The Chuck ToddCast is back! If you're looking for smart, no-nonsense political conversation, you've come to the right place. The Chuck ToddCast goes beyond the headlines, featuring conversations with top reporters, insiders, and newsmakers from D.C. to the heartland. No scripts, no spin—just real discussions about what’s shaping our politics and why it matters.
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Chuck’s Commentary - A Good Night For The Blue Team, A Horrible Night For The Red Team + Trump Backs Down On TACO Tuesday
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 • Duration 01:21:36
Chuck Todd unpacks a night of significant Democratic wins — starting with Virginia voters passing the controversial redistricting measure, a result that hands Democrats a meaningful victory but at what Chuck argues is a steep cost. He questions whether Democrats are trading their most valuable brand asset, being seen as "the rule followers," for a short-term partisan gain they may not need: if Democrats narrowly win the House majority thanks to redistricting, then the gamble worked — but independents, who were already souring on partisan games, aren't likely to give Democrats the benefit of the doubt going forward. He warns that Abigail Spanberger, who wanted to govern from the center but was forced into the role of a partisan warrior to get this done, may not recover politically from the episode. He then turns to Iran, where Trump has unilaterally extended the ceasefire indefinitely because he can't actually land a deal — Iran won the second round of negotiations simply by not showing up, the Chinese will eventually have to step in to pressure Tehran, and Trump is now visibly signaling desperation, meaning he'll be lucky to walk away with terms similar to what Obama negotiated years ago. He calls the war a strategic disaster worse than Iraq that will permanently taint the presidential prospects of both Marco Rubio and JD Vance, and closes with the big political picture: overall it was a terrible night for Republicans, new polling shows Democrats suddenly competitive in rural Midwestern states, all the data points to Democratic momentum heading into the midterms, the economy will be deeply unpopular by Election Day, and the only real advantage Republicans have left is money — a boon he argues is consistently overstated when the political environment is this bad for the party in power.
Finally Chuck reveals his ToddCast Top 5 most overlooked races for the midterm elections and answers questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
01:15 Virginia voters pass redistricting measure, a big win for Democrats
03:00 Strength of Democratic party was being viewed as the “rule followers”
03:45 Democrats won’t get the benefit of the doubt with independents
04:45 There was a path to 8-3 for Dems with the original map
06:15 If Dems narrowly win the house majority, then redistricting worked
07:00 Dems are closer to winning now, but at what cost?
08:30 Spanberger wants to govern from center, but had to be a partisan warrior
10:30 Filing deadline for Virginia is FRIDAY, will we see GOP retirements?
11:00 Court case could disqualify the referendum
12:30 Florida likely to redistrict in response to Virginia
14:00 Florida redistricting makes a lot of light red districts that are vulnerable
15:30 These partisan acts will increase appetite for a third party
17:15 Abigail Spanberger may not recover politically from this
18:15 Trump can’t get Iran deal, unilaterally extends ceasefire indefinitely
19:00 Iran has won the second round of negotiations by not showing up
19:45 At some point the Chinese will put pressure on Iran to end this
20:30 Trump started a war he wasn’t prepared to finish
21:15 This war has been a strategic disaster, even worse than Iraq
22:00 Trump will be lucky to get terms similar to what Obama got
22:45 Trump is signaling to Iran that he’s desperate for a deal
24:30 The war will taint presidential chances for Rubio & Vance
25:15 Overall, it’s been a disastrous night for Republicans
26:00 We will have a very unpopular economy when the midterms arrive
26:30 New polling shows Democrats are competitive in rural midwest states
27:45 All the data shows Democratic momentum going into the midterms
28:15 The only advantage Republicans have is money
29:30 Tuesday was a really good day for team blue, and bad for team red
35:00 ToddCast Top 5 overlooked races this election cycle
36:00 #5 Florida governor
41:00 #4 Oregon governor
44:00 #3 Alabama governor
47:00 #2 Texas governor
51:30 #1 Minnesota senate
55:30 Ask Chuck
55:45 Would it be worse for Spanberger politically to lose redistricting fight?
58:15 Who in Trump’s orbit would be willing to invoke the 25th amendment?
1:02:15 Thoughts on Vance & importance of “political athleticism” for GOP in ‘28?
1:08:30 What are the long term impacts if Trump pulls out of NATO?
1:11:45 Which piece of legislation does the opposite party most misunderstand?
1:18:15 Do our elected officials actually understand China?
Full Episode - A Good Day For Team Blue, A Horrible Day For Team Red + The Political Climate Is Terrible For Republicans, But Can Democrats Take Advantage?
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 • Duration 02:27:36
Chuck Todd unpacks a night of significant Democratic wins — starting with Virginia voters passing the controversial redistricting measure, a result that hands Democrats a meaningful victory but at what Chuck argues is a steep cost. He questions whether Democrats are trading their most valuable brand asset, being seen as "the rule followers," for a short-term partisan gain they may not need: if Democrats narrowly win the House majority thanks to redistricting, then the gamble worked — but independents, who were already souring on partisan games, aren't likely to give Democrats the benefit of the doubt going forward. He warns that Abigail Spanberger, who wanted to govern from the center but was forced into the role of a partisan warrior to get this done, may not recover politically from the episode. He then turns to Iran, where Trump has unilaterally extended the ceasefire indefinitely because he can't actually land a deal — Iran won the second round of negotiations simply by not showing up, the Chinese will eventually have to step in to pressure Tehran, and Trump is now visibly signaling desperation, meaning he'll be lucky to walk away with terms similar to what Obama negotiated years ago. He calls the war a strategic disaster worse than Iraq that will permanently taint the presidential prospects of both Marco Rubio and JD Vance, and closes with the big political picture: overall it was a terrible night for Republicans, new polling shows Democrats suddenly competitive in rural Midwestern states, all the data points to Democratic momentum heading into the midterms, the economy will be deeply unpopular by Election Day, and the only real advantage Republicans have left is money — a boon he argues is consistently overstated when the political environment is this bad for the party in power.
