Women Rule
149 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago - ★★★★ - 308 ratingsJoin POLITICO’s Anna Palmer on the Women Rule Podcast as she takes you backstage with women bosses for real talk on how they made it and what advice they have for women looking to lead. New episodes every other Wednesday. Women Rule is produced by POLITICO in partnership with our founding partners Google and the Tory Burch Foundation.
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Episodes
Kara Swisher’s problem with men in tech
April 10, 2018 09:00 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBAs Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg heads to Congress, one dogged tech reporter has some advice for Capitol Hill and the reporters who cover it: Take off the kid gloves when dealing with the Silicon Valley executive. “He’s one of the richest people on earth. He’s an adult. He’s 30-some years old,” Kara Swisher, co-founder of Recode, said on the latest episode of the Women Rule podcast. “He can answer questions if he’s the CEO. He founded this company. Stop juvenilizing men here in Silicon Valley...
An 'extremely stressful' Washington: Margaret Spellings weighs in on Trump
April 04, 2018 09:00 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MBMargaret Spellings, President George W. Bush’s former education secretary, muses on the state of the cabinet under the current Republican White House and offers some praise for Betsy DeVos. Spellings also reflects back on her time as president of the University of North Carolina and her legacy on No Child Left Behind.
Why this Democratic senator is defending the Second Amendment
March 28, 2018 09:00 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBJust days after an emotional, nationwide movement demanding stricter gun control laws, North Dakota Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp launched a staunch defense of the Second Amendment and pushed back at those calling for reforms. Heitkamp sat down with Women Rule for a live podcast taping in Los Angeles, explaining her views on guns, her tough midterm race, and her relationship with President Donald Trump.
The woman behind the GOP's fundraising juggernaut
March 21, 2018 09:00 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MBRonna Romney McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, is smashing fundraising records. In the latest Women Rule episode, she explains her fervor for bringing in the cash: “If you have money you have power. And if you have money, you have a seat at the table." McDaniel also spoke candidly about her relatively low profile in Washington (despite her prominent political family), her punishing work schedule away from her two children, and the Republican prospects in this mid...
How Kay Coles James sees conservatives in the Trump era
March 14, 2018 09:00 - 29 minutes - 27 MBKay Coles James is the new president of the Heritage Foundation, America's largest and arguably most influential conservative think thank. Her role is a groundbreaking one, in part because she’ll be the first African American woman to head up Heritage. Women Rule sits down with James to discuss the "true north" for conservatives, her attempt to work in the Trump administration (blocked, she says, by former "Apprentice" star Omarosa Manigault Newman), and her personal history - including the t...
SXSW Bonus: Wendy Davis on Texas Dems, Planned Parenthood, and what's next
March 13, 2018 03:00 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBWomen Rule heads to Austin for SXSW, where host Anna Palmer speaks with Wendy Davis about what Democrats are doing in Texas, lessons she learned from her failed gubernatorial run in 2014, and whether or not she plans on getting more involved with Planned Parenthood.
Tina Smith replaced Al Franken. Now she tries to turn the page.
March 07, 2018 09:00 - 27 minutes - 25.2 MBSen. Tina Smith doesn’t want to talk about Al Franken. When asked about her Democratic predecessor, who resigned the Minnesota seat amid allegations of sexual misconduct, she avoided even saying his name in this Women Rule interview. Instead, Smith is concentrating on the economic implications of the #MeToo movement, as she trains her eye on getting reelected this November.
Is Uber bad for women? Rachel Holt doesn't think so
February 28, 2018 08:00 - 27 minutes - 25.2 MBRachel Holt, vice president at Uber and general manager of the company’s U.S. and Washington operations, spoke with Women Rule about the new directions the company has taken since Dara Khosrowshahi took over - and what it means for its women employees.
Anna Deavere Smith: 'I don’t care about the glass ceiling anymore'
February 21, 2018 08:00 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBActress and playwright Anna Deavere Smith, best known for her role as Dr. Nancy McNally on "The West Wing," has a new film focusing on incarceration among American youth. Women Rule sits down with her to discuss the critically acclaimed "Notes From the Field," Deavere Smith's social justice interests, art in the Trump era and her latest work with Shonda Rhimes.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth: "I can’t technically take maternity leave"
February 14, 2018 08:00 - 24 minutes - 22.4 MBSen. Tammy Duckworth has a problem: How can a senator who needs to vote take time off to care for her newborn? The Illinois Democrat and Iraq War veteran, who is expecting her second child this spring, will be the first sitting senator to give birth in office. She plans to take 12 weeks of paid leave – but she’s working with her party’s leadership and her staff to figure out how she can still take important votes while she’s out. In this episode, the senator opens up about her history-making...
Meghan McCain believes Trump won't mock her father again
February 07, 2018 08:00 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBMeghan McCain is not her father. For one, she’s a daytime talk show host on ABC's "The View." And her father is Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, a one-time presidential candidate and perennial thorn in Donald Trump’s side. But Meghan and her father are really close, and in this interview with Women Rule, the younger McCain opens up about some intensely personal topics, including her relationship with him. She also discusses his fight with brain cancer, how she feels (as a conservative...
Martha Raddatz on being "extra careful" in the age of Trump
January 31, 2018 08:00 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MBAfter several widely publicized mistakes by news outlets in reporting on President Donald Trump and his administration, Martha Raddatz, ABC News’ chief global affairs correspondent and co-anchor of “This Week,” is calling the experience a “good lesson” learned for journalists. With Trump in the White House, “I think we’re watching each other a little more,” Raddatz told POLITICO’s Anna Palmer. “I think we’re more careful — and try to be more careful — in that we admit mistakes quickly and tr...
BONUS: What Trump speechwriters can learn from history
January 29, 2018 08:00 - 43 minutes - 40 MBAs Donald Trump prepares to deliver his first State of the Union address on the heels of reports he had an affair with adult film actress Stormy Daniels, one former White House speechwriter offered up a lesson from what Bill Clinton did in 1998: Stick to policy." June Shih, one of the architects of that address – which Clinton delivered just four days after news broke of the scandal involving Monica Lewinsky – said focusing on his ideas made Clinton’s speech “a very triumphant moment.” Women...
An affair with Trump? Nikki Haley on ‘disgusting’ rumors, her rise to top foreign policy role
January 26, 2018 08:45 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MBThe former anti-Trump governor became one of the president’s favorite officials, giving her rare standing on the global stage. The U.N. ambassador explains how in this special episode of POLITICO’s Women Rule podcast with White House reporter Eliana Johnson.
Stephanie Schriock wants EMILY’s List out of business
January 24, 2018 08:00 - 34 minutes - 32.1 MBAs Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILY's List puts it: "Someday, EMILY’s List will not be needed...because there will be women running in every election out there.” From Schriock’s view, that day could be soon. The organization, which supports pro-choice Democratic women in their bids for public office, has seen a growth spurt in the months since the 2016 election. And going into the 2018 midterms, they've more than doubled their campaign operations. POLITICO's Anna Palmer talks with Schr...
Maria Trabocchi’s secrets on how to treat Washington VIPs
January 17, 2018 07:00 - 32 minutes - 29.5 MBMaria Trabocchi has built a Washington restaurant brand on hospitality and Italian fine dining — and for years, Sfoglina, Fiola, Fiola Mare and Casa Luca (and, most recently, Del Mar) have played host to D.C.’s A-list. The Obamas have feasted there, along with foreign heads of state, Hollywood stars like Meryl Streep, and the occasional Supreme Court justice. But what's the secret to charming the VIPs of the nation’s capital? POLITICO's Anna Palmer sits down with Trabocchi to discuss the det...
Gretchen Carlson: "Stop being so damn nice"
January 10, 2018 07:00 - 32 minutes - 30 MBBefore the viral hashtag #MeToo, before the revelations against Harvey Weinstein and other media giants… there was Gretchen Carlson. Back in 2016, Carlson filed a landmark lawsuit against Fox News CEO Roger Ailes, beginning a wave of sexual harassment allegations at the network. Eventually Ailes was forced out, along with other Fox News big wigs, like Bill O’Reilly and Fox co-president Bill Shine. But at the time, Carlson was a solitary voice against one of the most powerful men in media. I...
Women Rule POLITICO: Covering the Trump White House
December 20, 2017 07:00 - 28 minutes - 26.6 MBAre women the survivors in Trump’s White House? What goes on behind the scenes when reporting on the presidency? POLITICO White House reporters Nancy Cook and Annie Karni sit down with Carrie Budoff Brown for the final Women Rule episode of 2017.
"Me Too" stories from Washington
December 13, 2017 05:52 - 26 minutes - 24.2 MBLast week, POLITICO hosted its fifth annual Women Rule summit, where we had several frank discussions about sexual harassment and assault. In this episode of the 'Women Rule' podcast, we hear some poignant moments from the summit: interviews with Elaine Chao and Kellyanne Conway about their "Me Too" moments, a discussion with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and the misconduct allegations sweeping Capitol Hill, and a talk with Tarana Burke, the woman who founded the "Me Too" movement over a decade ago.
