The Chuck ToddCast

Amy Littlefield — investigative reporter for The Nation and author of the new book Killers of Roe: My Investigation into the Mysterious Death of Abortion Rights — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a fascinating deep dive into the decades-long campaign that dismantled abortion rights in America, framed through the lens of an Agatha Christie-style murder mystery where the killers turn out to be the people you least suspect. Littlefield reveals that the death of Roe was not a single blow but death by a thousand stab wounds from multiple suspects: a Catholic hospital system that now controls one in six beds in America with reproductive care restrictions, an evangelical movement that amassed enormous political power in the Reagan era, a Democratic Party that was deeply complicit — the Hyde Amendment passed through a Democratic-majority Congress and real women died as a result — and operatives like Leonard Leo, who hand-delivered Trump a list of Supreme Court justices guaranteed to overturn Roe. Littlefield argues that anti-abortion activists brilliantly copied the playbook of the civil rights movement, that fighting against something is inherently more galvanizing than defending something, and that reproductive rights groups like Planned Parenthood and NARAL were constantly outflanked by a more organized, more disciplined opposition that understood single-issue voters could be leveraged for outsized political power.
The conversation turns to the future of reproductive rights in a post-Dobbs America — and the picture is more complicated than either side admits. Littlefield points out that the number of abortions has actually increased since the Dobbs decision, that anti-abortion ballot initiatives consistently lose even in conservative areas, and that there's 80% public support that could be leveraged if the movement reframed its message around freedom rather than choice and connected reproductive rights to economic concerns. But she warns that anti-abortion activists aren't done: they want birth control and IVF outlawed next, and anti-women political movements are gaining momentum globally.
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Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Amy Littlefield joins the Chuck ToddCast
01:30 Why did you choose the murder mystery framing for this book?
02:45 1 in 6 beds is in a Catholic hospital that have reproductive care restrictions
04:15 Agatha Christie’s style was an inspiration for the book
07:15 We know the political side of the story, wanted to tell the activist story
08:45 Getting the Roe decision required a strong grassroots movement
09:15 The Catholic church has a strong organizational operation
10:30 Reproductive rights wasn’t a left vs. right issue in the 70s and 80s
12:45 Democrats have been complicit in the erosion of reproductive rights
13:45 The Hyde amendment got through a Democratic majority congress
14:45 Evangelicals amassed huge political power in the Reagan era
15:30 Reagan flipped his position on abortion during his presidency
17:15 Abortion and guns are the two single-issue voting issues
18:00 Republicans extracted huge power out of single issue voters
19:15 People are willing to compromise other values for anti-abortion position
20:00 Anti-abortion activists know they don’t have majority support
21:30 Was “choice” the worst word they could pick? Why not frame it as freedom?
24:15 Examining the first deaths after the passage of Hyde amendment
25:00 Why didn’t deaths due to the Hyde amendment galvanize voters?
27:30 Justices didn’t want 5-4 on Roe so they came up with convoluted argument
28:30 A flawed legal rationale isn’t why Roe fell
30:00 The abortion rights fight has always been in the states
31:45 The debate has been over codifying Roe or codifying a right
33:45 Repealing the Hyde amendment was biggest win in years for abortion rights
35:30 Planned Parenthood has had an oversized role in defending abortion rights
36:15 Would there be a Federalist Society without Roe?
37:00 Leonard Leo handed Trump the names of justices that would overturn Roe
38:15 Anti-abortion activists copied the playbook of the civil rights movement
39:45 Is there anybody on the pro-abortion rights side that deserves blame for Dobbs?
41:00 Reproductive rights groups like PP and NARAL were constantly outflanked
42:00 Fighting against something is more galvanizing than defending something
43:30 Anti-abortion ballot initiatives consistently lose, even in conservative areas
46:00 Conservatives have laid claim to the words “freedom” and “patriot”
48:15 Does the codification of abortion rights happen by the 2030s?
