Talking Feds

This week’s episode is a special discussion on a crisis in the U.S. that is as grave as it is underappreciated — loneliness. Nearly three in five U.S. adults are considered lonely, according to data from Morning Consult, with underrepresented racial groups and people with low incomes particularly likely to grapple with loneliness. In this special re-release of a Talking Feds episode that garnered...

Fentanyl remains the leading cause of deaths of all Americans aged 18-45, and in the last year took over 100,000 lives. Its combination of astonishing potency, synthesis, and control by criminal cartels have produced an extraordinary health and law enforcement crisis. In this special re-release of a Talking Feds episode that garnered significant attention, we begin by examining recent developments...

A week in which important pitched battles commenced, as explained and analyzed by a super-knowledgeable panel of Al Franken, Alexi McCammond, & Bob Shrum. The House Rs voted to undertake an impeachment inquiry based on meager or nonexistent proof of any wrongdoing by Pres. Biden. And there were harbingers of Supreme Court intervention in the 2024 election, with the Court’s initial consideration of...

An episode with a somewhat longer vantage point than our normal fare, w/ a matching thoughtful panel of David French, Susan Glasser, & Jonah Goldberg. We begin with a clear-eyed & sober look at the prediction by a noted political scientist that the Trump presidency is becoming more and more likely. From there, we turn to McCarthy’s calling it quits and Johnson’s latest kissing of Trump’s ring. We...

It was a week of bombshell developments across a range of venues, & a stellar roundtable of Senator Heidi Heitkamp, Carol Lee, & Charlie Sykes joins Harry to take stock, even as the news continued to explode. Killer potential testimony emerged against Trump, & the courts rejected his immunity claim. The House expelled George Santos; while evidence surfaced implicating Scott Perry in the insurrecti...

It’s our quarterly episode focusing on DOJ, and it coincides with a series of high-visibility cases—most but not all involving Trump—and the pivotal decisions they present for Garland, Smith, & Co. Our returning group of lawyers & journalists who know DOJ like the backs of their hands—Katie Benner, Paul Fishman, & Amy Jeffress—weighs in on fine-grained tactical decisions & larger priorities, while...

It was a week in which Donald Trump & his party plunged to new rhetorical and physical lows, & a terrific roundtable of Alisyn Camerota, Kyle Cheney & Bill Kristol join Harry to consider the fallout. Released temporarily from the fetters of a gag order, Trump launched a series of tirades that can only be described as fascist, inc comparing his opponents to “vermin.” The group considers the implica...

Our semi-annual focus on economics with a stellar set of guests – Dean Baker, Paul Krugman, and Stephanie Ruhle – falls this week at the starkest of crossroads: economic news and bellwethers are stunningly good while American’s views of the state of the economy are stunningly bad. Our roundtable discusses these trends, along w/ several other important economic factors—including the impact of two w...

It’s a week of stock-taking as well as explanation of the Trump developments on half a dozen separate fronts. With a fantastic panel of leading commentators – Norm Eisen, Hugo Lowell, and Jen Rubin, – we canvass the events of the week, especially in the NY fraud trial, but also double back to the nuanced, and largely under-appreciated, takeaways from recent events, involving Meadows and immunity,...

8 years after reports surfaced of strange and worrisome connections between Donald Trump the presidential candidate & Russia, we still don’t know the full story, a glaring gap in the history & understanding of the Trump era. This special episode of Talking Feds plumbs the depths of what we do know & what we might discover, w/ an ideal set of guests: Jeannie Rhee & Andrew Weissman, senior members o...

The concluding installment of a very special trio of episodes recorded live at the Texas Tribune Festival. Each episode explores the state of an institution of existential value to our democracy after eight years of Trump's influence and assesses what needs to be done going forward to return to full health. This episode explores what needs to be done to return to some semblance of healthy polity w...

The second of a very special trio of episodes recorded live at the Texas Tribune Festival. Each episode explores the state of an institution of existential value to our democracy after eight years of Trump's influence and assesses what needs to be done going forward to return to full health. This episode focuses on law enforcement with three incisive commentators who know law enforcement inside an...

Our periodic focus on US foreign policy, with a twist. The Biden Administration must pursue foreign policy in a world keenly aware of the prospect of Trump’s return and all that entails for the U.S.’s trustworthiness. Meanwhile, the Administration's foreign policy initiatives have rekindled engagement on various fronts, extending beyond traditional alliances. In this episode, experts Natasha Bertr...

