Talking Feds

David Graham, former Senator Heidi Heitkamp, and Norm Ornstein join Harry to break down another strange week in Trumpland. Alex Vindman’s shocking defeat in Florida’s Democratic Senate primary intensified debates about how much appetite the party has for the all-out “Resistance” tactics of Trump 1.0, including impeachment. Meanwhile, the story of the beleaguered USS Abraham Lincoln prompted new criticism of the administration’s wartime failings. And finally, what’s the deal with Trump’s emotional support aide and “human printer,” Natalie Harp?

Mentioned in this episode:David's reporting.Norm's podcast.David Frum's article about the "Resistance."Jonathan Chait's article about the "Resistance."

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The midterms are just around the corner and there's already a shadow war raging over their outcome. Election law guru Marc Elias spends his days battling the Trump administration’s attempts to stack the deck. With November looming, Harry asks Marc for a tour of worst-case scenarios of election theft or interference. For each, Marc lays out the dangers, the stakes, and the potential countermoves. Together, the two explain what listeners can rest easy about, and what threats aren’t getting enough attention.

Mentioned in this episode:Democracy Docket.Democracy Docket's YouTube.Harry's column about grassroots protests again Citizens Bank's ties with ICE.


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Faced with a worsening midterm map and spiraling conflict with Iran, Donald Trump is focusing on what really matters: his crusade to reshape Washington. Kristen Holmes, Adam Klasfeld, and Tara Setmayer join Harry to break down the monument mania. The panel digs in to the new Kennedy Center scheme, the ballroom appeal, and Jeanine Pirro’s mysterious special grand jury. The group then turns to an ugly scandal for an Ohio Republican that seems to tarnish his whole party—plus Trump's flight switcheroo in Turkey and its unsettling consequences.

Mentioned in this episode:Kristen's reporting.Adam's reporting.Tara's Substack.

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After an ICE agent shot Renee Good, observers looked to the elite squad of federal prosecutors tasked with investigating such shootings: the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. The Division did nothing. It marked a sad chapter for an institution that, as historian Kevin M. Kruse explains, spent decades fighting for justice against long odds. Together, Kruse and Harry discuss the Division’s proud past, its perversion under Trump, and—zooming out—Trump’s attack on American history itself.

Kruse's forthcoming book bears this working title: The Division: John Doar, the Justice Department, and the Civil Rights Movement.

Mentioned in this episode:Kruse's newsletter.

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Liz Oyer, Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, and Charlie Sykes join Harry to break down a week of embarrassments for Donald Trump, offset partly by Todd Blanche’s confirmation as Attorney General. The panel weighs the iniquity of the Senate’s vote, then digs into a court’s forceful rejection of Trump’s ballroom and the fallout from the shambolic Reflecting Pool prosecution. Finally, the group focuses on the administration’s deportation push, which is speeding up even as it fades from the headlines.

Mentioned in this episode:Liz's Substack.Liz's podcast.Charlie's Substack.Penn Live's immigration coverage.The D.C. Appeals Court's ballroom opinion.Harry's column about the latest in the reflecting pool case.

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