Pod Save America

Police kill Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta as Republicans in Congress balk at reform proposals, Trump moves the date of his Juneteenth MAGA rally even as some advisors suggest he attack the Black Lives Matter movement, and Covid cases rise in 22 states as the President pretends the pandemic is over. Then ACLU attorney Chase Strangio talks to Jon L. about the landmark Supreme Court ruling on LGBTQ rights, and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Wesley Lowrey discusses his reporting on the nationwide protests.

Trump prepares for a potential speech on race and unity by attacking an elderly protester and defending Confederate-named buildings, Republicans feel the pressure on police reform, and Joe Biden opens up a big lead in the polls. Then Stacey Abrams talks to Jon about the voting disaster in Georgia and her new book, Our Time Is Now. 

The mass demonstrations against police violence and racism have ignited a debate about transformational change, Republican and military leaders start to abandon Trump, and the President celebrates double-digit unemployment. Then Los Angeles District Attorney candidate George Gascón talks to Tommy about progressive criminal justice reform.

The nationwide protest against racism and injustice shows early signs of progress, Trump’s presidency reaches a dangerous new low, and Joe Biden and Barack Obama remind us what a real president sounds like. Then LaTosha Brown, the co-founder of Black Voters Matter Fund, talks to Dan about organizing and mobilizing black voters ahead of November.

George Floyd’s murder sparks nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism, Donald Trump responds by hiding in the White House and tweeting, and Joe Biden ventures out to meet with protesters and black community leaders. DeRay Mckesson joins to talk about what police reforms actually work, and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms talks to Jon F. about grappling with this crisis as a mayor and a mother.

The two candidates mark the pandemic death toll reaching 100,000 Americans in starkly different ways, a masked Biden emerges from his home, and both campaigns compete for black voters amid new incidents of racism and violence. Then Obama veteran Paul Tewes talks to Jon about recruiting an army of organizers to beat Trump in 2020.Adopt A State: http://votesaveamerica.com/adopt

Six battlegrounds will likely determine whether Trump or Biden wins in November, and Crooked Media content chief Tanya Somanader joins to talk about why you should Adopt a State and start organizing from home. Then Jon, Jon, and Tommy answer listener questions about the VP selection process, what a virtual convention might look like, how we’ll celebrate if Mitch McConnell loses, and when Ronan might cut Lovett’s hair.Adopt A State: votesaveamerica.com/adopt 

The President takes a dangerous drug to own the libs, Ted Cruz gets in a Twitter fight with the pod, our new Change Research poll shows Joe Biden with a small lead in Michigan, and Republicans are done with helping the economy. Then Dave Weigel of the Washington Post talks to Dan about the digital strategies shaping the Biden and Trump campaigns.

The President continues his purge of government officials who expose corruption, the Trump campaign uses a kitchen sink strategy to define Joe Biden, Barack Obama reminds us of what a normal president sounds like, and House Democrats pass an economic relief bill with some defections. Then Senator Sherrod Brown and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Connie Schultz talk to Jon L. about Senate negotiations over the next stimulus bill, and what it’s like to quarantine together.

Trump tries to make the election about Barack Obama, Democrats come up short in a California special election, Joe Biden announces a set of policy unity task forces, and Democratic strategists offer his campaign plenty of advice. Then Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal talks to Jon about her Paycheck Guarantee Act and her role as the co-chair of Biden’s health care unity task force.

The White House’s robust testing and contact tracing program finds two cases inside the West Wing, Attorney General Bill Barr drops the charges against one of the President's convicted criminal friends, Barack Obama speaks out, and Trump falsely accuses California Democrats of rigging an election by allowing more people to vote. Then New Yorker writer Patrick Radden Keefe talks to Tommy about his new Crooked podcast Wind of Change, and CNN’s Harry Enten weighs in on the latest polling and the 2020 Senate map.Follow Wind of Change on Spotify to binge all 8 episodes now: https://spoti.fi/WindOfChange

Trump surrenders in the War Against the Invisible Enemy, pivots to a message about rebuilding the economy, and tries to make the race about Joe Biden. Then Jon and Dan break down the latest polls, answer some listener questions, and Dan interviews Democratic election lawyer Marc Elias about his legal battles to protect our right to vote in November.

The President steps up his efforts to blame China for the coronavirus, the Trump campaign is divided over its re-election message, Joe Biden responds to Tara Reade’s allegations, and the Vice Presidential selection process begins. Then Austan Goolsbee, one of Obama’s top economic advisors, talks to Jon F. about how to dig ourselves out of this crisis.

Republicans’ top priority is giving corporations the freedom to let their workers and customers get sick, former Republican Justin Amash explores a third party bid for president, and new reporting emerges about an allegation of sexual assault against Joe Biden. Then Congressional candidate Christy Smith talks to Jon about her May 12th special election in California’s 25th district.

The White House weighs cutting back on Trump’s daily briefings, Republicans start to worry about November, and Joe Biden’s campaign adjusts to life in the midst of a pandemic. Then Senator Brian Schatz talks to Jon L. about the next economic relief bill and the Senate map in 2020.

Trump responds to falling poll numbers with a temporary ban on some forms of immigration, Mitch McConnell wants to hit pause on economic relief, and we answer some questions from listeners. Then former White House Chief Technology Officer Jason Goldman talks to Dan about how Joe Biden and Democrats can get creative with their digital strategy ahead of November.

Trump encourages Trump supporters protesting against Trump’s social distancing guidelines, governors in both parties plead for help with testing, Congress nears a deal on another economic relief bill, and China becomes a 2020 issue. Then Senator Bernie Sanders talks to Jon and Jon about why our response to this economic crisis should be more ambitious, how progressive candidates can win, and what he hopes to see from Joe Biden.

Democrats win a stunning upset in Wisconsin, Joe Biden wins the endorsements of Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren, and Data for Progress polling guru Charlotte Swasey joins Jon and Dan to break down brand new polling that details which arguments about Trump’s handling of the coronavirus are most persuasive to voters.

Trump reignites the debate over when to re-open the country against the advice of public health experts in his own administration, his campaign launches a Blame China strategy, and Democrats use their leverage to fight for a relief bill that helps workers and voters. Then Salon writer Amanda Marcotte talks to Tommy about her reporting on a sexual assault allegation against Joe Biden. Crooked non-medical masks, with proceeds going to the Coronavirus Relief Fund: crooked.com/store

The general election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump begins as Bernie Sanders suspends his campaign, COVID-19 trutherism gets worse as Trump media tries to spin the death toll, and Democrats look for a way to make voting safe and easy despite opposition from Trump and his allies. Alex Wagner, the host of Crooked Media’s new podcast Six Feet Apart, joins to break down the news, and Stacey Abrams talks to Dan about protecting the right to vote, the coronavirus response, and 2020 veepstakes.Subscribe to Six Feet Apart with Alex Wagner:apple.co/sixfeetapartcrooked.com/sixfeetapart