DSR's Words Matter

White House and campaign veterans Jen Psaki and Paul Begala join Katie Barlow and Joe Lockhart for a discussion about the “Rainbows & Rainclouds” of the 2020 presidential campaign. In a McLaughlin Group tribute, Joe joins the panel, and Katie leads the group as they analyze the political landscape heading into the home stretch of the race for the White House. Jen explains the challenges facing Team Biden as they work to keep the Democrats united. Paul says the best strategy for defeating Trump is to ignore his Twitter feed and focus the voter’s attention on his track record and how his Administration has negatively impacted their lives. And Joe discusses Q-Anon – and why Team Trump is looking to this dangerous conspiracy group for new voters. Recorded August 28, 2020Words Matter will become part of the CAFE Insider membership product in the coming weeks. Become a member: www.cafe.com/wordsSign up to receive the weekly CAFE Brief newsletter which includes analysis by Elie Honig, links to new content, and more: www.cafe.com/briefAnd check Paul Begala’s new book You’re Fired: The Perfect Guide to Beating Donald Trump. https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Youre-Fired/Paul-Begala/9781982160043Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former RNC Chairman Michael Steele joins Katie Barlow and Joe Lockhart to talk about the virtual Republican National Convention, the future of his party, and Donald Trump’s “magic dust” with voters that the press and the political class often miss. Steele explains why he joined the Republican Party in the 1970s. He discusses where the party was heading then, and how it continued to grow until 2012. And Steele details how under Donald Trump, the GOP has been transformed into haven for racists, grifters, and conspiracy theorists.Recorded August 20, 2020Words Matter will become part of the CAFE Insider membership product in the coming weeks. Become a member: www.cafe.com/wordsSign up to receive the weekly CAFE Brief newsletter which includes analysis by Elie Honig, links to new content, and more: www.cafe.com/briefSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe joins Katie Barlow and Joe Lockhart to talk about Vice Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris, the virtual Democratic National Convention and the 3rd Anniversary of Charlottesville. Governor McAuliffe says Senator Harris needs to directly address all of the issues where progressives in the Democratic Party may have concerns about her record. McAuliffe explains how political conventions have been transformed by the Coronavirus pandemic and how they may never again return to what they once were. McAuliffe also discusses Joe Biden’s campaign, systemic racism and the 3rd Anniversary of the Charlottesville Tragedy. Recorded August 12, 2020Words Matter will become part of the CAFE Insider membership product in the coming weeks. Become a member: www.cafe.com/wordsSign up to receive the weekly CAFE Brief newsletter which includes analysis by Elie Honig, links to new content, and more: www.cafe.com/briefSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former White House Political Director Doug Sosnik joins Katie Barlow and Joe Lockhart for an update on the 2020 elections. Sosnik explains how 2016 and 2020 are vastly different for President Trump, who he calls the “Austin Powers” candidate. Sosnik breaks down how the political landscape has been transformed in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic and how a vast majority of the electorate thinks the country is on the “wrong track”. Sosnik also discusses Joe Biden’s strategy, the impact of early voting on the general election debates, and what impact an “October Surprise” might have on the race between Biden and Trump. Recorded August 7, 2020Words Matter will become part of the CAFE Insider membership product in the coming weeks. Become a member: www.cafe.com/wordsSign up to receive the weekly CAFE Brief newsletter which includes analysis by Elie Honig, links to new content, and more: www.cafe.com/briefSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest today served as the 37th Deputy Attorney General of the United States from April 2017 until May 2019. Prior to his appointment, he served as a United States Attorney for the District of Maryland. At the time of his confirmation as Deputy Attorney General on April 25, 2017, he was the nation's longest-serving U.S. Attorney. The Senate approved his nomination by a vote of 94-6.We are so excited to announce that Words Matter Media is partnering with CAFE Studios to bring you a new season of the Words Matter podcast. CAFE strives to inform its listeners about the most critical issues of the day.Each week, Katie and Joe will do their best to bring facts and context to the often fraught political conversations that dominate our national discourse. They’ll be speaking with an array of guests, including people who have made a great impact on American politics or who make it their business to understand what’s really happening in Washington. For now, you can continue to listen to episodes of Words Matter for free. In the coming weeks the show will be available exclusively to members of CAFÉ Insider.We hope you’ll consider joining the Insider community, whose members enjoy a collection of podcasts created for engaged citizens around the world.You can head to https://cafe.com/offer/words-matter/ to get 2 free weeks of membership.You’ll get access to all future episodes of Words Matter and other exclusive content including the Insider podcast co-hosted by Preet Bharara, former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and Anne Milgram, former Attorney General of New Jersey, along with much more excusive content. https://cafe.com/offer/words-matter/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back! This week Katie and Joe officially return with a thank you and a message for our listeners.