National Journal Radio
253 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago - ★★★★★ - 93 ratingsA deep dive on the most important policy, political, and campaign story of the week, powered by National Journal’s expert correspondents. New episodes every Monday.
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Episodes
Episode 52: Right Answers
October 29, 2019 21:17 - 33 minutes - 47.5 MBLanhee Chen, the director of domestic policy studies at Stanford University and a Fellow in American Public Policy Studies at the Hoover Institution, has been both policy director for Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign and a senior adviser on Marco Rubio's in 2016. Joining the podcast, he explains what it would take for Republicans to break with Trump on impeachment, talks about Romney's newfound independence in the Senate, and breaks down the Democratic presidential field.
Episode 51: Not Your Father's Republican Party
October 25, 2019 00:44 - 38 minutes - 52.8 MBCNN political analyst Matt Lewis joins this week’s show to discuss the GOP impeachment playbook, the evolution of the Republican Party since President Trump took office, and the future direction of the conservative movement.
Episode 50: American Interests
October 18, 2019 19:59 - 54 minutes - 76.4 MBOur show turns to foreign policy this week after a tumultuous and tragic week in the Middle East, brought on by President Trump's impulsive withdrawal of forces from northern Syria. Halie Soifer, a senior adviser to Obama's UN Ambassador Samantha Power, joins the show to talk about all the national security implications—in addition to how the news will play politically back home. Halie is currently the executive director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America.
Episode 49: Pick Your Defense
October 03, 2019 20:00 - 53 minutes - 76 MBDemocratic strategist Matt Miller joins the show to talk about the politics of impeachment, and why he thinks there's an outside chance the Senate will vote to remove President Trump from office. He also argues that Elizabeth Warren is the Democratic frontrunner and dissects whether Joe Biden missed an opportunity to aggressively defend himself against Trump's attacks.
Episode 48: Ukraine In The Membrane
September 26, 2019 19:17 - 46 minutes - 63.8 MBWith Democrats calling for impeachment hearings against President Trump, the political stakes on Capitol Hill have rarely been higher. Mitch McConnell's former deputy chief of staff Don Stewart breaks down the politics of impeachment, and outlines what would happen in a Senate trial if the Democratic-controlled House voted to remove the president from office.
Episode 47: Crystal Ball
September 19, 2019 18:38 - 44 minutes - 61.4 MBIf you want political predictions, this is the show for you. Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball, breaks down Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden's chances in 2020, analyzes the biggest presidential battleground states, and predicts how many seats Democrats will flip in the Senate.
Episode 46: The Elephants on Parade
September 12, 2019 18:57 - 51 minutes - 70.5 MBWashington Examiner senior political correspondent David Drucker joins the show to preview the Democratic presidential debate this week and assess the political state of play after the GOP's narrow win in a hotly-contested Congressional special election. We also assess the breadth of Elizabeth Warren's appeal within the Democratic party, and whether she could build a large enough coalition to become president.
Episode 45: Populism Across the Pond
September 05, 2019 21:37 - 37 minutes - 52 MBSummer's nearly over, but the politics of 2020 are beginning to heat up. Former GOP operative Liam Donovan, now a principal at the Washington government relations firm Bracewell, joins the show to handicap President Trump's re-election odds and explains why Elizabeth Warren is starting to scare some Republicans. Plus, in the wake of a wave of Congressional retirements, we talk about the parallels between the Trumpified Republican party and the evolving Conservative Party in Great Britain.
Episode 44: Texas Fold 'Em
August 07, 2019 22:31 - 45 minutes - 62.9 MBAbby Livingston, the Washington bureau chief at the Texas Tribune, joins the show to talk about the big week in Texas political news. As one of the most connected reporter covering the Lone Star State, Abby provides insight into the wave of Texan GOP members of Congress retiring and contextualizes the recent tragedy in El Paso.
Episode 43: Biden His Time
July 30, 2019 18:25 - 49 minutes - 67.3 MBDemocratic strategist Scott Mulhauser, who served as Vice President Joe Biden's deputy chief of staff in 2012, discusses the upcoming debates and what's at stake for the frontrunner. Mulhauser also discusses the politics of impeachment for Speaker Pelosi, and offers his perspective on the staff shakeup at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Mulhauser, who served as chief of staff at the US Embassy in Beijing, details why Democrats may be following Trump's lead on China on the...
Episode 42: Republicans Beyond the Wall
July 26, 2019 19:06 - 49 minutes - 69.1 MBBestselling author Tim Alberta, out with the new book American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump, joins the podcast to talk about the evolution of the Republican party in the last decade. Alberta talks about the importance of culture in the party's disruption, and the continuing relevance of immigration to modern GOP politics. We also discuss the Game of Thrones-like scenario that awaits Republicans if Trump loses reelection.
Episode 41: Bai the Book
July 18, 2019 21:46 - 50 minutes - 69.8 MBYahoo political columnist Matt Bai, author of the book All the Truth Is Out: The Week Politics Went Tabloid, joins this week's show to assess the ugliness of today's political discourse, lament the news media's focus on ratings over substance, and break down the state of the Democratic presidential primary.
Episode 40: The Elephant in the Room
July 10, 2019 21:13 - 45 minutes - 64 MBKimberly Atkins, political correspondent at Boston’s NPR affiliate WBUR, discusses the state of the 2020 race, the Democratic divisions on Capitol Hill and the controversy over the Trump administration’s Census intervention.
Episode 39: Open to Debate
June 27, 2019 20:34 - 46 minutes - 65.4 MBKurt Bardella was once a star Republican staffer on Capitol Hill. But after Donald Trump won the presidency, he became disillusioned from his old party and now considers himself a proud liberal Democrat. Kurt joins the show this week to talk about his political evolution and dish about the Republicans he used to work for. He also offers his analysis of the Democratic presidential debate and the latest Supreme Court rulings.
Episode 38: Leading the PAC
June 13, 2019 20:20 - 46 minutes - 65.4 MBSteven Law, CEO of the Senate Leadership Fund and three other Republican super PACs, breaks down the competitive Senate races, assesses the president's role in 2020 congressional campaigns and offers his blunt take on the strongest Democrat Trump could face.
Episode 37: No Participation Trophies
June 06, 2019 18:07 - 49 minutes - 68.8 MBCook Political Report contributor and NPR political reporter Jessica Taylor explains why she's skeptical about Joe Biden, names the candidate who she thinks has the potential to challenge him, and assesses Trump's chances in 2020.
Episode 36: Women are Winning
May 30, 2019 16:38 - 1 hour - 84.4 MBStephanie Schriock, president of EMILY’s List, reacts to the wave of anti-abortion legislation in conservative states, criticizes the DCCC's decision to punish consultants who work against members of Congress in primaries, and speaks candidly about her former boss, Al Franken, and the state of the #MeToo movement.
Episode 35: Friends and Potential Friends
May 23, 2019 15:48 - 45 minutes - 64.5 MBFormer Republican congressman Tom Davis, one of Washington's leading political experts, looks into his crystal ball and makes predictions about the 2020 presidential campaign, the battle for the Senate and House, and the critical showdown for the Virginia state legislature.
Episode 34: The Apprentice
May 16, 2019 18:39 - 51 minutes - 70.4 MBMatt Mowers is only 29, but the top Trump adviser has a long record of experience in rough-and-tumble politics. The former top aide to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie talks about why he decided to join the Trump campaign, his behind-the-scenes work with Secretaries of State Rex Tillerson and Mike Pompeo, and his assessment of the president's re-election chances. Matt also talks about his testimony for the prosecution in the infamous Bridgegate trial, and his thoughts on former colleagues wh...
Episode 33: How to Win the White House
May 09, 2019 20:27 - 51 minutes - 72.1 MBDemocratic pollster Jim Gerstein explains why Robert Mueller's expected testimony before Congress could boost Democrats, assesses Joe Biden's strength in the crowded Democratic field, and cautions his Democratic colleagues not to underestimate President Trump.
Episode 32: The Majority Maker
May 01, 2019 21:15 - 51 minutes - 70.7 MBFormer DCCC Executive Director Dan Sena, one of the architects of the Democrats' new House majority, names the freshmen who he thinks will be national stars, explains why some Hispanic voters are surprisingly conservative, and identifies the GOP's key policy mistake leading up to the midterms.
Episode 31: What Voters Really Want
April 25, 2019 19:17 - 51 minutes - 72.8 MBWes Anderson, the founding partner and pollster at OnMessage Inc., identifies President Trump's toughest Democratic challenger in 2020 (hint: it's not Joe Biden), talks about the evolution of campaign polling and offers a pessimistic note on the GOP's chances to win back the House.
Episode 30: On Ayres
April 17, 2019 20:31 - 39 minutes - 55.9 MBRepublican pollster Whit Ayres explains why he’s pessimistic that President Trump can win again, talks about the opportunity for Republicans to solidify support in Florida and explains why Lindsey Graham (his longtime client) has become a Trump loyalist.
Episode 29: First, Principles
April 10, 2019 21:25 - 47 minutes - 64.8 MBMatt Lewis, conservative columnist for The Daily Beast and CNN political commentator, explains why there's no presidential candidate he can support in 2020, reminisces on his work for Tucker Carlson and expresses his disenchantment with Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse.
Episode 28: House Call
April 04, 2019 20:39 - 50 minutes - 70.6 MBIan Russell, a principal at consulting firm Beacon Media and former deputy executive director at DCCC, talks about the politics of health care, how Bernie Sanders presents a risk for House Democrats, and his skepticism of Joe Biden's 2020 journey.
Episode 27: Russia or Health Care?
March 27, 2019 21:42 - 51 minutes - 70.7 MBDemocratic pollster Jill Normington, of Nomington Petts, gives Trump better than a 50 percent chance at winning the election, discusses the gains former Vice President Joe Biden will make early on if he decides to run, and what it means to be an "and" candidate.
Episode 26: The Debate Over Hate
March 21, 2019 20:53 - 56 minutes - 77.4 MBHalie Soifer, the executive director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, addresses Rep. Ilhan Omar's (D-MN 05) anti-semitic comments, "Jexodus," and the Iran Nuclear Deal.
Episode 25: Betting on Beto
March 14, 2019 20:51 - 35 minutes - 48.1 MBMatt Gorman, an alum of Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney's campaigns and the NRCC, swings by to discuss why their anti-Nancy Pelosi strategy didn't work to keep the House, the Forgetting Sarah Marshall character that Beto O'Rourke reminds him of, and the Democrat he's most interested in for 2020.
Episode 24: The Mod Squad
March 07, 2019 23:11 - 50 minutes - 69.7 MBJim Kessler, executive director of Third Way, dishes on the state that will decide the 2020 Democratic nominee, the possible consequence of Democrats moving too far left, and what Amy Klobuchar has in common with kale.
Episode 23: Checkpoint Charlie
February 28, 2019 21:23 - 54 minutes - 74.5 MBCharlie Sykes, the editor-in-chief of the newly-launched conservative anti-Trump publication The Bulwark, joins Politics Editor Josh Kraushaar to discuss why he and Paul Ryan are "seeing other people," Joe Biden's chances in 2020, and why some people say he's declaring a "fatwa."
Episode 22: On the Mark
February 21, 2019 23:00 - 50 minutes - 68.9 MBDemocratic pollster Mark Mellman addresses Rep. Ilhan Omar's (D-MN 05) anti-semitic remarks, Joe Biden's chances in 2020, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's possible future as a party leader.
Episode 21: All About the Base
February 14, 2019 21:36 - 45 minutes - 62.4 MBRepublican pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson interprets the numbers as they pertain to Trump's approval and reelection chances, the Green New Deal, and how an independent candidate would fare in 2020.
Episode 20: The Non-Electables
February 08, 2019 00:13 - 47 minutes - 65 MBWrapping up a busy week of political news—Virginia chaos, Trump’s second State of the Union address, and Elizabeth Warren’s latest apology—we’ve got two of the sharpest Democratic political strategists to break things down. Doug Thornell and Adrienne Elrod co-host the brand new podcast “The Electables” and offer their lively insights on a volatile week for Democrats.
Episode 19: Data Download
January 31, 2019 22:48 - 51 minutes - 71 MBGOP strategist and CNN contributor Mike Shields discusses the racism found in both parties, whether the Republicans should allow primaries against President Trump, and the immigration deal that should be made.
Episode 18: Poll Position
January 24, 2019 20:46 - 38 minutes - 53 MBDemocratic pollster Margie Omero sits down with Politics Editor Josh Kraushaar to dish on the shutdown, Trump's crossover appeal, and what the word "liberal" will mean to voters in 2020.
Episode 17: The Republican Civil War
January 10, 2019 21:37 - 41 minutes - 59.3 MBFollowing the release of Henry Olsen's buzzy op-ed calling Mitt Romney "wildly out of touch," the Ethics and Public Policy Center senior fellow sits down to tackle Trump, Pelosi, and all those 2020 hopefuls.
Episode 16: Master of the House
December 05, 2018 18:30 - 55 minutes - 76.7 MBHost Josh Kraushaar and the Cook Political Report's Dave Wasserman broke down the midterm House elections, including the drama unfolding in races still uncalled a month later, President Trump's shadow over the GOP losses and in the new Congress, and the diversity of the incoming freshmen who won Democrats the majority.
Against the Grain Episode 15: Trendspotting
November 29, 2018 19:28 - 38 minutes - 54.2 MBBruce Mehlman, one of the sharpest political watchers and trendspotters in Washington, goes over the Midterm's trends, the 2020 Democratic field, and predictions for 2019.
