Politics. Policy. Polling. Pop Culture. Explore what America's thinking with two of the country's leading pollsters-the bipartisan team of Democrat Margie Omero and Republican Kristen Soltis Anderson. In this weekly podcast we take a fresh, friendly look at the numbers driving the week's biggest stories in news, politics, tech, entertainment and pop culture. Along with the occasional interview with pollsters, journalists, and other industry leaders, we'll lift the hood on the numbers reveali ...
…
continue reading
The election has been decided, and Donald J. Trump is the United States’ 47th president. With 15 years of experience covering politics, Puck senior political correspondent Tara Palmeri is here to bring you all the latest news and developments from Trump’s second term, including her exclusive reporting and interviews with the smartest political brains to discuss all the latest developments from the front page to behind the scenes in Washington, D.C.
…
continue reading
Join Amy Walter, the celebrated editor-in-chief of the Cook Political Report, every other Tuesday, for conversations on the surprising — and often odd — times we live in. Amy brings her smart and sought-after insights on politics to a podcast that covers a range of subjects. What makes this moment interesting, unpredictable, and surprising? Amy will talk to people who live and breathe politics (like ourselves) and plenty who do not. We think you can learn stuff — and have fun at the same tim ...
…
continue reading

1
"We've become the crossing guard party." A Conversation with Pod Save America's Dan Pfeiffer.
39:30
39:30
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
39:30When we booked this episode with Pod Save America co-host Dan Pfeiffer several weeks back, our plan was to talk about the Democrats and their strategy and messaging around Trump - something Dan's been writing about for his Substack, Message Box. Should Democrats just focus on the economy? Should they raise alarm bells over deportations? How loudly …
…
continue reading
Rahm Emanuel has held many titles: Congressman from Illinois, DCCC Chairman, Chief of Staff to Barack Obama, Mayor of Chicago, and Ambassador to Japan under President Biden. These days, he doesn't have an official position at the moment. But that's not stopping him from giving some very pointed advice to Democrats on every possible platform: cable …
…
continue reading

1
Republican Strategist and Podcaster Josh Holmes on the Midterms, Tariffs and Why Authenticity Matters
48:08
48:08
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
48:08You may know our guest today, Josh Holmes, as one of the hosts of the popular political podcast, Ruthless. For those of you who don't know, Ruthless is to the conservative media sphere as Pod Save America is to the liberal media ecosystem. But long before he started his podcasting gig, Amy knew Josh as a Republican political operative. He was chief…
…
continue reading

1
"Trump voters are starting to ask questions." Pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson on 100 days.
46:34
46:34
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
46:34We are 100 days into the second Trump administration and there's no better person to help us understand what voters are making of these first months of Trump 2.0 than Republican pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson. Kristen is a founding partner of Echelon Insights, an opinion research and analytics firm. She's a contributing opinion writer for The New…
…
continue reading

1
Rahm Emanuel: I Warned the White House Biden Couldn't Run
55:25
55:25
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
55:25Tara is joined by Rahm Emanuel to look at what he feels are the past mistakes of the Democratic Party and what needs to change moving forward. They discuss Joe Biden’s decision to not seek reelection, President Trump invoking antisemitism to defund universities, and Emanuel’s own political aspirations. For more of Tara’s independent journalism, sub…
…
continue reading

1
Maureen Dowd on ‘Claudius' Trump, Whitmer’s Wrecking & Clooney for President?
49:20
49:20
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
49:20Tara Palmeri sits down with Maureen Dowd to talk about her latest release, Notorious. Their conversation covers everything from Elon Musk and Donald Trump to the shifting dynamics of American politics. Dowd reflects on her decades in journalism, offering a look at Washington’s current challenges and the media’s complicated relationship with figures…
…
continue reading

1
By this measure, America is actually a little less polarized these days
36:06
36:06
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
36:06Way back in the late 1990s, Cook Political Report founder Charlie Cook had an idea to rank all 435 congressional districts by their partisanship - in other words, whether a district is more Republican or more Democratic. That way, we'd be able to see, at a quick glance, which members of Congress represented districts that were either slightly or st…
…
continue reading

1
How Long Will Gen Z Stick With Trump? With Rikki Schlott.
34:56
34:56
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
34:56Tara starts the pod with some inside reporting on RFK Jr.’s mismanagement of the Dept. of Health and Human Services. She’s then joined by Rikki Schlott from the New York Post to talk about Donald Trump’s standing with Gen Z. They discuss possible breaking points Trump may be testing with young men, shine a light on the current administration’s war …
…
continue reading

1
Inside the Biden Campaign: George Clooney's 'Morning Joe' Meltdown
26:49
26:49
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
26:49Tara is joined by author and journalist Chris Whipple to discuss his latest book, 'Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History.’ During their conversation, they focus on the passages that talk about the inner workings of Team Biden during Joe's chaotic 2024 campaign and discuss how the influence of a cer…
…
continue reading

1
Trump's Top Ad Man Pulls Back the Curtain On 2024
48:36
48:36
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
48:36On the last podcast, Amy talked with Chauncey McLean, head of the Democratic super PAC Future Forward, about their media strategy for Kamala Harris and why things didn't work out as they had hoped. For this podcast, we turn to the ad strategy of the Trump campaign with John Brabender, the chief creative officer for the media company BrabenderCox. J…
…
continue reading

1
The Inside Story of the Wild Final Days of the Biden Campaign With Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes
37:13
37:13
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
37:13Tara is joined by NBC senior political analyst Jonathan Allen and senior political journalist for The Hill, Amie Parnes, to discuss their latest book, ‘Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House,’ a behind-the-scenes account of the events surrounding Joe Biden stepping down in the presidential race through the end of Kamala Harris’s unpre…
…
continue reading

1
Mark Cuban Says Elon Musk Would be Fired from Tech Support
1:00:35
1:00:35
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:35Tara is joined by billionaire entrepreneur and ‘Shark Tank’ co-host Mark Cuban to talk about all the hot political topics currently burning up the Hill. During their wide-ranging conversation, they cover the possible negative effects of Donald Trump’s ambitious tariffs, Elon Musk’s role in the White House, Signalgate, AI, and much more. For more of…
…
continue reading

1
How Musk Became Addicted to Trump With Teddy Schleifer
36:04
36:04
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
36:04Tara starts the pod with an update on the Department of Defense text chain scandal currently rocking Capitol Hill. She is then joined by Teddy Schleifer from The New York Times in front of a live audience at the Sine Institute to discuss Elon Musk’s rise to the forefront of the Trump administration and subsequent red-pilling of the tech industry. T…
…
continue reading

1
Texting War Plans & How Democrats Get Their Shit Together with Matt Bennett
37:56
37:56
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
37:56Tara begins the show by discussing Pete Hegseth accidentally sending war plans in a group chat that included Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor in chief of The Atlantic; a preview of her newsletter, where she has the details to a secret AI conference; and more. Then she welcomes Matthew Bennett, and they discuss Axios’s Alex Thompson’s list on why the De…
…
continue reading

1
Data Analytics Was Supposed To Be How Dems Dominated Politics. That Didn't Happen in 2024.
54:31
54:31
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
54:31Back in the 2012 cycle, Chauncey McLean was a young staffer on the Obama campaign working in the newly developing field of data analytics. Six years later, McLean put those data science skills - and the ones he developed while working in the private sector testing ads for commercial products - to work as head of the Democratic super PAC, Future For…
…
continue reading

1
Alex Isenstadt on Trump's Revenge Tour and Return to the White House
36:44
36:44
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
36:44Tara is joined by political reporter Alex Isenstadt to discuss his new book, ‘Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power.’ He shares his intel on Trump’s political moves, campaign strategy, and cabinet selections. They go over some of Trump’s quotes in the book, and he shares what the Republican campaign team was planning for after Joe Bi…
…
continue reading

1
Musk Tea, Schumer Fury, and Tariffs Hit the Heartland With North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong
35:04
35:04
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
35:04Tara is joined by Gov. Kelly Armstrong to discuss Donald Trump’s tariffs and government cuts. They break down the Republican budget resolution decision that the Democrats passed in December, which is now blindsiding them. She asks Gov. Armstrong about Trump and Musk’s DOGE sledgehammer to government agencies, tariffs and how that affects North Dako…
…
continue reading

1
Why Men of Color Might Be the New Swing Voters
39:49
39:49
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
39:49We've been wanting to have Terrence Woodbury on the podcast for a long time. The reason is that he's a pollster who has done some amazing work with demographic groups that made a big difference in the presidential race last year, but also in previous cycles: Black voters, voters of color, and younger voters. And if many Democrats were surprised by …
…
continue reading

1
Why Trump Is Toying With the Market, With Marc Caputo and Teddy Schleifer
41:57
41:57
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
41:57Tara is joined by Marc Caputo and Teddy Schleifer to discuss the state of the White House and the economy. Tara gets their perspective on Elon Musk’s power over Trump’s economic decisions and cabinet, as well as what they expect Democratic and Republican responses to the declining stock market will be. Host: Tara Palmeri Guests: Marc Caputo and Ted…
…
continue reading

1
Congressman Jason Crow takes on the Democrats' Authenticity Crisis
44:29
44:29
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
44:29Tara is joined by Colorado Rep. Jason Crow to explain his walkout during Donald Trump’s address to Congress last Tuesday. They discuss the Republican decision to extend Joe Biden’s budget, which was passed in December, in hopes to reroute it toward border control and defense. Additionally, they break down the potential repercussions of freezing gov…
…
continue reading

1
Republicans Twist Their Talking Points After the Zelenskyy Meltdown
46:26
46:26
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
46:26Tara is joined by political adviser Joe Hack to discuss an eventful and fiery past few days on the Hill. They break down the political fallout from Donald Trump’s contentious Oval Office meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, preview the president’s State of the Union address, and speculate on the future star of the Democratic Party. For more of Tara’s …
…
continue reading
Last year, as March Madness kicked into gear, there was one athlete everyone seemed to be talking about: Caitlin Clark. The then University of Iowa guard was on her way to leading her team to the NCAA finals, selling out stadiums everywhere she went and creating an unprecedented level of excitement around women's basketball. This interest followed …
…
continue reading
Tara starts the pod by recapping a highly chaotic week for the Trump administration. She’s then joined by Michael LaRosa, former press secretary for Jill Biden, in front of an audience at American University for her Sine Institute seminar on changing media. They discuss and dissect Jake Tapper’s upcoming book about the alleged top-level cover-up of…
…
continue reading

1
Editors Roundtable: 2026 House Races We Couldn't Agree On And Why Our Ratings Will Change
29:33
29:33
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
29:33This is a special episode in your podcast feed. You are about to hear a recent edition of Editors Roundtable, our Cook Political Report podcast where our team of editors trades behind-the-scenes analysis and dives into the weeds on races and elections. If you're a political junkie - and chances are high that you are if you're listening to this - su…
…
continue reading

1
MAGA Senator Jim Banks on Short-Term Tariff "Pain," Trump’s Fullback Elon, and How the Midwest Can Grow With MAHA
45:33
45:33
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
45:33Tara is joined by freshman Senator Jim Banks (R-Indiana) to discuss Trump’s policy decisions in the first month of his second term, including whether he views Elon Musk as a conflict of interest for the Trump administration, his level of concern over potential tariffs hitting his home state, what to make of the MAHA movement, and his thoughts on wh…
…
continue reading

1
Chuck Todd on Political Journalism and Why He's Passionate About Local News
52:10
52:10
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
52:10Few people in Washington have shaped the political media ecosystem like Chuck Todd. Amy first met Chuck more than 25 years ago when he was the editor of what was then one of the most innovative news media disruptors of its time - The Hotline. The Hotline was political media's first aggregator using the breakthrough technology of the 1990s - the fax…
…
continue reading

1
Rep. Brendan Boyle on the DOGE-Heads and How the Democrats Lost P.A.
55:18
55:18
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
55:18In this special episode, recorded live in front of a group of students at American University in Washington, D.C., Tara Palmeri talks with Pennsylvania representative Brendan Boyle about what went wrong in the state in the 2024 election, Elon Musk's takeover of Washington, Donald Trump's current approval rating, Chuck Schumer's strategies to counte…
…
continue reading

1
Senator John Fetterman on the Latest in Gaza, "Toxic" Democrats, and Why They Can't Win Over White Men
51:24
51:24
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
51:24Host Tara Palmeri welcomes Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) for a wide-ranging conversation about President Trump's plans for Gaza, how he views Trump's flurry of executive orders in the first three weeks of his presidency, Trump's ties to the tech billionaires, Elon Musk's increasing role in the government, why the Democrats can't secure votes from w…
…
continue reading

1
All the Tea From the DNC Elections With Party Insider Alex Hoffman
39:05
39:05
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
39:05Host Tara Palmeri begins by discussing the latest moves from the Trump administration and the ripple effects they could send throughout the economy. Then, Democratic insider Alex Hoffman tells Tara about what he witnessed at this past weekend’s DNC elections, where the party selected Minnesota’s Ken Martin to help the Democrats rise from the ashes …
…
continue reading

1
"This is not chaos for chaos's sake." Molly Ball on Trump 2.0.
55:23
55:23
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
55:23Whether you expected it or not, it seems pretty safe to say that President Trump's first days have been defined by its intensity, a very fast moving news cycle, and often, the trademark chaos we remember from his first term. And that's why we love conversations like this one with The Wall Street Journal's Molly Ball. She's the kind of journalist wh…
…
continue reading

1
That Day When Trump Shut Down the Government, With Shanti Stanton
31:32
31:32
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
31:32Tara starts the pod with an update on the fallout from Donald Trump’s federal funding freeze, and Robert Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation hearings. She’s then joined by lobbyist and consultant with Oxford Strategies, Shanti Stanton, to talk about the legalities of Trump’s executive orders, examine Elon Musk’s role in the chaos, and discuss what this mean…
…
continue reading

1
Is $TRUMP an Open Wallet for Foreign Actors? With Kevin Cirilli and Natalie Brunell
42:59
42:59
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
42:59Tara is joined by cryptocurrency industry expert Kevin Cirilli and host of the ‘Coin Stories’ podcast Natalie Brunell to discuss the state of digital currency heading into the new Donald Trump administration. They discuss the viability of cryptocurrency and Bitcoin in the U.S. economy, speculate on Trump’s actual geopolitical vision for digital cur…
…
continue reading

1
Trump’s D.C. Takeover and Obama Love Queries With Meghan McCain
48:05
48:05
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
48:05Tara joins Meghan McCain on her podcast, ‘Citizen McCain,’ to share her firsthand experiences from Donald Trump’s inauguration proceedings and the accompanying events. They then break down all the rumors surrounding Team Trump, discuss the upcoming confirmation hearings, and even spill some tea on the Obamas. To check out more of Meghan on the ‘Cit…
…
continue reading

1
Gen Z's Gender Divide Goes Beyond Politics
41:34
41:34
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
41:34We are kicking things off with a topic Amy has been fascinated by - the gender divide in American politics and why it’s so pronounced among Gen Z. In the past, young voters have reliably supported the Democratic candidate for president, regardless of gender. Just four years ago, a majority of both young men and young women voted for Joe Biden. But …
…
continue reading

1
Trump’s American Carnage Inauguration Sequel With Marc Caputo
44:58
44:58
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
44:58Tara is joined by Axios’ Marc Caputo from Donald Trump’s inauguration in Washington, D.C., to share their instant reactions to the events of the day and over the preceding weekend. They discuss the highlights of Trump’s speech, differentiate the rhetoric from his actual presidential intentions, and talk about their favorite moments from the event. …
…
continue reading

1
Get ready for a new season of The Odd Years!
1:12
1:12
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:12We started The Odd Years in 2023, which was both a literal odd numbered year, and also a political odd year; a year when there were no national elections. But Amy enjoyed these conversations so much - and so did you - that we kept going into 2024 even though it was an even year. We just couldn’t help ourselves. As we head into another odd year, we …
…
continue reading

1
Why the Dirt on Trump's Cabinet Picks Won't Stick With Pat Dennis
34:21
34:21
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
34:21Tara is joined by Pat Dennis, president of the Democratic Super PAC American Bridge 21st Century, to discuss the viability of Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees and the media’s role in exposing their inefficiencies to the American public. They shine a light on the dark world of political opposition research, speculate on which of Trump’s controversial…
…
continue reading

1
Trump’s Ex-Border Chief Ken Cuccinelli on Deporting 20 Million People
51:51
51:51
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
51:51Tara is joined by ex-deputy secretary of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli to talk about the viability of Donald Trump’s ambitious immigration reforms on the eve of his inauguration. They discuss the legality of using the military to execute mass deportations, debate the effects they will have on the American people, and break down the national and …
…
continue reading

1
Trump Manifests Greenland, Canada, and the Gulf With Matthew Bartlett
35:00
35:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
35:00Tara is joined by former Trump administration appointee and political consultant Matthew Bartlett to discuss the viability of Donald Trump’s ambitious legislative agenda as we approach Inauguration Day. They analyze Trump’s provocative Mar-a-Lago press conference from earlier in the week, speculate on what his first days in office will be like, and…
…
continue reading

