The Axe Files with David Axelrod

Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah sits down with David to discuss Chicago's gun violence problems, race relations in America, and his Noah's Arc Foundation, helping children through arts and sports. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, chats with David about her time on Capitol Hill, the Laquan McDonald case in Chicago, and her thoughts on the 2016 presidential candidates. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Reihan Salam, executive editor of National Review, chats with David about the future of the Republican Party, the debate over immigration reform, 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

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, who oversees the nation's largest single site jail, speaks with David about his path to public service, Chicago's reaction to the Laquan McDonald shooting, the current state of our criminal justice system, 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

Spike Lee, one of the leading African-American filmmakers of all time, speaks with David about his new movie on Chicago gun violence CHI-RAQ, race relations in the U.S., and his love of the New York Knicks. Warning: This episode contains some explicit language. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/ad...

David Maraniss, an associate editor at The Washington Post and author of six best-selling books, sits down with David Axelrod to discuss his acclaimed new book Once in a Great City: A Detroit Story, his coverage of then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton that won a 2008 Pulitzer Prize, and how he views the state of political journalism today. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy,...

Jon Favreau, former Director of Speechwriting for President Obama, speaks with David about his nerve-racking first meeting with his future boss, what it was like writing speeches in the White House, and the state of political speech-making today. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark Holden, senior vice president and general counsel at Koch Industries, chats with David about working with the Koch brothers and their push for criminal justice reform. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jorge Ramos, anchor for Univision and Fusion, talks to David Axelrod about his incident with Donald Trump in Iowa last summer, his assessment of the GOP's chances of winning the Latino vote, and his frustration with President Obama not pushing harder for comprehensive immigration reform during his first year in office. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Le...

Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer discusses his work as the Sheriff of Wall Street, his 2008 resignation, and his opinion of 2016 presidential contenders such as Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jessica Yellin, former chief White House correspondent for CNN and current Fellow at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, talks to David about her career in journalism, how covering political news has changed, and her upcoming new book. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi chats with David about her childhood in Baltimore, her tenure as Speaker of the House, and President Obama's legacy. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2012 Republican presidential nominee and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney sits down with David Axelrod in San Diego to chat about his childhood in Michigan, his assessment of the 2016 race for the White House, and much more. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alastair Campbell, former spokesman for Tony Blair and author of the new book Winners and How They Succeed, talks with David about his career as a journalist, his alcoholism and nervous breakdown, his work with the Labour party, and his assessment of British politics and the U.S. presidential race. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your a...

Mark Kelly speaks with David about his reaction to the campus shooting in Roseburg, Ore., the assassination attempt in Tucson, Ariz., that his wife, ex-congresswoman Gabby Giffords, survived in 2011, and where he thinks the debate over gun control is heading in the future. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastch...

Matthew Dowd, former chief strategist for George W. Bush's 2004 presidential campaign and current ABC News political analyst and visiting Fellow at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, discusses his time in the White House, the possible rise of an independent political party, and the recent visit to the U.S. of Pope Francis. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit...

Sen. Sanders tells David about his childhood in Brooklyn, his presidential campaign, and his stance on selfies. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices