RealClearPolitics Podcast

Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss today’s employment numbers, Trump’s reaction to them, and whether the Federal Reserve will cut rates in September. They wonder if Trump will send the National Guard to New Orleans instead of Chicago, and they chat about DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s handling of the takeover of the city’s police department. Then, they discuss author Malcolm Gladwell’s recent statement that he misrepresented his own views on men participating in women’s sports three years ago because he felt “cowed” at the time. Plus, the guys give up this week’s “You Cannot Be Serious” stories. Next, Carl talks to RCP contributor and author of "A Declaration of Independents"; Greg Orman about Elon Musk’s political influence and whether Musk should continue his support for the GOP. And finally, Andrew talks to RCP national political correspondent Susan Crabtree about her recent RCP article on the fight between Jewish teachers and the National Education Association, the country’s largest teachers union, concerning teaching the Holocaust and other Jewish topics in public schools.

Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss this morning’s Senate hearings with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ announcement that he will seek to lift all vaccine requirements in the state, including those for public schools. Then, they talk about Donald Trump’s request that the Supreme Court expedite ruling on whether the president has the power to impose tariffs under emergency powers law, as claimed by the administration. Next, they discuss reactions to a federal judge in Boston who ruled that the administration must restore $2.6 billion in research funding to Harvard, saying that the freeze violates the university’s first amendment rights. Then, they talk about the case of Lauren Chen, the social media influencer at the heart of a Justice Department’s case alleging Russian influence involving her and several other conservative commentators. No charges were ever brought against her. Plus, the Justice Department opened a mortgage fraud probe into Lisa Cook, the Federal Reserve Governor that Trump hopes to fire and replace with someone who agrees with the White House on interest rate policies. And finally, RCP contributor Charlie Stone talks with Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a U.S. Marine veteran, about Arizona politics and the future of Democratic Party, including what he thinks the party must do to better connect with male voters.

Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss this morning’s Capitol Hill press conference featuring victims of abuse by Jeffrey Epstein, Donald Trump’s reaction, and the chances that the House will vote to release more of the Epstein files to the public. They also talk about the GOP’s plan to rebrand “The Big Beautiful Bill” in order to help keep control of the House in 2026, and a Washington Post article outlining the Democrat’s plan to retake the chamber. Next, Carl Cannon and RCP White House correspondent Phil Wegmann discuss the U.S. naval strike on a small craft in the Caribbean Sea that the Trump Administration claims was carrying drugs from Venezuela, as the U.S. ramps up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolos Maduro. And finally, Maggie Miller talks to RealClear Investigations writer James Varney about an enormous data center under construction in rural Louisiana that will house servers for Meta’s rapid expansion into artificial intelligence. The $10 billion dollar project poses both challenges and opportunities for the local community and will require new sources of electricity.

Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss President Trump’s proposal to change the name of the Department of Defense to The War Department, and the political impact of Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s recent comments on winning the Bronze Star. Then, they discuss the decisions by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) to not to seek reelection. And they talk about President Trump’s call for leading pharmaceutical companies to release data on the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine, and a new Gallup poll of parents on how they view the physical safety of their children while at school. Then finally, Andrew Walworth talks to RCP senior elections analyst Sean Trende about the fight within the Democratic Party over the schedule of the 2028 primaries, and how potential Democratic presidential candidates view the political calendar.

Andrew Walworth interviews Peter Lipsett – originally aired Aug 19th. Andrew Walworth talks to Peter Lipsett, the vice president of Donor's Trust, about his new series on the Giving Ventures podcast about different factions of the conservative movement, including the current split between so-called “National Conservatives” and “Freedom Conservatives". Carl with Jim Varney - originally aired Aug 28th. Carl Cannon talks to RealClear Investigations writer James Varney on the twentieth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which he covered as a reporter for the Times-Picayune in New Orleans. Phil with Marie Gluesenkamp – originally aired July 23rd. RCP White House correspondent Phil Wegmann talks to Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D – WA). They discuss her efforts to require the House Ethics Committee to develop standards to determine if members of Congress are experiencing cognitive decline. Tom Bevan and Austin Berg - originally aired July 31st. Tom Bevan talks to Austin Berg, Executive Director of the Chicago Policy Center and author of The New Chicago Way about Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposal for a “corporate head tax" in Chicago to help close the city’s $1.1 billion dollar budget deficit. The tax would charge large corporations for each individual they employs within the city.

Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss today’s economic news, including new inflation numbers from the Commerce Department, the end of tariff exemption for small-value shipments from overseas, and the lowest Labor Day weekend gas prices since 2020. Then they talk about the lessons of Hurricane Katrina on the storm’s 20th anniversary, FEMA’s future, and “you cannot be serious” stories for the week. Tom Bevan talks to Matt Podgorski, pollster for M3 Strategies, and Richard Porter, former RNC Committeeman from Illinois, about a new poll on public support for a potential national guard deployment to Chicago. Then Tom chats with Fox News contributor Trey Gowdy, former prosecutor, congressman, and author of the new novel, The Color of Death. 

Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss media coverage of the transgender shooter in yesterday’s attack on the Annunciation Catholic Church school in Minneapolis, as well as his writings and recordings prior to the shooting that included slogans written on gun magazines such as “Kill Donald Trump,” “For the children,” and “6 million were not enough". They also talk about the firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez after she refused to resign from her post, and the resignations of other top CDC officials that followed. Plus, the FDA and the American Academy of Pediatrics disagree over who should get the latest Covid-19 booster. Next, Tom talks to Mark Penn, Co-Director of the Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll and Stagwell Chairman and CEO, about his latest poll results regarding voters attitudes toward President Trump’s job performance, inflation, and the Epstein files. And finally, Carl talks to Real Clear Investigations writer James Varney on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which he covered as a reporter for the Times-Picayune in New Orleans.

Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss today’s school shooting in Minneapolis. And, they discuss a new poll by the Associated Press which shows 81 percent of Americans believe crime in major cities is a “major problem” and 53 percent approve of President Trump’s handling of the issue. They also talk about a special election for the state senate in Iowa with outsized implications, and “the two-state solution” for California - the GOP's response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s redistricting plan is to divide California in two. Next, RCP contributor Maggie Miller talks to RealClear Investigations journalist Lee Fang about how some of the nation’s wealthiest philanthropies are supporting efforts to reshape math instruction around social-justice principles. And finally, Carl Cannon talks to Amir Kanpurwala, co-founder of the opinion research firm “Outward Intelligence,” about Gen Z voter behavior.

Tom Bevan, Carl Cannon and RCP White House reporter Phil Wegmann discuss Trump's newsy day yesterday, including his response to Phil's question about communism and his comment that he's thinking about how to get into heaven. They also talk about President Trump firing Lisa Cook, member of the FED board of governors AND media coverage of the big crime issue. Next, Carl speaks to Cathi Warren and Anne Welty about changes to the SNAP program. And lastly, Andrew Walworth speaks to JC Sandberg. He's the Chief Policy Officer for the American Clean Power Association which represents energy storage, solar, hydrogen and wind power companies. They talked about the Trump Administration’s decision to issue a stop work order on the Revolution Wind project off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, which is 80 % completed.

Guests Alex Hutchinson, an author exploring human curiosity and risk-taking, and Andy Rotherham, a former Virginia school board member, dive into hot-button issues. They discuss President Trump's controversial plans to deploy National Guard troops to cities facing crime spikes, the political implications of his actions, and the growing political tensions in Virginia's gubernatorial race. Hutchinson elaborates on the innate human desire for exploration and how it relates to making bold career decisions, while Rotherham tackles education policy challenges amid shifting party dynamics.