Zaslav’s Junk Era

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to make sense of a frenetic week in Washington, from the ICE shooting in Minneapolis to classified national security briefings on Venezuela. They also dig into growing anxiety over Trump’s interest in seizing Greenland, a bloc of Republicans breaking ranks to join Democrats in extending Obamacare health subsidies, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

8 Jan 20min

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to discuss Trump’s turn from isolationism to interventionism in the wake of the Venezuela raid. Drawing on Trump’s first term, Ioffe explains how earlier risk-free strikes taught him that he could attack foreign targets without escalation, retaliation, or U.S. boots on the ground—potentially emboldening him to stay in attack mode.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

7 Jan 24min

Abby Livingston joins Peter with fresh reporting from Capitol Hill on how Republicans and Democrats are responding to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Then they turn to Tim Walz’s decision to abandon his reelection bid for Minnesota governor amid a mounting social services scandal, and what the episode reveals about the increasingly brutal realities of modern political life. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

6 Jan 23min

Jon Kelly and Peter are reunited to discuss CBS’s fascinating new set of principles and then delve into Netflix’s decision to plow into broadcasting podcasts. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

5 Jan 26min

In the second part of a special crossover episode, John Heilemann welcomes New York Times columnist, podcasting dynamo, and de facto Democratic strategist Ezra Klein to discuss the state of the nation: Trump, tariffs, the looming Newsom–Vance showdown, and more.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2 Jan 1h 34min

In a special crossover event, John Heilemann welcomes two of the Pod Save America dudes to the show for the first installment of a two-part, year-end review of the national political scene in 2025. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1 Jan 1h 19min

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to discuss the peace negotiations between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S., and whether Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent tête-à-tête with Trump at Mar-a-Lago actually moved the needle. They dig into Zelensky’s strategic concessions, Russia’s ostensible military advantages, Europe’s reluctance to offer meaningful security guarantees, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

31 Des 202522min

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to chart the headwinds facing Republican members in next year’s midterm elections. As Leigh Ann notes, the G.O.P. has struggled with economic messaging, Trump has said he’s “done” working with Congress for the rest of his term, and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will be more than a year old when members start campaigning next fall. Is a blue wave inevitable? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

30 Des 202523min