Then, Doug Sosnik — the veteran Democratic strategist, former Clinton White House political director, and one of the sharpest big-picture thinkers in American politics — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a sweeping conversation about where the country is headed and whether either party is prepared to meet the moment. Sosnik argues that every election cycle has a defining event that sets the political weather, and for 2026 it's unambiguously the Iran war — but with early voting expanding the calendar, the window for Republicans to fix their problems is razor thin. He breaks the American electorate into three buckets and notes that the critical 15% of swing voters who tend to align culturally with Trump have now turned against him, that the Republican brand actually outperforms both the Democratic brand and the MAGA brand in polling, and that the Democratic brand stubbornly refuses to improve despite Trump's failures — meaning the 2028 nominee, not the party label, will determine who wins. They identify a potential 60% majority that's fed up with the system itself, arguing that America has moved away from meritocracy toward family wealth in ways that demand creating a new ladder to middle-class life for non-college voters, and delivers a blunt generational verdict: real change won't happen until the boomers exit the stage, and 2028 will be like 1960 — the election that defines post-Trump America.
Full Episode - Big Beautiful Bust: Why Tax Day Isn’t A Win For Trump + Why Can Democrats Put Iowa Back On The Map
Wednesday, April 15, 2026 • Duration 02:12:26
Chuck Todd opens on Tax Day — which the Trump team had planned as a political celebration showcasing bigger refunds, but which has instead become what he dubs the "One Big Beautiful BUST," with any gains from the tax cut completely eaten up by Trump's tariffs and the Iran war. Todd argues the economy isn't in recession but isn't good either, that voters simply won't feel the effects of Trump's tax cut, and that America now faces the genuine prospect of 1970s-style stagflation. H predicts we'll ultimately end up with an Iran deal that looks remarkably similar to the Obama deal Trump once ripped up, and notes that Trump's Jesus meme played terribly even with his own base — forcing him to backpedal with weak excuses — because when things are going well that kind of provocation gets a pass, but Trump is now squarely in the "bad gets worse" stage of his presidency where the coalition hasn't collapsed but the cracks are visibly widening.
He pivots to Viktor Orbán's decisive defeat in Hungary after 16 years in power, an election that featured massive voter turnout and was won by opposition leader Péter Magyar — an insider who gave Orbán's own voters a "permission slip" to leave by connecting democratic erosion directly to the bad economy. He argues America used to set the weather for democracy worldwide but hasn't been the leading model in 15 years, points to the mainstream party vote share in the UK falling below 40% as evidence of a broader cultural conservative backlash happening across democracies, and closes with a historically grounded warning: Hungary proves that political breakthroughs come from defectors within the system rather than outsiders challenging it, and history suggests real change rarely comes from merely tweaking the machinery — it comes from someone giving voters permission to abandon a failing project.
Then, Zach Wahls — the Iowa state senator, former minority leader, and U.S. Senate candidate who first went viral as a 19-year-old in 2011 for his moving speech defending his two moms before the Iowa legislature — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case that Democrats have a real shot at flipping statewide races in Iowa this cycle. Wahls explains how he realized at 13 that the GOP was targeting his own family, how he still considers marriage equality to be genuinely under threat today, and pushes back on the narrative that Iowa has abandoned its famous libertarian streak — noting that the vast majority of Iowans remain pro-choice and supportive of marriage equality even as the state has drifted red. He argues that Obama-Trump voters are plentiful in Iowa and that rural Iowa communities feel forgotten by the establishment — a dynamic Trump spoke to effectively in 2016 when the state was in a regional recession. Wahls points to the party's post-New Deal legacy of fighting for workers' rights, but he also reveals he wouldn't support Chuck Schumer for Senate leadership — a position that's apparently cost him, as Schumer-linked super PACs are now spending millions against him in the primary.
Interview Only w/ Rahm Emmanuel - AI, Education & 2028: Why The Future Is on the Ballot
Monday, February 9, 2026 • Duration 01:15:23
Former White House Chief of Staff & Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel joins the Chuck ToddCast for a wide-ranging conversation on the forces shaping America’s political and economic future. He discusses why the 2028 election will be about what’s ahead—not what’s behind—and argues that understanding AI, energy, and the changing nature of work is now essential for anyone seeking leadership. Emanuel makes the case that education and vocational training remain the clearest pathway to the middle class, warns about declining reading proficiency, and examines what schools must do to prepare students for a rapidly evolving world. He also explores how both parties lost their way on education, why fundamentals matter, and what voters are really demanding from the system.
The discussion then turns sharply to politics, power, and the health of American institutions. Emanuel weighs in on Trump-era controversies, Congress’s weakened role, and concerns about election integrity and the post-election environment. He outlines how Democrats can rebuild a winning coalition by welcoming independents and former Republicans, focusing on economic fairness, and preparing for a potential 2026 wave election. The episode closes with a global lens—covering U.S.–Israel dynamics, political polarization, wealth inequality, and whether national service could help reunite a fractured country—framing a central question: if the midterms fail to reset the trajectory, what comes next for American democracy?
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Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
Chuck’s Commentary - Jeff Bezos Gutting The Washington Post Is A Dark Day For Journalism + The One Loophole For A Third Trump Term
Thursday, February 5, 2026 • Duration 01:27:54
In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck digs into the stunning implosion of The Washington Post after Jeff Bezos ordered layoffs of nearly a third of its staff—breaking a decade-old promise to provide the paper with long-term financial runway. The conversation explores how Bezos treated the Post less like a civic institution and more like a trophy asset, useful for currying favor, protecting government contracts, and advancing Amazon and Blue Origin, but never truly prioritized for success. As newsroom cuts gut coverage across the board and the Post retreats from its role as D.C.’s essential local authority, the episode argues this isn’t just a media story—it’s a case study in billionaire power, tech hubris, and how America’s wealthiest figures play by a different set of rules, even as blue-collar and white-collar anger begin to converge.
Finally, Chuck previews the Super Bowl between the Seahawks & Patriots and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
01:00 Washington Post lays off 1/3rd of its staff on orders from Bezos
02:45 Bezos told Woodward in 2013 he’d provide financial runway to the Post
03:30 Bezos just did the opposite of what he said he’d do
04:45 Matt Murray, editor of the post, isn’t in charge of business strategy
Full Episode - Jeff Bezos Gutting The Washington Post Is A Dark Day For Journalism + Addicted, Unregulated, and Everywhere: The Sports Betting Explosion
Thursday, February 5, 2026 • Duration 02:24:45
In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck digs into the stunning implosion of The Washington Post after Jeff Bezos ordered layoffs of nearly a third of its staff—breaking a decade-old promise to provide the paper with long-term financial runway. The conversation explores how Bezos treated the Post less like a civic institution and more like a trophy asset, useful for currying favor, protecting government contracts, and advancing Amazon and Blue Origin, but never truly prioritized for success. As newsroom cuts gut coverage across the board and the Post retreats from its role as D.C.’s essential local authority, the episode argues this isn’t just a media story—it’s a case study in billionaire power, tech hubris, and how America’s wealthiest figures play by a different set of rules, even as blue-collar and white-collar anger begin to converge.
Then, author and Washington Post contributor Danny Funt joins the Chuck ToddCast to discuss his new book “Everybody Loses”, and for a sobering, wide-ranging conversation about how the rapid legalization of sports betting quietly reshaped American sports—and not in the ways fans were promised. What began as a state-by-state experiment after a 2018 Supreme Court ruling has exploded into a highly profitable, lightly regulated industry where sportsbooks are household names, leagues are financial stakeholders, and media companies are financially dependent on gambling ads. Funt explains how gambling turbocharged media rights deals, hooked viewers more deeply into games, and became politically untouchable as companies like FanDuel and DraftKings poured money into lobbying to block even modest regulation.
The discussion digs into the darker consequences that followed: inadequate funding for gambling addiction support, normalization of conspiracy talk about “rigged” games, threats and violence directed at athletes, and growing concerns about corruption—especially in individual sports and lower-profile leagues. Funt draws chilling parallels between today’s sportsbook advertising blitz and the early days of Big Tobacco, explores why American regulators ignored European guardrails, and explains how mobile betting and prediction markets have made gambling more potent and pervasive than ever. The result, he argues, is a system designed for maximum profit with minimal friction—one that has fundamentally altered how sports are watched, covered, and policed.
Interview Only w/ Danny Funt - Addicted, Unregulated, and Everywhere: The Sports Betting Explosion
Thursday, February 5, 2026 • Duration 56:14
Author and Washington Post contributor Danny Funt joins the Chuck ToddCast to discuss his new book “Everybody Loses”, and for a sobering, wide-ranging conversation about how the rapid legalization of sports betting quietly reshaped American sports—and not in the ways fans were promised. What began as a state-by-state experiment after a 2018 Supreme Court ruling has exploded into a highly profitable, lightly regulated industry where sportsbooks are household names, leagues are financial stakeholders, and media companies are financially dependent on gambling ads. Funt explains how gambling turbocharged media rights deals, hooked viewers more deeply into games, and became politically untouchable as companies like FanDuel and DraftKings poured money into lobbying to block even modest regulation.
The discussion digs into the darker consequences that followed: inadequate funding for gambling addiction support, normalization of conspiracy talk about “rigged” games, threats and violence directed at athletes, and growing concerns about corruption—especially in individual sports and lower-profile leagues. Funt draws chilling parallels between today’s sportsbook advertising blitz and the early days of Big Tobacco, explores why American regulators ignored European guardrails, and explains how mobile betting and prediction markets have made gambling more potent and pervasive than ever. The result, he argues, is a system designed for maximum profit with minimal friction—one that has fundamentally altered how sports are watched, covered, and policed.
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Danny Funt joins the Chuck ToddCast
Chuck’s Commentary - Trump’s Most Consequential Scandal Wasn’t Clickable Enough + Democrats Need A “Project 2032” To Stay Electorally Viable
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 • Duration 01:16:10
In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck unpacks what may be the most brazen presidential corruption scandal in modern history—Donald Trump allegedly selling U.S. foreign policy to the UAE for personal gain—barely registered in the public conversation, drowned out by louder, more sensational distractions. The discussion explores why Trump’s election-interference rhetoric breaks through while substantive corruption stories vanish, how media incentives favor spectacle over consequence, and why Trump responds selectively to political, market, and institutional pressure. Chuck argues that while some democratic guardrails still hold, the deeper danger isn’t a dramatic coup but the slow erosion of norms—one where kleptocracy becomes normalized, foreign policy is treated as a personal asset, and Congress, not voters, remains the only institution capable of stopping it before the damage becomes irreversible.
