Asha Rangappa, Stuart Stevens, and Jasmine Wright join Harry to break down cratering Republican poll numbers, Trump’s quixotic media ban, Susan Collin’s quid-pro-quo scandal, and the news out of the UN General Assembly. Are polls showing a lopsided Democratic advantage to be believed? How is the allegation of a pay-to-play donation scheme changing the Maine Senate race? And hasn’t Trump’s move to ban a trio of outlets from the White House just cost him the attention he craves and requires? 

Mentioned in this episode:
Asha’s Substack.
Stuart’s Lincoln Square.
Stuart’s Substack.
Jasmine’s reporting.
Harry’s column about the press ban.
ProPublica’s reporting about Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding.
ProPublica’s reporting about Susan Collins.

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When Donald Trump retook the White House, many of the most powerful Americans—including many who resisted him in his first term—hurried to bend a knee. Jacob Weisberg wanted to understand why. He joins Harry for a conversation about his study of that capitulation: Profiles in Cowardice. Jacob breaks down the often confounding reasons these people knowingly betrayed their principles. After digging into some of the worst offenders, like Mitch McConnell, George W. Bush, and John Roberts, the pair turn to the tactics needed to counter what Jacob calls the “contagion of cowardice.”

Mentioned in this episode:
Jacob's book.
Harry's column about a story of small-scale resistance succeeding. 

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For the latest Contrarian episode, Norm Eisen, Rep. Tom Malinowski, and Jen Rubin join Harry to stake out their cautious optimism about Trump’s declining strength. The panel takes stock of the administration’s vital Supreme Court defeat in the mail-in ballots case before looking at the ways the wheels are falling off the DOJ's opaque "grand conspiracy" investigation. Finally, with rising gas prices lifting Democrats' midterm hopes, the group assess what actions Democrats need to take if they regain the House or Senate come November.

Mentioned in this episode:
Check out the video version of this episode.
The Contrarian.
Harry’s column about the mail-in ruling.
Harry’s Substack Live with Steve Vladeck about the mail-in ruling. 
Jen’s column about how Democrats should use the power of the purse.
Tom’s article about what Democrats should do with a majority.

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The Michigan Senate race may make or break Democrats' hopes of wresting control of the Senate from Donald Trump. It also produced one of the party’s hardest primary fights, with three candidates representing different camps within it. State Senator Mallory McMorrow had better than a front-row seat. Having withdrawn late in the race, she’s now thrown her full support behind nominee Abdul El-Sayed. She fills Harry in on why she thinks the primary was ultimately good for the party, where Democrats are heading long-term, and the issues that will decide the winner in November.

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Emily Bazelon, Erin Burnett, and Susan Glasser join Harry to try to decipher whether Trump would rather win the midterms or steal them. Time and again, the president has bewildered Republicans with politically damaging moves and comments. But if the Supreme Court lets Trump have his way with mail-in ballots, a stacked deck might more than compensate for his self-sabotage. Could Trump's postal voting overhaul turn the midterms? Will the Republicans rue their big convention in Texas? And what the hell is going on with Pete Hegseth?

Mentioned in this episode:
Emily’s reporting.
Emily’s podcast.
Erin’s show.
Susan’s column and podcast.

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In their newest mashup, Harry and Molly Jong-Fast trade questions about corruption, accountability, and Trump’s legal schemes. Molly asks how Trump officials and members of his family might ever face justice, even if Trump pardons them, and what the heck is going on with Trump’s Supreme Court fight over mail-in ballots. Harry wants to know what the Dems need to do to unite around a cohesive message heading into the midterms, and why celebrities and other famous figures have largely stayed out of the political fray in Trump 2.0

Mentioned in this episode:

Molly’s podcast. ⁠

Molly’s Substack.

Harry’s Substack on the ballroom ruling.

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Harry's special roundtable this week focuses on the fortunes of the Democratic Party. Three top political thinkers—Micah Lasher, Amanda Litman, and Michael Steele—assess Democrats' prospects in the midterms and 2028. They break down what the party needs to do—beyond opposing Trump—and how it can harness the energy and message of recent progressive successes without falling victim to intra-party division. Finally, they offer their ideas for the longer-term vision of the country that the Dems should stand for.

Mentioned in this episode:
The ⁠video version⁠ of this episode.
Micah's Substack.
Amanda's Substack.
Michael's analysis. 

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Harry talks with Judge Mark Wolf about what the abuses by President Trump and Todd Blanche look like through the eyes of a veteran judge. Judge Wolf—who left the federal bench last year after a decades long career that began with a stint in the post-Watergate Justice Department—explains the overlooked crime he believes Trump committed with the creation of the slush fund, why he feels judges need to more aggressively pursue contempt findings, and what it’ll take to restore the righteous Department he once knew.

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The start of the Todd Blanche era at the Department of Justice also marks the start of the video era at Talking Feds. Ken Dilanian, Frank Figliuzzi, and Katie Phang join Harry in technicolor (on YouTube, at least) to break down Blanche’s first moves as Attorney General, Katie’s lawsuit to force him to release Epstein material, Jeanine Pirro’s unsettling failures in a serious criminal case, and the looming trial of James Comey.

Mentioned in this episode:
The video version of this episode. 
Ken’s reporting.
Frank’s Substack.
Katie’s Substack.
Katie’s YouTube.
Harry’s column about the MS-13 case. 
Harry’s column about Comey’s vindictive prosecution motion.
Lawfare’s reporting about J6 reoffenders.

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David Graham, former Senator Heidi Heitkamp, and Norm Ornstein join Harry to break down another strange week in Trumpland. Alex Vindman’s shocking defeat in Florida’s Democratic Senate primary intensified debates about how much appetite the party has for the all-out “Resistance” tactics of Trump 1.0, including impeachment. Meanwhile, the story of the beleaguered USS Abraham Lincoln prompted new criticism of the administration’s wartime failings. And finally, what’s the deal with Trump’s emotional support aide and “human printer,” Natalie Harp?

Mentioned in this episode:
David's reporting.
Norm's podcast.
David Frum's article about the "Resistance."
Jonathan Chait's article about the "Resistance."

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