Pod Save America

Marc J. Dunkelman, author of "Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress — and How to Bring It Back," stops by the studio to talk to Lovett about how Democrats — once they regain power — can make government work again. Together they dive into the ways progressive governance changed from the New Deal to today, the influence of Robert Caro's polemic "The Power Broker" on a generation of public employees, and why they're both hopeful that Democrats will be able to find their way out of the darkness and learn to do big things again.

Outrage over the killing of Alex Pretti spreads to nonpolitical and Trump-friendly spaces, even as Border Czar Tom Homan promises to "draw down" the DHS presence in Minneapolis and the White House caves to Democrats' demands on debating DHS funding. Could this be a turning point in the Trump presidency? Jon and Dan discuss all the latest, including Anderson Cooper's extraordinary conversation with Stella Carlson, the woman who filmed the crucial angle of the shooting. Then they turn to the FBI's deeply troubling raid on the election headquarters in Fulton County, Georgia, and the premiere of "Melania," a multi-million dollar bribe from Jeff Bezos to the first family disguised as a documentary. Then, Jon sits down with MSNOW's Joe Scarborough to talk about why Republicans in Congress still put up with Trump, and why he hopes the next Democratic nominee returns to the party's organizing roots. Plus: a special preview of our new subscriber-only show, Pod Save America: OnlyFriends.

Donald Trump caves to the national outrage over Alex Pretti's killing, telling Governor Tim Walz that he'll agree to allow for an impartial investigation and "look into reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota." Lovett, on the ground in Minneapolis, joins Jon and Tommy to talk about what's happening in the state, and to share reactions to the tragedy and Trump's surprising about-face. Then they discuss Congressional Democrats' demands for reforming DHS, which may lead to a partial government shutdown, and a wild New York Magazine piece about the president's health.

What will it take for Democrats to win not just in 2026, but in 2028 and beyond? What do we need to change to win again in Iowa, Texas, and Florida? What's more important: a candidate's ability to communicate or their ability to govern? Dan talks to David Plouffe, former campaign manager for Barack Obama and senior advisor to Kamala Harris, about some hard truths the Democratic Party needs to get its head around. The two discuss why Democrats need to take a firmer stance on political corruption, how the to-be-determined 2028 primary map could shape that race, and why they're both hoping that an outsider emerges as the party's next presidential nominee.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Donald Trump announces that he's reached a "concept of a deal" on Greenland, agreeing to drop his tariffs for … well, the details aren't exactly clear. Jon and Dan discuss what we know, Trump's invitation to Vladimir Putin to join his Board of Peace, and the most insane coverage of Trump's trip to Davos. Then, they break down Vice President Vance's appearance in Minneapolis—where he defended ICE's detention of a 5-year-old—House passage of additional funding for the Department of Homeland Security, Jack Smith's Capitol Hill testimony, and a New York Times/Siena poll that's so bad for Trump he's threatening to sue.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.