Pod Save America

It’s our annual Thanksgiving Mailbag episode! Jon, Lovett, and Tommy dive into some of your smartest, funniest, and most thought-provoking questions. They tackle everything from concerns about the Democratic Party’s stance on trans rights and Biden’s legacy to ideas for boosting left-wing media and getting more people to run for local office. Plus, they share their thoughts on the fate of skinny jeans in 2025, favorite holiday movies, and their fitness routines. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Lovett sits down with Hasan Piker, the massively popular progressive streamer, to talk through (and argue about) the hard questions about where the Democratic Party needs to go from here, the liberal media landscape, what the Harris campaign told us about why they lost, and yes, a jobs program for incels. Then, Jon talks to Massachusetts Congressman Seth Moulton about the fight for the House, why blue states like his swung right, and the controversy he kicked up with his comments about trans athletes.

In this candid interview, the leaders of the Harris-Walz Campaign speak for the first time about the challenges they faced and why they made the decisions they did. Dan sits down with Jen O'Malley Dillon, David Plouffe, Quentin Fulks, and Stephanie Cutter to talk about the campaign's roadmap, their approach to nontraditional media outlets like Joe Rogan, the voters they most needed to win over, why they fell short in the end, and what Democrats should do differently next time.

Matt Gaetz is out as Trump's attorney general pick after the mounting questions about past interactions with young women cost him the support of key senators. Nominated in his place: former Florida AG Pam Bondi. Meanwhile, House Republicans have decided their top priority is prohibiting incoming Congresswoman Sarah McBride from using women's bathrooms in the Capitol. Jon and Dan break down what the Gaetz debacle says about Trump's Cabinet picks, his rocky relationships with Senate Republicans, what the bathroom stunt means for LGBTQ rights, and how McBride and her colleagues should respond. Then, Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez talks with Jon about how she pulled off another win in her rural, Trump-supporting district, and what Democrats can learn from her success. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

The problems dogging attorney general pick Matt Gaetz don't seem to be going away, as new leaks expose a history of thousands of dollars in Venmo payments to two women at the center of the complaints against him. Meanwhile, newly unearthed video of RFK Jr., Trump's choice for health secretary, shows him speculating about whether the Covid pandemic was planned by the government. Tommy is joined by Democratic strategist and media expert Lis Smith to unpack all the chaos, plus what the Dems are missing, what needs to shift in their media strategy, and the big questions driving the race for DNC Chair. Then, Dan sits down with Sen. Jon Tester to reflect on his re-election battle in Montana, how Democrats can win in the heartland again, and the best way to connect with voters in red states. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Donald Trump completes his journey from outcast to cool kid, showing off his MAGA clique at a glitzy UFC fight and even getting nemeses Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski to come groveling to Mar-a-Lago. Meanwhile, it may not be such smooth sailing for two of his top cabinet picks, Matt Gaetz and Pete Hegseth, as questions mount about sexual misconduct. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy break down all the latest, including Democratic governors' plan to constrain Trump's power, the upcoming race for DNC chair, and under-the-radar moves at the FCC. Then, Tommy talks with NBC News's Brandy Zadrozny, an expert in misinformation and the rise of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., about RKF's plans for the medical care you get and the food you eat. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Donald Trump goes all in on naming his biggest political boosters to Cabinet posts, whether they're qualified or not (they're not!). Trump wants alleged sex offender Matt Gaetz for Attorney General, vaccine skeptic RFK Jr. for HHS Secretary, dictator sympathizer Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence, Fox News host Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense, and Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy for the newly invented Department of Government Efficiency. Jon and Dan discuss the odds of Senate Republicans blocking any of these nominations, why Trump picked them in the first place, and how Democrats can respond without defending the status quo. Then, Jon sits down with Senator-elect Andy Kim of New Jersey to talk about how Democrats can listen and learn after the election, what Kim thinks of Trump's Cabinet picks so far, and learning to be comfortable with uncomfortable politics. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Jon and New York Times columnist Ezra Klein, host of The Ezra Klein Show, talk through what we know about how Democrats started to lose working-class and lower-information voters—even before 2024—how social media and interest groups drive those divides, why blue states and cities shifted right, and what progressives can do to tackle the affordability crisis. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Trump begins staffing top roles in his second administration with loyalists and sycophants—and demands that the senators running for majority leader agree to embrace a process that would allow him to appoint whoever he wants without Senate confirmation. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss whether Trump's opening moves are as chilling as we thought they'd be, what we do and don't know about his second-term plans, and how he might pursue revenge on his opponents. Then, Tommy speaks with New York Congressman Pat Ryan, who hung on in a tough district, about the lessons the Democratic Party needs to learn in order to win. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Running on fumes with just two weeks to go, Trump raves about Arnold Palmer's genitalia and works the fryer at a McDonald's. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris campaigns across the battleground-state suburbs with Liz Cheney, and Barack Obama hits the trail for her in the Sun Belt. Then, Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss the legality of Elon Musk's million-dollar voter-registration giveaways, and Hawaii Senator Brian Schatz stops by to talk about the state of the race and what people can do to help.

The January 6 grand jury hands up its indictment of Donald Trump, detailing how he and six co-conspirators knowingly peddled lies in an effort to obstruct the most important function of our democracy—and deprive you of your right to have your vote counted. Jon, Jon, and Tommy react to the indictment's most damning evidence and look at where the investigation could go next. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Fox’s lies cost them more than three-quarters of a billion dollars, House Republicans settle on a wildly unpopular debt ceiling ransom, and Ron DeSantis lets a wave of home state endorsements slip through his pudding fingers. Then later, Strict Scrutiny’s Leah Litman stops by break down the legal implications of the Dominion settlement and the fight to keep abortion medication legal.

Can Democrats keep Georgia blue? We hear from young Black voters in Atlanta about Stacey Abrams, Raphael Warnock, Joe Biden, voting rights, and the future of democracy. Organizer Nsé Ufot, political commentator and strategist Symone Sanders, and pollster Terrance Woodbury join Jon to discuss what they had to say. New episodes of The Wilderness drop every Monday. Subscribe to The Wilderness wherever you get your podcasts. Apple: apple.co/thewilderness Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6JfsJlD5sBhVpEQEALNw4U Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-wilderness If you want to learn more about how you can take action in the fight for our democracy, head over to Vote Save America and New Georgia Project: https://votesaveamerica.com/midterm-madness/ https://newgeorgiaproject.org/

The Great Poll Freakout of 2022 has begun, as Democrats give their closing message to voters. Congressman Tim Ryan stops by to talk about his Ohio Senate race. And Jon and Dan look back at the recent debates in a game that demands they say something nice! For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

The Republican closing argument is as Trumpy and racist as ever. Joe Biden takes a big step towards decriminalizing marijuana. And Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock stops by to talk about his very close race against Herschel Walker. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Herschel Walker gets caught paying for a girlfriend's abortion while advocating for a national abortion ban and control of the Senate hangs in the balance. Maggie Haberman joins to talk about being Donald Trump's psychiatrist. Then later, Jon and Dan play another round of Take Appreciator. If YOU want to directly support abortion access for those who need it most, head to theherschelwalkerabortionfund.com/ For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

How can Democrats reach disconnected voters? We talk to Biden voters in Pittsburgh who are fed up with national politics. Jon breaks down their responses with Pennsylvania Representative Malcolm Kenyatta, data expert Dan Wagner, and John Fetterman senior campaign strategist Rebecca Katz. New episodes of The Wilderness drop every Monday. Subscribe to The Wilderness wherever you get your podcasts. Apple: apple.co/thewilderness Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6JfsJlD5sBhVpEQEALNw4U Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-wilderness If you want to learn more about how you can take action in the fight for our democracy, head over to Vote Save America and Pennsylvania United: https://votesaveamerica.com/midterm-madness/ https://www.mobilize.us/paunited/event/493306/

Sam Sanders joins Jon, Jon, Tommy, and Dan live from SiriusXM! The January 6th committee delays their hearing among new revelations about Roger Stone, the Senate moves closer to passing the Electoral Count Act thanks to Mitch McConnell, and special guests Senator Elizabeth Warren and John Legend join to talk about the midterms. Plus, the hosts of Crooked’s Gen Z podcast Dare We Say join for a battle of the generations. Check out Crooked Radio on SiriusXM progress starting 10/1, Get up to 4 months free: http://siriusxm.com/crooked For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Republicans are in disarray as Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell fight over their party’s chances to take back the Senate, Beto O’Rourke joins to talk about his run for Governor in Texas, and Jared Kushner’s new book gets one of the most devastating reviews ever written. Will Trump Cost Mitch the Senate? For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Guest co-host Josie Duffy Rice joins Jon, Jon, Tommy, and Dan live in Nashville! Republicans go on defense after the unsealed Mar-a-Lago search warrant reveals that the FBI is investigating Donald Trump for possible espionage, and Democrats have new reasons to be hopeful about the midterms following a string of big wins. Justice Democrat Odessa Kelly stops by to talk about her run for Congress in TN-7, and Vice President Al Gore joins to talk about the newly-passed climate bill and to play the ultimate game of 90's trivia. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.