Chef Amy Brandwein: It’s “really challenging” supervising all men
December 06, 2017 08:00 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MBIt’s not easy being the lone woman at the top of the food chain, especially in all-male kitchens. But powerhouse chef and restaurateur Amy Brandwein — owner of the popular Italian eatery and market Centrolina in downtown Washington — has learned to deal with it. In this conversation with POLITICO's Anna Palmer, Brandwein talks about striking out on her own in the male-dominated food industry, what she's learned from politics, and how it's that much more difficult to raise money as a female en...
Women Rule POLITICO: Where are all the female farmers?
November 29, 2017 08:00 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBWhat happens when the agriculture industry stays male-dominated? Will first lady Melania Trump continue Michelle Obama's legacy on healthy eating? In this food-themed post-Thanksgiving episode, POLITICO agriculture reporters Helena Bottemiller Evich, Jenny Hopkinson, and Catherine Boudreau sit down with Carrie Budoff Brown to discuss the latest in food and farm policies.
Glamour's Cindi Leive talks Biden’s apology to Anita Hill
November 22, 2017 06:00 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBCindi Leive’s 16th and final year at the helm of Glamour has been consumed with discussion of sexual misconduct, but she says the discussion would not continue to dominate news cycles today if Anita Hill had been handled differently 26 years ago. As she prepares to depart Glamour after a 16-year run at the magazine, Leive joined POLITICO’s Anna Palmer to discuss what’s changed for women during that time, what’s changed for the publication, and what she wishes she had done differently.
Women Rule POLITICO: Is net neutrality a “woman’s issue”?
November 15, 2017 08:00 - 27 minutes - 24.8 MBHow does the net neutrality debate affect women? What are social media giants doing to combat the spread of fake news and harassment on their platforms? POLITICO technology reporters Margaret Harding McGill and Nancy Scola sit down with Carrie Budoff Brown to discuss the latest in tech news.
The Reluctant Pioneer: Border Patrol's first female chief
November 14, 2017 08:00 - 45 minutes - 41.4 MBAs Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost tells it, there is “no difference between female agents, male agents -- we’re all Border Patrol agents.” In this bonus episode, Provost, the agency’s first female head, sat down with Women Rule to discuss her history-making career, the Border Patrol’s vast gender gap, and why it matters to have more women in their ranks.
The women behind the 2016 candidates: One year later
November 08, 2017 05:08 - 38 minutes - 35.6 MBOn the first anniversary of the 2016 election, we spoke to female political operatives from the Clinton, Cruz, Rubio, Sanders and Trump campaigns to hear their backstage stories from the campaign trail – what they learned, what they wish they had done differently, and when they foresee a woman in the White House.
Bonus: Sexism on America’s front lines
November 06, 2017 06:41 - 1 hour - 64.6 MBSusan Glasser, host of the Global POLITICO podcast, takes over the Women Rule feed for this important episode. Six women with careers in national security sit down with Glasser to explore the specific challenges faced by women who step up to participate in the policy debates about America’s place in the world. Frequently, they find themselves so outnumbered that even offenses which would stir outrage in many other workplaces are still so commonplace they are hardly remarked on. Laura Rosenber...
Women Rule POLITICO: The editors behind the magazine
November 01, 2017 04:28 - 26 minutes - 24 MBWill we ever have a female president? The latest edition of POLITICO's magazine tackles that question - and a lot more. POLITICO magazine editors Margaret Slattery and Elizabeth Ralph sit down with Carrie Budoff Brown to discuss the print publication.
Shaheen on sexual assault: 'We need men to speak up'
October 25, 2017 04:35 - 26 minutes - 24 MBAfter the sexual harassment allegations leveled at Harvey Weinstein, New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen is calling for legislative remedies – and a cultural shift.
SoulCycle CEO tries to keep politics out of the studio
October 11, 2017 03:58 - 24 minutes - 22.7 MBFitness mogul Melanie Whelan puts her spin on leadership, politics, and why women rule in the fitness space. Whelan also teases a possible expansion of the SoulCycle brand.
Nazanin Boniadi on Trump's tough Iran talk and human rights
September 27, 2017 04:41 - 33 minutes - 31 MBIranian-born actress and activist Nazanin Boniadi, who was protesting at the United Nations last week while Trump denounced the nuclear deal in an address to the General Assembly, said that the focus on the nuclear deal distracts from another pressing issue – human rights violations in Iran. She details how the international agreement has affected her humanitarian work, minority representation in Hollywood and more.