Episode 14: Breaking Down the Midterms
November 08, 2018 23:31 - 37 minutes - 51.7 MBColin Reed, senior vice president at Definers Public Affairs, been a campaign adviser to some of the most successful blue-state Republicans, including Mitt Romney, Chris Christie, and John McCain.After a wild election night, he shares his midterm takeaways, thoughts on the possible 2020 Democratic presidential field, and how opposition research is evolving with the changing political times.
Episode 13: Opposition Research
November 01, 2018 21:26 - 44 minutes - 61.5 MBIs the Trump era the golden age of opposition research? Has the #MeToo movement changed how it works? What do "trackers" do? Shripal Shah, Vice President of the pro-Democrat opposition research firm American Bridge, breaks it all down on this week's episode of Against the Grain.
Episode 12: The Great Revolt
October 25, 2018 19:18 - 47 minutes - 64.6 MBRepublican consultant Brad Todd literally wrote the book on the reshaping of American politics. As he works on some of the most-competitive Senate races in the country, including Republican Josh Hawley’s big fight against Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in Missouri, Todd shares race rundowns, Trump's two worst moments as president, and the issues voters actually care about.
Episode 11: When They Go Heye
October 17, 2018 15:15 - 38 minutes - 53.1 MBRepublican strategist and CNN contributor Doug Heye joins National Journal's Politics Editor Josh Kraushaar to weigh in on the "Never Trump" movement, how the party has evolved since its inception, and what the party is doing to prepare for the midterms.
Episode 10: The Right Unites
October 11, 2018 20:53 - 45 minutes - 62.3 MBBen Domenech, publisher of The Federalist, joins National Journal's Politics Editor Josh Kraushaar for a candid conversation on the cultural phenomenon of Donald Trump, and his surprising assessment of Paul Ryan and Mike Pence. Domenech, who is married to Meghan McCain, also shares his thoughts about the late Sen. John McCain's legacy and inside details on McCain's conflict with the president.
Episode 9: Supreme Uncertainty
October 03, 2018 15:57 - 51 minutes - 70.3 MBTo know what the progressive movement is thinking, look to Neera Tanden, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress. Sitting down with Politics Editor Josh Kraushaar, she shares her thoughts on Brett Kavanaugh, what it means for the midterms and beyond, and whether Joe Biden will run.
Episode 8: Split-Screen Politics
September 06, 2018 20:55 - 35 minutes - 48.9 MBThere are few Democratic guests with more expertise about the legal and political storms President Trump is facing than Matt Miller. A longtime adviser to former Attorney General Eric Holder and top political aide to Sen. Chuck Schumer, Miller offers his perspective on everything from Trump's legal predicament, Judge Kavanaugh's Supreme Court prospects, and addresses whether Holder will be running for president in 2020.
Episode 7: McConnell's Man
August 23, 2018 14:53 - 44 minutes - 61.6 MBThere are few staffers that have been as close to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as Josh Holmes, the senator's former chief of staff and campaign manager for his 2004 Senate race. Now the partner and founder of Cavalry, a consulting firm that offers strategic advice to the top Fortune 500 companies as well as some leading Republican Senate campaigns, Holmes sits down to share his thoughts on Harry Reid and Steve Bannon, the race in North Dakota, and how the RGA should've learn...
Episode 6: A Pox Upon Both Houses
August 15, 2018 21:42 - 41 minutes - 56.7 MBShould Democrats veer left to excite their base or move to the middle to win over moderates? Lanae Erickson Hatalsky, vice president for social policy and politics at the centrist Democratic think tank Third Way, sits down with Josh Kraushaar to find the common cause across traditional ideological divides.
Episode 5: House Talk
August 09, 2018 16:00 - 51 minutes - 70.7 MBBipartisan duo Ali Lapp and Liesl Hickey join Josh Kraushaar to geek out on the battle for the House—in a year that's what everyone in Washington is focused on.
Episode 4: Red Alert for Republicans
August 02, 2018 19:47 - 45 minutes - 63.2 MBVeteran GOP pollster Glen Bolger joins the podcast and offers some sobering news to Republicans about their prospects in the 2018 elections. Bolger discusses the dramatic political shift of independent voters over the last year, the power of Trump's endorsements in GOP primaries, and the possibility Democrats retake both the House and Senate next year.
Episode 3: The Man With the Message
July 26, 2018 20:13 - 41 minutes - 57.5 MBMark Putnam, one of the most talented political admakers in the business, sits down with Josh Kraushaar to talk that infamous Jason Kander ad, messaging in the Trump era, and how he's propelled some of his underdog Democratic clients out of obscurity.