The NPR Politics Podcast

The Supreme Court heard arguments for a case that challenges the foundation of Roe v. Wade, the decision that originally made abortion legal. In their questioning, the conservative justices seemed primed to overturn the fifty year old precedent. That decision would radically change abortion access in the United States. This episode: political correspondent Juana Summers, legal affairs corresponden...

Congressional districts are redrawn every ten years by state legislatures. In theory it is so populations are accurately represented when voting, but partisan gerrymandering means when you look at the map you'll probably see some really wonky shapes. We look at two states, Texas and Georgia, where redistricting will have major consequences for politicians and policy. This episode: White House corr...

Congress and, in particular, congressional Democrats have a long to-do list before the end of the year. But inter- and intra-party disputes threaten any kind of action. So what are the disagreements, and when push comes to shove can they get the job done? This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh, and national political correspondent Mara Liass...

A new Covid-19 variant called Omicron is spreading throughout the world and public health officials are worried about its transmissibility. President Biden addressed the nation saying, "this variant is a cause for concern — not a cause for panic." But the variant is reigniting anxieties about the pandemic. This episode: White House Correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Scott Detrow...

In order to resist a congressional investigation into the January 6th insurrection, former President Trump and his associates are claiming executive privilege. They say the communication between a president and his advisers should remain confidential. Congress says it wants to get to the bottom of what the president knew. So where does executive privilege come from, and does it take precedent over...

Cokie Roberts was one of NPR's "Founding Mothers," a pioneering journalist whose career blazed a trail for generations of women at the network. NPR's Tamara Keith and Nina Totenberg talk to Cokie's husband Steve Roberts about the ways in which she was also a role model in her personal life. Steve Roberts new book about his wife is Cokie: A Life Well Lived . Connect: Subscribe to the NPR Politics P...

Though it has grown more popular with time, the Affordable Care Act was widely disliked by the public in 2010 and cost Democrats dearly in the midterms. Democrats failed to successfully explain the legislation's benefits in the face of Republican attacks. Could Biden's infrastructure plan and, should it pass, social programs bill face the same fate? And the investigation into what role former Pres...

More than 100,000 people died from a drug overdose in the 12-month period beginning April 2020. Despite a growing consensus that recognizes addiction as a public health problem, many effective interventions like safe consumption sites and needle exchanges are politically unpopular and legally complex. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, senior political editor and correspondent D...

COVID-19 case numbers are once again rising in the United States ahead of the holiday season, but the country is in a much different place than it was this time last year. Fifty-nine percent of the country is now fully-vaccinated, and tests are widely available. Mandates, including one that took effect today for federal workers, are expected to spur more people to get vaccinated in the months to c...

The two-trillion dollar package still needs to pass the Senate, where it is expected to undergo extensive changes. Also, a look at what issues are dominating campaigns in a central Virginia swing district. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro, congressional producer Barbara Sprunt, and congressional correspondent Kelsey...

The summit comes after a five-year hiatus spanning the Trump administration. Despite the nations' strong relationship, disagreements over sensitive political issues have sometimes led to heightened tensions. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and international correspondent Carrie Kahn. Connect: Subscribe to the NPR Politics Podcast here...

Democrats say they will prioritize sustained outreach to communities of color and clear messages about how they think they have improved people's lives. But, if history is any guide, there is plenty of reason for skepticism. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, political correspondent Juana Summers, and congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell.| Connect: Subscribe to the NPR Politi...

President Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met for a video summit this week. Both governments lauded the call as productive, but the economic and human rights issues driving tension between the two great powers are likely to persist for years. This episode: White House corrspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and China correspondent John Ruwitch. Connect: Subscribe t...

Bannon was indicted last week for defying a congressional subpoena related to the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. He surrendered this morning to federal authorities and has been released pending trial. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, national justice correspondent Carrie Johnson, and congressional reporter Carrie Grisales. Connect: Subscribe to the NPR Politics Podcast here . Ema...

Pew is out with an extensive look at nine different ideological groups latent in America's political divides. And the National Rifle Association struggled with how to respond to the 1999 mass shooting at Columbine High School, but its eventual course of action reveals a lot about the group's behavior in the subsequent two decades. This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, acting congre...

Democrats are racing to finish their extensive investigation into the January 6th insurrection in the next year, worried that they may not hold onto their majority after the 2022 midterm elections. This episode: White House correspondent Ayesha Rascoe, congressional reporter Claudia Grisales, and senior political editor and correspondent Ron Elving. Connect: Subscribe to the NPR Politics Podcast h...

Donald Trump and other top Republicans have continued to lie about the results of the presidential election. Now, 62 percent of Republicans believe election fraud changed the results of the 2020 presidential election. It did not. With narrow majorities, Democrats have been unable to pass voting rights and election security reforms through the Senate and are unwilling to change the rules to do so....

Vice President Kamala Harris is in France for several days, helping to mend the U.S. relationship with that country after a recent drama involving a military submarine contract with Australia. The visit also gives her an opportunity to expand her foreign policy resume. This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, White House correspondent Asma Khalid, and international correspondent Elean...

It is a major political victory for President Biden, though it remains to be seen whether it will buoy his approval ratings or boost support for Democrats in Congress. This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, national political correspondent Mara Liasson, and acting congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh. Connect: Subscribe to the NPR Politics Podcast here . Email the show at nprpo...

It is not clear whether Democrats in the House of Representatives will vote today on the two major legislative packages that represent the core of President Biden's agenda, continuing months of uncertainty. And the economy added a fair number of jobs last month, but the recovery remains uneven across industries and demographic groups. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, congressio...

Brad Raffensperger is a conservative Republican who serves as Georgia's elected Secretary of State — he oversaw the 2020 elections cycle in the state. In a conversation about his new book Integrity Counts , he tells NPR's Miles Parks and Georgia Public Broadcast's Stephen Fowler about resisting former president Trump's push to corrupt the election results. This episode: White House correspondent A...

Youngkin defeated former governor Terry McAuliffe, and outperformed former president Donald Trump's 2020 margins in every county. In the deep-blue state of New Jersey, the governor's race remains too close to call. This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro, and national political correspondent Mara Liasson. Connect: Subscribe...

A near-ban on abortion in Texas was designed to be hard to challenge in court, but in a hearing on Monday, many of the Supreme Court's conservative justices appeared ready to allow a challenge brought by abortion providers to move forward. This episode: White House reporter Asma Khalid, legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg, and KUT reporter Ashley Lopez. Connect: Subscribe to the NPR Politic...

President Biden continues his travel this week in Scotland, where he is attending the United Nations climate conference, COP26. Despite trouble passing his climate change proposals at home, Biden told the gathering of world leaders that the U.S. will become a net-zero emissions economy in the next three decades. This episode: White House correspondent Ayesha Rascoe, White House correspondent Scott...

President Biden touted a new framework for the infrastructure package Democrats have been trying to deliver. The package dropped from $3.5 trillion to $1.75 trillion. Will those cuts satisfy the senators holding out? Plus, abortion rights advocates shift their message. Warning: This episode contains some adult content. This episode: White House correspondent Ayesha Rascoe, White House corresponden...