The Bill Press Pod

Hegseth Rising. Gabbard Drama. Patel vs FBI. Elon and Vivek. Moguls to Mar-a-Lago. Trump vs The Media. Trump Normalized. Killer to Folk Hero. Syria Fallout. With Linda Feldmann, Washington Bureau Chief, White House/politics correspondent at Christian Science Monitor, Jeff Dufour, Editor-in-chief, The National Journal and John Bennett, White House Correspondent & Editor-at-Large at CQ Roll Call. Today Bill suggests a great holiday gift, a handwoven scarf from his wife Carol. These are all works of art in rayon chenille or bamboo. Check them out at CarolPressScarves.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s guest is our go to man on Foreign Policy and National Security, Joe Cirincione. He is the former President of the Plowshares Fund and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He and Bill cover a wide range of global crises and upheaval, including the sudden collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and South Korea, and the prospect of Donald Trump returning to power. Cirincione provides insights on the key events and their geopolitical implications, such as the surprising fall of the Assad government, the weakening of Russia and Iran's influence in the region, and the risks a Trump presidency would pose in terms of nuclear proliferation and global instability. Cirincione emphasizes the need for U.S. leadership and support to help rebuild Syria and stabilize Europe, while cautioning against Trump's isolationist tendencies and potential to undermine existing international alliances and security frameworks. You can read and subscribe to Joe Cirincione’s excellent Substack, Strategy and History here. Today Bill suggests a great holiday gift, a handwoven scarf from his wife Carol. These are all works of art in rayon chenille or bamboo. Check them out at CarolPressScarves.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hegseth in Trouble. Vetting Fails. Gabbard in Doubt. Musk on the Hill. Biden Pardons Hunter. Pardon Trump’s Enemies? Biden’s Last Month Goals. Slim House Majority. With Maya King, Southeast Politics Reporter at The New York Times, Emily Gooden, Senior White House Correspondent for DailyMail.com and Kirk Bado, Editor, National Journal Hotline.Today Bill suggests a great holiday gift, a handwoven scarf from his wife Carol. These are all works of art in rayon chenille or bamboo. Check them out at CarolPressScarves.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Norm Ornstein, an Emeritus Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, discusses the implications of Donald Trump's appointments to key government positions if he becomes president again in 2024. Ornstein expresses concern about Trump's plan to appoint individuals who would undermine democratic institutions, such as the FBI, national intelligence, and the Department of Defense. He argues that there are few guardrails left to stop this "madness" and prevent the erosion of American democracy. Ornstein also criticizes the reactions of the media and some Democrats to President Biden's pardon of his son Hunter, noting the selective outrage compared to Trump's past pardons of associates convicted of serious crimes.Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. More information at UFCW.org.Join Bill on BlueSky, the great new social media platform that is way better than Elon Musk's X. Go to Bsky.app and follow Bill at @BillPress.bsky.socialSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As another needed break from Politics on this Thanksgiving weekend, we once again share Bill's conversation with Ina Garten, recorded in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. Bon Appetit. Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by these unions fighting hard everyday for working men and women. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union,The International Association of Fire Fighters,The Laborers International of Union of North America,The International Brotherhood of Teamsters,The American Federation of Teachers,The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers,The United SteelworkersandThe Iron Workers Union.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bill talks with the well-respected Health Policy reporter Sandhya Raman of CQ-Roll Call to get a sense of what Trump’s nominees in the health field means for our health and healthcare. There are serious concerns raised by leading health professionals about Donald Trump's nominations to lead major health agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and others. The main concerns are that many of Trump's nominees lack prior experience in public health or healthcare policy, and some have controversial views on issues like vaccines and reproductive rights that could jeopardize public health. In particular, the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as HHS Secretary is highly controversial, as he is a well-known anti-vaxxer who could slow down the approval and distribution of vaccines, putting public health at risk. Other concerning nominees include Dr. Mehmet Oz for Medicare/Medicaid, and Dr. David Weldon for the CDC, who have expressed skepticism about vaccines and abortion rights. There are some guardrails that Congress could try to use to block or limit the ability of these nominees to implement harmful policies, but with a Republican trifecta in Washington, their options may be limited. Overall, the transcript suggests that the health of the nation could be in jeopardy under the Trump administration's health policy team, with potential impacts on vaccine distribution, maternal mortality rates, and access to reproductive healthcare.Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by National Nurses United, the largest labor union of Nurses in America. More information at NationalNursesUnited.orgSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Matt Gaetz In. Nope. Pam Bondi In. Pete Hegseth? Tulsi Gabbard? RFK, Jr.? Recess Appointments. Not a Mandate. Musk Slashing. With Jason Dick, Editor in chief at CQ-Roll Call, Sarah Wire, Senior National Political Correspondent for USA TODAY, Katherine Tully-McManus, Congressional Reporter for Politico and Alex Gangitano, White House reporter for The Hill.Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by 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.

Bill and the Rev. Jim Wallis discuss the aftermath of the 2024 U.S. presidential election and the troubling moral and ethical implications of Donald Trump's victory. Wallis is the inaugural holder of the Chair in Faith and Justice and the founding Director of the Georgetown University Center on Faith and Justice. Wallis expresses deep concern that the election of Trump, someone who openly repudiated basic values of honesty, decency, and respect, reveals a profound crisis of character and values in American culture.Wallis argues that Trump's rise was enabled by grievances, fears, and a sense of abandonment among many Americans, particularly the working class, who felt shut out by the political establishment.Wallis suggests this election has revealed the strength of racism, sexism, and Christian nationalism in American politics, which worked to undermine the candidacy of Kamala Harris.Wallis calls on faith leaders and people of moral conviction to resist the normalization of Trump's authoritarian tendencies through nonviolent actions, civil disobedience, and a renewed commitment to the core values of truth, justice, and compassion.Overall, the conversation emphasizes the deep moral and spiritual reckoning required in the wake of Trump's election, and the need for principled resistance grounded in timeless human values.You can order Jim’s latest book, The False White Gospel: Rejecting Christian Nationalism, Reclaiming True Faith, and Refounding Democracy 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. Gaetz. Musk. Advise and Consent? GOP Wins House. Abortion Not Salient. Dems in Disarray. State of the Resistance. With Jason Dick, Editor in Chief at CQ-Roll Call, Arthur Delaney, Political Reporter at Huff Post and Evan McMorris-Santoro, Reporter and co-author of the Morning Newsletter at NOTUS. Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by The Ironworkers 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.

Bill discusses the implementation of Project 2025 with David Pepper, former Chair of the Democratic Party in Ohio and author of our special podcast series, Trump’s Project 2025: Up Close and Personal. Project 2025 is a draconian blueprint for a second Trump term prepared by the Heritage Foundation. And now we face the implementation across all elements of society. The discussion covers the dangers of Project 2025, including the weaponization of the Department of Justice to target political opponents, attacks on women's healthcare and abortion rights, weakening of labor unions and worker protections, and the replacement of scientists and experts with unqualified political appointees. Pepper warns that while some elements of Project 2025 may not be implemented, the Trump administration is poised to move quickly on many fronts to enact its extreme agenda. Pepper and Bill urge continued vigilance and activism to document, call out, and build opposition to these efforts to undermine democratic institutions and norms. You can follow David’s work at DavidPepper.substack.comToday’s Bill Press Pod is supported by The United Food and Commercial Workers Union. More information at UFCW.orgSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.