The Chuck ToddCast

Chuck Todd dives into the Supreme Court's latest ruling further hollowing out the Voting Rights Act and walks through what it actually means in practice — including the very real possibility that several Southern states will now try to redistrict, creating a messy political landscape that won't necessarily benefit Republicans in the way they hope. He traces the history back to the 1990s Georgia reapportionment that led to major GOP pickups by packing Black Democratic voters into fewer districts, but warns this round of Southern redistricting will create more swing districts. He uses the moment to make the case for what he sees as the real structural fix to America's representation crisis: uncapping the House of Representatives to allow it to grow with population the way the founders originally intended, with Madison himself arguing the chamber would always need to expand. He argues that a bigger House would lower the barrier for third parties, minimize the outsized impact of the Electoral College, dramatically reduce the incentive to gerrymander — and crucially, this change wouldn't exclusively benefit either party. His framing is simple: stop fighting over the chairs at the table and increase the size of the table itself. He then pivots to what he calls the rise of the "woke right" — citing the second Comey indictment as exhibit A, noting that the right has now embraced exactly the kind of oversensitivity they once accused the left of engaging in, and pointing out it's no accident that Pam Bondi wouldn't bring the Comey case but Todd Blanche will. He flags that the FCC's attacks on Jimmy Kimmel will badly backfire, dismisses the Hegseth congressional hearing as a useless exercise where everyone was just chasing viral moments, and argues that Hegseth himself is suffering from a bad case of "internet brain" — actively politicizing the military while failing to make a coherent case for why the Iran war was ever necessary. He closes with a pointed observation about the entire administration: nobody around Trump believes any criticism of him is ever valid, and they appear to genuinely think voters are stupid enough to never notice.
Then, Adam Green — co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case that pragmatic economic populism is the Democratic Party's path back to a durable majority, and to push back hard on the conventional wisdom that "moderate" means "centrist." Green argues the public has lost faith in both political and economic systems and is hungry for candidates who tell a clear story about power — pointing to Maine's Graham Platner, Texas's James Talarico, and New York's Zohran Mamdani as examples of progressives who project authentic energy and pragmatic problem-solving rather than ideological purity. He contends that both major parties have already collapsed reputationally even if they haven't yet collapsed structurally, that Democrats could have passed a $12 minimum wage years ago if they'd been willing to compromise, and that recruiting 77-year-old Janet Mills against Platner is symbolic of everything wrong with Chuck Schumer's approach to the Senate. Green is blunt: if Democrats sweep the midterms but leadership remains unchanged, it actually hurts them in 2028 — a Democratic Senate majority should not be read as a validation of Schumer. They discuss why he Democratic brand is so damaged in red and rural states that independent candidates may be the best path to power in places like Montana and Nebraska, and that having someone like Platner in Senate leadership would dramatically improve Democratic performance in rural America.
The conversation digs into the deeper strategic and policy questions facing the party. Green argues Democrats should lead with economic alignment over cultural alignment and that Dems should not put reproductive rights forward as their headline issue if they want to rebuild trust in the heartland. He pushes for progressive lawmakers to assert real leverage against their own leadership, advocates lowering the threshold for discharge petition, and makes the case that getting rid of the filibuster would help Democrats rebuild trust with voters who are tired of seeing nothing get done. Green is open to limited cooperation with Trump if Democrats win both chambers but warns the party shouldn't trim its sails just to get a signature. He explains why the PCC backed Talarico over Crockett , names UAW president Shawn Fain as a potential dark-horse candidate, and floats Stephen Colbert as a genuinely intriguing possibility because performance matters in a media-saturated era. Green argues Talarico, Platner, and Abdul El-Sayed all tell a coherent story about power that voters are hungry to hear, but ultimately, the candidate who runs as a genuine disruptor is the one most likely to win, because the current system is so visibly failing the public.
Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment, weighs in on the DNC choosing NOT to release their 2024 autopsy, and reacts to the expansion on the NCAA basketball tournament.
Try ShipStation free for 60 days with full access to all features, No credit card needed! Go to https://ShipStation.com and use code TODDCAST for 60 days for free!
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
01:30 Supreme Court further hollows out the Voting Rights Act
03:00 You may see several states in the south try to redistrict
06:00 We have a serious representation issue in congress
07:30 In the 90’s Georgia reapportionment led to major GOP pickups
09:00 Led to more black Dems in congress, but less Dems in congress
10:00 Redistricting won’t be clean for GOP in this political climate
10:30 Redistricting will create more swing districts in the south
12:15 You may see racially charged Dem primaries in new districts
13:45 Uncapping the House of Representatives could solve this issue
14:15 House expanded based on population growth
16:15 Right now the house is not representative of the people
17:45 Multi-member districts also provide better representation
19:00 Bigger house would create less need for gerrymandering
20:00 Expanding house would minimize the impact of electoral college
21:30 Expanded house would lower barrier to entry for third parties
23:00 The house was always meant to be a bit messy
23:30 Madison argued the house was always going to have to expand
25:00 This change wouldn’t exclusively benefit one party
26:00 Don’t fight over the chairs, increase the size of the table
28:00 The “woke right” has emerged, evidenced by Comey indictment
29:30 Right accused the left of the oversensitivity they’re engaged in now
31:00 Attacks by the FCC on Kimmel will backfire and look terrible
33:15 Not an accident that Bondi wouldn’t bring Comey case & Blanche will
34:15 Hegseth’s hearing was useless, everyone wanted a viral moment
35:30 Hegseth is suffering from a bad case of “internet brain”
36:30 Hegseth is doing everything he can to politicize the military
37:15 Hegseth failed to make the case for why the war was necessary
39:00 Nobody in the administration believes that any criticism is valid
40:15 Do they really think the voters are all stupid?
46:30 Adam Green (Progressive Change Committee) joins The Chuck ToddCast
49:00 What does it mean to be a pragmatic progressive?
50:15 The mission is to show economic populism can win in swing races
51:30 Graham Platner is a great storyteller, not a policy wonk
53:00 Several progressive candidates project strong masculine energy
54:30 Balancing incrementalism vs. progress
55:15 Mamdani is showing that you can be both progressive & pragmatic
56:15 Misconception is that “moderate” means centrist
57:00 The progressives are demanding a rebalancing of the power dynamics
57:30 Public doesn’t trust the political and economic system, wants change
58:15 How vulnerable are both parties to collapse at some point?
59:00 Both parties have collapsed reputationally, just not structurally
1:00:45 Dems could have passed $12 minimum wage if they compromised
1:03:00 If Dems sweep midterms but leaders stay the same, it’s bad for 2028
1:03:45 If Dems win the senate, it’s not a validation of Schumer
1:05:00 If Dems elect the non Schumer candidates, he has to go
1:05:45 Schumer was a really good leader… until he wasn’t
1:06:30 Recruiting 77 year old Janet Mills is symbolic of Schumer’s strategy
1:07:15 Sherrod Brown is probably the best Dems can do in Ohio
1:07:45 Iowa is overindexed as a swing state
1:09:30 Michigan having El-Sayed & Slokin would show multiple ways to win
1:10:30 If El-Sayed loses, does that set the progressive movement back?
1:12:00 Are independents the best route to power in Montana & Nebraska?
1:13:00 The Democratic brand is shot in most red & rural states
1:14:15 If Platner was in leadership, Dems would do better in rural states
1:15:30 What matters more to the PCC, economic or cultural alignment?
1:17:15 Democrats shouldn’t put out reproductive rights as their banner issue
1:18:00 Big Dem wins in the past came from economic, not cultural alignment
1:20:15 Jared Golden able to vote against trans sports bill, focused on economics
1:22:30 Want to see progressives assert leverage against their leadership
1:23:30 Proposal to lower the threshold for discharge petitions
1:24:15 Discharge petitions would actually liberate the leadership a bit
1:25:30 When too many items are stuffed into a bill, you don’t get credit for them
1:26:30 Getting rid of the filibuster would help Democrats rebuild trust
1:27:30 Both parties only like the filibuster when they’re out of power
1:29:00 Getting rid of stock trading isn’t as simple as it sounds
1:30:45 Spouses need to be included in stock trading ban
1:31:30 If Dems win both houses, where should they work with Trump?
1:32:45 Dems will be elected to be a check on Trump, but need his signature
1:35:45 Working with Trump requires abandoning the ideas you ran on
1:37:00 Dems shouldn’t trim their sails in order to work with Trump
1:39:30 PCC supported Talarico over Crockett for his bold economic vision
1:42:00 AOC may need to run for president soon, before her “sell by” date
1:42:45 Stephen Colbert could be an intriguing candidate, performance matters
1:44:00 Mamdani takes time every day to tell a story on social media
1:45:15 Shawn Fain could also make a strong candidate
1:46:30 If Talarico wins in Texas, it could put him on the presidential map
1:48:15 Talarico as VP to get his sea legs could be a potential route
1:49:00 McMorrow positioning herself as the “goldilocks” candidate
1:49:45 Being the shake up the system candidate is the way to go
1:50:30 Talarico, Platner & El-Sayed tell a story about power
1:51:15 The current system is failing the public
1:53:15 Preference between Steyer or Porter in California?
1:54:30 AOC raises the most money because people trust her
1:57:30 Ask Chuck
1:57:45 Experienced wildfires, in bad conditions there’s nothing you can do
1:59:00 What do you make of Hegseth purging so many top generals?
2:01:00 Props for “Dynastic” podcast
2:03:00 How do you see the US/Israel dynamic play out post-Trump?
2:06:30 Do you see a path forward for statehood for D.C. & Puerto Rico?
2:10:15 Why don’t interviewers press Lindsey Graham on his post J6 remarks?
2:13:00 Should Democrats be more forceful rhetorically or does that do more harm?
2:17:15 Ken Martin appears on Pod Save to explain why they won’t release ‘24 autopsy
2:18:30 Autopsy could have offended a particular set of donors or supporters
2:19:45 How do you learn lessons from the loss if you don’t share those lessons?
2:20:30 NCAA expanding basketball tournament
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Green — co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case that pragmatic economic populism is the Democratic Party's path back to a durable majority, and to push back hard on the conventional wisdom that "moderate" means "centrist." Green argues the public has lost faith in both political and economic systems and is hungry for candidates who tell a clear story about power — pointing to Maine's Graham Platner, Texas's James Talarico, and New York's Zohran Mamdani as examples of progressives who project authentic energy and pragmatic problem-solving rather than ideological purity. He contends that both major parties have already collapsed reputationally even if they haven't yet collapsed structurally, that Democrats could have passed a $12 minimum wage years ago if they'd been willing to compromise, and that recruiting 77-year-old Janet Mills against Platner is symbolic of everything wrong with Chuck Schumer's approach to the Senate. Green is blunt: if Democrats sweep the midterms but leadership remains unchanged, it actually hurts them in 2028 — a Democratic Senate majority should not be read as a validation of Schumer. They discuss why he Democratic brand is so damaged in red and rural states that independent candidates may be the best path to power in places like Montana and Nebraska, and that having someone like Platner in Senate leadership would dramatically improve Democratic performance in rural America.
The conversation digs into the deeper strategic and policy questions facing the party. Green argues Democrats should lead with economic alignment over cultural alignment and that Dems should not put reproductive rights forward as their headline issue if they want to rebuild trust in the heartland. He pushes for progressive lawmakers to assert real leverage against their own leadership, advocates lowering the threshold for discharge petition, and makes the case that getting rid of the filibuster would help Democrats rebuild trust with voters who are tired of seeing nothing get done. Green is open to limited cooperation with Trump if Democrats win both chambers but warns the party shouldn't trim its sails just to get a signature. He explains why the PCC backed Talarico over Crockett , names UAW president Shawn Fain as a potential dark-horse candidate, and floats Stephen Colbert as a genuinely intriguing possibility because performance matters in a media-saturated era. Green argues Talarico, Platner, and Abdul El-Sayed all tell a coherent story about power that voters are hungry to hear, but ultimately, the candidate who runs as a genuine disruptor is the one most likely to win, because the current system is so visibly failing the public.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Adam Green (Progressive Change Committee) joins The Chuck ToddCast
02:30 What does it mean to be a pragmatic progressive?
