The Axe Files with David Axelrod

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel reacts to Trump's controversial statements on Charlottesville, discusses the city's lawsuit over the Trump administration's immigration policies, shares his advice for the Democratic Party ahead of the 2018 midterms, and more. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Congressman Luis Gutierrez discusses his formative years in Puerto Rico, his political education in Chicago alongside Harold Washington, and his hopes and fears for immigration policy under the Trump administration. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former Senator Gary Hart joins David to talk about his rural roots in Kansas, his torpedoed presidential campaign, the implications Russia investigation for the Trump presidency, and how it feels to be portrayed by Hugh Jackman in an upcoming movie. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Congressman Adam Kinzinger joins David to discuss his early forays into politics as a college student, Trump's strained relationship with Congress, the evolving threat in North Korea, and more. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu talks about his family's deep political roots in the South, rebuilding New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, his decision to remove Confederate monuments from his city, and why Democrats can't write off another Trump victory. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoi...

Congressman John Lewis joins David in Atlanta to talk about his experiences during the Civil Rights Movement, how far America has come on the issue of race, his views on President Donald Trump, and his emotional reaction to an audio exhibit at the Center for Civil and Human Rights. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

Chief Anchor for ABC News George Stephanopoulos chats with David about his previous career in politics, the Trump administration's tense relationship with the press, and what the appointment of a Special Counsel portends for the White House. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sen. Cory Booker joins David to talk about his humbling experiences in Newark, racism in America, his mindset ahead of the 2020 presidential election, and more. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CNN Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash sits down with David to discuss the Senate health care bill, her experience covering the 9/11 attacks from Capitol Hill, and the roots of political gridlock in Washington. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bill Daley, former White House chief of staff to President Obama and Secretary of Commerce under President Clinton, chats with David about his father's and his brother's tenures as mayors of Chicago, the consequences of NAFTA, the build-up to the Osama bin Laden raid in 2011, and how chaos in the Trump administration is a reflection of the President. To learn more about how CNN protects listener p...

Former labor correspondent for The New York Times Steven Greenhouse joins David to discuss the gig economy, the decline of unions, and his message for journalists in the Trump era. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former Rep. Bob Dold talks with David about being a Republican in a blue district, running a business during the recession, and the problems a Trump administration poses for moderate Republicans. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sen. Elizabeth Warren joins David to talk about the myriad challenges facing the middle class in the 21st century, her ongoing battles in the Senate, and her new book "This Fight is Our Fight." To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Geoffrey Stone, University of Chicago law professor and author, speaks with David Axelrod about his impressions of his former law school student, James Comey; the likelihood that Roe v. Wade will be overturned in President Trump's term and the consequences that would have for the country; and what surprised him when he served on a panel appointed by President Obama to make recommendations on overs...

Sen. Tom Cotton, Republican from Arkansas, talks with David Axelrod about why he decided to join the Army and what he learned during his deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan; his assessment of the evolving relationship between the U.S. and its European allies; and his views, as a member of the Intelligence Committee, on the ongoing investigation into possible ties between Russian officials and memb...

Alfredo Corchado, author and journalist at the Dallas Morning News, talks with David Axelrod about the two chance encounters that inspired him to pursue a career in journalism, the dangers he and others have experienced while reporting on the Mexican drug cartels, and how corruption and crime in Mexico may propel a populist presidential candidate to victory in next year's election. To learn more a...

Brian Deese, former senior advisor to President Obama, talks with David Axelrod about the instrumental role Deese played in the 2009 auto bailout, the consequences associated with rolling back financial regulatory reforms, and why he believes the Obama administration's climate change policy should be preserved. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more...

Grover Norquist, political advocate and president of Americans for Tax Reform, talks with David Axelrod about how he envisioned his anti-tax pledge as a young boy, his hopes for tax reform under the Trump administration, and what it was like to win the annual "D.C.'s Funniest Celebrity" comedy competition. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more abou...

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand talks with David about how her faith helps her forge relationships in Congress, how the Democratic Party can rebuild after the 2016 election, and what she thinks about the latest developments in the investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...

Former Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken discusses spending his formative years overseas, how his experiences during the Kosovo War impacts his understanding of the Syrian conflict, and the diplomatic challenges faced by the Trump administration in the wake of the Russian leaks. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...

Jerry Brown, the governor of California, talks with David Axelrod about the lessons he's learned from a remarkable career in American politics, his advice for an embattled President Trump, what the Democratic Party can do to improve its standing in the aftermath of the 2016 election, and why California will continue to be a progressive stronghold in the era of Trump. To learn more about how CNN pr...

Chelsea Handler, comedian and creator of the Netflix show "Chelsea," sits down with David Axelrod to discuss the work she's doing on behalf of Syrian refugees, why the election of Donald Trump compelled her to become more politically active, and how a speech at a DUI class led her to pursue a career in comedy. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more...

Jennifer Granholm, former governor of Michigan, talks with David Axelrod about her searing experiences while governing through an economic crisis, why she thinks the Democratic Party needs to develop a comprehensive jobs plan, and how she prepared to play Sarah Palin during a debate session with Joe Biden. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more abou...

John Kasich, the governor of Ohio and former presidential candidate, talks with David Axelrod about his working-class upbringing in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania; his assessment of the opening months of the Trump administration; and what his political future might hold in 2020. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcast...

Rep. Ro Khanna, congressman from California, talks with David Axelrod about the need for the Democratic Party to develop an effective economic message that resonates in every part of the country, why he supported Bernie Sanders in last year's Democratic primary, and why he believes President Trump's actions so far have benefitted Wall Street at the expense of Main Street. To learn more about how C...