Pod Save America

Can Democrats Fight Trump Without Being Defined by Him? (with Gov. JB Pritzker)

Governor JB Pritzker visits the studio to talk to Lovett about Trump's Indiana redistricting fail, how Illinois is standing up to ICE's immigration raids, and how the governor's upbringing — a childhood of both privilege and tragedy — shaped his career in politics. Plus, Lovett asks the governor to defend his controversial Star Wars film rankings, quizzes him on some blackjack hands, and asks what we're all thinking: Is he running for President? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trump's A+++++ Affordability Message

Donald Trump holds a campaign-style rally to hit his affordability message: making fun of the very idea of an affordability message, and telling parents to buy their kids fewer dolls. And when asked by Politico what grade he’d give the economy right now, he answers: “A+++++.” Jon and Dan discuss how Trump’s communications effort is landing and then turn to the rest of the news, including Indiana Republicans’ decision to reject a new Trump-backed congressional map, Trump’s jaw-droppingly low approval rating in a new AP poll, and Democrats’ continued fight to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies before they expire at the end of the year. Then, Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, talks to Jon about the administration’s seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela and the illegality of the strikes on boats in the Caribbean—including what Smith saw when the Pentagon showed him the video of the infamous double tap strike. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here [https://youtu.be/LpAX3M2Hqok]. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trump Joins the Streaming Wars

The fate of Hollywood rests in President Trump's hands as Netflix and Paramount fight to acquire Warner Brothers Discovery—the home of HBO Max, Harry Potter, and Superman. Will Trump back Paramount's bid by longtime loyalist Larry Ellison (with help from presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner)? Or will Netflix's Ted Sarandos be able to woo the President to his side? Jon, Tommy, and Lovett discuss Trump's involvement in the Hollywood mega-deal and all the rest of the news, including the administration's bailout for soybean farmers who have been hurt by tariffs, Congressional Republicans unwillingness to do anything about the coming ACA premium hikes, and the President's promise to sign an executive order that would sweep away state AI regulations. Then, Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw, who broke the Warner Brothers merger news, talks to Lovett about the future of Hollywood and the details of the rival bids for WBD. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here [https://youtu.be/YXrUvJw93Ro]. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Making of America's Most Prominent Anti-Vaxxer

How did Robert F. Kennedy — once the heir-apparent to the Kennedy family's Democratic dynasty — become the Secretary of Health in the Trump administration and the nation's most important anti-vaccine advocate? Michael Scherer, staff writer at The Atlantic, sat down with Kennedy for 7+ hours, getting to know him during jean-clad workouts, Congressional hearings, and the plane ride where Kennedy learned of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. The image Michael paints of Kennedy, in a profile published in The Atlantic this month, is a man of extreme changes — a promising political figure turned heroin addict, an environmental lawyer turned anti-vaccine activist, a Democratic presidential candidate turned Republican Secretary of Health. Contributor Alex Wagner sits down with Michael for an interesting conversation to ask if a better understanding of the strange political figure can help us better make sense of his dangerous approach to health and politics. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Two Strikes. Is Hegseth Out?

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reacts defiantly to two scandals: his department's decision to murder the survivors of a September strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat, and a Pentagon report that found that Hegseth's infamous Signal messages put American troops at risk. Jon and Dan discuss what comes next for the former Fox News host, and then jump into the rest of the news, including Trump's disgusting comments about Somali Americans, his insistence that affordability is a Democratic "con job," and Mike Johnson's struggles to hold his caucus together after the GOP's underperformance in the TN-07 special election. Then, Dan talks to Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries about Democratic momentum heading into the midterms, the ongoing investigation into the double-tap strike, and Trump's pardon of embattled Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here [https://youtu.be/ZV-ldHkX3N0]. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.