1
Elon Eyes European Domination With Raheem Kassam
49:32
49:32
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
49:32Tara is joined by British political activist and adviser Raheem Kassam to discuss and compare the current states of right-wing populism in England and the United States. They shine a light on the rising influence of the Reform party and its ideological leader (Nigel Farage) in U.K. politics, analyze Elon Musk’s political moves in Europe, and talk a…
…
continue reading

1
How History Will Judge Joe Biden with Presidential Historian Doug Brinkley
50:18
50:18
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
50:18As President Biden prepares to leave American politics after 50 years of service, presidential historian Douglas Brinkley joins Tara Palmeri to reflect on Biden’s legacy. Will the history books remember him fondly for his dedication to the American people, or will a controversial final year in office overshadow President Biden's lifetime of work? P…
…
continue reading

1
Measuring the Limits of Trump’s Power With Constitutional Scholar John Yoo
50:22
50:22
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
50:22Tara is joined by legal scholar and former political advisor John Yoo to discuss the parameters of Donald Trump’s executive power as we head closer to his upcoming presidency. They examine the myriad ways Trump can manipulate the justice system, talk about the ways he can strengthen his influence further, and shine a light on the viability of some …
…
continue reading

1
Season 2, Episode 12: A Deeper Understanding of Swing State Voters
35:02
35:02
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
35:02For our final show of 2024, we are bringing you a conversation we recorded a couple weeks ago with the Cook Political Report's David Wasserman and the two pollsters who collaborated with the our team on 2024 Swing State Project. We started the project in the spring of 2024 in order to get a deeper understanding of the issues, concerns, and prioriti…
…
continue reading

1
Trump’s Former Political Director on How He Wields His Political Capital
36:52
36:52
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
36:52Tara is joined by political strategist and Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign manager, Bill Stepien, to dissect Trump’s mindset as he gets his cabinet ready for his upcoming presidency. They examine his current level of power in D.C., break down the paths forward for his legislative agenda, and examine his mercurial relationship with pollsters. For more …
…
continue reading
Tara is joined by writer, Iraq War veteran, and host of the ‘Independent Americans’ podcast Paul Rieckhoff to discuss Pete Hegseth’s bid to be secretary of defense in Donald Trump’s upcoming administration. They break down the tactics MAGA devotees are employing to pressure senators into accepting Pete’s nomination, examine the culture wars develop…
…
continue reading
Tara is joined by Puck’s own Dylan Byers to talk about Donald Trump’s relationship with the media and investigative journalism. They discuss how Trump’s previous administration altered modern political discourse, speculate on the future of big cable news after the last election cycle, and shine a light on how the media has to change the way it cove…
…
continue reading

1
What’s Left of Joe Biden’s Legacy? With Michael LaRosa and Chris Cillizza.
1:01:08
1:01:08
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:01:08Tara is joined by political commentator Chris Cillizza and former press secretary for Jill Biden Michael LaRosa to analyze Joe Biden’s presidential résumé as we head toward the end of his administration. They speculate on the effect Hunter Biden’s controversial pardon will have on Joe’s legacy, shine a light on Jill Biden’s influence on the preside…
…
continue reading

1
Will the Republican Senate Deny Trump His Carnival Cabinet?
51:05
51:05
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
51:05Tara is joined by adviser and lobbyist Joe Hack to discuss the most recent developments within President-Elect Donald Trump’s increasingly controversial cabinet selection process. They profile the parade of nominees, break down the systematic nomination process, and take a look at some of the GOP members of the Senate who could stand in the way of …
…
continue reading
In a special Black Friday edition of the program, Tara Palmeri is joined by former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley, who recently announced his decision to run for chair of the Democratic National Committee. First, O’Malley discuses what went wrong in the presidential election for the Democrats and how the Democrats plan to learn from their mistak…
…
continue reading

1
The Pollsters review the pollsters in 2024
1:11:02
1:11:02
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:11:02Margie and Kristen return after a four-year hiatus! In this one-off episode, The Pollsters catch listeners up on their lives and review the performance of polls leading up to the 2024 Presidential Election. Did pollsters get it right? Or wrong? Or somewhere in-between? Listen to find out!By Margie Omero & Kristen Soltis Anderson
…
continue reading