Dream City Podcast

On this week’s Dream City Podcast, Cuneyt and Tom unpack a chaotic new chapter in the D.C. mayor’s race after a heated debate between the frontrunners — plus a surprising comeback bid by former council member Jack Evans.

They also dive into a growing clash between the Trump administration and local leaders over plans to remove a key bike lane near the National Mall, and what it signals about the future of home rule.

Later, they discuss renewed concerns about large youth gatherings across the city and the political fight over temporary curfews.

In the speed round: looming parking garages in the Commanders’ RFK stadium plans, Congress targeting D.C.’s traffic cameras, Robert Mueller’s legacy (and style), and why Mayor Bowser’s upcoming budget could reshape the campaign.

00:00 Introduction + Gridiron Dinner

04:09 Mayoral Debate Goes Off The Rails

07:30 Jack Evans Comeback Bid vs Phil Mendelson

09:53 Trump Admin Wants to Remove 15th St Bike Lane

19:04 Teen Takeovers and Youth Curfews

23:19 Speed Round: RFK Stadium's Big Parking Garages

26:27 Speed Round: Congress Targets D.C. Traffic Cameras

28:52 Speed Round: Robert Mueller, D.C. Style Icon

30:30 Speed Round: Bowser’s Budget and April 1 Showdown

The Dream City Podcast is supported by launch partner SpotlightDC: Capital City Fund for Investigative Journalism.

The Dream City Podcast will hold the powerful accountable and take you inside D.C.’s business and political worlds. Along the way: Revelatory conversations with city officials, business leaders, and the best-sourced journalists in town.

The Dream City Podcast is a product of COSMOS Media LLC.

D.C. Council member Kenyan McDuffie is running for mayor — and he joined Dream City for a wide-ranging conversation about affordability, crime, and how he’d deal with President Trump.

McDuffie opened up about growing up in Stronghold during the crack epidemic, losing friends to gun violence, and the experiences that shaped his public safety agenda. He argued he's the most prepared candidate in the race, pointing to his housing record, public safety legislation, and push for “baby bonds” to address generational poverty.

Cuneyt and Tom pressed him on tough questions — from police staffing levels and property tax relief to campaign strategy and criticism that he hasn’t been visible enough on the trail.

They also talked about the future of Washington: redeveloping federal buildings downtown, funding Metro, robo-taxis and AI.

This is part of Dream City’s interview series with candidates competing to shape the city’s next chapter.

00:00 Introduction to the Dream City Podcast

00:54 Growing Up in Stronghold + D.C.'s Crack Epidemic

07:43 Trauma, Gun Violence, and Losing Friends

10:21 Postal Service Job That Changed His Life

15:15 From Eleanor Holmes Norton’s Office to Civil Rights Lawyer

18:14 Why He’s Running for Mayor

19:06 Making D.C. the “Most Affordable City”

21:36 His Housing Record vs Bowser + Opponents

27:53 Property Taxes, Parking Tickets, and Campaign Missteps

34:52 Baby Bonds and Breaking Generational Poverty

43:35 The NEAR Act + Public Health Approach to Crime

50:46 Police Staffing, Overtime, and Public Safety Debate

55:10 Campaign Strategy + “Low Energy” Criticism

01:00:37 How He’d Handle President Trump

01:03:41 Redeveloping RFK, Union Station, and Federal Buildings

01:09:35 Metro Funding and Economic Growth Strategy

01:11:02 K Street Transitway, Bike Lanes, and Transportation Vision

01:14:15 Waymo, AI, and Height Act

01:18:53 Management Style + Staying Grounded in Politics

The Dream City Podcast is supported by launch partner SpotlightDC: Capital City Fund for Investigative Journalism.

The Dream City Podcast will hold the powerful accountable and take you inside D.C.’s business and political worlds. Along the way: Revelatory conversations with city officials, business leaders, and the best-sourced journalists in town.

The Dream City Podcast is a product of COSMOS Media LLC.

In a wide-ranging interview, D.C. Council member Brooke Pinto shares her journey from childhood in Connecticut to her political career, why she wants to represent D.C. in Congress, and how she would deal with President Trump and Republicans on Capitol Hill.

Pinto is running to succeed retiring Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton in a crowded race that includes her council colleague Robert White. She explains what sets her apart — pointing to her public safety record, her role passing the Secure DC crime bill, and her strategy for building influence in Congress despite the delegate’s lack of a vote.

Cuneyt and Tom cover a lot of ground, from crime trends and ICE in D.C. to the politics of the delegate race and the challenge of negotiating with a Republican-controlled Congress.

They also dive into the future of the city: the Height Act, the expansion of gambling parlors in D.C., the future of Waymo, the redevelopment of federal buildings downtown, and what Pinto would tell Trump ahead of America’s 250th anniversary.

This is part of Dream City’s interview series with candidates shaping the future of Washington.

00:00 Introduction to the Dream City Podcast

00:37 Growing Up in Connecticut + Early Influences

02:41 The “Saltine Crackers” School Story

05:11 The “Believe in Magic” Sign + Ikigai Philosophy

07:31 Coming to DC, Georgetown Law, and Working for Karl Racine

11:32 Why Pinto Ran for DC Council

15:02 Why Her Campaign Color Is Pink

17:10 Why She’s Running for Congress

17:54 Her Case Against Robert White

20:44 Her Secure DC Act + Reducing Crime

22:50 How Will She Represent Black Washingtonians?

29:36 How a Non-Voting Delegate Builds Influence in Congress

33:24 Negotiating With — or Confronting — Republicans

41:45 Campaign Fundraising and Momentum

43:03 What She’d Say to Donald Trump

48:40 Future of Downtown Development + Federal Buildings

52:07 The Height Act and Building More Housing

54:16 Gambling and Casinos

56:58 Waymo and Futuristic Tech

59:21 Closing Remarks

The Dream City Podcast is supported by launch partner SpotlightDC: Capital City Fund for Investigative Journalism.

The Dream City Podcast will hold the powerful accountable and take you inside D.C.’s business and political worlds. Along the way: Revelatory conversations with city officials, business leaders, and the best-sourced journalists in town.

The Dream City Podcast is a product of COSMOS Media LLC.

Cuneyt and Tom talk about D.C.'s mayoral candidates throwing jabs as the election heats up. Plus, the city's finances are a mess, now made worse by Congress overturning the city's tax code.

In the speed round, Cuneyt talks about a new effort to get rid of the Height Act while Tom finds a Gallup survey that says basically no one wants to go back to the office.

00:00 Introduction

02:13 Overheard at DC Restaurant: Iran Strikes

05:51 A Simmering Mayor's Race

09:08 Kenyan McDuffie Meets With Adrian Fenty

15:43 Zohran's Oval Office Stunner

20:54 DC's Financial Challenges

25:17 DC Could Use a Tabloid

26:59 "Let DC Build" Wants Height Act Nixed

28:43 Basically No One Wants To Go Back To The Office

30:48 Local Tea Success Story

31:49 In memoriam: Graylan Hagler

The Dream City Podcast is supported by launch partner SpotlightDC: Capital City Fund for Investigative Journalism.

The Dream City Podcast will hold the powerful accountable and take you inside D.C.’s business and political worlds. Along the way: Revelatory conversations with city officials, business leaders, and the best-sourced journalists in town.

The Dream City Podcast is a product of COSMOS Media LLC.

Council member Janeese Lewis George is running for D.C. mayor — and she joined to talk about how she'd handle President Trump, how she'd pay for a child care expansion, and her vision for the future of Washington.

Cuneyt and Tom covered a lot of ground, from her stance on zero cooperation with ICE to ways JLG would try to find areas of agreement with the Trump administration (see: downtown development).

This is the first in what we hope will be a 2026 mayoral race interview series.

00:00 Introduction to the Dream City Podcast

01:06 Growing up in D.C.

06:57 How Will You Fund Child Care For All?

10:55 Addressing Education and Truancy Issues

15:28 Are There Wasted Dollars In Big Education Budget?

19:04 JLG's Management Style

21:14 D.C. Police Staffing + Public Safety

26:09 D.C.'s Youth Curfew + Crime

27:46 JLG's Stance On ICE

30:12 Exploring Areas of Common Ground With Trump Admin

32:34 Vision For Downtown D.C.'s Future

36:06 Democratic Socialism

37:21 Addressing Affordability

39:29 JLG Defends Her Record

41:27 Artificial Intelligence

42:33 Robotaxis and Waymo

43:17 RFK Stadium development

45:47 Being Mayor

The Dream City Podcast is supported by launch partner SpotlightDC: Capital City Fund for Investigative Journalism.

The Dream City Podcast will hold the powerful accountable and take you inside D.C.’s business and political worlds. Along the way: Revelatory conversations with city officials, business leaders, and the best-sourced journalists in town.

The Dream City Podcast is a product of COSMOS Media LLC.

D.C.'s newest (interim) council member Doni Crawford joins to talk about whether D.C. is in a recession, how city hall will budget during one of the most difficult years in recent memory, and how she got to the Wilson Building.

00:00 Introduction to Council member Doni Crawford

01:28 Is DC In a Recession?

02:45 Congress Smacks Down DC Tax Changes

06:44 DC's Recession-Like Budget Year

10:27 Doni Crawford's Personal Life Story

16:02 Behind the Scenes: An Unprecedented DC Council Appointment

20:20 Council Chairman Phil Mendelson Behind the Scenes

22:40 Affordability in DC

24:33 Why Doesn't the DC Council Have an Education Committee?

25:29 Campaigning for the Seat

28:05 DC Snow Response and Accountability

31:20 Will You Endorse Mayoral Candidate?

The Dream City Podcast is supported by launch partner SpotlightDC: Capital City Fund for Investigative Journalism.

The Dream City Podcast will hold the powerful accountable and take you inside D.C.’s business and political worlds. Along the way: Revelatory conversations with city officials, business leaders, and the best-sourced journalists in town.

The Dream City Podcast is a product of COSMOS Media LLC.

In this President's Day Episode, Cuneyt and Tom talk about city hall bracing for a recession-like budget, after DOGE hammered D.C. jobs economy. Mayor Bowser says tough choices are ahead. Progressives warn the social safety net is is being dismantled.

Plus, one of the worst sewage spills in U.S. history is happening in the Potomac River. Local leaders should speak up more about the environmental disaster, Tom says.

And last but not least, Cuneyt and Tom bat around a lightning round of topics, including Metro's rebounding ridership and a DOGE'd federal worker who's now running for mayor.

00:00 Introduction and Presidents Day Fun

01:00 DC's Recession-Like Budget Challenges

02:49 Impact of Federal Tax Changes on DC Budget

04:36 Spending Grew During Pandemic

05:02 Childcare Subsidy and Budget Trade-offs

08:28 Progressives Fight Against Dismantling of Safety Net

11:11 Mamdani Effect

11:54 Environmental Disaster: Sewage Spill in Potomac

13:20 Public Health Concerns and Sewage Management

16:10 Fishing and Recreational Impact on Potomac

19:15 News Speed Round and Local Developments

The Dream City Podcast is supported by launch partner SpotlightDC: Capital City Fund for Investigative Journalism.

The Dream City Podcast will hold the powerful accountable and take you inside D.C.’s business and political worlds. Along the way: Revelatory conversations with city officials, business leaders, and the best-sourced journalists in town.

The Dream City Podcast is a product of COSMOS Media LLC.

The Washington Post laid off 300 journalists in an apocalyptic week for local media. Then embattled CEO Will Lewis also got the boot. Cuneyt and Tom discuss what's next for the Post — and reveal the media scheming underway to fill the void.

Plus, it's a heated election season as fundraise reports come due in the mayoral and D.C. delegate races.

And Trump world is obsessed with classical architecture — so much so that it wants the new Commanders stadium to look even more, erm, classical, thank you very much.

00:00 Turmoil at the Washington Post After Mass Layoffs

09:44 Media Companies Jockey To Enter Void

14:39 Following the Money on Campaign Fundraising

20:01 Trump Allies Want More Classical Design at Commanders Stadium

The Dream City Podcast is supported by launch partner SpotlightDC: Capital City Fund for Investigative Journalism.

The Dream City Podcast will hold the powerful accountable and take you inside D.C.’s business and political worlds. Along the way: Revelatory conversations with city officials, business leaders, and the best-sourced journalists in town.

The Dream City Podcast is a product of COSMOS Media LLC.

Mayor Bowser caught flak last week after the city struggled to clear out snow and ice. Mayoral candidates swooped in with their own criticisms.

In this episode, Tom Sherwood is out this week, and joining Cuneyt is Michael Schaffer, longtime D.C. journalist and co-host of the City Cast D.C. podcast.

Mike talked about his exclusive interview with John Norton, the son of the retiring Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, about the behind-the-scenes persuading it took to get her 88-year-old mother to bow out.

And we took another lap around what Trump is up to as DMV mayor. This episode was recorded before Trump made even more news — announcing late Sunday night he would close the Kennedy Center for a two-year renovation. Cuneyt and Mike talked about Trump's plans for a Grand Prix race and his gigantic 250-foot arch.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

02:44 Snowstorm Aftermath and Public Response

05:38 Mayor Bowser's Missteps

08:32 Snow Politics In Mayor's Race

15:35 Interview with John Norton, Son of Eleanor Holmes Norton

24:14 Trump the DMV Mayor: Grand Prix Race and Building Massive DC Arch

39:09 Closing Thoughts and Reflections

The Dream City Podcast is supported by launch partner SpotlightDC: Capital City Fund for Investigative Journalism.

The Dream City Podcast will hold the powerful accountable and take you inside D.C.’s business and political worlds. Along the way: Revelatory conversations with city officials, business leaders, and the best-sourced journalists in town.

The Dream City Podcast is a product of COSMOS Media LLC.

The 2026 D.C. mayoral race is off to a heated start, with claims to fundraising records by both candidates Kenyan McDuffie and Janeese Lewis George.

In this episode of the Dream City Podcast, Cuneyt and Tom are joined by NBC4's Mark Segraves to talk about how the D.C. Council cut out the public as it picks an interim council member.

Plus, we talk about the new Commanders stadium's monumental design — and the path ahead, including whether fans will be priced out.

00:00 Headlines

02:37 Kenyan McDuffie Jumps into the Mayoral Race

03:47 McDuffie's Stance on ICE and DC

07:49 Affordability

09:30 Fundraising Wars: McDuffie vs Janeese Lewis George

11:42 Janeese's Big Howard Theatre Rally

13:39 Who Else Might Run?

14:23 Tom Sherwood's Not Running

15:23 The Interim Council Member Appointment Process

20:46 Political Dynamics in D.C. Council

22:35 Budgeting Challenges Ahead

23:41 The New Commanders Stadium Design

28:01 Gambling Parlor at New Stadium

28:52 Future of Old RFK Stadium Artifacts

31:16 Will Fans Get Priced Out?

The Dream City Podcast is supported by launch partner SpotlightDC: Capital City Fund for Investigative Journalism.

The Dream City Podcast will hold the powerful accountable and take you inside D.C.’s business and political worlds. Along the way: Revelatory conversations with city officials, business leaders, and the best-sourced journalists in town.

The Dream City Podcast is a product of COSMOS Media LLC.