Gal Beckerman — author of the new book How to Be a Dissident — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a timely conversation about what it actually takes to resist authoritarianism, written explicitly for an American audience that he argues is now experiencing something abnormal and authoritarian for the first time. Beckerman, drawing on his years of reporting on historical resistance movements, identifies the qualities that successful dissidents across cultures and eras tend to share: the ability to step away from human conformity, a deep sense of pessimism that paradoxically motivates action, and a willingness to be reckless in ways that expose the cruelty of the system they're fighting — whether that's putting children in harm's way during the Birmingham civil rights protests, setting oneself on fire to prove a point, or Alexei Navalny choosing to return to Russia knowing he would likely lose his life. He explains why killing dissidents often backfires by making them immortal, why humor and satire are uniquely powerful tools that authorities have always tried to suppress (medieval rulers banned satire for a reason), and the simple question every dissident eventually faces: "Can I live with myself?"

The conversation turns to what Beckerman sees happening in America right now. He praises the No Kings protests for ramping up demonstrations strategically and points to Minneapolis during ICE's occupation as a moment where ordinary Americans demonstrated genuine dissident behavior. Beckerman makes the provocative argument that the most effective dissidents tend to come from within the system rather than from outside it. He compares Hungary's recent overthrow of Orbán, which was made possible by years of civic organizing in rural areas building the sense of community needed to believe change was possible, with America's institutional capitulation under Trump. He argues Americans weren't prepared to act because they'd never faced this situation before, but that ICE's actions in Minneapolis genuinely woke many people up, They close with cautious optimism: Trump has shaken Americans out of complacency, voter turnout is at its highest in a century, the country has become more sophisticated about protest, and that most dissidents don't realize they've succeeded in the moment they're acting.

Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.

 Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. 

Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Gal Beckerman joins the Chuck ToddCast

01:45 The book is intended for an American audience 

02:15 Americans are experiencing something abnormal & authoritarian

03:00 The conditions for a “normal life” are being impeded on in America

03:30 We saw true dissidents in Minneapolis during ICE occupation

05:00 Most people are hardwired to conform, Minneapolis didn’t

05:30 Dissidents say “no” when their conscience is being violated

06:30 The most simple question for dissidents is “Can I live with myself?”

08:30 What made Soviet dissidents successful vs. modern Russians?

10:00 Soviet Jews were oppressed, but also couldn’t leave

10:45 Soviet Jews broadcast to the world that they were basically prisoners

12:30 Orban’s fall in Hungary had been percolating for years

13:30 Civic organizations in rural Hungary had been organizing

14:30 The sense of community helped people think Orban could be defeated

15:30 No Kings protests have been smart about ramping up demonstrations

16:00 People can join No Kings for their preferred cause & find community

17:30 Are the most effective dissidents the people who came from the system?

18:15 Navalny in Russia was a creature of the establishment

19:15 Liz Cheney didn’t work as a dissident since she wasn’t from Trump wing

20:45 The qualities found in dissidents transcend cultures and eras

22:00 Dissidents have to be able to step away from human conformity

22:45 Pessimism is a common quality in dissidents

24:15 If you think things will get better, it doesn’t motivate you to act

25:30 The difference between fatalism and pessimism

27:15 Humor and satire are a great way to speak to broader audiences

28:30 The absurdity in satire cuts through

30:00 Satire was pulled down by authorities during the middle ages

30:30 Why is recklessness the mark of a successful dissident?

31:30 Putting children in harms way in Birmingham showed cruelty of segregation

32:45 People set themselves on fire to prove a point

34:00 Navalny risked and ultimately lost his life by going back to Russia

35:30 Killing dissidents can make them immortal, make them more powerful

37:45 It’s important to understand what qualities make for a powerful dissident

38:45 We’ve seen institutions and people capitulate in America

39:30 Disney settling with Trump put a permanent stain on corporate owned media

42:00 Americans weren’t prepared to act because they’ve never faced this situation

42:45 ICE going to Minneapolis really woke up many Americans

43:15 Being a citizen does demand hard choices sometimes

46:15 Israeli society is organized around the idea that citizenship is active work

47:00 The upside to the Trump era, is the highest voter turnout in a century

48:30 Trump has shaken many Americans out of their sense of complacency

49:30 America has become more sophisticated about protesting 

51:15 America wants change badly, they keep voting for it

52:00 Change takes time and people are increasingly impatient

54:00 What lesson do you hope people most learn from your book?

56:45 Moral choices are a burden, but are also creative acts

58:15 Most dissidents don’t know they are successful in the moment

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd argues the Trump administration is in the political equivalent of a hole and can't stop digging, walking through a series of self-inflicted wounds that are damaging America's standing both at home and abroad. He reveals the administration is circulating a "trade for aid" package at the UN that would essentially privatize humanitarian assistance, a pretense to drop all foreign aid since the private sector obviously won't fill the gaps without extracting something in return — and warns that after the USAID cuts, other countries have already scaled back their own contributions, meaning America is effectively exporting heartlessness around the world and looking like assholes in the process. The administration's fight with the Pope perfectly captures this mentality: Mike Johnson is defending Trump's attacks on the pontiff by citing Catholic "just war doctrine," newly-converted JD Vance is lecturing the Pope on his own church's theology, and Chuck notes that elected Republicans know this is disastrous politics but are too afraid to say so publicly. He closes with a reflection on hosting a panel for a new documentary about Hannah Arendt, arguing it's the perfect moment to revisit her work on totalitarianism. He notes Arendt was a Zionist who didn't want Israel to be a nationalist state, and applies that framework to the current moment: the backlash against Israel is really a backlash against Netanyahu, who has tried to manipulate every American president but only found his willing partner in Trump; October 7th galvanized Israeli society but hasn't made Bibi more popular at home; Israel now has only one major ally left in America, and Bibi is actively risking even that.

Then, Gal Beckerman — author of the new book How to Be a Dissident — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a timely conversation about what it actually takes to resist authoritarianism, written explicitly for an American audience that he argues is now experiencing something abnormal and authoritarian for the first time. Beckerman, drawing on his years of reporting on historical resistance movements, identifies the qualities that successful dissidents across cultures and eras tend to share: the ability to step away from human conformity, a deep sense of pessimism that paradoxically motivates action, and a willingness to be reckless in ways that expose the cruelty of the system they're fighting — whether that's putting children in harm's way during the Birmingham civil rights protests, setting oneself on fire to prove a point, or Alexei Navalny choosing to return to Russia knowing he would likely lose his life. He explains why killing dissidents often backfires by making them immortal, why humor and satire are uniquely powerful tools that authorities have always tried to suppress (medieval rulers banned satire for a reason), and the simple question every dissident eventually faces: "Can I live with myself?"

The conversation turns to what Beckerman sees happening in America right now. He praises the No Kings protests for ramping up demonstrations strategically and points to Minneapolis during ICE's occupation as a moment where ordinary Americans demonstrated genuine dissident behavior. Beckerman makes the provocative argument that the most effective dissidents tend to come from within the system rather than from outside it. He compares Hungary's recent overthrow of Orbán, which was made possible by years of civic organizing in rural areas building the sense of community needed to believe change was possible, with America's institutional capitulation under Trump. He argues Americans weren't prepared to act because they'd never faced this situation before, but that ICE's actions in Minneapolis genuinely woke many people up, They close with cautious optimism: Trump has shaken Americans out of complacency, voter turnout is at its highest in a century, the country has become more sophisticated about protest, and that most dissidents don't realize they've succeeded in the moment they're acting.

Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.

Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.

 Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. 

Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

06:00 The Trump administration can’t help but “stop digging”

06:45 Outside of his base, Trump isn’t able to persuade others

07:30 Administration circulating a “trade for aid” package at the UN

09:00 Administration wants the world to privatize humanitarian aid

10:00 After USAID cuts, other countries have scaled back their aid

10:45 State Dept official says it’s a pretense to drop all aid & privatize it

11:45 Private sector won’t fill in aid gaps without getting something in return

13:15 Trump is making America look like assholes to the rest of the world

14:00 We’re exporting heartlessness around the world

15:00 This mentality is perfectly captured in administration’s fight with the pope

16:15 Mike Johnson defends Trump’s attack on Pope, citing “just war doctrine”

17:30 The pope has been saying what a pope should say

18:45 Catholic church has a specific theology on “just war”

20:00 JD Vance is newly converted and wants to lecture the pope & church

21:15 Elected Republicans know this is bad politics but are afraid to go public

22:30 Trump’s threats to fire Jay Powell make it harder to confirm his successor

25:00 Maybe a strong independent mind like Jay Powell should run for president

26:45 Prior presidents worked to help their party in 2nd term, Trump doesn’t care

27:45 Trump may be president, but he’s not a true “party leader”

28:15 Chuck hosted panel for new documentary about Hannah Arendt

29:00 Great time to take a deep dive into Arendt’s work on totalitarianism

29:45 We aren’t living in a totalitarian state, but you can see how it can happen

31:30 Arrendt was a Zionist, but didn’t want Israel to be a nationalist state

33:00 Backlash to Israel is mostly backlash against Bibi.

34:00 Bibi has tried to manipulate presidents, only Trump didn’t push back

35:30 October 7th galvanized Israelis, but Bibi isn’t more popular

37:30 Israel now only has one ally in America, Bibi risking that alliance too

38:30 The only way Israel fixes this is with a new government

39:15 Support for Israel is degraded on the American left, the right could follow

43:30 Gal Beckerman joins the Chuck ToddCast
45:15 The book is intended for an American audience
45:45 Americans are experiencing something abnormal & authoritarian
46:30 The conditions for a “normal life” are being impeded on in America
47:00 We saw true dissidents in Minneapolis during ICE occupation
48:30 Most people are hardwired to conform, Minneapolis didn’t
49:00 Dissidents say “no” when their conscience is being violated
50:00 The most simple question for dissidents is “Can I live with myself?”
52:00 What made Soviet dissidents successful vs. modern Russians?
53:30 Soviet Jews were oppressed, but also couldn’t leave
54:15 Soviet Jews broadcast to the world that they were basically prisoners
56:00 Orban’s fall in Hungary had been percolating for years
57:00 Civic organizations in rural Hungary had been organizing
58:00 The sense of community helped people think Orban could be defeated
59:00 No Kings protests have been smart about ramping up demonstrations
59:30 People can join No Kings for their preferred cause & find community
1:01:00 Are the most effective dissidents the people who came from the system?
1:01:45 Navalny in Russia was a creature of the establishment
1:02:45 Liz Cheney didn’t work as a dissident since she wasn’t from Trump wing
1:04:15 The qualities found in dissidents transcend cultures and eras
1:05:30 Dissidents have to be able to step away from human conformity
1:06:15 Pessimism is a common quality in dissidents
1:07:45 If you think things will get better, it doesn’t motivate you to act
1:09:00 The difference between fatalism and pessimism
1:10:45 Humor and satire are a great way to speak to broader audiences
1:12:00 The absurdity in satire cuts through
1:13:30 Satire was pulled down by authorities during the middle ages
1:14:00 Why is recklessness the mark of a successful dissident?
1:15:00 Putting children in harms way in Birmingham showed cruelty of segregation
1:16:15 People set themselves on fire to prove a point
1:17:30 Navalny risked and ultimately lost his life by going back to Russia
1:19:00 Killing dissidents can make them immortal, make them more powerful
1:21:15 It’s important to understand what qualities make for a powerful dissident
1:22:15 We’ve seen institutions and people capitulate in America
1:23:00 Disney settling with Trump put a permanent stain on corporate owned media
1:25:30 Americans weren’t prepared to act because they’ve never faced this situation
1:26:15 ICE going to Minneapolis really woke up many Americans
1:26:45 Being a citizen does demand hard choices sometimes
1:29:45 Israeli society is organized around the idea that citizenship is active work
1:30:30 The upside to the Trump era, is the highest voter turnout in a century
1:32:00 Trump has shaken many Americans out of their sense of complacency
1:33:00 America has become more sophisticated about protesting
1:34:45 America wants change badly, they keep voting for it
1:35:30 Change takes time and people are increasingly impatient
1:37:30 What lesson do you hope people most learn from your book?
1:40:15 Moral choices are a burden, but are also creative acts
1:41:45 Most dissidents don’t know they are successful in the moment

1:43:45 Thoughts on the NBA play-in

1:46:30 Ask Chuck

1:46:45 Would Whitmer/Slotkin be as strong as Warnock/Ossoff as a ticket?

1:49:30 Why didn’t Trump take credit/victory lap over the Artemis mission?

1:53:30 Why are preemptive pardons allowed?

1:55:30 Thoughts on latest polling showing Thomas Massie doing well?

1:58:45 Thoughts on increased calls for expulsion of members of congress?

2:00:30 If Iran offers Obama’s deal, could that further isolate Trump from the world?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd argues the Trump administration is in the political equivalent of a hole and can't stop digging, walking through a series of self-inflicted wounds that are damaging America's standing both at home and abroad. He reveals the administration is circulating a "trade for aid" package at the UN that would essentially privatize humanitarian assistance, a pretense to drop all foreign aid since the private sector obviously won't fill the gaps without extracting something in return — and warns that after the USAID cuts, other countries have already scaled back their own contributions, meaning America is effectively exporting heartlessness around the world and looking like assholes in the process. The administration's fight with the Pope perfectly captures this mentality: Mike Johnson is defending Trump's attacks on the pontiff by citing Catholic "just war doctrine," newly-converted JD Vance is lecturing the Pope on his own church's theology, and Chuck notes that elected Republicans know this is disastrous politics but are too afraid to say so publicly. 

He closes with a reflection on hosting a panel for a new documentary about Hannah Arendt, arguing it's the perfect moment to revisit her work on totalitarianism. He notes Arendt was a Zionist who didn't want Israel to be a nationalist state, and applies that framework to the current moment: the backlash against Israel is really a backlash against Netanyahu, who has tried to manipulate every American president but only found his willing partner in Trump; October 7th galvanized Israeli society but hasn't made Bibi more popular at home; Israel now has only one major ally left in America, and Bibi is actively risking even that.

Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.

Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.

 Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. 

Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

06:00 The Trump administration can’t help but “stop digging”

06:45 Outside of his base, Trump isn’t able to persuade others

07:30 Administration circulating a “trade for aid” package at the UN

09:00 Administration wants the world to privatize humanitarian aid

10:00 After USAID cuts, other countries have scaled back their aid

10:45 State Dept official says it’s a pretense to drop all aid & privatize it

11:45 Private sector won’t fill in aid gaps without getting something in return

13:15 Trump is making America look like assholes to the rest of the world

14:00 We’re exporting heartlessness around the world

15:00 This mentality is perfectly captured in administration’s fight with the pope

16:15 Mike Johnson defends Trump’s attack on Pope, citing “just war doctrine”

17:30 The pope has been saying what a pope should say

18:45 Catholic church has a specific theology on “just war”

20:00 JD Vance is newly converted and wants to lecture the pope & church

21:15 Elected Republicans know this is bad politics but are afraid to go public

22:30 Trump’s threats to fire Jay Powell make it harder to confirm his successor

25:00 Maybe a strong independent mind like Jay Powell should run for president

26:45 Prior presidents worked to help their party in 2nd term, Trump doesn’t care

27:45 Trump may be president, but he’s not a true “party leader”

28:15 Chuck hosted panel for new documentary about Hannah Arendt

29:00 Great time to take a deep dive into Arendt’s work on totalitarianism

29:45 We aren’t living in a totalitarian state, but you can see how it can happen

31:30 Arrendt was a Zionist, but didn’t want Israel to be a nationalist state

33:00 Backlash to Israel is mostly backlash against Bibi.

34:00 Bibi has tried to manipulate presidents, only Trump didn’t push back

35:30 October 7th galvanized Israelis, but Bibi isn’t more popular

37:30 Israel now only has one ally in America, Bibi risking that alliance too

38:30 The only way Israel fixes this is with a new government

39:15 Support for Israel is degraded on the American left, the right could follow

42:00 Thoughts on the NBA play-in

44:45 Ask Chuck

45:00 Would Whitmer/Slotkin be as strong as Warnock/Ossoff as a ticket?

47:45 Why didn’t Trump take credit/victory lap over the Artemis mission?

51:45 Why are preemptive pardons allowed?

53:45 Thoughts on latest polling showing Thomas Massie doing well?

57:00 Thoughts on increased calls for expulsion of members of congress?

58:45 If Iran offers Obama’s deal, could that further isolate Trump from the world?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zach Wahls — the Iowa state senator, former minority leader, and U.S. Senate candidate who first went viral as a 19-year-old in 2011 for his moving speech defending his two moms before the Iowa legislature — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case that Democrats have a real shot at flipping statewide races in Iowa this cycle. Wahls explains how he realized at 13 that the GOP was targeting his own family, how he still considers marriage equality to be genuinely under threat today, and pushes back on the narrative that Iowa has abandoned its famous libertarian streak — noting that the vast majority of Iowans remain pro-choice and supportive of marriage equality even as the state has drifted red. He argues that Obama-Trump voters are plentiful in Iowa and that rural Iowa communities feel forgotten by the establishment — a dynamic Trump spoke to effectively in 2016 when the state was in a regional recession. Wahls points to the party's post-New Deal legacy of fighting for workers' rights, but he also reveals he wouldn't support Chuck Schumer for Senate leadership — a position that's apparently cost him, as Schumer-linked super PACs are now spending millions against him in the primary.

The conversation turns to what Wahls sees as the defining issue of his campaign: the obscene influence of dark money in American politics. He reveals that a bipartisan Iowa bill to get money out of state politics was killed by lobbyists and GOP opposition, that he's received small-dollar donations from all 99 Iowa counties while refusing corporate PAC money, and that his anti-corruption message is genuinely resonating with voters who are exhausted by the current system. Wahls says he'll co-sponsor a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, discusses his openness to banning private equity from owning residential homes and responds to being labeled a "Sanders/Warren" candidate. Wahls pledges to lead by example on anti-corruption by serving only two terms if elected, shares concerns about state reliance on gambling revenue as a signal of voter economic anxiety, and closes with a deeply relatable observation every young parent will recognize: with a two-year-old at home, his monthly childcare bill now costs as much as his mortgage.

Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.

 Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. 

Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Zach Wahls joins the Chuck ToddCast

02:00 Democrats have a real chance at flipping statewide Iowa races

04:00 Did you always know you were going to be in politics?

05:45 Realized at 13 years old the GOP was targeting his own family

06:45 Going viral in 2011 for speech defending his two moms

08:00 Gay marriage rights are still under threat today

09:30 Does Iowa’s famous libertarian streak still exist today?

10:45 Vast majority of Iowans are pro-choice and support marriage equality

12:00 There are a lot of Obama/Trump voters in Iowa

13:30 Union leadership in Iowa leans Dem, rank & file lean GOP

15:15 Rural Iowa communities feel forgotten by the establishment

16:00 Iowa was in a regional recession in 2016, Trump spoke to that

17:30 Why run as a Democrat vs. as an independent?

18:30 Since the New Deal, Democrats have fought for workers rights

19:00 Wouldn’t support Chuck Schumer for senate leadership

19:45 Schumer-linked Super PAC spending millions against him

21:00 How do you avoid being painted as focused on identity & not economics?

23:00 The impact of dark money has tainted American & Iowa politics

24:30 Bipartisan bill to get money out of politics in Iowa spiked by lobbyists & GOP

25:45 The money in politics has gotten obscene quickly in recent years

27:00 What would a campaign finance constitutional amendment look like?

28:30 Republican aligned PACs set to spend huge money in Iowa in the fall

29:15 Received small dollar donations from all 99 counties, no corporate PAC $

30:15 Anti-corruption message is resonating with voters

31:30 Can you unilaterally disarm in the face of huge Republican spending?

32:30 Will co-sponsor amendment to overturn Citizen’s United

33:45 What did you learn from your stint in leadership in the legislature?

36:00 There was no clear strategic plan for Democrats to take back majority

37:00 There were basic organizational issues for Iowa Dems that needed to be fixed

37:45 Needed to rebuild relationships with organized labor

40:00 Stint in leadership doesn’t make him have more sympathy for Schumer

40:45 Democrats didn’t know what they were asking for during shutdown

41:30 If Democrats get the majority…do you work with Trump?

42:45 Have a responsibility to work across the aisle if it helps people

43:30 Open to banning private equity from owning homes, anti monopoly in meat

44:45 Price of fire trucks has tripled due to private equity buying up the manufacturing

46:30 Is the description of being the “Sanders/Warren” candidate a fair description?

49:00 Part-time legislatures don’t have the institutional knowledge of the lobbyists

50:30 Must lead by example on anti-corruption, will only serve two terms if elected

51:30 Thoughts on “vice taxes” & gambling to help state generate revenue?

54:30 High interest in gambling speaks to fear for economic future in voters

56:45 How has having a two year old affected your life & job?

57:30 Childcare costs as much as his mortgage with one child

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens on Tax Day — which the Trump team had planned as a political celebration showcasing bigger refunds, but which has instead become what he dubs the "One Big Beautiful BUST," with any gains from the tax cut completely eaten up by Trump's tariffs and the Iran war. Todd argues the economy isn't in recession but isn't good either, that voters simply won't feel the effects of Trump's tax cut, and that America now faces the genuine prospect of 1970s-style stagflation. H predicts we'll ultimately end up with an Iran deal that looks remarkably similar to the Obama deal Trump once ripped up, and notes that Trump's Jesus meme played terribly even with his own base — forcing him to backpedal with weak excuses — because when things are going well that kind of provocation gets a pass, but Trump is now squarely in the "bad gets worse" stage of his presidency where the coalition hasn't collapsed but the cracks are visibly widening. 

He pivots to Viktor Orbán's decisive defeat in Hungary after 16 years in power, an election that featured massive voter turnout and was won by opposition leader Péter Magyar — an insider who gave Orbán's own voters a "permission slip" to leave by connecting democratic erosion directly to the bad economy. He argues America used to set the weather for democracy worldwide but hasn't been the leading model in 15 years, points to the mainstream party vote share in the UK falling below 40% as evidence of a broader cultural conservative backlash happening across democracies, and closes with a historically grounded warning: Hungary proves that political breakthroughs come from defectors within the system rather than outsiders challenging it, and history suggests real change rarely comes from merely tweaking the machinery — it comes from someone giving voters permission to abandon a failing project.

Then, Zach Wahls — the Iowa state senator, former minority leader, and U.S. Senate candidate who first went viral as a 19-year-old in 2011 for his moving speech defending his two moms before the Iowa legislature — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case that Democrats have a real shot at flipping statewide races in Iowa this cycle. Wahls explains how he realized at 13 that the GOP was targeting his own family, how he still considers marriage equality to be genuinely under threat today, and pushes back on the narrative that Iowa has abandoned its famous libertarian streak — noting that the vast majority of Iowans remain pro-choice and supportive of marriage equality even as the state has drifted red. He argues that Obama-Trump voters are plentiful in Iowa and that rural Iowa communities feel forgotten by the establishment — a dynamic Trump spoke to effectively in 2016 when the state was in a regional recession. Wahls points to the party's post-New Deal legacy of fighting for workers' rights, but he also reveals he wouldn't support Chuck Schumer for Senate leadership — a position that's apparently cost him, as Schumer-linked super PACs are now spending millions against him in the primary.

The conversation turns to what Wahls sees as the defining issue of his campaign: the obscene influence of dark money in American politics. He reveals that a bipartisan Iowa bill to get money out of state politics was killed by lobbyists and GOP opposition, that he's received small-dollar donations from all 99 Iowa counties while refusing corporate PAC money, and that his anti-corruption message is genuinely resonating with voters who are exhausted by the current system. Wahls says he'll co-sponsor a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, discusses his openness to banning private equity from owning residential homes and responds to being labeled a "Sanders/Warren" candidate. Wahls pledges to lead by example on anti-corruption by serving only two terms if elected, shares concerns about state reliance on gambling revenue as a signal of voter economic anxiety, and closes with a deeply relatable observation every young parent will recognize: with a two-year-old at home, his monthly childcare bill now costs as much as his mortgage.

Finally, Chuck provides a spin on the ToddCast Top 5 and instead lists the senate seats he ranks as 6th-10th most likely to flip and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment

Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.

 Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. 

Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

02:00 It’s Tax Day and Trump’s team planned on it being a boon 

03:00 Bigger tax refunds eaten by Trump’s tariffs and Iran war

03:45 Tax day instead will be the One Big Beautiful BUST

04:30 Economy isn’t in recession, but it’s not good

05:15 If Trump didn’t impose tariffs & start war, today would be good for him

06:00 Facing the potential of stagflation for a decade like in the 70s

07:00 Voters won’t feel the effects of Trump’s tax cut

08:15 Economic conditions could go off a cliff if war doesn’t end

09:15 This period of Trump’s presidency will be viewed as when it ended

10:00 It’s clear we’ll get a deal with the Iranians similar to Obama’s deal

11:30 Trump’s jesus meme played terribly, even with his base

12:30 Trump backpedaled and came up with bad excuses for meme

13:45 Everybody has a line that Trump will eventually cross

15:00 If things were going well, the meme wouldn’t get the same backlash

16:15 Trump is in the “bad gets worse” stage of his presidency

18:15 Trump’s coalition hasn’t collapsed, but cracks are getting wider

18:45 Viktor Orban trounced in Hungarian elections after 16 years of rule

20:00 We assumed that America democracy set the weather for democracies

20:45 In the last 15 years, America’s democracy isn’t the leading model

22:00 Cultural conservative backlash happening in many democracies

23:00 Mainstream party vote share in UK has dropped below 40%

24:00 Center-left and center-right UK parties would lose to far left/right

24:45 Hungary’s election was decisive with mass voter turnout

25:30 Magyar was an insider, gave Orban voters permission slip to leave

26:15 Magyar connected democratic erosion to the bad economy

26:45 Vance tried to rescue Orban and that backfired horribly

27:15 How much Hungarian money didn’t American influencers receive?

28:30 America’s political system just vacillates and feels stuck

29:00 Hungary showed the breakthrough comes from defectors, not outsiders

30:15 History suggests that change doesn’t come from tweaking the system

36:00 Zach Wahls joins the Chuck ToddCast

38:00 Democrats have a real chance at flipping statewide Iowa races

40:00 Did you always know you were going to be in politics?

41:45 Realized at 13 years old the GOP was targeting his own family

42:45 Going viral in 2011 for speech defending his two moms

44:00 Gay marriage rights are still under threat today

45:30 Does Iowa’s famous libertarian streak still exist today?

46:45 Vast majority of Iowans are pro-choice and support marriage equality

48:00 There are a lot of Obama/Trump voters in Iowa

49:30 Union leadership in Iowa leans Dem, rank & file lean GOP

51:15 Rural Iowa communities feel forgotten by the establishment

52:00 Iowa was in a regional recession in 2016, Trump spoke to that

53:30 Why run as a Democrat vs. as an independent?

54:30 Since the New Deal, Democrats have fought for workers rights

55:00 Wouldn’t support Chuck Schumer for senate leadership

55:45 Schumer-linked Super PAC spending millions against him

57:00 How do you avoid being painted as focused on identity & not economics?

59:00 The impact of dark money has tainted American & Iowa politics

1:00:30 Bipartisan bill to get money out of politics in Iowa spiked by lobbyists & GOP

1:01:45 The money in politics has gotten obscene quickly in recent years

1:03:00 What would a campaign finance constitutional amendment look like?

1:04:30 Republican aligned PACs set to spend huge money in Iowa in the fall

1:05:15 Received small dollar donations from all 99 counties, no corporate PAC $

1:06:15 Anti-corruption message is resonating with voters

1:07:30 Can you unilaterally disarm in the face of huge Republican spending?

1:08:30 Will co-sponsor amendment to overturn Citizen’s United

1:09:45 What did you learn from your stint in leadership in the legislature?

1:12:00 There was no clear strategic plan for Democrats to take back majority

1:13:00 There were basic organizational issues for Iowa Dems that needed to be fixed

1:13:45 Needed to rebuild relationships with organized labor

1:16:00 Stint in leadership doesn’t make him have more sympathy for Schumer

1:16:45 Democrats didn’t know what they were asking for during shutdown

1:17:30 If Democrats get the majority…do you work with Trump?

1:18:45 Have a responsibility to work across the aisle if it helps people

1:19:30 Open to banning private equity from owning homes, anti monopoly in meat

1:20:45 Price of fire trucks has tripled due to private equity buying up the manufacturing

1:22:30 Is the description of being the “Sanders/Warren” candidate a fair description?

1:25:00 Part-time legislatures don’t have the institutional knowledge of the lobbyists

1:26:30 Must lead by example on anti-corruption, will only serve two terms if elected

1:27:30 Thoughts on “vice taxes” & gambling to help state generate revenue?

1:30:30 High interest in gambling speaks to fear for economic future in voters

1:32:45 How has having a two year old affected your life & job?

1:33:30 Childcare costs as much as his mortgage with one child

1:37:30 ToddCast Not Top 5 - The next 5 senate seats most likely to flip

1:38:30 Political environment is highly favorable for Democrats

1:40:00 Top 5, NC, ME, OH, AK, NE

1:41:45 #6 Texas

1:42:30 #7 Michigan

1:45:30 #8 Georgia

1:46:00 #9 Iowa

1:47:45 #10 Montana

1:50:15 Ask Chuck

1:50:30 Are Republicans more in danger of fracturing than Democrats?

1:57:00 Was there a backroom deal for resignation of Swalwell & Gonzales?

1:58:30 Rubio’s shoes are the most “Veep” thing in Trump administration

2:02:00 How can CA Dems win over rural GOP voters in the state?

2:07:30 Best national and international news sources to stay informed?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens on Tax Day — which the Trump team had planned as a political celebration showcasing bigger refunds, but which has instead become what he dubs the "One Big Beautiful BUST," with any gains from the tax cut completely eaten up by Trump's tariffs and the Iran war. Todd argues the economy isn't in recession but isn't good either, that voters simply won't feel the effects of Trump's tax cut, and that America now faces the genuine prospect of 1970s-style stagflation. H predicts we'll ultimately end up with an Iran deal that looks remarkably similar to the Obama deal Trump once ripped up, and notes that Trump's Jesus meme played terribly even with his own base — forcing him to backpedal with weak excuses — because when things are going well that kind of provocation gets a pass, but Trump is now squarely in the "bad gets worse" stage of his presidency where the coalition hasn't collapsed but the cracks are visibly widening. 

He pivots to Viktor Orbán's decisive defeat in Hungary after 16 years in power, an election that featured massive voter turnout and was won by opposition leader Péter Magyar — an insider who gave Orbán's own voters a "permission slip" to leave by connecting democratic erosion directly to the bad economy. He argues America used to set the weather for democracy worldwide but hasn't been the leading model in 15 years, points to the mainstream party vote share in the UK falling below 40% as evidence of a broader cultural conservative backlash happening across democracies, and closes with a historically grounded warning: Hungary proves that political breakthroughs come from defectors within the system rather than outsiders challenging it, and history suggests real change rarely comes from merely tweaking the machinery — it comes from someone giving voters permission to abandon a failing project.

Finally, Chuck provides a spin on the ToddCast Top 5 and instead lists the senate seats he ranks as 6th-10th most likely to flip and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment

Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.

 Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. 

Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.

Timeline:

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

02:00 It’s Tax Day and Trump’s team planned on it being a boon 

03:00 Bigger tax refunds eaten by Trump’s tariffs and Iran war

03:45 Tax day instead will be the One Big Beautiful BUST

04:30 Economy isn’t in recession, but it’s not good

05:15 If Trump didn’t impose tariffs & start war, today would be good for him

06:00 Facing the potential of stagflation for a decade like in the 70s

07:00 Voters won’t feel the effects of Trump’s tax cut

08:15 Economic conditions could go off a cliff if war doesn’t end

09:15 This period of Trump’s presidency will be viewed as when it ended

10:00 It’s clear we’ll get a deal with the Iranians similar to Obama’s deal

11:30 Trump’s jesus meme played terribly, even with his base

12:30 Trump backpedaled and came up with bad excuses for meme

13:45 Everybody has a line that Trump will eventually cross

15:00 If things were going well, the meme wouldn’t get the same backlash

16:15 Trump is in the “bad gets worse” stage of his presidency

18:15 Trump’s coalition hasn’t collapsed, but cracks are getting wider

18:45 Viktor Orban trounced in Hungarian elections after 16 years of rule

20:00 We assumed that America democracy set the weather for democracies

20:45 In the last 15 years, America’s democracy isn’t the leading model

22:00 Cultural conservative backlash happening in many democracies

23:00 Mainstream party vote share in UK has dropped below 40%

24:00 Center-left and center-right UK parties would lose to far left/right

24:45 Hungary’s election was decisive with mass voter turnout

25:30 Magyar was an insider, gave Orban voters permission slip to leave

26:15 Magyar connected democratic erosion to the bad economy

26:45 Vance tried to rescue Orban and that backfired horribly

27:15 How much Hungarian money didn’t American influencers receive?

28:30 America’s political system just vacillates and feels stuck

29:00 Hungary showed the breakthrough comes from defectors, not outsiders

30:15 History suggests that change doesn’t come from tweaking the system

35:30 ToddCast Not Top 5 - The next 5 senate seats most likely to flip

36:30 Political environment is highly favorable for Democrats

38:00 Top 5, NC, ME, OH, AK, NE

39:45 #6 Texas

40:30 #7 Michigan

43:30 #8 Georgia

44:00 #9 Iowa

45:45 #10 Montana

48:15 Ask Chuck

48:30 Are Republicans more in danger of fracturing than Democrats?

55:00 Was there a backroom deal for resignation of Swalwell & Gonzales?

56:30 Rubio’s shoes are the most “Veep” thing in Trump administration

1:00:00 How can CA Dems win over rural GOP voters in the state?

1:05:30 Best national and international news sources to stay informed?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Conservative talk radio host and Georgia political commentator Martha Zoller joins the Chuck ToddCast for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of politics in the Peach State and beyond. Martha and Chuck dig into why non-MAGA Republicans remain viable in Georgia, how Trump's influence has reshaped the GOP (and arguably handed Democrats two Senate seats), David Perdue's identity crisis between the Trump and Romney wings of the party, and the current landscape of Georgia's gubernatorial and Senate primaries—including why the governor's race may be Mike Collins' to lose and how Rick Jackson's entry has shaken things up.

The conversation then broadens to the deeper fault lines running through American politics: the cultural divide between traditional and progressive family values, why millennials feel left behind, neither party's failure to address affordability, and how media saturation and the collapse of bipartisan relationships in Congress have made compromise feel like treason. Martha and Chuck also explore whether Brian Kemp has presidential ambitions, why it's still harder for Republican women to break through, Jon Ossoff's political strengths, and whether figures like Obama and Trump are really two sides of the same disruption-hungry coin.

Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!

Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.

 Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. 

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Martha Zoller joins the Chuck ToddCast

02:00 There’s a lot of diversity under the umbrellas of the two parties

02:45 Non-MAGA Republicans are still viable in Georgia

04:15 Georgia Democrats used a legal, mail-in voting loophole

05:15 Trump is the reason there are two Democratic GA senators

06:15 Thoughts on David Perdue trying to primary Brian Kemp?

08:15 Perdue lost identity being caught between Trump & Romney wings

09:30 Trump has been an MRI for Republican politics

10:45 Trump wasn’t loyal to David Perdue

11:45 Margins in statewide Georgia races are close

13:30 With Roe gone, has it made it harder to court Republican voters?

14:45 Abortion pills are most common method, have 7% complication rate

17:00 What is the one major dividing line in American politics?

18:15 Independents are disaffected by both parties

19:00 Dividing line is traditional family values vs progressive ones

20:15 Millennials aren’t having kids and feel like life has passed them by

20:45 Neither party is offering affordability solutions

22:00 Shutdown fights are stupid and wasteful

23:45 People view people in the other party as a caricature

24:30 Compromise with the other party is treated as treason

26:00 Congress doesn’t stay in DC & build bipartisan relationships

28:00 Media exposure makes it harder to campaign for office

30:15 Many Republicans learned how to run from Newt Gingrich tapes

31:30 Jon Ossoff’s youth & good looks are a political asset

32:45 Ossoff is not as progressive as his consultants make him sound

34:00 State of the Georgia Republican primary?

35:30 Race is Mike Collins race to lose

37:15 Rick Jackson’s entry has upended the governor's race

38:45 Kemp is focused on getting Derek Dooley across the finish line

39:45 Former governors hate working in the senate

42:30 The case for state legislatures electing senators

44:30 State legislators engage in the most corruption due to lack of coverage

45:45 Kelly Loeffler lost her political identity quickly after taking office

46:45 Is Brian Kemp going to run for president?

49:00 MTG says Republican party doesn’t make it easier for women to run

50:45 It’s harder for women to get traction in politics, easier for Dems

53:00 Have we crossed a line in how ugly our politics has become?

54:30 Voters wanted disruption, Obama & Trump two sides of same coin

56:30 Obama moderated in order to fit in

59:15 Trump couldn’t fake grace over deaths of Rob Reiner or Robert Mueller

1:02:00 Polling is less reliable than ever

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens with the unraveling of Trump's Iran peace talks and the president's threat of a naval blockade, breaking down why the administration has far less leverage than it's letting on, why Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz puts Trump in a corner with only two real choices—escalate or capitulate—and why markets have been dangerously complacent as the economic hit accelerates and consumer confidence sinks below COVID-era lows. From there, Chuck digs into the collapse of Eric Swalwell's career amid sexual abuse allegations and the bipartisan push to expel him along with three other members of Congress, the wide-open and underwhelming California governor's race left behind by a weak Democratic field and Tom Steyer's charmless self-promotion, the curious Roger Stone–Tulsi Gabbard connection and their shared Russia sympathies, and Trump's promise of preemptive pardons for White House staff—making the case for why Congress urgently needs a commission on the pardon power.

Then, conservative talk radio host and Georgia political commentator Martha Zoller joins the Chuck ToddCast for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of politics in the Peach State and beyond. Martha and Chuck dig into why non-MAGA Republicans remain viable in Georgia, how Trump's influence has reshaped the GOP (and arguably handed Democrats two Senate seats), David Perdue's identity crisis between the Trump and Romney wings of the party, and the current landscape of Georgia's gubernatorial and Senate primaries—including why the governor's race may be Mike Collins' to lose and how Rick Jackson's entry has shaken things up.

The conversation then broadens to the deeper fault lines running through American politics: the cultural divide between traditional and progressive family values, why millennials feel left behind, neither party's failure to address affordability, and how media saturation and the collapse of bipartisan relationships in Congress have made compromise feel like treason. Martha and Chuck also explore whether Brian Kemp has presidential ambitions, why it's still harder for Republican women to break through, Jon Ossoff's political strengths, and whether figures like Obama and Trump are really two sides of the same disruption-hungry coin.

Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the Bay of Pigs debacle under John F. Kennedy and why that event still reverberates today, and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. 

Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!

Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.

 Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. 

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

04:00 Trump threatens naval blockade after Iran peace talks fall apart

05:00 Trump admin has less leverage in talks than they’re letting on

05:30 Trump’s stupid rhetoric is not harmless

06:00 Control over the Strait is biggest piece of leverage & Iran has it

07:00 Will Trump send in ground troops if he can’t get what he wants?

08:30 Trump only has two choices: Escalate or capitulate

09:30 If Trump’s lucky he can get the Obama nuclear deal, but that’s unlikely

10:45 Markets will likely panic, they’ve been too complacent so far

12:15 Trump is begging for deal to save face and the Iranians know it

13:15 Trump keeps declaring victory despite reality being the opposite

15:00 Trump doesn’t understand regime, thinks they’re transactional like him

16:00 Iran looking like past failed military operations like Vietnam & Iraq

18:00 Iran saw Libya give up nuclear ambitions & regime was toppled

20:00 Economic hit is happening, consumer confidence lower than COVID

21:30 As Iran talks fell apart, Trump & Rubio were attending UFC fight

23:00 Rubio knows better, but has fallen in line anyway

24:30 Eric Swalwell’s campaign falls apart after allegations of sexual abuse

25:30 Rumors of Swalwell’s behavior existed for years

27:00 Swalwell is only denying criminal behavior, not all the allegations

28:45 Swalwell is trying hard to say he’s not Bill Cosby… he’s Bill Clinton

29:30 Push to expel Swalwell & possibly 3 other members of congress

31:00 It’s politically convenient for leadership to agree to boot them all

33:00 Will congress hold their members to a higher standard than the POTUS?

35:00 It’s likely all four members will get expelled 

35:45 California dems had been reluctantly rallying around Swalwell 

37:00 Major Democrats passed on running for CA gov, leaving weak field

38:15 Hard to blame Newsom for not setting up an “heir apparent”

39:00 Tom Steyer has spent an insane amount of money to promote himself

40:00 You need to have charm in politics, and Steyer doesn’t have it

41:30 Should prominent California dems all endorse the same person?

43:30 Schiff, Padilla, Harris & Newsom may need to play kingmaker

45:00 Likely there will be two weak candidates heading into November

46:30 Stories coming out that Roger Stone saved Tulsi Gabbard

47:15 Both Stone & Gabbard have been pro-Russia… coincidence?

47:45 Trump promises preemptive pardons for WH staff

48:45 We need a congressional commission on pardons

55:30 Martha Zoller joins the Chuck ToddCast
57:30 There’s a lot of diversity under the umbrellas of the two parties
58:15 Non-MAGA Republicans are still viable in Georgia
59:45 Georgia Democrats used a legal, mail-in voting loophole
1:00:45 Trump is the reason there are two Democratic GA senators
1:01:45 Thoughts on David Perdue trying to primary Brian Kemp?
1:03:45 Perdue lost identity being caught between Trump & Romney wings
1:05:00 Trump has been an MRI for Republican politics
1:06:15 Trump wasn’t loyal to David Perdue
1:07:15 Margins in statewide Georgia races are close
1:09:00 With Roe gone, has it made it harder to court Republican voters?
1:10:15 Abortion pills are most common method, have 7% complication rate
1:12:30 What is the one major dividing line in American politics?
1:13:45 Independents are disaffected by both parties
1:14:30 Dividing line is traditional family values vs progressive ones
1:15:45 Millennials aren’t having kids and feel like life has passed them by
1:16:15 Neither party is offering affordability solutions
1:17:30 Shutdown fights are stupid and wasteful
1:19:15 People view people in the other party as a caricature
1:20:00 Compromise with the other party is treated as treason
1:21:30 Congress doesn’t stay in DC & build bipartisan relationships
1:23:30 Media exposure makes it harder to campaign for office
1:25:45 Many Republicans learned how to run from Newt Gingrich tapes
1:27:00 Jon Ossoff’s youth & good looks are a political asset
1:28:15 Ossoff is not as progressive as his consultants make him sound
1:29:30 State of the Georgia Republican primary?
1:31:00 Race is Mike Collins race to lose
1:32:45 Rick Jackson’s entry has upended the governor's race
1:34:15 Kemp is focused on getting Derek Dooley across the finish line
1:35:15 Former governors hate working in the senate
1:38:00 The case for state legislatures electing senators
1:40:00 State legislators engage in the most corruption due to lack of coverage
1:41:15 Kelly Loeffler lost her political identity quickly after taking office
1:42:15 Is Brian Kemp going to run for president?
1:44:30 MTG says Republican party doesn’t make it easier for women to run
1:46:15 It’s harder for women to get traction in politics, easier for Dems
1:48:30 Have we crossed a line in how ugly our politics has become?
1:50:00 Voters wanted disruption, Obama & Trump two sides of same coin
1:52:00 Obama moderated in order to fit in
1:54:45 Trump couldn’t fake grace over deaths of Rob Reiner or Robert Mueller
1:57:30 Polling is less reliable than ever

2:02:45 ToddCast Time Machine - Too many huge historical events to choose from
2:04:45 April 1961 - Bay of Pigs
2:05:30 Nixon meets with Castro after Eisenhower refused to
2:07:00 There a back and forth over whether to embrace or shun Castro
2:07:30 Cold War tensions were very high when the Bay of Pigs happens
2:08:15 Bay of Pigs was a presidential approved operation before JFK took office
2:10:00 Kennedy’s hands were tied by his predecessor
2:10:45 The plan required air superiority, but Castro’s air force had survived
2:11:45 Castro arrests more than 100,000 suspected dissidents
2:13:30 Most of the participants are captured
2:14:00 Kennedy promised a free Havana that never transpired
2:14:45 Cuban Americans became reliable Republican voters under Reagan
2:16:15 Ask Chuck
2:16:30 Will congress ever vote against rebuilding military after president launches war?
2:21:00 Why is the market not really reacting to the Iran war?
2:23:30 As norms become tested, will congress every reassert its role?
2:29:45 Outside of your Top 5 senate flips, what are your 6-10?
2:34:45 Suggestions to fix the NBA
2:37:45 Does anyone use Camp David since Trump doesn’t?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens with the unraveling of Trump's Iran peace talks and the president's threat of a naval blockade, breaking down why the administration has far less leverage than it's letting on, why Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz puts Trump in a corner with only two real choices—escalate or capitulate—and why markets have been dangerously complacent as the economic hit accelerates and consumer confidence sinks below COVID-era lows. From there, Chuck digs into the collapse of Eric Swalwell's career amid sexual abuse allegations and the bipartisan push to expel him along with three other members of Congress, the wide-open and underwhelming California governor's race left behind by a weak Democratic field and Tom Steyer's charmless self-promotion, the curious Roger Stone–Tulsi Gabbard connection and their shared Russia sympathies, and Trump's promise of preemptive pardons for White House staff—making the case for why Congress urgently needs a commission on the pardon power.

Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the Bay of Pigs debacle under John F. Kennedy and why that event still reverberates today, and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. 

Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!

Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.

 Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. 

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

04:00 Trump threatens naval blockade after Iran peace talks fall apart

05:00 Trump admin has less leverage in talks than they’re letting on

05:30 Trump’s stupid rhetoric is not harmless

06:00 Control over the Strait is biggest piece of leverage & Iran has it

07:00 Will Trump send in ground troops if he can’t get what he wants?

08:30 Trump only has two choices: Escalate or capitulate

09:30 If Trump’s lucky he can get the Obama nuclear deal, but that’s unlikely

10:45 Markets will likely panic, they’ve been too complacent so far

12:15 Trump is begging for deal to save face and the Iranians know it

13:15 Trump keeps declaring victory despite reality being the opposite

15:00 Trump doesn’t understand regime, thinks they’re transactional like him

16:00 Iran looking like past failed military operations like Vietnam & Iraq

18:00 Iran saw Libya give up nuclear ambitions & regime was toppled

20:00 Economic hit is happening, consumer confidence lower than COVID

21:30 As Iran talks fell apart, Trump & Rubio were attending UFC fight

23:00 Rubio knows better, but has fallen in line anyway

24:30 Eric Swalwell’s campaign falls apart after allegations of sexual abuse

25:30 Rumors of Swalwell’s behavior existed for years

27:00 Swalwell is only denying criminal behavior, not all the allegations

28:45 Swalwell is trying hard to say he’s not Bill Cosby… he’s Bill Clinton

29:30 Push to expel Swalwell & possibly 3 other members of congress

31:00 It’s politically convenient for leadership to agree to boot them all

33:00 Will congress hold their members to a higher standard than the POTUS?

35:00 It’s likely all four members will get expelled 

35:45 California dems had been reluctantly rallying around Swalwell 

37:00 Major Democrats passed on running for CA gov, leaving weak field

38:15 Hard to blame Newsom for not setting up an “heir apparent”

39:00 Tom Steyer has spent an insane amount of money to promote himself

40:00 You need to have charm in politics, and Steyer doesn’t have it

41:30 Should prominent California dems all endorse the same person?

43:30 Schiff, Padilla, Harris & Newsom may need to play kingmaker

45:00 Likely there will be two weak candidates heading into November

46:30 Stories coming out that Roger Stone saved Tulsi Gabbard

47:15 Both Stone & Gabbard have been pro-Russia… coincidence?

47:45 Trump promises preemptive pardons for WH staff

48:45 We need a congressional commission on pardons

53:45 ToddCast Time Machine - Too many huge historical events to choose from

55:45 April 1961 - Bay of Pigs

56:30 Nixon meets with Castro after Eisenhower refused to

58:00 There a back and forth over whether to embrace or shun Castro

58:30 Cold War tensions were very high when the Bay of Pigs happens

59:15 Bay of Pigs was a presidential approved operation before JFK took office

1:01:00 Kennedy’s hands were tied by his predecessor

1:01:45 The plan required air superiority, but Castro’s air force had survived

1:02:45 Castro arrests more than 100,000 suspected dissidents

1:04:30 Most of the participants are captured

1:05:00 Kennedy promised a free Havana that never transpired

1:05:45 Cuban Americans became reliable Republican voters under Reagan

1:07:15 Ask Chuck

1:07:30 Will congress ever vote against rebuilding military after president launches war?

1:12:00 Why is the market not really reacting to the Iran war?

1:14:30 As norms become tested, will congress every reassert its role?

1:20:45 Outside of your Top 5 senate flips, what are your 6-10?

1:25:45 Suggestions to fix the NBA

1:28:45 Does anyone use Camp David since Trump doesn’t?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pulitzer Prize finalist and historian Megan Kate Nelson — author of the new book The Westerners: Mythmaking and Belonging on the American Frontier — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a fascinating conversation about how the story of the American West we all grew up with is largely a myth, and what the real history reveals about who actually built the country. Nelson explains that the dominant narrative was essentially invented by historian Frederick Jackson Turner in 1893, who argued the American creed was rooted in conquest and expansion — a framing that conveniently allowed white Americans to rally around westward expansion as a unifying project while papering over the uncomfortable realities of slavery and the brutal treatment of indigenous peoples.

She walks through her seven central characters whose stories reclaim that history: Sacagawea (who wasn't actually famous until the 20th century), biracial fur trader Jim Beckwourth, Hispana saloon owner María Gertrudis Barceló (whose Santa Fe establishment inspired the modern Vegas casino), gold miner and newspaperman Ovando Hollister (who believed in human equality and later moved to Salt Lake City to agitate against the Mormons), Northern Cheyenne chief Little Wolf, Canadian immigrant rancher Ella Watson, and Chinese immigrant Polly Bemis. Nelson reveals the most surprising research findings — including how digitized old Colorado newspapers helped her discover stories that had been lost for generations — and discusses how Hollywood created and popularized the caricatures of the West that still dominate pop culture today.

Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.

Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!

Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Megan Kate Nelson joins the Chuck ToddCast

01:30 What got you interested in the topic for The Westerners?

03:45 People still have a very entrenched idea of what the west is

05:00 The portrayal of the west has been improved in pop culture

06:45 Frederick Jackson Turner created the “myth” of the west

08:15 Turner argued the American creed was based on conquest & expansion

10:00 Turner’s narrative became the standard telling of American history

11:00 Western expansion papered over uncomfortable 19th century history

11:45 White Americans could rally around the west & avoid slavery

13:00 How did you get your research on the subjects of The Westerners?

13:45 Sacagawea wasn’t famous until the 20th century

14:30 Lewis & Clark was a core piece of context for the book

15:45 Most unique source material you found that filled in gaps?

19:00 Old local newspapers from Colorado were digitized, allowing discovery

20:15 Hollywood created and popularized caricatures of the west

21:15 Fears and hopes for the new “Little House on the Prairie" reboot?

23:00 How much did Laura Ingalls Wilder book create their own mythology?

24:00 White settlers received a great deal of help from the federal government

25:00 Transcontinental railroad enables the explosion of the cattle industry

25:30 Military deployed to protect white settlers, annihilate the indigenous 

26:45 Expansion wasn’t just an east-west story, it was also a north-south story

30:00 Vegas casinos inspired by Maria Barcelo’s Santa Fe saloon

32:30 The story of southern migration from Canada 

34:30 Timeline of the book is most of the 19th century

35:15 Role of Chinese workers/immigrants in the story of the west

37:00 Chinese workers came on a false promise, were trapped in their labor

40:30 Impact of the Chinese Exclusion Act

42:00 The story of Ovando Hollister

44:00 Hollister believed in the equality of all people. Went from military to newspapers

45:45 Hollister moved to Salt Lake City & agitated against the Mormons

46:30 Stories of the Native Americans are finally being depicted better

47:15 The story of Little Wolf

49:00 Little Wolf was a great military strategist and leader for his people

52:00 Histories of the west were heavily shaded by original bias

53:00 Balancing objectivity with your personal bias when writing history

54:30 Connecting individual stories in history to larger movements & moments

55:30 How would improve school curriculum to honestly depict the west?

59:45 The west was fairly violent before law enforcement became normalized

1:00:45 Next project is the story of a Kiowa and Comanche raid on ranching town

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd unleashes a fierce indictment of Trump's Iran war, walking through a series of devastating prophetic quotes from Trump's own 2016 Republican rivals, now supporters — Lindsey Graham calling his foreign policy "gibberish," Marco Rubio warning that turning the nuclear codes over to an erratic individual "wouldn't end well," Ted Cruz suggesting Trump could "nuke Denmark," and Nikki Haley raising alarms about his "irresponsible behavior" — all of which now look less like campaign rhetoric and more like haunting predictions of exactly the moment America finds itself in. He argues that whether you're a hawk or a dove on Iran, Donald Trump has failed you: he's pissed away American prestige and trust around the world, the Strait of Hormuz is now effectively in Iranian hands, the United States doesn't even know who it's negotiating with given uncertainty about the Ayatollah's status, and Trump is so desperate to escape the war he started that he was bizarrely celebrating a "ceasefire and joint venture with Iran" — a phrase that captures just how thoroughly this is turning into a massive humiliation for the United States. 

He notes that Netanyahu spent years trying to drag America into a war with Iran and finally found his sucker in Trump, that no advisor had the guts to challenge him before the strikes began, and that Obama's old foreign policy doctrine of "don't do stupid shit" has been violated in spectacular fashion. He flags an absurd new development — Trumpworld is now threatening the Vatican because the Pope spoke against the war, a politically idiotic move given how many Catholics live in swing states — and reiterates that success in the conflict would require ground troops Trump refuses to commit, meaning the damage is done and markets will take a long time to recover. Todd argues that the United States has become an erratic and unreliable ally to every country in the world, that the only nation benefiting from Trump's presidency is Russia. He closes on a political note: Democrats massively overperformed again in recent elections, including a shocking blowout in Wisconsin, the war is accelerating the GOP's problems heading into the midterms, and Republicans who distance themselves from Trump now will be very glad they did by 2028 — because the current political climate is pointing toward a massive blue wave.

Pulitzer Prize finalist and historian Megan Kate Nelson — author of the new book The Westerners: Mythmaking and Belonging on the American Frontier — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a fascinating conversation about how the story of the American West we all grew up with is largely a myth, and what the real history reveals about who actually built the country. Nelson explains that the dominant narrative was essentially invented by historian Frederick Jackson Turner in 1893, who argued the American creed was rooted in conquest and expansion — a framing that conveniently allowed white Americans to rally around westward expansion as a unifying project while papering over the uncomfortable realities of slavery and the brutal treatment of indigenous peoples. She walks through her seven central characters whose stories reclaim that history: Sacagawea (who wasn't actually famous until the 20th century), biracial fur trader Jim Beckwourth, Hispana saloon owner María Gertrudis Barceló (whose Santa Fe establishment inspired the modern Vegas casino), gold miner and newspaperman Ovando Hollister (who believed in human equality and later moved to Salt Lake City to agitate against the Mormons), Northern Cheyenne chief Little Wolf, Canadian immigrant rancher Ella Watson, and Chinese immigrant Polly Bemis. Nelson reveals the most surprising research findings — including how digitized old Colorado newspapers helped her discover stories that had been lost for generations — and discusses how Hollywood created and popularized the caricatures of the West that still dominate pop culture today.

Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. 

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Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

00:30 Trump was celebrating the ceasefire & joint venture with Iran??

01:00 This is turning into a massive humiliation for the United States

02:00 Trump’s biggest GOP supporters sounded the alarm on him in 2016

02:45 We have pissed away American prestige and trust around the world

04:00 In May 2016, Lindsey Graham said Trump’s foreign policy is jibberish

05:15 March 2016, Rubio said Trump was the opposite of what America stands for

05:45 Rubio warned about turning over nuclear codes to an erratic individual

06:30 Rubio warned that electing Trump “wouldn’t end well”

07:30 If you’re a hawk or dove on Iran, Donald Trump has failed you*

08:00 In 2016, Ted Cruz warned that Trump could “nuke Denmark”

09:30 In 2016, Nikki Haley also warned about Trump’s “irresponsible behavior”

10:30 Netanyahu tried to drag U.S. into war for years, found a sucker in Trump

11:15 No Trump advisor had the guts to challenge Trump on Iran before war

11:45 Obama’s strategy was “Don’t do stupid shit” - This war is “stupid shit”

12:30 Trump is desperate to get out of war, willing to take any deal

15:00 The Strait is now in the hands of the Iranians

15:30 We don’t know the state of the Ayatollah…who are we negotiating with?

16:30 The Pope spoke against the war, now Trumpworld threatening the Vatican

17:15 There are a lot of Catholics in swing states, picking fight w/pope is idiotic

18:30 Success requires ground troops & Trump doesn’t want to do that

20:00 The damage has been done, it will take time for markets to recover

21:15 The U.S. has become an erratic and unreliable ally

22:15 Trump gravitates toward being sold the best possible outcome

24:00 The word of the United States used to mean something

25:00 Trump has made our relationship with every country worse

26:30 The mistake people make is thinking they can control Trump

27:30 The next president will have to fix or apologize for things Trump did

29:30 Only one country is benefitting from Trump’s presidency…Russia

30:45 Rubio’s quote “this won’t end well” will live in infamy

31:15 Democrats massively overperformed again in recent elections

32:00 Wisconsin election was a shocking blowout for the Democrats

32:30 War is accelerating GOP’s problems heading into midterms

33:15 Republicans that distance from Trump will be glad they did by 2028

34:45 Current political climate portends a massive blue wave

41:45 Megan Kate Nelson joins the Chuck ToddCast

43:15 What got you interested in the topic for The Westerners?

45:30 People still have a very entrenched idea of what the west is

46:45 The portrayal of the west has been improved in pop culture

48:30 Frederick Jackson Turner created the “myth” of the west

50:00 Turner argued the American creed was based on conquest & expansion

51:45 Turner’s narrative became the standard telling of American history

52:45 Western expansion papered over uncomfortable 19th century history

53:30 White Americans could rally around the west & avoid slavery

54:45 How did you get your research on the subjects of The Westerners?

55:30 Sacagawea wasn’t famous until the 20th century

56:15 Lewis & Clark was a core piece of context for the book

57:30 Most unique source material you found that filled in gaps?

1:00:45 Old local newspapers from Colorado were digitized, allowing discovery

1:02:00 Hollywood created and popularized caricatures of the west

1:03:00 Fears and hopes for the new “Little House on the Prairie" reboot?

1:04:45 How much did Laura Ingalls Wilder book create their own mythology?

1:05:45 White settlers received a great deal of help from the federal government

1:06:45 Transcontinental railroad enables the explosion of the cattle industry

1:07:15 Military deployed to protect white settlers, annihilate the indigenous

1:08:30 Expansion wasn’t just an east-west story, it was also a north-south story

1:11:45 Vegas casinos inspired by Maria Barcelo’s Santa Fe saloon

1:14:15 The story of southern migration from Canada

1:16:15 Timeline of the book is most of the 19th century

1:17:00 Role of Chinese workers/immigrants in the story of the west

1:18:45 Chinese workers came on a false promise, were trapped in their labor

1:22:15 Impact of the Chinese Exclusion Act

1:23:45 The story of Ovando Hollister

1:25:45 Hollister believed in the equality of all people. Went from military to newspapers

1:27:30 Hollister moved to Salt Lake City & agitated against the Mormons

1:28:15 Stories of the Native Americans are finally being depicted better

1:29:00 The story of Little Wolf

1:30:45 Little Wolf was a great military strategist and leader for his people

1:33:45 Histories of the west were heavily shaded by original bias

1:34:45 Balancing objectivity with your personal bias when writing history

1:36:15 Connecting individual stories in history to larger movements & moments

1:37:15 How would improve school curriculum to honestly depict the west?

1:41:30 The west was fairly violent before law enforcement became normalized

1:42:30 Next project is the story of a Kiowa and Comanche raid on ranching town

1:45:00 Ask Chuck

1:45:15 What is being missed that will bite us in the future?

1:51:00 What’s the most “Veep” thing you’ve seen in DC?

1:54:30 Why haven’t Democrats tapped into talk radio like Republicans have?

2:00:00 Didn’t mention Washington state in one party drought Top 5 list?

2:03:30 If the war ends, can Republicans run on the economy in 2026?

2:06:30 Forcing ownership changes if sports teams underperform?

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