The Dispatch Podcast

Mo Elleithee, a longtime Democratic operative and executive director of the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service, joins Sarah and Chris Stirewalt to break down the results of the latest GU Battleground Poll. They talk about the implications of voters’ concerns about division, the nuanced differences between attitudinal and issue polling, and how the parties’ messaging on issues they respectively “own” are shaping political dynamics heading into the midterms.

Show Notes:

-GU Battleground Poll

-Chris’ column on junk poling

-This week’s Sweep on polling and primaries

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The critical race theory battle has quickly invaded school boards all across the country - but is everyone arguing in bad faith? The gang considers the politics of CRT and the role of legislators in regulating public school curriculum. Plus, Sarah points out the flaws in issue polling and why we should be skeptical of the results. Finally, foreign policy galore. What should Biden say to Putin? Is this summit practice for an eventual showdown with China? Should Ukraine join NATO?

Show Notes:

-Poll: 29% of Republicans think Trump will be reinstated

-For the People (Data for Progress) poll

-Charles C.W. Cooke on critical race theory

-The Sweep

-Jonah’s column

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Purdue University President and former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels joins Sarah and Steve to talk about the state of higher education in America, wokeness on college campuses, and the national debt. Daniels explains Purdue’s new civics literacy test for all new students at the university, discusses his 2021 commencement speech and bringing back America’s “spirit of adventure,” and chats about riding into the ceremony on a motorized couch.

Show Notes:

-Purdue civics literacy test

-Mitch Daniels’ 2021 commencement speech

-FIRE study on college free speech

-Mitch Daniels rides Couch to Commencement

-Daniels op-ed regarding the national debt

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With President Biden’s domestic agenda breaking down as he heads off on his first foreign trip, the gang talks about what it will take to get anything done in Washington. One person responsible for a great deal of stress for President Biden is Sen. Joe Manchin. Is he helping or hurting the Democrats? Plus, as U.S. forces begin to withdraw from Afghanistan, Sarah, Steve, Jonah, and David worry what will take its place. Finally: doom porn. Need we say more?

Show Notes:

-ProPublica tax story

-Politico’s story on Biden and Manchin’s ‘Joemance’

-Cicadas vs. the presidential press plane

-Joe Manchin: Why I'm voting against the For the People Act

-Are We Destined for a Trump Coup in 2024? - Ross Douthat

-Americans Are Dangerously Divided on the Insurrection - William Saletan

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The politicization of the China lab-leak theory has only gotten worse as more and more information surrounding it comes out. To talk about why that is, and the merits of the theory itself, is Josh Rogin of the Washington Post. Rogin has been doggedly reporting on this very subject and even wrote a book about it.

Show Notes:

-Chaos Under Heaven by Josh Rogin

-Josh’s Twitter page

-Josh’s Washington Post page

-Josh’s story on unsafe Wuhan lab

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Last week this podcast talked about Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko scrambling a military jet to force down a Ryanair flight carrying a dissident journalist. Now, as more reporting reveals how involved Russian President Vladimir Putin was, Steve asks whether President Biden should be holding a summit with Putin in a few weeks. Also in the foreign policy vein, Jonah laments the fact that translators who have been helping the U.S. military in the Middle East aren’t able to get the help they need to remain safe. Plus, check out the discussion on the merits of ranked-choice voting and Ezra Klein’s interview with President Barack Obama.

Show Notes:

-Putin summit announcement

-Biden floats sending Iran money after 9/11

-Interpreters may be left behind

-How does ranked-choice voting work?

-TMD on New York City mayor’s race

-Ezra Klien interviews Barack Obama

-Obama’s ‘guns, religion’ line

-Then She Asked Me About Benghazi - Ben Rhodes

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King of the gun beat and founder of The Reload Stephen Gutowski joins Sarah and Steve to talk about all things gun related on today’s episode. The topic of guns induces plenty of passion, and comes with plenty of stereotypes and myths. Stephen, Sarah, and Steve talk about all of that, plus gun culture in America, the politics of guns, the NRA, and more. Stick around to the end to hear what Stephen thinks action movies are getting things wrong about guns.

Show Notes:

-Subscribe to The Reload

-Gun ownership rising

-Gallup historical polling on guns

-We’re out of ammo

-Stephen’s piece for The Dispatch

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With Biden’s legislative agenda coming up against many roadblocks in Congress, Sarah, Steve, David, and Jonah debate which one of Biden’s main objectives will actually be made into law. Then, the gang explains even though Florida’s new “anti-Big Tech” law is likely to be unconstitutional, it could be a political win for DeSantis and anyone else who hitches their wagon to taking on Big Tech. Also in an extended, well-informed discussion about the violent crime spike, The Dispatch Podcast-ers talk about how we got in this situation, how to get out of it, and the politics of crime. Finally, Putin and leaders in Belarus have taken drastic measures to muzzle a journalist critical of the Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, and the group discusses whether the threat of nuclear war is warranted to get the journalist back.

Show Notes:

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After being the only candidate to run against Rep. Elise Stefanik in a bid to replace Rep. Liz Cheney as the No. 3 House GOP leader, Rep. Chip Roy joins Sarah and Steve in this week’s episode. This wide-ranging interview touches on the January 6 commission, how Republican voters perceive the party, the Cheney ousting, and potential 2024 Republican presidential candidates.

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The Israel/Palestine conflict has yet to cool down, but the rhetoric around the ongoing skirmish is heating up in the U.S. The gang talks about the pressure on Biden to help with the situation abroad. Plus, it seems as though a commission to look at the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6 might not be getting much GOP support, if any at all. Sarah, Steve, David, and Jonah try to figure out who is to blame for that. David educates everyone on the abortion case the Supreme Court will be hearing, and the gang discusses the debate over the origins of COVID-19.

Show Notes:

-DNC boos Israel language

-January 6 was just a “normal tourist day”

-Pictures of Rep. Clyde blocking the doors into the Capitol

-Advisory Opinions on SCOTUS abortion case

-Historic polling on abortion - Gallup

-How Abortion Views Are Different - David Leonhardt

-Origins of Covid - Following the Clues

-Josh Rogin’s Twitter

-Don McNeil’s Lab Leak Story

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