The Bill Press Pod

Jonathan Alter, former columnist for Newsweek and publisher of the Old Goats newsletter, joins Bill to discuss the dramatic ending of Donald Trump's trial and its potential impact on the 2024 election. Alter, who spent every single day inside the courtroom, describes the moment when the foreperson of the jury announced the guilty verdict on all 34 counts, calling it a "nice moment of small D democratic accountability." He also discusses Trump's reaction in the courtroom and speculates on what may happen next, including the possibility of Trump being sentenced to jail. Alter emphasizes the importance of the trial and its implications for the rule of law in the United States. He also discusses the potential impact of the conviction on the 2024 election, noting that while some voters may overlook Trump's felon status, others may see it as a "final gut check" and choose not to vote for him. Alter expresses concern about the Republican Party's embrace of Trump despite his criminal conviction, calling it a "sad and scary moment in American history" and emphasizing the importance of upholding the rule of law.Today’s Bill Press Pod is supported by The United Food and Commercial Workers Union. More information at UFCW.org.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trump Guilty. Times 34. GOP Closes Ranks. Effect on non-MAGA GOP. Trump: “I’m Innocent.” Down-Ballot Effect? What Should Biden Do? CA Senate Race. Gavin Newsom in the Wings. With Joe Garofoli, Senior Political Writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, Melanie Mason, Senior Political Reporter at Politico and Marisa Lagos, Political Correspondent for KQED San Francisco, Co-host of the Political Breakdown podcast. Today’s Bill Press Pod is supported by Iron Workers Union. More information at IronWorkers.orgSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Bill discusses the media's coverage of the 2024 election with media critics Jay Rosen, a Journalism Professor at New York University and Brian Beutler, a long-time journalist and author of the Off-Message newsletter (OffMessage.net) They criticize the media for focusing too much on the horse race and not enough on the potential consequences of a Trump win. They argue that the media should be highlighting the threats to American democracy and the importance of preserving democratic institutions. They also discuss the challenge of covering Trump's lies and the need for journalists to find a balance between calling out his falsehoods and not playing into his strategy. Overall, they call for the media to rise to the seriousness of the moment and provide more informative and responsible coverage of the election.Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by The Laborers’ International Union of North America. More information at LIUNA.org.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nikki Endorses Trump. Alito Flag Scandal. Voting Rights Fail. Assassinate Trump BS. Trump Trial Political Fallout. Libertarians and Trump. Border Bill Fails Again. With Maya King, New York Times Politics Reporter covering The South, David Jackson, National Political Correspondent for USA TODAY and Jeff Dufour, Editor-in-chief at the National Journal. Today’s Bill Press Pod is supported by The American Federation of Teachers. More information at AFT.org. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jonathan Alter is a presidential historian and longtime reporter and columnist for Newsweek in its heyday. For the last few weeks, he has been in the actual courtroom with Donald Trump every single day. He and Bill discuss the trial of and the likelihood of Trump being convicted of a felony. The defense has just about wrapped up its case, with Michael Cohen admitting to stealing money from the Trump Organization. The prosecution had to remind the jury that it is Donald Trump who is on trial, not Michael Cohen. The judge also criticized a defense witness for inappropriate behavior in the courtroom. He and Bill discuss the dramatic events that occurred in the courtroom, including the clearing of the courtroom and a frenzied exit by reporters. The trial is not about whether Trump had sex with Stormy Daniels, but rather about campaign finance violations and falsification of business records. The defense is trying to shift the focus onto Cohen, while the prosecution is trying to establish that Trump knew about and approved the illegal payments. The chances of Trump being convicted are discussed.You can read his short daily reports in The New York Times here and the longer reports at his newsletter at OldGoats.substack.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cohen Testifies. MAGA Reps to NY. Speaker Johnson, Too. Veep Race. Debates Are On. Weed Downgraded. Maryland Senate Race. Hearing Chaos. With Katherine Doyle, Reporter for NBC News, Arthur Delaney, Political Reporter at Huff Post and Kirk Bado, Editor of National Journal Hotline.Today Bill highlights the work of the World Central Kitchen and Jose Andres. Feeding people all over the world and now back in Gaza. You can help by going to their website at WCK.org.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Bill interviews David Ignatius, Foreign Policy Columnist for the Washington Post and author of the new novel, "Phantom Orbit." They discuss the current state of the world, focusing on the challenges facing the United States in foreign policy. Ignatius shares his recent experiences in Ukraine and Gaza. The conversation concludes with a discussion of Ignatius' his new novel, "Phantom Orbit” which is centered in the world of satellites and their role in modern warfare and the competition between the United States, China, and Russia for control of space. Ignatius explains the importance of space in military operations and the need for a dedicated Space Force. And says we are behind in today's space race. You can purchase your copy here . Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by The United Food and Commercial Workers Union. More information at UFCW.org. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Biden’s Big Israel Problem. Stormy vs Trump. Judge Cannon Saves Trump. MTG Fails Bigly. Johnson Echo’s Trump’s Lies. Appliance Freedom! RFK, Jr’s Brain Worm. Kristi Noem’s Dog Disaster. MD Senate Race. With Jason Dick, Editor in Chief at CQ-Roll Call, Sabrina Siddiqui, National Politics Reporter for The Wall Street Journal, Philip Bump, National Columnist for The Washington Post and author of the book, The Aftermath and the How to Read this Chart Newsletter and Mary Ellen McIntire, Campaign Staff Writer at CQ Roll Call. Today’s Bill Press Pod is supported by The American Federation of Government Employees. More information at AFGE.org.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hunter Walker, investigative reporter at Talking Points Memo, discusses his new book, "The Truce: Progressives, Centrists, and the Future of the Democratic Party." The book examines the ongoing struggle within the Democratic Party over its direction, particularly as progressives like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gain momentum. Walker argues that the party is a diverse coalition that relies on young people, union members, and people of color, in contrast to the increasingly extreme right-wing Republican Party. He also explores the challenges facing the Democratic Party in the 2024 elections and the influence of figures like Bernie Sanders and Nancy Pelosi. Walker highlights the need for Democrats to unite and engage young voters and people of color in order to overcome Republican structural advantages and win elections. You can purchase the book here.Today’s Bill Press Pod is supported by The Laborers' International Union of North America. More information at LIUNA.org. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trump Trial. Trump Sleeping. Cohen in the Crosshairs. Trump’s Time Cover. Politics of Campus Protests. RFK, Jr. For Real? Mike Johnson Resurgent. Ted Cruz Attacks MTG. Kristi Noem’s Dog. With Ginger Gibson, Senior Washington Editor for NBC News, Shirish Date, Senior White House Correspondent at Huff Post, Nikki Schwab, Senior U.S. Political Reporter for The Daily Mail and Alex Roarty, Politics Reporter at NOTUS Reports.Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. More information at UFCW.org.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.