Legendary Democratic strategist Tad Devine — a senior adviser to Bernie Sanders' 2016 campaign and a veteran of multiple presidential campaigns — joins the Chuck Toddcast with a new book and a provocative thesis: the Democratic Party actively screwed Bernie Sanders, and in doing so screwed itself. Devine says he got angrier and angrier as he wrote the book, revisiting how Sanders couldn't get booked on the Sunday shows for years, how the nominating process was rigged in Hillary Clinton's favor by a party establishment that gave far too much weight to insiders and superdelegates, and how roughly half of Obama's 2008 supporters migrated to Bernie in 2016. Devine wrestles honestly with the central tension of Sanders' relationship to the party: Bernie would never actually register as a Democrat (unlike Zohran Mamdani, who embraced the label), begrudgingly agreeing only to put "Democrat" next to his name, describing his agenda as the "second agenda of Benjamin Franklin" and understanding perfectly well that the word "socialism" is toxic to many voters even as he refused to abandon it. The what-ifs are tantalizing: Devine argues that if Bernie had been declared the winner of Iowa on caucus night in 2016, the whole race might have unfolded differently, and that if Sanders had won the first three states, the establishment would have mobilized to stop him by any means necessary.

The conversation broadens into a sweeping critique of how Democrats choose their nominees and what the party needs to reform. Devine argues the party must give voters far more control over nominations, that the primary calendar is one of the most important and underappreciated parts of the entire process, and that independents should be allowed to participate in either party's primary rather than being forced to register months in advance. He credits Sanders with hitting on the enduring insight that the system is rigged against working people — a message supercharged after the Supreme Court unleashed the flood of money into politics following Obama's election — and makes the striking counterfactual case that Bernie would have beaten Trump in 2016 because, unlike Hillary Clinton, he could credibly run as a change candidate, and the white working-class vote wouldn't have broken so heavily toward Trump. Devine muses that Sherrod Brown would have made a strong running mate for Sanders, wonders aloud whether Bernie would ever have said yes to Clinton as a running mate, and argues that electing Bernie would have been a powerful national reckoning. He's clear-eyed about the party's deeper problem — the DNC is fundamentally risk-averse, and politics is about taking risks.

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Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Tad Devine joins the Chuck ToddCast

01:15 Why do you say that the Democrats screwed Bernie?

02:30 Got more and more upset while writing the book

04:00 Sanders couldn’t get booked on the Sunday shows for years

06:45 Half of Obama’s supporters went to Bernie

07:45 Obama didn’t learn the fundamental lesson of his own campaign

09:45 The nominating process was rigged by the Democratic party

10:45 Gore didn’t control the party until he became the nominee in 2000

13:00 Why not play favorites when Bernie wouldn’t register as a Democrat?

13:45 Mamdani said he was Democrat, Bernie never would

15:00 Bernie begrudgingly agreed to Democratic Party next to his name

16:30 Bernie described his agenda as “2nd agenda of Benjamin Franklin”

17:45 People recoil at the word socialism, not necessarily the policies

18:30 Bernie understands the word socialism is toxic, but doesn’t care

20:00 Campaign needed to embrace the tapestry of America

20:30 Would election go differently if declared winner of Iowa on caucus night?

21:45 Both campaigns essentially said they won Iowa in 2016 primary

23:00 Bernie didn’t want to be a back-bencher, motivated him to run

24:00 Best measure of support is in open primaries

24:30 In how many states did Trump eaten into Bernie’s support?

25:15 If Bernie won first three states, establishment would try to stop him

26:00 Why did Bernie stand down for Biden?

27:00 Biden took Bernie’s infrastructure proposal and turned it into law

28:15 Was Bernie running to win or to make a point?

29:00 Tried to make a point, then grassroots energy swelled

30:30 The party needs to give voters more control over nominations

31:45 Dukakis wanted to get rid of the superdelegates

33:00 Democratic party gave too much weight to party insiders

33:45 It’s not just a DNC problem, there’s issues with media coverage

34:30 Primary calendar is one of the most important parts of process

36:00 Independents should be allowed to participate in either primary

 37:45 Had to register as Dem in fall of 2015 to vote in 2016 primary

40:00 Bernie hit on the idea that the system is rigged against working people

41:00 After Obama won, SCOTUS allowed the flood of money into politics

42:45 Most people want money out of politics, need legislation or amendment

44:15 Voters need to be empowered to solve America’s problems

45:15 How do we get leaders that will let the reforms happen?

46:45 Should we have a broader or narrower definition of Democrat?

48:00 It was remarkable that Bernie did so well with the youngest voters

49:30 Bernie would have beaten Trump, Hillary couldn’t be a change candidate

51:00 White working class vote wouldn’t have gone mostly to Trump

52:30 Sherrod Brown would have been a strong running mate for Bernie

53:15 Would Bernie have said yes to Clinton as a running mate?

54:30 Electing Bernie would have been a powerful reckoning

55:45 The DNC is risk averse and politics is about risk taking

57:00 Bernie shouldn’t run in 2028, he’s too old

57:45 When Bernie is with Mamdani, he seems like Bernie’s son

59:00 AOC - Run for senate or run for president?

1:00:00 Who will get Bernie’s affection as his successor

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens with the Iran war back on and the rug pulled out from under the world economy once again — but his central argument is that this is now the biggest broken campaign promise in 40 years. He draws a crucial distinction between ordinary campaign lies and genuinely major broken promises: "build the wall" was a broken promise that didn't much hurt Trump, but "no new wars" was foundational to his appeal, and the Iran calamity is now actively damaging the economy and making everyday life harder for the voters who trusted him. He notes candidate Trump was actually right that an Iran war would be irresponsible, that securing anything would require a months- or years-long ground commitment Trump won't make, and that the president was so consumed with keeping his birthday celebration on schedule that he tried to time the war around it. Marco Rubio, as always, has vanished now that things are going badly. Todd flags the NATO meetings underway in Turkey (a complicated ally Trump only engages because he and Erdogan play by the same strongman rules), marvels that Trump remains inexplicably sympathetic to a Putin who has never been weaker, and warns that all of it is making Americans less safe. He then turns to the Maine Senate race, which has become a genuine debacle: Todd argues Graham Platner was caught in a clear lie to Democratic senators about Jenny Racicot — who has said publicly she believes Platner sexually assaulted her — and that Platner knew both what she believed and that she was talking to reporters. Todd is emphatic that the lies need to be called out, that leaning into misogyny is no way to win back working-class white men, and that progressives cannot let Trump set the bar for acceptable character. He frames the whole primary through the fighter-versus-winner divide, notes this could be the second high-profile Bernie-endorsed candidate to lose (raising the stakes for Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and underscoring how much harder it is for progressives to win statewide), and argues the progressive left urgently needs to get its house in order. Todd closes with two intriguing threads: the swirling rumors about Mitch McConnell's health and status (his seat is on the ballot in November, and Kentucky's legislature changed its vacancy-appointment law in a way that may violate the state constitution but has never been tested in court), and the escalating fight between the Trump administration and the Smithsonian — where Todd concedes the administration had a couple of fair critiques but argues that its core complaint, that the museum is "woke" for simply asking questions about history, amounts to demanding the Smithsonian swap one alleged ideology for an openly right-wing one, when the honest approach to contested history is simply to present the facts and let people interpret them. 

Then, legendary Democratic strategist Tad Devine — a senior adviser to Bernie Sanders' 2016 campaign and a veteran of multiple presidential campaigns — joins the Chuck Toddcast with a new book and a provocative thesis: the Democratic Party actively screwed Bernie Sanders, and in doing so screwed itself. Devine says he got angrier and angrier as he wrote the book, revisiting how Sanders couldn't get booked on the Sunday shows for years, how the nominating process was rigged in Hillary Clinton's favor by a party establishment that gave far too much weight to insiders and superdelegates, and how roughly half of Obama's 2008 supporters migrated to Bernie in 2016. Devine wrestles honestly with the central tension of Sanders' relationship to the party: Bernie would never actually register as a Democrat (unlike Zohran Mamdani, who embraced the label), begrudgingly agreeing only to put "Democrat" next to his name, describing his agenda as the "second agenda of Benjamin Franklin" and understanding perfectly well that the word "socialism" is toxic to many voters even as he refused to abandon it. The what-ifs are tantalizing: Devine argues that if Bernie had been declared the winner of Iowa on caucus night in 2016, the whole race might have unfolded differently, and that if Sanders had won the first three states, the establishment would have mobilized to stop him by any means necessary.

The conversation broadens into a sweeping critique of how Democrats choose their nominees and what the party needs to reform. Devine argues the party must give voters far more control over nominations, that the primary calendar is one of the most important and underappreciated parts of the entire process, and that independents should be allowed to participate in either party's primary rather than being forced to register months in advance. He credits Sanders with hitting on the enduring insight that the system is rigged against working people — a message supercharged after the Supreme Court unleashed the flood of money into politics following Obama's election — and makes the striking counterfactual case that Bernie would have beaten Trump in 2016 because, unlike Hillary Clinton, he could credibly run as a change candidate, and the white working-class vote wouldn't have broken so heavily toward Trump. Devine muses that Sherrod Brown would have made a strong running mate for Sanders, wonders aloud whether Bernie would ever have said yes to Clinton as a running mate, and argues that electing Bernie would have been a powerful national reckoning. He's clear-eyed about the party's deeper problem — the DNC is fundamentally risk-averse, and politics is about taking risks.

Finally, Chuck updates the ToddCast Top 5 most likely senate flips if Maine is off the board for Democrats post-Platner scandal 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.

Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code CHUCKTODDCAST at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/chucktoddcast 

From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com 

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

05:00 The Iran war is now back on

06:00 The rug has been pulled on the world economy once again

06:30 The Iranians won this conflict, they have more leverage

07:30 There’s a difference between campaign lies & major broken promises

09:30 “Build the wall” was a broken promise, but didn’t impact Trump much

10:45 Trump’s other major promise was “No new wars” & Iran is a calamity

12:30 This broken promise is damaging the economy & making life difficult

13:15 When things are going badly, Marco Rubio disappears

14:30 This will be the biggest broken campaign promise in 40 years*

15:00 Candidate Trump was right that an Iran war would be irresponsible

16:15 Ground troops would be a months… if not years commitment

17:30 Trump wanted to stop the war in time for his birthday party

18:00 Trump was more concerned with keeping celebrations on schedule

18:45 NATO meetings currently taking place in Turkey…a complicated ally

19:30 Trump likely only attends this meeting because Erdogan is hosting

20:45 Trump & Erdogan are world leaders that play by the same rules

21:30 Putin has never been this weak as the ruler of Russia

23:00 It’s still perplexing that Trump is so sympathetic to Putin

24:15 Shirking Putin would make things easier for Trump…but he still doesn’t

25:00 Trump’s actions are making us all less safe

26:00 The Maine senate race has turned into a massive debacle

27:30 The framing is “Do you want to fight, or do you want to win?”

28:15 How much leverage does Platner have in choosing his replacement?

29:30 Democratic base wants a fighter, not a uniter this primary cycle

32:00 Pragmatic Democrats should make the “winning” case

32:45 Susan Collins has overperformed “generic Republican” for 30 years

34:30 Platner was caught in a clear lie to Democratic senators *

35:45 Jenny Racicot made clear she believed she was sexually assaulted by Platner

36:45 Platner knew she what she believed and that Racicot was talking to reporters*

38:00 He clearly lied to senators and the lies need to be called out*

39:30 Leaning into misogyny isn’t the way to win back white men

40:15 Platner was the left's idea of how to appeal to working class white men

41:30 Progressives can’t let Trump set the bar for character

42:30 Democrats should be thankful there’s time to fix this

44:30 This could be two high profile races that Bernie endorsees have lost

46:30 It’s much harder for progressives to win in statewide races

47:15 This puts more pressure on Abdul El-Sayed to win in Michigan

48:00 The progressive left needs to get their house in order

49:45 Rumors are flying about the status of Mitch McConnell

50:30 If Republicans wanted to put the rumors to bed, it’d be easy to do

51:30 McConnell’s seat is on the ballot in November

52:00 KY legislature changed law on vacancy appointments, against state constitution

53:00 Law change has never been tested in the courts

54:15 Simplest explanation might be McConnell wants to keep it private

56:00 Could keeping the illusion of McConnell going help with a SCOTUS confirmation?

57:00 This wouldn’t change a confirmation vote by much since he can’t vote

59:30 Fight between Trump administration and the Smithsonian

1:00:00 Administration had a couple fair critiques, but most wasn’t

1:00:30 Administration claimed the Smithsonian is “woke”

1:02:45 Another complaint was not enough America 250 programming/exhibits

1:05:00 Simply asking questions about history isn’t proof of an ideology

1:05:45 Administration is demanding the Smithsonian adopt their own ideology

1:06:30 Report claims left-wing bias, but now insists on a right-wing bias

1:09:15 History is open to interpretation, it’s best to present the facts

01:16:15 Tad Devine joins the Chuck ToddCast  

01:17:30 Why do you say that the Democrats screwed Bernie?  

01:18:45 Got more and more upset while writing the book  

01:20:15 Sanders couldn’t get booked on the Sunday shows for years  

01:23:00 Half of Obama’s supporters went to Bernie  

01:24:00 Obama didn’t learn the fundamental lesson of his own campaign  

01:26:00 The nominating process was rigged by the Democratic party  

01:27:00 Gore didn’t control the party until he became the nominee in 2000  

01:29:15 Why not play favorites when Bernie wouldn’t register as a Democrat?  

01:30:00 Mamdani said he was Democrat, Bernie never would  

01:31:15 Bernie begrudgingly agreed to Democratic Party next to his name  

01:32:45 Bernie described his agenda as “2nd agenda of Benjamin Franklin”  

01:34:00 People recoil at the word socialism, not necessarily the policies  

01:34:45 Bernie understands the word socialism is toxic, but doesn’t care  

01:36:15 Campaign needed to embrace the tapestry of America  

01:36:45 Would election go differently if declared winner of Iowa on caucus night?  

01:38:00 Both campaigns essentially said they won Iowa in 2016 primary  

01:39:15 Bernie didn’t want to be a back-bencher, motivated him to run  

01:40:15 Best measure of support is in open primaries  

01:40:45 In how many states did Trump eaten into Bernie’s support?  

01:41:30 If Bernie won first three states, establishment would try to stop him  

01:42:15 Why did Bernie stand down for Biden?  

01:43:15 Biden took Bernie’s infrastructure proposal and turned it into law  

01:44:30 Was Bernie running to win or to make a point?  

01:45:15 Tried to make a point, then grassroots energy swelled  

01:46:45 The party needs to give voters more control over nominations  

01:48:00 Dukakis wanted to get rid of the superdelegates  

01:49:15 Democratic party gave too much weight to party insiders  

01:50:00 It’s not just a DNC problem, there’s issues with media coverage  

01:50:45 Primary calendar is one of the most important parts of process  

01:52:15 Independents should be allowed to participate in either primary  

01:54:00 Had to register as Dem in fall of 2015 to vote in 2016 primary  

01:56:15 Bernie hit on the idea that the system is rigged against working people  

01:57:15 After Obama won, SCOTUS allowed the flood of money into politics  

01:59:00 Most people want money out of politics, need legislation or amendment  

02:00:30 Voters need to be empowered to solve America’s problems  

02:01:30 How do we get leaders that will let the reforms happen?  

02:03:00 Should we have a broader or narrower definition of Democrat?  

02:04:15 It was remarkable that Bernie did so well with the youngest voters  

02:05:45 Bernie would have beaten Trump, Hillary couldn’t be a change candidate  

02:07:15 White working class vote wouldn’t have gone mostly to Trump  

02:08:45 Sherrod Brown would have been a strong running mate for Bernie  

02:09:30 Would Bernie have said yes to Clinton as a running mate?  