What Democrats can do to save Dreamers
September 13, 2017 03:35 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBObama’s immigration architect, Cecilia Muñoz, advises lawmakers in her party to forget broader immigration reform and ‘stay focused on the DREAM Act.’ In the latest episode, Muñoz recalls the lengthy West Wing deliberations leading up to Obama’s executive action on DACA, and the political landmines it entailed for the Democratic Party. Muñoz also touches on her own journey from the world of immigration advocacy to the White House —-- and what advice she would give to women of color navigating...
How the White House battles the opioid crisis
August 30, 2017 03:10 - 50 minutes - 46.4 MBIn early August, President Donald Trump vowed to formally dub the U.S. opioid crisis a “national emergency.” But nearly a month later, the president has yet to officially declare a state of emergency — a move that would enable the federal government to pump funds into addressing the drug epidemic. Two women on the front lines of the opioid fight — June Sivilli, the chief of the public health division in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, and Dr. Cece McNamara Spitznas, ON...
The refugees who became ambassadors: Life after genocide
August 16, 2017 02:59 - 47 minutes - 43.4 MBOn this episode of "Women Rule," two ambassadors to the U.S., Vlora Çitaku from Kosovo and Mathilde Mukantabana from Rwanda, tell their deeply personal stories about life after genocide. They explain what got them through those trying times and how they continued to live – and thrive – in the face of those devastating circumstances, and along the way, they point out how women were integral in rebuilding their societies after war.
A former Navy SEAL promises a fight against Trump's transgender ban
August 02, 2017 02:39 - 38 minutes - 30.8 MBAfter President Trump took to Twitter last week to announce a ban on transgender military personnel, one former Navy SEAL lobs a warning at the White House: “You just smacked the hornet’s nest with a baseball bat." In this episode, POLITICO's Luiza Savage interviews Kristin Beck - a transgender war veteran - and discusses this turning point for the LGBT community.
Female mayors take issue with "women's issues"
July 19, 2017 03:22 - 38 minutes - 35.6 MBThe mayors of Baltimore, Charlotte and Salt Lake City wrestle with some of the most contentious issues dominating national policy conversations, including health care and improving public school systems. These city leaders also all happen to be female – and are tired of having some of their cities’ most thorny issues singled out as “women’s issues.” Mayors Jennifer Roberts (of Charlotte), Catherine Pugh (of Baltimore) and Jackie Biskupski (of Salt Lake City) discuss critical policy areas an...
What's next for Mindy Finn?
July 05, 2017 03:04 - 38 minutes - 35.1 MBIn the wake of the 2016 election, former vice presidential candidate and long-time Republican digital strategist Mindy Finn may be leaving the GOP –- and Washington -– altogether. In this episode of "Women Rule," Finn, who ran alongside independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin last year, delivers a harsh critique of her party, its leaders in Congress, and President Trump.
Re-imagining ‘Girls’ in the Trump era, feat. Allison Williams
June 21, 2017 03:44 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MBActress Allison Williams says she doesn’t like to get political – a feature, she claims, of being the daughter of NBC News anchor Brian Williams. But she has some distinct opinions about how President Donald Trump would have knocked her hit HBO show “Girls” in a dramatically different direction. In the latest episode of "Women Rule," Williams talks politics, millennial activism, and women in Hollywood.
Bonus episode: What it will take for women to win
June 14, 2017 03:00 - 35 minutes - 28.3 MBWomen are more politically mobilized than ever before, but that hasn't been enough to get them into office. With women stalled at 20 percent of Congress and 1 in 4 elected offices nationwide, POLITICO investigates the causes of this persistent gender gap — and what’s really stopping women from breaking through. Luiza Savage talks with journalist Amanda Ripley and American University professor Jennifer Lawless about the findings of POLITICO's deep dive into women and the political pipeline.
Bonus episode: Why isn’t the GOP electing more women?
June 12, 2017 00:41 - 31 minutes - 25.6 MBWhile the GOP swept into control of both chambers on Capitol Hill, the number of Republican women in Congress actually decreased in the last election. Collectively, they make up only 9% of Republicans on the Hill. By comparison, women are about one third of all Democrats in the Congress. To discuss this gap -- and possible solutions to decrease it -- Women Rule brought together three experienced Republican strategists: Andrea Bozek, the communications director for the National Republican Sena...