50:15 Reproductive rights aren’t talked about in an economic framing
52:00 Can abortion rights movement draft off heavy support for birth control?
52:30 Anti-abortion activists want to see birth control and IVF outlawed
54:30 Will activists go to congress for an answer or will it be a long campaign?
55:30 Number of abortions has gone up since the Dobbs decision
57:30 Death of Roe was death by a thousand stab wounds from many suspects
59:30 Anti-abortion and anti-women political movements are gaining momentum
1:00:45 Republican women look uncomfortable with position they’ve been put in
1:02:45 People sharing their stories with abortion is incredibly important
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens with the bluntest assessment yet of the Iran war as it enters its third week: America's position as leader of the free world is unraveling in real time, the risk of mission creep is enormous, and we are now seeing exactly why every previous president chose not to attack Iran. Trump is ranting and begging allies to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. He notes that Trump is even angling for a joint operation with China to police the strait — a surreal proposition given the broader geopolitical rivalry — and that Trump is learning the hard way why you don't alienate allies before starting a war that requires their help. The Director of Counterterrorism has resigned over the conflict, DNI Tulsi Gabbard is performing rhetorical contortions to signal she doesn't believe in the war while keeping her job, and the administration has entered what Chuck calls the "cover your ass" stage. He argues that Trump's coalition has been fracturing for six months, that America is demonstrably less secure today than before the strikes began, and that this war — which has confirmed to the world that America is truly alone — could ultimately prove more damaging than Vietnam or Iraq. He closes by noting softening poll numbers for Republicans like Lindsey Graham and Vivek Ramaswamy, and that Maine Governor Janet Mills has gone sharply negative against progressive challenger Graham Platner in their Senate primary — a sign that the vetting process is heating up in ways that will ultimately be healthy for the party.
Finally, Chuck lists his ToddCast Top 5 statewide campaigns from the state of Illinois and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
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Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
05:00 Iran war keeps getting worse for Trump, risk of mission creep is high
05:15 America’s place as “Leader of the Free World” is unraveling
06:00 The military part is going well, the diplomatic part is a disaster
06:45 We’re seeing the reasons previous presidents didn’t attack Iran
07:30 Director of Counterterrorism resigns over the war
09:00 Trump is either not getting the truth or being told what he wants to hear
10:00 Gabbard argues Trump has mandate despite not getting 50% of the vote
11:00 Gabbard says only Trump can determine what is an "imminent threat”
11:45 Gabbard wants she signal she doesn’t believe in war, but keep her job
12:45 We’re in the “cover your ass” stage of the war
15:30 Many MAGA true believers like Joe Kent & MTG wanted no more wars
18:00 If you can’t serve the president, resigning is the right thing to do
18:45 We’re less secure today than before the war started
19:30 Trump’s coalition has been fracturing for six months
21:30 Trump’s ranting and begging for help with the Strait of Hormuz
23:00 Strait of Hormuz has always been the Iranian regime’s leverage
24:00 Securing the strait requires boots on the ground
24:45 Trump is learning the hard way why you don’t alienate allies
26:30 If the regime stays in place, it’ll look like Trump retreated
27:30 This war has been confirmation that America is alone
29:15 This war could be more damaging that Vietnam or Iraq 2
30:00 We need real diplomacy and there hasn’t been any of it
30:45 Trump angling for joint operation with China which is… weird
31:15 Trump wants a way out, but boxed himself in
32:30 We’re starting to see softening support for other elected Republicans
33:15 Polls show Lindsey Graham & Vivek Ramaswamy’s support way down
34:30 Janet Mills decides to go sharply negative against Graham Platner
36:45 The vetting in the primary will be healthy for the Democrats
41:15 Abortion may take a backseat to economy, but could affect midterms
43:00 ToddCast Top 5 statewide races in Illinois
44:00 Illinois has produced 2 presidents and sent 4 governors to prison
45:45 #1 Obama’s 2004 senate campaign
51:15 #2 1992 senate campaign
54:15 1960 presidential Kennedy v Nixon
57:15 1984 Simon vs. Percy
59:45 1986 Democratic primary chaos
1:03:15 Honorable mentions
1:05:15 Ask Chuck
1:05:30 Are we normalizing the denigration of female journalists by Trump?
1:09:45 Why do politics feel so much harder now, and we can’t find agreement?
1:11:45 How much did gutting State Dept. lead to evacuation debacle in middle east?
1:15:30 Did Spanberger tee up a wave in the next election with gun control legislation?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens with the bluntest assessment yet of the Iran war as it enters its third week: America's position as leader of the free world is unraveling in real time, the risk of mission creep is enormous, and we are now seeing exactly why every previous president chose not to attack Iran. Trump is ranting and begging allies to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. He notes that Trump is even angling for a joint operation with China to police the strait — a surreal proposition given the broader geopolitical rivalry — and that Trump is learning the hard way why you don't alienate allies before starting a war that requires their help. The Director of Counterterrorism has resigned over the conflict, DNI Tulsi Gabbard is performing rhetorical contortions to signal she doesn't believe in the war while keeping her job, and the administration has entered what Chuck calls the "cover your ass" stage. He argues that Trump's coalition has been fracturing for six months, that America is demonstrably less secure today than before the strikes began, and that this war — which has confirmed to the world that America is truly alone — could ultimately prove more damaging than Vietnam or Iraq. He closes by noting softening poll numbers for Republicans like Lindsey Graham and Vivek Ramaswamy, and that Maine Governor Janet Mills has gone sharply negative against progressive challenger Graham Platner in their Senate primary — a sign that the vetting process is heating up in ways that will ultimately be healthy for the party.
Then, Amy Littlefield — investigative reporter for The Nation and author of the new book Killers of Roe: My Investigation into the Mysterious Death of Abortion Rights — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a fascinating deep dive into the decades-long campaign that dismantled abortion rights in America, framed through the lens of an Agatha Christie-style murder mystery where the killers turn out to be the people you least suspect. Littlefield reveals that the death of Roe was not a single blow but death by a thousand stab wounds from multiple suspects: a Catholic hospital system that now controls one in six beds in America with reproductive care restrictions, an evangelical movement that amassed enormous political power in the Reagan era, a Democratic Party that was deeply complicit — the Hyde Amendment passed through a Democratic-majority Congress and real women died as a result — and operatives like Leonard Leo, who hand-delivered Trump a list of Supreme Court justices guaranteed to overturn Roe. Littlefield argues that anti-abortion activists brilliantly copied the playbook of the civil rights movement, that fighting against something is inherently more galvanizing than defending something, and that reproductive rights groups like Planned Parenthood and NARAL were constantly outflanked by a more organized, more disciplined opposition that understood single-issue voters could be leveraged for outsized political power.
The conversation turns to the future of reproductive rights in a post-Dobbs America — and the picture is more complicated than either side admits. Littlefield points out that the number of abortions has actually increased since the Dobbs decision, that anti-abortion ballot initiatives consistently lose even in conservative areas, and that there's 80% public support that could be leveraged if the movement reframed its message around freedom rather than choice and connected reproductive rights to economic concerns. But she warns that anti-abortion activists aren't done: they want birth control and IVF outlawed next, and anti-women political movements are gaining momentum globally.
Finally, Chuck lists his ToddCast Top 5 statewide campaigns from the state of Illinois and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code CHUCKTODDCAST at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/chucktoddcast
Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
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.
