After Republicans refuse to negotiate with Democrats on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, the government shuts down. Dan and Alex Wagner, Pod Save America's newest contributor, discuss what Democrats will need to do to hold the line; Project 2025 architect Russ Vought's attacks on blue states and federal employees; and the Democratic-Republican messaging fight that's devolved into an AI-fueled meme war. Then, the two break down Trump's threats — and Hegseth's grievances — at an unprecedented meeting of the military's top brass, Trump's new political demands for universities, and some much-needed good news about free speech, Fed Chair Lisa Cook, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

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A government shutdown appears inevitable after Democratic leaders and President Trump fail to reach a deal to extend soon-to-expire Affordable Care Act subsidies. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss what Democrats will need to do to win this shutdown fight and then check in on the latest from Trump's authoritarian takeover, including the political prosecution of James Comey, Trump's deployment of troops to Portland, and a terrifying new national security directive that targets left-wing organizations, funders, and beliefs. Then, the guys discuss Trump's 20-point peace plan to end the war in Gaza and the peculiar AI-generated video about "medbeds" the President posted on Truth Social over the weekend.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

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Just days after the President demanded the Justice Department prosecute his political enemies and ousted a career prosecutor who refused to comply, Trump's handpicked replacement indicts former FBI Director James Comey. Jon and Dan react to Trump's weaponization of the Justice Department and then discuss Jimmy Kimmel's powerful pro-free speech monologue, a government shutdown that now seems inevitable, and why Vice President JD Vance called Jon a "dipshit" on Twitter earlier this week. Then, Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff stops by the studio to talk to Tommy about his office's investigations into ICE and the defining feature of the Trump administration: corruption.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

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Disney reverses course and announces, despite pressure from the FCC, Jimmy Kimmel will return to the air. President Trump, speaking at the White House, declares — without scientific evidence — that acetaminophen use during pregnancy causes autism. The DOJ shuts down an FBI investigation into border czar Tom Homan, who was caught, on tape, accepting a $50,000 bribe in a Cava bag. Favreau, Lovett, and Tommy react to it all and discuss Charlie Kirk's NFL stadium memorial service, Sen. Ted Cruz's departure from the MAGA-majority on free speech, and Trump's latest Watergate-level corruption scandal—the firing of a US Attorney who refused to charge Trump's enemies with crimes they did not commit. Then, Sen. Elizabeth Warren stops by the studio to talk to Lovett about the Democratic Party's impending government shutdown fight.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

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What's causing the rise in political violence in America? Can we overcome it? And if not, what’s in store for our democracy? Dr. Lilly Mason, a professor of political science at John Hopkins and expert on political violence, joins the show to give context to this moment — and offer some hope for what comes next. She talks to Tommy about what Charlie Kirk’s assassination means in our deeply polarized political climate, President Trump’s crackdown on late-night comedians and left-wing organizations, and why Americans — on both sides of the aisle — are increasingly struggling to recognize the humanity in their neighbors.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

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Caving to a pressure campaign from Donald Trump's FCC, Disney pulls Jimmy Kimmel's show off the air. Jon and Dan are joined by newly minted Crooked contributor Alex Wagner to discuss Trump's attacks on Kimmel and his new lawsuit against The New York Times, the impending takeover of TikTok by MAGA-aligned billionaires, and new details from the White House about the coming crackdown on left-leaning nonprofits and organizations. Then they react to the CDC's dangerous new recommendations on childhood vaccinations, excerpts from Kamala Harris's forthcoming tell-all book about the 2024 election, and Trump's bracing candor about when plane crashes are okay.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

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In response to the murder of Charlie Kirk, Donald Trump vows retribution against his political opponents, JD Vance asks Americans to snitch on anyone criticizing Kirk's politics, and Stephen Miller pledges to "disrupt, dismantle, and destroy" left-wing organizations. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy react to these new threats, then break down the latest news about Kirk's killer, Kash Patel's mishandling of the FBI's investigation, and the bleak future of TikTok and of one the legacy media organizations it's supplanting: CBS News. Then, Sen. Chris Murphy joins Lovett to talk about how Democrats should stand up to Trump's impending crackdown on free speech.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

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Charlie Kirk, one of the most influential voices in the MAGA movement and the co-founder of Turning Point USA, is shot and killed during a speaking event in Utah. Jon and Dan react to the news and discuss the reactions from the left and right, and why we're seeing such a troubling rise in political violence. Then, Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen talks to Tommy about Charlie Kirk, Van Hollen's visit to Gaza, and his fight to get Kilmar Abrego Garcia back from CECOT.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

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House Democrats get ahold of the infamous birthday letter Trump sent to Jeffrey Epstein and release it to the public. Turns out it's more disturbing than we imagined. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy react to the doodle and talk through the week's latest, including the administration renaming the Department of Defense the Department of War, a massive ICE raid on a Hyundai plant in Georgia, and the emerging debate over whether Democrats should shut the government down when funding expires at the end of the month. Then, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic candidate for governor in New Jersey, stops by the studio to talk to Tommy about reversing the inroads Trump made in the state in 2024—and why New Jerseyans are weird about pumping their own gas.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

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It can feel like all is lost under Trump 2.0, but America has faced extremely dark chapters before and come out on the other side. Heather Cox Richardson—professor, historian and author of the most-read newsletter on Substack, Letters from an American—joins the show to share her long-view approach for this shortsighted era. She walks Dan through the biggest challenges to American democracy throughout history, how she believes we got to this MAGA moment, and what fuels her optimism about the future of the country.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

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