Hacks On Tap

By Vox MediaNews Government News Commentary Politics

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10th
on Government
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Typical duration
65 min
per episode
If it hooks
58%
finish an episode

Based on Podcast App listening data

Hacks On Tap episodes

October 14, 2025 Ceasefire Abroad, Crossfire at Home (with Rahm Emanuel)
This week, Axe and Heilemann were joined by Rahm Emanuel — former White House Chief of Staff, two-term Mayor of Chicago, ex-Ambassador to Japan, and a true Hack’s Hack. The Hacks dive into the new Gaza peace accord, Trump’s shifting attention to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and his curious relationship with Putin, the optics of the ongoing government shutdown, ICE’s brutality in American cities, and so much more.

Photo by Evan Vucci via Pool/Getty Images

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1 hr 11 min
October 07, 2025 Orbánized Crime
This week, all three Hacks convened to break down a whirlwind week in politics — from Trump sending troops to Chicago and ICE’s recruitment and tactics, to the contrasting leadership styles of Newsom and Pritzker heading into 2024. They also discuss the shutdown negotiations, Ghislaine’s pardon request, CBS, Prop 50, and a bit of good old-fashioned pearl-clutching. Buckle up!

Photo by Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images

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1 hr 8 min
October 01, 2025 From Watergate to Water-Weight (with Charlie Sykes)
This week Murphy and Heilemann were joined by the sharp-witted Charlie Sykes — author of How the Right Lost Its Mind and host of the Substack newsletter and podcast To the Contrary. The Hacks dive into an exhaustingly eventful week: Hegseth’s body-shaming of our troops, Trump declaring a war from within, the chaotic deployment of ICE and the military to U.S. cities, the looming shutdown, Comey’s indictment, and the first crack in Trump’s armor. And so much more!

Photo by Alex Wong via Getty Images

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1 hr 4 min
September 23, 2025 Unindefinetly (with Kasie Hunt)
This week Axe and Murphy are joined by the formidable Kasie Hunt — anchor of The Arena with Kasie Hunt on CNN, and CNN’s chief national affairs analyst. Together, the Hacks dive into Trump’s UN speech (and his battle with an escalator), the reinstatement of Jimmy Kimmel and Trump’s campaign of fear with the FCC as his megaphone, Charlie Kirk’s memorial service, the looming government shutdown, and so much more!

Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld via Getty Images

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1 hr 4 min
September 16, 2025 I’m right, you’re wrong (with Jonathan Martin)
This week, Axe and Murphy — still a little under the weather but never short on opinions — are joined by Hack regular and ace political analyst Jonathan Martin of Politico. The Hacks take on a turbulent week in American politics: the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Utah Governor Spencer Cox’s leadership, the rise of rage-bait and true believers, skeleton keys and conspiracy theories, attempts to whitewash U.S. history, and Trump’s royal jaunt to meet the king.

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1 hr 6 min
September 09, 2025 Uninviting Mr. Rogers (with Jen Psaki)
The Hacks are back — and better than ever. To kick off our brand-new partnership with the Vox Media Podcast Network, Axe and Murphy are joined by none other than political heavyweight Jen Psaki — former White House press secretary, MSNBC host, and one of the most incisive voices in politics today.Together, the Hacks tackle the week’s political circus: the “Department of War”, Trump’s troop talk in Chicago, redistricting battles, the Epstein birthday book, New York’s mayoral drama, RFK Jr.’s latest — and plenty more!

Hacks on Tap is proudly a part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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1 hr 3 min
August 26, 2025 Soldiers Field (with Rahm Emanuel)
The Hacks are back! There’s just too much news for us to leave you alone, so we’re pulling up a stool with veteran Hackeroo, Chicago native, former White House chief of staff, and U.S. ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel. The Hacks dive into Trump’s threats to send the National Guard to Chicago, his increasingly loud campaign against mail-in ballots and the 2020 census, the weaponization of the Justice Department, redistricting as a national flashpoint, Big Macs, bridges, and so much more!

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1 hr 4 min
August 19, 2025 Strongmen, Weak Deals (with Ron Brownstein)
This week, Axe and Murphy are joined by the incomparable Hackeroo Ron Brownstein, senior editor at The Atlantic and CNN’s senior political analyst. Together, they unpack Trump’s sit-downs with Putin, Zelensky, and other foreign leaders; the shifting balance of power at home and abroad; the state of the economy and crime; redistricting battles; the latest culture war skirmishes — and plenty more along the way.

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1 hr 10 min
August 12, 2025 Monumental Power Grab (with Paul Begala)
This week, Murphy and Heilemann welcome Paul Begala — longtime Democratic strategist and political hand who’s seen just about everything Washington can throw at you. The Hacks break down Trump’s Beltway power grab and what it means for D.C.’s mayor — and mayors nationwide. They dig into Trump’s “flood the zone” strategy to sidestep the Epstein story, the Texas Democrats’ walkout over redistricting, and how it all could shape the midterm elections.

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1 hr 11 min
August 05, 2025 Drawn Out Democracy (with Adam Kinzinger)
This week, Axe and Heilemann are joined by former Congressman Adam Kinzinger — Air Force veteran, author, and one of the most candid voices in Washington. The guys try to help Axe make sense of the Sydney Sweeney controversy, unpack the latest drama at the Department of Defense, and dive into inflation, job numbers, the Texas redistricting adventure, Trump’s foreign frenemies, and so much more!

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1 hr 8 min

About Hacks On Tap

From the publisher's feed

When David Axelrod, Mike Murphy, and John Heilemann get together to talk politics, it’s not academic. They speak from the perspective gained through hundreds of campaigns for offices from City Hall to the White House. So if you want to know what’s really going on behind the scenes, where strategic decisions are being made, pull up a stool for Hacks on Tap. Incisive, sometimes uproarious and always entertaining, these political warhorses and their guests will give you insights you’ll only get from folks who have spent a lifetime in the political trenches of both parties.