The NPR Politics Podcast

This is a special episode, recorded in front of a live audience at Kavli Theatre in Thousand Oaks, California. The cast recaps the ninth Democratic primary debate, in which candidates turned up the heat ahead of this weekend's Nevada caucuses. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg — a newcomer to the 2020 debate stage — was a top target for attacks, from allegations of sexual harassment to...

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will appear on Wednesday's debate stage in Nevada, after qualifying in this morning's NPR/PBS Newshour/Marist poll. He is likely to draw attacks from Democrats on stage for his campaign's unprecedented ad spending that enabled his rise in the polls. And Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has opened up a double-digit lead in the Democratic nominating contest wi...

This President's Day we're bringing you a special episode from NPR's Throughline . It's a podcast that looks at the past in order to understand the present. This episode the team looks at the history of women running for president of the United State. There are more female candidates in this presidential campaign cycle than at any other time in American history. But women were running for the high...

Attorney General William Barr asked President Trump to stop his social media commentary on Thursday after the flap over the case involving Trump's adviser Roger Stone. The next day Trump tweeted in response. Plus, with impeachment over Democrats and Republicans in Congress map out what future investigations may look like. This episode: political reporter Danielle Kurtzleben, Justice correspondent...

Joe Biden's theory of the case is that his current support among black voters will lead to success in Nevada and South Carolina. That, in turn, he hopes will propel him to victory in the Super Tuesday contests in early March. Michael Bloomberg, along with other candidates, hope to earn the support of black voters and erode Biden's base. For Bloomberg, his past remarks about black men and crime, "s...

Hours after the Justice Department intervened to seek a shorter sentence for Roger Stone, the four federal prosecutors who secured his conviction withdrew from the case. Stone was convicted in November on charges of lying to Congress, obstructing its investigation and witness tampering. Judge Amy Berman Jackson has the ultimate authority to hand down the sentence in his case. This episode: congres...

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has narrowly won the New Hampshire Democratic primary, as moderate voters split their voters between other candidates. Former South Bend, Ind., mayor Pete Buttigieg and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar both had strong showings in New Hampshire. The state's electorate is considerably older and whiter than that of the nearly all of the remaining contests. Despite this r...

In this special episode of The NPR Politics Podcast, Asma Khalid travels to candidate events around the state of New Hampshire and speaks with reporters from NPR and New Hampshire Public Radio about the themes of the race days before the first-in-the-nation primary. This episode: NPR correspondents Asma Khalid, Scott Detrow, and Mara Liasson; New Hampshire Public Radio reporters Lauren Choolijian,...

At the end of a busy week in American politics, seven Democrats took the stage in New Hampshire ahead of the state's Tuesday primary. Each candidate made the case for his or her own electability in a still-crowded field, a topic that remains top of mind for Democratic voters after a chaotic caucus in Iowa. In particular, they spoke at length about how their platforms would help Americans of color....

The impeachment trial is over, but there are still hard feelings between President Trump and Democratic leadership. Those tensions were on display today at the National Prayer Breakfast, during House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's weekly press conference and at President Trump's White House address on acquittal. This episode: Congressional correspondents Susan Davis and Kelsey Snell, and White House repor...

Senators voted mostly along party lines this afternoon to acquit President Trump on two articles of impeachment. The White House called President Trump's acquittal a "full vindication and exoneration." But in a surprise decision, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, joined Democrats to vote "guilty" on Article I. This episode, White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional correspondent Susan Davis, a...

It was a highly partisan event. Trump touted his own accomplishments on issues like the economy and paid family leave, lowering the cost of health care, immigration and national security. It was punctuated by made-for-TV moments, including a surprise appearance by a soldier as his family was recognized for their sacrifice. Republicans present gave Trump repeated, resounding applause. After the con...

Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Ind., is neck and neck with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Iowa caucuses, according to a partial release of results from the state Democratic Party. Even without final totals out of Iowa, candidates are looking towards New Hampshire where the first primary will be held in just one week. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, politi...

As problems with a mobile app through which vote tallies were transmitted electronically caused a delay in the reporting of Iowa caucus results on Monday night, Democratic candidates seized the moment to fire up their supporters. Several Democratic contenders delivered what sounded like victory speeches, even though state officials have not yet released vote totals. It is unclear when officials pl...

The White House legal team and House managers made their closing arguments today in the Senate impeachment trial. With an acquittal looking almost certain after Friday's vote against witnesses and evidence, House managers asked Senators how they want their legacy remembered while the White House defense said to let the voters decide. All of this happened as Iowans prepare to caucus tonight, kickin...

In this special episode of the NPR Politics Podcast, Scott Detrow travels to candidate events around the state of Iowa days and speaks with our campaign reporters about the themes of the race in the days before the first-in-the-nation caucus. This episode: campaign correspondents Scott Detrow and Asma Khalid, senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro, and political reporter Dani...

This is a special episode, recorded in front of a live audience at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, IA on Friday, January 31. The cast breaks down everything you need to know about the upcoming Iowa caucuses and how impeachment is affecting the race. This episode: political correspondent Asma Khalid, campaign correspondent Scott Detrow, political reporter Danielle Kurtzleben, senior political edi...

The Senate adjourned for the weekend, but the impeachment trial of President Trump is not over. Senators voted not to hear from new witnesses on Friday — a move Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it a "grand tragedy." This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional editor Deirdre Walsh, and Congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about ou...

Close to a vote on whether to include witnesses, the White House legal team continued to defend its argument that the president sometimes has authority to ask foreign powers to investigate political rivals in the name of public interest. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy...

The point was made by Alan Dershowitz, one of the president's attorneys: "If a president does something which he believes will help him get elected in the public interest, that cannot be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment." Asked to respond, Impeachment Manager Adam Schiff was incredulous. "All quid pro quos are fine, it's carte blanche?" Schiff asked. "Is that really what we're...

President Trump's impeachment defense team concluded their arguments with time to spare Tuesday. White House counsel Pat Cipollone said the two articles of impeachment — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — "fall far short of any constitutional standard." Democrats continue to push for an agreement on witnesses; in particular, they hope to hear from former national security adviser John Bo...

As President Trump's legal team continues their case for acquittal, a report in The New York Times about an alleged conversation between Trump and Bolton — contained in a draft of the former national security adviser's book manuscript — could change the equation for some senators who are undecided on calling witnesses. And, Joe Biden and Rudy Giuliani were both discussed at length today as the pre...

President Trump "did absolutely nothing wrong," White House counsel Pat Cipollone said Saturday, as lawyers representing the president got their first shot to poke holes in the impeachment case made this week by Democrats. Saturday's proceedings, which lasted a little more than two hours, set up the White House arguments in the impeachment trial. The president's team told senators that the House m...

Democratic impeachment managers conclude their opening arguments Friday night in the Senate Impeachment trial. The president's defense team begins their arguments Saturday morning, a timeslot President Trump referred to as "Death Valley in T.V." And is the country more prepared for misinformation and election interference now than it was in 2016? NPR's Secure Your Vote series documents the progres...

On the second day of their opening arguments in the Senate impeachment trial, Democratic managers honed their case. They hope to persuade a narrow band of Republican senators to support the introduction of new evidence and witnesses. And some Republicans have begun to voice concerns about the White House legal team's approach to the trial. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said he wants the...