02:10:45 Electing Bernie would have been a powerful reckoning  

02:12:00 The DNC is risk averse and politics is about risk taking  

02:13:15 Bernie shouldn’t run in 2028, he’s too old  

02:14:00 When Bernie is with Mamdani, he seems like Bernie’s son  

02:15:15 AOC - Run for senate or run for president?  

02:16:15 Who will get Bernie’s affection as his successor  

02:20:30 Chuck’s thoughts on the interview with Tad Devine  

02:21:00 ToddCast Top 5 most likely senate flips if Maine is off the board  

02:21:30 #1 North Carolina  

02:22:00 #2 Michigan  

02:25:15 #3 Ohio  

02:25:45 #4 Alaska  

02:26:30 #5 Iowa  

02:26:45 If all these flip, Dems need to find one more seat  

02:29:00 Susan Collins still unlikely to win, but Dems have to get it together  

02:30:00 Democrats have to nominate a woman after Platner scandal  

02:30:45 Ask Chuck  

02:31:15 What’s one widely believed political myth that isn’t true?  

02:35:00 Comparison of Trump’s impact on Atlantic City to Robert Moses?  

02:37:30 Are Republicans not aware a future Dem could use expanded presidential powers?  

02:40:30 USMNT loses to Belgium, whatever Trump touches dies 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens with the Iran war back on and the rug pulled out from under the world economy once again — but his central argument is that this is now the biggest broken campaign promise in 40 years. He draws a crucial distinction between ordinary campaign lies and genuinely major broken promises: "build the wall" was a broken promise that didn't much hurt Trump, but "no new wars" was foundational to his appeal, and the Iran calamity is now actively damaging the economy and making everyday life harder for the voters who trusted him. He notes candidate Trump was actually right that an Iran war would be irresponsible, that securing anything would require a months- or years-long ground commitment Trump won't make, and that the president was so consumed with keeping his birthday celebration on schedule that he tried to time the war around it. Marco Rubio, as always, has vanished now that things are going badly. Todd flags the NATO meetings underway in Turkey (a complicated ally Trump only engages because he and Erdogan play by the same strongman rules), marvels that Trump remains inexplicably sympathetic to a Putin who has never been weaker, and warns that all of it is making Americans less safe. He then turns to the Maine Senate race, which has become a genuine debacle: Todd argues Graham Platner was caught in a clear lie to Democratic senators about Jenny Racicot — who has said publicly she believes Platner sexually assaulted her — and that Platner knew both what she believed and that she was talking to reporters. Todd is emphatic that the lies need to be called out, that leaning into misogyny is no way to win back working-class white men, and that progressives cannot let Trump set the bar for acceptable character. He frames the whole primary through the fighter-versus-winner divide, notes this could be the second high-profile Bernie-endorsed candidate to lose (raising the stakes for Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and underscoring how much harder it is for progressives to win statewide), and argues the progressive left urgently needs to get its house in order. Todd closes with two intriguing threads: the swirling rumors about Mitch McConnell's health and status (his seat is on the ballot in November, and Kentucky's legislature changed its vacancy-appointment law in a way that may violate the state constitution but has never been tested in court), and the escalating fight between the Trump administration and the Smithsonian — where Todd concedes the administration had a couple of fair critiques but argues that its core complaint, that the museum is "woke" for simply asking questions about history, amounts to demanding the Smithsonian swap one alleged ideology for an openly right-wing one, when the honest approach to contested history is simply to present the facts and let people interpret them. 

Finally, Chuck updates the ToddCast Top 5 most likely senate flips if Maine is off the board for Democrats post-Platner scandal 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.

Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code CHUCKTODDCAST at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/chucktoddcast 

From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com 

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

05:00 The Iran war is now back on

06:00 The rug has been pulled on the world economy once again

06:30 The Iranians won this conflict, they have more leverage

07:30 There’s a difference between campaign lies & major broken promises

09:30 “Build the wall” was a broken promise, but didn’t impact Trump much

10:45 Trump’s other major promise was “No new wars” & Iran is a calamity

12:30 This broken promise is damaging the economy & making life difficult

13:15 When things are going badly, Marco Rubio disappears

14:30 This will be the biggest broken campaign promise in 40 years*

15:00 Candidate Trump was right that an Iran war would be irresponsible

16:15 Ground troops would be a months… if not years commitment

17:30 Trump wanted to stop the war in time for his birthday party

18:00 Trump was more concerned with keeping celebrations on schedule

18:45 NATO meetings currently taking place in Turkey…a complicated ally

19:30 Trump likely only attends this meeting because Erdogan is hosting

20:45 Trump & Erdogan are world leaders that play by the same rules

21:30 Putin has never been this weak as the ruler of Russia

23:00 It’s still perplexing that Trump is so sympathetic to Putin

24:15 Shirking Putin would make things easier for Trump…but he still doesn’t

25:00 Trump’s actions are making us all less safe

26:00 The Maine senate race has turned into a massive debacle

27:30 The framing is “Do you want to fight, or do you want to win?”

28:15 How much leverage does Platner have in choosing his replacement?

29:30 Democratic base wants a fighter, not a uniter this primary cycle

32:00 Pragmatic Democrats should make the “winning” case

32:45 Susan Collins has overperformed “generic Republican” for 30 years

34:30 Platner was caught in a clear lie to Democratic senators *

35:45 Jenny Racicot made clear she believed she was sexually assaulted by Platner

36:45 Platner knew she what she believed and that Racicot was talking to reporters*

38:00 He clearly lied to senators and the lies need to be called out*

39:30 Leaning into misogyny isn’t the way to win back white men

40:15 Platner was the left's idea of how to appeal to working class white men

41:30 Progressives can’t let Trump set the bar for character

42:30 Democrats should be thankful there’s time to fix this

44:30 This could be two high profile races that Bernie endorsees have lost

46:30 It’s much harder for progressives to win in statewide races

47:15 This puts more pressure on Abdul El-Sayed to win in Michigan

48:00 The progressive left needs to get their house in order

49:45 Rumors are flying about the status of Mitch McConnell

50:30 If Republicans wanted to put the rumors to bed, it’d be easy to do

51:30 McConnell’s seat is on the ballot in November

52:00 KY legislature changed law on vacancy appointments, against state constitution

53:00 Law change has never been tested in the courts

54:15 Simplest explanation might be McConnell wants to keep it private

56:00 Could keeping the illusion of McConnell going help with a SCOTUS confirmation?

57:00 This wouldn’t change a confirmation vote by much since he can’t vote

59:30 Fight between Trump administration and the Smithsonian

1:00:00 Administration had a couple fair critiques, but most wasn’t

1:00:30 Administration claimed the Smithsonian is “woke”

1:02:45 Another complaint was not enough America 250 programming/exhibits

1:05:00 Simply asking questions about history isn’t proof of an ideology

1:05:45 Administration is demanding the Smithsonian adopt their own ideology

1:06:30 Report claims left-wing bias, but now insists on a right-wing bias

1:09:15 History is open to interpretation, it’s best to present the facts

01:14:45 Chuck’s thoughts on the interview with Tad Devine  

01:15:15 ToddCast Top 5 most likely senate flips if Maine is off the board  

01:15:45 #1 North Carolina  

01:16:15 #2 Michigan  

01:19:30 #3 Ohio  

01:20:00 #4 Alaska  

01:20:45 #5 Iowa  

01:21:00 If all these flip, Dems need to find one more seat  

01:23:15 Susan Collins still unlikely to win, but Dems have to get it together  

01:24:15 Democrats have to nominate a woman after Platner scandal  

01:25:00 Ask Chuck  

01:25:30 What’s one widely believed political myth that isn’t true?  

01:29:15 Comparison of Trump’s impact on Atlantic City to Robert Moses?  

01:31:45 Are Republicans not aware a future Dem could use expanded presidential powers?  

01:34:45 USMNT loses to Belgium, whatever Trump touches dies 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd and J.A. Adande tell you the INCREDIBLE story behind Wimbledon. It didn't just become the most prestigious tournament in tennis—it helped create the sport we know today. From a croquet club raising money for a broken lawn roller to becoming one of the most iconic sporting events in the world, Wimbledon has shaped the rules, traditions, legends, and culture of modern tennis for nearly 150 years.