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
05:00 Iran war keeps getting worse for Trump, risk of mission creep is high
05:15 America’s place as “Leader of the Free World” is unraveling
06:00 The military part is going well, the diplomatic part is a disaster
06:45 We’re seeing the reasons previous presidents didn’t attack Iran
07:30 Director of Counterterrorism resigns over the war
09:00 Trump is either not getting the truth or being told what he wants to hear
10:00 Gabbard argues Trump has mandate despite not getting 50% of the vote
11:00 Gabbard says only Trump can determine what is an "imminent threat”
11:45 Gabbard wants she signal she doesn’t believe in war, but keep her job
12:45 We’re in the “cover your ass” stage of the war
15:30 Many MAGA true believers like Joe Kent & MTG wanted no more wars
18:00 If you can’t serve the president, resigning is the right thing to do
18:45 We’re less secure today than before the war started
19:30 Trump’s coalition has been fracturing for six months
21:30 Trump’s ranting and begging for help with the Strait of Hormuz
23:00 Strait of Hormuz has always been the Iranian regime’s leverage
24:00 Securing the strait requires boots on the ground
24:45 Trump is learning the hard way why you don’t alienate allies
26:30 If the regime stays in place, it’ll look like Trump retreated
27:30 This war has been confirmation that America is alone
29:15 This war could be more damaging that Vietnam or Iraq 2
30:00 We need real diplomacy and there hasn’t been any of it
30:45 Trump angling for joint operation with China which is… weird
31:15 Trump wants a way out, but boxed himself in
32:30 We’re starting to see softening support for other elected Republicans
33:15 Polls show Lindsey Graham & Vivek Ramaswamy’s support way down
34:30 Janet Mills decides to go sharply negative against Graham Platner
36:45 The vetting in the primary will be healthy for the Democrats
41:30 Amy Littlefield joins the Chuck ToddCast
43:00 Why did you choose the murder mystery framing for this book?
44:15 1 in 6 beds is in a Catholic hospital that have reproductive care restrictions
45:45 Agatha Christie’s style was an inspiration for the book
48:45 We know the political side of the story, wanted to tell the activist story
50:15 Getting the Roe v. Wade decision required a strong grassroots movement
50:45 The Catholic church has a strong organizational operation
52:00 Reproductive rights wasn’t a left vs. right issue in the 70s and 80s
54:15 Democrats have been complicit in the erosion of reproductive rights
55:15 The Hyde Amendment got through a Democratic majority congress
56:15 Evangelicals amassed huge political power in the Reagan era
57:00 Ronald Reagan flipped his position on abortion during his presidency
58:45 Abortion and guns are the two single-issue voting issues
59:30 Republicans extracted huge power out of single issue voters
1:00:45 People are willing to compromise other values for anti-abortion position
1:01:30 Anti-abortion activists know they don’t have majority support
1:03:00 Was “choice” the worst word they could pick? Why not frame it as freedom?
1:05:45 Examining the first deaths after the passage of Hyde amendment
1:06:30 Why didn’t deaths due to the Hyde amendment galvanize voters?
1:09:00 Justices didn’t want 5-4 on Roe so they came up with convoluted argument
1:10:00 A flawed legal rationale isn’t why Roe fell
1:11:30 The abortion rights fight has always been in the states
1:13:15 The debate has been over codifying Roe or codifying a right
1:15:15 Repealing the Hyde amendment was biggest win in years for abortion rights
1:17:00 Planned Parenthood has had an oversized role in defending abortion rights
1:17:45 Would there be a Federalist Society without Roe?
1:18:30 Leonard Leo handed Donald Trump the names of justices that would overturn Roe
1:19:45 Anti-abortion activists copied the playbook of the civil rights movement
1:21:15 Is there anybody on the pro-abortion rights side that deserves blame for Dobbs
1:22:30 Reproductive rights groups like PP and NARAL were constantly outflanked
1:23:30 Fighting against something is more galvanizing than defending something
1:25:00 Anti-abortion ballot initiatives consistently lose, even in conservative areas
1:27:30 Conservatives have laid claim to the words “freedom” and “patriot”
1:29:45 Does the codification of abortion rights happen by the 2030s?
1:31:45 Reproductive rights aren’t talked about in an economic framing
1:33:30 Can abortion rights movement draft off heavy support for birth control?
1:34:00 Anti-abortion activists want to see birth control and IVF outlawed
1:36:00 Will activists go to congress for an answer or will it be a long campaign?
