

Sidebar
The Washington Post
The Washington Post’s Libby Casey, Rhonda Colvin and James Hohmann gather for a weekly in-depth conversation about politics and power. From presidential candidates to members of Congress to the judicial system, Sidebar dives deep on the topics and people at the forefront of the political conversation.
The crew sits down each Thursday (with the occasional breaking news episode) to discuss what has happened that week, and what’s coming up the next week – with guest appearances from Washington Post reporters.
The crew sits down each Thursday (with the occasional breaking news episode) to discuss what has happened that week, and what’s coming up the next week – with guest appearances from Washington Post reporters.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 26, 2021 • 18min
Thousands have been evacuated from Afghanistan. Where will they go?
The Biden administration faces a big challenge as they try to resettle Afghanistan refugees, and while also ensuring each person arriving to the U.S. undergoes significant security checks. The political debate around what happens next has started to heat up.Biden vowed a smooth exit from Afghanistan. Now what?Biden headed for divisive debate over resettlement of Afghanistan refugeesAmericans prepare to welcome thousands of Afghan refugees, even as political rhetoric heats up

Aug 19, 2021 • 26min
Biden vowed a smooth exit from Afghanistan. Now what?
Biden sold himself as the experienced leader to undo Trump’s foreign policy missteps. But his push to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the ensuing chaos has called that claim into question. Is this moment a test for Biden? And is he passing?Biden’s promise to restore competence to the presidency is undercut by chaos in AfghanistanPost Reports: A disastrous American exitBiden says ‘America is back’ on the world stage. Is it?

Aug 12, 2021 • 25min
Biden’s climate agenda is bold. Is it enough?
Climate legislation moves forward as a U.N. report warns that humans have pushed the climate into "unprecedented" territory unless greenhouse gas pollution falls dramatically. President Biden has big goals to cut that pollution. Will his agenda succeed?Tracking Biden’s environmental actions

Aug 5, 2021 • 18min
One big threat to Biden’s agenda: The map
The 2022 midterm elections are still more than a year away. But the battle to win those races has already begun in the form of redrawing legislative and congressional districts. What can we learn about which party will emerge with the greatest advantage?Related episodes and reading‘How to Flip the House’ series Not the'normal' Washington Biden promisedHow a voting law ignited a culture war

Jul 29, 2021 • 24min
The future of the Jan. 6 commission
The ongoing probe may have implications for the 2022 midterm race and for President Biden’s promise to tackle white supremacist violence. What might findings reveal about where the U.S. is headed? And what can the hearings tell us about what’s to come?Republicans voice opposition to Jan. 6 investigation as police officers call for accountabilityWill Trump stop Congress from obtaining documents and testimonies?What happens when a president asserts executive privilege?

Jul 22, 2021 • 30min
Biden vs. the delta variant
The delta variant raises new challenges for the Biden administration: Will they change their approach to masking? What steps can they take to combat vaccine disinformation and get more Americans vaccinated? And is the economy at risk of another meltdown?Vaccine hesitancy at home, desperation abroadThe mystery of the pandemic’s origins(and what it means for Biden)White House officials debate masking push as covid infections spike

Jul 15, 2021 • 21min
Should the U.S. government still invest in space?
How does NASA fit in when billionaires fly to space? What are Biden’s plans for the space agency and how much of Trump’s initiatives does he plan to continue? And, ultimately, why should the government still invest in space exploration at all?Related episodes and readingAs China’s space ambitions grow, NASA tells Congress it needs more money to competeEverything you need to know about going to space

Jul 8, 2021 • 23min
Inside the Trump White House during the pandemic response
On this episode, Post Reports host Martine Powers talks to two Post reporters who reported on chaos in the early days of the pandemic including details about how sick President Trump was and his proposal to send infected Americans to Guantánamo.Inside the extraordinary effort to save Trump from covid-19Trump and science: An erosion of our institutions, in public and behind the scenesThe president’s desperate push to reopen America

Jul 1, 2021 • 19min
What makes a president a good (or bad) leader?
As Americans celebrates the country's founding, we examine the presidency. How is a president’s leadership measured over time, and how do cultural moments change our historical perception? We offer insight from C-SPAN's Presidential Historians Survey. 'The Framers would not recognize the modern presidency.’Promises made. Promises kept?C-SPAN’s Presidential Historians Survey 2021

Jun 24, 2021 • 25min
Biden’s evolution on criminal justice
The Biden administration is supporting a bill that would end the sentencing disparity in crack and powder cocaine offenses. But that disparity exists largely because of bills President Biden spearheaded in 80s and 90s. How much has Biden evolved?How an early Biden crime bill created the sentencing disparity for crack and cocaine traffickingBiden administration endorses bill to end disparity in drug sentencing between crack and powder cocaineMenthol cigarettes kill more Black Americans. Should Biden ban them?