Finally, Chuck gives his ToddCast Top 5 states Democrats need to target prior to 2032, when census reapportionment will greatly change the electoral college math needed to win the presidency and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
0:30 Worst presidential corruption scandal ever couldn’t break through
1:45 Trump sold American foreign policy to UAE for personal gain
2:45 Story was jaw dropping, but was completely overshadowed
Full Episode - Trump’s Most Consequential Scandal Wasn’t Clickable Enough + What Teddy Roosevelt Can Teach Us About Trump’s America
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 • Duration 02:14:19
In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck unpacks what may be the most brazen presidential corruption scandal in modern history—Donald Trump allegedly selling U.S. foreign policy to the UAE for personal gain—barely registered in the public conversation, drowned out by louder, more sensational distractions. The discussion explores why Trump’s election-interference rhetoric breaks through while substantive corruption stories vanish, how media incentives favor spectacle over consequence, and why Trump responds selectively to political, market, and institutional pressure. Chuck argues that while some democratic guardrails still hold, the deeper danger isn’t a dramatic coup but the slow erosion of norms—one where kleptocracy becomes normalized, foreign policy is treated as a personal asset, and Congress, not voters, remains the only institution capable of stopping it before the damage becomes irreversible.
Then, Historian David S. Brown joins Chuck to unpack why Theodore Roosevelt remains a gravitational force for understanding American power—and why his era echoes so loudly today. Drawing from his book In the Arena, Brown explores what pulled him to Roosevelt, how TR reshaped the presidency, and the surprising parallels (and sharp limits) between Roosevelt and Donald Trump. From narcissism and disruption to populism, primaries, and the rise of the imperial presidency, the conversation digs into how Roosevelt’s wealth, ambition, and genuine concern for the working class produced a uniquely transactional style of politics at home and abroad.
The episode also zooms out to ask what Roosevelt might make of modern challenges like AI, extreme wealth concentration, and great-power competition—and whether he’d thrive or flounder in the television age. Brown traces Roosevelt’s foreign policy legacy in Latin America, the roots of American global policing, and how early 20th-century realignments mirror today’s fractured coalitions. The discussion closes with a hard look at the political center, the future of the Trump coalition, under-studied presidents, and how Americans should think about their country as it approaches its 250th anniversary.
Finally, Chuck gives his ToddCast Top 5 states Democrats need to target prior to 2032, when census reapportionment will greatly change the electoral college math needed to win the presidency and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
Interview Only w/ David S. Brown - What Teddy Roosevelt Can Teach Us About Trump’s America
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 • Duration 01:00:39
Historian David S. Brown joins the Chuck ToddCast to unpack why Theodore Roosevelt remains a gravitational force for understanding American power—and why his era echoes so loudly today. Drawing from his book In the Arena, Brown explores what pulled him to Roosevelt, how TR reshaped the presidency, and the surprising parallels (and sharp limits) between Roosevelt and Donald Trump. From narcissism and disruption to populism, primaries, and the rise of the imperial presidency, the conversation digs into how Roosevelt’s wealth, ambition, and genuine concern for the working class produced a uniquely transactional style of politics at home and abroad.
The episode also zooms out to ask what Roosevelt might make of modern challenges like AI, extreme wealth concentration, and great-power competition—and whether he’d thrive or flounder in the television age. Brown traces Roosevelt’s foreign policy legacy in Latin America, the roots of American global policing, and how early 20th-century realignments mirror today’s fractured coalitions. The discussion closes with a hard look at the political center, the future of the Trump coalition, under-studied presidents, and how Americans should think about their country as it approaches its 250th anniversary.
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 David S. Brown joins the Chuck ToddCast
02:00 Teddy Roosevelt is a magnet for historians
03:15 Research process for writing “In The Arena”
04:30 What drew you to Teddy Roosevelt as a book subject?
The conversation turns to the future of both parties, and Sosnik's analysis is bracingly unsentimental. He notes that more Republicans now identify with the GOP brand than with MAGA, that Vance lacks the charisma to inherit Trump's movement, and that the Trump family has been testing Don Jr.'s name in polling. They warn that the country doesn't want to vote Republican in 2028 but lacks confidence in Democrats, and point to the UK where both major parties are in danger of being replaced by insurgent movements. He closes with a candid assessment of the 2028 Democratic field — the weakest since 2004, with Rahm Emmanuel as the only candidate putting out real policy.The winner in 2028, Sosnik predicts, will be on the side of breaking things rather than defending the status quo, because the animating force in American politics on both the left and the right is now unmistakably populist.
Finally Chuck reveals his ToddCast Top 5 most overlooked races for the midterm elections and answers questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
01:15 Virginia voters pass redistricting measure, a big win for Democrats
03:00 Strength of Democratic party was being viewed as the “rule followers”
03:45 Democrats won’t get the benefit of the doubt with independents
04:45 There was a path to 8-3 for Dems with the original map
06:15 If Dems narrowly win the house majority, then redistricting worked
07:00 Dems are closer to winning now, but at what cost?
08:30 Spanberger wants to govern from center, but had to be a partisan warrior
10:30 Filing deadline for Virginia is FRIDAY, will we see GOP retirements?
