Explore every episode of the podcast The Campaign Moment

Thank you for listening to “The Campaign Moment” throughout the 2024 election and into the start of the Trump presidency. Stay subscribed to this feed for more updates on our politics coverage in audio. And make sure you’re subscribed to “Post Reports” – that’s where you’ll find our politics roundtable conversations for now.

Some House Republicans are getting nervous. They’re worried that passing President Donald Trump’s budget proposal could mean cuts to popular programs like Medicaid. They’ve also gotten an earful from voters angry at Elon Musk who are packing congressional town halls. 

Senior politics reporter Aaron Blake unpacks the drama with congressional reporter Marianna Sotomayor and congressional economics correspondent Jacob Bogage. 

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and mixed by Ted Muldoon. 

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Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with Post congressional reporter Liz Goodwin and Dan Lamothe, who covers the Pentagon and the U.S. military, about the week’s political news. They dig into Trump’s sharp turn against Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and toward Russian President Vladimir Putin. They also talk about new polling that shows Trump’s sweeping federal policy decisions are largely unpopular. Plus, why GOP lawmakers are quietly begging Trump to spare their districts from Trump and his ally Elon Musk’s splashy government spending cuts.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins with help from Rachel Van Dongen. It was mixed by Justin Gerrish. 

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Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with Supreme Court reporter Justin Jouvenal and Democracy reporter Colby Itkowitz about how President Donald Trump is testing the power of the courts — and trying to expand his own authority in the process. They break down the cases facing the executive branch right now, what Trump and his allies are saying about them, and why some experts say Trump’s actions run afoul of the constitution.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Reena Flores and Rachel Van Dongen and mixed by Ted Muldoon.

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Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with senior national political correspondent Naftali Bendavid and national politics reporter Hannah Knowles about President Donald Trump's proposal to “take over” Gaza, displace Palestinians and remake it as the “riviera” of the Middle East. They also dig into Trump's use of tariffs as bargaining chips and the lack of resistance to Trump policies from both parties.

Today’s show was produced by Peter Bresnan. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Rachel Van Dongen and mixed by Sam Bair.

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Trump’s extraordinary news conference on the plane crash near Reagan National Airport, his administration’s freeze and unfreeze of all federal funds, and the Senate hearings for three more of his controversial Cabinet picks.

Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks through another chaotic week of political news with Congress reporter Liz Goodwin and White House economics reporter Jeff Stein. They break down Trump’s baseless claims that DEI could be the cause of the fatal plane crash in the Potomac, why the administration reversed its decision to halt the flow of all federal funds, and whether Trump’s picks for FBI director, director of national intelligence and health and human services secretary have enough support to be confirmed.

Today’s show was produced and mixed by Ted Muldoon. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Rachel Van Dongen. 

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Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with senior White House reporter Isaac Arnsdorf and national political reporter Marianne LeVine about how Trump’s executive actions are already having a tangible impact. They also talk about how Trump’s pardon of Jan. 6 rioters was met with a muted response from several prominent Republicans. 

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Rachel Van Dongen and mixed by Sam Bair. 

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Aaron Blake, senior political reporter and author of The Campaign Moment newsletter talks with national security reporter Abby Hauslohner and national politics reporter Hannah Knowles about the most heated exchanges that Trump’s picks for defense secretary and attorney general, Pete Hegseth and Pam Bondi, faced during their Senate confirmation hearings. They also talk about what to expect if the historic ceasefire deal goes into effect over the weekend and what to watch for at Trump’s inauguration on Monday.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Rennie Svirnovskiy, who also mixed the episode. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Rachel Van Dongen. 

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Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with The Post’s White House editor, Naftali Bendavid, and national political reporter Maeve Reston about the politics of Trump’s sentencing in the New York hush money case. They also dig into how Trump is trying to pin the Los Angeles wildfires on Democrats and look ahead to next week’s Senate confirmation hearing for Trump’s pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth. 

Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Rachel Van Dongen and mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy. 

