Hacks On Tap

John Anzalone, a longtime Democratic pollster who polls for President Biden, joins Gibbs and Murphy to talk about this “eventful” week in Washington. The Hacks discuss Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s latest plan for the infrastructure bill and the Democrats’ reconciliation bill, how the events of this week might impact messaging for the 2022 midterm elections, and President Biden’s approval rating.

Jonathan Martin, a national political correspondent for The New York Times, joins Axe and Murphy to discuss the rift between progressive and moderate Democrats over the size and scope of their economic agenda, the latest example of Trump’s grip on the Republican Party, and whether foreign policy matters to voters. 

Dana Bash, CNN’s chief political correspondent, co-anchor of State of the Union, and host of the new podcast Total Recall: California’s Political Circus, joins Axe and Gibbs to discuss the results of the California recall election and the key takeaways for Democrats’ messaging as we head into the midterms. The Hacks also cover the latest on the Democrats’ social spending package and ponder whether Independents are truly independent.

Peter Hamby, host of Snapchat’s Good Luck America and founding partner of and contributor to Puck, joins Gibbs and Murphy for a deep dive into the upcoming recall election in California, including how the effort to remove Governor Gavin Newsom from office came to be and their predictions about whether he survives. Plus, the Hacks discuss Texas’ new abortion ban and its impact on the 2022 midterm elections.

Axe and Gibbs are joined by Bill Kristol, editor-at-large of The Bulwark, to discuss the public perception and political ramifications of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, the resurgence of COVID and its implications for Biden’s approval rating and beyond, and the needle Nancy Pelosi must thread in order to advance Biden’s agenda. 

It’s all Hacks on deck this week as Axe, Gibbs, and Murphy convene to discuss the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, the scenes of panic and chaos in Kabul, Biden’s address to the nation, and the political implications of it all. Plus, the Hacks unpack the latest in the Democrats’ efforts to pass Biden’s economic agenda and the most recent developments in the California recall election.

Paul Begala, CNN contributor and former counselor to President Clinton, joins Axe and Murphy to help make sense of not one but two breaking news alerts in the span of one hour. The Hacks discuss the most recent efforts by some members of the GOP to further politicize the pandemic, the resignation of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, the Senate’s passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and where the legislation goes from here.

Private first class hackaroo Mark McKinnon, executive producer and co-host of Showtime’s The Circus, joins Axe and Gibbs to talk about the CDC’s messaging mishaps, the New York Attorney General’s finding that Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed state employees, and how much political currency bipartisanship actually wields. 

Jackie Calmes, national columnist for the Los Angeles Times and author of Dissent: The Radicalization of the Republican Party and Its Capture of the Court, joins Axe and Murphy to discuss the powerful testimony delivered during the opening hearing on the insurrection, the latest bumps in the road for infrastructure negotiations, the impact of the Delta variant on Biden's agenda, and the "Shakespearean" tales playing out around the country.

This week Gibbs and Murphy were joined by former Congressman Steve Israel who graciously shared his expertise as a former Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair to discuss redistricting, campaign fundraising, and the upcoming 2022 midterms. They also discussed infrastructure negotiations and the (both physical and metaphorical) tools Nancy Pelosi uses to negotiate, Murphy explains his WWII analogy, and more!