Apparently, there's an opposition party in this country—but they've been awfully quiet lately. Meanwhile, Trump's immigration crackdown nearly sparks a trade war with Colombia, and back at home, he's doing battle with his own  federal government—from loyalty tests to gutting diversity programs to pausing cancer research. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy break down which of the moves are the most dangerous, which are just for show, and why Democrats don’t seem to know what to say about it all. Then, they make their pick for who should be the next DNC chair. Later, Tommy sits down with Dara Lind, Senior Fellow at the American Immigration Council, to break down what's going on with deportations and immigration policy—and why it's more important than ever to pay attention.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow joins Jon to talk about Trump's breathtaking first week in office, how she decides what to cover—and what to ignore—in an an ultra-chaotic news environment, and the power of embarrassment as a political tool. Then, Maddow shares her strategies for staying sane in crazy-making times. Hint: it involves ice fishing.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Donald Trump makes good on his promise to free the January 6 rioters—including those convicted of savage violence against police officers—calling the attacks "very minor incidents" in a primetime interview with Sean Hannity, and saying it would be too "cumbersome" to review individual defendants' records. Jon and Dan react to the pardons, the expansive list of executive orders that Trump signed this week, the prospects for his cabinet picks, and how Democrats are doing in their efforts to push back. Then, Dan talks to progressive strategist Faiz Shakir about his bid for DNC Chair and where he wants to steer the party.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

And so it begins—again. In front of an audience of adoring billionaires, Donald Trump takes the oath of office, delivers a speech promising a return to American greatness, and vows to make drastic changes to federal policy on immigration, gender identity, energy, and more. Meanwhile, Joe Biden ends his presidency with preemptive pardons for Liz Cheney, Anthony Fauci, and members of his immediate family. Jon, Lovett, Tommy, and Dan react to Trump's big speech, his planned executive orders, and Biden's final moves. Then they offer their thoughts on how we can all survive the next four years with our sanity intact. 

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Biden bids the nation farewell from the Oval Office, delivering a stark warning about the rise of an American "oligarchy." Dan and Jon break down how history will judge his legacy. Then, Tommy joins to discuss the fragile ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas—who really deserves the credit, and what happens next? Meanwhile, Senate Republicans press ahead with confirmation hearings for Trump's Cabinet picks, and the clock is ticking on a last-ditch effort to save TikTok. Later, Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, stops by to share his bold vision for leading the DNC.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Devastating wildfires in Los Angeles prompt a round of angry finger-pointing and disaster politics from the GOP. The most extreme reaction comes from Trump and a growing number of Republicans in Congress, who are already talking about placing conditions on disaster relief for California. Meanwhile, President Biden kicks off his final week in office with a farewell speech defending his foreign policy legacy. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy break down what he got right, and what’s at risk as Trump returns to D.C. On another front, MAGA’s messy relationship with Big Tech heats up. Zuckerberg sits down with Trump on Joe Rogan, while Steve Bannon takes aim at Elon Musk. Finally, Ken Martin, Chair the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, drops by to talk about his campaign for Chair of the Democratic National Committee.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Governor Gavin Newsom sits down with Jon Favreau to talk about California’s response to the devastating Los Angeles fires, his invitation to Donald Trump, and his demand for clear answers about the water shortages that hindered fire fighting efforts. They also discuss what recovery and rebuilding efforts look like, how these fires could affect the future of home insurance in California, and the state’s ongoing affordability crisis.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Trump and the GOP skip the usual “thoughts and prayers” for victims of the devastating LA fires, and dive straight into blame and conspiracy theories. Jon and Dan debunk misinformation about FEMA and the government response, unpack the political fallout, and share resources to help fire victims. Plus, what’s behind MAGA’s new Manifest Destiny? Is Trump’s legal drama approaching its grand finale? Washington D.C. pauses for a moment while President Jimmy Carter is laid to rest. Finally, Lovett sits down with Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy to talk about Democrats’ game plan to counter the Republican agenda in Congress. 

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Support California wildfire relief with a donation to Vote Save America & Crooked Ideas Action Fund: votesaveamerica.com/relief.

Kamala Harris fulfills her oath of office, certifying the election results on the four-year anniversary of the January 6th Capitol riot. Meanwhile, Republicans strategize about passing Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” jammed full of MAGA hopes and dreams. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss why simply remembering January 6th isn’t enough, and how Democrats should respond to Republicans’ tax cutting agenda. Plus, MAGA-world did what all of us do over the holidays: squabble with our relatives — this time over immigration policy and H-1B visas. Finally, Joe Biden awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom… and the guys don’t get one.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

In this episode of Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams, Stacey speaks to Dr. Céline Gounder, an infectious disease specialist, epidemiologist and editor at large for public health at KFF Health News, about the threats to public health with the incoming Trump Administration. They talk through Trump’s appointees for the nation’s top health and science agencies like RFK Jr., how to bring scientific thinking back to policy making, and how to differentiate between public health and individual healthcare. Then Stacey explains how to make change by “power-mapping” an issue, finding out who is responsible for the problem, who has jurisdiction over it, and who is already thinking and talking about solutions. Make sure you subscribe to Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams wherever you get your podcasts and on Youtube, so you don’t miss an episode.

Learn & Do More:

Check out KFF Health News to get health news and read about health policy research, and sign up for their newsletters at KFF.Org/Email

In this free preview of Crooked's Friends of the Pod subscription show "Inside 2024," (subscribe here) Dan Pfeiffer, Alyssa Mastromonaco, and Caroline Reston dive deep into the history and drama of presidential transitions, break down the latest moves from President-Elect Trump’s transition team, and share some behind-the-scenes stories from their early days as fresh-faced staffers in the 2008 Obama White House

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

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