The Chuck ToddCast

Chuck Todd zooms out to a global pattern: Trump-aligned right-wing leaders have now lost in Brazil, Serbia, Hungary and Israel, all on massive turnout. Lula beat Flávio Bolsonaro 51.8-48.2 in a race widely read as a test of Trump’s influence in Latin America, after Trump met with Bolsonaro and imposed tariffs over the charges against his father. Serbia’s student movement ended Aleksandar Vučić’s 14 years in power on the highest turnout in three decades. Chuck argues Trump didn’t cause these results but wasn’t irrelevant to them either — voters are rejecting a model, not just incumbents. Back home, he notes Democrats could lose both Maine and Michigan and still win the Senate, that South Carolina is becoming remarkably competitive, and that Trump’s closing message — Venezuela as the 51st state, celebrating oil industry profits, feuding with Bill Maher over an Obama Cheesecake Factory joke — is making everything worse for his party. 

Then, Seth Bodnar — Green Beret, former GE executive, and former University of Montana president now running for Senate as an independent — joins the Chuck ToddCast a week out. He’s assembled a genuinely strange coalition: Pete Buttigieg endorsed him over the Democratic nominee, and both sides of Montana’s 1992 governor’s race, Republican Marc Racicot and Democrat Dorothy Bradley, are backing him. Bodnar’s military background drives his sharpest material — he argues Hegseth politicizing the military would have dire consequences, and that senior officers are now resigning rather than carry out unlawful orders, facing a brutal choice between staying to mitigate harm or leaving in protest. He says he won’t organize with either party, argues half of Senate votes are procedural and an independent can force real debate, and makes the case that one-party dominance in any state is unhealthy. Plus affordability, universal coverage, and whether Montana moves up to FBS.

Finally, Chuck unloads the mailbag with an extended edition of “Ask Chuck”.

For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership

Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. 

Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! 

Timeline:

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

03:00 Trump allies lose in Brazil, Serbia, Hungary and Israel

08:00 A rejection of the right, not just anti-incumbency

12:45 What happens to Israel if Bibi is ousted

20:45 Democrats could lose Maine and Michigan and still win the Senate

24:15 South Carolina, Kansas, and the paths that are opening

28:45 Bannon’s theory about protecting moderates

33:15 Trump off-message: Venezuela, oil profits, and a missing Rubio

40:30 The Bill Maher feud and Trump’s Obama complex

48:15 DOJ strikes out against Comey and Hutchinson

50:45 $1.4 billion wagered on the midterms & the case for regulating prediction markets 

1:08:15 Seth Bodnar joins the Chuck ToddCast

1:09:45 Regrets about running as an independent, and endorsements from both sides

1:12:45 Hegseth, politicizing the military, and officers resigning over unlawful orders

1:17:00 Should Congress subpoena senior military leaders?

1:20:30 What can actually be done on affordability

1:23:00 Corporate concentration, antitrust, and the housing crunch

1:28:00 Would either party talk him into caucusing?

1:32:45 Rural America, the Bankhead question, and where the polls stand

1:40:15 Reagan, Putin, and the danger of unchecked one-party rule

1:43:00 Universal coverage and what Medicaid means in Montana

1:46:45 Education, AI literacy, and critical thinking

1:53:45 FBS, collective bargaining, and the future of college football

2:05:30 Don’t miss our election night livestream with Chris Cillizza and DDHQ

2:06:00 Ask Chuck

2:06:15 If the GOP suffers significant losses, could they use impeachment as a reset?

2:08:15 Are Democrats going to walk back support on trans issues to appear moderate?

2:12:45 Are gaffes and comms issues more a reflection of candidates or yes-man staffers?

2:15:00 If Republicans get wiped out in midterms, what does that do to Vance’s prospects

2:19:15 If Ramaswamy wins, how should we think about our fellow citizens?

2:21:45 What’s behind the shocking bigotry and Islamophobia we’re seeing from GOP?

