President Joe Biden and Senate Democrats are expected to score a big win this week. If all goes to plan, they?ll get their 235th judge on the federal bench, one more than President-elect Donald Trump seated in his first term. But the story is bigger than the total number of judges earning lifetime appointments under Biden. The president is also set to appoint a record number of Black judges, and more than half of his appointments have been people of color and women ? both firsts for a sitting president. Lena Zwarensteyn, senior director of the fair courts program at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, talks about the significance of Biden's judicial record.

And in headlines: ABC News agreed to pay $15 million to settle a defamation lawsuit brought Trump, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is reportedly recovering from hip replacement surgery after falling down a flight of stairs, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. has officially made contact with the Islamist rebel group that has seized control of Syria.

Show Notes:

It?s been a week since Syrian rebels overtook the country?s capital and forced out the longtime dictator, Bashar al-Assad. This has all been a long time coming, but now a lot is happening very quickly. In this week?s How We Got Here, Max takes a look at the handful of other countries whose governments have also been overthrown by rebels to understand what it means for Syria that the guys with guns are now in control. Will they be tolerant and pluralistic ? or despotic and cruel? Will they govern wisely or capriciously? How will they align Syria within the politics of the Middle East, and what will that mean for the rest of the world?

The murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has sparked a massive reaction online that?s veered into support for the alleged shooter, with an outpouring of sympathy on social media. This week we also saw a jury acquit Daniel Penny, a Marine veteran who killed a man named Jordan Neely using a chokehold on a New York Subway train. The verdict prompted a similar outpouring of support for Penny on the right. Suffice it to say, it was a big week for vigilantism. Atlantic staff writer Ali Breland explains what it all says about our political discourse. 

Later in the show, California Attorney General Rob Bonta joins us to discuss how the state is ?Trump-proofing? its progressive laws.

And in headlines: President-elect Donald Trump is Time magazine?s ?Person of the Year,? President Biden made history by commuting the prison sentences of nearly 1500 people and pardoning another 39, and the federal government says don?t worry about all of those drone sightings over New Jersey.

Show Notes:

We are just 39 days away from President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration. But Democrats are still trying to figure out what went wrong in 2024, and how to fix it before 2026. Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin breaks down why she thinks she won re-election in a swing state, in which Trump also won, and how Democrats are approaching the president-elect's cabinet picks. 

Later in the show, Politico senior defense correspondent Conner O'Brien explains what's actually in the big defense bill House lawmakers passed Wednesday.

And in headlines: FBI Director Christopher Wray says he will resign when President Joe Biden leaves office in January, Grocery store chain Albertsons called off its merger with fellow mega grocer Kroger, and a federal judge in Texas put a stop to the sale of Alex Jones's Infowars to the Onion.

Show Notes:

It?s a tense time in international politics right now. And it?s coming at a pretty tough time for the U.S., as President Joe Biden gets ready to hand over the foreign policy reins to President-elect Donald Trump. Syria?s fate is a big question mark as it prepares for a new government, Israel?s war in Gaza is still raging, and Russia and Ukraine are stuck in a stalemate. Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security advisor for President Barack Obama and co-host of Crooked?s ?Pod Save the World,? joins us to discuss Biden?s foreign policy legacy and the conflicts Trump inherits.

And in headlines: President Biden defended his economic policy during a speech at a Brookings Institution event, New York Attorney General Letitia James says her office will not drop the almost $500 million fine Trump owes the state, and former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz gets a new job.

Show Notes:

TikTok?s days in the U.S. may be numbered after a federal appeals court upheld a federal law late last week to force the ban or sale of the social media app. The case could ultimately end up before the Supreme Court. President-elect Donald Trump has also promised to reverse the ban, even though he tried to ban TikTok in his first term. Louise Matsakis, senior business editor at WIRED, walks us through all the what-ifs of a future without TikTok. 

Later in the show, Bloomberg senior editor Stacey Vanek Smith talks about what the incoming Trump administration?s enthusiasm for cryptocurrency means for all of us.

And in headlines: A suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare?s CEO was arrested and charged in Pennsylvania, Lara Trump eyes Marco Rubio?s Florida Senate seat, and Biden faces a growing pressure campaign to use his clemency powers.

Show Notes:

President-elect Donald Trump stopped by 'Meet the Press' on Sunday for his first network sit-down interview since winning back the White House. During his hour-plus conversation, he reaffirmed his promise to pardon most of the people who violently stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, possibly on his first day back in office. And he said every person who sat on the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack "should go to jail." Those kinds of comments are exactly why the Biden Administration is reportedly weighing preemptive pardons for people who might become targets of Trump's Justice Department. Kim Wehle, a professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law and author of the book 'Pardon Power,' explains the significance of the presidential pardon.

Plus, we talked with Pod Save The World's Tommy Vietor about how a Syrian rebel militia group gained control of the country.

And in headlines: Trump says he can't guarantee Americans won't end up paying more for goods under his tariff plans, The U.S. Department of Agriculture orders testing of the nation's milk supply for bird flu, and Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral held its first mass on Sunday since a 2019 fire partially destroyed it.

Show Notes:

Trump?s rhetoric glorifies an America where men are in charge and women are subjugated. Rights that many of us took for granted for decades?no fault divorce, access to contraception and abortion?as well as newer rights like access to gender-affirming health care and same sex marriage are now in the crosshairs of an empowered conservative bloc. Project 2025 calls for the government to stop barely short of forcing women back into a state of subservience, gay people back into the closet, and America back to the 1950s. But can the government actually do that? This week on How We Got Here, Erin interviews author and New York Magazine Writer Rebecca Traister to understand how sexual politics will evolve over the next four years.

There are only two weeks left for the 118th Congress to legislate. And there?s a lot to do. Lawmakers must pass a federal spending package to prevent a government shutdown, approve a defense budget, and decide how much money to set aside for relief after a rough year of natural disasters?no big deal. In the Senate, Democrats also need to confirm as many as President Joe Biden?s remaining judicial nominations before they lose power. Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen joins us to discuss what?s on the Senate Democrats? agenda for the remainder of the year.

And in headlines: Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy paraded around Capitol Hill to push their vision for DOGE, the Justice Department says the Memphis Police Department violates residents' constitutional rights, and Republicans face a historically small House majority in the next Congress.

Show Notes:

Former Fox News host Pete Hegseth was on Capitol Hill Wednesday to meet with senators, trying to salvage his nomination to be the next defense secretary. His nomination is hanging by a thread amid a drip, drip, drip of sordid details about his very messy personal life. But if Hegseth does manage to win Senate confirmation, he'd oversee the largest U.S. government agency with a nearly $900 billion budget. Paul McLeary, Pentagon and national security reporter for Politico, breaks down the job of the defense secretary and how Hegseth fits into President-elect Trump's larger vision for national security.

There's a lot of hand-wringing about where Democrats went wrong and why they lost the White House. And a big part of that conversation is how the party lost the support of many working-class voters while Trump gained ground. Max Alvarez, Editor-in-Chief of The Real News Network, talks about the shift among the voting bloc.

And in headlines: The Supreme Court appeared poised to side with Tennessee over its law banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors, Trump moves to have his Georgia election interference case dismissed, and Senators grilled airline executives over excessive fees.

Show Notes:

The Supreme Court will hear a landmark case over trans rights today. In U.S. v. Skrmetti, the justices will weigh the constitutionality of a 2023 Tennessee law that bans gender-affirming care for trans minors. A group of families, a doctor, the Biden Administration, and civil rights groups are challenging the law. Sruti Swaminathan, a staff attorney for the ACLU?s LGBTQ and HIV project, talks about what?s at stake in the case.

And in headlines: South Korean President Yoon Suk Seoul reversed his earlier decision to declare martial law, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested he?s open to negotiating a peace deal with Russia, and Iowa officials sued the Biden administration to get the citizenship status of more than 2,000 registered voters.

Show Notes:

President-elect Donald Trump?s picks to staff his next administration have been?questionable. His selection over the weekend of Kash Patel to lead the FBI fits into that mold: Patel is a MAGA enthusiast, a 2020 election denier, and a conspiracy theorist who says he?s ready to go after Trump?s political enemies! Ken Klippenstein, a national security reporter, helps us dig into how Patel could help Trump reshape the agency and its mission.

And in headlines: Republicans and Democrats blasted Biden for pardoning his son Hunter, a New Yorker article details more damning allegations against Trump?s Defense Secretary pick Pete Hegseth, and the Supreme Court looks poised to side with the FDA in a case around vaping.

Show Notes:

With fewer than 50 days until Inauguration Day, President-elect Donald Trump spent the long holiday weekend inviting more people to join his administration. But for Democrats, the conversation is still very much backward looking, as the party litigates why it lost the 2024 election despite delivering on a lot of its promises from four years ago. Matt Yglesias, who writes the Substack newsletter ?Slow Boring,? explains why ?deliverism? didn?t deliver for Democrats in 2024.

And in headlines: President Biden pardoned his son Hunter, a new drug to seek authorization to fight the AIDS epidemic, and The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees suspended deliveries into Gaza through a key crossing.

Show Notes:

The What A Day team is off this week, but we're excited to share an episode of Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams. In this episode, Stacey speaks with historian Heather Cox Richardson to see what history can teach us about moving forward after Trump?s reelection. They discuss strategies for countering disinformation, how Democratic leaders are preparing to use states? rights to their advantage to challenge Trump?s federal overreach, and how the era following William McKinley?s presidency can be a guide for progressives. Then, Stacey answers questions from the audience on how to get involved in politics, and how to respond to the community in this post-election environment.

If you liked this episode, subscribe to Assembly Required wherever you get your podcasts: crooked.com/assemblyrequired

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day in the United States, and many of us will celebrate with full tables. But for millions of Americans, food insecurity is a daily problem, year-round. According to government data from 2023, roughly 14% of American households didn?t know where their next meal was coming from, or whether they could afford to feed everyone in their home. Politician, voting rights activist, and ?Assembly Required? host Stacey Abrams has spent years talking about how food insecurity affects communities of all kinds. She joins us to talk about what she?s learned. 

Later in the show, YouTube star Brian Tyler Cohen shares tips on how to talk politics with your family during the holidays.

And in headlines: President Biden announced a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, President-elect Donald Trump gets mixed reactions to his plan to immediately enact sweeping tariffs on the top three U.S. trading partners, and the Biden Administration says it wants Medicare and Medicaid to cover the cost of weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound.

Show Notes:

It?s been just three weeks since the election, and President-elect Donald Trump has already named most of his cabinet picks, including all of the big ones to head executive departments. They are, in a word, eclectic. A mix of traditional Republican establishment types, MAGA diehard and? former Democrats? It?s an open question whether Trump?s picks will find common cause beyond just wanting a seat at Trump?s table. Burgess Everett, Congressional bureau chief for Semafor, talks about how Trump Administration 2.0 could work.

And in headlines: Special Counsel Jack Smith dropped both of his criminal cases against Trump, California says it found bird flu in raw milk that?s available in stores, and Drake uses the courts to get petty.

Show Notes:

President-elect Donald Trump says he wants to declare a national emergency ? and maybe even use the military ? to deport around 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. The consequences could be dire: millions of families separated, livelihoods upended, an even bigger backlog of immigration court cases, and a bill that could top $350 billion. Dara Lind, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, helps us separate facts from fears when it comes to Trump?s plan.

And in headlines: Trump announces a flurry of final cabinet picks, Israel?s Defense Forces traded more fire with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, and the annual U.N. climate summit wraps up with a controversial $300 billion deal.

Show Notes:

If there?s something that many of Trump?s cabinet nominees have in common, it is being credibly accused of sexual assault. Why is Trump?and MAGA world more widely?so enthusiastic about not just tolerating but elevating men with sordid, even criminal, pasts? There?s Matt Gaetz, Trump?s pick for US Attorney General, who withdraw from consideration on Thursday after yet another allegation of sex trafficking Then there?s Pete Hegseth, Trump?s slimy nominee for Secretary of Defense?not to mention Trump himself! Kavanaugh, RFK Jr., Herbster?the list goes on. This week on How We Got Here, Erin and Max interrogate why MAGA is appealing to sexually abusive men, and to what extent voters pulled the lever for Trump despite his rampant misogyny, versus because of it.

In news that was somehow both genuinely surprising and 100 percent predictable, former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration to be the next U.S. Attorney General on Thursday. If President-elect Donald Trump was upset about the whole thing, he didn?t show it. Within hours, he had a new pick for the job: Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, another longtime MAGA devotee. Still, it?s also not like Gaetz was Trump?s only problematic nominee, and it?s not clear how many of the others will actually make it through the Senate confirmation process. Tim Miller, host of The Bulwark podcast and a former Republican strategist, explains what Gaetz?s withdrawal means for the rest of Trump?s nominees. 

And headlines: The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister Yoav Gallant, CNN released old tape of RFK Jr. comparing Trump to Hitler, and the Justice Department wants Google to sell off Chrome.

Show Notes:

The reality show that is President-elect Donald Trump?s White House appointments keeps on rolling. In the last few days, Trump has picked World Wrestling Entertainment co-founder Linda McMahon to be his Secretary of Education, former acting Attorney General and toilet scammer Matthew Whitaker for U.S. ambassador to NATO, and billionaire former finance executive Howard Lutnick for Secretary of Commerce. Can any of these people win confirmation from the Senate? TBD! But Trump?s team says it doesn?t really matter because they want to force the president-elect?s unqualified picks through with recess appointments. Casey Burgat, director of the Legislative Affairs program at George Washington University?s Graduate School of Political Management, explains how that would work.

And in headlines: Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders forced a Senate vote to stop the U.S. from selling weapons to Israel, more details emerge about the sexual misconduct allegations against former Rep. Matt Gaetz, Texas has offered up thousands of acres of land to the Trump administration to construct deportation facilities.

Show Notes:

Tuesday marked 1,000 days since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, plunging the European continent into its largest and deadliest conflict since World War II. The milestone was marked by yet another major escalation of violence, when Ukraine launched U.S.-made long-range missiles into Russia for the first time. Russian President Vladimir Putin responded by issuing a new nuclear doctrine to lower the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. It all comes at a tense time for Europe, as leaders prepare for the return of President-elect Donald Trump, who campaigned on a promise to wind down U.S. support for Ukraine. McKay Coppins, senior staff writer at The Atlantic, explains how Europe is preparing for Trump?s return to the White House.

And in headlines: South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace introduced a resolution to ban transgender women from female bathrooms in the Capitol, Trump picked Dr. Oz to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the White House says this year?s Christmas tree will come from North Carolina.

Show Notes:

President-elect Donald Trump made a lot of questionable promises on the campaign trail. But one of the biggest ones was his promise to improve the economy by imposing at least a 10 percent tariff on all imported goods. For goods from China, he wants a minimum 60 percent tariff. Never mind that some economists say these tariffs, if imposed, could cost the average U.S. household an extra $2,600 a year. Stacey Vanek Smith, senior story editor at Bloomberg Audio, helps us break down what Trump?s tariff plans could mean for all of us.

And in headlines: Trump confirms in an early morning retweet that he will try to use the military to mass deport millions of immigrants, momentum builds around the potential release of a House Ethics Committee report about former Rep. Matt Gaetz, and a new report finds 20 percent of Americans get their news from social media influencers.

Show Notes:

In 2016, Donald Trump?s presidential win came as a surprise to many people, which inspired resistance and energized liberals and progressives across the country: from the ubiquitous pink hats of the Women?s March, to striking cab drivers fighting Trump?s attempted Muslim ban, scores of people came together to push back against unconstitutional policies. But after Trump?s 2024 win, that energy doesn?t seem there. Are people tired? Numb? Resigned? What does resistance look like when we have to do it all over again? For groups like the ACLU, the battle will take place in the courtroom, where they had several big wins against the last Trump administration. AJ Hikes, ACLU Deputy Executive Director for Strategy and Culture, joins us.

And in headlines: Vivek Ramaswamy says his and Elon Musk?s ?Department of Government Efficiency? will ?delete? entire agencies via executive order, President Joe Biden authorizes Ukraine to use US-made long-range missiles against Russia, Israeli airstrikes kill nearly 100 Palestinians in Gaza, and a top Hezbollah official in Beirut, and the Democratic Party is still blowing up your phone with fundraising texts.

Show Notes:

Trump would love to be a dictator. His affinity for strongmen like Victor Orbán and Vladimir Putin is no secret. But will he actually take the country down that road? What does authoritarianism look like in 2024? This week on How We Got Here, Max and Erin examine the president elect?s blustering and ask: will Trump really try to become an autocrat? Or is this just a lot of hot air from someone who doesn?t really understand how to work the levers of power. Cornell political scientist Tom Pepinsky weighs in on what we should be looking out for, and what we can learn from countries like Malaysia, Hungary and Turkey.

Republicans clinched a governing trifecta late Wednesday after a handful of congressional race calls cemented the party?s House majority. As for Democrats, officially losing the House means the party will be shut out of power for at least the next two years. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said earlier this week the party will have to figure out how to strategically wield its influence while in the minority, while also figuring out how to gear up for the next election. Brianna Tucker, deputy campaign editor for The Washington Post, stops by the WAD studio to talk about what voters told her on the campaign trail, and how the Post is gearing up for a second Trump administration.

Also on the show: Trump picks anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head the Department of Health and Human Services, senators voice skepticism about whether Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz can win confirmation to be the next attorney general, and The Onion buys Infowars.

Show Notes:

The Trump cabinet pageant continues! And we?re all about to find out which of the judges ? aka our elected U.S. senators ? are willing to let President-elect Donald Trump run the show. On Wednesday, Trump selected Florida Rep. and contender for most hated member of Congress Matt Gaetz to serve as attorney general of the United States. Gaetz has little relevant experience, but he is one of Trump?s most loyal ? and vocal ? supporters in Congress. At least one senator is already expressing skepticism. Ken White, a former federal prosecutor and current criminal defense attorney who writes the Popehat newsletter, games out what an Attorney General Matt Gaetz would mean for the Justice Department.

And in headlines: President Joe Biden and Trump had an awkward meeting at the White House, South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune is the new Senate majority leader, and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones? Infowars media empire is auctioned off to anonymous bidders.

Show Notes:

President-elect Donald Trump announced more appointments on Tuesday, giving us a fuller picture of what his incoming administration is going to look like (tl;dr: It's bad). One cabinet spot that?s still open, though: Secretary of Education. Whoever gets the job, they?ll likely be tasked with implementing Trump's campaign promise to close the Department of Education, a long-time GOP goal that dates back to the Reagan Era. Erica Meltzer, national editor at Chalkbeat, explains why keeping that promise will be pretty difficult.

And in headlines: Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego is headed to the Senate, the New York judge overseeing Trump?s hush money trial delayed a decision on dismissing the president-elect?s conviction, and the chairman and CEO of Exxon Mobil says the incoming Trump administration should avoid drastic changes to American climate policy.

Show Notes:

The incoming Trump Administration 2.0 is starting to take shape. And as expected, it?s a Democrat?s worst nightmare. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to name Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner with white nationalist views, to be his deputy chief of staff. He also officially announced his picks for ?border czar,? EPA director and U.N. ambassador, all of them in line with his repeated promise to appoint loyalists that will help him bend the government to his whims. Zack Beauchamp, senior correspondent for Vox and author of the book ?The Reactionary Spirit,? explains what Trump's picks mean for the continual functioning of our democracy.

And in headlines: President Biden?s lead adviser for international climate policy shared strong words about Trump at an annual U.N. climate change conference, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris made their first joint appearance since the election at a Veterans Day event, and abolitionist Harriet Tubman was posthumously awarded the rank of one-star Brigadier General in the Maryland National Guard.

Show Notes:

We?re starting to get a fuller picture of what the incoming Congress is going to look like under President-elect Donald Trump. Republicans have clinched a majority in the Senate and seem poised to take the House, too. But on the whole, it?s a less rosy picture for the party than Trump?s win suggests. Republican Senate candidates drastically underperformed the incoming president. Over in the House, the GOP isn?t expected to make any significant gains on its existing narrow majority. Burgess Everett, Congressional bureau chief for Semafor, explains why Trump?s big win didn?t translate to more down-ballot success.

And in headlines: California Gov. Gavin Newsom called for a special legislative session to ?Trump-proof? state law, Trump?s White House starts to take shape, and Target stores removed ?Wicked? dolls from shelves amid a packaging error that included the address of a porn website.

Show Notes:

Trump won over America by securing electoral votes in all seven swing states and gaining ground in historically blue areas. On this week's "How We Got Here," Max and Erin cope with post-election grief by going through the election data bit-by-bit. They discuss what we can learn about America, its political trajectory, and where we go from here. 

President Joe Biden addressed the nation Thursday for the first time since Election Day. He promised to ?honor the constitution on January 20th? and peacefully hand over power to President-Elect Donald Trump. Meanwhile, the blame game and painful soul-searching within the Democratic Party has begun in earnest. Jon Favreau, co-host of ?Pod Save America? and former speechwriter for President Barack Obama, stopped by to discuss what comes next.

And in headlines: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says he will not resign when Trump takes office, former New York City mayor and disbarred attorney Rudy Giuliani goes to court again, and Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey pushes back on the Associated Press? race call against him.

Show Notes:

Vice President Kamala Harris officially conceded to President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday in her first public comments since the election. Speaking to a crowd of hundreds of campaign staffers and students at her alma mater, Howard University, Harris called accepting the results a ?fundamental principle of American democracy.? But she encouraged her supporters to keep fighting for the ideals her campaign championed, even in the face of defeat. ?What A Day? newsletter editor Greg Walters was in the audience for Harris' speech. He spoke with some of the vice president's supporters about how they're taking it all in.

Also on the show: Washington Post White House reporter Yasmeen Abutaleb talks about what?s next for the Biden Administration and the Democratic Party. And Crooked Correspondent Todd Zwillich gives us an update on some of the close House and Senate races.

Show Notes:

Welp. That happened. Former President Donald Trump declared victory in the presidential race in the early hours of Wednesday morning. As of 3 am Wednesday, The Associated Press had not officially called the race, but it had declared Trump the winner of three crucial swing states: North Carolina, Georgia and Pennsylvania, effectively cutting off any path to victory for Vice President Kamala Harris. Democrats did see a few wins down ballot. Erin Ryan, co-host of the Crooked podcast ?Hysteria,? joins Jane to break down some of the election results.

Show Notes:

Happy Election Day! Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump spent their final full day on the campaign trail converging on the must-win state of Pennsylvania. Harris spent her entire day in the Keystone State, making direct appeals to Latino voters and young voters. For Trump, Pennsylvania was one of three swing states he stumped in Monday, continuing to muddle his closing message all along the way. Alyssa Mastromonaco, former White House deputy chief of staff under President Obama and co-host of the the Crooked podcast ?Hysteria,? explains what the Election Day vibes are like on a presidential campaign.

Also on the show: Nevada Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen talks about how she's working to win her tight re-election race, and an update on a Florida ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights in the state?s constitution.

Show Notes:

Election Day is tomorrow! More than 75 million people have already voted. And a slew of new polls released over the weekend show good news for Vice President Kamala Harris? campaign. Naturally, former President Donald Trump responded by railing against the polls at his rallies, even though polls aren?t predictions, and both candidates have a good shot at winning Tuesday. Nate Silver, polling guru and author of the Substack newsletter ?Silver Bulletin,? stops by to tell us what the polls are ? and aren?t ? telling us ahead of Election Day.

Also on the show: Abbas Alawieh, a Michigan resident and co-founder of the ?Uncommitted? movement,? talks about how his fellow activists are feeling as they cast their ballots. And Crooked Correspondent Josie Duffy Rice breaks down election lawsuits in Georgia.

Show Notes:

If Trump wins the presidential election, Project 2025 gives us an inkling of what his next term might look like. But due to a power struggle within the far-right, there could be another plan that?s just as threatening. On this week?s ?How We Got Here,? Max and Erin hear from New York Times reporter Ken Bensinger about the America First Policy Institute and its political goals with a second Trump term.

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump spent their Thursdays courting voters in the Southwest. Trump started his day in New Mexico, a state that Democrats are expected to easily win, before heading to events in Nevada and Arizona. Harris also spent her day in the two Western swing states, wrapping up the night at a rally with pop megastar Jennifer Lopez. With just four days left until Election Day, Alex Wagner of MSNBC's ?Alex Wagner Tonight? joins us to talk about what she?s hearing on the ground and Democratic fears about a 2016 repeat.

And in headlines: The head of Trump?s transition team outs himself as an anti-vaxxer on CNN, Republican Vice Presidential Nominee J.D. Vance joined Joe Rogan for a three-hour interview, and inflation continues to cool.

Show Notes:

In the wake of former President Donald Trump?s Madison Square Garden rally Sunday, Major Puerto Rican stars with tens of millions of social media followers have been throwing their support behind Vice President Kamala Harris. On Wednesday, singer Nicky Jam, who endorsed Trump last month, renounced his support for the former president in a video to his supporters, citing the joke a comedian made at the rally about Puerto Rico being an ?island of garbage.? Adrian Carrasquillo, a national political reporter who writes about our increasingly Latino America, talks about the ongoing fallout from the MSG rally within the Puerto Rican community.

And in headlines: Billionaire Elon Musk says Trump?s economic plans will come with some ?hardship,? Republicans revive talk of repealing Obamacare, and the U.S. Supreme Court says Virginia can keep purging its voter rolls.

