Hacks On Tap

The Hacks are back this week with a live edition before students at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. We talk all the latest—   First, John Bolton’s new book coincidentally coincides with his willingness to testify before the Senate. If he is indeed called as a witness, how much will it matter – if at all?    Trump defense lawyer Pam Bondi aims her case squarely at the Bidens and Burisma – is Burisma the new Benghazi?   Biden, Sanders, Warren, Buttigieg, and Klobuchar vie for the lead in Iowa. With three of the five frontrunners trapped in jury duty, how will the final results take shape? Plus, the Hacks review the latest ads from all five top contenders, sharing their views on how the ad wars could impact each candidate’s position in the race.   We take live mail bag questions from students at the University of Chicago, who wonder if there’s room for both Sanders and Warren to split the lead in Iowa.    Our Last Call this week takes a closer look at a newly-minted Amy Klobuchar ad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Hacks are here to talk all the latest: The impeachment trial launches in the Senate and both sides assume their marks: will it amount to more than Kabuki theater, or will the partisan paradigm pervade? And how much will it matter in November? T minus two weeks until our favorite time of the year: the Iowa caucuses! Polling points to cadre of four frontrunners: under what circumstances could any of them pull ahead? And as the Warren/Bernie feud continues to dominate news coverage, who benefits from the spat, and how will it shape the fight to lead the Left? Klobuchar is climbing in the polls: but will Senate jury duty hamper her chances? Is there a lane for Mayor Mike Bloomberg under any circumstances? The Hacks dive into the mailbag: we offer advice to an Iowa caucus voter and assess the possibility that Team Warren planted the Bernie bout. Lastly, the New York Times’ editorial board offer their endorsement to an unprecedented two Democratic contenders. What say the Hacks about this anomalous assertion? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The mad dash to the Iowa caucuses are upon us! The Hacks break down the Des Moines Register/CNN Democratic Debate—and pinch-hitting for David this week is the great Robert Gibbs, former White House Press Secretary under President Obama.    The Hacks tackle Iowa: it’s a race to the finish as four leading candidates vie for the top spot. Gibbs and Murphy draw from their experiences as former campaign pros to dish behind-the-scenes info on the Iowa caucuses. Can caucus procedure shape the outcome? And a chunk of Hawkeye voters still remain undecided: will this shake up the race?   Democrats duke it out in Des Moines: Bernie and Warren plunge into a cold war, culminating in the “non-handshake from hell” – will it impact Bernie’s strong standing in the polls? Biden stood his ground, but will it be enough? Buttigieg and Klobuchar try to claim the centrist torch: is it strong enough to knock Biden from his perch?   The articles of impeachment have been transmitted from the House to the Senate: will new evidence and potential new witnesses shape the outcome? And will the presidential contenders on Senate “jury duty” suffer from absences in Iowa?    Lastly, the Hacks dive into the mailbag and take listeners’ questions on the possibility and outcome of a brokered convention, whether or not Iowa has the potential to fall to Democrats in the general election, and the extent to which Trump has hijacked the Republican Party.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Hacks kick off the new decade with all the latest—   President Trump ordered the fatal strike of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani last week. Was there a strategy behind the move, and to what end? Will the attack play to his base or undermine his pledge to end endless war?    John Bolton says he’ll testify before the Senate during the President’s impeachment trial. But will it move the needle in the Senate?   The Iowa caucuses are upon us! With a purported three-way tie between Biden, Buttigieg, and Bernie – and Warren not far behind – the frontrunners vie for victory. What do the latest fundraising disclosures mean for the candidates and their campaigns, and how will it shake up the final weeks of the Iowa race?   The Hacks also tackle listener questions on how likely a repeat PA, MI, and WI general election sweep is for President Trump, and share a Hacks history lesson – when and how Axe and Murphy, political pros hailing from opposite sides of the aisle, became pod-mates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Hacks reunite in Los Angeles, California as the sixth Democratic debate draws to a close. Joe Biden and Amy Klobuchar overperform the norm: will this newfound Joe-mentum last? The blows buffet Buttigieg: will he weather the storm? We turn to impeachment: the House of Representatives voted this week to impeach Donald Trump, but his approval rating remains steady. How will the saga unfold, and what will it portend for the 2020 election? All this and more during our midnight edition of Hacks on Tap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The hacks are here to talk all the latest—  Politics of impeachment: as the impeachment saga continues to unfold, Democrats and Republicans alike continue to politicize the process. How much — if at all — will this weaken Trump in 2020, and will any senators defect from the party line?  Someone had his Cup o’ Joe! Biden talks tough toward an Iowa voter — did he cross the line, or is this the energy voters want to see from him?  Bloomberg’s bid: he’s flush with cash and flooding the airwaves—but will he make a splash?  Lastly, we dive into the mailbag and answer listeners’ questions on what the onslaught of House GOP retirements mean, how to reconcile Buttigieg’s Christian faith with his lack of support among faith-based strongholds, and parse through what the “white working class” actually means.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, the Hacks dive into the latest polling out of New Hampshire and size up the state of the race. With the breaking news that Sen. Kamala Harris is dropping out, will other lower-tier candidates follow suit? Is Bloomberg’s huge ad buy cash well-spent, or will he fail to break through? Will Mayor Pete’s weekend jaunt through the Carolinas move the needle? Plus, Axe and Murphy talk Trump’s visit to the NATO summit and dig into the latest impeachment news. Tune in for all this and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Hacks are back to discuss the latest Democratic debate. With public impeachment hearings sucking up most of the oxygen, did the debate move the needle in the race? Axe and Murphy break down each candidate’s performance and recap the night’s best—and worst—moments. The Hacks also weigh in on the latest impeachment news. Despite some extraordinary testimony, will the Senate vote to convict? Tune in to hear Axe and Murphy’s take! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Hacks huddle to tackle the latest: The public impeachment hearings kick off this week. Republicans have been auditioning wild arguments in defense of the president—and Jeff Sessions’ new Senate ad suggests this won’t change—what, if anything, will bring Republicans around?  Former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick and former NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg consider throwing their hats into the Democratic race. Will it spark a Deval-ution or fail to bloom? Pete Buttigieg surges in Iowa but is starting to take fire from Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren. Will the hits stick, and what does it mean for the young mayor? Lastly, the Hacks take listeners’ questions on how Trump may affect down-ballot races, the potential power of a unity ticket, and why TV ads matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Hacks are back this week to talk through the latest: The famed Liberty and Justice Dinner (formerly known as the Jefferson-Jackson) wrapped last Friday in Iowa: Who stood out, what does it mean, and how much will it shake up the race? Poll-a-palooza: Why do Axe and Murphy dub the slew of new polls in early swing states a “wake-up call” for Dems? State of the Senate: a growing number of Republican senators consider acknowledging Trump's misdeeds with Ukraine—but does it matter? …And we raise our glasses to Beto O’Rourke for a hard-fought bid for the nomination. The Hacks close with listeners’ mailbag questions on why internal polls matter and the potential impact of a third-party candidate on the race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices