The Chuck ToddCast

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The Chuck ToddCast is back! If you're looking for smart, no-nonsense political conversation, you've come to the right place. The Chuck ToddCast goes beyond the headlines, featuring conversations with top reporters, insiders, and newsmakers from D.C. to the heartland. No scripts, no spin—just real discussions about what’s shaping our politics and why it matters.

  1. 12 hr ago

    Alabama: How the Crimson Tide Took Over College Football (Part 1)

    Chuck Todd and J.A. Adande explore the origins of the Crimson Tide and the remarkable rise of Bear Bryant. From Alabama’s early Rose Bowl triumphs and the beginnings of the Crimson Tide name to Bryant’s near-departure for the Miami Dolphins, they trace the moments that helped turn Alabama into the standard of college football. They also examine one of the most complicated chapters in the program’s history: integration, Bear Bryant’s role in a changing South, and Alabama’s landmark 1970 matchup with USC. It’s the story of how football became inseparable from Alabama—and how the foundation was laid for one of the greatest dynasties in sports history. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Alabama: How the Crimson Tide Took Over College Football (Part 1)

  2. 12 hr ago ·  Bonus

    You Might Also Like: Rebuilding L.A.

    Introducing Earth, Wind, And Fire (Humans, too): The Multiple Factors Impacting California's Wildfires (with UCLA's Alex Hall) from Rebuilding L.A.. Follow the show: Rebuilding L.A. Climate change isn’t getting nearly as much credit for last January’s destructive fires as it once did. Evidence of failed electrical equipment, alleged arson, and government missteps has dominated the conversation. But when you talk to the scientists and the researchers, the risks posed by climate change are still very much in the mix. But human activity plays a role, too.   UCLA professor and climate scientist, Alex Hall, joins host Kate Cagle to talk about how we can better prepare ourselves for the next mega-fire, including a proposal to create a classification system -- and a standardized response -- for Santa Ana wind storms, similar to the one we use for hurricanes in the U.S.   GUEST: Alex Hall, Director, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA   Study: Climate Change A Factor In Unprecedented LA Fires: https://sustainablela.ucla.edu/2025lawildfires Expert Perspective: Wildland Fuels Management Would Not Have Saved Us from the January 2025 LA FiresCalifornia Ecosystem Futures: The Future of California Drought, Fire, and Forest Dieback: https://www.ioes.ucla.edu/project/future-california-drought-fire-forest-dieback/   DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

    You Might Also Like: Rebuilding L.A.

  3. 1 day ago

    Interview Only w/ Jonathan Martin - Sizing Up The 2028 Presidential Contenders

    Politico politics bureau chief and senior political columnist Jonathan Martin joins the Chuck Toddcast for a reporter's-eye tour of the 2028 landscape, starting from an observation both men keep circling: the governing wing of each party is badly out of step with its own voters. Martin walks through the Democratic field with real granularity. Pete Buttigieg carries genuine Biden baggage and is fundamentally a creature of institutions — he isn't going to burn the house down, which is precisely why the left will never trust his establishment credentials, and why Martin wonders aloud whether his future might be more as an advisor than a candidate. On AOC, Martin's read is that the entire question is simply whether she runs: if she does, she's the lead car in the progressive lane and could clear it outright, and she'd be formidable in a crowded field. He notes it's no accident she reemerged right after El-Sayed's Michigan win, that she's been careful and disciplined about picking her spots during the primaries, and that she more than held her own speaking at Ebenezer Baptist church — which matters enormously given the Democratic calendar was explicitly designed to stymie progressives by putting South Carolina first. Martin isn't at all convinced Jon Ossoff runs, even though Ossoff checks every box on the list of things Democrats have historically wanted, and he thinks Abdul El-Sayed could be a genuinely formidable presidential candidate. The overarching question, as Martin frames it, is whether Democrats vote with their head or their heart in 2028 — a decision the November midterms will shape more than anything else. On the Republican side, they point out Vance simply wasn't a good candidate when he ran for Senate and needed both Trump and Peter Thiel to drag him over the finish line, that Rubio's presidential campaigns always ran into whoever's "turn" it was, and that the fastest way to lose in this environment is to be seen as one of the donor candidates. Vance's real challenge, Martin argues, is the Tucker Carlson model — and the open question of who carries that banner in 2028. He and Chuck agree the far left is currently stronger than the far right within their respective parties, and that insurgencies are a natural feature of the party out of power. Nothing, Martin says flatly, gets better for Republicans between now and the midterms; the Iranians want to humiliate Trump and Jimmy Carter him, and they're timing their moves to the American political calendar. They agree Democrats are either picking up two Senate seats or six with very little in between, and predict Greg Abbott will have to spend real money to win in Texas. Plus: why in-person interviews still beat remote ones, the disappearance of the old guard of Tennessee Republican politics, how Buttigieg's sexuality might factor into a national campaign, why online small-dollar money means Democrats no longer need to court only big donors — and whether UVA can actually contend in football this year.   Upgrade your everyday. Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.  Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM.  For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.  Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Jonathan Martin joins The Chuck ToddCast 01:30 Why in-person interviews are so much better than remote 03:30 The old guard of GOP politics in Tennessee are gone 05:30 The governing wing of each party aren’t agreeing with the voters 06:15 How does Pete Buttigieg navigate carrying “Biden baggage”? 06:45 Pete is a creature of the institutions, he won’t burn down the house 07:30 The left won’t ever trust Pete’s establishment credentials 08:30 How Pete’s sexuality could affect a presidential run 09:30 Is his future more in an advisor role than an elected official? 12:00 If AOC runs in 2028, she’ll be the lead car in the progressive lane 13:30 The question surrounding AOC is “will she or won’t she run” 14:00 The presidential campaign will be shaped by November midterms 14:30 Do the Dems go with their head or their heart in 28? 16:45 Insurgencies happen in this environment for party out of power 18:15 Nothing gets better between now and the midterms for Republicans 19:45 The Iranians want to humiliate Trump and “Jimmy Carter” him 20:45 Besides Vance, Rubio and Youngkin, who else might run for the GOP? 21:30 Who carries the Tucker Carlson banner in ‘28? 23:45 Vance was not a good candidate when he ran for senate 24:30 Vance needed Trump & Peter Thiel to get him over the finish line 25:30 Rubio’s campaigns were challenging the person whose turn it was 26:45 You don’t want to be seen as one of the “donor candidates” 27:30 Vance’s biggest challenge will be of the Tucker model 28:00 The far left is stronger than the far right 31:00 Democrats primary calendar designed to stymie progressives 32:00 Impact of South Carolina going first 33:30 AOC would clear progressive lane & be formidable in crowded field 34:30 Not at all convinced that Jon Ossoff runs in ‘28 35:00 Democrats have a type, and Ossoff checks all those boxes 36:15 Abdul El-Sayed could be formidable as a presidential candidate 37:00 AOC could emerge from South Carolina in a strong position 37:30 AOC held her own speaking at Ebenezer Baptist church 38:15 Not an accident AOC reemerged after El-Sayed’s win 40:15 AOC has been smart and careful to pick her spots during primaries 41:30 What will keep prominent Dems from running? 42:00 There’s lots of Dem donor money online, don’t need only big $ donors 43:30 Dems are either picking up two senate seats… or six 44:30 How cemented is the red/blue map? 47:00 Kansas could be ‘06 Indiana but Dem hasn’t won senate seat since 30s 48:15 Voters don’t like the public school funding cuts for vouchers 49:30 Greg Abbott will have to spend big to win his race 50:00 Will UVA be a contender in football? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Interview Only w/ Jonathan Martin - Sizing Up The 2028 Presidential Contenders

  4. 1 day ago

    TODDCAST SPECIAL REPORT Part 2 - Did The Lakers Sale Reveal The Next Financial Crisis Waiting To Happen?

    In Part 2 of this ToddCast Special Report, Chuck Todd picks up the thread where Part 1 left it: if an insurance company's capital cushion is determined by how risky its investments are judged to be, then who is doing the judging? The answer leads to private letter ratings — a corner of finance almost no one outside it has heard of, and one that has exploded in size. Wall Street Journal reporting by Shane Shiflett and Heather Gillers assembled data on nearly 18,000 privately rated instruments held by U.S. insurers, and the growth curve is the number to remember: roughly $47 billion in 2018 to roughly $480 billion seven years later, with one estimate putting total private credit in insurance portfolios near $1 trillion. Much of that grading runs through firms most people have never heard of, and Chuck focuses on Egan-Jones, which privately graded roughly $40 billion of debt held by U.S. insurers, faces a 2024 lawsuit from two former executives alleging they were fired after raising conflict-of-interest concerns and that the firm pressured staff to inflate ratings, has drawn SEC questions about its reliability, and in January was removed by Bermuda regulators from their list of recognized ratings providers — all of which Egan-Jones forcefully denies, saying it stands behind the integrity and independence of its work. Chuck is careful throughout about what this does and does not establish: agencies can legitimately disagree, private raters often see borrower information outsiders never will, and none of it means any particular rating is wrong. It means the ratings deserve scrutiny, because if the grade helps set the size of the rainy day fund, being wrong about the grade means being wrong about the cushion. From there the episode widens out. Chuck walks through what a clean audit opinion actually certifies versus what people assume it certifies, revisits Executive Life — the insurer that reached for yield in junk bonds in the 1980s and was eventually seized — as a more instructive warning than Enron or 2008, and is direct that this is not a story about an insurer on the brink: Group 1001 says it is cooperating fully and that its financial position remains sound, Delaware Life reported roughly $69 billion in assets as of March and Clear Spring roughly $16 billion, and no charges have been announced against the companies or any individuals. AM Best has affirmed both companies' A- (Excellent) financial strength ratings while revising their outlooks to negative following the reclassification of private credit investments from unaffiliated to affiliated. Complicated private assets are not insolvency; related-party exposure is not insolvency; a federal investigation is not insolvency. The question Chuck is actually chasing is structural — whether a system split across fifty state insurance departments, the SEC, the Fed, offshore reinsurance regulators, and private ratings firms can assemble the whole machine fast enough when one piece breaks, and whether the real lesson of the post-2008 era is that we made the banks safer without ever asking where the behavior would go. He lays out three ways this ends, six specific questions he'd chase with subpoena power he doesn't have, and — unusually — the exact evidence that would bring him back in six months to say the warning lights looked worse than the engine. Because capitalism doesn't run on money alone. It runs on people believing that a price means what it says, that a rating means something, and that somebody understands the risk underneath a promise made to a retiree thirty years out.  Timeline: 00:00 Recapping Part 1: inside Mark Walter's world of structured finance00:30 Who looked inside the box and decided how safe it was?01:00 Why the risk grade determines the size of an insurer's cushion01:30 Credit rating agencies as the report card for debt02:00 A better grade can mean less capital sitting behind it02:15 The special purpose vehicle, the note, and the rating02:45 Does the grade on the box accurately reflect what's inside?03:15 WSJ data on nearly 18,000 privately rated investments03:30 From $47 billion in 2018 to $480 billion seven years later03:45 One estimate puts private credit near $1 trillion in insurance portfolios04:15 What "privately rated" actually means04:30 Private letter ratings and what the public can't see05:00 Why the quality and independence of the rating matters so much05:15 Egan-Jones — and the Arthur Andersen flashback05:45 The ratings agencies you know, and the one you don't06:00 Roughly $40 billion of insurer-held debt privately rated by Egan-Jones06:15 Egan-Jones also rated the Dodgers TV network debt06:30 Following the chain from annuity customer to capital cushion06:45 Who pays the ratings agencies? The inherent tension07:15 The Journal's comparison: roughly one grade higher on average07:45 Egan-Jones strongly disputes the Journal's analysis08:00 Former executives' lawsuit alleging pressure to inflate ratings08:15 Egan-Jones denies it; the SEC has examined its processes08:30 Bermuda removed Egan-Jones as a recognized ratings provider08:45 Allianz's response: requiring a second rating09:15 This doesn't mean the ratings are wrong — it means scrutiny09:30 Enter the auditor: KPMG and the clean opinions10:00 What an audit opinion addresses — and what it doesn't10:30 The right question to ask about a clean opinion11:00 Executive Life: the more useful historical warning11:30 Junk bonds, Michael Milken, and the reach for yield12:00 How Executive Life ended — and why it isn't the same thing12:15 The evidence that cuts against the scariest version of this story12:30 Delaware Life's reported assets, capital, and surplus12:45 Financial strength ratings and what "A-" actually means13:00 The more recent caution from the ratings agencies13:30 This is not an insurer on the verge of seizure13:45 The real question: confidence in conventional measures of strength14:00 Why asset quality matters when you're backing promises14:30 The safety net: state guaranty associations14:45 And who ultimately pays for that safety net15:00 Accumulating echoes: Executive Life, Enron, and 200815:45 The warning lights of 202616:15 Not a crisis — but a reason to ask better questions16:30 Can regulators adapt as fast as the system is changing?17:00 What regulators are actually doing right now17:30 This is not asleep-at-the-switch17:45 The structural problem: nobody sees the whole machine18:15 Fifty states, fifty insurance departments18:45 Why we regulate different financial businesses differently19:00 Assembling the machine when each regulator holds one piece19:45 Finance moves at the speed of a term sheet20:15 Regulation moves at the speed of rulemaking20:45 Understanding regulatory arbitrage21:00 Same television, different rules21:45 Most regulatory arbitrage is perfectly legal22:00 But risk doesn't change just because the address does22:15 Why regulators are reconsidering what qualifies as a bond22:30 Show me what's inside the box, not the wrapping paper23:00 The rules are being rewritten — but the money is already there23:30 The mistake Washington may have made after 200824:00 You can't pass a law eliminating the desire to make money24:45 The campaign finance parallel25:00 We regulated the scene of the accident25:30 We get very good at preventing the last financial crisis26:00 Incentives work: if banks pull back, somebody else lends26:15 Maybe the behavior simply migrated27:15 The systemic stress test Chuck doesn't think we can pass27:45 Why the investigation is useful regardless of the outcome28:00 Looking through the legal boxes to the economics underneath28:30 Where the central argument lands29:15 What happens when something goes wrong? The honest answer29:30 The strongest case that nothing catastrophic happens30:00 Why private credit isn't structured like a bank run30:15 Longer-term liabilities and patient money30:45 Three ways this story could end31:00 Possibility one: Walter is the problem31:15 Possibility two: an extreme example of a manageable problem31:45 Possibility three: Walter is the X-ray32:00 What we do — and don't — have evidence of32:30 Being careful not to invent the next 200832:45 Where pressure could actually come from33:15 When patient money becomes less patient33:30 Other sources of insurance funding under stress33:45 Borrowing, credit lines, and reinsurance triggers34:00 Who else made a promise based on that valuation?34:15 Being fair to Delaware Life and Clear Spring34:45 The narrower question: how much stress can the cushions absorb?35:15 Back to the Lakers one last time35:45 Why you sell the thing you can sell36:00 What Chuck is and isn't ready to say36:30 If I had subpoena power: the reporting roadmap37:00 What open-source reporting can and can't do37:30 One: open the boxes and show the underlying assets37:45 Two: did the structure change the regulatory treatment?38:15 Schedule D vs. Schedule BA — show us the math38:30 Three: who graded the box, and on what information?38:45 Four: why did 3% become something vastly larger?39:00 Who made that judgment, and what changed after the subpoenas?39:30 Five: did the Lakers money actually matter?39:45 Six: how much stress can these insurers absorb?40:15 What we know, and what we don't40:30 The final test: what would make Chuck say he was too worried40:45 Show me the marks hold up41:15 "I'd love to make that podcast"41:30 What this story already tells us41:45 Coming back to Josh Kushner and the timing42:00 No evidence of a quid pro quo42:15 Why the political question is the smaller question42:45 The more consequential story43:00 The full thread: Lakers to Walter to Dodgers to private credit43:30 What we have and haven't established43:45 We reinforced the part of the house that burned down44:15 Every private equity firm wanted its own insurance company44:30 "Money always finds a way"45:00 The failure was assuming we'd solved the behavior45:15 Why this matters well beyond Wal

    TODDCAST SPECIAL REPORT Part 2 - Did The Lakers Sale Reveal The Next Financial Crisis Waiting To Happen?

  5. 5 days ago

    Interview Only w/ Ben Wikler - The Structural Reforms Democrats Can't Keep Ignoring

    Ben Wikler, the former Wisconsin Democratic Party chair and author of the new book This Is the Plan joins the Chuck Toddcast to argue that Democrats keep making the same category error: they keep winning change elections and then failing to deliver change, because they're trying to fix policy without first fixing the system that determines who gets to make policy. Wikler's framing is memorable and a little cheeky — you have to win the ring of power and then cast it into Mount Doom — but his point is serious. When the right wins power, it immediately restructures the system to entrench itself; Democrats win and then govern as though the rules are fixed. His plan runs through the state level, where free and fair elections are actually secured, and demands ending the filibuster and reforming the Supreme Court, including term limits for justices, because campaign finance reform is impossible without a Court willing to allow it. Wikler argues America is in the greatest period of political instability in its history, that inequality now exceeds the Gilded Age, that gerrymandering has left millions of people without a meaningful vote, and that both party bases increasingly want to fight more than they want to win — while swing and non-voters have simply given up on the system itself. He rejects the tired rebuilders-versus-renovators binary: FDR's Social Security pitch was a huge swing, incrementalism was the only path to Obamacare, and the actual art of politics is starting from values and vision and then figuring out what can pass. The conversation gets specific about Wisconsin and about trust. Wikler pushes back on the idea that Francesca Hong is too "Madison" for a statewide race, notes she's spent years traveling and listening across the state, and calls Tom Tiffany an election denier who is genuinely beatable in a cycle where affordability is the central issue. He and Chuck work through the puzzle of why Tony Evers' calm, steady approach succeeded where Biden's didn't — Evers came out forcefully against Dobbs, and, more fundamentally, you have to convince a majority of voters that government can actually work, which means doing what you said you'd do and then relentlessly telling people you did it. Wikler points to pandemic relief as the cautionary tale: those programs dramatically improved life for lower-income voters, the child tax credit cut child poverty in half, and then it all expired and Democrats got punished for the loss rather than credited for the gain — with an extension that had bipartisan support dying anyway, because the filibuster exists largely to deprive the other side of a win. He credits Ken Martin for investing in state parties, argues Democrats don't need a 50-state strategy so much as fifty different state strategies since the coalition looks different everywhere, and concedes that Trump has been the most successful Republican of this era, spawning an army of mini-mes modeling themselves on him. And yes, Chuck asks the obvious question — why not run for Senate yourself?    Thanks to the sponsors of The Chuck ToddCast: Upgrade your everyday. Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.  Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM.  For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck / *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.    Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Ben Wikler joins The Chuck ToddCast 01:00 Ben’s new book is “This Is The Plan” 01:15 What is the plan? 01:45 To get political change we need, we need to change the system 02:30 To secure free & fair elections, need to win at the state level 03:00 We need an end to the filibuster and Supreme Court reform 03:45 There’s no one office or candidate to get us out of this mess 05:45 We need to win the ring of power, then cast it into Mount Doom 06:15 When the right wins power, they immediately change systems 07:15 We keep having change elections, then not getting change 09:30 We’re in the greatest period of political instability in American history 12:30 Both party bases want to fight more than want to win 13:30 We’re so gerrymandered, people don’t really get a vote 15:00 Swing/Non voters have given up on the system itself 19:30 Are rebuilders or renovators going to win the argument? 20:00 FDR’s social security pitch was a big swing 22:30 Incrimentalism was the only way to pass Obamacare 23:15 The art of politics is values/vision, then figure out what can actually pass 24:15 A party should be able to change laws, then face the voters 25:30 Need to reform the Supreme Court to reform campaign finance laws 26:15 Advocate for term limits for Supreme Court justices in the book 26:45 Inequality is now worse than it was during the Gilded Age 28:00 Is Francesca Hong too “Madison” of a candidate for Wisconsin gov? 28:45 Hong has been traveling the state & listening for years 29:45 Wisconsin Dem gov primary has been topsy turvy 30:45 Tom Tiffany is an election denier & beatable candidate 32:00 Affordability is the central issue this election cycle 34:45 Why did “calming the waters” work for Tony Evers, but not Joe Biden? 35:30 Evers came out very strongly against Dobbs 36:15 You have to convince a majority of the public that government works 38:15 Trust is earned by doing what you say you’ll do, then highlighting it 39:45 Pandemic relief had a massive positive effect on lower income voters 40:15 Those programs stopped, and voters punished Dems for it 41:00 Child tax credit cut child poverty in half, great accomplishment for Dems 41:30 There was bipartisan support for extended tax credit, still didn’t get done 42:00 Filibuster is used to deprive the other side from getting a win 44:30 Politicians can lay out a succession plan, but voters get their say 46:00 Politicians are limited in setting out a succession plan 47:30 How big should the Democratic tent be?  48:30 The coalition looks different in different states 50:00 Donald Trump has been the most successful GOP politician of this era 50:45 Every Republican politician looks to Trump as the model 51:15 Trump has created an army of “mini-mes” 53:00 What Ken Martin is doing right: Building state parties 55:45 Democrats don’t need a 50 state strategy, they need 50 state strategies 56:45 You build a local brand through your actions over time 57:30 When did you first think about running for office? 59:30 Support Tammy Baldwin’s bill to provide live Packers games 1:01:00 Most excited about Jordan Love in the upcoming season 1:02:15 Why wouldn’t you run for the senate? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Interview Only w/ Ben Wikler - The Structural Reforms Democrats Can't Keep Ignoring

  6. 10 Aug

    Interview Only w/ Rory Kennedy - Boeing Promised To Do Better After Deadly Crashes… They Haven’t

    Oscar-nominated documentarian Rory Kennedy joins the Chuck Toddcast to discuss Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing, her Netflix follow-up to 2022's Downfall premiering August 19th — a film built around the death of whistleblower John Barnett and the current and former employees who came forward after it. Kennedy's central finding is damning in its simplicity: at the end of Downfall, Boeing swore it had learned its lesson and changed its ways. It hadn't. More incidents followed, whistleblowers reached out to tell her conditions had actually gotten worse, and she says she believes Boeing bears responsibility for Barnett's death. Kennedy walks Chuck through the structural rot she sees behind the headlines — a near-total lack of competition, a revolving door between the FAA and the company it's supposed to regulate, a McDonnell Douglas merger that reoriented the entire culture around quarterly earnings instead of engineering excellence, and the decision to leave Seattle in search of a non-union workforce — which matters enormously, she notes, because unions are what give workers real whistleblower protection. Boeing is simultaneously one of the most heavily subsidized companies in American history and, right now, one that isn't being held accountable in any meaningful way. Kennedy is unusually direct about the practical takeaway: she won't fly on a 737 MAX and actively chooses flights on other aircraft, pointing out the counterintuitive reality that older model planes are often the safer bet — a consumer shift that has hit budget airlines hardest. She and Chuck get into the incidents that never made national news, including oxygen masks that failed to work, and she's blunt that the Trump administration hasn't provided anything resembling adequate regulatory oversight while families of the 346 crash victims are still fighting to hold the company responsible. Kennedy sees this fall's elections as a genuine chance to put people in place who care about the flying public, and reflects candidly on how she's feeling about American politics generally — that this administration is making choices that are hurting a lot of people. There's also a lovely detour into Ethel, her documentary about her mother, which she says holds a special place in her heart, plus a look at what she's working on next. Upgrade your everyday. Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.    Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM.    For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck / *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.    Timeline: 00:00 Rory Kennedy (Freefall) joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:30 Documentary “Ethel” about her mother holds special place in her heart 02:30 It became evident that Boeing knew about faulty systems on 737 MAX 03:15 Boeing swore they’d change, then more incidents happened 04:15 Believe Boeing is responsible for whistleblower John Barnett’s death 06:15 Lack of competition is one of the reasons Boeing has been sloppy 07:15 There’s a revolving door between the FAA and Boeing 09:00 Are Boeing’s problems coming from a single source, or multiple? 10:45 Boeing has long been a foundational American company 11:30 Parts for Boeing planes come from all over the world 13:00 Whistleblowers reached out to say problems had gotten worse 14:00 Right now, Boeing isn’t being held accountable 14:30 Haven’t seen Boeing make significant changes 16:15 Focus on profits and quarterly earnings outweighed safety 17:00 Boeing is one of the most subsidized companies in US history 18:00 McDonell-Douglas merger has contributed to Boeing’s downfall 20:30 Wouldn’t fly on a 737 Max and choose flights on other planes 23:00 Consumers choosing not to fly on the 737 Max hurt budget airlines 24:00 Older model planes are actually safer 25:30 Decision to leave Seattle was to find a non-union workforce 26:45 Unions protect workers, give them whistleblower protection 28:00 Airbus is a better run company than Boeing 29:30 Boeing and Airbus are the only two options  31:45 The Trump administration hasn’t provided proper regulation for Boeing 32:15 Families of crash victims are still trying to hold Boeing responsible 35:15 Elections this fall could put people in place who care about the public 36:45 Incidents where the oxygen masks weren’t working 38:30 How are you feeling about politics these days? 39:00 Administration is making choices that are hurting a lot of people 40:30 What projects do you have coming up next? 43:00 Had a screening at Boeing with top executives See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Interview Only w/ Rory Kennedy - Boeing Promised To Do Better After Deadly Crashes… They Haven’t

  7. 6 Aug

    Chuck’s Commentary - Biggest Takeaways From Tuesday’s Primaries + Trump’s Obsession With The Reflecting Pool…Explained

    Chuck Todd breaks down a primary night that scrambled the Senate map, starting in Michigan where Abdul El-Sayed edged Rep. Haley Stevens by roughly 20,000 votes — overcoming a nearly 8-to-1 spending disadvantage in what became the most expensive Senate primary in American history. He argues the narrow margin was actually the best thing that could have happened to El-Sayed, and while Michigan is now a harder general election for Democrats against Mike Rogers, El-Sayed can absolutely win it. The most fascinating data point buried in the results: El-Sayed carried Grand Rapids and Kent County, a place that was solidly Republican for decades, evidence that there's a growing white progressive vote reshaping the Midwest. He pushes back on the sloppy way analysts label party factions, preferring "movement" versus "governing" factions to the usual progressive-moderate shorthand, notes that electability is always situational, and cautions that money makes races competitive without guaranteeing wins. He flags that Wisconsin is now the next big test, where nobody should assume Francesca Hong runs away with it. He also spotlights results that flew under the radar: pastor Adam Hamilton beat ten other Democrats to become nominee Republicans will struggle to caricature against Roger Marshall, meaning Kansas joins Iowa as a genuine pickup opportunity in a cycle where Trump's tariffs have wrecked agricultural states. Republicans, meanwhile, leaned into Islamophobia against El-Sayed on day one, which Chuck suspects could badly boomerang. He argues the GOP would love to be rid of Max Miller, whose personal issues could drag down Bernie Moreno, though even replacing him may cost the GOP three to five points — and closes on the surreal spectacle of a president losing an increasingly global war while obsessing over his reflecting pool: Jeanine Pirro thought she could say one thing publicly and another in court, Trump says she "choked" when really she choked on reality, and Chuck’s read is that Trump wanted a headline more than a case, may be lashing out precisely because he's lost control of everything else, is desperate to get out of Iran, and might find that handing over the Strait is the least humiliating option left — all while his grip on his own voters keeps weakening.  Finally Chuck presents his ToddCast Top 5 most vulnerable Democratic seats… and couldn’t make it to 5. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.  Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM.  Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.    Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 04:45 Review of Tuesday’s primary results 05:30 Michigan now harder for Dems in general, but El-Sayed can win 06:30 Wisconsin primary will be next big test of divide in Democratic party 08:45 Almost losing was the best thing that could have happened to El-Sayed 09:30 Republicans don’t have many senate pickup opportunities 11:30 El-Sayed’s winning margin will be less than 20k votes13:00 El-Sayed won the race in Grand Rapids 14:15 Kent county was solidly Republican for decades 16:30 The moderate/Gerald Ford Republicans aren’t voting for the GOP 17:30 There’s a growing white, progressive vote 19:45 In 2016 many people voted for Bernie out of protest for Clinton 20:30 Fascinating that Grand Rapids became a progressive stronghold 23:00 Analysts have a hard time characterizing factions inside parties 23:45 Prefer the label of “movement” vs. “governing” factions 24:45 Electability depends on the state and the situation 25:15 Money makes races more competitive, doesn’t guarantee victory 27:30 Progressives will need a crowded primary in 2028 to win 29:15 Don’t assume Francesca Hong will run away in Dem primary in WI 31:45 Big questions loom over Wisconsin primary 33:15 Some big results in Kansas flew under the radar 34:45 Founders didn’t want judges to be elected & subject to voters 35:15 Kansas rejected elections for state Supreme Court 36:30 On day one, Republicans leaned into Islamophobia against El-Sayed 37:00 The Islamophobia could boomerang on Republicans 37:45 Dems keep putting more senate seats in play, Kansas is now one 38:15 Adam Hamilton is pastor of huge church in Kansas\ 39:00 Hamilton has been a bridge builder, and beat 10 other Dems 39:45 Republicans will have a hard time making a caricature of Hamilton 40:30 Hamilton will have an unusual constituency going into the race 41:30 Roger Marshall has never had a stress test in a general election 43:00 Trump’s tariffs have caused huge problems in agriculture states 44:30 Iowa and Kansas are real pickup chances for Democrats 46:00 Missouri voters sent a message on the issue of taxes 46:45 Trump has long wanted to scrap income taxes 47:30 Voters reject a high sales tax replacing income tax 49:00 Tax credits for the KC Chiefs stadium was a political loser 49:30 Voters don’t like subsidizing rich people 50:00 More stories of Republican men behaving badly 50:15 Republicans would love to get rid of Max Miller 50:45 Trump always sides with the accused over the women 51:30 Max Miller has serious personal issues 52:45 Miller could have hurt Bernie Moreno politically 53:45 Multiple disgraced former members of congress in same race in Florida 55:00 Even if Miller is replaced, the party could face a 3-5 point penalty 55:45 Iran war is going sideways & Trump is worried about Reflecting Pool 56:30 Jeanine Pirro thought she could say one thing in public & another in court 57:15 Trump says she “choked”... she choked on reality 58:00 Trump doesn’t care the facts didn’t meet the case, wanted a headline 58:30 Maybe he’s angry because he’s lost control of everything else, like Iran 59:30 Trump is desperate to get out of the war 1:00:30 Chance of the war going global is uncomfortably high 1:01:30 Trump handing over the Strait might be least humiliating option 1:02:00 Reflecting pool may be the thing Trump feels he has control over 1:02:45 Trump’s grip on his voters has weakened 1:08:00 ToddCast Top 5 Vulnerable Democratic Held Seats 1:10:45 #1 Kansas governor 1:12:15 #2 Michigan senate 1:14:00 #3 Oregon governor 1:15:15 #4 Wisconsin governor 1:16:45 #5 None - There aren’t that many vulnerable Dem seats 1:19:45 Ask Chuck 1:20:00 Is presidential health the only thing an administration can hide? 1:23:30 Thoughts on the World Cup & sportsmanship displayed? 1:25:00 Thoughts on the Fauci hearings? 1:32:00 Do bipartisan letters to the White House actually work? 1:34:30 Has politics discouraged a better investigation into the Butler shooting? 1:38:45 Does growing physical separation between public & leaders heighten their bubble? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Chuck’s Commentary - Biggest Takeaways From Tuesday’s Primaries + Trump’s Obsession With The Reflecting Pool…Explained