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On Friday, Republicans once again selected Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) to be speaker of the House — but not before there was a little bit of drama.

Earlier this week, President-elect Donald Trump took to social media to link the New Year’s Day vehicular attack in New Orleans to weak border policies, even though the attacker was an American citizen born in Texas. In the hours following, the message became a popular Republican talking point. 

Reporters Marianna Sotomayor, Marianne LeVine and Leigh Ann Caldwell join host Aaron Blake to discuss how Johnson eked out a victory in the speaker fight, and why the New Orleans attack became so quickly politicized.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Reena Flores and Rachen Van Dongen and mixed by Sam Bair. 

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Aaron Blake, senior political reporter and author of The Campaign Moment newsletter, sits down with senior congressional correspondent Paul Kane and White House reporter Matt Viser to talk about what Biden is trying to do with his last few weeks in office. They also talk about Time magazine’s person of the year interview with Trump and what two GOP Senate appointments could mean for Trump’s ability to get his agenda through Congress.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and mixed by Justin Gerrish. 

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On Capitol Hill, Hegseth is facing renewed scrutiny over allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct, which he denies. So this week, the veteran and former Fox News host spent time with lawmakers, publicly and privately making the case for his leadership of the Defense Department. But some Republican senators are skeptical, and Trump is reportedly lining up other options.

Senior political reporter Aaron Blake breaks down the latest Cabinet controversies with White House editor Naftali Bendavid and Washington Post Live anchor Leigh Ann Caldwell. Plus, they discuss the extraordinary breadth of Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter and the possibility that Biden will issue more preemptive pardons to critics of the incoming president. 

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Justin Gerrish. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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“Post Reports” co-host Martine Powers and senior political reporter Aaron Blake talk with reporter Leigh Ann Caldwell, who co-authors the Early Brief politics newsletter for The Post, about why Gaetz’s bid for attorney general lasted just eight days. Aaron breaks down why Trump’s electoral mandate is actually weaker than he claims. Plus, answers to listeners’ and readers’ lingering questions about the 2024 election. 

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Justin Gerrish. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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When Trump floated the name of Matt Gaetz for attorney general, some Republicans balked. The former Florida congressman has been investigated by both the Justice Department and the House Ethics Committee over allegations of drug use and sexual misconduct with a 17-year-old girl. Gaetz has denied wrongdoing. Trump’s announced choice to lead the Defense Department, Fox News weekend host Pete Hegseth, also faces new scrutiny after it was revealed that he paid a woman after she accused him of sexual assault. Hegseth denies the assault allegation.

Host Aaron Blake and national political reporter Michael Scherer break down the various controversies around Gaetz and Hegseth and weigh whether Republicans will ultimately oppose their confirmations.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Reena Flores and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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There’s Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Former Republican congressman Matt Gaetz to head up the Justice Department. Former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as the director of national intelligence. Trump has chosen some eyebrow-raising names to staff his Cabinet. But are there any Republicans in the Senate that would choose to block them? 

Congress reporter Liz Goodwin joins hosts Aaron Blake and Elahe Izadi to dig into Trump’s Cabinet appointments, their chances in the Senate, and whether Trump could bypass the upper chamber entirely with the use of recess appointments.

Today's episode was produced and mixed by Ted Muldoon. It was edited by Rena Flores, Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy.

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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President-elect Donald Trump has a lengthy to-do list for his second term in the White House. Among other controversial proposals, it includes conducting large-scale deportations of immigrants in the U.S. without legal status, hiking tariffs on imports, firing career civil servants and granting clemency to people convicted of seditious conspiracy over the events of Jan. 6, 2021. 

And while Americans elected Trump, they might not like what comes next. 

Senior political reporter Aaron Blake breaks down, along with producer Laura Benshoff, what the polls tell us about how popular – or unpopular – Trump’s proposals are.  

Today’s episode was produced by Laura Benshoff and mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was edited by Reena Flores and Mary Jo Murphy. Thanks to Molly Hennessy-Fiske and Lucy Perkins.

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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“Post Reports” co-host Martine Powers, senior political reporter Aaron Blake and White House reporter Cleve Wootson break down the questions many Democrats are asking right now about why Harris lost: Should Biden have dropped out earlier? Did Harris run a bad campaign? Does America hate women?

Today’s show was produced and mixed by Ted Muldoon. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy.

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here.

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“Post Reports” co-host Martine Powers talks with senior political reporter Aaron Blake and senior national political correspondent Ashley Parker about how Donald Trump won over a broad swath of voters to defeat Vice President Kamala Harris. Plus, how Democrats are reacting to their election losses and what this defeat means for the party’s future.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Sam Bair. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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If you don’t already listen to Post Reports, we’re bringing you our first rundown of the election results, with some initial thoughts from Aaron Blake.



Very early Wednesday morning, former president Donald Trump stepped on stage in south Florida and claimed victory. Sounding surprised about how the election had gone, the former president promised to “fix everything” and praised his supporters, saying this was “the greatest political movement of all time.” 

This morning on Post Reports, we’re walking you through what happened overnight. Later today we’ll be back with another episode diving deeper into the results, and what the second Trump presidency might look like.

This morning’s show was produced and mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy with help from Peter Bresnan and Elana Gordon. It was edited by Renita Jablonski with help from Maggie Penman and Monica Campbell. Thank you to Aaron Blake, Dan Balz and Mo Rodman.

It’s Election Day; today, what voting sounds like across the country — and a primer on what we could expect tonight as the results start to come in, and which down-ballot races to pay attention to. Aaron Blake, host of The Campaign Moment, makes an appearance on the “Post Reports” podcast.

After an unprecedented campaign season, Election Day in America is finally here. Today, host Martine Powers talks with senior political reporter and host of “The Campaign Moment” podcast Aaron Blake about what to pay attention to as results start to come in this evening, including downballot races and potential scenarios for each candidate's path to victory.

Plus: Election anxiety is real! Here’s how to manage stress throughout the day.

Remembering all the complex details of how the electoral college works is not exactly easy. And just when you’ve mastered how it all adds up, you probably won’t need to think about it again for another four years — hardly a formula for cementing something in your brain.

Aaron Blake, host of The Campaign Moment, makes an appearance on the first episode of The Washington Post’s “Try This” podcast’s three-part series on the electoral college. He explains how the system works, the complicated way electoral votes are assigned and awarded, and what happens between Election Day and Inauguration Day. Aaron is joined by Amy Gardner and “Try This” host Cristina Quinn to make the whole thing so accessible that your high school civics teacher would be proud.

Here are some resources if you’d like to dive deeper into the electoral college:

• An explainer on how the electoral college votes
• How the electoral college works, in visuals 
• How fair is the electoral college?
• Mapping paths to victory in 2024 

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The election is just four days away. Tens of millions of Americans have already voted. What do the final polls tell us ahead of the election?

“Post Reports” co-host Martine Powers and senior political reporter Aaron Blake talk with Amy Gardner, who covers early voting for The Post, about what early voting data can and can’t tell us right now about the election results. They also talk about whether looking at polls this weekend is helpful, and what to make of burned ballot boxes in Oregon and Washington. 

Today’s show was produced by Eliza Dennis. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Sam Bair. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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Election Day is one week away. As the Harris and Trump campaigns make their final pitch to voters, could racist comments made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at a Trump rally on Sunday push Latino voters toward Harris?

Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with national political columnist Philip Bump about why the Trump campaign and other GOP candidates are distancing themselves from Hinchcliffe’s comments, whether Bad Bunny’s Harris endorsement could move the needle, and what the Harris campaign is doing to capitalize on the moment.  

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Sam Bair. 

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Subscribe to Philip’s newsletter, How To Read This Chart, here.

