The Takeout with Major Garrett

It's our first interview with a (declared) candidate for the 2024 presidency! Vivek Ramaswamy, a political outsider and bio-tech multi-millionaire, announced his bid for the GOP presidential nomination on February 21. Ramaswamy tells Major that he threw his hat in the ring because he believes America is in the middle of a "national identity crisis." He's authored several books including his latest, "Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam," in which he criticizes what he calls "secular religions" such as "wokeism" and "climateism."Plus: Ramaswamy's planned podcast pivot after fumbling a question regarding the nuclear triad during a radio interview late last month. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Author Chris Whipple got extraordinary access to the Biden White House for his latest book, "The Fight of His Life," a look at the first two years of the Biden presidency. Whipple interviewed the president and nearly every senior officials advising him day-to-day, including now former White House chief of staff Ron Klain. Major and Whipple explore the high points and low points of the Biden presidency and the contours of a potential re-election campaign. Join us! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As lawmakers debate the merits of reforms to programs like Medicare and changes to federal voting laws, we look back at the legacy of President Lyndon Johnson and why he's relevant today. This year marks the 50th anniversary of his death. Johnson signed into law some of the most consequential legislation in U.S. history - the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act and bills that created Medicare, Medicaid and Head Start. How do modern day presidents stack up? Join us for Major's fascinating conversation with historian Dr. Mark A. Lawrence, director of the Lyndon Johnson Presidential Library and Museum in Austin, Texas. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former acting Defense Secretary Christopher C. Miller has a message for Washington: cut the defense budget “dramatically” and stop making China a bogeyman. Miller served in the waning days of the Trump administration and recently released a book “Soldier Secretary.”  Major sits down with Miller at Kilroy's in Springfield, VA. Join us! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Smithsonian Secretary and founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture Lonnie Bunch joins Major for lunch at the museum's cafeteria, Sweet Home Cafe. Bunch, an accomplished historian, explains the some of the museum's vast offerings and tackles contemporary issues like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' push to eliminate a black history course in his state's high schools. Join us! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Major sits down with Colorado’s Democratic Governor Jared Polis at the statehouse in Denver. Polis gives his take on the classified documents saga, his presidential aspirations, 2024, Colorado’s permissive drug policy, housing shortages and immigration reform. Stick around for the Takeout Outtake Especial and Polis’ surprisingly good Yoda impression. Join us! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's a debate roiling Washington right now over how much the federal government should be allowed to borrow to pay its bills. Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee Patrick McHenry is at the center of that often heated discussion. The right flank of his party wants spending cuts in exchange for raising the borrowing limit while the Biden White House insists it should be raised without concessions. Plus, what happened in the final hours of the speakership fight? And who did McHenry call a "world class sociopath?" We're at Ted's Bulletin on Capitol Hill. Join us! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's guest is House Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan who told Major the committee will investigate how the Justice Department handled two classified records cases involving presidents.  Jordan told CBS News his panel will probe the department's investigations into classified materials found at former President Donald Trump's Florida home and those found at Joe Biden's private office and Delaware home. This episode was taped in the House Judiciary Committee Library Thursday morning, before Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel in the classified document matter involving President Joe Biden. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In his first interview since leaving government service, Dr. Anthony Fauci explains why the latest COVID variant, XBB.1.5, is spreading so rapidly and why China is facing an explosion of COVID cases. Fauci also responds to Twitter owner Elon Musk, who earlier this week said he would release the "Fauci Files," thought to be internal Twitter documents, though their precise content or relevance is unclear. Stay for the Outtake Especial to hear what Fauci is up to now and how old habits - like his sleep patterns - die hard. Join us! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The great Mo Rocca is back on The Takeout with the low down on season three of his hit podcast “Mobituaries.” Mo looks back on the lives of John Denver, Loretta Lynn, TV terrier Wishbone and many more. Join us for a belt-busting spread of Italian cuisine at Trattoria Dell’Arte in midtown Manhattan. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices