

THE DAILY BLAST with Greg Sargent
Greg Sargent
Every weekday, The New Republic’s Greg Sargent brings you a fresh way of thinking about the biggest political stories of the moment, offered up in an entertaining, information-packed conversation with a leading lawmaker, journalist, or newsmaker. We go deep into the stories behind the headlines leading TNR and other news outlets—while making it fun and fast.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 1, 2024 • 26min
Alarming New Polls Show Trump Ahead. So Why do Dems Keep Winning?
A frightening new batch of polls this week showed President Biden trailing Donald Trump in all the key battleground states. And yet, as bleak as the polling has looked, Democrats racked up an impressive winning streak in special elections all throughout 2023. This disconnect is why political pros are closely watching an election for state House in the Philadelphia suburbs that’s set for Feb. 13th. We talked to Democratic candidate Jim Prokopiak to gauge what he’s seeing on the ground in swing territory, why Biden is struggling on the economy, and how Trump can still looks strong despite his descent into derangement and severe criminal jeopardy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 31, 2024 • 44min
MAGA’s Ugly New “Civil War” Fantasy Should be Taken Seriously
Far-right personalities are fantasizing about “civil war” again, amid a standoff between Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the feds over border enforcement. That may seem silly, but unbridgeable differences over immigration truly are driving many big stories of the moment, from that Texas battle to Senate negotiations over a border bill to the House GOP impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. If you want to understand what’s really going on with all these complex issues, few voices bring more clarity than Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council. We chatted with him about the deeper conflicts and tensions animating this crisis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 29, 2024 • 34min
Meet the Lonely Republicans Who Think Trump is Disqualified from Running
Three former Republican governors—Marc Racicot of Montana, Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey, and Bill Weld of Massachusetts—have signed on to a legal brief to the Supreme Court arguing that Donald Trump is disqualified from running for president under Section 3 of the 14th amendment to the Constitution. Greg Sargent talks to Racicot about what he hopes this will achieve, whether the GOP is to blame for the rise of Trump and the MAGA movement, and why principled anti-Trump Republican elites are a disappearing species. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices