Beyond Politics

Yes, Donald Trump did kind of tell supporters that he's dead. Our round table discussion started with deep, interesting question: after all the talk about polarization and division, is there actually a powerful emerging centrist movement in America? But then, Alicia dropped something kind of fascinating and disturbing into the conversation, an email from Donald Trump that seems to imply the he is currently dead. And as if that wasn't amusing enough, we close the show on one of the deepest existential questions facing America: what is the sandwich really? We actually had a legal read on that from a real court this week. 01:24 Exploring the Existence of a Political Center in America 05:54 The Rise and Impact of Performative Politics 07:53 The MAGA Movement and Its Influence 16:54 The Future of Republican Moderates and the MAGA Legacy 22:28 Is Trump...Dead? 28:47 The Biden vs. Trump Debate: Age, Sanity, and Governance 30:24 The Great Sandwich Debate: What Qualifies?

Are Democrats really shedding massive amounts of support from African American voters? There are certainly warning signs of trouble -- including a New York times poll showing Trump getting the support of more than 20% of Black Americans. But Mario Broussard and Ana Robinson of Global Strategy Group say that the actual picture is a lot more nuanced than that, and that if the numbers suggest anything, it's that there are things Biden and the Democrats can do to hold on to the critical core of the Democrats' base. 01:21 Young Black Women's Voting Enthusiasm and Economic Struggles 04:49 The Impact of Abortion Rights on Young Black Women Voters 15:27 Economic Concerns Among Black Voters 26:34 Messaging Strategies for Democrats: Addressing Key Voter Concerns 32:31 The Role of Social Media and Influencers in Engaging Young Voters

After a major standoff, Trump and Biden have agreed to two presidential debates. Did Biden win this exchange? And how much does it really matter? Also, a quick breakdown of Michael Cohen's testimony, and the question of whether Trump's political defenses in the hush money trial are actually kind of working. Plus, a very weird New York Times poll from this week and a continued run of voting results that Donald Trump should be finding downright scary. Plus, our closing segment has snakes on a plane. No, really. And we closed with snakes on a plane. No, literally. I mean, it. Snakes on a plane, 00:00 Opening Remarks: The Role of Debates in Politics 00:46 Debating the Debates: Trump vs. Biden 02:27 The Circus of Presidential Debates 04:26 Breaking Tradition: The New Debate Format 06:19 The Argument Against Debates 10:53 Character and Policy in Debates 17:02 Strategic Analysis: Biden vs. Trump Debate Dynamics 19:29 Trump's Debate Strategy and Poll Analysis 20:16 Breaking Down Trump's Legal Challenges 20:25 The Michael Cohen Testimony: A Deep Dive 25:50 Analyzing Trump's Defense Strategies 30:56 Voter Sentiment and Election Predictions 35:40 Quirky News Roundup: Bees, Zebras, and Snakes

Lauren Goldstein from Change Research discusses voters' negative views on the economy and the psychological aspects affecting their perceptions. Topics include generational divides, effective political communication, and innovative approaches to public opinion research.

Was the big, headline grabbing testimony from Stormy Daniel actually the most significant thing that happened in the Trump trial this week? We make the case that the answer is actually...no. Trump should be a lot more worried about three other developments. Plus, what's driving the Biden administration's pause on arms transfers to Israel? And why did RFK Jr. say that a piece of his brain is missing??? 00:53 Exploring the Impact of Stormy Daniels' Testimony 05:14 The Hypocrisy Surrounding Pornography 08:56 The Legal Significance Beyond the Headlines 13:32 Trump's Legal Risks and Public Opinion Dynamics 17:30 Debunking Polling Myths and Misinterpretations 21:34 Analyzing the Middle East Ceasefire Negotiations 25:19 The Grand Bargain: Biden's Middle East Strategy 32:56 The Controversial Views of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Zac McCrary, from ProPolitics, interviews about secrets success in politics. Topics include family influences, managing congressional offices, unionization, demands on Congress members, career transitions, impactful legislation, shift from consulting, and book recommendations.

This week, politics has been kind of amazing because there's been such a strange mix of ultra serious issues filled with moments that are just hilarious. We unpack the latest developments in the Trump trial and how Donald Trump's own lawyer ended up introducing some really humiliating evidence about him. Also, the crackdown on student protesters and how Lauren Boebert managed to beclown herself. And then of course, we had to talk about the most bizarre story of political self destruction that any of us have ever seen, which happened to a prominent Republican this week. 01:00 The Trump Trial: Legal Analysis and Hilarity 04:01 The Gag Order Debate: Trump's Legal Challenges and Strategies 17:56 Campus Protests: A Mix of Serious and Ridiculous 20:34 The Quirky Protesters and Their Demands 21:20 The Satirical Take on Modern Protests 23:06 Lauren Boebert's Campus Stunt Goes Viral 26:04 Christy Noem's Controversial Animal Stories 32:41 The Debate Over Marijuana Legalization 36:30 Closing Thoughts and Goodbyes

Jonathan Rauch and Peter Wehner discuss strategies for a new movement to break away from MAGA dominance in the Republican Party. They explore the moral and strategic imperatives of overthrowing MAGA, potential leaders, and the psychological battle against MAGA dominance.

As protests over the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, reignite and turn violent, the panel ask whether a line has been crossed and what universities that have been paralyzed for so long should do now. We also mark the historic passage of the foreign aid bill, which included long overdue money for Ukraine. And at the end, we ask whether a quote from Mitt Romney this week was a great one or the greatest one ever given. But we start off with the tsunami of Trump legal news, including yesterday's massive Supreme court hearing, new indictments in Arizona, and Paul's evaluation as a former prosecutor of how effective this week's testimony in the New York trial really was 01:07 Analyzing the Prosecution's Strategy in Trump's Trial 05:07 The Intricacies of Legal and Ethical Boundaries in Media Collaboration 14:27 Breaking Down the New Indictments and Supreme Court's Role 18:01 Addressing Anti-Semitic Protests at Elite Universities 24:43 Comparing Past and Present Campus Protests 36:22 Political Achievements and Bipartisanship 37:47 The Mitt Romney Quote

The biggest right-wing news sites are seeing cratering traffic and influence. But why? And is that all good news for the rest of the anti-Trump world? Veteran reporter Paul Farhi joins to discuss his recent blockbuster article in The Atlantic on what's happening, and why it's significant. 00:59 How Big is the Collapse of Right-Wing Media Traffic 03:46 Exploring the Causes 10:38 The Financial Impact and Future of Right-Wing Media 18:17 The Broader Implications: Misinformation, Fracturing, and the Future of Media 22:33 The Controversy Around NPR's Alleged Leftward Shift 35:13 Analyzing the Impact of Conservative Media