1:37:00 Number of abortions has gone up since the Dobbs decision
1:39:00 Death of Roe was death by a thousand stab wounds from many suspects
1:41:00 Anti-abortion and anti-women political movements are gaining momentum
1:42:15 Republican women look uncomfortable with position they’ve been put in
1:44:15 People sharing their stories with abortion is incredibly important
1:47:00 Abortion may take a backseat to economy, but could affect midterms
1:48:45 ToddCast Top 5 statewide races in Illinois
1:49:45 Illinois has produced 2 presidents and sent 4 governors to prison
1:51:30 #1 Barack Obama’s 2004 senate campaign
1:57:00 #2 1992 senate campaign
2:00:00 1960 United States presidential election
2:03:00 1984 Paul Simon vs. Charles H. Percy
2:05:30 1986 Democratic primary chaos
2:09:00 Honorable mentions
2:11:00 Ask Chuck
2:11:15 Are we normalizing the denigration of female journalists by Donald Trump?
2:15:30 Why do politics feel so much harder now, and we can’t find agreement?
2:17:30 Did gutting Department of State lead to evacuation debacle in middle east?
2:21:15 Did Abigail Spanberger tee up a wave in the next election with gun control legislation?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd delivers a sweeping analysis of how the Iran war is metastasizing into an economic, military, and constitutional crisis all at once — warning that the Strait of Hormuz, the most important waterway in the world through which roughly a fifth of global oil supply flows, is Iran's ultimate point of leverage and one Trump catastrophically failed to account for. He argues that Trump mistakenly assumed the Iranian regime would be as transactional as he is and would capitulate the way Venezuela did, but Iran has no intention of walking away from its ability to make the strait dangerous to navigate — which is all it takes to send energy markets into chaos, threaten the tourism and banking economies of Gulf states, and risk the economic collapse of nuclear-armed Pakistan through energy shortages. He calls Pete Hegseth a "Baghdad Bob"-style propagandist presiding over the administration's grotesque "memeification" of war, then turns to what he calls FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's declaration of war on press freedom — Carr threatened Saturday to revoke broadcast licenses over Iran war coverage the administration deems unfavorable, drawing immediate condemnation from Democrats, free speech groups, and even some Republicans who called it "authoritarian" and "unconstitutional." Chuck warns that while courts will likely block Carr's most extreme threats, the mere act of launching investigations creates a chilling effect not dissimilar to how broadcasting works in Russia. He closes by acknowledging that the Iranian regime needs to go, but that Trump's disastrous decision to lift oil sanctions on Russia has only strengthened Moscow's position, and that the war has dramatically increased the likelihood of terrorist attacks against Americans
Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the creation of standardized time, answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment, and gives his advice for building your NCAA tournament bracket.
Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
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.
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!
