Dream City Podcast

The Washington Post laid off 300 journalists in an apocalyptic week for local media. Then embattled CEO Will Lewis also got the boot. Cuneyt and Tom discuss what's next for the Post — and reveal the media scheming underway to fill the void. Plus, it's a heated election season as fundraise reports come due in the mayoral and D.C. delegate races. And Trump world is obsessed with classical architectu...

Mayor Bowser caught flak last week after the city struggled to clear out snow and ice. Mayoral candidates swooped in with their own criticisms. In this episode, Tom Sherwood is out this week, and joining Cuneyt is Michael Schaffer, longtime D.C. journalist and co-host of the City Cast D.C. podcast. Mike talked about his exclusive interview with John Norton, the son of the retiring Del. Eleanor Hol...

The 2026 D.C. mayoral race is off to a heated start, with claims to fundraising records by both candidates Kenyan McDuffie and Janeese Lewis George. In this episode of the Dream City Podcast, Cuneyt and Tom are joined by NBC4's Mark Segraves to talk about how the D.C. Council cut out the public as it picks an interim council member. Plus, we talk about the new Commanders stadium's monumental desig...

In this episode of the Dream City Podcast, hosts Cuneyt and Tom discuss Trump's new takeover project — D.C.'s public golf courses. The Trump administration terminated the leases of a local nonprofit managing the courses, while the organization hires a high-powered law firm to potentially fight back. Meanwhile, Trump reportedly wants a Ryder Cup or PGA event — the conversation highlights why that m...

There's a new police chief in town, but not before Pamela Smith gave a stunning farewell speech, blasting her haters with an "F-U." Smith leaves after a rollercoaster 2.5 years, and under pressure from Republicans over allegedly cooked crime stats. Which got Tom and Cuneyt thinking: How will new chief Jeffery Carroll handle the White House? Meanwhile, Council member Kenyan McDuffie is quitting the...

Mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George is off to the races, and with so many open D.C. Council seats, progressives hope that 2026 will be their big year in local politics. Cuneyt and Tom talk about the future of D.C. Speaking of the future, Cuneyt reports that Waymo is way behind on its D.C. rollout, thanks to a delayed DDOT study and bureaucracy standing in the way. The robotaxi future is on hold...

After ten years, Mayor Bowser is bowing out. Cuneyt and Tom record a special episode on Bowser's decision to not seek a fourth term, discussing her legacy and who wants to be mayor next. The Dream City Podcast is supported by launch partner SpotlightDC: Capital City Fund for Investigative Journalism . The Dream City Podcast will hold the powerful accountable and take you inside D.C.’s business and...

Cuneyt and Tom have a big Thanksgiving week episode, breaking down what lessons Mayor Bowser could take from NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's chummy visit to the Oval Office. Plus: Cuneyt got leaked the mayoral ambitions of Janeese Lewis George, thanks to a spy overhearing it all at Capitol Hill restaurant Tune Inn. We also talk about why streeteries might get a lifeline, just in time before regul...

Two very special guests join the Dream City Podcast to discuss the week's biggest stories. Cuneyt and Tom are joined by NBC4 reporter Mark Segraves to discuss the Washington Post's exclusive reporting on the behind the scenes relationship between Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Trump administration. Plus, Tom gives a pulse check on the Mayor Bowser Re-election Needle — whether or not she's leaning tow...

In the Dream City Podcast launch, Cuneyt and Tom talk about Mayor Muriel Bowser’s 2023 trip to Qatar getting mixed up in media reports about a DOJ investigation. Axios reported that Bowser is not a target of the investigation, hours after the NY Times ( gift link ) reported that there was a probe into potential bribery and campaign finance violations. We also talk about who could be the Zohran Mam...