03:45 The mission is to show economic populism can win in swing races
05:00 Graham Platner is a great storyteller, not a policy wonk
06:30 Several progressive candidates project strong masculine energy
08:00 Balancing incrementalism vs. progress
08:45 Mamdani is showing that you can be both progressive & pragmatic
09:45 Misconception is that “moderate” means centrist
10:30 The progressives are demanding a rebalancing of the power dynamics
11:00 Public doesn’t trust the political and economic system, wants change
11:45 How vulnerable are both parties to collapse at some point?
12:30 Both parties have collapsed reputationally, just not structurally
14:15 Dems could have passed $12 minimum wage if they compromised
16:30 If Dems sweep midterms but leaders stay the same, it’s bad for 2028
17:15 If Dems win the senate, it’s not a validation of Schumer
18:30 If Dems elect the non Schumer candidates, he has to go
19:15 Schumer was a really good leader… until he wasn’t
20:00 Recruiting 77 year old Janet Mills is symbolic of Schumer’s strategy
20:45 Sherrod Brown is probably the best Dems can do in Ohio
21:15 Iowa is overindexed as a swing state
23:00 Michigan having El-Sayed & Slokin would show multiple ways to win
24:00 If El-Sayed loses, does that set the progressive movement back?
25:30 Are independents the best route to power in Montana & Nebraska?
26:30 The Democratic brand is shot in most red & rural states
27:45 If Platner was in leadership, Dems would do better in rural states
29:00 What matters more to the PCC, economic or cultural alignment?
30:45 Democrats shouldn’t put out reproductive rights as their banner issue
31:30 Big Dem wins in the past came from economic, not cultural alignment
33:45 Jared Golden able to vote against trans sports bill, focused on economics
36:00 Want to see progressives assert leverage against their leadership
37:00 Proposal to lower the threshold for discharge petitions
37:45 Discharge petitions would actually liberate the leadership a bit
39:00 When too many items are stuffed into a bill, you don’t get credit for them
40:00 Getting rid of the filibuster would help Democrats rebuild trust
41:00 Both parties only like the filibuster when they’re out of power
42:30 Getting rid of stock trading isn’t as simple as it sounds
44:15 Spouses need to be included in stock trading ban
45:00 If Dems win both houses, where should they work with Trump?
46:15 Dems will be elected to be a check on Trump, but need his signature
49:15 Working with Trump requires abandoning the ideas you ran on
50:30 Dems shouldn’t trim their sails in order to work with Trump
53:00 PCC supported Talarico over Crockett for his bold economic vision
55:30 AOC may need to run for president soon, before her “sell by” date
56:15 Stephen Colbert could be an intriguing candidate, performance matters
57:30 Mamdani takes time every day to tell a story on social media
58:45 Shawn Fain could also make a strong candidate
1:00:00 If Talarico wins in Texas, it could put him on the presidential map
1:01:45 Talarico as VP to get his sea legs could be a potential route
1:02:30 McMorrow positioning herself as the “goldilocks” candidate
1:03:15 Being the shake up the system candidate is the way to go
1:04:00 Talarico, Platner & El-Sayed tell a story about power
1:04:45 The current system is failing the public
1:06:45 Preference between Steyer or Porter in California?
1:08:00 AOC raises the most money because people trust her
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd dives into the Supreme Court's latest ruling further hollowing out the Voting Rights Act and walks through what it actually means in practice — including the very real possibility that several Southern states will now try to redistrict, creating a messy political landscape that won't necessarily benefit Republicans in the way they hope. He traces the history back to the 1990s Georgia reapportionment that led to major GOP pickups by packing Black Democratic voters into fewer districts, but warns this round of Southern redistricting will create more swing districts. He uses the moment to make the case for what he sees as the real structural fix to America's representation crisis: uncapping the House of Representatives to allow it to grow with population the way the founders originally intended, with Madison himself arguing the chamber would always need to expand. He argues that a bigger House would lower the barrier for third parties, minimize the outsized impact of the Electoral College, dramatically reduce the incentive to gerrymander — and crucially, this change wouldn't exclusively benefit either party. His framing is simple: stop fighting over the chairs at the table and increase the size of the table itself. He then pivots to what he calls the rise of the "woke right" — citing the second Comey indictment as exhibit A, noting that the right has now embraced exactly the kind of oversensitivity they once accused the left of engaging in, and pointing out it's no accident that Pam Bondi wouldn't bring the Comey case but Todd Blanche will. He flags that the FCC's attacks on Jimmy Kimmel will badly backfire, dismisses the Hegseth congressional hearing as a useless exercise where everyone was just chasing viral moments, and argues that Hegseth himself is suffering from a bad case of "internet brain" — actively politicizing the military while failing to make a coherent case for why the Iran war was ever necessary. He closes with a pointed observation about the entire administration: nobody around Trump believes any criticism of him is ever valid, and they appear to genuinely think voters are stupid enough to never notice.
Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment, weighs in on the DNC choosing NOT to release their 2024 autopsy, and reacts to the expansion on the NCAA basketball tournament.
Try ShipStation free for 60 days with full access to all features, No credit card needed! Go to https://ShipStation.com and use code TODDCAST for 60 days for free!
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.

Timeline:
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
01:30 Supreme Court further hollows out the Voting Rights Act
03:00 You may see several states in the south try to redistrict
06:00 We have a serious representation issue in congress
07:30 In the 90’s Georgia reapportionment led to major GOP pickups
09:00 Led to more black Dems in congress, but less Dems in congress
10:00 Redistricting won’t be clean for GOP in this political climate
10:30 Redistricting will create more swing districts in the south
12:15 You may see racially charged Dem primaries in new districts
13:45 Uncapping the House of Representatives could solve this issue
14:15 House expanded based on population growth
16:15 Right now the house is not representative of the people
17:45 Multi-member districts also provide better representation
19:00 Bigger house would create less need for gerrymandering
20:00 Expanding house would minimize the impact of electoral college
21:30 Expanded house would lower barrier to entry for third parties
23:00 The house was always meant to be a bit messy
23:30 Madison argued the house was always going to have to expand
25:00 This change wouldn’t exclusively benefit one party
26:00 Don’t fight over the chairs, increase the size of the table
28:00 The “woke right” has emerged, evidenced by Comey indictment
29:30 Right accused the left of the oversensitivity they’re engaged in now
31:00 Attacks by the FCC on Kimmel will backfire and look terrible
33:15 Not an accident that Bondi wouldn’t bring Comey case & Blanche will
34:15 Hegseth’s hearing was useless, everyone wanted a viral moment
35:30 Hegseth is suffering from a bad case of “internet brain”
36:30 Hegseth is doing everything he can to politicize the military
37:15 Hegseth failed to make the case for why the war was necessary
39:00 Nobody in the administration believes that any criticism is valid
40:15 Do they really think the voters are all stupid?
45:15 Ask Chuck
45:30 Experienced wildfires, in bad conditions there’s nothing you can do
46:45 What do you make of Hegseth purging so many top generals?
48:45 Props for “Dynastic” podcast
50:45 How do you see the US/Israel dynamic play out post-Trump?
54:15 Do you see a path forward for statehood for D.C. & Puerto Rico?
58:00 Why don’t interviewers press Lindsey Graham on his post J6 remarks?
1:00:45 Should Democrats be more forceful rhetorically or does that do more harm?
1:05:00 Ken Martin appears on Pod Save to explain why they won’t release ‘24 autopsy
1:06:15 Autopsy could have offended a particular set of donors or supporters
1:07:30 How do you learn lessons from the loss if you don’t share those lessons?
1:08:15 NCAA expanding basketball tournament
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Pittsburgh Steelers became one of the most successful and enduring franchises in sports history. But their dynasty wasn’t built the way most people think.
Chuck Todd and J.A. Adande tell the Steelers history like it has never been told.
It starts with a moment everyone knows—the Immaculate Reception—but the real story begins long before that. For decades, the Steelers were one of the worst-run teams in football. They ignored the draft, missed on generational talent, and lacked any clear identity. Then everything changed.
At the center of it all was Chuck Noll, a coach who completely reset the organization’s philosophy. Paired with cornerstone players like Mean Joe Greene and a front office that found talent in places other teams ignored, the Steelers quietly assembled one of the greatest draft runs in sports history.
