Ken Rudin's Political Junkie

Ken Rudin's Political Junkie episodes:

• 04.04.2024

  Episode #412: Old McDaniel Told A Lie

  NPR’s David Folkenflik sorts out the brouhaha NBC News found itself in when it hired Ronna McDaniel as a paid commentator — a hire that lasted all of four days.  An all-staff mutiny followed her new employment, given her role...

  
• 03.12.2024

  Episode #411: A Sense Of Yuma After Sinema’s Departure

  The announcement by Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat-turned-independent, that she would not seek a second term was hardly a surprise.  But it shook up a key Senate race in a body where Republicans are closing in on a majority. ...

  
• 03.01.2024

  Episode #410: California Girls (And Guys)

  Mark Z. Barabak of the Los Angeles Times sets up Tuesday’s California Senate primary for the seat once held by Dianne Feinstein.  A race long dominated by three Democratic House members — Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee —...

  
• 02.09.2024

  Episode #409: Swift Paranoia Taylor-Made For MAGA

  Yale Prof. Kathryn Lofton explores the whole Taylor Swift rumor mill lunacy and explains the pitfalls celebrities encounter as they decide whether to use their fame for political ends. And Spectrum News New York political director Bob Hardt dissects the upcoming...

  
• 01.20.2024

  Episode #408: New Hampshire, Where Trump Came, Saw and Concord?

  We speak to two veterans of New Hampshire politics, former Republican state chair Fergus Cullen and longtime Democratic state lawmaker Lou D’Allesandro.  Cullen maintains that despite sizable dissatisfaction among Republicans with Donald Trump, Nikki Haley does not look like she...

  
• 01.12.2024

  Episode #407: Farewell To 2023, Bracing For 2024

  Former Partner-in-Crime Ron Elving returns to the Political Junkie for a review of 2023 and what to expect in 2024 when, by most accounts, the presidential contest will be a repeat of four years ago:  Joe Biden vs. Donald Trump.

  
• 12.06.2023

  Episode #406: Farewell To The Trailblazers

  Jonathan Alter, author of a great biography about Jimmy Carter, talks about the significant role played during his life by Rosalynn Carter, his life partner and first lady, who died last month at 93. We replayed a 2019 interview with Evan...

  
• 11.04.2023

  Episode #405: Pence Is Out; Is Choice In?

  We preview two big elections that will be decided on Tuesday.  Al Cross analyzes the gubernatorial contest in ruby red Kentucky, where Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, running on his record and support for reproductive rights, is thought to be favored...

  
• 10.26.2023

  Episode #404: Master Of The House (For Now)

  The House took some three weeks following the ouster of Kevin McCarthy, but there is a new Speaker:  Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana.  We follow the road to victory and discuss Donald Trump’s self-proclaimed role of kingmaker. In addition: — We talk...

  
• 10.06.2023

  Episode #403: Goodbye To DiFi … And Kevin Too

  KQED’s Scott Shafer talks of the trailblazing career of Dianne Feinstein, the longtime California senator who died last month at 90. And we watch history in the making as Kevin McCarthy is ousted as Speaker of the House, the first time...

  
• 09.26.2023

  Episode #402: Murphy’s Law — On Romney, Haley And The Debates

  Republican strategist Mike Murphy gives Mitt Romney high marks for his candid “exit interview” from the Senate.  He also sings reluctant praise for Nikki Haley, expresses his disappointment with Tim Scott, and sets up this week’s second GOP debate. And Jack...

  
• 09.10.2023

  Episode #401: From The Archives, Gone, But Not Forgotten

  The political world lost two friends of the Political Junkie in recent days, New Mexico Democrat Bill Richardson and New Hampshire Republican Gerald Carmen.  We celebrate them both this week, replaying conversations we had with them years ago. Music in this...

  
• 08.25.2023

  Episode #400: Larry Hogan’s Heroes

  Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan gives his review of Wednesday’s Republican debate, talks about his plans for the future, and remembers back to his father’s courageous decision to back the impeachment of President Nixon in 1974. PLUS:  Winners and losers of...

  
• 08.17.2023

  Episode #399: Senate Health and Politics

  The alarming freeze of Mitch McConnell and the seeming deterioration of Dianne Feinstein have put a new focus on not only the health of two key members of the Senate but on the politics of the body as well.  Carl...

  
• 01.13.2023

  Episode #398: Kevin Can’t Wait

  Republican strategist Vin Weber gives us the inside scoop of Kevin McCarthy’s ultimately successful bid to become Speaker of the House.  Former RNC chair Michael Steele sets up this month’s election for his old job, as incumbent Ronna McDaniel faces...

  
• 12.16.2022

  Episode #397: Sinema Vérité

  Carl Hulse of the New York Times talks about the decision by Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema to switch from the Democratic Party and become an independent.  He also talks about other famous Senate party switches — Arlen Specter, Joe Lieberman...