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since we currently have a president who doesn't seem to know or even understand the importance of words, especially when they are spoken by the president of the United States, we thought it might be helpful in a time of national crisis to remember that we have had presidents of both parties who did understand this.President Franklin D. Roosevelt, led our country through difficult times with the power and eloquence of his words.In 1936 during the Great Depression and as the clouds of war gathered over Europe, he delivered one of the most important political speeches ever given by a sitting president.The occasion was the Democratic National Convention held that year in Philadelphia four years earlier in 1932. FDR had made history by flying to Chicago and becoming the first presidential candidate to accept his party's nomination in person.In an earlier episode of Words Matter, we discussed this important speech with Professor Harvey Kaye, who has just published a new book entitled: FDR on Democracy.In his 1936 acceptance speech, Roosevelt used the language of the founders and decried the economic royalists who were trying to fight back against the progress of the New Deal because it threatened their power.As you listen to his words, pay particular attention to the part where Roosevelt tells his audience they have a rendezvous with destiny.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Space shuttle Challenger’s launch had already been delayed twice when it finally took off on January 28th 1986. This particular launch was widely publicized because for the first time a civilian—a teacher named Christa McAuliffe—was traveling into space. The plan was to have McAuliffe communicate to students from space. According to the New York Times, nearly half of America’s school children aged nine to thirteen watched the event live in their classrooms. But tragically - After a short seventy-three seconds into flight, the world was stunned when the shuttle burst into flames, killing all seven crew members on board.President Ronald Reagan cancelled his scheduled State of the Union address that evening and instead addressed the nation’s grief. A young speechwriter — a friend and hero of mine — Peggy Noonan was tasked with drafting the president’s remarks.It was a heavy burden - as she later recalled “I kind of figured the entire nation had seen an auto accident,”Peggy Noonan draft a speech that was aimed - as she put it “at those who were 8-years-old, those who are 18, and those who are 80 without patronizing anybody.”It was one of the greatest speeches in presidential history and earned Ronald Reagan his now famous title “The Great Communicator” Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On July 4th we celebrate the birth of the American Experiment. The Declaration of Independence -- written in the Spring of 1776 by a 33 year old Thomas Jefferson -- is America’s mission statement. And like all mission statements, the words represented not what we were, but what we aspired to be. In fact, the author himself was a gifted writer, but a deeply flawed person who – like his country -- did not embody the ideas and ideal of that document.For more than two hundred and forty years, the story of America has been the struggle between those who want to move us close to the words of our mission statement – and those who want to stop them.It is often forgotten that the Declaration itself was meant to be spoken. In 2004 the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library released a previously unknown 1957 recording of then-Senator Kennedy reading the Declaration of Independence in New York on July 4th.So this week to honor Independence Day -- And to remind ourselves that as a country must continue the struggle to turn America’s founding words into reality – we give John F. Kennedy’s reading of the Declaration of Independence the final word.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wondery has new tru-crime mini series that we think you’ll really enjoy.In the Mid 2000s James Arthur Ray was a charismatic self-help guru who promised his followers a path to wealth and happiness. But not all who followed him finished their journey.This is the story told in a new true crime mini-series from Wondery called “GURU: The Dark Side of Enlightenment”.James Arthur Ray wasn’t really well known until he was in a movie called “The Secret”, and then was a guest on Oprah’s TV show a few times. Soon after that, thousands of people started attending his seminars, and he was pegged to be the next great self-help guru.But what many didn't know about were his more...extreme methods. Methods that pushed his students to their limits, giving some the transformative life experience they dreamed of ... and killing others.Be sure to subscribe to Wondery’s new tru crime mini-series “GURU: The dark side of enlightenment”,  wondery.fm/wordsmatter_guru on Apple podcasts.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices