Beyond Politics

Today, we're testing a new concept: 10 minute daily episodes highlighting the things happening in the news that are worthy of your attention, but that don't make the headline skim. The kind of important number or idea that somehow slips down 8 paragraphs in the story, or onto the back pages. Something that might make you think about the world a little differently, or help connect some dots that put current events in a new light. We really want to know what you think. You can answer the poll question (on Spotify), or email us at matt.beyondpoliticspodcast@gmail.com. Today, the thing to notice is the number 35. Earlier this week, a cargo ship lost power and plowed into the Francis Scott Key bridge in the port of Baltimore killing six bridge workers. The effects will ripple across America for years to come. But it's the number 35, tucked into a New York Times op-ed, that makes one think about the bigger role of the federal government and what it quietly does in the shadows.

Joe Khan was the lawyer for a critical swing county in Pennsylvania in 2020 when he noticed something...odd. He joins us to tell the story of how he and a group of lawyers banded together to defend the Pennsylvania election outcome - and ultimately American democracy - from the Trump onslaught. And now that he's running for Attorney General of Pennsylvania, what lessons will he apply in 2024, when Pennsylvania appears to be under even greater threat of Trump election interference? 01:30 The Early Signs of Election Interference in Pennsylvania 04:29 Building a Legal Coalition to Defend the Vote 09:01 Frontline Strategies: Preparing for Every Scenario 15:41 The Fight Against Social Media Giants 21:49 The Critical Role of the Attorney General in Future Elections

There is a sneaky huge shift happening in American music right now right under our very noses (or ears). Private equity's takeover of the music business could have major consequences for what we hear and whether we hear anything new at all. Whitney Houston's catalog acquisition, Taylor Swift's battle over her masters, and the fight over Pink Floyd's music are just a handful of examples. Music industry writer Marc Hogan joins to explain his fascinating piece about this in the New York Times. 00:00 The Unseen Impact of Private Equity on Music 01:27 A Deep Dive into Music Rights and Private Equity 05:00 The Taylor Swift Case 10:50 Exploring the Financialization of Music and Its Effects 17:59 The Future of Music: Creativity vs. Commercialization 27:01 Exploring the Potential for Innovation in Music and Visual Media 30:28 The Future of Music: Opportunities and Challenges

A Chaotic Republican Hearing and Trump's Legal and Financial Woes: the round table runs through a tumultuous Republican hearing meant to highlight Republicans' fantasy of wrongdoing by President Biden, which backfired spectacularly on themselves and Donald Trump. Also, Judge Aileen Cannon's ham-handed slow-walking of the Trump documents case, and the incredible shrinking Trump fundraising base. 02:29 The Republican Hearing Debacle 14:15 The Media's Role and Public Perception in Political Narratives 21:48 Judge Cannon Tries to Bury The Case in Florida 28:27 Breaking News: The Government's New Lawsuit 38:50 Trump's Legal and Financial Troubles Are Deep 45:31 The RNC Takeover and Trump's Fundraising Woes 50:40 The Bizarre World of Political Fundraising Emails

How on earth is Trump beating Biden right now? It's the question that has baffled and enraged Democrats for months. And it's the question that Matt Robison tackled in his new article for Washington Monthly. Matt lays out one of the biggest reasons, something that analysts tend to overlook, and adds material that didn't make it into the article. 00:05 The Puzzling Popularity of Donald Trump 02:07 The Low Information Trap: Unpacking Voter Awareness 03:45 The Stark Contrast: Trump's Failures and Crimes 10:49 High vs. Low Information Voters: Bridging the Gap 17:48 The Impact of Information on Voter Perception 22:25 Looking Ahead: What Does this Mean for 2024?

Three charges were just dismissed against Donald Trump in Georgia. Will this make a major, lasting difference in his legal peril? Also, Never Trump Republicans fold bigly, is a MAGA takeover bid for TikTok a good thing, and is the AI apocalypse here? 00:46 Analyzing the Legal Implications and Prosecutorial Missteps 11:16 The Political and Legal Ramifications of the Case 12:46 Trump's New Never-Trump Republican Endorsements 19:21 The RNC Takeover: Trump's Personal Agenda 27:29 The TikTok Dilemma: National Security 33:09 AI Apocalypse: The End of Humanity as We Know It?

We look back today at the biggest, and probably most forgotten scandal in the whole Trump-Russia web of corruption. When Charles McGonigal, former head of counterintelligence at the FBI, was recently convicted for money laundering and working for Russia, the media barely took notice. In this interview recorded a year ago just after McGonigal's arrest, our expert guest Craig Unger laid out just how deep the Trump-Russia-FBI ties go, and how disturbing the implications are. 00:00 Introduction: The Unseen Scandal of American Intelligence 03:06 The Forgotten Ties: Trump, Russia, and the FBI's Compromised Investigation 09:59 The Historical Context: Trump's Long-standing Ties with Russia 20:37 The Media's Role and the Need for Counterintelligence Investigation 28:29 Confronting the Challenges: How to Combat Disinformation and Silence

Beyond Politics: Biden's Impact, Trump's Troubles, and Democratic Strategies Biden's recent turn in tone, language, and strategy that he started at the State of the Union seems ripped from the pages of a Hollywood script. Political analyst Cliff Schecter thinks it comes right out of "The American President," but Matt Robison has a couple other movie moments in mind. Also, does Trump's decision to appoint Lara Trump to head the RNC a hint o how deep his financial troubles are? And when will Nikki Haley bend the knee to Trump?? 01:54 The Rise of 'Dark Brandon' 11:55 The Power of Counter Attack 14:35 Movie Metaphors for Political Strategies 18:12 The Trump Crime Family and the RNC 22:02 The Financial Struggles of Donald Trump 27:32 The Future of Nikki Haley and the Republican Party

President Joe Biden's fiery, fiesty State of the Union drew raves from analysts, with Politico writing "it’s hard to imagine how the SOTU could’ve gone much better for Biden." But what impact did it actually have with the swing voters that will decide the 2024 election? And will it reset a race that's been looking dangerous for the President? Pollsters Ian Smith and Gabi Parra of Navigator Research explain what their live dial testing with swing voters revealed, what moments really stuck out, and whether this speech accomplished what Joe Biden truly needed. 02:02 The Impact of State of the Union on Swing Voters 07:11 The Importance of Democracy and Voting Rights 09:54 The Impact of Biden's Economic Policies 10:58 The Role of Women in Politics 12:16 Immigration 19:56 The Age Issue 23:15 Women's Political Power 26:33 The Moment that Mattered

With major polls showing President Joe Biden continuing to trail Donald Trump, Democratic insiders believe that the State of the Union speech this week has now become a make-or-break moment for the President. But is it? And what does he need to accomplish for it to be successful? Also, the hidden significance of Super Tuesday that could be sneaky good news for Democrats, major rulings from the Supreme Court that help Trump and cast doubt on the Court, and Matt and Alicia get parodied on social media. 02:10 State of the Union: Predictions and Expectations 12:01 Super Tuesday: Significance and Predictions 17:49 Supreme Court Decisions and Their Impact 30:06 The Lighter Side of Politics: Parody Accounts