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Over the past few months, Elon Musk has heavily invested in the Trump campaign. Musk is hosting rallies in swing states, giving out million-dollar checks to registered voters in those states and organizing canvassers. Billionaires donating to presidential campaigns is nothing new, but Musk is putting much more than money into the race. 

Elahe Izadi speaks with technology reporter Trisha Thadani and national political reporter Michael Scherer about Musk’s political influence.

Today’s show was produced by Eliza Dennis and Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair. 

The Campaign Moment newsletter is here.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Democrats tend to vote early in droves, but early returns this year show signs that GOP voters are hearing their party’s message to cast votes however they can. As of Monday afternoon, nearly 1.5 million Georgia voters had cast their ballots. In North Carolina, the number is over 1 million. And in Nevada, more Republicans are voting early than Democrats.

Senior politics reporter Aaron Blake chats with Amy Gardner, national reporter covering voting, about what these returns tell us about enthusiasm this cycle and why it's significant that Republicans are turning to early voting despite years of false messaging from former president Donald Trump that this method is subject to fraud.

Catch up on other big campaign stories mentioned in the episode here, here and here.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Allison Michaels and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Sam Bair. 

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“Post Reports” co-host Martine Powers and senior political reporter Aaron Blake talk with national political reporter Marianne LeVine about the peculiar moments that she’s observed on the campaign trail this week with former president Donald Trump. From a music listening session on stage, to some eyebrow-raising interviews with both candidates, “The Campaign Moment” crew digs into the Trump and Harris campaigns’ final sprints before Election Day. 

Today’s show was produced by Eliza Dennis. It was edited by Reena Flores and Mary Jo Murphy. It was mixed by Sam Bair. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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A majority of Black voters support Democratic candidates, but the percentage has shrunk in recent years, with the steepest decline among Black men. So, the Harris campaign has launched a round of targeted interviews, deployed prominent Black surrogates and released policy papers aimed specifically at winning back these voters.

Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with White House reporter Cleve R. Wootson Jr. about what’s driving some Black men away from the Democratic Party and whether Harris’s last-minute appeals are likely to work.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Renita Jablonski and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Sam Bair. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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Democrats want to retake control of the House of Representatives. Vice President Kamala Harris goes on a media blitz. And elected officials wade through destruction and misinformation after another hurricane made landfall this week.

“Post Reports” co-host Martine Powers and senior political reporter Aaron Blake talk with Congressional reporter Marianna Sotomayor about whether Democrats will succeed in flipping the House and which voters Harris wanted to reach with her flurry of interviews on podcasts and TV this week. They also dig into the political aftermath of Hurricane Milton. 

Today’s show was produced by Eliza Dennis. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Sam Bair. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign is outraising former president Donald Trump’s by wide margins. And if you go to one of her rallies, you can tell. 

Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with national political reporter Maeve Reston about how the Harris campaign is spending cash on the campaign trail and on the airwaves in key battleground states. They also look at the risks the Trump campaign might face due to its heavy reliance on outside political groups to bolster ad spending and expand the GOP’s ground game. 

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Sam Bair. 

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The devastation of Hurricane Helene, the escalating tensions in the Middle East and other recent events are casting a shadow over the campaign trail. 

Read more:

Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with The Post’s chief correspondent Dan Balz about the political impact of past natural disasters on campaigns and how a slow recovery process could sway the presidential election. They also look at whether Iran’s strikes on Israel this week and new details from an unsealed court filing about former president Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election could be sticking points for voters.

Today’s show was produced by Eliza Dennis. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Sam Bair. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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Democratic Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota and Republican Sen. JD Vance of Ohio faced off at what was expected to be the only vice presidential debate on Tuesday night. But it was much less dramatic than the presidential debates. 

Read more:

“Post Reports” co-host Elahe Izadi talks with senior political reporter Aaron Blake about Walz’s stumbling performance, Vance’s efforts to soften his image on unpopular issues for the GOP, like abortion, and whether either performance could significantly impact the race. 

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy. 

