The Chuck ToddCast

Massive “No Kings” protests swept across the country this weekend — peaceful, organized, and impossible to ignore. Chuck Todd breaks down what the demonstrations say about growing frustration with Trump’s leadership as his administration faces a government shutdown, soaring insurance costs, and a controversial new military campaign in the Caribbean. As Trump retweets crude AI videos and governs for only half the country, Congress remains silent on legally dubious strikes against Venezuela, an operation critics say has more to do with ousting Maduro than fighting drugs. Todd examines how America’s history of self-interest in Latin America and declining democratic norms at home have converged to create a moment of moral and political reckoning — and why ignoring it might come at a cost. Then, Ars Technica space journalist Eric Berger joins Chuck Todd to unpack the new global race to the moon — and why it’s about power as much as science. With China poised to beat the U.S. back to the lunar surface, NASA’s Artemis program faces both technological and geopolitical pressure. Berger and Todd explore how space has become the next great stage for competition, where the first shots of a future war could be fired — not on Earth, but in orbit. From SpaceX’s dominance and Elon Musk’s influence, to Blue Origin’s lagging efforts and Boeing’s uncertain role, the conversation digs into who will actually shape humanity’s future beyond Earth. They also discuss the growing role of private companies in both space exploration and weather forecasting, how AI is reshaping meteorology, and whether we’ll ever see space-based energy or asteroid mining become viable. It’s a sweeping look at how politics, technology, and ambition are colliding — in a sky that’s getting more crowded by the day. Finally, Chuck Todd hops in the ToddCast Time Machine to recap the history of the Teapot Dome scandal and how it closely mirrors the corruption of the Trump administration, answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment, and recaps the weekend in college football. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 01:30 No Kings protests held around the country 02:15 Protests were timed deliberately in advance of elections 04:30 Huge turnout numbers at the protests 08:30 No incidents at protests that led to confrontations with police 09:45 Trump retweets AI video of himself flying plane and dropping poop 10:45 Trump has the mentality of a 13 year old boy 12:00 Trump has no lifelong friends 13:15 Trump isn’t traveling the country to sell his agenda, unlike first term 14:15 Remarkable that so many people are willing to protest on a Saturday 16:00 Republicans would be wise not to dismiss the protests 16:30 Controversy grows around Trump’s military strikes in Caribbean 17:45 Congress is failing to provide any oversight of the executive 19:00 Insurance notices indicating massive premium spikes coming soon 20:00 Shocking there’s less outrage Trump governs for only half the country 20:45 Government shutdown has turned into a giant mess 22:15 Trump’s administration hints they aren’t sure boat strikes are legal 23:45 Venezuela story would get more attention if it was anywhere else 24:30 Administration refuses to call the strikes “war” 25:15 Repatriating captives helps administration avoid legal questions 26:45 Legality of strikes will be eventually be determined in US courts 28:00 Claiming cartels are “terrorists” doesn’t meet legal definition 28:45 Venezuela isn’t part of the fentanyl drug trade 29:30 Trump & Rubio’s obsession is actually about getting rid of Nicolas Maduro 31:00 The U.S. military has never gone after narcoterrorists before 32:00 Congress...

Massive “No Kings” protests swept across the country this weekend — peaceful, organized, and impossible to ignore. Chuck Todd breaks down what the demonstrations say about growing frustration with Trump’s leadership as his administration faces a government shutdown, soaring insurance costs, and a controversial new military campaign in the Caribbean. As Trump retweets crude AI videos and governs for only half the country, Congress remains silent on legally dubious strikes against Venezuela, an operation critics say has more to do with ousting Maduro than fighting drugs. Todd examines how America’s history of self-interest in Latin America and declining democratic norms at home have converged to create a moment of moral and political reckoning — and why ignoring it might come at a cost. Finally, Chuck Todd hops in the ToddCast Time Machine to recap the history of the Teapot Dome scandal and how it closely mirrors the corruption of the Trump administration, answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment, and recaps the weekend in college football. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 01:30 No Kings protests held around the country 02:15 Protests were timed deliberately in advance of elections 04:30 Huge turnout numbers at the protests 08:30 No incidents at protests that led to confrontations with police 09:45 Trump retweets AI video of himself flying plane and dropping poop 10:45 Trump has the mentality of a 13 year old boy 12:00 Trump has no lifelong friends 13:15 Trump isn’t traveling the country to sell his agenda, unlike first term 14:15 Remarkable that so many people are willing to protest on a Saturday 16:00 Republicans would be wise not to dismiss the protests 16:30 Controversy grows around Trump’s military strikes in Caribbean 17:45 Congress is failing to provide any oversight of the executive 19:00 Insurance notices indicating massive premium spikes coming soon 20:00 Shocking there’s less outrage Trump governs for only half the country 20:45 Government shutdown has turned into a giant mess 22:15 Trump’s administration hints they aren’t sure boat strikes are legal 23:45 Venezuela story would get more attention if it was anywhere else 24:30 Administration refuses to call the strikes “war” 25:15 Repatriating captives helps administration avoid legal questions 26:45 Legality of strikes will be eventually be determined in US courts 28:00 Claiming cartels are “terrorists” doesn’t meet legal definition 28:45 Venezuela isn’t part of the fentanyl drug trade 29:30 Trump & Rubio’s obsession is actually about getting rid of Nicolas Maduro 31:00 The U.S. military has never gone after narcoterrorists before 32:00 Congress has not authorized use of military force in Caribbean 33:30 Members of congress not convinced by rationale for strikes 35:00 Trump is greenlighting killings without making case for it 37:30 If overdose deaths are the rationale, the problem is with Mexico 39:00 Trump hasn’t ruled out striking the Venezuelan mainland 41:00 The US had never designated a cartel as terrorists until this year 44:30 America’s history in Latin America is atrocious and self-interested 47:00 ToddCast Time Machine 47:15 October 25th, 1929 - Jury convicts the first cabinet secretary to prison 48:45 Teapot Dome scandal 50:00 Harding signed executive order transferring oil fields, leased to oil barons 51:15 Fall received $7 million dollars in exchange for oil leases 52:45 Harding's death spawned conspiracy theories about corruption 53:15 Albert Fall convicted of bribery 54:00 Comparing teapot dome to Trump's modern day corruption 55:15 The "out" party should always be the one in charge of oversight 56:30...

Ars Technica space journalist Eric Berger joins Chuck Todd to unpack the new global race to the moon — and why it’s about power as much as science. With China poised to beat the U.S. back to the lunar surface, NASA’s Artemis program faces both technological and geopolitical pressure. Berger and Todd explore how space has become the next great stage for competition, where the first shots of a future war could be fired — not on Earth, but in orbit. From SpaceX’s dominance and Elon Musk’s influence, to Blue Origin’s lagging efforts and Boeing’s uncertain role, the conversation digs into who will actually shape humanity’s future beyond Earth. They also discuss the growing role of private companies in both space exploration and weather forecasting, how AI is reshaping meteorology, and whether we’ll ever see space-based energy or asteroid mining become viable. It’s a sweeping look at how politics, technology, and ambition are colliding — in a sky that’s getting more crowded by the day. Timeline: 00:00 Eric Berger joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:00 China is on track to beat the U.S. back to the moon 02:30 NASA is still pursuing the Artemis program 03:45 Both the U.S. and China are targeting the moon’s south pole 06:00 If you want to be a superpower, needs a presence on the moon 06:30 SpaceX’s Starship is best equipped for Mars mission 07:15 Best methods of propulsion for long distance space missions 08:30 The biggest reason for lunar landing is geopolitics/flexing 09:15 Treaty says that no country can claim ownership of the moon 10:15 How would a private company stake a resource claim on the moon? 11:45 Has low earth orbit gotten too crowded with man made satellites? 12:45 In the next big war, the first shots will likely be fired into space 14:30 Cooperation in space has diminished, become more nationalistic 16:30 Most countries forced to rely on US, Russia and China for space launches 17:30 UAE is developing space capabilities with NASA’s help 18:15 NASA can’t get to space without private contractors/SpaceX 18:45 Elon Musk is the most important person to spacefight globally 20:15 Blue Origin is far behind SpaceX in capabilities for lunar lander 21:00 Will Boeing’s space program ever deliver? 22:00 Will the first space hotel be in orbit or on the moon? 23:00 There’s very little demand for orbital tourism, very expensive 24:30 Mars missions are incredibly different, will likely be one-way to start 26:00 There are no resources on Mars worth the cost of mining and shipping back 26:45 The only reason to go to Mars is to make humans a space-faring species 27:45 Robots are far superior to humans for scientific research missions 29:00 There’s more water on Europa than Earth, life could be there 30:30 Best places in solar system for humans to possibly create bases 32:15 Is Bezos’s idea of heavy manufacturing on the moon a pipe dream? 33:30 Mining asteroids could provide all the metals we’d ever need 34:15 SpaceX’s Falcon9 rocket made cost of accessing space far lower 35:30 Are energy production advances the best way to sell space costs to taxpayers? 37:15 Space based energy production is far from being commercially viable 38:30 The Europeans surpassed the U.S. at meteorology 39:30 Can AI tools help fill the gaps after U.S. cut funding for NOAA? 40:15 AI hurricane modeling seems to be just as good as physics based models 41:15 Private sector still relies on the government for weather forecasting 42:30 We need better data collection for our weather forecasting 44:45 Private companies are hiring their own meteorologists 47:30 Microforecasting has gotten much better due to the internet 48:38 What does Ars Technica cover and what is its mission? 50:45 Do we know more about the solar system or the oceans? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul joins Chuck Todd for a sweeping conversation about whether the world is slipping back into a pre–World War II world order marked by isolationism, power struggles, and a fading commitment to democracy. McFaul argues we’ve entered a new era of great power competition, with China offering an alternative world order and America retreating from its role as the global stabilizer. The two discuss how Trump’s “strong vs. weak” worldview reshapes alliances, why autocracy is gaining ideological ground inside the U.S., and what happens when America stops believing in exporting democracy. From the growing unity of the European Union post-Ukraine to Taiwan’s fears of being sold out to Beijing, Todd and McFaul explore whether it will take another crisis to “sober up” American politics. They also debate Trump’s paradoxical legacy — destabilizing allies while showing skill in Middle East negotiations — and what kind of leadership it will take to rebuild collective security and moral credibility in an increasingly unstable world. Timeline: 00:00 Michael McFaul joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:00 Are we in a similar set of conditions to pre-WW2? 02:00 We’ve entered a new era of great power competition 03:15 In some ways we’re in a cold war, in some way we’re not 04:00 Our economy is highly intertwined with China’s 04:45 America’s isolationism similar to 1930’s 07:00 Was the cold war an outlier period for American & world history? 08:30 Everyone understood the USSR as an adversary during cold war 09:15 America was the great power during cold war, underestimated ourselves 10:15 The “law of the jungle” is returning as the US retreats from the world 12:00 No unity around “small d” Democracy in America, can’t export it 13:15 Trump defines the world by “strong leaders vs. weak leaders” 14:15 Trump’s style of diplomacy works in middle east, not with allies 15:30 China is another hegemon, and offering a different world order 16:30 Autocrats vs Democrats fight is between countries & domestic 17:45 Many Americans now closer to Putin ideologically than Democrats 19:15 Venezuelan activist wins Nobel, her message to Trump was brilliant 20:15 We should have done more to help democracy in Venezuela 23:00 Trump shut down NGOs that promote democracy on world stage 23:45 America needs to run a better pro-democracy campaign worldwide 24:30 America’s security arrangement w/Europe was working well 25:45 Something bad will have to happen to sober up American politics 28:30 There’s a fear of debate in American politics & on campuses 30:15 The importance of debate on college campuses 32:45 The EU has gathered collective strength as America retreats 33:45 Russia invasion of Ukraine + Reelection of Trump recalibrated Europe 35:45 Europe has gained unity and clarity 37:15 Trump deserves credit for trying to end the Russia/Ukraine war 39:00 How will the great power conflict play out in Asia 40:30 We need more alliances and collective security in Asia to counter China 41:15 Taiwan is nervous the US will sell them out to China 42:00 Invasion of Taiwan might be the event to wake up the west 42:45 Trump’s skill set is uniquely suited to negotiations in middle east See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck breaks down a week that feels like a case study in America’s democratic backslide. With the government shutdown dragging on and Donald Trump disengaged from any real effort to end it, Republicans in Congress are paralyzed — and Democrats risk losing ground the longer it continues. Chuck examines how Trump’s brand of politics has reshaped the culture, from congressional dysfunction to GOP leaders dodging accountability on everything from Epstein files to free speech hypocrisy. Later, he dives into the Supreme Court’s looming decision on the Voting Rights Act, the ripple effects of potential gerrymandering shifts in the Sun Belt, and the latest shake-ups in Democratic primaries — from Janet Mills’ funding alliances to Florida’s Hector Mujica making AI a centerpiece of his campaign. It’s a snapshot of a democracy under strain — and a politics struggling to evolve. Then, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul joins Chuck Todd for a sweeping conversation about whether the world is slipping back into a pre–World War II world order marked by isolationism, power struggles, and a fading commitment to democracy. McFaul argues we’ve entered a new era of great power competition, with China offering an alternative world order and America retreating from its role as the global stabilizer. The two discuss how Trump’s “strong vs. weak” worldview reshapes alliances, why autocracy is gaining ideological ground inside the U.S., and what happens when America stops believing in exporting democracy. From the growing unity of the European Union post-Ukraine to Taiwan’s fears of being sold out to Beijing, Todd and McFaul explore whether it will take another crisis to “sober up” American politics. They also debate Trump’s paradoxical legacy — destabilizing allies while showing skill in Middle East negotiations — and what kind of leadership it will take to rebuild collective security and moral credibility in an increasingly unstable world. Finally, Chuck answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and previews the upcoming weekend in college football. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:15 It’s strange having an American president that’s not pro-democracy 04:15 The government shutdown non-update update 05:00 Trump is not engaged at all in trying to end the government shutdown 06:45 Prior presidents didn’t engage in foreign trips during shutdowns 08:15 Republicans in congress can’t negotiate without Trump 09:45 The longer the shutdown goes, the more Dems lose what they gained 11:00 Trump received more votes in LA county than 15 states he carried 12:00 Trump is punishing his own voters in blue states/cities 14:30 Mike Johnson’s refusal to convene house gives Epstein theory credence 15:45 Johnson doesn’t want members to have to take vote on Epstein files 17:15 Republicans trying to brand No Kings protests as a “Hate America” rally 17:45 Saying protestors “hate america”…is un-American 19:45 Donald Trump has culturally changed America for the worse 20:30 Release of abhorrent group chat from young Republican leaders 21:30 MAGA argues for “no speech police”, but only for themselves 22:45 Speech should always be free, but speech does carry consequences 24:45 SCOTUS hearing case that could potentially end the Voting Rights Act 25:30 Fears over gerrymandering from SCOTUS ruling may be overblow 26:45 Gerrymandering could create many more swing seats in sun belt 29:15 We don’t yet know whether the ruling will disenfranchise black voters 30:00 DSCC set up joint fundraising committee with Janet Mills in Maine 31:15 UAW has already endorsed Platner over Mills 31:30 Seth Moulton...

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck breaks down a week that feels like a case study in America’s democratic backslide. With the government shutdown dragging on and Donald Trump disengaged from any real effort to end it, Republicans in Congress are paralyzed — and Democrats risk losing ground the longer it continues. Chuck examines how Trump’s brand of politics has reshaped the culture, from congressional dysfunction to GOP leaders dodging accountability on everything from Epstein files to free speech hypocrisy. Later, he dives into the Supreme Court’s looming decision on the Voting Rights Act, the ripple effects of potential gerrymandering shifts in the Sun Belt, and the latest shake-ups in Democratic primaries — from Janet Mills’ funding alliances to Florida’s Hector Mujica making AI a centerpiece of his campaign. It’s a snapshot of a democracy under strain — and a politics struggling to evolve. Finally, Chuck answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and previews the upcoming weekend in college football. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 00:45 The government shutdown non-update update 01:30 Trump is not engaged at all in trying to end the government shutdown 03:15 Prior presidents didn't engage in foreign trips during shutdowns 04:45 Republicans in congress can't negotiate without Trump 06:15 The longer the shutdown goes, the more Dems lose what they gained 07:30 Trump received more votes in LA county than 15 states he carried 08:30 Trump is punishing his own voters in blue states/cities 11:00 Mike Johnson's refusal to convene house gives Epstein theory credence 12:15 Johnson doesn't want members to have to take vote on Epstein files 13:45 Republicans trying to brand No Kings protests as a "Hate America" rally 14:15 Saying protestors "hate america"…is un-American 16:15 Donald Trump has culturally changed America for the worse 17:00 Release of abhorrent group chat from young Republican leaders 18:00 MAGA argues for "no speech police", but only for themselves 19:15 Speech should always be free, but speech does carry consequences 21:15 SCOTUS hearing case that could potentially end the Voting Rights Act 22:00 Fears over gerrymandering from SCOTUS ruling may be overblow 23:15 Gerrymandering could create many more swing seats in sun belt 25:45 We don't yet know whether the ruling will disenfranchise black voters 26:30 DSCC set up joint fundraising committee with Janet Mills in Maine 27:45 UAW has already endorsed Platner over Mills 28:00 Seth Moulton mounts primary challenge against Ed Markey 29:15 Generational vs. Ideological change in Democratic primaries? 30:00 New ads running for VA DA race addressing Jay Jones texts 31:00 Ad highlights Spanberger's refusal to endorse Jones 33:30 Democrat Hector Mujica enters Florida senate race 34:45 Mujica highlights federal job cuts and AI job displacement in ad 36:45 Mujica is the first candidate to really centralize AI in their pitch 38:15 AI advances might remind people of importance of human connectivity 40:15 Chuck's thoughts on interview with Michael McFaul 40:45 Ask Chuck 41:00 How closely does "The Morning Show" reflect an actual newsroom? 47:00 Do FCS and Div 2 & 3 programs more accurately rep college football? 51:15 Is Greg Abbot sending troops to Chicago to build a national profile? 56:45 What podcasts do you regularly listen to? 1:00:00 Why are conservatives attacking Bad Bunny's citizenship when he's American? 1:05:00 College football preview See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd sits down with veteran Democratic strategist and data expert Tom Bonier to unpack one of the biggest political mysteries of the Trump era: why Democrats are losing voter registrations—and how the GOP got so good at winning them. From the fallout of the Bernie-Clinton primary to the brand erosion under Biden, Bonier traces how Democrats’ messaging, outsourcing, and demographic targeting have backfired while Republicans quietly built lasting grassroots infrastructure, particularly among younger and working-class voters. The conversation dives deep into the changing dynamics of party loyalty and political identity—why Gen Z and Latino voters are shifting, how Trump reactivated the “missing white vote,” and why college campuses have become unlikely conservative battlegrounds. Todd and Bonier also explore the Democrats’ shrinking Senate map, the Midwest’s populist tilt, and how data-driven strategies like “mixed mode” polling could determine which party defines the next generation of American politics. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Tom Bonier joins the Chuck Toddcast 01:45 Where did trend of Democrats shedding voter registrations begin? 02:45 Bernie/Clinton primary was when Dem brand took initial hit 04:00 Downturn in Dem brand came during Biden’s four years 05:45 Democrats outsource their registration efforts more than GOP 07:00 Registration efforts targeted friendly demographics 08:00 Registered partisan turnout between 20’ and 24’ was 1 point 09:00 What can Dems learn from Republicans registration tactics? 10:00 The 2012 GOP autopsy was right, but didn’t foresee Trump 10:45 Obama’s campaign targeted younger voters & won 11:30 GOP created a consistent presence on college campuses 12:15 For Gen Z, their first interaction with government was Covid 13:00 Gender gap amongst younger voters was 25+ points 14:00 Trump won big with voters who don’t consume much news 15:30 Why Gen X became the generation that most supports Trump 16:30 When someone registers for a party, that tends to stick 18:30 Trump brought out the “missing white vote” 19:30 Dems dominating with higher educated, higher propensity voters 21:15 Younger white men are overwhelmingly registering Republican 23:00 Younger voters are generally registering as unaffiliated 24:15 Are Dems counting on Trump voters only showing up for Trump? 25:00 Climate looks similar to 17’ except Dems are more unpopular 26:00 What is causing the Democrats “brand problem”? 26:45 Voters didn’t know about Biden’s accomplishments 28:00 The importance of branding your agenda 29:00 Are there a “hard 7” number of swing states, or could others join? 30:30 Texas trending more blue, Florida trending more red 31:15 Migration patterns have made Florida tough for Democrats 32:00 Democrats have almost no margin for error to win the senate 32:45 What 4-6 states should Dems target to expand senate map? 35:00 Is the midwest out of reach for Dems for a generation? 36:15 Midwest voters are populist more than D or R 37:30 How and where can Dems stem losses in blue states? 39:15 Voter mobilization is easier to fix than persuasion 40:00 Why have Georgia and Arizona become more friendly to Dems? 41:15 API voters swung toward Trump in 24’ but are swinging back 42:00 Latino voters are economically sensitive and more swingy 43:30 What’s happening with the “Chamber of Commerce” GOP voter? 45:00 Preferred methodology for public opinion polling? 47:00 What is “mixed mode” polling? 48:30 What are the three polls you always make sure to analyze? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd examines the mounting political and institutional strain as the government shutdown drags on — and why Democrats may need to declare a partial victory just to move forward. The episode explores how Trump’s rise has exposed deep vulnerabilities in the American system, from unchecked profiteering and politicized justice to the growing entanglement of big tech, big money, and government power. Todd breaks down the Democrats’ limited leverage, the GOP’s dependence on Trump’s engagement, and the urgent need for new constitutional and institutional guardrails. Plus, he looks at the emerging generational clash in the Democratic Party senate primary in Maine, as Janet Mills and Graham Platner become avatars for an “old vs. new” fight that could reshape the party’s future. Then, Chuck sits down with veteran Democratic strategist and data expert Tom Bonier to unpack one of the biggest political mysteries of the Trump era: why Democrats are losing voter registrations—and how the GOP got so good at winning them. From the fallout of the Bernie-Clinton primary to the brand erosion under Biden, Bonier traces how Democrats’ messaging, outsourcing, and demographic targeting have backfired while Republicans quietly built lasting grassroots infrastructure, particularly among younger and working-class voters. The conversation dives deep into the changing dynamics of party loyalty and political identity—why Gen Z and Latino voters are shifting, how Trump reactivated the “missing white vote,” and why college campuses have become unlikely conservative battlegrounds. Todd and Bonier also explore the Democrats’ shrinking Senate map, the Midwest’s populist tilt, and how data-driven strategies like “mixed mode” polling could determine which party defines the next generation of American politics. Finally, he gives his ToddCast Top 5 list of potential political comebacks where politicians could win their old seat back, then answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 06:15 Democrats need to find a way to declare victory and end shutdown 07:30 Democrats drew attention to healthcare, but will see diminishing returns 08:15 Trump’s rise has exposed tremendous vulnerabilities in our system 09:45 There’s nobody in Trump’s feedback loop that will expose him to bad info 11:00 Democrats need how to learn to embrace small victories 13:30 Democrats only have the power to win the argument 15:15 Republicans won’t move without Trump engaging on shutdown 16:30 Trump takes victory lap on Israel, hard part is making agreement stick 17:30 If profiting off the presidency goes unchecked, we risk more in the future 18:45 Emoluments clause is not enough, need a constitutional amendment 19:30 Big tech, big money and the government have all become intertwined 22:00 Two big reforms that could help fix the democracy 24:00 We need to reform the Justice Department to prevent politicization 25:30 Companies that capitulated to Trump had the law on their side 27:00 The country needs to build new guardrails 28:00 Janet Mills vs Graham Platner will become avatars for “old vs new” 29:45 The older generation of Democratic leaders refuses to retire 31:30 If Mills wins, she’ll be the oldest freshman senator of all time 32:15 Graham Platner already has released attack ad against Mills 33:30 Platner vs. Mills will become a headache and money sink for Democrats 36:30 Tom Bonier joins the Chuck Toddcast 38:15 Where did trend of Democrats shedding voter registrations begin? 39:15 Bernie/Clinton primary was when Dem brand took initial hit 40:30 Downturn in Dem brand came during Biden's four years 42:15 Democrats...

Chuck Todd examines the mounting political and institutional strain as the government shutdown drags on — and why Democrats may need to declare a partial victory just to move forward. The episode explores how Trump’s rise has exposed deep vulnerabilities in the American system, from unchecked profiteering and politicized justice to the growing entanglement of big tech, big money, and government power. Todd breaks down the Democrats’ limited leverage, the GOP’s dependence on Trump’s engagement, and the urgent need for new constitutional and institutional guardrails. Plus, he looks at the emerging generational clash in the Democratic Party senate primary in Maine, as Janet Mills and Graham Platner become avatars for an “old vs. new” fight that could reshape the party’s future. Finally, he gives his ToddCast Top 5 list of potential political comebacks where politicians could win their old seat back, then answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 02:15 Democrats need to find a way to declare victory and end shutdown 03:30 Democrats drew attention to healthcare, but will see diminishing returns 04:15 Trump's rise has exposed tremendous vulnerabilities in our system 05:45 There's nobody in Trump's feedback loop that will expose him to bad info 07:00 Democrats need how to learn to embrace small victories 09:30 Democrats only have the power to win the argument 11:15 Republicans won't move without Trump engaging on shutdown 12:30 Trump takes victory lap on Israel, hard part is making agreement stick 13:30 If profiting off the presidency goes unchecked, we risk more in the future 14:45 Emoluments clause is not enough, need a constitutional amendment 15:30 Big tech, big money and the government have all become intertwined 18:00 Two big reforms that could help fix the democracy 20:00 We need to reform the Justice Department to prevent politicization 21:30 Companies that capitulated to Trump had the law on their side 23:00 The country needs to build new guardrails 24:00 Janet Mills vs Graham Platner will become avatars for "old vs new" 25:45 The older generation of Democratic leaders refuses to retire 27:30 If Mills wins, she'll be the oldest freshman senator of all time 28:15 Graham Platner already has released attack ad against Mills 29:30 Platner vs. Mills will become a headache and money sink for Democrats 32:30 Chuck's thoughts on interview with Tom Bonier 33:30 ToddCast Top 5 - Most Likely Political Comebacks 35:00 #1 Jesse Jackson Jr. 37:00 #2 Cori Bush 38:15 #3 John E. Sununu 41:15 #4 Sherrod Brown 42:15 Honorable mentions 43:00 #5 Javier Suarez 49:15 Ask Chuck 49:30 Why aren't presidential debates moderated as vigorously as local debates? 53:45 What are legal repercussions for violations of the HATCH Act? 59:00 Appreciation for interview with Paul Glastris on higher education 1:01:30 What is likely for Universal Basic Income as AI takes jobs? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Moody’s chief economist Mark Zandi joins Chuck Todd to assess an economy that looks strong on paper—but feels weak for most Americans. While the top third of earners are doing well, lower-income households are tightening their belts as consumer spending slows and job creation stagnates. Zandi warns of a 30–40% chance of a recession by 2026, citing the drag from federal job cuts, the drying up of COVID relief funds, and the destabilizing effects of rising tariffs and electricity costs. They also dig into the booming—but risky—AI sector, where soaring valuations and limited job growth may be setting up the next market correction. Gold prices are surging, commercial real estate is slumping, and housing shortages are widening for middle-class renters. With Americans increasingly unable to move for better opportunities and faith in Washington deteriorating, Zandi and Todd explore whether the U.S. economy can remain the world’s “safe haven” — or if 2026 could be the year that confidence finally cracks. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Mark Zandi joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:00 The economy is only good for the top 1/3rd of earners 02:00 Lower income earners are struggling 03:30 Signs of a consumer pullback are starting to show up 05:00 The economy isn’t creating many jobs 05:30 Chance of a recession is forecast at 30-40% in 2026 07:15 The economic impact of the cuts to federal workforce 09:00 Loss of 100k+ federal jobs will be a drag on the economy 10:00 Covid money is drying up in state and local government budgets 10:30 AI is starting to have impact on the job force 13:00 Data center investment creates wealth but not jobs 14:30 Are the AI stocks creating a bubble? 15:30 Investors may be a bit over their skis with AI 16:45 Stock market could be headed for a massive correction 18:00 Stock price to earnings ratios are at historic high 19:30 Tariff impacts starting to show up, AI providing a tailwind for economy 21:00 Economy is very vulnerable to unforeseen shocks 21:45 Price of gold at all time high, a warning sign? 23:30 Uncertainty around American economy driving up gold price 24:45 Risk of American economy not being considered a “Safe Haven” 26:00 Loss of safe haven status means higher interest rates 26:30 Impact of rising electricity prices on the economy 28:30 Oil and gas prices have stayed relatively low 29:30 Why haven’t investors flocked to real estate as an investment? 30:30 The price of commercial real estate is down substantially 31:45 High interest rates have cooled demand for residential real estate 33:15 The high end rental market is oversupplied 34:00 Workforce/middle income housing is in short supply 35:30 Housing issues vary by city and region, hard to address nationally 36:45 How much would the economy benefit from domestic migration? 38:30 Aging population a big factor in lack of domestic migration 39:00 Most Americans can’t afford to move 40:15 Impact of America’s broken politics on the economy 42:00 Will issues with China’s economy affect the globe? 43:00 Level of risk going into 2026? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd breaks down the latest political and global chaos as the government shutdown drags on with no resolution in sight—because, as he puts it, “nothing moves without Trump.” From Trump’s trade threats against China and his transactional diplomacy in the Middle East to Netanyahu’s political freefall in Israel, the episode examines how American and global politics are increasingly driven by short-term leverage over long-term stability. Todd also exposes how Trump’s team has weaponized government institutions—from Russ Vought’s reckless layoffs to Pam Bondi’s politicized DOJ—and how Trump’s online behavior, including an embarrassing Truth Social blunder, raises national security concerns. With the rule of law eroding and America’s moral authority slipping away, Chuck warns that the U.S. may be entering an era where power, not principle, defines governance. Then, Moody’s chief economist Mark Zandi joins Chuck to assess an economy that looks strong on paper—but feels weak for most Americans. While the top third of earners are doing well, lower-income households are tightening their belts as consumer spending slows and job creation stagnates. Zandi warns of a 30–40% chance of a recession by 2026, citing the drag from federal job cuts, the drying up of COVID relief funds, and the destabilizing effects of rising tariffs and electricity costs. They also dig into the booming—but risky—AI sector, where soaring valuations and limited job growth may be setting up the next market correction. Gold prices are surging, commercial real estate is slumping, and housing shortages are widening for middle-class renters. With Americans increasingly unable to move for better opportunities and faith in Washington deteriorating, Zandi and Todd explore whether the U.S. economy can remain the world’s “safe haven” — or if 2026 could be the year that confidence finally cracks. Finally, Chuck goes back to the 1987 market crash in the ToddCast Time Machine to compare the conditions then to current market conditions, answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment, and gives his college football update. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction - New addition to the Todd household 03:45 Trump/China threaten trade retaliation, just posturing? 04:45 Government remains shutdown, no resolution without Trump 06:00 Trump sensitive to tariff price hikes on pharmaceuticals 07:00 Trump’s transactional diplomacy works well in the middle east 09:15 Can Netanyahu survive politically without an active war? 10:15 2/3rds of Israeli voters want Netanyahu to resign 11:15 Many of Israel’s threats are gone, but is now very isolated 12:45 Trump’s government has weaponized/politicized everything 14:00 Russ Vought’s mass layoffs were sloppy, overfired at CDC 16:00 Pam Bondi has overtly weaponized the Justice Department 18:15 DOJ indicting Trump enemies he named in social media post 19:45 Trump was DMing Bondi on Truth Social, mistakenly posted publicly 21:30 Trump’s communications far more insecure than Hilary’s emails 24:15 The current Republican congress just rolls over for Trump 25:15 Trump is destroying the rule of law & reputation of the GOP 26:30 If roles were reversed Republicans would be apoplectic 27:45 US has lost moral authority & credibility on the world stage 29:15 Most military leaders would resign quietly if given illegal orders 30:45 Presidents used to respect their predecessors… not Trump 31:45 Trump’s supposed to govern for the entire country, refuses to 34:15 Trump believes two wrongs make a right 35:15 Trump started a trade war with China, and nobody wins a trade war 36:45 United States is far too reliant on China for rare earth...

Chuck Todd breaks down the latest political and global chaos as the government shutdown drags on with no resolution in sight—because, as he puts it, “nothing moves without Trump.” From Trump’s trade threats against China and his transactional diplomacy in the Middle East to Netanyahu’s political freefall in Israel, the episode examines how American and global politics are increasingly driven by short-term leverage over long-term stability. Todd also exposes how Trump’s team has weaponized government institutions—from Russ Vought’s reckless layoffs to Pam Bondi’s politicized DOJ—and how Trump’s online behavior, including an embarrassing Truth Social blunder, raises national security concerns. With the rule of law eroding and America’s moral authority slipping away, Chuck warns that the U.S. may be entering an era where power, not principle, defines governance. Finally, Chuck goes back to the 1987 market crash in the ToddCast Time Machine to compare the conditions then to current market conditions, answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment, and gives his college football update. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction - New addition to the Todd household 02:45 Trump/China threaten trade retaliation, just posturing? 03:45 Government remains shutdown, no resolution without Trump 05:00 Trump sensitive to tariff price hikes on pharmaceuticals 06:00 Trump's transactional diplomacy works well in the middle east 08:15 Can Netanyahu survive politically without an active war? 09:15 2/3rds of Israeli voters want Netanyahu to resign 10:15 Many of Israel's threats are gone, but is now very isolated 11:45 Trump's government has weaponized/politicized everything 13:00 Russ Vought's mass layoffs were sloppy, overfired at CDC 15:00 Pam Bondi has overtly weaponized the Justice Department 17:15 DOJ indicting Trump enemies he named in social media post 18:45 Trump was DMing Bondi on Truth Social, mistakenly posted publicly 20:30 Trump's communications far more insecure than Hilary's emails 23:15 The current Republican congress just rolls over for Trump 24:15 Trump is destroying the rule of law & reputation of the GOP 25:30 If roles were reversed Republicans would be apoplectic 26:45 US has lost moral authority & credibility on the world stage 28:15 Most military leaders would resign quietly if given illegal orders 29:45 Presidents used to respect their predecessors… not Trump 30:45 Trump's supposed to govern for the entire country, refuses to 33:15 Trump believes two wrongs make a right 34:15 Trump started a trade war with China, and nobody wins a trade war 35:45 United States is far too reliant on China for rare earth metals 38:30 ToddCast Time Machine 39:15 October 19th, 1987 - U.S. stock market crash 40:00 Crash resulted in added financial regulation and safeguards 41:45 In week leading up to crash, markets had seen sharp declines 42:15 Computerized trades contributed to crashed 43:45 Crash wasn't rooted in one singular event/issue 44:45 Crash didn't result in wider problems like banking crisis 45:30 Lesson learned was "Don't Panic", market came back 46:45 Current market is dominated by algorithmic trading, creates risks 47:45 Market is highly concentrated in tech 48:45 Why 1987 isn't a corollary for 2025 50:45 Market will always have volatility 51:15 Ask Chuck 51:30 Should more candidates not run under the D or R label? 56:00 What practices would you suggest to reform ballot access? 59:30 Is the risk of China owning Tiktok any worse than Trump allies? 1:03:45 Were Biden's infrastructure projects halted by Big Beautiful Bill? 1:06:45 College football update See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

As the government shutdown stretches on, Chuck Todd breaks down how both parties are calculating the political costs — and why Democrats may have already achieved what they wanted. With air travel disruptions mounting and healthcare debates pulling in new Republican attention, the public’s patience is wearing thin. Meanwhile, tensions between Trump and Illinois leaders have escalated, raising questions about the politicization of the military and fairness in immigration enforcement. He also examines Democrats’ deeper strategic struggles heading into 2026 and beyond — from misreading voters’ frustration with cost of living to failing to invest early in registration and outreach. Inside the party, Virginia rallies around Jay Jones, while figures like Elissa Slotkin and Gavin Newsom position for future national influence. But viral missteps, like Katie Porter’s interview fallout, reveal how Democrats are still struggling to master modern media and messaging in an increasingly short-form political world. Then, he sits down with Washington Monthly editor-in-chief Paul Glastris to unpack how America’s college ranking system went off the rails—and how it’s warping higher education itself. Glastris argues that U.S. News & World Report rewards wealth, not value, pushing schools to chase prestige over affordability and teaching quality. He highlights Berea College as a model for what higher ed could be: a well-endowed school that actually invests in its students rather than its brand. The two also explore how higher ed’s obsession with research grants and graduate programs has left undergrads behind, and why community and regional universities—where most Americans actually study—deserve more attention and funding. From the decline of community colleges to the disappearance of local journalism, Glastris and Todd make the case for a “New Deal for Higher Education” that values mobility, access, and public service over profit and rankings. Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and previews the upcoming weekend in college football. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Introduction 03:00 Government shutdown lingers on, Dems accomplished what they wanted 04:15 Air travel starting to be impacted by shutdown 05:30 The healthcare issue has gotten the attention of Republicans 06:30 General public only cares about issues that directly impact them 07:30 Either party could end the shutdown now 09:45 Showdown between Trump & leaders in Chicago escalates 10:45 Using Texas national guard in Illinois is a bridge too far 11:45 Too many leaders on both sides are way too online 13:00 ICE found by judge to be making warrantless arrests 15:15 Trump and Stephen Miller overplaying threat to the public 16:00 Public doesn’t support deployments, wants apolitical military 17:15 Majority of voters think deportation process hasn’t been fair 18:45 Politics getting personal between Trump & Illinois leaders 20:45 There are political risks for both sides 21:45 DNC believes they didn’t spend early & enough to engage voters in 24’ 24:15 Democrats takeaways are wrong. Biden was the biggest issue 25:30 Biden team misread the room, voters were upset at cost of living 26:45 DNC has put enough effort into voter registration 27:30 Appears party leaders in VA will rally around Jay Jones 29:15 Democrats willing to engage in GOP style “whataboutism” 30:30 There’s still a vast chunk of America that cares about ethics 32:00 Elisa Slotkin headlining dinner in NH, eyeing run for president? 33:00 Looking like Gavin Newsom will win redistricting referendum 35:00 If California votes yes, it looks like R’s will only pick up 3-4 seats in 26’ 35:45 Katie Porter...

As the government shutdown stretches on, Chuck Todd breaks down how both parties are calculating the political costs — and why Democrats may have already achieved what they wanted. With air travel disruptions mounting and healthcare debates pulling in new Republican attention, the public’s patience is wearing thin. Meanwhile, tensions between Trump and Illinois leaders have escalated, raising questions about the politicization of the military and fairness in immigration enforcement. He also examines Democrats’ deeper strategic struggles heading into 2026 and beyond — from misreading voters’ frustration with cost of living to failing to invest early in registration and outreach. Inside the party, Virginia rallies around Jay Jones, while figures like Elissa Slotkin and Gavin Newsom position for future national influence. But viral missteps, like Katie Porter’s interview fallout, reveal how Democrats are still struggling to master modern media and messaging in an increasingly short-form political world. Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and previews the upcoming weekend in college football. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Introduction 00:30 Government shutdown lingers on, Dems accomplished what they wanted 01:45 Air travel starting to be impacted by shutdown 03:00 The healthcare issue has gotten the attention of Republicans 04:00 General public only cares about issues that directly impact them 05:00 Either party could end the shutdown now 07:15 Showdown between Trump & leaders in Chicago escalates 08:15 Using Texas national guard in Illinois is a bridge too far 09:15 Too many leaders on both sides are way too online 10:30 ICE found by judge to be making warrantless arrests 12:45 Trump and Stephen Miller overplaying threat to the public 13:30 Public doesn't support deployments, wants apolitical military 14:45 Majority of voters think deportation process hasn't been fair 16:15 Politics getting personal between Trump & Illinois leaders 18:15 There are political risks for both sides 19:15 DNC believes they didn't spend early & enough to engage voters in 24' 21:45 Democrats takeaways are wrong. Biden was the biggest issue 23:00 Biden team misread the room, voters were upset at cost of living 24:15 DNC has put enough effort into voter registration 25:00 Appears party leaders in VA will rally around Jay Jones 26:45 Democrats willing to engage in GOP style "whataboutism" 28:00 There's still a vast chunk of America that cares about ethics 29:30 Elisa Slotkin headlining dinner in NH, eyeing run for president? 30:30 Looking like Gavin Newsom will win redistricting referendum 32:30 If California votes yes, it looks like R's will only pick up 3-4 seats in 26' 33:15 Katie Porter crashes out in viral interview clip, both parties pile on 35:00 Has Porter spent too much time in friendly interview spaces? 36:30 Porter's response to losing senate primary to Schiff was revealing 38:00 Former Bernie strategist says Dems struggling with short form video 41:00 Ask Chuck 41:15 Should we offer a tax credit for voting to incentivize participation? 45:15 Thoughts on an "American Unity" platform? What would you include? 52:00 Trump modeling terrible behavior & character for young people? 59:45 Military pay during government shutdown? 1:02:15 College football preview See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd sits down with Washington Monthly editor-in-chief Paul Glastris to unpack how America’s college ranking system went off the rails—and how it’s warping higher education itself. Glastris argues that U.S. News & World Report rewards wealth, not value, pushing schools to chase prestige over affordability and teaching quality. He highlights Berea College as a model for what higher ed could be: a well-endowed school that actually invests in its students rather than its brand. The two also explore how higher ed’s obsession with research grants and graduate programs has left undergrads behind, and why community and regional universities—where most Americans actually study—deserve more attention and funding. From the decline of community colleges to the disappearance of local journalism, Glastris and Todd make the case for a “New Deal for Higher Education” that values mobility, access, and public service over profit and rankings. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Paul Glastris joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:00 Best colleges for the buck? 03:15 US News ranks colleges in a horrific way 04:30 Schools prioritize wealth when doing admissions 07:30 Upward mobility matters more when ranking colleges 09:15 Schools freak out when they lose ranking status 10:45 Berea College is best bang for the buck school in America 12:45 Berea has a massive endowment, but it’s used for education 15:30 Schools focus on post-grad programs rather than undergrad 17:00 Research institutions should be put in their own category 17:30 Trump administration is going after schools with research grants 19:00 We’ve never seen an administration target college research 20:15 It costs a ton of money to send kids to college now 21:30 Do colleges prioritize hiring researchers or teachers? 24:15 We overproduce academic talent in America 26:15 Smaller schools face massive financial challenges 28:30 Many schools border on predatory 30:00 We need a “new deal” for higher education 32:30 Most people get their BA’s at local & regional universities 34:00 America didn’t get to making 2 years of college free 35:15 The state of the community college system 36:45 Florida never built a good state system, has no prestige schools 37:45 Florida standardized passing courses counting at every school 39:45 There’s a wide disparity of outcomes between community colleges 40:15 Community colleges offer community building activities 42:45 College rankings are an important example of service journalism 44:45 Local journalism was the foundational piece of the profession 46:00 The economic underpinnings of local journalism have been wiped out 48:30 Government and philanthropy can underwrite local journalism 50:30 National opinion journalism undermined local journalism 52:00 Small towns can’t afford good journalism See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd breaks down the political fallout as the government shutdown begins disrupting air travel—and both parties claim they’re “winning.” He argues that when politicians are upending people’s lives, no one is really winning. The conversation turns to Israel, where Prime Minister Netanyahu faces deepening domestic backlash and a loss of international allies. With 66% of Israelis wanting the war in Gaza to end and growing calls for Bibi’s ouster, Israel’s reliance on the U.S. has never been greater—or more politically divisive. Chuck also examines how the Israel issue is surfacing in U.S. campaign politics, from Democratic primaries to GOP power plays. With Republicans clearing primary fields and Democrats facing scandals like Jay Jones’ in Virginia, both parties are wrestling with internal fractures—and the risks of clinging to power at any cost. Then, Chuck sits down with Stanford political scientist Adam Bonica to unpack the dark underbelly of political fundraising. Bonica reveals how the Democratic consulting firm Mothership Strategies helped shape modern campaign fundraising — and how their tactics, often resembling internet scams, have extracted hundreds of millions from small-dollar donors, many of whom are elderly or unaware they’ve been opted into recurring donations. Together, they explore how much of that money never reaches campaigns at all, instead being funneled into consultant fees and internal operations that border on money laundering. The conversation broadens into the systemic corruption of campaign finance: both parties’ use of apocalyptic fear-mongering, the rise of Super PACs with minimal voter impact, and how America’s extreme wealth inequality has distorted democratic accountability. Bonica explains why the public now views the very need to raise money as inherently corrupt — and how anti-corruption could be the strongest defense against authoritarian drift. As billions pour into elections with diminishing effect, Chuck and Adam question whether the next era of U.S. politics can ever be disentangled from the cash that drives it. Finally, Chuck gives his ToddCast Top 5 governor’s seats most likely to flip parties, and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Introduction 04:30 Government shutdown begins affecting air travel 06:15 Both sides think they are winning the shutdown 07:30 Congress created the conditions for regular shutdowns 08:30 When you’re disrupting people’s lives, you aren’t “winning” 09:30 Israel’s public support is eroding in the United States 10:30 Under Bibi, Israel has never been more powerful and alone 11:30 Israel alienated allies, incredibly reliant on the United States 13:15 Partisan split between R’s and D’s over support for Israel 14:15 Growing skepticism for Israel’s actions in Gaza 16:00 66% of Israelis want to end the war in Gaza 17:30 Majority of Israelis want Netayahu gone after war is over 19:00 Most Israelis goal is the getting hostages home, not eliminating Hamas 20:15 Bibi is clinging to power to avoid accountability 21:15 New ad in New Hampshire targeting Andy Beshear over support for Israel 22:45 Tough to know how salient Israel issue will be in a Democratic primary 24:45 Republicans are clearing primary fields across the country 25:30 If Ken Paxton is nominee in Texas, the senate could flip 27:30 Susan Collins is the only Republican that can win in Maine 29:15 Dem voters tired of establishment that isn’t winning 30:30 MAGA gave Republicans most power they’ve had in decades 31:30 If Jay Jones allegations in VA surfaced a month ago, he’d be replaced 33:00 If elected, Jay Jones should resign and let assembly choose...

Chuck Todd breaks down the political fallout as the government shutdown begins disrupting air travel—and both parties claim they’re “winning.” He argues that when politicians are upending people’s lives, no one is really winning. The conversation turns to Israel, where Prime Minister Netanyahu faces deepening domestic backlash and a loss of international allies. With 66% of Israelis wanting the war in Gaza to end and growing calls for Bibi’s ouster, Israel’s reliance on the U.S. has never been greater—or more politically divisive. Chuck also examines how the Israel issue is surfacing in U.S. campaign politics, from Democratic primaries to GOP power plays. With Republicans clearing primary fields and Democrats facing scandals like Jay Jones’ in Virginia, both parties are wrestling with internal fractures—and the risks of clinging to power at any cost. Finally, Chuck gives his ToddCast Top 5 governor’s seats most likely to flip parties, and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Introduction 02:30 Government shutdown begins affecting air travel 04:15 Both sides think they are winning the shutdown 05:30 Congress created the conditions for regular shutdowns 06:30 When you're disrupting people's lives, you aren't "winning" 07:30 Israel's public support is eroding in the United States 08:30 Under Bibi, Israel has never been more powerful and alone 09:30 Israel alienated allies, incredibly reliant on the United States 11:15 Partisan split between R's and D's over support for Israel 12:15 Growing skepticism for Israel's actions in Gaza 14:00 66% of Israelis want to end the war in Gaza 15:30 Majority of Israelis want Netayahu gone after war is over 17:00 Most Israelis goal is the getting hostages home, not eliminating Hamas 18:15 Bibi is clinging to power to avoid accountability 19:15 New ad in New Hampshire targeting Andy Beshear over support for Israel 20:45 Tough to know how salient Israel issue will be in a Democratic primary 22:45 Republicans are clearing primary fields across the country 23:30 If Ken Paxton is nominee in Texas, the senate could flip 25:30 Susan Collins is the only Republican that can win in Maine 27:15 Dem voters tired of establishment that isn't winning 28:30 MAGA gave Republicans most power they've had in decades 29:30 If Jay Jones allegations in VA surfaced a month ago, he'd be replaced 31:00 If elected, Jay Jones should resign and let assembly choose replacement 34:00 Democrats playing with political fire with Jay Jones 36:15 Chuck's thoughts on interview with Adam Bonica 38:00 Toddcast Top 5 - Governor's seats most likely to flip parties 38:30 #1 Virginia 41:00 #2 Kansas 42:45 #3 Wisconsin, #4 Michigan 45:00 #5 Iowa 49:00 Ask Chuck 49:15 Will there ever be amendments to prevent corruption in government? 52:00 Does Trump think the public will believe misinformation about the economy? 57:00 Should Democrats offer a "Project 2029" to offer a clear vision for change? 59:30 How would you handle bad faith Republican arguments over shutdown? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck sits down with Stanford political scientist Adam Bonica to unpack the dark underbelly of political fundraising. Bonica reveals how the Democratic consulting firm Mothership Strategies helped shape modern campaign fundraising — and how their tactics, often resembling internet scams, have extracted hundreds of millions from small-dollar donors, many of whom are elderly or unaware they’ve been opted into recurring donations. Together, they explore how much of that money never reaches campaigns at all, instead being funneled into consultant fees and internal operations that border on money laundering. The conversation broadens into the systemic corruption of campaign finance: both parties’ use of apocalyptic fear-mongering, the rise of Super PACs with minimal voter impact, and how America’s extreme wealth inequality has distorted democratic accountability. Bonica explains why the public now views the very need to raise money as inherently corrupt — and how anti-corruption could be the strongest defense against authoritarian drift. As billions pour into elections with diminishing effect, Chuck and Adam question whether the next era of U.S. politics can ever be disentangled from the cash that drives it. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Adam Bonica joins the Chuck ToddCast 03:00 Fundraising tactics are beyond bizarre 05:30 Mothership strategies behind much of the Dem advertising 08:00 Democratic candidates were enamored by Mothership’s strategy 10:15 Many donors had been suffering from cognitive decline 11:30 PAC’s were basically money laundering 13:35 Most fundraising dollars were spent internally on consultants 15:00 Both parties use apocalyptic language when fundraising 17:00 Campaign fundraising using the same tactics as scammers 18:30 Political fundraisers prey on older people 20:30 Donors have to actively uncheck recurring donations 21:15 ActBlue adopted new rules after Adam’s reporting 24:00 Mothership has raised hundreds of millions of dollars 28:00 Mothership claims their fight is a “necessary evil” 31:00 The public is very concerned about corruption 31:45 Anti-corruption is the #1 anti-authoritarian strategy 33:15 Public sees the need to raise money as a form of corruption 34:45 There is so much corruptibility on the fundraising side of politics 35:30 Money spent by Super PACs has almost no effect on public opinion 36:45 Trump was outspent and still won 37:30 Democrats have fundraising advantage they are squandering 38:15 Most Republican donor money came from $1M+ earners 39:00 Democrats dominating donations from young professionals 42:00 Democrats would gain credibility advantage disavowing dark money 44:30 American wealth inequality is reaching extreme territory 46:15 Billionaires aren’t aligned with root Democratic party politics 49:15 Will we see $5B presidential elections in 2028? 50:45 There is more money per swing voter than ever 52:30 $500m will be spent on CA redistricting 55:00 Mainstream journalism rarely audits where money goes See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck examines the second week of the government shutdown, explaining why Republicans are taking most of the blame—but why it’s not an automatic win for Democrats. He breaks down the political incentives that keep both sides digging in, Trump’s efforts to punish his own voters in blue states, and the growing risk of violent confrontations with protestors. Chuck also explores how the shutdown intersects with pressing economic and foreign policy issues, from spiking consumer prices and tariff-driven disruptions in agriculture to Trump’s controversial actions involving Venezuela and the implications for international norms. The discussion shifts to domestic politics, where Chuck looks at the fallout from the Virginia DA nominee Jay Jones’s released texts, and what they reveal about accountability—or the lack thereof—in an era of extreme polarization. With scandals often failing to stick in today’s divided environment, the episode paints a picture of a government and a political culture under strain, struggling to address crises both at home and abroad. Then, Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt joins Chuck to talk about why mayors often stand apart from the hyper-polarized world of national politics. With no partisan primaries to cater to, Holt argues that mayors are forced to be pragmatic and bipartisan—because when city leaders fail, the public notices quickly. He describes how Oklahoma City reflects the political and demographic balance of the country, why federal dollars matter more than federal agents when it comes to public safety, and how cities are tackling challenges from police recruitment to affordable housing. The conversation also touches on the unique role sports and culture play in a city’s identity, from Oklahoma City’s investment in a new arena for the Thunder to preparing for Olympic events. Holt warns of the risks of growing too fast, as seen in places like Austin and Nashville, and reflects on how the decline of local news has made it harder to communicate with residents. From social media outreach to funding journalism, Holt lays out the modern challenges and opportunities for cities trying to govern effectively while Washington remains gridlocked. Finally, Chuck hops in the ToddCast Time Machine and digs into the longstanding impacts of the Anita Hill hearings, answers listeners questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and gives his college football update. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Introduction 03:00 Mayors have to govern for all voters 04:30 Government shutdown extends into second week 05:30 Republicans getting more blame, but not a slam dunk for Dems 06:45 The political incentives are to dig in, rather than compromise 08:30 Trump is punishing his own voters in blue states 10:15 Government employees set to start missing paychecks 11:15 Mike Johnson is jamming the senate 12:45 Senate Republicans have been forced into tough votes 14:30 Democrats will have to get to yes at some point 15:30 Stephen Miller’s language should be alarming to judiciary 16:30 Trump is trying to incite a violent confrontation with protestors 18:15 Making shutdown fight about healthcare was signal to moderate voters 21:15 In prior six months, prices for consumer goods have spiked 22:15 Retailers announcing substantial price increases due to tariffs 24:00 52% drop in soybean exports to China 24:45 Trump floating “socialist” style policies to bail out farmers 26:15 Japan elects a conservative as first female prime minister 28:00 Trump makes dubious claims in defense of striking Venezuelan boats 29:30 Boat attacks are denying due process to foreign citizens 31:15 We’re giving a permission slip to thugs &...

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck examines the second week of the government shutdown, explaining why Republicans are taking most of the blame—but why it’s not an automatic win for Democrats. He breaks down the political incentives that keep both sides digging in, Trump’s efforts to punish his own voters in blue states, and the growing risk of violent confrontations with protestors. Chuck also explores how the shutdown intersects with pressing economic and foreign policy issues, from spiking consumer prices and tariff-driven disruptions in agriculture to Trump’s controversial actions involving Venezuela and the implications for international norms. Finally, Chuck hops in the ToddCast Time Machine and digs into the longstanding impacts of the Anita Hill hearings, answers listeners' questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and gives his college football update. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Introduction 01:30 Government shutdown extends into second week 02:30 Republicans getting more blame, but not a slam dunk for Dems 03:45 The political incentives are to dig in, rather than compromise 05:30 Trump is punishing his own voters in blue states 07:15 Government employees set to start missing paychecks 08:15 Mike Johnson is jamming the senate 09:45 Senate Republicans have been forced into tough votes 11:30 Democrats will have to get to yes at some point 12:30 Stephen Miller's language should be alarming to judiciary 13:30 Trump is trying to incite a violent confrontation with protestors 15:15 Making shutdown fight about healthcare was signal to moderate voters 18:15 In prior six months, prices for consumer goods have spiked 19:15 Retailers announcing substantial price increases due to tariffs 21:00 52% drop in soybean exports to China 21:45 Trump floating "socialist" style policies to bail out farmers 23:15 Japan elects a conservative as first female prime minister 25:00 Trump makes dubious claims in defense of striking Venezuelan boats 26:30 Boat attacks are denying due process to foreign citizens 28:15 We're giving a permission slip to thugs & dictators around the world 29:30 Venezuela would be a bigger story if not for the shutdown 30:45 Nominee for Virginia DA, Jay Jones has disturbing texts released 33:15 Candidate apologizes after texts were made public 35:15 What Jay Jones says was disqualifying 37:30 Nobody is being held accountable for faulty character 39:45 Polarization may be so strong that scandals don't matter 41:30 ToddCast Time Machine 41:45 October 11th, 1991 - Anita Hill testified before judiciary committee 42:30 There were no women on the senate judiciary committee 43:30 Hill's testimony was massively consequential for gender equality 45:30 Clarence Thomas was being fast tracked to the Supreme Court 48:00 Anita Hill allegations surface publicly on October 6th 49:00 Hill provides graphic testimony of inappropriate behavior by Thomas 50:45 Hill had a lot to lose and was afraid 51:45 It was the first time sexual harassment entered public zeitgeist 53:00 Gender, race and ideology mixed into toxic political stew 53:30 Senate confirms Thomas in bipartisan vote 5 days later 55:45 Anita Hill has never forgiven Joe Biden for the hearing 57:15 Hill hearings supercharged women's entry into politics 1:00:00 Ask Chuck 1:00:15 Was Hegseth's speech a step towards a presidential campaign? 1:02:45 Dangers of governing with an "ends justify the means" philosophy? 1:05:45 College football update See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.