There are more than 30,000 state judges in America. And the vast, vast majority of them are not shielded from politics: They have to fight for their seats in elections. Sometimes very contentious elections, funded by millions of dollars in dark money. Is that a good idea? And what does it mean for how justice works in our country?

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The U.S. Supreme Court does not have an army to enforce its rulings, the way the President does. It doesn't control budgets, the way Congress does. So what happens when the process to nominate and confirm judges becomes so politicized that people start to lose faith in the courts?

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Mitch McConnell knows that he is not popular. But, he says, the only judgment that really matters is on election day. And of the people who have challenged him, he says, "so far, there have been nine losers."

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Mitch McConnell says he never expected Donald Trump to become president. And during the campaign, he was openly critical of Trump's rhetoric. So how are these two very different men working together now? And how are they changing the country?

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Mitch McConnell continues his rivalry with John McCain, and dramatically changes the role of money in American politics.

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A lot of us don't pay much attention to money in politics. But Mitch McConnell does. And unlike most politicians, he speaks bluntly in favor of more political spending, not less. That stance led to a long battle with one Senator, who fought McConnell harder than just about anyone else.

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Mitch McConnell has been described as "opaque," "drab," and even "dull." He is one of the least popular - and most polarizing - politicians in the country. So how did he win eight consecutive elections? And what does it tell us about how he operates?

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Coming soon from NPR's Embedded: How did Mitch McConnell become one of the most powerful people in the world? And how did he change America in the process? Episodes available beginning May 30, 2019.

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In 2015, Bashir Shikder returned from an overseas trip to an empty house. His wife had taken his two young children to live in the Islamic State. For the past four years he's done everything he can to try to get them back. And now that ISIS has lost all his territory, he wants to know... Where are they?

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How It Ends: Judgment

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