This episode dives into the hidden advantages that fueled their rise—from overlooked talent pipelines to cultural cohesion inside the locker room—and why their success wasn’t just about stars, but about structure, discipline, and long-term thinking.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens with a sobering analysis of the post-Correspondents' Dinner shooting political climate, arguing that both sides are now busy blaming each other for violent rhetoric while past presidents from both parties always understood their job was to lower the temperature, not raise it. He argues that while Democratic rhetoric has gotten harsher in recent years, Trump is the one who fundamentally changed what was acceptable to say out loud — his January 6th pardons effectively created a permission slip for political violence, and the public barely batted an eye when he celebrated Robert Mueller's death — and warns it only takes one unstable person to take the wrong cue from this environment. He says American politics has become genuinely brutal and violent, that the "cold civil war" is warming up, and that two wrongs don't make a right: just because Trump started this race to the bottom doesn't mean everyone has to engage in it. He then pivots to the Iran war, where he says the U.S. and Iran are measuring the conflict in fundamentally different ways — for the regime, victory is simply surviving — and argues that Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz has to be addressed before any nuclear threat. He closes with the proposed Florida redistricting map (which looks great for the GOP in a presidential year but terrible in a midterm), a new Texas poll showing Talarico leading both potential GOP nominees, and Susan Collins going negative on Graham Platner before the Maine primary.
Atima Omara — Democratic political strategist, longtime activist, and author of the new book The Instigators — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a wide-ranging conversation about who actually decides American elections, why Democrats keep losing despite favorable demographics, and what a winning coalition looks like in 2028. Omara opens by dismantling the conventional wisdom that white moderate swing voters are the deciding force in elections, arguing that the 2024 contest was lost on mobilization rather than persuasion — Trump won at the margins, not in a landslide, and many blue states were won by surprisingly thin margins. She points out that Kamala Harris was behind before she even started because she had to succeed an unpopular Biden, but they credit Harris with saving three to four Senate seats that Biden would have lost outright. Omara walks through the political leverage Black women in Virginia exercised after the Ralph Northam blackface scandal — pushing for real legislative change rather than just symbolic accountability — and uses that as a case study in how activist coalitions can wield power smartly.
The conversation turns to the structural challenges facing the Democratic coalition and what comes next. Omara makes the case that Republican advocacy is a constant, year-round operation while Democrats only mobilize during election years — a fundamental asymmetry that has allowed Republican messaging to dominate the cultural spaces and media ecosystem. She argues the left needs to get dramatically better at cultural messaging, that the activist class has helped Democrats make progress but has also made the party more rigid in ways that hurt it electorally, and that organizations like the Working Families Party are doing important work trying to push the Democratic Party from within. They both reflect on whether the two-party duopoly can survive — Americans clearly want the flexibility of a multiparty system but are stuck with this one. She offers a fascinating cultural analysis of why one-third of the electorate effectively grew up in a non-multiracial democracy, why events like the Tulsa massacre still aren't taught in most public schools, and why the South disproportionately sets the tone for American (and especially Republican) politics. They close by handicapping the 2028 Democratic field.
Finally, he gives his ToddCast Top 5 list of Republican races that could signal trouble for Donald Trump and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
02:45 Both sides blaming each other for “violent rhetoric”
03:15 Past presidents always tried to lower the temperature
04:30 Both sides confident they are right & other side is wrong
05:30 We’ve produced a new political environment that is scary
06:45 Trump changed what was acceptable to say out loud
07:45 Democratic rhetoric has also gotten harsher, but Trump took us here
08:30 Two wrongs don’t make a right*
09:15 Trump’s J6 pardons created a permission slip for political violence
10:30 Public barely batted an eye when Trump celebrated death of Mueller
11:15 One unstable person will take the wrong cue from this environment
13:15 American politics is now brutal and violent. Cold civil war is warming up
14:15 Both sides are racing to the bottom, and nobody wins
15:30 Just because Trump started it doesn’t mean everyone should engage in it
16:45 American leadership is not meeting the moment
18:00 You can’t “secure” your way out of a volatile political climate
19:30 At the ballot box, character and temperament need to matter
20:15 James Comey indicted again by Trump’s DOJ
21:00 Administration is weaponizing the Comey case
22:30 If Dems immediately go for impeachment in 27’, the cycle will continue
23:45 Jimmy Kimmel should apologize, but government shouldn’t target him
25:00 You can be a deescalator or an accelerant in this moment
26:30 The U.S. and Iran are measuring the war in different ways
27:00 Victory for the regime is simply surviving
28:30 Iranian control of the Strait has to be dealt with before nuclear threat
29:30 The Iranians understand us better than we understand them
30:30 Florida releases proposed redistricting map
31:15 The map is great for GOP in presidential year, bad in a midterm election
32:00 Map targets Jared Moskowitz & Debbie Wasserman Schultz
33:30 Analysis of how the new districts will look politically
37:30 Republicans might only break even, or only pick up 1-2 seats in ‘26
38:45 Poll out of Texas shows Talarico with a lead over both GOP candidates
39:45 Susan Collins has gone negative on Platner before the primary
40:15 Move shows that Collins would rather face Mills over Platner
41:00 Platner is in a strong position to win the senate seat
47:00 Atima Omara (The Instigators) joins The Chuck ToddCast
48:30 Misconception that white moderate swing voters decide elections
50:15 Black women pushed for legislation after Ralph Northam blackface scandal
53:15 Activists were smart in using their political leverage in Virginia
55:15 Democrats can try to find some common cause with Trump voters
56:30 2024 election was lost on mobilization, not persuasion
57:45 Trump won on the margins, it wasn’t a resounding win
59:00 Lots of blue states were won with small margins in ‘24
1:00:00 It was hard for Harris to succeed a very unpopular Biden
1:01:00 Harris was behind before she started
1:01:30 Harris saved 3-4 senate seats that Biden would have lost
1:02:45 What ideological arguments work & don’t work with black women?
1:04:30 Messaging around criminal & environmental justice needs to capture humanity
1:06:15 Activists don’t see politicians putting together even piecemeal reform
1:07:15 Even with full control, Democrats couldn’t pass voting rights legislation
1:09:15 LBJ had to play hardball with senators to pass the Voting Rights Act
1:11:00 Most major legislation gets passed through sheer force of will
1:11:45 How can advocacy get more leverage in the face of huge money
1:13:00 Republican advocacy is constant, Dems focus on election years
1:14:00 Republican messaging has dominated the media ecosystem
1:16:00 The left needs to get better at messaging in the cultural spaces
1:17:30 Will the current two party duopoly be able to sustain itself?
1:19:30 Activists have caused Dems to progress, but also become rigid
1:20:30 The Working Families Party works to change the Democratic party
1:22:00 Americans want the flexibility of a multiparty system, stuck with duopoly
1:22:30 There hasn’t been enough energy to force changes to electoral college
1:23:30 Fear of AI job displacement could galvanize energy for structural change
1:24:00 What does a winning Democratic coalition look like in 2028?
1:27:30 Older generation of Democratic strategists have aged out
1:30:00 1/3rd of the electorate lived in a non multiracial democracy
1:31:15 We don’t have a shared public education or shared memory
1:33:30 Events like the Tulsa massacre aren’t taught in many public schools
1:34:45 The south sets the tone for American & especially Republican politics
1:37:30 Obama benefitted from being from a midwestern state
1:38:45 Most of the pushback to progress comes from the south & midwest
1:41:30 Obama’s superpower was being able to talk to everyone
1:42:15 4 people most likely to be the 2028 Democratic nominee?
1:44:30 Harris would be more free to run her own campaign in ‘28
1:45:30 It’s hard to know what Gavin Newsom is FOR
1:47:00 Starting to see more black women break through & win statewide
1:50:00 Thoughts on interview with Atima Omara
1:51:00 ToddCast Top 5 Republican races that could signal trouble for Trump
1:53:00 We’ll find out in May if Trump’s grip on the party is slipping
1:53:45 #5 North Carolina senate
1:56:00 #4 Louisiana senate primary
1:57:45 #3 Texas senate primary
1:59:15 #2 Georgia governor
2:01:30 #1 Kentucky 4th district & Thomas Massie
2:03:30 Ask Chuck
2:03:45 Did Ohio Democrats make a mistake by backing Sherrod Brown?
2:09:00 Is Trump liable for violating contracts by cancelling offshore wind projects?*
2:12:45 If Trump had bought the Bills would it have kept him from running in ‘16?
2:18:00 Navigating the reverence for founders when proposing amendments?
2:23:30 How do we move beyond violence to remove a tyrant?
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