11:00 Court case could disqualify the referendum
12:30 Florida likely to redistrict in response to Virginia
14:00 Florida redistricting makes a lot of light red districts that are vulnerable
15:30 These partisan acts will increase appetite for a third party
17:15 Abigail Spanberger may not recover politically from this
18:15 Trump can’t get Iran deal, unilaterally extends ceasefire indefinitely
19:00 Iran has won the second round of negotiations by not showing up
19:45 At some point the Chinese will put pressure on Iran to end this
20:30 Trump started a war he wasn’t prepared to finish
21:15 This war has been a strategic disaster, even worse than Iraq
22:00 Trump will be lucky to get terms similar to what Obama got
22:45 Trump is signaling to Iran that he’s desperate for a deal
24:30 The war will taint presidential chances for Rubio & Vance
25:15 Overall, it’s been a disastrous night for Republicans
26:00 We will have a very unpopular economy when the midterms arrive
26:30 New polling shows Democrats are competitive in rural midwest states
27:45 All the data shows Democratic momentum going into the midterms
28:15 The only advantage Republicans have is money
29:30 Tuesday was a really good day for team blue, and bad for team red
36:15 Doug Sosnik joins The Chuck ToddCast 38:45 How much can the political environment change by midterms? 39:30 Every election cycle has a moment that sets the political weather 40:15 Iran war will be the defining event heading into midterms 41:30 With early voting, the window for Republicans to fix things is small 42:15 There used to be a correlation between economic numbers & mood 42:45 Average economic numbers are good, the mean numbers aren’t 44:15 We’ve moved away from meritocracy to family wealth 45:15 We have to create a ladder to middle class life for non-college voters 46:00 There’s a 60% majority to be had that’s fed up with the system itself 47:15 Politics is a lagging, not a leading indicator for voters’ concerns 48:00 The three buckets of American voters 48:30 The 15% swing voters align more with Trump, vote against incumbents 49:15 Trump has lost the swing voting third group 50:45 Progressives want their own presidency 51:30 Real change won’t happen until the boomers exit the stage 52:30 The 2028 election will be like 1960, define future of America post-Trump 54:45 More Republicans identifying with GOP than with MAGA 55:30 Republican party outperforms Dems & MAGA in polling 56:00 Democratic brand isn’t improving despite Trump’s failings 56:30 The 2028 Democratic nominee will determine who wins the election 57:15 3 recent campaigns became movements, Reagan, Obama & Trump 59:30 Vance doesn’t have the charisma to pick up Trump’s movement
1:00:15 Trumps have been testing Don Jr’s name in polling 1:02:30 Country doesn’t want to vote GOP in ‘28 but lack confidence in dems 1:03:45 Two major parties in the UK are in danger of being replaced 1:04:45 If independents win ‘26 will there be real appetite for one in ‘28? 1:06:45 Both parties are likely to go by the wayside, like other institutions 1:07:15 Lessons from Hungary? 1:08:30 Trump has become toxic to far-right parties around the world 1:10:30 For the last half century, both parties have been pragmatic about nominees 1:11:15 Progressives have gotten their agenda but not their candidates 1:13:00 The 2026 political environment is highly favorable for Dems 1:14:30 400 house seats aren’t even considered competitive 1:15:30 Senate map is tough for Democrats despite the political climate 1:16:00 If Democrats win in Iowa, that’s a sign of a wave election 1:17:15 No state has been more impacted by war & tariffs than Iowa 1:18:30 There are 25 rural states that Dems aren’t competitive in 1:19:15 Can’t be a majority party if you only win college educated voters 1:20:00 Republicans nationally have a massive money advantage 1:21:15 Money is an overstated advantage 1:21:45 Trump’s base hasn’t turned out to vote when he isn’t on the ballot 1:23:30 How can Democrats court cranky swing state independent voters? 1:25:00 The problem is with incentives, candidates more likely to lose a primary 1:26:15 Working class voters felt culturally more connected to Trump than to Biden 1:27:00 If Biden had a Republican senate, would Dems have a better brand today? 1:28:00 Biden didn’t truly have a political base, ran presidency to satisfy interest groups 1:28:45 Without Covid, Biden doesn’t win in 2020 1:30:45 ‘28 candidates must articulate why they are running & find their voice 1:31:45 Dems have their weakest field since 2004 1:32:15 Rahm Emmanuel is the only ‘28 hopeful putting out real policy 1:33:45 Newsom is more substantive than he gets credit for, but he’s also performative 1:35:15 Last time Dems lost popular vote was nominating San Francisco & Boston dems 1:36:45 Winner will be on the side of breaking things rather than defending status quo 1:37:45 Animating force in American politics is the populist left & right
1:40:00 We know the Democrats will win in midterms, the question by how much
1:41:00 ToddCast Top 5 overlooked races this election cycle
1:42:00 #5 Florida governor
1:47:00 #4 Oregon governor
1:50:00 #3 Alabama governor
1:53:00 #2 Texas governor
1:57:30 #1 Minnesota senate
2:01:30 Ask Chuck
2:01:45 Would it be worse for Spanberger politically to lose redistricting fight?
2:04:15 Who in Trump’s orbit would be willing to invoke the 25th amendment?
2:08:15 Thoughts on Vance & importance of “political athleticism” for GOP in ‘28?
2:14:30 What are the long term impacts if Trump pulls out of NATO?
2:17:45 Which piece of legislation does the opposite party most misunderstand?
2:24:15 Do our elected officials actually understand China?
The conversation turns to what Wahls sees as the defining issue of his campaign: the obscene influence of dark money in American politics. He reveals that a bipartisan Iowa bill to get money out of state politics was killed by lobbyists and GOP opposition, that he's received small-dollar donations from all 99 Iowa counties while refusing corporate PAC money, and that his anti-corruption message is genuinely resonating with voters who are exhausted by the current system. Wahls says he'll co-sponsor a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, discusses his openness to banning private equity from owning residential homes and responds to being labeled a "Sanders/Warren" candidate. Wahls pledges to lead by example on anti-corruption by serving only two terms if elected, shares concerns about state reliance on gambling revenue as a signal of voter economic anxiety, and closes with a deeply relatable observation every young parent will recognize: with a two-year-old at home, his monthly childcare bill now costs as much as his mortgage.
Finally, Chuck provides a spin on the ToddCast Top 5 and instead lists the senate seats he ranks as 6th-10th most likely to flip and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment
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Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
02:00 It’s Tax Day and Trump’s team planned on it being a boon
03:00 Bigger tax refunds eaten by Trump’s tariffs and Iran war
03:45 Tax day instead will be the One Big Beautiful BUST
04:30 Economy isn’t in recession, but it’s not good
05:15 If Trump didn’t impose tariffs & start war, today would be good for him
06:00 Facing the potential of stagflation for a decade like in the 70s
07:00 Voters won’t feel the effects of Trump’s tax cut
08:15 Economic conditions could go off a cliff if war doesn’t end
09:15 This period of Trump’s presidency will be viewed as when it ended
10:00 It’s clear we’ll get a deal with the Iranians similar to Obama’s deal
11:30 Trump’s jesus meme played terribly, even with his base
12:30 Trump backpedaled and came up with bad excuses for meme
13:45 Everybody has a line that Trump will eventually cross
15:00 If things were going well, the meme wouldn’t get the same backlash
16:15 Trump is in the “bad gets worse” stage of his presidency
18:15 Trump’s coalition hasn’t collapsed, but cracks are getting wider
18:45 Viktor Orban trounced in Hungarian elections after 16 years of rule
20:00 We assumed that America democracy set the weather for democracies
20:45 In the last 15 years, America’s democracy isn’t the leading model
22:00 Cultural conservative backlash happening in many democracies
23:00 Mainstream party vote share in UK has dropped below 40%
24:00 Center-left and center-right UK parties would lose to far left/right
24:45 Hungary’s election was decisive with mass voter turnout
25:30 Magyar was an insider, gave Orban voters permission slip to leave
26:15 Magyar connected democratic erosion to the bad economy
26:45 Vance tried to rescue Orban and that backfired horribly
27:15 How much Hungarian money didn’t American influencers receive?
28:30 America’s political system just vacillates and feels stuck
29:00 Hungary showed the breakthrough comes from defectors, not outsiders
30:15 History suggests that change doesn’t come from tweaking the system
36:00 Zach Wahls joins the Chuck ToddCast
38:00 Democrats have a real chance at flipping statewide Iowa races
40:00 Did you always know you were going to be in politics?
41:45 Realized at 13 years old the GOP was targeting his own family
42:45 Going viral in 2011 for speech defending his two moms
44:00 Gay marriage rights are still under threat today
45:30 Does Iowa’s famous libertarian streak still exist today?
46:45 Vast majority of Iowans are pro-choice and support marriage equality
48:00 There are a lot of Obama/Trump voters in Iowa
49:30 Union leadership in Iowa leans Dem, rank & file lean GOP
51:15 Rural Iowa communities feel forgotten by the establishment
52:00 Iowa was in a regional recession in 2016, Trump spoke to that
53:30 Why run as a Democrat vs. as an independent?
54:30 Since the New Deal, Democrats have fought for workers rights
55:00 Wouldn’t support Chuck Schumer for senate leadership
55:45 Schumer-linked Super PAC spending millions against him
57:00 How do you avoid being painted as focused on identity & not economics?
59:00 The impact of dark money has tainted American & Iowa politics
1:00:30 Bipartisan bill to get money out of politics in Iowa spiked by lobbyists & GOP
1:01:45 The money in politics has gotten obscene quickly in recent years
1:03:00 What would a campaign finance constitutional amendment look like?
1:04:30 Republican aligned PACs set to spend huge money in Iowa in the fall
1:05:15 Received small dollar donations from all 99 counties, no corporate PAC $
1:06:15 Anti-corruption message is resonating with voters
1:07:30 Can you unilaterally disarm in the face of huge Republican spending?
1:08:30 Will co-sponsor amendment to overturn Citizen’s United
1:09:45 What did you learn from your stint in leadership in the legislature?
1:12:00 There was no clear strategic plan for Democrats to take back majority
1:13:00 There were basic organizational issues for Iowa Dems that needed to be fixed
1:13:45 Needed to rebuild relationships with organized labor
1:16:00 Stint in leadership doesn’t make him have more sympathy for Schumer
1:16:45 Democrats didn’t know what they were asking for during shutdown
1:17:30 If Democrats get the majority…do you work with Trump?
1:18:45 Have a responsibility to work across the aisle if it helps people
1:19:30 Open to banning private equity from owning homes, anti monopoly in meat
1:20:45 Price of fire trucks has tripled due to private equity buying up the manufacturing
1:22:30 Is the description of being the “Sanders/Warren” candidate a fair description?
1:25:00 Part-time legislatures don’t have the institutional knowledge of the lobbyists
1:26:30 Must lead by example on anti-corruption, will only serve two terms if elected
1:27:30 Thoughts on “vice taxes” & gambling to help state generate revenue?
