The Democratic Party is sifting through the rubble of its sweeping election loss and trying to work out what went wrong.

In an interview, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont discusses his diagnosis and how to chart a path back to power.

Guest: Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont

Background reading: 

• Democrats reeling from the election failure have begun playing the blame game.
• Who are the next leaders of the Democratic Party?

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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Warning: this episode contains strong language.

In his first week as president-elect, Donald J. Trump moved at breakneck speed to fill out his cabinet with a set of loyalists who were both conventional and deeply unconventional, the U.S. Senate chose a leader who could complicate Trump’s agenda, and President Joe Biden welcomed Trump back to the White House.

Times Journalists Michael Barbaro, Julie Hirschfeld Davis, Peter Baker and Maggie Haberman, sat down to make sense of it all.

Guest: 

• Julie Hirschfeld Davis, who covers politics for The New York Times.
• Peter Baker, the chief White House correspondent for The New York Times.
• Maggie Haberman, a senior political correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

• Matt Gaetz is Mr. Trump’s pick for attorney general.
• John Thune is set to become the next Senate majority leader.
• Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump’s brief public display of civility was followed by a two-hour meeting behind closed doors.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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After single-handedly remaking the auto industry, social media and the global space race, Elon Musk is now turning his attention, and personal fortune, to politics.

Over the past few months, he became one of the most influential figures in the race for president, and on Tuesday Donald J. Trump tapped him to help lead what the president-elect called the Department of Government Efficiency,

Kirsten Grind and Eric Lipton, investigative reporters for The Times, explain what exactly Musk wants from the new president, and why he is so well placed to get it.

Guest: 

• Kirsten Grind, an investigative business reporter at The New York Times.
• Eric Lipton, an investigative reporter at The New York Times.

Background reading: 

• Mr. Trump tapped Mr. Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency.”
• Mr. Musk helped elect Mr. Trump. What does he expect in return?

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.