The embattled leadership of the Republican Party came together in a show of solidarity this week. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was joined by House Speaker Mike Johnson for a press conference at Trump’s Mar-A-Lago compound. Tru

Trump’s abortion position? Leave it up to the states

13 days ago 50m 55s

This week, former President Donald Trump took credit for leaving decisions about abortion bans up to individual states, while pledging to maintain that choice for states if he’s re-elected. Can we expect the lack of federal guidance on individu

Will congressional candidates suffer from voters’ fatigue with Biden, Trump?

20 days ago 51m 9s

Donald Trump and Joe Biden aren’t the only ones preparing for a tight race this year. With every House seat and a third of Senate seats up for grabs in November, both Democrats and Republicans are hoping to take control of Congress. But will co

What’s behind the recent wave of Congressional exits?

27 days ago 51m 6s

Two dozen Democrats and over 20 Republicans plan to retire from Congress this year. Several members of the House have chosen to end their terms early, making the situation especially difficult for an already tight GOP majority. The most recent

What’s driving the divide between Netanyahu and the White House?

Mar 22nd, 2024 50m 54s

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer upset critics on the right when he called for an election in Israel to remove Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister. Schumer’s counterpart, Mitch McConnell, called the move “disrespectful” of Israeli democrac

This election season, will media learn from past mistakes?

Mar 15th, 2024 51m 10s

An election rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump became official after the two clinched the nominations for their respective parties this week. Media outlets have experience reporting on the two of them, but the stakes seem higher this ti

Voters, not courts, to decide 2024 election

Mar 8th, 2024 51m 10s

In a 9-0 decision, the Supreme Court found that Colorado did not have the power to remove Donald Trump from the state’s primary ballot. Though the justices had a difference of opinion on how the ruling was decided, their overall agreement was t

How Mitch McConnell changed the courts and US politics

Mar 1st, 2024 51m 8s

Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell announced that he would step down from his role as Senate minority leader this November, though he’ll still be a senator through the end of his term. McConnell had been the head of the Senate’s Republican member

Will Navalny’s death motivate the US to act in Ukraine?

Feb 23rd, 2024 50m 35s

Mourning continues after the death of Alexei Navalny, a Russian opposition leader and one of Vladimir Putin’s most vocal critics. Navalny, who returned to Russia in 2021 following an attempted poisoning, died in a remote prison last Friday. His

Are we failing to put Trump and Biden concerns into proper context?

Feb 16th, 2024 51m 41s

Donald Trump made waves with a speech at a campaign rally in South Carolina last week. The former president recalled an encounter with a leader of a NATO country, where he threatened to withhold U.S. protection from Russia if the country didn’t

Republicans’ horrible, no good, very bad week in Congress

Feb 9th, 2024 50m 39s

A tumultuous week in Congress centered around the failure of a comprehensive immigration and national security bill. Democrats in the Senate compromised on demands by Republicans for tighter border measures. The hope was that it would help secu

Who’s in charge at the border?

Feb 2nd, 2024 51m 10s

A drone attack on a United States military base in Jordan killed three servicemembers. President Biden announced that a decision had been made on responding to the attack, though details weren’t shared. The White House did say Iranian-backed mi

How can Biden, Trump can get voters to believe in their visions?

Jan 26th, 2024 51m 29s

A rematch of the 2020 presidential election seems unavoidable. Most voters may be disappointed by the choice between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, whose victory in the New Hampshire Republican primary made his nomination a near certainty. Presi

What did Trump’s Iowa victory reveal about the political landscape?

Jan 19th, 2024 51m 30s

Donald Trump’s path to the GOP nomination kicked off with a win in the Iowa caucus this week, which some media outlets announced early. One key to his victory was outperforming among demographics he struggled with in the 2016 primary. Ron DeSa

Democracy is on the ballot (and the docket) in 2024

Jan 12th, 2024 51m 10s

Donald Trump is appealing the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling that his role in the January 6 Capitol riots classifies as engaging in insurrection and thus disqualifies him from appearing on the state’s Republican primary ballot. The Colorado ju

Can Haley, Desantis keep the spotlight after Iowa?

Jan 5th, 2024 50m 32s

The Iowa caucus is two weeks — and one Republican debate — away. The crowded GOP field has narrowed down to three. Is there a miracle in store for Ron Desantis or Nikki Haley that would allow them to overcome Donald Trump’s commanding lead? Or

What 2024 could mean for trust in the judiciary, journalism

Dec 29th, 2023 50m 40s

As 2023 comes to a close, speculation about what the government will look like this time next year is running wild. The nation will be readying for a second term of either Donald Trump or Joe Biden as president. But are the foundations of the n

Why Colorado court’s ruling (probably) won’t spell an end for Trump

Dec 22nd, 2023 50m 40s

The Colorado Supreme Court determined, by a vote of 4-3, that Donald Trump was ineligible to be on the state’s ballots. The court found the former president engaged in insurrection against the United States — a charge he hasn’t been found guilt

Biden calls out Bibi

Dec 15th, 2023 50m 40s

President Biden’s steadfast support for Israel since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack is looking less steadfast this week. At a donor event, Biden warned, “They’re starting to lose [international] support by indiscriminate bombing that takes place.” Our

Why is the House focusing on antizionism while addressing antisemitism?

Dec 8th, 2023 52m 23s

A rise in antisemitism in the wake of Israel’s war with Hamas caught the attention of the House of Representatives this past week. Members of the House held a hearing with college presidents addressing antisemitic incidents on campuses. They al

Will Biden’s leadership hold under pressure?

Dec 1st, 2023 51m 44s

A temporary pause on fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas was agreed upon with the help of President Biden and the Qatari government. It’s a volatile situation, relying on the continued trade-off of hostages and prisoners between the two s

Reading the tea leaves of early polling

Nov 24th, 2023 51m 6s

With the primary season just around the corner, voters can expect an influx of polling data. Sorting through it all can be tricky. David Wasserman of the non-partisan Cook Political Report discusses what numbers we should be paying attention to

Congress avoids a shutdown — and doesn’t seem thrilled about it

Nov 17th, 2023 53m 17s

Congress agreed to a new spending bill this week to avoid a government shutdown. The bill relies on the same type of structured deadlines that cost former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy his party’s support and eventually his job. New Speaker Mike

Will Dems’ success this week boost Biden in 2024?

Nov 10th, 2023 51m 10s

It was Election Day in several states this week. Voters hit the polls to decide on abortion as a constitutional right in Ohio. Kentucky and Mississippi made their choice for governor. And every state legislative seat in Virginia was up for grab

Regulating AI: What’s the government’s power?

Nov 3rd, 2023 51m 37s

President Biden signed a sweeping order focused on reinforcing safety, security, and trust in artificial intelligence. It creates federal guardrails for the continuously evolving technology, while advocating for its development. The government