1:30:30 High interest in gambling speaks to fear for economic future in voters
1:32:45 How has having a two year old affected your life & job?
1:33:30 Childcare costs as much as his mortgage with one child
1:37:30 ToddCast Not Top 5 - The next 5 senate seats most likely to flip
1:38:30 Political environment is highly favorable for Democrats
1:40:00 Top 5, NC, ME, OH, AK, NE
1:41:45 #6 Texas
1:42:30 #7 Michigan
1:45:30 #8 Georgia
1:46:00 #9 Iowa
1:47:45 #10 Montana
1:50:15 Ask Chuck
1:50:30 Are Republicans more in danger of fracturing than Democrats?
1:57:00 Was there a backroom deal for resignation of Swalwell & Gonzales?
1:58:30 Rubio’s shoes are the most “Veep” thing in Trump administration
2:02:00 How can CA Dems win over rural GOP voters in the state?
2:07:30 Best national and international news sources to stay informed?
Finally, Chuck previews the Super Bowl between the Seahawks & Patriots and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
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Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
04:30 Washington Post lays off 1/3rd of its staff on orders from Bezos
06:15 Bezos told Woodward in 2013 he’d provide financial runway to the Post
07:00 Bezos just did the opposite of what he said he’d do
08:15 Matt Murray, editor of the post, isn’t in charge of business strategy
09:45 Cuts will affect all areas of the Post’s coverage
11:45 Structural issues at the Post have existed for years
13:00 The NYT diversified and it worked brilliantly
13:45 DC is an educated affluent market, comfortable paying for news
14:30 Bezos needed a leg up for Blue Origin in the space race
16:15 So why did 2013 Bezos buy the Post? Government contracts.
17:15 Amazon held almost an American Idol style bid process for HQ
18:00 Wish Amazon would have chosen St. Louis for HQ
21:15 Buying the Post was a way to curry favor for Amazon
22:00 Bezos saw the Post as a trophy that would help his other businesses
23:15 Trump cancelled a Bezos contract over unfavorable Post coverage
24:30 Bezos wasn’t interested in the success of the Post
26:45 Why not sell the Post? Trump would blame him for negative coverage
29:00 Whether the Post fails doesn’t matter to Bezos, his other businesses do
30:30 Bezos has only done one thing well: Building Amazon
31:30 High net worth doesn’t mean high IQ
33:30 WaPo was the regional and local authority in DC & is giving that up
35:30 Post wants to retreat and become just offer political coverage
36:45 Bezos is behaving like the metaphorical rich guy villain
37:45 Rich people play by their own rules and get away with everything
40:15 Blue collar anger is about to be coupled with white collar anger
41:00 The tech titans don’t know how to read the room
42:30 Biggest trade for Washington Wizards in years not covered by the Post
44:00 The Post won’t recover from this
50:15 Danny Funt joins the Chuck ToddCast
50:45 Rapid legalization of sports betting had unintended consequences
52:15 What made you want to cover the topic of sports betting?
52:45 Leagues took a hard pivot from anti to pro gambling
54:45 Major sportsbooks are household names, but very secretive
56:15 SCOTUS paved the way for state by state gambling with 2018 ruling
57:00 Courts provided gambling legislation due to inaction by congress
58:30 Gambling creating a massive increase in value for media rights
1:00:00 Adding gambling was a way to further hook viewers to sports
1:01:30 It’s hard to add new taxes, but vice taxes are able to pass
1:02:45 Legal betting is far more potent than betting through a bookie
1:04:15 Fanduel & Draftkings throwing money into politics to avoid regulation
1:05:45 Even modest regulation is rigorously opposed by gambling industry
1:07:15 Funding for support with gambling addiction is completely inadequate
1:08:30 Why wasn’t there a larger debate before rolling out mobile gambling?
1:09:15 Mobile gambling makes so much more money than physical books
1:10:30 Individual sports are more corruptible than team sports
1:11:15 Online betting is incredibly well geofenced
1:12:15 Putting “friction points” into the process helps with user safety
1:13:45 Gambling leads to rage & violent behavior & risks player safety
1:15:30 Gamblers have been arrested for threats to athletes over lost bets
1:16:15 Fans talking about games being “rigged” has been normalized
1:17:15 Individual players can collaborate on bets, trying to help friends
1:18:00 “Fixing” doesn’t necessarily mean “failing”
1:18:45 Prominent people in sports are alarmed & speaking out
1:19:45 Media won’t speak against it due to huge ad revenue from sportsbooks
1:22:15 NFL strongarmed reporters over concussions, gambling will be worse
1:25:45 Will we start regulating sports to make sure gambling is honest?
1:27:00 Referees in smaller, less visible conferences will be harder to police
1:27:30 Technology is being adopted to avoid corruptability of officials
1:29:00 Did writing this book change the way you watch sports?
1:30:45 Who controls Fanduel and Draftkings?
1:31:30 The leagues have equity stakes in the major sportsbooks
1:32:45 Major advertising similarities between tobacco and sportsbooks
1:33:45 What are the available gambling helpline resources/counseling like?
1:35:15 Stronger gambling culture in Europe, do they regulate it better?
1:36:15 American regulation completely ignored European precedent
1:37:15 Prediction markets are indistinguishable from betting markets
1:39:45 Legalization basically laid a trap for stupid people
1:42:00 Chuck’s thoughts on interview with Danny Funt
1:43:30 Super Bowl preview
1:49:00 Ask Chuck
1:49:15 What incentives allow congress to just fall in line behind the president?