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“Post Reports” co-host Elahe Izadi and senior political reporter Aaron Blake talk with Senate reporter Liz Goodwin about how Senate Democrats are feeling ahead of the November election. They also dig into the politics of New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s indictment and preview what to expect in next week’s first – and likely only – vice presidential debate. 

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff and mixed by Sam Bair. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here.

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Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with reporter Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, who covers voting issues in Arizona, about how voters in the state are feeling six weeks before the election and what election officials are doing there to try to combat voter fraud claims. They also dig into what a failed Trump campaign effort to change Nebraska’s electoral vote system says about the state of the race.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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“Post Reports” co-host Elahe Izadi and senior political reporter Aaron Blake chat with national political reporter Michael Scherer about all of this week’s political news. They also dig into how last week’s first – and perhaps only – debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump is shaping voters’ perceptions of the candidates.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff and mixed by Sean Carter. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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This week saw the second potential assassination attempt against former president Donald Trump in just a few months. Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with Amy Gardner, a national reporter covering voting on the Post's Democracy Team, about this incident and the ways it’s being talked about in the political sphere. They also discuss how threats of partisan violence have become more common and what polling shows about some Americans’ willingness to engage in it.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff and mixed by Ted Muldoon. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with Isaac Arnsdorf, a political reporter covering Trump and the MAGA movement, about what Trump advisers have been saying in the days after the debate. They also dig into whether misinformation Trump is spewing about Haitian migrants eating domestic pets in Springfield, Ohio – claims which are not true – is a useful talking point for his campaign.

Today’s show was produced and mixed by Ted Muldoon. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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Post Reports co-host Martine Powers talks with senior political reporter Aaron Blake about what each candidate needed to do in this debate to win over voters in an incredibly tight race. They also talk about whether a new endorsement from Taylor Swift could give Harris an edge.

Note: An initial version of this episode had an incorrect reference to Springfield, Illinois rather than Springfield, Ohio. The error has been fixed.

Today’s show was produced and mixed by Ted Muldoon and Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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“Post Reports” co-host Martine Powers and senior political reporter Aaron Blake talk with White House reporter and Kamala Harris expert Cleve Wootson about what Harris and Donald Trump need to do at next week’s debate. They also dig into Harris’s record fundraising numbers and how Harris hopes to help down ballot Democrats in key House and Senate races. 

Today’s show was produced and mixed by Ted Muldoon. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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Recommended reading: 

• How Democrats made Project 2025 one of their top anti-GOP attacks
• A louder voice in fighting abortion bans: Men in red states
• Biden is suddenly seeing his best polls in years

Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with Marianne LeVine, a national political reporter for The Post, about the state of the electoral map for Harris and Trump. They also dig into the potential strategy behind the Trump campaign’s spending push in Pennsylvania and Georgia, and whether Democrats have a chance of winning their white whale – North Carolina.

Today’s show was produced and mixed by Ted Muldoon. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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“Post Reports” co-host Elahe Izadi and senior political reporter Aaron Blake talk with White House reporter Yasmeen Abutaleb about Harris and Walz’s interview on CNN, new polling that shows continued Democratic enthusiasm, and an altercation between the Trump campaign and an employee at Arlington National Cemetery. 

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Ariel Plotnick. It was mixed by Sean Carter. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with politics producer Laura Benshoff about how much Trump stands to gain from RFK Jr.’s endorsement and what kind of impact other third-party and independent candidates like Cornel West, Chase Oliver and Jill Stein might have on the presidential race. 

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Jenna Johnson and mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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Elahe Izadi, co-host of “Post Reports,” and senior political reporter Aaron Blake sit down with White House reporter Cleve Wootson at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to talk about the highlights from Harris’s speech. Harris focused on her middle-class upbringing and how she would protect abortion access and reproductive rights, and she cast herself as a candidate who would bring normalcy and competency to the White House. 

They also revisit the most memorable speeches of the four-day convention and look ahead to what the next two months might look like for Harris. 