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
04:15 The Iran War will impact nearly everything
05:00 Military, war has been a route but it’s become asymmetrical
05:45 The Strait of Hormuz is the most important waterway in the world
06:45 Trump mistakenly assumed Iranian regime would be transactional like him
08:00 Shutting the strait is Iran’s biggest point of deterrence
09:00 Shutting the strait can massively damage the world economy
09:45 Trump miscalculated Iran would capitulate like Venezuela
12:00 The strait is Iran’s leverage, they aren’t going to walk away from it
12:45 Trump talks a big game, but Iran can extract a huge price on the west
14:15 Pete Hegseth has become a “Baghdad Bob” style propagandist
15:30 Asymmetrical warfare is how America won the Revolutionary War
16:45 All Iran has to do is make the Strait of Hormuz dangerous to navigate
17:30 Reagan had to intervene in the Gulf in the 80s to secure shipping routes
18:15 Convoy protection missions rarely stay small
19:15 If keeping shipping lanes open is the goal, the timeline & operation expands
20:00 Gulf states has become tourism & banking hubs, that’s being threatened
21:15 War is both an economic and “image” blow to the gulf states
22:30 Energy shortages risk the economic collapse of nuclear armed Pakistan
23:30 Trump made a disastrous decision to lift oil sanctions on Russia
24:00 War in Iran is strengthening Russia’s position in the Ukraine war
24:45 Energy prices affect the entire economy. Will raise inflation in America
25:30 This war is a major economic gamble
26:30 FCC Chair declares war on freedom of the press
27:15 Carr threatens to pull broadcast licenses over unfavorable war coverage
28:15 Carr’s threats aren’t dissimilar to how broadcasting works in Russia
30:00 FCC just launching investigations can put pressure on networks
31:15 ABC settling with Trump was a massive mistake
32:30 Project 2025 proposed “broadcast regulation” similar to this
33:45 Administration’s “memeification” of war is gross & embarrassing
35:00 War has increased likelihood of terrorist attacks against American
35:30 American Jews & Muslims have had to spend millions on security
36:15 Administration hiding terrorism reports should scare us*
37:45 The courts will stop Brendan Carr from violating press freedom
38:45 Administration owes the people an explanation
39:30 The Iranian regime needs to go, but war has serious costs
46:00 Illinois primary livestream with DDHQ & Chris Cillizza on Tuesday
47:15 ToddCast Time Machine - When time back standardized
48:00 March 19, 1918 Congress passes the Standard Time Act
48:45 Local time standards were a problem with development of railroads
49:30 Coordinating trains wasn’t just difficult, it was dangerous
50:00 Sanford Fleming proposed dividing globe into timezones
50:30 Railroads imposed standardized times before government did
52:00 Train crash near Tipton, Ohio showed issues with timekeeping
53:15 Railroad safety become dependant on pocketwatches
54:00 Daylight savings time is adopted during WW1
54:45 World War required standardized time to coordinate
55:15 Congress formalized standard time after entering WW1
56:15 Daylight savings time was eliminated, but returns in WW2
56:45 Congress passes the Uniform Time Act in 1966
57:30 States can opt out of the Uniform Time Act
59:00 World clocks are now synchronized via atomic clocks
1:00:00 Ask Chuck
1:00:15 Are the Democrats walking into a trap by elevating Graham Platner?
1:07:15 The Perfect Neighbor told a gripping story via bodycam footage
1:10:00 How do you feel about Trump claiming credit for you becoming independent?
1:15:00 NCAA bracket advice
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Faiz Shakir — Bernie Sanders' 2020 campaign manager, former DNC chair candidate, and executive director of the progressive media organization More Perfect Union — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a bracingly honest conversation about what's wrong with the Democratic Party and what it would take to fix it. Shakir diagnoses a party that is functionally leaderless, with its top figures stuck in a "play dead" mentality while the Democratic brand polls worse than the Republican brand even as Trump's corruption grows more brazen by the day. He argues that Trump — like Biden before him — is finger-wagging at voters on the economy rather than addressing affordability, and that Democrats are blowing the opportunity to capitalize because they're terrible at picking fights and allergic to friction. Shakir is particularly scathing on the party's relationship with big tech and corporate power: He holds up Bernie Sanders' AI data center moratorium as the kind of fight Democrats should be waging, and Lina Khan's FTC tenure as the model of mission-driven disruption.
The conversation then turns to the future of the party and how to build a lasting majority. Shakir argues that the right candidate could move 7% of the electorate from right to left, that if Sanders were younger he'd likely win in 2028, and that Sanders has more credibility than AOC because he represents a rural state — though he praises both AOC's national appeal and Ro Khanna's political intelligence. He insists Democrats need to fight a class-based economic justice campaign, stop punishing candidates who aren't perfectly aligned on social issues, and recognize that "independent" doesn't mean centrist — younger voters are disillusioned with both parties and hungry for a working-class-first agenda. Shakir offers a detailed vision for DNC reform: fund state parties based on merit and metrics, move Nevada to first on the primary calendar because Vegas politics would orient the party toward working-class concerns, add Michigan and North Carolina to the early window,and invest in sun belt opportunities He closes by noting that James Talarico channeled Bernie's message with a religious-based framing, and that Democratic voters always gravitate toward outsiders — the party just needs to let them run.
Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
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.
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!
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Faiz Shakir joins the Chuck ToddCast
01:45 Democratic party seems leaderless
02:15 Would you run again for DNC chair?
03:45 Leaders of the party have a bit of a “play dead” mentality
04:30 Democratic brand is still in worse shape than Republican brand
05:45 Trump having billionaires at inauguration was foreshadowing
06:15 Trump’s corruption is incredibly brazen
07:15 It’s obvious Trump doesn’t care about affordability
08:15 Trump, like Biden, is finger wagging at voters on the economy
09:30 Vance sold himself as an anti-interventionalist populist
10:15 Vance has had to completely go against his political identity
11:00 Trump’s corruption has totally undermined Vance
12:30 Trump’s argument of "imminent threat” from Iran is nonsense
14:00 Chuck Schumer told his caucus to “suck it up” on crypto
15:30 The public is far ahead of politicians in being skeptical of AI
16:15 Very little is being offered by AI that would improve lives of working class
17:00 Every candidate in Illinois senate race basically has a big tech sponsor
18:15 Democratic party is terrible at picking fights and don’t like friction
19:00 Bernie Sanders AI data center moratorium reflects the public sentiment
19:45 Democrats are so heady on policy they let their politics suffer
21:00 There’s a movement of independent candidates, but winning matters
21:45 Independents are offering a different, working class first agenda
23:00 Democrats punish candidates who aren’t perfectly aligned on social issues
24:30 Bernie Sanders is stronger candidate in a general election than a primary
25:30 The right candidate could move 7% of the electorate from right to left
27:15 If Sanders were younger and could run in 2028, he’d likely win
28:15 Sanders has more credibility than AOC because he’s from rural state
29:00 Democrats need to fight a class based, economic justice campaign
31:15 How would you make changes at the DNC?
32:30 How should Democrats approach secondary races in MT & NE?
34:00 Younger voters are disillusioned with both parties, are independent minded
34:45 Independent does not mean centrist
35:45 State by state redistricting will eventually need national overhaul
37:30 Democrats “adult in the room” status has helped them in some places
38:45 Democrats have been viewed as the status quo party
39:30 Who is the heir apparent to Bernie?
40:00 Bernie respects the national appeal of AOC
41:45 Ro Khanna is incredibly smart and calculating
42:30 Politics has become an entertainment industry as much as policy
44:15 Voters want a disrupter with goals that are attainable
45:00 Lina Khan had a sense of imagination at the FTC
46:15 Mission driven disruption is associated with the progressive wing
47:15 Gavin Newsom has become the anti-Trump Democratic candidate
48:00 Newsom fighting the wealth tax is probably hurting himself with base
49:00 Rahm Emmanuel will struggle to overcome his political baggage
49:45 Democrats have surrendered on education as a national issue
50:30 Democrats should be offering year round schooling with new curriculum
51:15 Democrats should propose public service jobs with good pay & benefits
53:00 Nevada is the ideal first state for Democratic primary calendar
54:00 Vegas politics would orient Democrats to working class concerns
54:30 Michigan & NC should be in the first four for Democrats
55:45 Iowa & NH were battlegrounds because of first in nation status
58:30 DNC needs to give state parties money based on merit & metrics
59:45 Democrats have to find somewhere in sun belt to invest in
1:01:15 Mississippi could be best value in the south for Dems
1:02:00 Mississippi has a strong labor base to be courted
1:03:15 More debate between Talarico & Crockett would have been good for party
1:03:45 Talarico channeled Bernie’s message with a religious based framing
1:05:15 If Talarico or Platner win senate race, they’re serious 2028 candidates
1:06:30 Democratic voters always like an outsider in their presidential candidates
1:08:00 What is More Perfect Union and where can people find your work?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.