2:30:45 How did Tim Russert influence your career?

2:36:45 How will Trump’s foreign policy change after the midterms?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seth Bodnar — Green Beret, former GE executive, and former University of Montana president now running for Senate as an independent — joins the Chuck ToddCast a week out. He’s assembled a genuinely strange coalition: Pete Buttigieg endorsed him over the Democratic nominee, and both sides of Montana’s 1992 governor’s race, Republican Marc Racicot and Democrat Dorothy Bradley, are backing him. Bodnar’s military background drives his sharpest material — he argues Hegseth politicizing the military would have dire consequences, and that senior officers are now resigning rather than carry out unlawful orders, facing a brutal choice between staying to mitigate harm or leaving in protest. He says he won’t organize with either party, argues half of Senate votes are procedural and an independent can force real debate, and makes the case that one-party dominance in any state is unhealthy. Plus affordability, universal coverage, and whether Montana moves up to FBS.

For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership

Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. 

Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! 

Timeline:

00:00 Seth Bodnar joins the Chuck ToddCast

01:30 Regrets about running as an independent, and endorsements from both sides

04:30 Hegseth, politicizing the military, and officers resigning over unlawful orders

08:45 Should Congress subpoena senior military leaders?

12:15 What can actually be done on affordability

14:45 Corporate concentration, antitrust, and the housing crunch

19:45 Would either party talk him into caucusing?

24:30 Rural America, the Bankhead question, and where the polls stand

32:00 Reagan, Putin, and the danger of unchecked one-party rule

34:45 Universal coverage and what Medicaid means in Montana

38:30 Education, AI literacy, and critical thinking

45:30 FBS, collective bargaining, and the future of college football

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd and J.A. Adande explore how the Buckeyes became a college football powerhouse and the complicated legacy of legendary coach Woody Hayes.

From the historic Michigan rivalry and the infamous Snow Bowl to Hayes' coaching philosophy, controversial temper, and lasting influence, they uncover the people and moments that built Ohio State's football dynasty.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One week out, Chuck Todd and Chris Cillizza go hunting for the counterfactual — the actual data that would tell a Republican this election isn’t what it looks like — and come back with exactly one: a polling error. “That’s a hell of a thing to bank on.” Chuck argues this is the worst version of Trump we’ve ever seen in an election year, a candidate reduced to the Nobel committee and calling Abdul El-Sayed a “jihadist” in Michigan, while his own top economic adviser went on Fox Business to call the affordability crisis a myth eight days out. Plus: why Democrats may run better in red states than blue, how Republicans sat on their money until it was too late to define Talarico, how Ohio got away entirely, what the Ramaswamy ad says about where the line is, and the new Times/Siena 2028 numbers. Plus their election-night announcement with Decision Desk HQ. 

18+ only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Please carefully consider if it is appropriate for you in light of your personal financial circumstances. Kalshi products are not available in all jurisdictions. See kalshi.com/regulatory for more information. Sign up today to get $25 in bonuses when you trade $25: SUPERTUESDAYS

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Timeline:

00:00 One week out: what could still change this, and the red-state theory

07:00 The worst version of Trump, and a party that won’t say “affordability”

13:00 Hunting for the counterfactual, and why every Republican ad is nostalgia

19:00 The money came too late: how they let Talarico define Paxton

24:00 Kalshi: Iowa, Maine and Kansas as the three most divided markets

30:00 Where the line is on the Ramaswamy ad, and building a firewall

36:00 Adding states to the 2028 map, and Minnesota’s outlier year

44:00 Times/Siena 2028: Harris at 12, Vance at 33, and a wide-open field

52:00 “All the Projection”: the election-night announcement with Decision Desk HQ

58:00 The World Series, the sports equinox, and a two-Hurricane Heisman problem

1:05:00 Newsphere, one more show on Election Day, and sign-off

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd can’t find a single tea leaf that cuts against the blue wave. Early voting in Texas shows Latino turnout running ahead of the 2024 presidential, with the biggest jump among young Hispanic voters furious about ICE overreach. Florida Democrats are up 91% in early in-person voting despite rule changes designed to hurt them. Chuck’s deeper question: everyone assumes polling error favors Republicans — what if this is the cycle it breaks the other way? Meanwhile Trump has directed DOJ to preemptively sue Alaska to block certification if Dan Sullivan loses to Mary Peltola, is trying to invalidate 20,000 California ballots, and is attacking Lisa Murkowski — the most popular Republican in Alask. Plus Musk pouring another $78 million into GOP coffers (nearing half a billion this cycle) while a Russian company angles for a stake in an Alaska gas project discussed during Ukraine negotiations. 

Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the long lasting impacts of Ronald Reagan’s “A Time For Choosing” speech and why persuasion should matter as much as performance in politics.

For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership

Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. 

Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! 

Timeline:

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

09:00 The polling drought — and what if the error favors Democrats?

15:45 Latino turnout surges in Texas early voting

19:30 ICE overreach and the Hispanic backlash

23:00 Young voters, El-Sayed, and the Florida early vote

29:30 Searching for a counter-argument to the wave

32:15 Republicans have no closing argument

42:00 Easing tariffs to save Susan Collins

47:30 The Ramaswamy ad and what Trump’s delight in it reveals

57:30 Musk’s half-billion, Starlink, and the Skydance play

1:06:00 Novatek, Alaska gas, and Putin’s business dangles

1:13:00 Trump’s own tax breaks and rules that only bind other people

1:17:15 Suing to invalidate Alaska’s election

1:23:30 A president consumed by grievance in the final days 

1:32:15 ToddCast Time Machine - Tuesday, October 27th 1964

1:33:30 Ronald Reagan gives “A Time For Choosing” speech

1:36:00 Goldwater’s victory was a rebuttal to the Republican establishment

1:37:30 Goldwater’s conservatism became synonymous with anti civil rights

1:39:15 Reagan travelled the country and honed his message

1:41:15 Reagan became capable of articulating conservatism to the country

1:42:30 Reagan didn’t try to “own the libs”, he tried to persuade people

1:45:45 Modern politics is too focused on the messenger, not the message

1:50:15 Performance has to lead to tangible governing results

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd can’t find a single tea leaf that cuts against the blue wave. Early voting in Texas shows Latino turnout running ahead of the 2024 presidential, with the biggest jump among young Hispanic voters furious about ICE overreach. Florida Democrats are up 91% in early in-person voting despite rule changes designed to hurt them. Chuck’s deeper question: everyone assumes polling error favors Republicans — what if this is the cycle it breaks the other way? Meanwhile Trump has directed DOJ to preemptively sue Alaska to block certification if Dan Sullivan loses to Mary Peltola, is trying to invalidate 20,000 California ballots, and is attacking Lisa Murkowski — the most popular Republican in Alask. Plus Musk pouring another $78 million into GOP coffers (nearing half a billion this cycle) while a Russian company angles for a stake in an Alaska gas project discussed during Ukraine negotiations. 

Then, Thomas Nelson — Outagamie County Executive, former Wisconsin state assemblyman, and author of The Green and Gold Standard: A People’s History of the Green Bay Packers — joins the Chuck ToddCast to explain why the NFL’s only fan-owned franchise now faces an existential threat. The league has since banned the Packers’ nonprofit structure, and private equity has created what Nelson estimates is a $900 million disadvantage: a single owner can sell 49% to PE and retain complete control, while the Packers legally can’t sell to anyone. The crunch point is the escrow required for guaranteed contracts. Nelson argues the league owes it to Green Bay to make the team whole, walks through the three eras that built the franchise — Lambeau, Lombardi, and Harlan — and notes that without this model the Packers would have left town decades ago. Plus whether the community-ownership structure could be a template for local development, and a look at Wisconsin’s 50-50 politics heading into November. 

Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the long lasting impacts of Ronald Reagan’s “A Time For Choosing” speech and why persuasion should matter as much as performance in politics.

For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership

Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. 

Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! 

Timeline:

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

09:00 The polling drought — and what if the error favors Democrats?

15:45 Latino turnout surges in Texas early voting

19:30 ICE overreach and the Hispanic backlash

23:00 Young voters, El-Sayed, and the Florida early vote

29:30 Searching for a counter-argument to the wave

32:15 Republicans have no closing argument

42:00 Easing tariffs to save Susan Collins

47:30 The Ramaswamy ad and what Trump’s delight in it reveals

57:30 Musk’s half-billion, Starlink, and the Skydance play

1:06:00 Novatek, Alaska gas, and Putin’s business dangles

1:13:00 Trump’s own tax breaks and rules that only bind other people

1:17:15 Suing to invalidate Alaska’s election

1:23:30 A president consumed by grievance in the final days 

1:33:00 Thomas Nelson joins The Chuck ToddCast

1:34:00 How a county executive ended up writing the definitive Packers history

1:37:30 The nonprofit structure, and why the NFL banned it

1:42:45 Private equity and a $900 million disadvantage

1:50:45 Guaranteed contracts, escrow, and where the money runs out

1:56:00 Could the Packers model work for data centers and local development?

1:59:45 Teams that relocate purely for tax breaks

2:02:15 Lambeau, Lombardi, Harlan — and the Aaron Rodgers problem

2:09:30 What the financial gap actually means on the field

2:12:15 Wisconsin as a 50-50 state and the chaos of the Senate primary

2:21:30 What LaFleur needs to keep his job

2:24:00 ToddCast Time Machine - Tuesday, October 27th 1964

2:25:15 Ronald Reagan gives “A Time For Choosing” speech

2:27:45 Goldwater’s victory was a rebuttal to the Republican establishment

2:29:15 Goldwater’s conservatism became synonymous with anti civil rights

2:31:00 Reagan travelled the country and honed his message

2:33:00 Reagan became capable of articulating conservatism to the country

2:34:15 Reagan didn’t try to “own the libs”, he tried to persuade people

2:37:30 Modern politics is too focused on the messenger, not the message

2:42:00 Performance has to lead to tangible governing results

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thomas Nelson — Outagamie County Executive, former Wisconsin state assemblyman, and author of The Green and Gold Standard: A People’s History of the Green Bay Packers — joins the Chuck ToddCast to explain why the NFL’s only fan-owned franchise now faces an existential threat. The league has since banned the Packers’ nonprofit structure, and private equity has created what Nelson estimates is a $900 million disadvantage: a single owner can sell 49% to PE and retain complete control, while the Packers legally can’t sell to anyone. The crunch point is the escrow required for guaranteed contracts. Nelson argues the league owes it to Green Bay to make the team whole, walks through the three eras that built the franchise — Lambeau, Lombardi, and Harlan — and notes that without this model the Packers would have left town decades ago. Plus whether the community-ownership structure could be a template for local development, and a look at Wisconsin’s 50-50 politics heading into November. 

For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership

Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. 

Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! 

Timeline:

00:00 Thomas Nelson joins The Chuck ToddCast

01:00 How a county executive ended up writing the definitive Packers history

04:30 The nonprofit structure, and why the NFL banned it

09:45 Private equity and a $900 million disadvantage

17:45 Guaranteed contracts, escrow, and where the money runs out

23:00 Could the Packers model work for data centers and local development?

26:45 Teams that relocate purely for tax breaks

29:15 Lambeau, Lombardi, Harlan — and the Aaron Rodgers problem

36:30 What the financial gap actually means on the field

39:15 Wisconsin as a 50-50 state and the chaos of the Senate primary

48:30 What LaFleur needs to keep his job

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens on the Wedgewood Polls scandal — a firm that admitted this week it fabricated its data as an “experiment,” after Mallory McMorrow says the fake numbers killed her Michigan Senate campaign. Chuck argues it’s worthy of a real investigation and that McMorrow should consider civil litigation. Then the main event: a NYT/Siena poll putting Democrats +11 on both the generic House and Senate ballots, with a clean sweep on issue favorability. At D+11, Chuck says Democrats net 40-50 House seats and win Ohio, Texas, Maine, Iowa and Alaska. The generational numbers are the ones that should terrify the GOP — only 15% of voters under 30 and 20% of millennials identify as Republican, and this electorate would have given Kamala Harris a 3-point win. Plus: Vance defending Ramaswamy’s Ohio ad on the grounds that all tactics are fair if you win. 

Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and previews the weekend in college football.

18+ only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Please carefully consider if it is appropriate for you in light of your personal financial circumstances. Kalshi products are not available in all jurisdictions. See kalshi.com/regulatory for more information. Sign up today to get $25 in bonuses when you trade $25: CHUCKTODD

http://kalshi.com/r/CHUCKTODD

For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership

Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. 

Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! 

Timeline:

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

9:00 The fake polling scandal and separating good polls from bad

12:00 NYT/Siena: Democrats +11 and a clean sweep on the issues

17:00 The Habba pardon deal and Trump threatening voters

19:45 Why under-30 turnout decides this election

24:00 What D+11 actually means for the House and Senate map

30:00 The generational collapse of Republican identification

36:15 “Poor” economic conditions and Trump’s historic unpopularity

43:15 Every indicator says wave — but what if the polling error cuts the other way?

45:45 Talarico pulls away, and Democrats spend in Mississippi

51:00 How ugly politics locks good people out

54:00 Ramaswamy message-tested that ad — and Vance defended it

1:04:15 Four things Chuck wishes he knew before Election Day 

1:19:00 Ask Chuck

1:19:30 What would happen if Missouri's new map gets thrown out?

1:23:30 Which bellwether counties are on your radar?

1:28:30 Could Trump’s Russia friendly policy come down to a man-crush on Putin?

1:32:00 How will Massachusetts replace Lt. Gov candidate who dropped out

1:33:30 If Dems win the senate is eliminating the filibuster inevitable?

1:39:00 College football preview

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens on the Wedgewood Polls scandal — a firm that admitted this week it fabricated its data as an “experiment,” after Mallory McMorrow says the fake numbers killed her Michigan Senate campaign. Chuck argues it’s worthy of a real investigation and that McMorrow should consider civil litigation. Then the main event: a NYT/Siena poll putting Democrats +11 on both the generic House and Senate ballots, with a clean sweep on issue favorability. At D+11, Chuck says Democrats net 40-50 House seats and win Ohio, Texas, Maine, Iowa and Alaska. The generational numbers are the ones that should terrify the GOP — only 15% of voters under 30 and 20% of millennials identify as Republican, and this electorate would have given Kamala Harris a 3-point win. Plus: Vance defending Ramaswamy’s Ohio ad on the grounds that all tactics are fair if you win. 

Wall Street journalist William D. Cohan — author of the New York Times bestseller Money to Burn, on Leon Black and the rise of Apollo — joins the Chuck ToddCast to connect the dots between media consolidation, private equity, and the opaque corner of finance the ToddCast has been chasing since the Lakers special report. Cohan explains why Skydance needs CNN’s cash flow to service $80 billion in debt, why Trump may kill Nexstar’s bid for ABC out of spite toward Disney, and how a sports franchise purchase actually gets financed — including whether Mark Walter bought the Dodgers or insurance premiums did. On Black, Cohan had extensive access: Black maintains the hundreds of millions he paid Epstein were for tax and estate planning, and an investigation he commissioned found no nefarious activity, though Cohan is skeptical anyone pays that much for tax advice. His closing warning echoes Chuck’s: after 2008 regulators pushed risky assets outside the banks, and the new shadow banking system is barely regulated at all. Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and previews the weekend in college football.

18+ only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Please carefully consider if it is appropriate for you in light of your personal financial circumstances. Kalshi products are not available in all jurisdictions. See kalshi.com/regulatory for more information. Sign up today to get $25 in bonuses when you trade $25: CHUCKTODD

http://kalshi.com/r/CHUCKTODD

For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership

Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. 

Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! 

Timeline:

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

9:00 The fake polling scandal and separating good polls from bad

12:00 NYT/Siena: Democrats +11 and a clean sweep on the issues

17:00 The Habba pardon deal and Trump threatening voters

19:45 Why under-30 turnout decides this election

24:00 What D+11 actually means for the House and Senate map

30:00 The generational collapse of Republican identification

36:15 “Poor” economic conditions and Trump’s historic unpopularity

43:15 Every indicator says wave — but what if the polling error cuts the other way?

45:45 Talarico pulls away, and Democrats spend in Mississippi

51:00 How ugly politics locks good people out

54:00 Ramaswamy message-tested that ad — and Vance defended it

1:04:15 Four things Chuck wishes he knew before Election Day 

1:21:00 William D. Cohan joins the Chuck ToddCast

1:23:30 Will public companies offload their news networks?

1:25:15 Skydance’s $80 billion debt and why it needs CNN

1:29:15 Nexstar, ABC, and Trump’s grudge against Disney

1:33:15 Netflix, YouTube, Apple, and who’s actually winning

1:38:45 Redbird, overinflated valuations, and the Lakers money

1:45:30 Trophy purchases, the Dodgers, and insurance premiums

1:50:00 Private equity as a business — and as a political boogeyman

1:57:30 Bessent as sycophant, and the treasury buyback

1:59:30 Leon Black, Epstein, and an attempted rehabilitation

2:06:00 Shadow banking and the crisis we’ll regulate afterward

2:15:00 Ask Chuck

2:15:30 What would happen if Missouri's new map gets thrown out?

2:19:30 Which bellwether counties are on your radar?

2:24:30 Could Trump’s Russia friendly policy come down to a man-crush on Putin?

2:28:00 How will Massachusetts replace Lt. Gov candidate who dropped out

2:29:30 If Dems win the senate is eliminating the filibuster inevitable?

2:35:00 College football preview

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wall Street journalist William D. Cohan — author of the New York Times bestseller Money to Burn, on Leon Black and the rise of Apollo — joins the Chuck ToddCast to connect the dots between media consolidation, private equity, and the opaque corner of finance the ToddCast has been chasing since the Lakers special report. Cohan explains why Skydance needs CNN’s cash flow to service $80 billion in debt, why Trump may kill Nexstar’s bid for ABC out of spite toward Disney, and how a sports franchise purchase actually gets financed — including whether Mark Walter bought the Dodgers or insurance premiums did. On Black, Cohan had extensive access: Black maintains the hundreds of millions he paid Epstein were for tax and estate planning, and an investigation he commissioned found no nefarious activity, though Cohan is skeptical anyone pays that much for tax advice. His closing warning echoes Chuck’s: after 2008 regulators pushed risky assets outside the banks, and the new shadow banking system is barely regulated at all. 

For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership

Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. 

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Timeline:

00:00 William D. Cohan joins the Chuck ToddCast

02:30 Will public companies offload their news networks?

04:15 Skydance’s $80 billion debt and why it needs CNN

08:15 Nexstar, ABC, and Trump’s grudge against Disney

12:15 Netflix, YouTube, Apple, and who’s actually winning

17:45 Redbird, overinflated valuations, and the Lakers money

24:30 Trophy purchases, the Dodgers, and insurance premiums

29:00 Private equity as a business — and as a political boogeyman

36:30 Bessent as sycophant, and the treasury buyback

38:30 Leon Black, Epstein, and an attempted rehabilitation

45:00 Shadow banking and the crisis we’ll regulate afterward

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