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Ariel Plotnick. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Sam Bair. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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There’s a new rallying cry for the Democratic Party: “Freedom.” On Wednesday, the third night of the Democratic National Convention, speakers from Oprah Winfrey to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro made the case for why Democrats should be considered the party of patriotism.  

And then there was Tim Walz. The Minnesota governor formally accepted the nomination for vice president and in his speech made several nods to his previous jobs, focusing especially on his time as a high school football coach. But beyond his biography, he also sought to draw distinctions between how Republicans talk about the idea of freedom and the ways Democrats do, for example on the subject of reproductive rights. 

On today’s episode, Aaron Blake and Elahe Izadi break down this latest spin on the Democratic Party’s message – and how Walz fared as its newest messenger. 

Today’s episode was produced by Peter Bresnan and mixed by Sam Bair. It was edited by Reena Flores and Mary Jo Murphy. 

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Senior political reporter and co-host of “The Campaign Moment” Aaron Blake talks with Marianna Sotomayor, a congressional reporter for The Post who has covered Pelosi for years. They walk through the strings Pelosi reportedly pulled to get Biden to withdraw, earning her the nickname “The Godmother” – after the mafia movie “The Godfather” – from some Democratic delegates at the convention. They also run down her appearances around the convention and why some Biden allies may seek revenge. 

Today’s show was produced by Ariel Plotnick with help from Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy. It was mixed by Sam Bair. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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Biden received a warm welcome at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday evening when he walked on stage to address his party. Thousands of Democratic delegates packed in the arena chanted “Thank you, Joe!” and pumped signs saying “We love Joe” as he gave his speech. 

“Post Reports” co-host Elahe Izadi and senior political reporter Aaron Blake talk with White House reporter Matt Viser about Biden’s historic address and what the first night of the convention tells us about the current strength of the Democratic Party. 

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks also to Ariel Plotnick.

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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Senior political reporter Aaron Blake and congressional reporter Liz Goodwin talk with “Post Reports” co-host Martine Powers about the economic policies that Harris’s campaign unveiled Friday, and whether Democrats could win a trifecta in November and make those proposals reality. 

They also look ahead to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next week, where President Joe Biden will address delegates after withdrawing from the race last month. 

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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Senior political reporter Aaron Blake, who writes The Campaign Moment newsletter, sits down with Lenny Bronner, a data scientist who works on election models at The Post. They talk about new polling numbers in battleground states and how Harris has put Trump on defense in states like Nevada and Arizona.

Today’s show was produced by Trinity Webster-Bass and Laura Benshoff. It was mixed by Rennie Svirnoskiy. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

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Post Reports co-host Martine Powers sits down with senior political reporter Aaron Blake and Marianna Sotomayor, a congressional reporter covering the House of Representatives, to talk about House Democrats’ enthusiasm for Vice President Kamala Harris’s VP pick, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz – a former member of Congress himself. They also discuss takeaways from the primary loss of Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Walz’s military and governance record, and former president Donald Trump’s campaign event slowdown. 

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Allison Michaels, Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy. Thanks also to Trinity Webster-Bass.

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“Post Reports” co-host Martine Powers sits down with senior political reporter Aaron Blake, who writes The Post's Campaign Moment newsletter. They talk about why Vice President Harris chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, his strengths and weaknesses, and how he compares with the GOP’s vice president pick, JD Vance.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks also to Trinity Webster-Bass. 

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. 

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

In an interview with panelists at the National Association of Black Journalists conference in Chicago, former president Donald Trump questioned Vice President Harris’s racial identity, saying she only recently started calling herself Black. Also, the leader of Project 2025, the controversial right-wing policy group, is stepping down. And the Harris campaign has hit some major fundraising goals and is expected to announce her running mate any day now.

Plus, read The Post’s exclusive investigation into a secret probe into whether Trump took money from Egypt here.

Co-host Martine Powers talks with reporters Issac Arnsdorf, who covers Trump, and Tyler Pager, who covers the White House, about what to make of it all.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy. Thanks also to Ali Bianco.

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