The Bill Press Pod

GOP Delusional About Midterms. Ohio Race Gets Spicy.

Alaska Could Flip. Collins Holding on in Maine. Paxton Struggles.

Jobs Report Not Good for Trump. GOP Messaging Working?

Embarrassing (Sen.) Schmitt-show in Jack Smith Hearing.

Reflecting Pool/Kennedy Center/Trump’s Arch.

The Cornell Rape Case Touches a National Nerve.

With Ginger Gibson, former Washington Editor for NBC News, sitting in for Bill, Jennifer Bendery, Senior politics reporter for HuffPost, Amanda Becker, National Reporter for 19th News and Emily Goodin, White House Correspondent for the New York Post.

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Bill speaks with clinical psychologist Dr. Vincent Greenwood about his book, Puppet on a String, and Greenwood’s argument that Donald Trump fits the criteria for clinical psychopathy. Greenwood explains his assessment process, why he says an in-person interview is not required, and why he believes the condition has serious implications for Trump’s conduct in office.

They discuss the Hare Psychopathy Checklist, the traits Greenwood says are most relevant to Trump, and why he views the book as a warning to the public and to constitutional decision makers.

Greenwood says an in-person exam isn’t required: He describes evaluating behavior through records, interviews, biographies, and other public evidence.

The book’s central metaphor: The “puppeteer” is clinical psychopathy, the “puppet” is Trump, and the “prey” is the public affected by harmful behavior.

Psychopathy is a pattern of traits: Greenwood presents it as a combination of behavioral tendencies, emotional deficits, and harm to others.

The conversation covers traits including glibness, grandiosity, pathological lying, lack of remorse, callousness, impulsivity, and irresponsibility.

Greenwood’s reported score: He says Trump scored 32 on the checklist, above the commonly cited cutoff of 30 to diagnose a psychopath. Three traits Greenwood says matter in office: Impulsivity, remorselessness, and an insatiable drive to dominate. Greenwood argues these traits can shape decision-making, responses to tragedy, demands for loyalty, and political polarization.

The book is a warning: Greenwood describes it as an effort to inform Congress, the cabinet, and the public.

You can get your own copy of this important book at Bookshop.org. 

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Trump’s Press Ban Backfire. National Security Claim Fails.

Zi Visit: All Pump and No Substance. Government Paid Propaganda.

Midterms Looming: GOP Panicking. Senate Could Flip.

Does Trump Care About the Party? Favorite Stories!With Sabrina Siddiqui, National Politics Reporter for The Wall Street Journal, Jeff Dufour, Editor-in-chief of the National Journal and Shirish Date, Senior White House Correspondent for HuffPost. 

Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by the Ironworkers Union. More information at Ironworkers.org.

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Bill helms a two-part podcast featuring science and technology journalist Jacob Ward and Mother Jones’s David Corn. Ward discusses escalating public warnings from AI industry leaders, arguing fears of self-aware “Terminator” AI are less likely than harms from misuse, poor control, and mistakes, citing examples of AI-assisted toxin research, targeting systems, and privacy invasion; he says meaningful regulation, legal liability, and careful U.S.-China negotiations are needed, and critiques Donald Trump’s dismissal of AI concerns. Corn discusses his book “How Russia Won, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and the Fight for America ” contending Russia has waged gray-zone information warfare against the U.S. since 2016 to weaken the West and benefit Trump, describing continued disinformation efforts, Trump’s favorable treatment of Putin, and episodes involving Giuliani, alleged Russian agents, and January 6 as a major victory for delegitimizing U.S. democracy.

To follow Jacob Ward’s work, go to TheRipCurrent.com and for David’s new book, go to HowRussiaWon.com. 

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AI Doomerism. Trump Loves AI. GOP: Self-police.

Mail-in Voting OK. Fed Raises Rates.

Vance: Give US Another Chance. GOP Latino Backlash.

GOP Senate Panic. Gas/Deisel Up.

Hegseth in Crosshairs. Don Jr.’s Russian Wedding.

Demolish The Kennedy Center? 

With Linda Feldmann, Washington Bureau Chief and White House Correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor, Hunter Walker, Investigative Reporter for Talking Points Memo and Evan McMorris-Santoro, who writes the Washington Sun Daily Newsletter.

Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by The United Food and Commercial Workers Union. More information at UCFW.org

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In this episode, New York Times Reporter, Jonathan Swan and Bill discuss the insights from Swan's book “Regime Change, Inside Donald Trump’s Imperial Presidency,” exploring the inner workings of Donald Trump's presidency, the concept of regime change in the US, and the implications of Trump's actions and policies. Key topics discussed are:

The concept of regime change in the US

Trump's early planning and execution of policies

The influence of Stephen Miller and other key advisors

Trump's approach to foreign policy and military actions

The role of norms and laws in Trump's presidency

The Trump family's business dealings and conflicts of interest

The symbolism of gold and personal branding in Trump's White House

The internal debates over controversial decisions like pardons and the Epstein files

The impact of Trump's actions on American democracy and institutions

You can get your copy of Regime Change at Bookshop.org.

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Trumpapalooza in Dallas...For Dems. Some GOP Candidates Stay Away. Trump Promises $5,000 if GOP Wins. GOP Running on Fear. $45,000 to Natalie Harp. Fetterman is now Joe Manchin. Iran Quagmire Continues. 9/11 25th Anniversary. AI and Data Centers Fears Grow. Apple Foldable Phone.

With Kirk Bado, Editor of The National Journal Hotline and Igor Bobic, covering the Senate for the new Washington Sun.

Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by The Laborers' International Union of North America. More information at LIUNA.org

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Bill discusses concerns that Donald Trump may interfere with the upcoming November 3 midterm election, focusing on attacks on mail-in voting and broader threats to a free and fair process. Virginia Kase Solomon, CEO of Common Cause, describes how all states use some form of mail voting, notes studies (including one cited from The Heritage Foundation) finding virtually no fraud, and explains safeguards like barcodes, signature matching, and voter-roll maintenance. She outlines Trump’s March 31 executive order involving DHS and the USPS, argues it is unconstitutional and operationally impossible to implement close to the election, and reviews ongoing litigation, including a Massachusetts restraining order and additional cases with partners such as the NAACP and Black Voters Matter. Solomon also warns about potential ICE presence at polls, ballot seizure and chain-of-custody issues, polling-place reductions after Voting Rights Act changes, and urges voting early, returning mail ballots promptly, and volunteering via protectthevote.net or as election workers.

Today Bill highlights the work of Common Cause. Check it  out at CommonCause.org

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Bill interviews former Labor Secretary and UC Berkeley professor emeritus Robert Reich about a Supreme Court decision on the Trump Ballroom he says reflects collapsing guardrails and a “unitary executive theory” that concentrates power in the president, which Reich argues effectively resurrects a king; he suggests Chief Justice John Roberts may be trying to prevent Trump from ignoring the Court outright. Reich says Trump’s claims about prosperity are false, calling the economy weak, foreign policy a fiasco, and warning the country is in worse shape than under Nixon. Reich disputes Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s denial of a K-shaped economy, citing rising wealth concentration, debt in the bottom half, and wages lagging inflation, while noting $40 trillion in national debt and growing interest payments benefiting bondholders after major tax cuts for the rich. They discuss oligarchic influence, billionaire tech figures, data centers’ electricity, water, and noise burdens, and Reich’s call to restrict or even ban them and regulate AI. Reich sees progressive Democrats focused on cost of living and money in politics as timely, warns of threats to voting, and predicts Democrats could regain the House; he urges a campaign message centered on jobs, wages, affordability, anti-monopoly action, paid leave, and higher taxes on the rich.

Check out Bob’s substack: RobertReich.substack.com/ and YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@RBReich

Here is a link to Bob's book, https://bookshop.org/p/books/coming-up-short-a-memoir-of-my-america-robert-b-reich/74502451024fd083

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Graham’s Sister Wins in SC. Trump Promotes Paxton.

(Trade) War with Canada. Susan Collins Concerned.

Tariffs Hurt GOP. Gas Prices Hurt GOP. Trump Hurts GOP.

Data Centers Spook Pols. Flock Camera Backlash.

Trump’s Focus: Building, not Voters.

Dolly!

With Jason Dick, Editor-in-chief at CQ-Roll Call, Amanda Becker, National Reporter for 19th News, Jessica Taylor, Senators and Governors Editor at the Cook Political Report and Savannah Behrmann, Senate Reporter for CQ- Roll-Call. 

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