Show Notes:

Vice President Kamala Harris delivered her closing arguments in a speech at the Ellipse in Washington D.C. ? where then-President Donald Trump encouraged a mob of his supporters to march to the Capitol ? to try to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Stef Kight, political reporter for Axios, breaks down the pitch Harris is making to voters in the final week of the presidential race. The fallout from Trump?s anti-Puerto Rican remarks in Madison Square Garden continues. The chairman of the Puerto Rico GOP said he won?t vote for Trump unless he apologizes. The Archbishop of Puerto Rico, Roberto O. González Nieves, has also asked Trump to ?personally apologize? for the comments. But Trump did not.

And in headlines: Steve Bannon was released from federal prison, the Supreme Court actually rejected R-F-K junior?s attempt to get off Michigan and Wisconsin?s ballots, and the Israeli Parliament passed two laws that would cut ties with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

Show Notes:

With one week left until Election Day, Vice President Kamala Harris plans to deliver her closing arguments today with a speech at the Ellipse in Washington D.C. It?s the same place where nearly four years ago, then-President Trump incited a violent mob to march toward the Capitol in an attempt to steal the election. For Trump?s part, he?ll end his day with a rally in Allentown, Pa., a politically purple area in one of the most important swing states this election cycle. As we head into the final few days of the presidential race, both candidates will spend their time barnstorming the swing states, making their case to an electorate that appears as evenly divided as you can get. Tens of millions of Americans have already voted. Ashlyn Earnest, a poll manager in Georgia, another major swing state, talks about what it?s like to work the polls on Election Day.

And in headlines: The Trump Campaign faces blowback over racist comments made during Sunday?s Madison Square Garden rally, ballot boxes in Washington and Oregon were set on fire, legal battles over voter suppression continue, and Brown University suspended a student-led pro-Palestine group on campus.

Show Notes:

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Former President Donald Trump made his closing pitch to voters Sunday at a rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City. His speech leaned heavily on the dehumanizing anti-immigrant rhetoric that?s defined his third run for the presidency. Even his warm-up speakers sank to new xenophobic lows, with one calling Puerto Rico ?a floating island of garbage.? 

Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris spent her Sunday campaigning in Philadelphia after blockbuster rallies with Michelle Obama and Beyoncé. Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore stops by to talk about the role of campaign surrogates in the final stretch to Election Day.

And in headlines: Trump sat for a three-hour interview with podcast host Joe Rogan, The Washington Post is the latest major newspaper to have its Harris endorsement blocked by its billionaire owner, and Israel launched a retaliatory strike against Iran.

Show Notes:

Trump is winning the presidential race according to some polls. But others say Harris is ahead. What?s the point of following the polls if they contradict each other and, at times, seem outright broken? On this week?s ?How We Got Here,? Max and Erin talk with Crooked?s Dan Pfeiffer to explain how Trump, the pandemic, iPhones and more messed with the reliability of presidential election polls.

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are preparing to make their closing pitches to voters ahead of Election Day. The Harris Campaign announced she?ll make her final arguments to the American people next week in a speech at the Ellipse in D.C., the exact same spot where nearly four years ago, then-President Donald Trump incited a mob of his supporters to march toward the Capitol. The Harris campaign said the decision to have the vice president speak at the Ellipse is meant to highlight the contrast between her and Trump, who still has yet to say whether he?ll accept the results of the upcoming election. Kyle Cheney, senior legal affairs reporter for Politico, says Trump is already laying the groundwork to challenge the election results if he loses. This time, he could be successful.

And in headlines: Trump says he?ll fire Special Counsel Jack Smith if elected, Harris headlines a rally in Texas with Beyonce tonight, and Los Angeles County?s district attorney says he?ll recommend resentencing for the Menendez Brothers.

Show Notes:

Last night, Vice President Kamala Harris was in the Philadelphia suburbs for a CNN Town Hall with Anderson Cooper and an audience of what the network called ?undecided and persuadable voters.? Harris fielded questions about whether former President Donald Trump is a fascist, and was asked by audience members what she?d do about the price of groceries. There?s a reason the CNN town hall was in Pennsylvania. It?s the state both campaigns have visited the most ? and where they?ve spent the most money on ads. It?s also the swing state with the most electoral college votes up for grabs in the election. And on top of that ? Pennsylvania is also home to an extremely tight race that will help decide which party controls the Senate. Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey joins us to talk about his race and what Democrats can do to help Harris take Pennsylvania.

And in headlines: The Democratic People?s Republic of Korea sends troops to Russia, RFK Jr. asks the Supreme Court to take him off another swing state ballot, a report from Microsoft warns of Chinese, Russian, and Iranian interference in the election, and former Republican National Convention Chair Ronna McDaniel warns the GOP about neglecting young voters.
 

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Roughly 20 million people have already voted in the upcoming election, either by mail or in person. And as the ballots keep pouring in, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are running around the country, trying to sway as many voters as they can ahead of what?s shaping up to be a historically close election. On Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris sat down for interviews with NBC and Telemundo, while former President Barack Obama and rapper Eminem rallied for her in Michigan. Meanwhile, Trump joined a roundtable with Latino leaders in Doral, Florida, canceled a virtual town hall, and finished the day repeating lies about FEMA during a rally in North Carolina. Atlantic Staff writer Charlie Warzel explains how the debunked FEMA conspiracies play into something darker that?s happening online and what it could all mean for the election.

And in headlines: The FBI announced it's investigating a possible leak of classified documents that allegedly outline Israel?s plans to attack Iran, a federal judge ordered former New York City mayor and Trump loyalist Rudy Giuliani to turn over his Upper East Side penthouse to two Georgia election workers who he defamed, and Trump plans a sit-down interview with podcaster Joe Rogan.

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It's officially two weeks until Election Day, and SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk wants you to vote ? for former President Donald Trump, obviously. In fact, Musk wants you to vote so badly that he says he?s giving out $1 million a day to people in swing states who sign his petition supporting the rights to free speech and to bear arms. It?s part of an effort to get more Republicans registered to vote. Except legal experts we spoke with ? like Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin and UCLA election law professor Rick Hasen ? say the whole scheme is likely illegal. 

Later in the show, NPR National Correspondent Sarah McCammon talks about where the white Evangelical vote stands after Roe. v. Wade was overturned.

And in headlines: A major election watcher says Pennsylvania?s Senate race is now a ?tossup,? the group of men formerly known as the Central Park Five filed a defamation lawsuit against Trump, and the Biden Administration says it?s proposing a new rule to make private health insurers cover more contraceptives.

Show Notes:

In-person early voting kicked off this weekend in Nevada, one of the key swing states that will decide the upcoming election. Like all the other major battlegrounds, polling averages show the race there between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump is a statistical dead heat. Four years ago, President Joe Biden won Nevada?s six electoral votes by about 2.5 points. But Nevada is also a state where Republicans could chip away at the Democrat Party?s historical advantage with two major voting blocs: union voters and Latino voters. Manuel Santamaria, the Nevada state director for the nonprofit Mi Familia Vota, talks about where things stand in the state with just about two weeks to go until Election Day.

And in headlines: Trump waxed poetic about the late golfer Arnold Palmer?s genitalia, Cuba suffered its worst blackout in decades, and letter carriers agreed to a tentative new contract with the United States Postal Service.

Show Notes:

Buying a home is already so expensive in America, but climate change is poised to make it much worse?even if you don?t live in the path of a hurricane. This week on How We Got Here, Max and Erin take a look at Florida to understand the thorny problem of insuring a home in a warming world. They break down how the insurance system is trying to account for ever-increasing risk, and explain why people keep moving to the places that are hardest hit by climate change.

In the aftermath of increasingly destructive natural disasters like Hurricanes Helene and Milton, politicians on both sides of the aisle have politicized the recovery effort. What fewer people are making political is the reason those storms were so destructive: warmer oceans caused by climate change. Bill Nye, the Science Guy, joins us to talk about why people should vote with the environment in mind this November.

And in headlines: Former President Donald Trump blames Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for Ukraine's war with Russia, A Texas state court temporarily delays an execution, Israeli officials killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, and Google says it will block all political ads as soon as the polls close on November 5th.

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Polls have shown that former President Donald Trump is increasingly weak when it comes to support from women. Recent Wall Street Journal polling found that Vice President Kamala Harris has a 13 point lead over Trump among women. In an attempt to reverse those trends, Trump went on Fox News to speak to a crowd of all women where he called himself the ?father of IVF.? Erin Ryan, host of Crooked?s Hysteria and the weekend edition of What A Day, joins us to debrief.

And in headlines: Democratic Representative Colin Allred dragged Republican Senator Ted Cruz during the Texas Senate race debate, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presented his ?Victory Plan? to his country?s Parliament, and an abortion rights group in Florida sued the state after Governor Ron DeSantis? administration ordered TV stations to stop airing their pro-abortion ad.

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