Dream City Podcast

Cuneyt and Tom dig into the fallout from Trayon White’s federal bribery trial after a hung jury resulted in a mistrial. White acknowledged taking $35,000 during the trial — raising a separate question for the D.C. Council: even without a conviction, will his colleagues censure, reprimand or even try to expel him again? Tom shares what he's hearing. Then, they turn to RFK Stadium, where residents o...

On this week’s Dream City Podcast, Cuneyt and Tom preview Ward 8 Council member Trayon White’s long-awaited federal bribery trial. They also dig into a stark warning from D.C.’s chief financial officer that the city’s economic and revenue signals are “flashing red." It points to Janeese Lewis George's biggest task ahead: rebuilding D.C.'s economy. 00:00 We're back + Cuneyt's Travels 02:59 Tom vs....

On this week’s Dream City Podcast, Cuneyt and Tom (happy 80th!) take stock of the many ways President Trump is physically reshaping Washington. They talk about the two-year Kennedy Center renovation, new blinged-out images of Trump’s White House ballroom, and plans to surround Lafayette Park with a new fence. 00:00 Trump’s Two-Year Kennedy Center Makeover 07:13 Gold, a Six-Story Bunker, and Trump’...

Washington Post reporter Paul Schwartzman joins Cuneyt as Tom Sherwood celebrates his 80th birthday. They talk about President Trump’s $22.5 billion plan for Dulles Airport, in the context of Trump's desire to play the part of big city mayor. Then, they turn to why Congress’s effort to restrict D.C.’s taxation a felt like a sneak attack, the business community’s anxiety over mayor-in-waiting Janee...

On this week’s Dream City Podcast, Tom returns to break down why D.C. activists are calling for a DoorDash boycott after the company supported congressional legislation restricting the District’s ability to change local taxes and fees. Cuneyt and Tom also explore the once-in-a-century opportunity to remake Southwest Washington’s sprawling federal enclave, including the possible demolition of the h...

Waymo’s head of policy for the east, Matt Walsh, joined Dream City to make the company’s case for operating in D.C., right as council members debate one of the country’s most ambitious robotaxi bills. Cuneyt presses Walsh on labor’s warnings about lost driving jobs, the company’s safety record, and whether a multibillion-dollar technology company is prepared to make a significant investment in D.C...

On this week’s Dream City Podcast, Cuneyt and Mark Segraves of NBC4 break down Vice President JD Vance’s plans to rent a sprawling estate in Middleburg — including questions about the property’s owner, the lease, and what the Veep's arrival could mean for the quiet Virginia town. They then dig into the coming fight over legalizing Waymo and other robotaxis in D.C., as labor unions raise concerns a...

President Trump is calling out Janeese Lewis George — attacking her as a "communist," but says he'd meet with her. In this week's Dream City Podcast, Cuneyt and Tom break down whether D.C.’s incoming left can find any workable ground with the White House. Plus: The next major battle at the Wilson Building will be over taxes. They dig into the pressure to raise new revenue after the city’s budget c...

On this week’s Dream City Podcast, Cuneyt and Tom are joined by veteran D.C. strategist Chuck Thies to break down Janeese Lewis George’s sweeping mayoral primary victory, why Kenyan McDuffie’s campaign never found its footing, and what the results say about the city’s political direction. Cuneyt also talked to Ward 1 D.C. Council Democratic primary winner Aparna Raj, a tenant organizer who describ...

On this week’s Dream City Podcast, Cuneyt and Tom break down the final days of D.C.’s mayoral race — including President Trump slamming Janeese Lewis George, Muriel Bowser’s all-but-official endorsement for Kenyan McDuffie, and the different paths each candidate has to victory. They also look at the other races on the ballot, the growing role of outside spending and dark money, and how Trump’s sup...

Will Sommer, senior reporter at the Bulwark and former Loose Lips columnist at Washington City Paper, joined the Dream City Podcast as guest co-host this week. Cuneyt and Will broke down the Kenyan McDuffie vs. Janeese Lewis George sprint to the finish — the ground game, the prediction markets, the Chipotle moment, and what ranked choice voting could mean for the outcome. Plus: DC somehow spent a...

D.C. Council member Robert White joined the Dream City Podcast for a wide-ranging interview about why he’s running for Congress, how he’d take on President Trump, and what he thinks about some of the biggest stories right now — including that Chipotle brawl. Cuneyt and Tom talk with White about his D.C. roots, why he pivoted from a Bowser rematch mayoral run to the delegate race, and what sets him...

WMATA General Manager Randy Clarke joined Dream City for a wide-ranging conversation about how he helped turn D.C.'s Metro system around, what America gets wrong about transit, and why the future of Washington depends on getting transportation right. Randy talked with Cuneyt and Tom about everything from fare evasion, permitting, and union tensions to the politics of building faster, the challenge...

On this week’s Dream City roundup, Cuneyt is joined by Mark Segraves to break down the fallout from MPD’s crime stats scandal, what it means for Mayor Bowser’s legacy, and how it could affect trust in the police department. They also talk about growing White House pressure on D.C. ahead of this summer’s America 250 celebrations, new courtroom drama tied to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner su...

On this week’s Dream City Podcast, Cuneyt and Tom break down a packed stretch in D.C. politics: the mayor’s race entering a sharper new phase, new questions around labor and Janeese Lewis George’s campaign, and who Kenyan McDuffie hopes turns out to vote this year. They also dig into President Trump’s move to take over East Potomac Golf, plus a speed round on Metro’s funding problem, D.C.’s online...

On this week’s Dream City roundup, Cuneyt and Tom break down the fallout from "Oppo-gate" — Brooke Pinto’s dossier release, the return of youth curfew politics at the D.C. Council, and new signs that the mayor’s race is getting more negative. 00:00 Introduction + On The Road 01:21 Brooke Pinto’s Oppo-gate Fallout 07:24 D.C. Curfew Politics Return to the Council 10:01 Robert White’s Money Problem 1...

On this week’s Dream City roundup, Cuneyt and Tom break down D.C.’s worsening budget squeeze, Mayor Bowser’s push to spur redevelopment of empty federal buildings, and the political fight over teen curfews as White House pressure grows. They also dig into Cuneyt's reporting on how a proposed Tysons casino collapsed in Virginia — and what it means for the rest of the DMV. Plus, what the first clean...

On this week’s Dream City Podcast, Tom breaks some news about growing White House pressure on D.C. over youth curfews and teen takeovers. There's also a new ethics investigation involving Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, and Cuneyt and Tom talk about the deal to keep the Nationals in Washington through 2058. Plus: campaign season weirdness, including sign wars and what it all says about the mood o...

On this week’s Dream City Podcast, Cuneyt and Tom unpack a chaotic new chapter in the D.C. mayor’s race after a heated debate between the frontrunners — plus a surprising comeback bid by former council member Jack Evans. They also dive into a growing clash between the Trump administration and local leaders over plans to remove a key bike lane near the National Mall, and what it signals about the f...

D.C. Council member Kenyan McDuffie is running for mayor — and he joined Dream City for a wide-ranging conversation about affordability, crime, and how he’d deal with President Trump. McDuffie opened up about growing up in Stronghold during the crack epidemic, losing friends to gun violence, and the experiences that shaped his public safety agenda. He argued he's the most prepared candidate in the...

In a wide-ranging interview, D.C. Council member Brooke Pinto shares her journey from childhood in Connecticut to her political career, why she wants to represent D.C. in Congress, and how she would deal with President Trump and Republicans on Capitol Hill. Pinto is running to succeed retiring Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton in a crowded race that includes her council colleague Robert White. She explai...

Cuneyt and Tom talk about D.C.'s mayoral candidates throwing jabs as the election heats up. Plus, the city's finances are a mess, now made worse by Congress overturning the city's tax code. In the speed round, Cuneyt talks about a new effort to get rid of the Height Act while Tom finds a Gallup survey that says basically no one wants to go back to the office. 00:00 Introduction 02:13 Overheard at...

Council member Janeese Lewis George is running for D.C. mayor — and she joined to talk about how she'd handle President Trump, how she'd pay for a child care expansion, and her vision for the future of Washington. Cuneyt and Tom covered a lot of ground, from her stance on zero cooperation with ICE to ways JLG would try to find areas of agreement with the Trump administration (see: downtown develop...

D.C.'s newest (interim) council member Doni Crawford joins to talk about whether D.C. is in a recession, how city hall will budget during one of the most difficult years in recent memory, and how she got to the Wilson Building. 00:00 Introduction to Council member Doni Crawford 01:28 Is DC In a Recession? 02:45 Congress Smacks Down DC Tax Changes 06:44 DC's Recession-Like Budget Year 10:27 Doni Cr...

In this President's Day Episode, Cuneyt and Tom talk about city hall bracing for a recession-like budget, after DOGE hammered D.C. jobs economy. Mayor Bowser says tough choices are ahead. Progressives warn the social safety net is is being dismantled. Plus, one of the worst sewage spills in U.S. history is happening in the Potomac River. Local leaders should speak up more about the environmental d...