Chuck and J.A. trace the full history of the tournament, from its Victorian origins to unforgettable champions like Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Björn Borg, Martina Navratilova, Pete Sampras, Billie Jean King, Althea Gibson, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Venus Williams, and more. Along the way, we explore how Wimbledon changed tennis forever—and why the sport wouldn't be the same without it.

Whether you're a lifelong tennis fan or just discovering the magic of Wimbledon, this is the story behind the world's most famous tennis tournament.

Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on ad placements)

00:00 How Wimbledon Created Modern Tennis

07:09 Federer vs. Nadal: The Greatest Match Ever?

11:37 The Surprising Origin of Wimbledon

22:50 Wimbledon's Traditions Explained

35:35 The First Wimbledon Champions

55:08 Why Everyone Wears White at Wimbledon

01:11:00 Rod Laver, Billie Jean King & the Open Era

01:28:55 Althea Gibson Breaks Tennis' Color Barrier

01:43:00 Breakfast at Wimbledon & America's Obsession

02:08:13 Borg vs. McEnroe & Tennis' Greatest Rivalries

02:29:36 Federer, Serena & the Greatest Champions

02:53:40 Our Wimbledon Mount Rushmore

03:01:10 Why Wimbledon Still Defines Tennis

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Cillizza and Chuck Todd launch Super Tuesdays — the now-on-every-feed version of the show they've been doing together — with a wide-ranging conversation that runs from Trump's self-centered Fourth of July to the summer's most consequential Senate primaries. 

First, Chris starts with the update that the USMNT lost to Belgium after President Trump intervened to get star striker Falorin Balogun’s red card overturned and wonders if Trump curses every sports team he involves himself with. He also weighs in on the latest developments surrounding Graham Platner.

Then, the guys break down why Trump's 250th-anniversary flop and his eye-popping financial disclosure ($2.2 billion in his first year back, $1.4 billion of it from crypto) add up to what Chuck calls "late-stage Trumpism" — a president who's more isolated, less able to self-correct, and increasingly celebrating his own version of patriotism by himself. From there it's onto the world stage: Trump's trip to the NATO summit, his instinct to break the alliance, and why throwing a lifeline to a historically vulnerable Putin makes no strategic sense.

The back half turns to the 2026 map and the 2028 shadow race. Chuck and Chris dig into Mallory McMorrow's exit and the now one-on-one Abdul El-Sayed–Haley Stevens fight in Michigan, the outsider-vs-insider dynamic driving Democratic primaries, and what the Black vote means from Detroit to Karen Bass's LA. They size up the Wes Moore–Pritzker–Buttigieg field, decode the Graham Platner drama in Maine and why Susan Collins stays chronically underrated, and offer a sharp consumer's guide to why the NYT and Fox polls tell such different stories. Then they close the way only these two would — Trump's alleged FIFA meddling ahead of USA–Belgium, a lesson on how corruption always comes back around, LeBron's next move, and a deep Nationals All-Star and trade-deadline dive.

Timeline:

00:00 USMNT loses to Belgium 

07:00 Welcome to Super Tuesdays

09:25 Chuck watched 90% of Trump's July 4th speech

09:45 How it compares to Reagan & the 1986 Statue of Liberty centennial

11:11 Gerald Ford's restrained 1976 bicentennial in an election year

11:31 Trump threw away years of 250th anniversary planning

12:44 Trump's financial disclosure: $2.2B in year one, $1.4B from crypto

13:16 The Trump Bible and the tchotchke economy

14:24 "You should've seen what they wanted to put in that disclosure"

15:45 No elected officials showed up to celebrate the 4th with Trump

16:46 Trump is celebrating his version of patriotism by himself

17:05 The K-shaped economy & why Trump is insulated from the 80%

18:37 The case that we've reached "late-stage Trumpism"

21:06 AI-written speeches Trump can't even stick to

22:00 Expect a staff exodus after the midterms

23:12 Trump will never give a "shellacking" concession speech

23:38 The GOP language shift from "socialists" to "communists"

24:15 Trump heads to the NATO summit — can he actually break NATO?

25:32 Trump the transactionalist & the FIFA-Qatar corruption aside

26:36 Trump, Putin, and the shared goal of weakening Europe

28:50 Putin has never been this vulnerable

31:11 Why Trump is drawn to strongmen and rogues

32:20 Trump has no lifelong friends — everyone he gets close to gets alienated

33:37 Transactional "friends" like Howard Lutnick

34:11 To the Senate: Mallory McMorrow drops out of Michigan

35:44 Democratic primary energy is outsider vs. insider

36:38 El-Sayed is a genuinely talented communicator

38:04 Jackson & Bernie's Michigan wins as a pattern

39:34 Progressives' persistent problem with the Black vote

42:06 Michigan is the Democratic-held seat the party overlooks

43:30 How Michigan slipped from the blue wall

44:46 If El-Sayed and Paxton both win, donors panic

45:37 The 2028 hunt for the "most electable" Democrat

47:32 The real dividing line: fix the institutions or blow them up

49:09 Pritzker is the overlooked progressive-with-a-record

51:07 Pete Buttigieg's Biden baggage is heavier than he thinks

51:35 The Graham Platner story brewing in Maine

51:56 Collins vs. Platner is basically a toss-up

52:38 Trump takes credit for FIFA siding with the US over Belgium

54:50 A generic Democrat would beat Collins by ten

57:23 NYT forecasting vs. Fox snapshot polling

59:53 The real battlegrounds: Iowa, Ohio, Alaska

1:00:11 Where Democrats find another seat — Kansas, Mississippi

1:02:04 Jolly vs. Byron Donalds & the closer-than-you-think governor's race

1:04:00 The World Cup, Balogun's red card & USA-Belgium

1:05:23 No other president would have intervened with FIFA

1:05:49 Left-leaning soccer fans rationalizing corruption that helps them

1:08:16 A birthright-citizen Balogun & soccer's Trump ambivalence

1:08:59 LeBron's "Decision Part 10" & Rich Paul's genius whiteboard

1:10:29 Why the Warriors fit LeBron's game

1:12:19 LeBron wants to play guard, not power forward

1:14:00 Nats All-Stars: James Wood & CJ Abrams snubs and starters

1:16:53 The Aug. 3 trade deadline: buyer, seller, or stand pat?

1:18:19 Abrams & Wood among the game's best Black players

1:18:45 Building the Nats around Black stars in a majority-Black city

1:19:59 Baseball's demographics & the "no Bubbas in Connecticut" bit

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carolyn Ryan — deputy managing editor of The New York Times — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a candid conversation about the state of American journalism at a moment when the Times has become, as Ryan puts it, one of the last big independent organizations left in news. Ryan makes the case that serious journalism has become almost impossible without the resources the Times can still muster — deep-dive reporting requires enormous time, the best legal team in the business to withstand the threats and lawsuits now routinely aimed at the press, and an ownership structure insulated from market pressure. She's blunt about the difference the Ochs-Sulzberger family makes: newsrooms owned by publicly traded companies inevitably change their behavior to satisfy shareholders, while the family that controls the Times is, in her words, "ride or die" for journalism — a distinction that has never mattered more than it does now, even as she praises the excellent nonprofit newsrooms springing up around the country. Ryan explains how the Times is building regional reporting hubs and investing heavily in places like Texas on the theory that a truly national news organization needs a journalist in every state, why book reporting from stars like Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan often lands with more impact and candor than day-to-day breaking news, and how the paper decides which reporters get the coveted book leave that produces those deeper stories.

The conversation gets into the harder editorial questions facing the Times in the Trump era. Ryan discusses the paper's major investment in a more rigorous polling and data operation , its aggressive push into video to reach younger audiences, and the perennial tension over whether there should be a brighter line between the newsroom and the opinion page — a separation the Times has tried to clarify through design changes and by being more transparent about its process. Ryan is thoughtful about one of the thorniest challenges in modern journalism: how to handle the obvious lies told by Trump and other political figures, explaining that to actually call something a "lie" you have to establish intent, that the audience cares enormously about how things are described, and that the language should always be direct and forthright without tipping into hysteria. She closes with a sharp critique of the Pentagon kicking out reporters and banning contact with unauthorized military members — a policy she argues is not only unconstitutional but a direct threat to the journalism that keeps the public informed about how its military actually operates.

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

• 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. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Carolyn Ryan joins the Chuck ToddCast

01:45 The NYT is the last big independent organization left in news

02:45 Positives & concerns about the state of media?

04:15 NYT stress importance of fact based reporting

05:00 It’s important for journalists to have access to resources

06:30 Journalists require access to legal resources

07:30 Deep dive journalism requires lots of time & resources

08:00 NYT has the best legal team in the business

09:00 Newsrooms owned by publicly traded companies change behavior

10:30 The Ochz-Sulzberger family is ride or die for journalism

11:30 Great non-profit newsrooms exist around the country

14:00 NYT is trying to build hubs in certain cities & regions

14:30 Book reporting can have greater impact than day-to-day reporting

16:00 What’s the NYT policy regarding book vs day-to-day reporting?

16:45 Haberman/Swan are a singular force in journalism

17:30 Haberman is a scoop machine

18:00 Situation room with Bibi scoop broke in the paper months ago

18:45 Book reporting offers depth and candor that breaking news doesn’t

20:45 How do you decide which reporters can go on book leave?

22:30 NYT has created a much more rigorous polling unit

23:00 Polling and data are huge investments for the Times

24:45 State level polls are a great way to take temperature on issues

26:00 Public opinion shift on Israel has been historically fast

27:30 NYT investing big in video to reach a younger audience

29:30 Journalism has to adapt to new technologies/platforms

32:30 Should there be a brighter line between the NYT & opinion page?

33:15 Times isn’t guided by audience capture or clicks

34:15 Changed the design of the opinion segment to differentiate it

36:00 Is the fact checking process the same for opinion pieces?

38:15 Have to be forthright about the journalism process for the audience

40:00 The impact of having your newsroom centered in NYC?

43:30 It’s important to elevate journalists from across the country

44:30 NYT is investing heavily in reporting in Texas

45:45 You want a national strategy, have a journalist in every state

48:00 Grappling with publishing Trump’s & others obvious lies

49:00 To call something a lie, you have to understand intent

50:30 The audience really cares about how things are described

51:00 Language should be direct & forthright, not hysterical

53:30 Audience is being numbed to the corruption stories

56:15 Unclear how the Dem establishment responds to progressive uprising

57:15 What’s being missed by Pentagon kicking out reporters?

58:00 Banning talking to unauthorized military members is unconstitutional

1:00:00 The importance of access journalism

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd delivers a sweeping, big-picture meditation on the Trump era and where it's ultimately headed, arguing that despite the widespread conviction that Trump is teflon and that nothing will ever take him down, his presidency will end not with a bang but a whimper — and history won't remember it well. He predicts that a century from now Trump will be remembered somewhere between Grover Cleveland and Richard Nixon, and that his act, like every previous iteration of Trump, will eventually wear out its welcome with the public — because it always has, and he's already entered some version of lame-duck territory. The heart of the episode is Chuck’s astonishment at Trump's financial disclosure, which he calls a brazen catalog of impeachable offenses. His sharpest line reframes Trump's entire brand: he doesn't actually "own the libs" — he owns the people who send him money, and he's utterly oblivious to the plight of anyone who isn't rich. He closes on a genuinely searching note — observing that Trump is visibly aging and less sharp, that the country is tired of him and it's starting to show, that his single greatest fear is exposure and ridicule, and that he's proving to be nothing more than a grifter.

Then, Carolyn Ryan — deputy managing editor of The New York Times — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a candid conversation about the state of American journalism at a moment when the Times has become, as Ryan puts it, one of the last big independent organizations left in news. Ryan makes the case that serious journalism has become almost impossible without the resources the Times can still muster — deep-dive reporting requires enormous time, the best legal team in the business to withstand the threats and lawsuits now routinely aimed at the press, and an ownership structure insulated from market pressure. She's blunt about the difference the Ochs-Sulzberger family makes: newsrooms owned by publicly traded companies inevitably change their behavior to satisfy shareholders, while the family that controls the Times is, in her words, "ride or die" for journalism — a distinction that has never mattered more than it does now, even as she praises the excellent nonprofit newsrooms springing up around the country. Ryan explains how the Times is building regional reporting hubs and investing heavily in places like Texas on the theory that a truly national news organization needs a journalist in every state, why book reporting from stars like Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan often lands with more impact and candor than day-to-day breaking news, and how the paper decides which reporters get the coveted book leave that produces those deeper stories.

The conversation gets into the harder editorial questions facing the Times in the Trump era. Ryan discusses the paper's major investment in a more rigorous polling and data operation , its aggressive push into video to reach younger audiences, and the perennial tension over whether there should be a brighter line between the newsroom and the opinion page — a separation the Times has tried to clarify through design changes and by being more transparent about its process. Ryan is thoughtful about one of the thorniest challenges in modern journalism: how to handle the obvious lies told by Trump and other political figures, explaining that to actually call something a "lie" you have to establish intent, that the audience cares enormously about how things are described, and that the language should always be direct and forthright without tipping into hysteria. She closes with a sharp critique of the Pentagon kicking out reporters and banning contact with unauthorized military members — a policy she argues is not only unconstitutional but a direct threat to the journalism that keeps the public informed about how its military actually operates.

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

Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the admission of several western states into the union and how it built the modern senate. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.

• 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. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.

From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

04:00 Trump has been teflon, we’re convinced nothing will take him down

05:00 Trump era will end in a whimper, history won’t remember it well

07:15 In 100 years, Trump will be as remembered like Cleveland or Nixon

08:15 Trump admitted to rank corruption in his financial disclosures

09:45 Eventually, Trump’s act will wear out its welcome

10:45 Those who criticized Hunter Biden should be outraged about Trump

12:15 Trump has already entered some version of lame duck territory

14:00 Every era of Trump eventually wore out with the public

16:00 In politics, Trump has had nine lives. Survived when nobody else would

17:30 January 6th should have been the end of Trump… but wasn’t 

19:15 The bribes from the middle east just keep getting worse and worse

21:15 Trump has lost his ability to influence anyone but his base

22:30 Trump’s financial disclosure is a catalog of impeachable offenses

23:15 Trump’s act feels like it’s entering its late-stage form

24:15 Trump made America 250 participation an endorsement of himself

28:00 Financial disclosure showed how brazen his corruption is

29:30 Trump’s disclosure was 927 pages, Obama’s was 8

31:00 Trump was anti-crypto until he realized he could monetize it personally

31:45 Trump has converted the presidency into a business

33:00 Trump doesn’t “own the libs”... he owns the people who send him money*

36:00 Trump is oblivious to the plight of anyone who isn’t rich

37:45 Trump has stakes in tons of companies with government contracts

39:30 In a healthy political system, this level of corruption would force retreat

41:15 Almost no Republicans appeared with him as he monetized the 4th of July

42:30 America should have been about the country, Trump made it about himself

44:15 Trump ignored warnings about the heat, put his own supporters at risk

46:30 The botched reflected pool is a perfect metaphor for Trump’s presidency

48:15 The white supremacist Patriot Front showed up in DC

49:00 Patriot Front felt emboldened and welcomed enough to show up in Trump’s DC

51:30 Trump is aging and not as sharp

52:15 The country is tired of Trump and it’s starting to show

53:30 Trump’s biggest fear is exposure and ridicule

55:30 Trump is politically vulnerable, he’s proving to only be a grifter

57:00 How did the country turn itself over to this man twice?

1:05:15 Carolyn Ryan joins the Chuck ToddCast

1:07:00 The NYT is the last big independent organization left in news

1:08:00 Positives & concerns about the state of media?

1:09:30 NYT stress importance of fact based reporting

1:10:15 It’s important for journalists to have access to resources

1:11:45 Journalists require access to legal resources

1:12:45 Deep dive journalism requires lots of time & resources

1:13:15 NYT has the best legal team in the business

1:14:15 Newsrooms owned by publicly traded companies change behavior

1:15:45 The Ochz-Sulzberger family is ride or die for journalism

1:16:45 Great non-profit newsrooms exist around the country

1:19:15 NYT is trying to build hubs in certain cities & regions

1:19:45 Book reporting can have greater impact than day-to-day reporting

1:21:15 What’s the NYT policy regarding book vs day-to-day reporting?

1:22:00 Haberman/Swan are a singular force in journalism

1:22:45 Haberman is a scoop machine

1:23:15 Situation room with Bibi scoop broke in the paper months ago

1:24:00 Book reporting offers depth and candor that breaking news doesn’t

1:26:00 How do you decide which reporters can go on book leave?

1:27:45 NYT has created a much more rigorous polling unit

1:28:15 Polling and data are huge investments for the Times

1:30:00 State level polls are a great way to take temperature on issues

1:31:15 Public opinion shift on Israel has been historically fast

1:32:45 NYT investing big in video to reach a younger audience

1:34:45 Journalism has to adapt to new technologies/platforms

1:37:45 Should there be a brighter line between the NYT & opinion page?

1:38:30 Times isn’t guided by audience capture or clicks

1:39:30 Changed the design of the opinion segment to differentiate it

1:41:15 Is the fact checking process the same for opinion pieces?

1:43:30 Have to be forthright about the journalism process for the audience

1:45:15 The impact of having your newsroom centered in NYC?

1:48:45 It’s important to elevate journalists from across the country

1:49:45 NYT is investing heavily in reporting in Texas

1:51:00 You want a national strategy, have a journalist in every state

1:53:15 Grappling with publishing Trump’s & others obvious lies

1:54:15 To call something a lie, you have to understand intent

1:55:45 The audience really cares about how things are described

1:56:15 Language should be direct & forthright, not hysterical

1:58:45 Audience is being numbed to the corruption stories

2:01:30 Unclear how the Dem establishment responds to progressive uprising

2:02:30 What’s being missed by Pentagon kicking out reporters?

2:03:15 Banning talking to unauthorized military members is unconstitutional

2:05:15 The importance of access journalism 

2:08:15 Chuck’s thoughts on the interview with Caroline Ryan

2:11:00 ToddCast Time Machine - July 10th, 1890

2:11:30 The U.S. had just admitted six new states and twelve Republican senators

2:12:15 Settlers were building the west, politicians were building the senate

2:14:00 Congress needed to replace votes from the south with votes from the west

2:15:15 Political considerations are why we have two Dakotas

2:15:45 The western states provided votes for a stronger federal government

2:17:30 The politicians had a public mandate to admit these states

2:18:15 Republicans built and maintained their political coalition via statehood admission

2:19:45 Politicians will always seek to give themselves political advantage

2:20:15 The map of America is a map based on political considerations

2:21:00 D.C. and Puerto Rico will eventually become states

2:21:45 Ask Chuck

2:22:00 Thoughts on D.C. statehood, do you support it?

2:25:15 What would it take for a 3rd party to have a viable chance of winning?

2:28:45 If Democrats take control of congress, do they risk stopping Trump’s arch?

2:32:00 What is holding back Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio governor’s race?

2:35:45 How could the Supreme Court overturn a constitutional amendment?

2:39:00 Props to Charleston, South Carolina and Miami helmet

2:40:15 Thoughts on LeBron & his free agency

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd delivers a sweeping, big-picture meditation on the Trump era and where it's ultimately headed, arguing that despite the widespread conviction that Trump is teflon and that nothing will ever take him down, his presidency will end not with a bang but a whimper — and history won't remember it well. He predicts that a century from now Trump will be remembered somewhere between Grover Cleveland and Richard Nixon, and that his act, like every previous iteration of Trump, will eventually wear out its welcome with the public — because it always has, and he's already entered some version of lame-duck territory. The heart of the episode is Chuck’s astonishment at Trump's financial disclosure, which he calls a brazen catalog of impeachable offenses. His sharpest line reframes Trump's entire brand: he doesn't actually "own the libs" — he owns the people who send him money, and he's utterly oblivious to the plight of anyone who isn't rich. He closes on a genuinely searching note — observing that Trump is visibly aging and less sharp, that the country is tired of him and it's starting to show, that his single greatest fear is exposure and ridicule, and that he's proving to be nothing more than a grifter.

Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the admission of several western states into the union and how it built the modern senate. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.

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

• 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. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

04:00 Trump has been teflon, we’re convinced nothing will take him down

05:00 Trump era will end in a whimper, history won’t remember it well

07:15 In 100 years, Trump will be as remembered like Cleveland or Nixon

08:15 Trump admitted to rank corruption in his financial disclosures

09:45 Eventually, Trump’s act will wear out its welcome

10:45 Those who criticized Hunter Biden should be outraged about Trump

12:15 Trump has already entered some version of lame duck territory

14:00 Every era of Trump eventually wore out with the public

16:00 In politics, Trump has had nine lives. Survived when nobody else would

17:30 January 6th should have been the end of Trump… but wasn’t 

19:15 The bribes from the middle east just keep getting worse and worse

21:15 Trump has lost his ability to influence anyone but his base

22:30 Trump’s financial disclosure is a catalog of impeachable offenses

23:15 Trump’s act feels like it’s entering its late-stage form

24:15 Trump made America 250 participation an endorsement of himself

28:00 Financial disclosure showed how brazen his corruption is

29:30 Trump’s disclosure was 927 pages, Obama’s was 8

31:00 Trump was anti-crypto until he realized he could monetize it personally

31:45 Trump has converted the presidency into a business

33:00 Trump doesn’t “own the libs”... he owns the people who send him money*

36:00 Trump is oblivious to the plight of anyone who isn’t rich

37:45 Trump has stakes in tons of companies with government contracts

39:30 In a healthy political system, this level of corruption would force retreat

41:15 Almost no Republicans appeared with him as he monetized the 4th of July

42:30 America should have been about the country, Trump made it about himself

44:15 Trump ignored warnings about the heat, put his own supporters at risk

46:30 The botched reflected pool is a perfect metaphor for Trump’s presidency

48:15 The white supremacist Patriot Front showed up in DC

49:00 Patriot Front felt emboldened and welcomed enough to show up in Trump’s DC

51:30 Trump is aging and not as sharp

52:15 The country is tired of Trump and it’s starting to show

53:30 Trump’s biggest fear is exposure and ridicule

55:30 Trump is politically vulnerable, he’s proving to only be a grifter

57:00 How did the country turn itself over to this man twice?

1:04:00 ToddCast Time Machine - July 10th, 1890

1:04:30 The U.S. had just admitted six new states and twelve Republican senators

1:05:15 Settlers were building the west, politicians were building the senate

1:07:00 Congress needed to replace votes from the south with votes from the west

1:08:15 Political considerations are why we have two Dakotas

1:08:45 The western states provided votes for a stronger federal government

1:10:30 The politicians had a public mandate to admit these states

1:11:15 Republicans built and maintained their political coalition via statehood admission

1:12:45 Politicians will always seek to give themselves political advantage

1:13:15 The map of America is a map based on political considerations

1:14:00 D.C. and Puerto Rico will eventually become states

1:14:45 Ask Chuck

1:15:00 Thoughts on D.C. statehood, do you support it?

1:18:15 What would it take for a 3rd party to have a viable chance of winning?

1:21:45 If Democrats take control of congress, do they risk stopping Trump’s arch?

1:25:00 What is holding back Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio governor’s race?

1:28:45 How could the Supreme Court overturn a constitutional amendment?

1:32:00 Props to Charleston, South Carolina and Miami helmet

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Debbie Cox Bultan — CEO of the NewDEAL, a network of center-left state and local elected officials focused on delivering results rather than fighting culture wars — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case for the unglamorous, often-overlooked pragmatic wing of the Democratic Party. Bultan argues that the center-left's defining challenge is structural and almost temperamental: moderates and pragmatists are, by their very nature, not the loud part of the coalition, which means they get drowned out. She rejects the premise that "fighting the other side" has to mean yelling, argues that governing effectively is still the best way for talented officials to rise through the ranks. Bultan notes a crucial asymmetry that gives her hope: the left has not actually dominated Democratic primaries the way the right has captured GOP primaries, in part because the perception of electability matters far more to base Democratic voters than it does to the Republican base — and she points to how even Mamdani's focus on affordability carried genuine cross-party appeal as evidence that pragmatic, results-oriented messaging still works.

The conversation digs into the deeper tensions facing the party heading into a favorable 2026 and a wide-open 2028. Bultan introduces the concept of "pragmatic disruption" — the idea that the people who genuinely want to disrupt a broken system actually need government to work to do it. Bultan argues the leadership of key left-leaning interest groups has drifted much further left than the actual Democratic electorate, advises candidates to stop answering interest-group questionnaires that force them into litmus-test corners, and warns that base voters can become obsessed with issues only 1% of the electorate actually cares about. She frames this moment — with Trump as a uniquely norm-breaking figure and the country's 250th anniversary approaching — as the perfect opening for a serious conversation about democracy reform.

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 Debbie Cox Bultan (New Deal Leaders) joins the Chuck ToddCast

02:00 What is the best way to describe the center-left?

03:30 New Deal is a group of center-left officials trying to deliver results

04:45 What’s different between New Deal and the DLCC?

05:15 Need to modernize progressive politics for the 21st century

06:45 Members don’t have to declare which part of coalition they are in

07:15 Governing effectively is the best way to rise up the ranks

08:30 The democratic pipeline for talent has proven to be effective

09:00 Want to support talented candidates once they get elected

10:15 By nature, the moderates/centrists aren’t a loud part of the coalition

11:15 Some voters treat bipartisan compromise as treason

12:00 Reject the idea that “fighting the other side” means yelling

12:45 20% of Democratic voters post the vast majority of online content

14:15 The political conflict isn’t just online, it’s starting to be everywhere

16:45 The institutionalists are now between the center left and right

17:30 State & local officials are the bright spots in American politics

18:45 Primary season heightens partisanship

19:30 The left hasn’t dominated Democratic primary elections

20:15 Perception of electability matters more to base Dems than base GOP

21:00 Mamdani’s focus on affordability has had cross party appeal to voters

22:15 Is there such a thing as “pragmatic disruption”?

23:15 People who want to be disrupters need government to work

27:45 Do Democrats need to diversify the backgrounds of their office holders?

28:30 More veterans are now running as Democrats

31:15 Trump is a uniquely troubling and norm-breaking person

32:00 Feels like beginning of the 20th century, need major reforms

33:15 The 250th anniversary is a great time to talk about democracy reform

34:15 Democrats are going to have a great election in ‘26

34:45 If Dems win both chambers, how do they govern with Trump?

36:30 What do you say to progressives who have never had the presidency?

38:45 The word socialism has a different meaning to different voters

39:30 Can center-left Dems get behind a DSA nominee?

41:30 Do progressives really want to risk someone like RFK running healthcare?

42:00 Progressives can’t rebrand the world socialism

44:15 Leadership of key interest groups on left are much further left now

44:45 Candidates shouldn’t answer questionnaires from interest groups

45:45 Base voters can obsess over issues 1% of electorate cares about

47:00 The donors are part of the problem, but that’s starting to change

48:00 Democrats need to do a lot more listening

48:30 What could you provide a local official that wants to run for higher office?

49:30 Helping candidates with pragmatic governing and skill development

52:45 Civic engagement and national service could help the country heal

54:45 People need to understand “with rights come responsibilities”

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd delivers a genuinely heartfelt lament that America's 250th anniversary — a moment that should have been enormous — has been shrunk, cheapened, and ultimately ruined by a president who turned the country's birthday into his own political rally. He argues the American experiment is a remarkable achievement worth celebrating in full, that "a more perfect union" is the single greatest phrase in the founding documents precisely because it acknowledges the country is a perpetual work in progress, and that the 250th should have been a moment to celebrate American progress rather than run from American history — to recognize that America is fundamentally an idea rather than an ethnicity. Instead, Trump has made the nation's birthday about Donald Trump: he created his own version of the celebration, turned "The Great American Fair" into a dud, and once again demonstrated his belief that everyone and everything must accommodate him. He says he feels genuinely betrayed watching the brand of America get sullied and cheapened this way, and argues the country desperately needs a president capable of rising above himself — something Trump has proven, again and again, he simply cannot do. He finds a silver lining in the Supreme Court blocking Trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship, arguing it proves this is a conservative court but not purely a Trump court — though he's sharply critical of the Court's campaign finance ruling, which he frames as a straightforward bailout of the Republican Party.. He closes by looking ahead: the Colorado primaries raised the question of whether the DSA movement has truly broken through.

Then, Debbie Cox Bultan — CEO of the NewDEAL, a network of center-left state and local elected officials focused on delivering results rather than fighting culture wars — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case for the unglamorous, often-overlooked pragmatic wing of the Democratic Party. Bultan argues that the center-left's defining challenge is structural and almost temperamental: moderates and pragmatists are, by their very nature, not the loud part of the coalition, which means they get drowned out. She rejects the premise that "fighting the other side" has to mean yelling, argues that governing effectively is still the best way for talented officials to rise through the ranks. Bultan notes a crucial asymmetry that gives her hope: the left has not actually dominated Democratic primaries the way the right has captured GOP primaries, in part because the perception of electability matters far more to base Democratic voters than it does to the Republican base — and she points to how even Mamdani's focus on affordability carried genuine cross-party appeal as evidence that pragmatic, results-oriented messaging still works.

The conversation digs into the deeper tensions facing the party heading into a favorable 2026 and a wide-open 2028. Bultan introduces the concept of "pragmatic disruption" — the idea that the people who genuinely want to disrupt a broken system actually need government to work to do it. Bultan argues the leadership of key left-leaning interest groups has drifted much further left than the actual Democratic electorate, advises candidates to stop answering interest-group questionnaires that force them into litmus-test corners, and warns that base voters can become obsessed with issues only 1% of the electorate actually cares about. She frames this moment — with Trump as a uniquely norm-breaking figure and the country's 250th anniversary approaching — as the perfect opening for a serious conversation about democracy reform.

Finally, he presents his ToddCast Top 5 list of the best fictional presidents seen on TV & movies and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.

From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com 

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

• 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. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

03:30 The American 250 celebration sucks… Trump ruined it

04:00 America 250 should be much bigger, and keeps feeling smaller

05:45 The American experiment is a remarkable achievement

07:00 Modern American democracy didn’t start until the 1960s

07:30 “More Perfect Union” is greatest phrase in founding documents

08:15 250 should be celebrating our progress, not afraid of our history

09:00 SCOTUS blocking Trump’s ban on birthright citizenship was important

09:30 America is an idea, not an ethnicity

10:30 This was a moment to celebrate and also understand our history

11:00 Donald Trump has made the country’s birthday about Donald Trump*

12:15 Trump created his own version of the celebration

13:00 He turned the country’s birthday into his own political rally

14:45 Trump thinks everyone should accommodate him. Insult to Americans

15:30 The country needs a president that can rise above himself. Trump can’t

16:30 The Great American Fair could have been amazing. Instead it’s a dud

18:15 The big anniversaries force us to look at ourselves, not like what we see

19:45 Love the American story BECAUSE it’s complicated

21:00 Trump is showing us who he is by stealing this anniversary from us

22:00 Trump has sullied the brand of America, doesn’t have to be at 275

22:45 Feel betrayed as an American by this, resent seeing it cheapened

24:00 SCOTUS showed it’s a conservative court, but not a Trump court

25:15 There are partisans on the court, but the court itself isn’t purely partisan

26:15 Campaign finance ruling is a bail out of the Republican party

26:45 Campaigns can buy TV ads at a lower rate, outside groups can’t

28:00 Republicans have more big $ donors, Dems have more small $ donors

30:15 Court shows deference to congress if they are explicit in what they want

31:45 There will still be an effort to block birthright citizenship

32:30 Did Colorado primaries show the DSA movement has broken through?

33:15 Michigan will be the real test for the DSA

36:15 Let this be a lesson to anyone coming from Bidenworld

38:00 If Dems win both chambers, smooth path for Jeffries to speakership

38:45 Failure to win the senate will cause lots of finger pointing

46:30 Debbie Cox Bultan (New Deal Leaders) joins the Chuck ToddCast

48:30 What is the best way to describe the center-left?

50:00 New Deal is a group of center-left officials trying to deliver results

51:15 What’s different between New Deal and the DLCC?

51:45 Need to modernize progressive politics for the 21st century

53:15 Members don’t have to declare which part of coalition they are in

53:45 Governing effectively is the best way to rise up the ranks

55:00 The democratic pipeline for talent has proven to be effective

55:30 Want to support talented candidates once they get elected

56:45 By nature, the moderates/centrists aren’t a loud part of the coalition

57:45 Some voters treat bipartisan compromise as treason

58:30 Reject the idea that “fighting the other side” means yelling

59:15 20% of Democratic voters post the vast majority of online content

1:00:45 The political conflict isn’t just online, it’s starting to be everywhere

1:03:15 The institutionalists are now between the center left and right

1:04:00 State & local officials are the bright spots in American politics

1:05:15 Primary season heightens partisanship

1:06:00 The left hasn’t dominated Democratic primary elections

1:06:45 Perception of electability matters more to base Dems than base GOP

1:07:30 Mamdani’s focus on affordability has had cross party appeal to voters

1:08:45 Is there such a thing as “pragmatic disruption”?

1:09:45 People who want to be disrupters need government to work

1:14:15 Do Democrats need to diversify the backgrounds of their office holders?

1:15:00 More veterans are now running as Democrats

1:17:45 Trump is a uniquely troubling and norm-breaking person

1:18:30 Feels like beginning of the 20th century, need major reforms

1:19:45 The 250th anniversary is a great time to talk about democracy reform

1:20:45 Democrats are going to have a great election in ‘26

1:21:15 If Dems win both chambers, how do they govern with Trump?

1:23:00 What do you say to progressives who have never had the presidency?

1:25:15 The word socialism has a different meaning to different voters

1:26:00 Can center-left Dems get behind a DSA nominee?

1:28:00 Do progressives really want to risk someone like RFK running healthcare?

1:28:30 Progressives can’t rebrand the world socialism

1:30:45 Leadership of key interest groups on left are much further left now

1:31:15 Candidates shouldn’t answer questionnaires from interest groups

1:32:15 Base voters can obsess over issues 1% of electorate cares about

1:33:30 The donors are part of the problem, but that’s starting to change

1:34:30 Democrats need to do a lot more listening

1:35:00 What could you provide a local official that wants to run for higher office?

1:36:00 Helping candidates with pragmatic governing and skill development

1:39:15 Civic engagement and national service could help the country heal 

1:42:30 ToddCast Top 5 Fictional Presidents

1:43:30 #5 David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) from 24

1:44:30 #4 Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) from Veep

1:46:00 #3 James Marshall (Harrison Ford) from Air Force One

1:47:45 #2 Thomas Whitmore (Bill Pullman) from Independence Day

1:48:45 #1 Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho (Terry Crews) from Idiocracy

1:51:00 Ask Chuck

1:51:15 What’s the point of voting down ballot when politicians vote on party lines?

1:59:00 Issue with Mamdani’s comments on Israel and religious/ethno states?

2:03:15 Expanding vote by mail?

2:05:00 Could Trump legally mount a write-in campaign?

2:10:00 Is America still not ready to elect a woman president?

2:13:30 What’s your take on the NPR retraction on Alito retirement?

2:20:45 How will Rubio/Vance dynamic play out in ‘28?

2:25:15 What’s the latest a SCOTUS justice can retire & get confirmed?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd delivers a genuinely heartfelt lament that America's 250th anniversary — a moment that should have been enormous — has been shrunk, cheapened, and ultimately ruined by a president who turned the country's birthday into his own political rally. He argues the American experiment is a remarkable achievement worth celebrating in full, that "a more perfect union" is the single greatest phrase in the founding documents precisely because it acknowledges the country is a perpetual work in progress, and that the 250th should have been a moment to celebrate American progress rather than run from American history — to recognize that America is fundamentally an idea rather than an ethnicity. Instead, Trump has made the nation's birthday about Donald Trump: he created his own version of the celebration, turned "The Great American Fair" into a dud, and once again demonstrated his belief that everyone and everything must accommodate him. He says he feels genuinely betrayed watching the brand of America get sullied and cheapened this way, and argues the country desperately needs a president capable of rising above himself — something Trump has proven, again and again, he simply cannot do. He finds a silver lining in the Supreme Court blocking Trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship, arguing it proves this is a conservative court but not purely a Trump court — though he's sharply critical of the Court's campaign finance ruling, which he frames as a straightforward bailout of the Republican Party.. He closes by looking ahead: the Colorado primaries raised the question of whether the DSA movement has truly broken through.

Finally, he presents his ToddCast Top 5 list of the best fictional presidents seen on TV & movies and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.

From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com 

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

• 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. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

03:30 The American 250 celebration sucks… Trump ruined it

04:00 America 250 should be much bigger, and keeps feeling smaller

05:45 The American experiment is a remarkable achievement

07:00 Modern American democracy didn’t start until the 1960s

07:30 “More Perfect Union” is greatest phrase in founding documents

08:15 250 should be celebrating our progress, not afraid of our history

09:00 SCOTUS blocking Trump’s ban on birthright citizenship was important

09:30 America is an idea, not an ethnicity

10:30 This was a moment to celebrate and also understand our history

11:00 Donald Trump has made the country’s birthday about Donald Trump*

12:15 Trump created his own version of the celebration

13:00 He turned the country’s birthday into his own political rally

14:45 Trump thinks everyone should accommodate him. Insult to Americans

15:30 The country needs a president that can rise above himself. Trump can’t

16:30 The Great American Fair could have been amazing. Instead it’s a dud

18:15 The big anniversaries force us to look at ourselves, not like what we see

19:45 Love the American story BECAUSE it’s complicated

21:00 Trump is showing us who he is by stealing this anniversary from us

22:00 Trump has sullied the brand of America, doesn’t have to be at 275

22:45 Feel betrayed as an American by this, resent seeing it cheapened

24:00 SCOTUS showed it’s a conservative court, but not a Trump court

25:15 There are partisans on the court, but the court itself isn’t purely partisan

26:15 Campaign finance ruling is a bail out of the Republican party

26:45 Campaigns can buy TV ads at a lower rate, outside groups can’t

28:00 Republicans have more big $ donors, Dems have more small $ donors

30:15 Court shows deference to congress if they are explicit in what they want

31:45 There will still be an effort to block birthright citizenship

32:30 Did Colorado primaries show the DSA movement has broken through?

33:15 Michigan will be the real test for the DSA

36:15 Let this be a lesson to anyone coming from Bidenworld

38:00 If Dems win both chambers, smooth path for Jeffries to speakership

38:45 Failure to win the senate will cause lots of finger pointing

45:00 ToddCast Top 5 Fictional Presidents

46:00 #5 David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) from 24

47:00 #4 Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) from Veep

48:30 #3 James Marshall (Harrison Ford) from Air Force One

50:15 #2 Thomas Whitmore (Bill Pullman) from Independence Day

51:15 #1 Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho (Terry Crews) from Idiocracy

53:30 Ask Chuck

53:45 What’s the point of voting down ballot when politicians vote on party lines?

1:01:30 Issue with Mamdani’s comments on Israel and religious/ethno states?

1:05:45 Expanding vote by mail?

1:07:30 Could Trump legally mount a write-in campaign?

1:12:30 Is America still not ready to elect a woman president?

1:16:00 What’s your take on the NPR retraction on Alito retirement?

1:23:15 How will Rubio/Vance dynamic play out in ‘28?

1:27:45 What’s the latest a SCOTUS justice can retire & get confirmed?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.