"I didn't fail," featuring Carly Fiorina
June 07, 2017 02:03 - 38 minutes - 31.2 MBWith President Trump confronting multiple Russia investigations, a stalled legislative agenda, and tense relationships with foreign allies, Carly Fiorina has some sharp words of advice: “Stop tweeting.” In the latest episode of Women Rule, the former Hewlett-Packard executive-turned-U.S. presidential candidate weighed in on a wide array of political topics, but also discussed some deeply personal stories: her first Washington meeting at a strip club in the ‘80s, how she felt responding to Tru...
A "history-making" FBI chief? Featuring Fran Townsend, Candi Wolff, Julie Cram
May 24, 2017 03:07 - 46 minutes - 37.5 MBThe FBI has never had a female director. But Fran Townsend, the former homeland security adviser for President George W. Bush, could change that. She confirms that the Trump administration has approached her about the job and weighs in on what she believes is a historic candidacy. In this week's Women Rule podcast, Townsend joins two other prominent women from the Bush White House – Candi Wolff, former assistant for legislative affairs, and Julie Cram, former deputy assistant and director of ...
“We should be mandating diversity,” featuring Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto
May 10, 2017 02:42 - 45 minutes - 36.9 MBDemocratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada made history last year when she was elected the first Latina member of the U.S. Senate. She’s now working to become less of a novelty. The Nevada senator talks with Women Rule about her push for a more diverse legislative body, whether she could work with the Trump administration, and how women bond in the Senate. Plus: A reporters roundtable with two of POLITICO's star Capitol Hill journalists, Rachael Bade and Seung Min Kim.
Bonus episode: “I have a right to take up space,” featuring Sophia Bush
May 09, 2017 03:06 - 38 minutes - 30.5 MBIn a special episode of "Women Rule," POLITICO's “Off Message” podcast takes over the feed with an interview featuring actress and political activist Sophia Bush. POLITICO editor Carrie Budoff Brown hands over the reins to her colleague Isaac Dovere for the bonus interview, where we hear Sophia Bush delve deep into issues Women Rule listeners are familiar with: women in politics and sexism in the workplace.
Hollywood's 2020 wish list, featuring Tony Goldwyn, Jaime King, and Adrienne Elrod
April 26, 2017 02:15 - 42 minutes - 34.2 MBHollywood stars who went all-in for Hillary Clinton say the next woman who tries to shatter that highest glass ceiling needs something that Clinton sorely lacked – authenticity. Actor Tony Goldwyn, actress Jaime King and the Clinton campaign's Adrienne Elrod talk about post-election emotions still raw nearly 100 days into President Trump’s first term.
Giving Ivanka Trump "the benefit of the doubt," featuring Tina Tchen
April 19, 2017 03:06 - 46 minutes - 37.3 MBTina Tchen, the former assistant to President Barack Obama and former chief of staff to Michelle Obama, weighs in on Ivanka Trump, discusses her personal experience as a working single mother, and reflects on how the former first lady was as a boss.
"Men don’t prepare that much, so why do we have to?" featuring Elaine Chao
April 12, 2017 02:25 - 39 minutes - 31.8 MBTransportation Secretary Elaine Chao discusses the preparation gap, explores how her experiences as an immigrant have helped shape her long career in Washington, and weighs in on the number of women in President Donald Trump’s Cabinet.
“None of us got here by being namby-pamby” featuring Sen. Mazie Hirono
March 30, 2017 01:49 - 38 minutes - 31.1 MBDemocratic Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii discusses the challenges of running for office and offers insight into the battles she’s fighting in the U.S. Senate. Hirono also opens up about her experience being the country's first Buddhist senator and how her mother's brave journey from Japan shaped her life and career.
"I had to speak out" featuring Valerie Jarrett, Sen. Deb Fischer
March 06, 2017 23:43 - 1 hour - 55.1 MBOn the first episode of the Women Rule podcast, Sen. Deb Fischer discusses working with Ivanka Trump to get family leave legislation and Valerie Jarrett tells Kellyanne Conway: “It’s hard in the beginning.”
Coming soon: Women Rule with Carrie Budoff Brown
March 01, 2017 20:18 - 1 minute - 1.45 MBWhatever else can be said for the 2016 election, the highest glass ceiling was not broken and the number of women in the U.S. Congress stalled at a mere one-fifth of its members. Every month POLITICO Editor Carrie Budoff Brown will sit down with women leaders to talk power, politics and policy, and explore how dynamics shift when women have a seat at the table. Women Rule is produced by POLITICO in partnership with Google and the Tory Burch Foundation.