Talking Feds

We are in the midst of a political maelstrom as intense, consequential, and unpredictable as very few in the nation’s history. A terrific clear-eyed roundtable of Alisyn Camerota, David French, and Norm Ornstein joins Harry to discuss the shifting landscape in both major political parties. The national convention marked Republicans’ total emergence as the party of Trump; while the teeth-gnashing among Democrats since Biden’s disastrous debate seems to be building to a climax and a new nominee. Adding to the rapidly shifting landscape: the late-breaking news of Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 race. patreon.com/talkingfeds See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The tectonic shifts in the legal and political landscapes of the last 3 weeks have upended all prospect for legal accountability for Trump before the election, and the country is paying far less attention. But all of the 4 criminal cases remain in play in some fashion. In this special episode of Talking Feds, 3 of the country’s most prominent analysts–Norm Eisen, Kristy Greenberg, and Joyce Vance–join Harry to canvass where all of the cases stand and when and how they could spring back to life. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Three weeks now into a political crisis of the highest stakes and volatility, as Biden attempts to bypass political elites & fundraisers, many of whom seem implacably set against him, and take his case directly to the American people. Susan Glasser, Jason Kander and Mike Podhorzer join Harry to bear down hard on Biden’s prospects for survival and the likely alternative if Biden steps aside. Adding to the extreme volatility: the late-breaking news of the shooting at a Trump rally over the weekend. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our annual end-of-term Supreme Court episode comes to grips with a momentous Court year that upended the national political and legal landscapes, in the process augmenting the Court’s own powers and giving a leg up to Donald Trump and the horrifying prospect of his return to power. A great roundtable of Emily Bazelon, Melissa Murray, & Steve Vladeck join Harry to come to grips with the cataclysmic series of final opinions in immunity, abortion, administrative law, and more. https://www.patreon.com/talkingfeds See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The week had a tsunami like intensity that left abundant wreckage in its wake, both in the political and legal landscapes; and a fantastic roundtable of Andrea Mitchell, Charlie Sykes, and Jacob Weisberg bears down on what went awry and the unavoidable question—unthinkable one week ago—whether Biden needs to step aside. We then turn to the momentous week in the Supreme Court, which advanced the uber-conservative agenda especially in administrative law before previewing the immunity decision. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The hot-button issues in US society are getting hotter as the political season commences in earnest. A long blueprint for operations in a 2nd Trump administration sets out volcanic changes in abortion, religion, the administrative state, immigration, & more. In this episode, a great roundtable of Gloria Borger, Dahlia Lithwick, and Jen Rubin joins Harry to stare down the barrel of the most contentious battleground issues, w/ particular focus on the new & coming decisions from the Supreme Court. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The world feels more upside down than ever, as Donald Trump staged a victory tour in the wake of his convictions and Republicans on the Hill fell completely and obsequiously in line. A great Talking Feds panel of Susan Glasser, Jacob Weisberg, & Rick Wilson analyze Trump’s total capture of the party & what it portends for November. We then move to the Hunter Biden conviction & why it ties Rs in knots, and close by discussing the sophomoric vote in the House to hold Merrick Garland in contempt. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

MAGA nation launched a coordinated campaign this week against Trump’s felony convictions followed by a literal call to arms and a dark promise of retribution. A great roundtable of Bill Kristol, Congressman Ted Lieu, and Tara Setmayer considers the danger of the MAGA rhetoric. We then move to analyze the Hunter Biden case and its relationship to the Trump convictions, closing with a discussion of whether the executive order on immigration allows Biden to reclaim the upper hand on the issue. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With Trial’s convictions in NY state court behind us, it’s the perfect time for our quarterly close focus on the Department of Justice, by 3 stalwart friends of the podcast who know DOJ best – Katie Benner, Paul Fishman, & Amy Jeffress. After discussing the possible effect on DOJ of the NY case, we take up the state of play of the two Jack Smith investigations, inc the prospects for either to proceed to in 2024. We then move to the current high-profile trials against Hunter Biden & Sen. Menendez. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One last week of trial brings a final Talking Feds episode with a roundtable of great reporters who were among the few in the courtroom, Jon Alter, Maggie Haberman, and Hugo Lowell. We break down the dramatic differences b/t the trial as reported in the media and as it actually was, zeroing in on the chief reasons for the DA’s decisive victory and focusing in turn on the lawyers, the judge, and the jury. We then take up Trump’s crazed response and consider what it portends for the next 5 months. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The hiatus in the Trump trial gives us the opportunity to dive into other legal and political news for the first time in several weeks. A stellar panel of Jason Kander, Carol Lee, and Congressman Eric Swalwell assesses the debates, Haley’s endorsement of Trump, & the swing-state polls. We then consider the Justice Alito’s display of pro-MAGA flags outside of his two homes after January 6. Finally, we turn to the political implications of the NY trial, inc the likely impact of a Trump conviction. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lots happening out there, but NY v. Trump remains the main event, and this week we again bring you a roundtable of all new prominent commentators–and all first time @talkingfedspod guests–who have been in and around the court the whole trial. Katie Phang, Yasmin Vossoughian, and Ben Wittes join Harry to carefully assess where the trial stands with nearly all the evidence in and on the verge of closing arguments, with special focus on Cohen’s testimony, inc whether the defense drew blood on cross. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Another very special episode this week about the room where it’s happening with three commentators who were there — Jon Alter, Danny Cevallos, & Kristy Greenberg. We focus in depth on the dramatic highlight of the week for the jury and the country — Stormy Daniels’s testimony, esp the cross-examination. We next consider how much Madeline Westerhout helped Trump. After an in-depth preview of Michael Cohen’s testimony, we assess what persuasive arguments about reasonable doubt remain for the defense. https://www.talkingsandiego.net/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A week of pitched battles in court, campuses, and Congress; and three of the country’s most wise and respected voices — Zoe Lofgren, Norm Ornstein, and Michael Steele — join Harry to analyze the action. The NY prosecutors continued to build a strong case against Trump, ending the week on a high note with Hope Hicks. The situation in many campuses boiled over, requiring administrations to enlist help from police. And 6 months out from the election, power plays abounded in Congress and around DC. https://www.talkingsandiego.net/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We add a special episode this week to tackle the Supreme Court argument on immunity. A great group of court experts – Emily Bazelon, Leah Litman, and Mark Stern – join Harry to add the feds voices to a robust debate in the wake of the argument about the sky is falling, the gang breaks down the questions and a parent fault lines in the court to weigh in on whether the argument augurs the end of any possible trial this year and a ruling that provides a measure of kingly immunity to the President. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A special and singular episode on Trump’s trial, including 3 experts who spent the week as one of the few dozen people permitted to be inside the courtroom where Trump’s trial is happening. Norm Eisen and Jon Alter, along with Harry, were all feet from Trump, the witnesses, and the jury. They are joined by Karen Friedman Agnifilo, who has extensive experience with the NY courts, including Judge Merchan, to break down the trial in its broad strokes & nuances; and to anticipate what’s coming next. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jen-psaki-discussing-say-more-with-harry-litman-tickets-866910250897 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Things finally got real this week--w/ a wealth of quick developments, inc the full jury chosen, punctuated by dramatic details: Trump’s meekly sitting down on the judge’s order, prospective jurors breaking out in tears from the pressure & anxiety of serving, the DA’s moving for criminal contempt v. Trump for 10 postings; & a lot more. A great roundtable of Aaron Blake, Peter Baker, & Jen Rubin breaks down the legal events & their political implications, before moving on to the week in Congress. https://www.talkingsandiego.net/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode marks a historic week, as the first ever criminal trial of a former President gets underway in Manhattan. Will Trump maintain his boorish ways or will he try to make nice in front of the jury that will decide his fate? A terrific panel of Kyle Cheney, Mara Liasson, & Norm Ornstein join Harry to discuss the trial; the Arizona Sup Ct abortion ruling and its outsize effect on the 2024 election; & Jack Smith’s muscle flexing in the Mar-A-Lago case and the Supreme Court immunity appeal. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As the first-ever trial of a former President looks imminent & certain, an only-on-Talking-Feds roundtable of Molly Jong-Fast, Josh Marshall, & Sen Sheldon Whitehouse joins Harry to assess how the spectacle of Trump-in-the-chair will play on the campaign trail. They then move on to the re-emergence of abortion as a year-long white-hot political issue in Florida & therefore the election before taking on Trump’s vulgar attempts to exploit base anti-immigrant sentiment. A lively, intelligent hour. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With the campaign underway in earnest, the question of whether Trump can be held accountable for his constitutional misconduct and alleged crimes becomes ever more paramount. A fantastic round table of Jamie Raskin, Jacob Weisberg, and Christine Todd Whitman join Harry to discuss the series of current challenges with the R House of Rep; the US Supreme Court; the state & federal courts where Trump is a criminal defendant; and the American people, who may or may not be paying close attention. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.