Exploring Leadership and Political Dynamics Through Film and History

Chuck Todd reflects on his recent conversation with Steve Bannon and proposes his theory for what Donald Trump and his MAGA movement's populism is really tapping into not just in America, but as a global phenomenon. Chuck says that the Democrats have an opportunity to position themselves as an opposition party that taps into the American populace's skepticism of concentrated power, and that if the current Democratic leadership isn't equipped to navigate the moment, they could set themselves up to get steamrolled by Trumpism the same way that the George Bush and Mitt Romney wing of the Republican Party did. Chuck goes on to look at some of the races he's most excited for in 2026.

Chuck Todd welcomes filmmakers Lindsay Utz and Michelle Walshe to discuss their documentary "Prime Minister," an intimate portrait of former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's extraordinary leadership during some of the most challenging moments in recent history. The film, built around Ardern's personal audio diaries that weren't meant to be released until after her death, chronicles her navigation through three defining crises: the Christchurch shooting, the COVID-19 pandemic, and giving birth while in office. The filmmakers had unprecedented access to Ardern, capturing her reflections on leading a nation through tragedy and global upheaval, while New Zealand became the first country to eradicate COVID-19 through decisive leadership and strong public health measures. 

The conversation explores the broader themes of the documentary, including the misogynistic backlash Ardern faced both for her COVID response and her decision to ban semi-automatic weapons after Christchurch. Utz and Walshe discuss the challenge of misinformation during the pandemic, the export of American political mistrust to other democracies, and how Ardern's millennial confidence shaped her leadership style. Despite her international popularity, the filmmakers reveal that Ardern has sworn off politics forever, making this documentary a crucial historical record of her tenure. The film serves as both a case study in crisis leadership and an inspiration for young women considering political careers, showcasing how Ardern became a global role model while navigating the unique pressures facing female leaders in the modern political landscape. 

Finally, he addresses listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment!

00:00 Introduction

03:50 Steve Bannon's theory about Trump & the global populist movement

06:10 Why Trump's character is a distraction for Democrats

08:10 Democrats' advantage as an outsider party

10:45 New Jersey gubernatorial race

14:30 Democratic Senate candidates popping up in Iowa

18:30 Minnesota Senate Democratic primary

20:45 New candidate alert in Georgia!

23:00 Louisiana getting rid of runoffs?

24:10 Mark Green stepping down in Tennesee

29:30 Lindsay Utz and Michelle Walshe join the Chuck Toddcast!

30:30 What was the origin story of their documentary “Prime Minister” 

31:30 How often did they have access to Jacinda Ardern? 

32:50 Ardern’s audio diaries weren’t supposed to be released until she died 

34:00 Ardern showed extraordinary leadership after the Christchurch shooting 

35:30 Adrern’s story wasn’t local and could resonate worldwide 

37:30 Was Ardern surprised when reflecting on her diaries? 

38:30 Ardern had to lead through 2 crises 

39:30 The tentpoles of the documentary are Covid, Christchurch and giving birth in office 

42:30 Great responsibility to get the story right due to historic nature 

44:30 Was Arden’s book coordinated with the release of the documentary? 

45:30 What was the hardest thing to leave out? 

47:30 New Zealand’s great response to Covid relied on strong leadership 

49:30 New Zealand was the first country to eradicate Covid 

51:00 Citizens of every country blamed their leaders for Covid 

52:30 Misinformation was a huge problem during Covid 

53:30 Was there an anti-vax community in NZ prior to Covid? 

54:45 Was the widespread mistrust in the American government exported to NZ? 

55:45 Ardern received terrible misogynistic blowback from the public 

56:30 Was the backlash worse for Covid or for banning semiautomic weapons? 

59:40 Ardern swears she’ll never go into politics again 

1:02:30 Is Ardern more popular outside of New Zealand? 

1:03:45 What do you hope a young female politician takes away from “Prime Minister”? 

1:05:15 Was Ardern’s confidence a byproduct of being a millennial? 

1:07:45 Ardern was a great role model for young women 

1:08:30 Do they have another project planned in the future? 

1:11:40 Where can people see “Prime Minister”?

1:14:00 Ask Chuck!