The Bill Press Pod

Bill talks with Susan Page about her book, The Queen and Her Presidents, and the long, carefully managed relationship between Queen Elizabeth II and 15 American presidents. The conversation looks at the Queen’s political instincts, her use of soft power, and the moments when protocol, personality, and geopolitics collided.

In this episode, Susan Page explains why Queen Elizabeth was far more than a ceremonial figure and how she helped steady the U.S.-U.K. relationship across decades of changing presidents. The discussion ranges from Reagan and Obama to Carter and Trump, with plenty of behind-the-scenes detail from Page’s reporting.

Susan explains why Ronald Reagan was the Queen’s closest presidential relationship, with their shared love of horses, Hollywood, and informal correspondence.

The “talking hat” incident with George H.W. Bush becomes a memorable example of how the Queen handled American protocol mistakes with grace.

Page shares why Jimmy Carter was likely the president the Queen liked least, after a protocol breach involving the Queen Mother.

Dwight Eisenhower stands out as an early, almost paternal figure in the Queen’s life, tied to wartime gratitude and the U.S. role in Europe’s rescue.

Barack Obama and Michelle Obama formed an unexpectedly warm bond with the Queen, despite early expectations that age and experience would create distance.

The famous Michelle Obama brooch story is used to show how the Queen could send pointed political signals without saying a word.

Donald Trump is discussed as a more complicated case, with Page noting both Trump’s claims that they got along and the diplomatic usefulness of his admiration for the Queen.

The episode closes by emphasizing the Queen’s real influence behind the scenes, especially during moments like Suez, the Falklands, and tense transatlantic politics.

 You can get your own copy of Susan’s delightful book at Bookshop.org.

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Midterm Intensity. Texas Really in Play.

Collins Stuck to Trump. Iowa-Ohio-Kansas-Alaska Could Flip.

Trump’s On the Ballot. Big Beautiful Bill Not Resonating.

Does Tying Corruption to Affordability Work?  Wars Drag Down GOP.

Can Trump’s Base Save the GOP?  DHS Raids Rep. Omar. With Jason Dick, Editor-in-chief at CQ-Roll Call, John Bennett, White House Correspondent & Editor-At-Large at CQ-Roll Call. Jessica Taylor, Senators and Governors Editor at the Cook Political Report and Jessica Wehrman, Deputy Policy Editor at Punch Bowl News. 

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What does it mean when a political movement claims that the United States should be governed according to a particular religious vision? In this episode, Bill talks with Congressman Jared Huffman about Christian nationalism, its growing influence in American politics, and the challenge it poses to democracy and church-state separation. Huffman distinguishes Christian nationalism from Christianity itself, describing it as a fusion of religious and political identity that presents conservative Christianity as central to being American. Huffman’s book is No Prophets: The Fight to Save Democracy from Christian Nationalism.

Huffman connects the movement’s ideas to the events of January 6, arguing that the attack on the Capitol was not only political but also carried a powerful religious dimension. He reflects on the symbols, prophetic language, and worship imagery present that day, and explains why he believes those elements are important to understanding the forces behind the insurrection. The conversation then traces how parts of the religious right have changed over time—from seeking influence through elections and persuasion to embracing a more confrontational vision of political power.

The discussion also examines the New Apostolic Reformation and the Seven Mountains Mandate, which Huffman describes as influential in the movement’s push to shape major institutions, including government. He considers how that worldview appears in Congress, pointing to religious symbols at the Capitol and describing networks of ministries, prayer groups, and Bible studies that he believes can affect public policy. Throughout, the episode asks where the line should be drawn between the personal faith of public officials and efforts to establish a preferred religious vision through government.

Huffman also discusses the relationship between Donald Trump and evangelical supporters, including the “King Cyrus” narrative used by some religious leaders to frame Trump as a divinely chosen figure. He shares his view that the January 6 committee’s final report did not fully address the role of Christian nationalism, and reflects on the reluctance of many Democrats to speak directly about religion and politics. To close, he describes the Congressional Free Thought Caucus, which he co-founded with Jamie Raskin, and makes the case for defending church-state separation as a principle that protects people of every faith—and those with none.

To get a copy of Congressman Huffman’s book, No Prophets: The Fight to Save Democracy from Christian Nationalism at your local bookstore or at Bookshop.org.  

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Blue Wave or Blue Tsunami. Polls Accurate?

GOP Ad Blitz Working? Senate Dems Cash Crunch.

“You can’t eat Road Salt.” Does Seniority Matter?

GOP Conceding NC and GA, Distancing From Trump.

Dems on Trams Rights and Focus on  Cost, Care, Corruption.

Kimberly Guilfoyle Scandal. JD Defines Socialism.

 With Ginger Gibson, former Senior Washington Editor for NBC News Arthur Delaney, Senior Reporter for HuffPost, Samuel Benson, Politics Reporter for Politic and Zach Cohen, Senior Reporter at Bloomberg Government

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Kai Bird joins the Bill Press Pod to discuss his biography of Roy Cohn, written with Susan Goldmark, and why Cohn still matters decades after his death. The conversation traces the direct line from McCarthy-era smear tactics to Donald Trump’s politics, showing how Cohn’s playbook shaped Trump’s approach to loyalty, retaliation, media attacks, and personal branding. Bird explains how a once-dismissed Washington fixer became a central figure in understanding the Trump era, and why Cohn’s influence still haunts American political life.

• Bird argues that Donald Trump learned his core political instincts from Cohn, including insulting opponents, suing critics, and never admitting defeat
• The book’s central thesis: Roy Cohn is the direct line connecting Joe McCarthy to Donald Trump
• Bird describes Cohn as ruthlessly intelligent, socially charming, and capable of winning over New York’s elite despite his reputation
• The origin story of Trump and Cohn’s relationship: their 1973 meeting at Le Club in Manhattan
• Cohn advised Trump to fight a housing discrimination case aggressively, launching a long relationship that helped Trump with zoning, tax abatements, and access to Manhattan power circles
• Bird and Bill Press compare McCarthy’s rise with Trump’s, including how political allies often avoided confronting them directly
• The episode highlights several Cohn tactics that Trump later made famous: name-calling, delaying legal cases, counterattacking, and manufacturing “victory”
• Bird details Cohn’s corruption, including unpaid bills, tax problems, bribery accusations, and the ethically troubling attempt to secure influence through legal work
• The closing takeaway: Trump’s admiration for Cohn is not just strategic, but personal and enduring

You can order your own copy of American Scoundrel, Roy Cohn’s Dark Journey from Joe McCarthy to Donald Trump at Bookshop.org.

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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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