Matt Lewis Can't Lose

On today’s podcast, Charlie Sykes and Matt discuss: — Reuters poll: Trump approval sinks to 33%, disapproval 64% — lowest of current term, matching December 2017 low — Sen. John Ossoff’s sharp speeches: calls out golfing, stock trading, Qatar “flying palace,” and Natalie Harp, while the U.S.S. Lincoln fights his war — The one big Democratic warning: Abdul El-Sayed underwater in Michigan (Fox poll)...

Washington Monthly writer Bill Scher returns to the pod to talk about what's up with the poll misses in recent Democratic primaries. Then, the new film, “The Brink of War,” in theaters August 14 (today!) and I sit down with Michael Russell Gunn (writer/director/producer) and John Logan Pierson (producer) to talk Ronald Reagan and the making of the movie. Subscribe to Matt Lewis on Substack: ht...

On today’s podcast conversation, Chris Cillizza and Matt discuss: — Massive polling misses in Michigan and Wisconsin. One reason this happened?: Under-sampling middle-aged Black voters and rural Democrats — Clear evidence that DSA and DSA-aligned candidates are underperforming with Black voters — the same coalition that blocked Bernie Sanders — Why 2026 is likely a referendum on Trump and the econ...

On today's podcast, Charlie Sykes and Matt discuss: —Why DSA member and failed Wisconsin candidate Francesca Hong was an “absurdly bad candidate” (and why Bernie and AOC stayed away) — How Dems realized they were about to blow a winnable race and hand Wisconsin to an election-denier, so they voted for David Crowley, a candidate who had previously dropped out of the race — Charlie says there ar...

What if you could go back in time and kill baby Hitler? Michael Tomasky’s new satirical novel Killing Baby Hitler explores nature vs. nurture, time travel gone wrong, and whether one monster really explains the world’s evil. In this conversation with Matt and Tomasky (editor of The New Republic) discuss: • Why democratic socialism is rising (and what popular policies like child care and data-cente...

On this week's podcast, Chris Cillizza and Matt discuss: — Abdul El-Sayed’s Democratic primary win in Michigan despite being outspent roughly 9-to-1 — The growing power of Democratic Socialist (or DSA-adjacent) candidates — Controversies around Hassan Piker, guilt-by-association risks, and how they could hurt progressive nominees in general elections — Multiple House Republican scandals — and...

In a deep and thought provoking conversation, veteran journalist Ron Fournier explains why Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary between Rep. Haley Stevens and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is the true bellwether of 2026 politics — and a microcosm of the Democratic Party’s identity crisis. According to Ron, there are six important dynamics currently playing out in this race: Status Quo vs. Change Moderate vs....

It's a NOTUS on NOTUS conversation, as Matt welcomes veteran columnist Dana Milbank to the podcast to discuss: — Is Donald Trump pulling the Todd Blanche Attorney General nomination... for now? — Fresh Michigan reporting: Dana finds all the energy and enthusiasm behind Abdul El-Sayed, not Haley Stevens — Wildly conflicting polls: Stevens led by 7, now El-Sayed up by 14 — turnout models are the...

On today's podcast, Charlie Sykes and Matt discuss: — DSA co-chair Megan Romer outlines an agenda that would abolish Senate/presidency/Supreme Court, ICE, borders, prisons; defund Pentagon; mass amnesty — Wisconsin governor primary flashpoint: far-left DSA candidate Francesca Hong risks handing the state to election-denier Tom Tiffany — with 2028 consequences — Gerontocracy crisis: Mitch McCon...

During today's podcast discussion, Chris Cillizza and Matt discussed: — Rep. Haley Stevens was ambushed by TMZ. She leaned hard into her Matt Foley / “van down by the river” energy — and it worked! — Why leaning into the turn (and her real Michigan accent) is smart politics in the authenticity era — The upcoming Michigan Senate Democratic primary (Aug 4): Stevens vs. Abdul El-Sayed — who actua...

On today's podcast, Charlie Sykes and Matt discuss: — Andrew and Tristan Tate accused of choking women unconscious then raping them — will Trump block extradition to UK? — Why young men (and Barron Trump?) are drawn to these man-o-sphere “dominance” influencers — Trump’s pattern: protecting allies, flirting with pardons for Diddy/Maxwell, and his own E. Jean Carroll liability — Democratic 2026...

On today's podcast conversation, independent journalist Chris Cillizza and Matt Lewis of NOTUS discuss: — Why Trump’s planned primetime speech on election integrity and the Save America Act is the wrong message right now — Wild 2020 conspiracy theories revisited (Italygate, Dominion, etc.) and why they’re a political dead end — What he should be talking about: the big beautiful bill, housing,...

On this week’s podcast, Charlie Sykes joins Matt for a no-holds-barred look at Lindsey Graham’s legacy after his death, and much more, including: — Did Graham actually protect Ukraine and NATO—or just rationalize Trump’s Putin appeasement? — The sad reality of Graham’s “relevance” strategy and what it cost American conservatism — All the conspiracy theories swirling around Graham and Sen. Mitch Mc...

On this week’s Substack LIVE conversation, Chris Cillizza and talk about the following topics: — Graham Platner exits the Maine Senate race after serious sexual assault allegations. We dissect why he won the primary anyway and what it says about populist vetting. — In his 11-minute exit video, Platner takes zero responsibility and blames the establishment — Mitch McConnell has been hospitalized si...

On today's podcast, Matt shares his interview on MSNOW's "Way Too Early" about his NOTUS column, "Dear Fellow Conservatives: Stop Conflating Socialism with Communism." Then, he interviews political consultant Tad Devine about his new book, "How the Democrats Screwed Bernie." (Note: This author interview was pre-recorded before the latest Graham Platner scandal...

On today's action-packed podcast, Charlie Sykes and Matt discuss: — Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner faces credible rape allegation just weeks after winning the nomination — top Democrats, including Ro Khanna and Elizabeth Warren, are calling on him to drop out. — How this spectacular and predictable collapse could change the battle for Senate control — Democrats’ dilemma: Can th...

During this week's LIVE conversation, Chris Cillizza and Matt discuss: — Colorado shocker: 29-year-old Democratic Socialist Melat Kiros (lawyer turned barista) defeats 15-term incumbent Diana DeGette — New York results: Multiple DSA-aligned candidates knock off Democratic incumbents — what it really means — The rise of young, outsider, often immigrant or minority Democratic Socialists — is thi...

On today's podcast conversation, Charlie Sykes and Matt cover a lot of ground this morning, including: — Trump’s botched 250th anniversary events: Embarrassingly low attendance at the “Great American State Fair” (TMZ empty-field footage), reflecting pond fiasco, and shrinking celebrations after Trump seized control from prior Smithsonian plans. — Supreme Court decisions: Major expansion of pre...

New bombshell reporting reveals former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was receiving detailed policy directives from her spiritual guru Chris Butler and the Science of Identity Foundation while serving in Congress — and she followed them closely. In this episode, Bill Scher and Matt break down the disturbing implications now that she served as DNI, Trump’s chaotic handling of Secti...

Trump is treating a murky reflecting pool like a national emergency — and Dana Milbank says it’s the perfect symbol for his entire presidency. In this wide-ranging conversation, NOTUS columnist and Washington Post veteran Dana Milbank joins Matt to discuss: — The hilarious (and telling) Reflecting Pool "vandalism" saga, Trump’s builder ego, no-bid contracts, and blame-shifting — Why this...

On this week’s Substack LIVE conversation, Charlie Sykes and Matt discuss: — Taxpayers foot some of the bill for Trump's event. — UFC fighter Josh Hokit thanks Jesus then declares “Michelle Obama is a man” as Trump and Joe Rogan smile — The desecration of sacred ground: motorcycles, cage fights, and Trump Coins grift at America’s 250th — Trump’s “deal” with Iran: No denuclearization, massive s...

On today's podcast, Chris Cillizza and Matt discuss: — Oysterman Graham Platner wins Maine’s Senate primary with 73% — why this is a neutral-to-good night for him, but still a huge risk for Democrats vs. incumbent Sen. Susan Collins — Rep. Nancy Mace finishes near last in South Carolina governor primary after pushing Epstein files — Trump revenge and whether she now joins the YOLO caucus. — Se...

On this week’s podcast conversation, Charlie Sykes and Matt cover a lot of ground, including: — — Pete Hegseth’s disastrous D-Day speech attacking Europe and comparing migrants to Allied invasion. — Why even MAGA allies are furious over the Pentagon’s new attack on Mormons — Trump tells Netanyahu “I call the shots” — is the bromance collapsing? — Inside Trump’s angry, rambling 'Meet the Press&...

Chris Cillizza and Matt are back to unpack the results of the latest round of primary elections (in California, Iowa, New Jersey, and more!). On today's pod, they discuss: — Iowa: Josh Turek (Paralympian with an incredible backstory) wins big — and now has a real shot at flipping a Senate seat! — Rob Sand emerges as Democrats’ strongest Iowa gubernatorial candidate in decades — Anti-incumbent...

On today's "DMZ" podcast conversation, Washington Monthly’s Bill Scher and Matt break down the chaotic Maine Democratic Senate primary one week before voters decide. Graham Platner has weathered wave after wave of scandals — old Reddit posts mocking a wounded soldier, sexting on a sketchy app, defensive ambush interviews, and more — yet polls have held. With ranked-choice voting and...