  
• 11.30.2022

  Episode #396: 51 Or 50, And Fight

  Greg Bluestein of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution sets up next week’s Georgia Senate runoff between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker.  Regardless of the outcome, Democrats are assured of control of the Senate. PLUS:  Trump’s “My Dinner with Bigots.” Music...

  
• 11.23.2022

  Episode #395: Trump’s Problems, Pelosi’s Decision And A 2022 Wrap

  The votes were still being counted but the news was being made elsewhere.  Donald Trump announced his candidacy but then was hit with two bombshells:  The Justice Department named a special counsel to investigate the national security documents he took...

  
• 10.30.2022

  Episode #394: Women Yes, Abortion Rights Maybe

  Debbie Walsh, the director of the Center for American Women and Politics, discusses the number of women running in next week’s elections, and what it might — or might not — say about the future of reproductive rights. We go back...

  
• 10.23.2022

  Episode #393: Keystone State May Be Key To Senate Majority

  Jonathan Tamari of the Philadelphia Inquirer lays out the Pennsylvania Senate race between Mehmet Oz, the Republican nominee, and John Fetterman, the Democratic candidate.  Fetterman was thought to have a sizable lead for most of the year but the GOP...

  
• 10.07.2022

  Episode #392: O Father, Where Art Thou?

  Greg Bluestein of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports on the myriad of controversies and alleged scandals surrounding Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker.  The latest — reports that the anti-abortion Republican paid for an ex-girlfriend’s abortion — would suggest that his challenge...

  
• 08.15.2022

  Episode #391: She Has Everything But The Voters

  We talk to our old pal Alan Simpson, the former Wyoming senator, who talks about his long relationship with Liz Cheney, the congresswoman who is in danger of losing her primary on August 16th.  Simpson says that even if she...

  
• 07.29.2022

  Episode #390: A Risk Of Failin’ For Cheney And Palin

  The political future of two well-known Republican women — Liz Cheney and Sarah Palin — will be determined by the voters next month.  The August 16th primaries in Wyoming and Alaska may end the careers of both President Trump’s strongest...

  
• 06.13.2022

  Episode #389: The Facts Are There. Is Anyone Listening?

  A quick review of the first installment of the January 6th committee’s hearings to learn what exactly happened in the time leading up to the insurrection — what Donald Trump and his co-conspirators knew and did — as well as...

  
• 05.17.2022

  Episode #388: Is Trump The Wizard For Oz? And Whither Cawthorn?

  A quick look at the primaries at stake on May 17th.  Most eyes will be on Pennsylvania, where Donald Trump has put his weight behind Dr. Mehmet Oz, and in North Carolina, where Rep. Madison Cawthorn’s bizarre behavior may finally...

  
• 05.02.2022

  Episode #387: Trump’s Endorsements, Many Of Them Real People

  Claremont McKenna College professor Jack Pitney talks about the power of Donald Trump endorsements, which propels many — but not all — candidates to victory. Greg Bluestein of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution sets the stage for the May 24 primaries in Georgia,...

  
• 04.11.2022

  Episode #386: Testing The Leadership’s Patience

  Journalist Tom Fiedler reports on the latest antic of freshman Rep. Madison Cawthorn, a North Carolina Republican with a history of embellishing stories and staying in the news and who may have gone too far by suggesting that some of...

  
• 03.27.2022

  Episode #385: Alaska’s Not Jolly Not Green Giant

  Liz Ruskin of Alaska Public Media reports on the death of Rep. Don Young, the senior member of Congress and the longest serving Republican in congressional history. Howard Wilkinson of radio station WVXU recaps the zany Ohio Republican Senate debate that...

  
• 03.18.2022

  Episode #384: America First! Iowa, Maybe Not.

  Mo Elleithee, a longtime Democratic Party insider and member of the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee, talks about plans to rewrite the presidential primary calendar for 2024 — a calendar that may dislodge Iowa from its long held leadoff spot. Randy...

  
• 02.23.2022

  Episode #383: The End Of The Bush Era?

  Ross Ramsey of the Texas Tribune sets up Tuesday’s primaries, the first in the nation.  GOP Gov. Greg Abbott is all but assured of renomination, and will likely face Democrat Beto O’Rourke in November.  But the main battle on March...

  
• 02.16.2022

  Episode #382: Truth Or Consequences

  With the Senate tied at 50-50 and a crucial Supreme Court confirmation vote coming up, the last thing the Democrats wanted, politically, was to see one of its own, New Mexico’s Ben Ray Lujan, sent to the hospital with a...

  
• 02.01.2022

  Episode #381: Joe Gets His Court Pick, Maybe

  With Democrats holding on to their Senate majority until the rest of the year, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announced his resignation this week, subject to the confirmation of his successor.  Robert Barnes, the Court correspondent for the Washington Post,...

  
• 12.30.2021

  Episode #380: War Hero, Senate Giant — The Man From Russell, Kansas

  Carl Hulse of the New York Times dissects the decision by West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin to oppose President Biden’s Build Back Better bill, citing its costs. And we remember Bob Dole, the former Senate Majority Leader and 1996 Republican presidential...

