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
Jan 26, 2018 • 18min
Special episode: A State of the Union listening guide
National political correspondent Karen Tumulty and senior editor Marc Fisher discuss what they’ll be listening for in Trump’s first State of the Union address.
Jan 19, 2018 • 35min
Special episode: One year after Trump’s inauguration, we revisit his speech
One year ago, President Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States. In his speech, he painted his picture of America and made promises for his presidency. White House correspondents Jenna Johnson and Josh Dawsey listen back and discuss.
Dec 15, 2017 • 6min
We'll be back in 2018
With highlights from some of this year's best episodes, Allison Michaels signs off for now.
Dec 13, 2017 • 27min
Special episode: What does Doug Jones's win in Alabama mean for the country?
Robert Costa reports on voter sentiment from Alabama. Plus, we dive into what happens for Trump, Congress, and party divisions in our country now that Alabama has elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate.
Dec 8, 2017 • 30min
Trump's lawyer says a president can't obstruct justice. Can he?
Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Sari Horwitz guides us through Trump's lawyers' comments on obstruction of justice. Plus, legal experts weigh in on differing legal perspectives and how presidential pardoning may play a role in obstruction.
Dec 1, 2017 • 28min
Is Trump reshaping an entire branch of government -- the judiciary?
Supreme Court reporter Robert Barnes weighs in on presidential influence on the federal courts system. Plus, we talk to a political science professor about the demographic breakdown of Trump’s nominees and how it differs from that of presidents past.
Nov 22, 2017 • 9min
Why do American presidents pardon turkeys anyway? A holiday episode.
Where did this tradition come from? What does it mean to “pardon" a turkey? We’ve got you covered in this special holiday episode with Post reporter Jessica Contrera who attend the annual tradition at the White House.
Nov 17, 2017 • 32min
Trump’s pressuring the Justice Dept to investigate Clinton. Can he do that?
What are the limitations of a president's influence on the Justice Dept? Reporter Devlin Barrett offers the latest news, fact checker Glenn Kessler unpacks Uranium One, and a once dep. special counsel explains risks for politicizing the Justice Dept.
Nov 10, 2017 • 1h 19min
One year since Trump's election: Live show
Bob Woodward, David Fahrenthold and Karen Tumulty join Allison Michaels live on stage at Washington, DC's Warner Theatre for a look back on the past year, an exploration of where this presidency fits into history and plenty of laughs.
Nov 3, 2017 • 29min
How much power does a president have to prevent terrorist attacks?
Reporter David Nakamura helps us answer: Can Trump keep us safe from terror attacks? We talk to an expert to learn how terrorist groups recruit. Plus, we examine how much power presidents have to influence counterterrorism policy.
