In this episode, an in-depth discussion of the life and legacy of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, as seen through the eyes of presidential historian Jonathan Alter. The key points: Carter's remarkable journey from a relatively unknown Georgia governor to becoming the 39th U.S. President, and how the Watergate scandal helped propel him to the White House despite low initial poll numbers. Carter's presidency is often misremembered as a failure, but Alter argues that while Carter struggled politically, he was a "substantive and often visionary success" who achieved significant legislative and foreign policy accomplishments. Carter's post-presidency is highlighted as a model for how former presidents can continue to serve the public, through initiatives like the Carter Center, election monitoring, and Habitat for Humanity. The crucial role and influence of First Lady Rosalyn Carter is emphasized, with Alter describing her as one of the most important and impactful First Ladies in history. The depth of the Carter's 77-year marriage is also noted as an extraordinary love story. Overall, the interview provides a comprehensive and sympathetic reassessment of Jimmy Carter's life and legacy, underscoring his many substantive achievements. You can subscribe to Jonathan Alter's newsletter, Old Goats at OldGoats.substack.com and buy his biography of Jimmy Carter, His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, a Life here. Or his latest book, American Reckoning: Inside Trump’s Trial―and My Own here.

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

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As we are taking a holiday break, we are re-running two of the episodes of Trump's Project 2025: Up Close and Personal series that we produced before the election. We produced it to warn people of what was coming if Trump were reelected, but now we think it's just as important for people to understand what we can actually expect in the next four years. And we hope it will help fuel our collective opposition and resistance to Trump 2.0 This is the second re-run, The Department of Retribution.

In Chapter 5 of Trump's Project 2025: Up Close and Personal, Part one, the fictional characters Congresswoman Louise Getty and Senator Wade Stiller, former rivals, meet at the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. They reflect on their pasts and express concern over a hostile political climate under Trump’s second term, feeling fear and paranoia about being surveilled and targeted by the government. Their conversation reveals a sense of vulnerability as they confront the reality that many of their colleagues have abandoned principles out of fear. Louise recalls the intense political maneuvering and betrayals leading up to and following the January 6 insurrection.

In Part Two, Woody Nuxhall, the newly appointed head of the Treason and Political Crime Section of the DOJ, oversees his zealous young team of prosecutors, eager to pursue investigations and vendettas against political enemies. The group discusses tactics to surveil and undermine former colleagues and opposition figures, planning a strategy fueled by partisan loyalty and vengeance, while embracing a radical transformation of the DOJ's role in politics. The narrative emphasizes the deeply entrenched fear and moral compromise within Washington's political landscape, contrasting the idealistic memories of past sacrifices with the present-day weaponization of governmental power. Overall, the story highlights the erosion of democratic norms, and the personal toll this environment takes on the individuals involved. 

While these stories are fictional, they are based on Trump's own words and Project 2025. In fact, the New York Times, just last week reported just how Trump would use the Justice Department to go after his enemies.

We’d like to thank the artists who contributed their time to make this episode:

Richard Schiff and Morgan Fairchild read the chapters and others who contributed character voices.

Sound Design by Marilys Ernst and Jon Moser.

Trump's Project 2025: Up Close and Personal was written by David Pepper and Produced by Pepper, Melissa Jo Peltier and Jay Feldman and is a production of Ovington Avenue Productions and The Bill Press Pod. 

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As The Bill Press Pod team takes a holiday break, we decided to re-run two of the episodes of Trump's Project 2025: Up Close and Personal series that we produced before the election. Though we produced it to warn people of what was coming if Trump were reelected, we think it's just as important now for people to understand what we can now actually expect in the next four years. And we hope it will help fuel our collective opposition and resistance to Trump 2.0

This episode tells the fictional story of a middle school that opens its doors to unvaccinated students after a possible second -term President Trump eliminates Federal funding for schools with vaccine mandates. The story follows the school nurse, Stephanie Morris, as she navigates the influx of unvaccinated students and the resulting disease outbreaks that spread rapidly through the school and community. The narrative illustrates the real-world implications of the president's policy, with outbreaks of diseases like measles, whooping cough, and the flu causing hospitalizations and even deaths among vulnerable students and staff. The story highlights the challenges faced by the school nurse in trying to protect the health of all students, including her own daughter who has an autoimmune condition, without the backing of mandatory vaccination policies. Overall, the episode demonstrates how Donald Trump’s promise to defund schools with vaccine mandates could have devastating consequences for children's health and safety.

We'd like to thank all the artists who volunteered their time to make this episode:

Laurie Burke, Leigh McGowan who read the chapters & Audrey Hakes , Joe Walsh, & others who contributed character voices. 

Sound design by Marilys Ernst and Jonathan Moser.

Trump's Project 2025: Up Close and Personal written by Pepper and produced by Pepper, Melissa Jo Peltier and Jay Feldman and is a production of Ovington Avenue Productions and The Bill Press Pod.

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2 Days to Govt Shutdown. Elon has the Power. Johnson Out? Can Musk Last? Gaetz Scandal Report. New Hegseth Drama. Gabbard in Trouble. Indict Liz Cheney? ABC Caves to Trump. CEO’s Bend the Knee. Drone Mania. With Sudeep Reddy, Senior Managing Editor at Politico, David Jackson, National Political Correspondent for USA Today and Lynn Sweet, Washington Bureau Chief and Columnist for The Chicago Sun Times.

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Today’s guest is David Corn, the Washington Bureau Chief for Mother Jones, the progressive magazine and website. He is also and MSNBC contributor. He and Bill talk about the slate of cabinet nominees selected by President Trump, highlighting concerns about their lack of qualifications, experience, and potential conflicts of interest. David says Trump has assembled a "crank" cabinet of "cronies and oligarchs" who are unqualified and inexperienced for their positions, such as Peter Hegseth for Secretary of Defense and Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence. Many of the nominees, like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services, hold extreme ideological views that are at odds with the mission of the agencies they would lead. Key Trump loyalist Kash Patel, who has pushed conspiracy theories about the Russia investigation, could use his position as FBI Director to go after Trump's political enemies. David is concerned that the media and some corporations appear to be pre-emptively caving to Trump, settling lawsuits and making donations to curry favor rather than standing up to his attacks on the press and democratic institutions. He also criticizes Democrats for not doing enough to forcefully oppose these problematic nominations and Trump's broader authoritarian agenda.

David writes a great newsletter, “Our Land,” which you can get here: MotherJones.com/OurLandNewsletter.

Today’s Podcast is supported by The United Food and Commercial Workers Union.  More information at UFCW.com.

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Hegseth Rising. Gabbard Drama. Patel vs FBI. Elon and Vivek. Moguls to Mar-a-Lago. Trump vs The Media. Trump Normalized. Killer to Folk Hero. Syria Fallout. With Linda Feldmann, Washington Bureau Chief, White House/politics correspondent at Christian Science Monitor, Jeff Dufour, Editor-in-chief, The National Journal and John Bennett, White House Correspondent & Editor-at-Large at CQ Roll Call. 

Today Bill suggests a great holiday gift, a handwoven scarf from his wife Carol. These are all works of art in rayon chenille or bamboo. Check them out at CarolPressScarves.com

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Today’s guest is our go to man on Foreign Policy and National Security, Joe Cirincione. He is the former President of the Plowshares Fund and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He and Bill cover a wide range of global crises and upheaval, including the sudden collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and South Korea, and the prospect of Donald Trump returning to power. Cirincione provides insights on the key events and their geopolitical implications, such as the surprising fall of the Assad government, the weakening of Russia and Iran's influence in the region, and the risks a Trump presidency would pose in terms of nuclear proliferation and global instability. Cirincione emphasizes the need for U.S. leadership and support to help rebuild Syria and stabilize Europe, while cautioning against Trump's isolationist tendencies and potential to undermine existing international alliances and security frameworks. You can read and subscribe to Joe Cirincione’s excellent Substack, Strategy and History here. 

Today Bill suggests a great holiday gift, a handwoven scarf from his wife Carol. These are all works of art in rayon chenille or bamboo. Check them out at CarolPressScarves.com

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Hegseth in Trouble. Vetting Fails. Gabbard in Doubt. Musk on the Hill. Biden Pardons Hunter. Pardon Trump’s Enemies? Biden’s Last Month Goals. Slim House Majority. With Maya King, Southeast Politics Reporter at The New York Times, Emily Gooden, Senior White House Correspondent for DailyMail.com and Kirk Bado, Editor, National Journal Hotline.

Today Bill suggests a great holiday gift, a handwoven scarf from his wife Carol. These are all works of art in rayon chenille or bamboo. Check them out at CarolPressScarves.com

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Norm Ornstein, an Emeritus Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, discusses the implications of Donald Trump's appointments to key government positions if he becomes president again in 2024. Ornstein expresses concern about Trump's plan to appoint individuals who would undermine democratic institutions, such as the FBI, national intelligence, and the Department of Defense. He argues that there are few guardrails left to stop this "madness" and prevent the erosion of American democracy. Ornstein also criticizes the reactions of the media and some Democrats to President Biden's pardon of his son Hunter, noting the selective outrage compared to Trump's past pardons of associates convicted of serious crimes.

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

Join Bill on BlueSky, the great new social media platform that is way better than Elon Musk's X. Go to Bsky.app and follow Bill at @BillPress.bsky.social

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As another needed break from Politics on this Thanksgiving weekend, we once again share Bill's conversation with Ina Garten, recorded in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. Bon Appetit.

Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by these unions fighting hard everyday for working men and women. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union,The International Association of Fire Fighters,The Laborers International of Union of North America,The International Brotherhood of Teamsters,The American Federation of Teachers,The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers,The United SteelworkersandThe Iron Workers Union.

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