1:53:15 Why aren’t we seeing bigger protests in the streets?
1:54:30 Is the divide between MAGA & liberal America unbridgeable?
2:01:45 Could Trump legally get a third term via the line of succession?
2:06:45 How concerned should we be with the FBI raid at Fulton county election office?
2:09:45 Is it unusual for the out party to get a bill through congress?
2:13:45 If the Senate ends up split, how is majority control determined?
2:16:30 If Talarico wins his primary, could he catch fire all the way to the White House?
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Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
02:00 Worst presidential corruption scandal ever couldn’t break through
03:15 Trump sold American foreign policy to UAE for personal gain
04:15 Story was jaw dropping, but was completely overshadowed
05:30 Trump’s threat to federalize elections broke through over corruption
06:30 Should you worry about what Trump is saying, or what he’s doing?
07:30 Trump is desperate to sell the lie that he won in 2020
08:15 Election inference rhetoric can be as powerful as election interference
09:30 Trump shutdown Kennedy Center because he was being humiliated
10:45 Trump was losing control of Kennedy Center narrative, made a spectacle
11:45 Trump has turned America into a kleptocracy, THAT should be the story
13:15 The corruption story disappeared from news cycle after a couple days
14:00 Editors lean on stories that get more traction rather than importance
15:00 Some of the guardrails still work, some of the time
15:45 After two deaths in Minneapolis, Trump backed down a bit
16:30 Trump does respond to political pain in polling
17:00 Trump didn’t pick a sycophant for Fed Chair, cares about markets
17:45 Trump responds to three types of pressure
19:30 Worried less about Trump’s election rhetoric than his foreign policy
20:00 Trump doesn’t have the power to override state elections
20:45 Trump’s election threats supercharge opposition turnout
21:30 Voters won’t be the check on corruption, congress has to be
22:30 Democracies don’t fall from coups, they erode
23:15 The scariest stories get attention, the most consequential get ignored
27:45 David S. Brown joins the Chuck ToddCast
29:45 Teddy Roosevelt is a magnet for historians
31:00 Research process for writing “In The Arena”
32:15 What drew you to Teddy Roosevelt as a book subject?
35:00 Large number of similarities between Roosevelt and Trump
36:00 Both Trump & Roosevelt are narcissists
37:00 Trump doesn’t have the crossover appeal of Roosevelt
38:15 Presidential primaries started under Roosevelt
39:30 Roosevelt was the rich guy who went after rich guys
41:45 Roosevelt never called himself a populist
42:15 Roosevelt wanted to do right by the working class
43:45 How would Roosevelt handle AI & concentration of wealth?
45:00 Roosevelt was very transactional in foreign affairs
45:30 He manufactured a separatist movement in Colombia
47:45 America didn’t have power to enforce Monroe Doctrine until 1900
49:00 Roosevelt wanted to police governments in western hemisphere
50:30 Goal was to indebt Latin American countries to the U.S.
51:15 He was always considered a disrupter despite wealthy connections
53:30 Roosevelt became a regular politician in 1884
54:00 Roosevelt was not a fan of William Jennings Bryan
55:30 Roosevelt was jealous of Bryan’s oratory skill
56:30 Would Roosevelt struggle in the TV era?
58:30 The imperial presidency originated under Roosevelt
1:01:00 Wilson & Roosevelt lamented not leading during seminal event
1:02:15 A Roosevelt government likely enters WW1 earlier
1:03:15 Roosevelt might have started the U.N. framework sooner
1:05:15 Political realignment was happening under Roosevelt
1:06:00 Parallels between now & Roosevelt era?
1:07:45 Roosevelt & Trump are mavericks not embraced by old guard
1:09:45 Multiple variables will affect the future of the “Trump coalition”
1:11:45 How do you define “the center” in American politics?
1:13:15 There are more base Republicans than Democrats, Dems need moderates
1:14:45 How much of the electorate resides in the political center?
1:16:00 The parties themselves are basically multi-party coalitions
1:18:00 Which president do we not have enough scholarship on?
1:21:45 How should citizens celebrate the 250th anniversary of America?
1:25:00 Chuck’s thoughts on the interview with David S. Brown
1:25:30 Democrats will lose seats after 2030 census
1:28:00 Parties can work for realignment & flipping states
1:28:45 House of Representatives needs to be doubled in size
1:30:15 Base voters expect immediate results, leaders need to think long-term
1:30:45 Democrats need a Project 2032 and invest to win 5–10 new states
1:31:30 ToddCast Top 5 states Democrats should be targeting NOW
1:32:30 #1 North Carolina
1:35:00 #2 Texas
1:36:45 #3 Kansas
1:38:45 #4 Georgia
1:39:45 #5 Arizona
1:40:15 Honorable mentions
1:41:30 Democrats should use “first in the nation” primary status to advantage
1:42:15 Democrats had 12 states submit for first in the nation status
1:44:15 Tennessee as first in the nation would be interesting
1:46:15 Tennessee’s electorate seems gettable for Democrats eventually
1:48:30 Democrats have a major problem come 2032 if they don’t address it now
1:49:15 Ask Chuck
1:49:30 Thoughts on moving from network to independent journalist?
1:53:45 How to avoid being fatigued by the news and keeping hope alive?
1:54:15 Trump threatening troops to protect Iranians while attacking Minnesota?
1:59:00 What’s your take on NIL & transfer portal in college football?
2:03:30 Basis for your confidence in Jon Ossoff & thoughts on Auburn coach?
2:08:00 What issues will be top of mind for voters leading into midterms?
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