  
• 11.19.2021

  Episode #379: In The Middle Of Nowhere

  Former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, author of the new book, “The Centrist Solution,” argues that the only way to get things done in this bitterly split Congress is for lawmakers of both parties be willing to eschew the extremes and...

  
• 11.13.2021

  Episode #378: A Hero, To The Max

  Jim Galloway, the retired political columnist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, remembers Max Cleland, the former Georgia Democratic senator who died this week and who was on the receiving end of one of the most controversial TV attack ads in political...

  
• 10.28.2021

  Episode #377: Yes Virginia, This One Matters

  Bob Holsworth, the managing principal at DecideSmart and a leading analyst on Virginia politics, sets up Tuesday’s gubernatorial race between Democrat Terry McAuliffe, a former governor, and Republican Glenn Youngkin.  Democrats are hoping to make this a referendum on Donald...

  
• 10.22.2021

  Episode #376: Is There Hope For The GOP? Or Democracy?

  Longtime Republican consultant Stuart Stevens, author of “It Was All a Lie: How the Republican Party Became Donald Trump,” talks about what he sees as the Trumpification of the GOP and what if anything can be done to save the...

  
• 10.10.2021

  Episode #375: Sinema Paradiso

  Progressive Democrats trying to help enact President Biden’s agenda are constantly butting heads with Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.  They are especially frustrated with Sinema, who began her political career on the left.  But...

  
• 09.22.2021

  Episode #374: Trump Enemies List Loses One

  The decision by Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio) to retire next year, rather than seek reelection, is a clear victory for Donald Trump and it helps ratify his influence in the Republican Party.  Gonzalez was one of ten House Republicans to...

  
• 09.12.2021

  Episode #373: Can You Recall The Governor Of California?

  John Myers of the Los Angeles Times sets up Tuesday’s recall election aimed at California Gov. Gavin Newsom.  Unlike the recall of 2003, where another Democrat, Gray Davis, was successfully recalled, polls indicate that Newsom is going to survive on...

  
• 08.28.2021

  Episode #372: Remembering Neal Conan

  The withdrawal from Afghanistan is not going as well as some hoped.  But did anyone ever think that extracting U.S. troops from a 20-year war was going to be easy?  And let the blame game begin. This week’s show is mostly...

  
• 08.12.2021

  Episode #371: No Mo Cuomo

  Chris Churchill of the Albany Times-Union reports on the stunning (though expected) toppling of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whose alleged history of sexual harassment — as outlined in a report by the state attorney general — left him no way...

  
• 07.18.2021

  Episode #370: Texas Hold ‘Em? First You Gotta Catch ‘Em.

  Abby Livingston of the Texas Tribune talks about the decision made by Texas House Democrats to flee the state in order to stymie GOP efforts to pass restrictive voting rights bills. Edwin Edwards, the former four-term governor of Louisiana known for...

  
• 06.30.2021

  Episode #369: Mike Gravel And Acts Of Civil Disobedience

  Mike Gravel, the former Alaska senator who read excerpts of the Pentagon Papers on the Senate floor in 1971, died this week at the age of 91.  Back in 2015, Gravel was on the Political Junkie talking about his fateful...

  
• 06.26.2021

  Episode #368: Before ‘Enemy Of The People,’ There Was A Horsewhip Committee

  Christine Chabot of Loyola University weighs the arguments of getting Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer to retire early, before Republicans have a chance of regaining control of the Senate (and the White House). And Donald Ritchie talks about his new book,...

  
• 06.10.2021

  Episode #367: Heroes And Villains

  Nick Fandos of the New York Times discusses the role being played by Sen. Joe Manchin, the West Virginia Democrat whose opposition to altering the filibuster — he believes in something called “bipartisanship” — is (currently) thwarting President Biden’s agenda...

  
• 05.30.2021

  Episode #366: Taylor-Made For The Senate

  We replay a 2018 interview we held with former Virginia Sen. John Warner, who died this week.  Warner talks not only about his controversial “not guilty” vote during the Clinton impeachment trial, but his entire career as well … including...

  
• 05.21.2021

  Episode #365: Fighting For A New GOP. And A Different California.

  Barbara Comstock, a former Republican member of Congress from Virginia, talks about the dumping of Liz Cheney from the House GOP leadership and the hope of moving the party away from the clutches of Donald Trump. And John Myers, the Sacramento...

  
• 05.07.2021

  Episode #364: Liz Cheney And The Party Of Intolerance

  Liz Cheney, the House Republican congresswoman from Wyoming who is her party’s third-ranking House member, has made it a habit of standing up to Donald Trump’s lies and misstatements about the validity of the 2020 election and what really happened...

  
• 04.23.2021

  Episode #363: Walter Mondale Fought The Good Fight

  With Walter Mondale’s death last Monday, at the age of 93, we thought this would be a good time to replay our interview with the former vice president, from April of 2015. Music in this Episode My Boyfriend’s Back by the Angels