Beyond Politics

There were two significant deaths in the news on Wednesday: one got all the headlines, but the other one changed the world. And that's the one thing to pay attention to: how Daniel Kahneman led a quiet revolution in understanding how people think that is still rippling through the world and will for decades to come. He's even likely influenced the things you say and do. We really want to know what you think. You can answer the poll question (on Spotify), or email us at matt.beyondpoliticspodcast@gmail.com.

Donald Trump just made billions by taking his media company built on Truth Social public. Is that really going to change anything politically? Or in terms of the fact that he seemed to be nearly bankrupt at the beginning of the week? (01:09). Then the Ronna McDaniel saga at NBC where she got hired and promptly fired. Alicia Preston shuts down the Republican counter backlash in one line. (12:51) Also, which party should be more nervous about the rise of RFK Jr.(21:25) , the legacy of Joe Lieberman (24:46), AND, based on the news that Donald Trump is selling Trump-branded Bibles, we came up with our own list of Trump branded religious paraphernalia that he should try to sell next (28:45).

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