The Excerpt

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Get context, not just headlines. Every weekday The Excerpt brings USA TODAY's award-winning journalists from across the nation together to unpack the nation’s most pressing stories — from politics and culture to sports and entertainment — with host Dana Taylor.

2 DAYS AGO

Teens are turning to AI for connection, with dangerous results

Teenagers are increasingly using AI chatbots for friendship, emotional support, and even romance. When 14-year-old Soul Setzer III formed an intense bond with a character on Character AI, his mother didn’t know what was happening until it was too late. USA TODAY Wellness Reporter Alyssa Goldberg walks us through the lawsuit, the platform’s design, what her own testing revealed and new research showing how widespread — and risky — AI relationships have become for minors. If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

18 min
3 DAYS AGO

What drives us to carry out acts of kindness for total strangers?

In honor of World Kindness Day — we’ve partnered with the Humankind team at USA TODAY for a deeper exploration on the topic of compassion. What drives us to carry out acts of kindness for total strangers and how can we actively cultivate this selflessness as a society? Abigail Marsh, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Georgetown University, joins The Excerpt to talk about empathy and altruism — why we help, even when it costs us. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

14 min
4 DAYS AGO

The government shutdown caused a lot of pain for Americans

Nobody seems to have gotten everything they wanted out of the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Not the Democrats. Not the Republicans. And definitely not the American people whose healthcare premiums are set to dramatically rise in 2026, whose SNAP benefits aren't yet fully funded and whose air travel has been greatly disrupted. Was it worth it? USA TODAY Congress reporter Zach Schermele joins The Excerpt to talk through the fallout. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

15 min
5 DAYS AGO

Golden parachutes for failed college football coaches become the norm

College football season this year is…. different. How so, you ask? It’s not just the breakout success of Indiana’s Hoosiers and the crushing disappointment of Penn State, although those are both noteworthy developments. It’s the golden parachutes being doled out to bad coaches from public schools. Some of the biggest parachutes we’ve so far include Penn State’s payout to coach James Franklin to the tune of $49 million dollars. We also have another big payout to Brian Kelly at LSU. So far across the country, we’re looking at millions in go-away payouts for failing college football coaches from public colleges, colleges where many students continue to take on exorbitant debt to earn a degree. Is this okay? USA TODAY Senior National College Football Writer Matt Hayes and USA TODAY Sports Project Reporter Steve “Berk” Berkowitz join USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to dig into all of it. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

14 min
6 DAYS AGO

Migrants are heading south now, not north

After record highs in 2024, border crossings have collapsed. ICE raids, deportations and new asylum limits are now driving a wave of reverse migration. Arizona Republic Immigration Reporter Daniel González shares what he saw in Mexico and Panama — and what comes next. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

13 min
7 NOV

How an unlikely alliance saved the U.S. fishing industry

It wasn’t so long ago that America’s fisheries were in a state of collapse, with cratering fish stocks and well-meaning but impractical government regulations threatening the livelihoods of 1.6 million people and a $180 billion dollar industry. But then, an unlikely alliance of environmental activists and commercial fishermen kind of miraculously turned things around, leaving the nation’s four million square miles of fishing grounds healthier -- and more profitable -- than they’ve been in decades. Buddy Guindon, a commercial fisherman on the Texas Gulf Coast, and Scott Hickman, a charter fisherman who once saw Buddy and his ilk as ruthless competitors for ever-more-elusive fish join The Excerpt to share their stories. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

22 min
6 NOV

Are Trump's tariffs legal? The Supreme Court hears arguments

By imposing sweeping tariffs on foreign imports, President Donald Trump has turned US trade policy on its head. The question now before the Supreme Court is whether the president has the legal authority to increase tariffs without explicit congressional approval. Last month, President Trump said he might attend yesterday’s Supreme Court arguments in the case. He did not, but his statement underscores his investment here. Should he lose, the U.S. will have to return billions of dollars already collected, a logistical nightmare. USA TODAY Supreme Court Correspondent Maureen Groppe joins The Excerpt to discuss yesterday’s oral arguments in the case. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

18 min
5 NOV

Democrats escape the political wilderness with Mamdani win

Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the Nov. 4 election not only makes him the leader of the Big Apple; It also turns him, for better or worse, into one of the most high-profile Democrats in the country. New York mayors always command national attention because of their role running America’s biggest city. Mamdani won’t take office until January. But for months, his face has been splashed across Americans’ television screens and news feeds. He’s the mayor-elect of New York. Will he also be America’s mayor? USA TODAY National Correspondent Michael Collins joins The Excerpt to explain. * This episode referred to Mamdani's generation incorrectly. He is part of Gen Y not Gen Z. Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

12 min

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Dana Taylor

Host
Taylor Wilson

Host

Get context, not just headlines. Every weekday The Excerpt brings USA TODAY's award-winning journalists from across the nation together to unpack the nation’s most pressing stories — from politics and culture to sports and entertainment — with host Dana Taylor.