The country, the Senate, & CA lost one of its longest-serving and most distinguished public servants last week. Senator Dianne Feinstein—the first woman mayor of SF who became the longest serving female senator in history—had far too many important accomplishments to chronicle in an hour. But with the aid of 3 of the people who knew her best—Senator Barbara Boxer, Jim Lazarus, and DeeDee Meyers—th...

Our annual first Monday in October episode, marking the Supreme Court’s new Term. With the consolidation of power of the hard-right super-majority, the stakes of the Court’s work have grown vastly greater. At the same time, a series of unpopular–and legally controversial–decisions and ethical black eyes have deeply eroded the Court’s public standing. A great trio of Court commentators – Dahlia Lit...

The first of a very special trio of episodes recorded live at the Texas Tribune Festival. Each episode explores the state of an institution of existential value to our democracy after eight years of Trump influence and assesses what needs to be done going forward to return to full health. This episode focuses on the journalism industry, with three of the most prominent and experienced members of t...

It was a week of continuing hot action in the Trump prosecutions, combined major lawsuits not involving the former President. An awesome set of guests–Peter Baker, Erin Burnett, and Josh Marshall–join Harry to break it all down, starting with the odiferous indictment of Hunter Biden on rarely brought charges following a political outcry from House R’s. They then take up impeachment, McCarthy’s fec...

At the end of another explosive news week, another great group of thoughtful guests—Julia Ainsley, David Jolly, & Lisa Rubin—join Harry to talk through the biggest stories: removal efforts in Fulton County & what comes next; publication of Special Grand Jury Report—who dodged bullets & why; Hunter Biden’s sudden new jeopardy and whether it’s driven by improper considerations; and a potpourri of im...

It was a week of intricate legal maneuvers with potential huge political consequences. A great group of legal & political commentators - George Conway, Al Franken, and Melissa Murray - join Harry to break it all down, including Mark Meadows' high-risk testimony in support of moving his state charges to federal court & Judge Tanya Chutkan’s selection of a trial date in March 2024. The group goes on...

We pause our coverage of Trump’s burgeoning legal minefield and the related political landscape for a periodic close look at the current status & future prospects of the Russia-Ukraine War. A phenomenal set of experts–former Ambassador Mike McFaul, columnist and CFR senior fellow Max Boot, & CFR fellow for Europe Liana Fix–join Harry for a clear-eyed look at whether full victory for Ukraine remain...

In this week’s @talkingfedspod, a stellar set of expert commentators—Carol Leonnig, Alexi McCammond, and Norm Ornstein—dives in to the law and the politics of Trump’s long list of legal calamaties. We take up Trump’s pugnacity in the 1/6 trial, the circumstances setting up cooperators against him in Fulton County, his political strategy for beating the raps, the grotesque encouragement of violence...

In one of our signature series of first-cut nuts-and-bolts analyses of the indictments against Trump, two guests with in-depth knowledge of Georgia law and practice - Norm Eisen & Gwen Keyes Fleming - break down Fani Willis’ omnibus indictment against Donald Trump and 18 other defendants. They begin with a simplification of the basic RICO charge and then undertake a broad survey of the charges, th...

It was a week when Trump, through his lawyers, became acquainted with Judge Tanya Chutkan, who will preside over the most important of the criminal cases against him. The judge left little doubt of her resolve to keep Trump from polluting the jury pool and threatening witnesses. A great group of guests—Peter Baker, Sadie Gurman, & Jason Kander–join Harry to discuss that hearing & other development...

This week’s episode is a clear-eyed, sober exposition of the legal & factual claims Trump can be expected to bring in the 1/6 case. 3 great guests combining on-their-feet trial experience with renowned criminal law expertise - Dahlia Lithwick, Danny Cevallos, and David Sklansky - join Harry to analyze Trump’s strategy and likely maneuvers. The four dismiss out of hand two of the arguments that Tea...

The indictment of Donald Trump on charges growing out of multiple schemes to steal the election is the most important case in the history of the Department of Justice and probably the country. We’ve had some quick reactions on cable TV. But in this special live tape episode, 3 of the country’s most knowledgeable commentators – Norm Eisen, Renato Mariotti, and Jen Rubin – join Harry for the most in...