Then, the unusual COVID campaign takes a new turn with the Democratic convention set to be essentially fully remote next week. Should we expect the famous "convention bounce?" (16:00) Finally, a listener question this week comes from another highly regarded campaign manager, about whether the Dems are too far behind in digital advertising compared to the Trump machine. (25:00) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, a listener asks how a campaign can use the insane interview Trump did with Axios this week (1:00) and if any of this seemingly unshakable stuff actually sticks to the president (6:28). Next, Joe weighs in on an Axios report that the VP choice is down to Susan Rice and Kamala Harris, and how the Obamas -- and maybe even another former president -- will help Joe Biden on the campaign trail. (7:30) Then, Joe talks about how to fight back when Trump tries to delegitimize the election results -- there's a simple strategy. (17:37) Finally, why Joe is not surprised that Republicans are helping Kanye West get on the ballot in several states, and what we all can do about it. (25:00) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, Joe quickly talks about Trump's ludicrous claim he wants to postpone the election and what potentially consequential message it's sending straight to his loyal Republican voters. (:30) Next, the Trump campaign has stopped running ads in Michigan this month. Are they waving the white flag in a critical state already? What opportunities does this present the Biden campaign? (2:43) After that, Joe and Alex try to read the tea leaves on VP, and Joe explains something about how hard it is to become VP from someone who's seen candidates vetted up close. (10:08) Then, Joe explains how a historical precedent from another one-term president could help predict what's going to happen in the Senate elections this fall (14:55), and one particularly interesting wrinkle in the 2020 election. Finally, a question from a listener about the future of the GOP - what does it look like beyond the Trump era? Or will the Trump era ever actually end? (21:30) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe and sidekick Alex Shashlo start by diving into the double-digit lead Biden holds over President Trump in national polls and why this truly is different from 2016 (1:00). Joe weighs in on the "secret Trump voter," (8:20) and why the Biden campaign buying ads in Texas could be brilliant (11:20). Then, Joe weighs in on reports that former Ohio Gov. John Kasich -- a Republican -- will speak on behalf of Joe Biden at the Democratic National Convention (13:20). Joe highlights this as a major opportunity for the party, and not a reason for Democrats to be up in arms. Finally, Joe says who he'd select for VP if he were Biden (19:30). Next week, we will being to take listener questions! Please write us a review on Apple Podcasts and write your question in your review, and Joe might address it on the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

That Trippi Show launches Friday, July 24. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices