Political Theater

Jason Dick talks with Daniela Altimari and Mary Ellen McIntire about the new Roll Call Most Vulnerable Incumbent list, Tuesday night's election results and the latest rounds of redistricting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Dick and Sean Carswell discuss how Thomas Pynchon’s novel “Vineland” led to Paul Thomas Anderson’s movie “One Battle After Another,” the conversation those two works have about American culture and politics, as well as the 1960s left, the Nixonian right, Reaganism, the drug war, Trumpism and, for good measure, Emerson's concept of the level of divine justice. Learn more about your ad choices...

Jason Dick and Chris Johnson talk about how immigration and racial issues frame the action and plot in the Paul Thomas Anderson movie "One Battle After Another," the salience of those issues in American history and culture and why movies still matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Dick talks with filmmaker Raoul Peck about his documentary "Orwell: 2+2=5," the importance of stepping back from the news cycle to keep things in context and how degrading language leads to degrading humanity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Dick and Mary Ellen McIntire talk about how the government shutdown hasn't created much urgency on Capitol Hill, even though the effects could be significant, why each party thinks they have the upper hand and how it might play in upcoming races like the Virginia governor's race, where a lot of furloughed federal workers have a vote.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adch...

Jason Dick and Molly Reynolds talk about the most significant things Congress has done this year and what kind of ripple effects could follow, as well as how lawmakers disenfranchise themselves when it comes to putting in the work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Poetry readings, brewing beer, helping out kids:  Jason Dick and Jessica Wehrman talk about Roll Call’s revived Life After Congress feature and what former members do with their time, then they round it out with a little wisdom from Henry Cabot Lodge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Dick and Nathan Gonzales talk about the promise and perils of re-redistricting, what it's like to be in Washington right now, why people quit, and why they want to come here, and string it all together with musings about Exogol and good hard-core band names. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jessica Wehrman talks with David Jordan of CQ Roll Call about how energy affordability could become a sleeper issue in next year's midterm elections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Ellen McIntire and Daniela Altimari discuss how a potential new congressional map in Texas could set off a race among other states to redraw their own maps, and how that might affect the 2026 midterm elections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Talking Epstein, congressional chaos and the Senate races to watch with Nathan Gonzales of Inside Elections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Dick and Mary Ellen McIntire talk about what happens when Congress tries to do too much in too short a period of time, how Republicans and Democrats do agree on one big thing and what life is like in the basement of the Capitol.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Dick and Chris Cillizza talk about the time needed to produce quality sourcing, good work and journalism, how the news business continues to change, for better and worse, and Damon Chappie's sighs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Dick talks with Joe Iconis about what led him to write "The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical," how much the world changed during that time, playing Thompson's piano at Owl Farm and taking some comfort in how things get better and worse, better and worse.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Dick and Jessica Wehrman talk about how unpopular the “One Big Beautiful Bill” in Congress is, why Republicans will likely pass it anyway and the short history of how, regardless of how hard politicians try, sometimes the public won’t go along with their public relations efforts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Dick and Jim Saksa discuss how easy it was to be angry in 2010, tea-party infused town halls, astroturf versus paid protesters, the Koch Brothers and George Soros and the wisdom of politicians reminding constituents that we're all going to die anyway. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Dick talks to Sky Sitney, co-founder of DC/DOX, about this year's documentary festival, as well as how grants being canceled and studios pulling back on the genre are playing out as both challenge and opportunity.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Dick talks with former Roll Callers and current journalism professors Christina Bellantoni and Neda Semnani about the value of just talking to people, how the years change your perspective on Washington and why it's important to bear witness.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Dick and Todd Ruger discuss their (and some public officials') race times at the ACLI Capital Challenge, then delve into the Supreme Court's internal dynamics, how its workload has evolved, what big decisions are expected before the end of the term, a little about David Souter and then cap it off with an ultra-special word of the week segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...

Jason Dick and Nathan Gonzales discuss House and Senate races that could be competitive, but aren't quite yet. Basically, what would it take for someone like Brian Fitzpatrick or Raul Ruiz to be in tough races. They also riff on how “Andor” and "Return of the Jedi” fit into this world. Seriously. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Dick, Daniela Altimari and Mary Ellen McIntire discuss the first Roll Call Most Vulnerable Incumbents list of the 2026 cycle, why House freshman frequently have the blues and how even gobs and gobs of money can’t always buy you an election.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How does Kevin Bacon fit into the first 100 days analysis of the Trump presidency? Jason Dick and John Bennett discuss, as well as the art of Gretchen Whitmer's non-thank you thank you.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Dick and Christina Bellantoni discuss California political leaders' approach to President Donald Trump's second term, Gov. Gavin Newsom's podcast and hair and whether we'll see more retired Dodgers run for state-wide office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Dick, Mary Ellen McIntire and Andrew Menezes discuss the election results this week in Florida and Wisconsin, whether vermouth will be more expensive with the latest round of tariffs and whether it was wise to do a training run that involved the Tidal Basin this past week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sports is leading the way on diversity, equity and inclusion, but don't expect to hear those words at the game. Plus: Everyone get ready for National Operational Security Awareness Month.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices