The Daily

The Man Who Tried to Kidnap Nancy Pelosi

Nov 2, 2022

Catie Edmondson, a Congressional correspondent for The New York Times, joins to discuss the shocking attack on Paul Pelosi. She examines the chilling details of the break-in and the motivations behind the assailant’s actions. The conversation reveals alarming statistics about the rise in threats against lawmakers, including a tenfold increase in incidents over recent years. Edmondson also delves into the psychological aspects of political extremism and the dangerous spread of online conspiracy theories that fuel such violence.

28:32

Creator website

Episode guests

Catie Edmondson

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

What Is the Story? Hi

01:56

Legislators Taking Things Into Their Own Hands

01:34

10000 Threats Against Members of Congress

00:20

Intro

2min

The Attack on Paul Pelosi

5min

The Roots of Conspiratorial Beliefs in Extremism

2min

The Dangers of Political Extremism and Rising Threats

1min

The Surge of Threats Against Lawmakers

11min

Lawmakers Under Threat: A Security Crisis

7min

Early on Friday, an intruder broke into the San Francisco home of Nancy Pelosi and bludgeoned Ms. Pelosi’s husband, Paul, with a hammer.

The shocking attack underlined fears about the growing number of threats against members of Congress and the woeful lack of security around those lawmakers.

Guest: Catie Edmondson, a congressional correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading:

A trail of strained relationships. An itinerant life that included a stint living in a storage unit. A personality that was “consumed by darkness.” Who is the man accused of attacking Mr. Pelosi?
The assault at the Pelosi home comes as threats against members of Congress have increased in recent years.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.