The Evolving Role of the U.S. Attorney General and Executive Power Dynamics

Chuck Todd begins with a rant about his beloved Washington Nationals before pivoting to Trump strong-arming congressman Zach Nunn into running for reelection and Texas into holding a mid decade restricting process to try and maintain control of the house. He weighs in on California governor Gavin Newsom’s threat to gerrymander his state in response to Texas and why that plan may not work. He also surveys the state of several 2026 races. 

Then, Chuck is joined by renowned CBS News Capitol Hill correspondent Scott MacFarlane who delivers an unflinching analysis of American politics in the post-January 6th era and recounts his harrowing experience of being in attendance during the assassination attempt of Donald Trump. MacFarlane, drawing from his extensive experience covering the insurrection trials and congressional proceedings, explores how the events of January 6th continue to reshape the political landscape, from Trump's recent blanket pardons to the ongoing divisions within the Republican Party. He provides insider perspectives on the Secret Service's challenges during campaign season, the diverse backgrounds of January 6th defendants, and the broader implications of political violence in American democracy.

The conversation spans critical topics including the decline of local journalism, the judiciary's politicization, and the increasingly siloed information ecosystem that defines modern American politics. MacFarlane offers candid insights into the DOJ's handling of January 6th prosecutions under Merrick Garland, the death threats faced by trial witnesses, and how Trump's survival of the Butler assassination attempt reinforced his supporters' belief in divine intervention. The discussion also touches on contemporary challenges facing journalists, from the pressure to develop personal brands to declining morale in newsrooms, while examining ongoing political realignments and the future of democratic institutions in America.

Finally, Chuck answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment about Trump trying to rescind some of Biden’s late-term pardons, Gavin Newsom’s political evolution and why Dan Osborne is running for senate rather than governor in Nebraska.

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Introduction

00:45 James Wood didn’t have competent pitching in HR derby

02:00 Lack of summer sports programming

04:45 Trump has unprecedented control over the Republican party

07:30 Zach Nunn flirting with run with Iowa governor or switching seats

09:30 Trump forced Nunn into seeking reelection 

10:30 Trump strong arming Texas into mid decade redistricting

11:45 Additional gerrymandering is risky for Texas Republicans

13:30 Gavin Newsom threatens to gerrymander CA in response to Texas

15:15 Newsom’s rhetoric may not match the political reality

16:30 Republicans are trying to rig their house majority

17:30 Donald Trump is dictating all of these actions

18:15 Trump is trying to destroy Thomas Massie for no vote on BBB

19:15 Republicans risk candidates being tied to an unpopular president

21:15 Democrats are grappling with whether to fight fire with fire

23:15 Gerrymandering fights are popping up around the country

24:30 The White House is obsessed with holding the house

26:00 Trumpworld will stoke fear of impeachment to juice turnout

27:00 NRSC has gone all-in on stopping Ken Paxton in Texas

28:15 John Cornyn could walk away and back Wesley Hunt

30:30 Susan Collins is raising money as if she’s seeking reelection

31:30 Jonathan Bush may run for governor in Maine

32:45 Mary Peltola may run for governor or senate in Alaska

35:15 The PGA Tour announcing a new tournament at Trump Doral

38:00 Scott MacFarlane joins the Chuck ToddCast! 

38:30 Scott's origin story 40:30 Local news has been decimated in recent years 

42:30 People have the closest connection with local news outlets 

44:30 Local news should be targeting millennial parents 

46:30 Why was the response to the Butler assassination attempt so muted? 

48:30 Secret service is stretched thin during campaign season 

49:30 Was the secret service underresourced? 

51:00 Scott felt the vibe was "off" at the event 

53:00 If Trump hadn't survived, the crowd would have attacked media 

54:15 Trump surviving created a divine intervention belief in his supporters 

57:00 Many J6ers admitted "they don't know what got into them" 

58:30 The J6ers are an incredibly diverse group of people 

59:45 Only two J6ers were acquitted 

1:01:00 The electorate sees almost everything through a red/blue lens 

1:02:30 The senate broke the judiciary 

1:03:30 There's only ONE apologetic January 6th defendant 

1:05:00 Republicans now in congress wouldn't condemn J6 

1:07:15 The blanket pardon was Trump condoning political violence 

1:08:45 Have all the DOJ prosecutors who worked on J6 cases been fired? 

1:10:00 People who testified at J6 trials have received death threats 

1:12:30 Merrick Garland slow rolled DOJ's J6 prosecutions 

1:14:30 It's surprising how quickly Republicans came back to Trump after J6 

1:15:30 If the senate voted to convict, we'd have a president Ron DeSantis 

1:18:00 Mitch McConnell's surrender handed the keys over to the MAGA wing 

1:19:30 The information ecosystem is incredibly siloed 

1:21:15 The public dismisses Trump's corruption as "they all do it" 

1:23:00 January 6th is still ongoing, it's just taken different forms 

1:24:30 What to make of the ongoing Epstein files saga? 

1:26:15 Trump's people fanned the flames of Epstein conspiracies 

1:28:00 You can't release names of Epstein associates without proof of a crime 

1:30:00 America's political realignment is fascinating and potentially disastrous 

1:31:15 Is Pam Bondi's job safe? 

1:32:30 Trump flexing his power over the city of Washington D.C. 

1:34:00 Muriel Bowser has handled Trump well 

1:35:00 Morale for journalists is low and unsettled 

1:36:00 Journalists are now required to have a personal brand 

1:37:30 Every journalist wants to be Woodward and Bernstein 

1:39:30 The state of D.C. professional sports

1:40:15 Chuck's thoughts on the interview with Scott MacFarlane 

1:40:30 Ask Chuck 

1:40:35 What to make of Trump trying to undo Biden's late term pardons? 

1:45:45 Will Gavin Newsom's "pivot to the middle" work in middle America? 

1:49:30 What is the advantage of Dan Osborne running for senate over governor?