  8. 6 Aug

    Full Episode - Biggest Takeaways From Tuesday’s Primaries + The Summit That Almost Ended Nuclear Weapons Forever

    Chuck Todd breaks down a primary night that scrambled the Senate map, starting in Michigan where Abdul El-Sayed edged Rep. Haley Stevens by roughly 20,000 votes — overcoming a nearly 8-to-1 spending disadvantage in what became the most expensive Senate primary in American history. He argues the narrow margin was actually the best thing that could have happened to El-Sayed, and while Michigan is now a harder general election for Democrats against Mike Rogers, El-Sayed can absolutely win it. The most fascinating data point buried in the results: El-Sayed carried Grand Rapids and Kent County, a place that was solidly Republican for decades, evidence that there's a growing white progressive vote reshaping the Midwest. He pushes back on the sloppy way analysts label party factions, preferring "movement" versus "governing" factions to the usual progressive-moderate shorthand, notes that electability is always situational, and cautions that money makes races competitive without guaranteeing wins. He flags that Wisconsin is now the next big test, where nobody should assume Francesca Hong runs away with it. He also spotlights results that flew under the radar: pastor Adam Hamilton beat ten other Democrats to become nominee Republicans will struggle to caricature against Roger Marshall, meaning Kansas joins Iowa as a genuine pickup opportunity in a cycle where Trump's tariffs have wrecked agricultural states. Republicans, meanwhile, leaned into Islamophobia against El-Sayed on day one, which Chuck suspects could badly boomerang. He argues the GOP would love to be rid of Max Miller, whose personal issues could drag down Bernie Moreno, though even replacing him may cost the GOP three to five points — and closes on the surreal spectacle of a president losing an increasingly global war while obsessing over his reflecting pool: Jeanine Pirro thought she could say one thing publicly and another in court, Trump says she "choked" when really she choked on reality, and Chuck’s read is that Trump wanted a headline more than a case, may be lashing out precisely because he's lost control of everything else, is desperate to get out of Iran, and might find that handing over the Strait is the least humiliating option left — all while his grip on his own voters keeps weakening.  Then, writer-director Michael Russell Gunn joins the Chuck Toddcast to discuss The Brink of War, his feature debut about the 1986 Reykjavík Summit, hitting theaters August 14th with Jeff Daniels as Reagan, Jared Harris as Gorbachev, and J.K. Simmons as George Shultz. The film's origin story is its own remarkable piece of history: Gunn interviewed Shultz before his death in 2021, and Shultz handed him the declassified summit transcripts that became the script — the first scene between Reagan and Gorbachev is verbatim from that record. Gunn's argument for why this story matters right now is simple and pointed: these were two men with every reason to hate each other who sat in a room and tried to build a better world, at a moment when Americans have gotten very good at yelling and very bad at talking. He walks Chuck through what most people get wrong about Reykjavík — that Gorbachev was far younger than memory suggests, with no personal recollection of World War II (he brought the last WWII-era Soviet general with him to Iceland), that adversaries are always more politically divided internally than we perceive from the outside, and that the summit is simultaneously remembered as a triumph and a failure because a deal to eliminate every nuclear weapon on earth collapsed over a single word. Gunn notes that Americans instinctively read everything through game theory — winners and losers — while the Soviets understood the talks as one point on a longer arc, which is why Gorbachev rushed to a press conference to declare the whole thing a success. The conversation also works as a genuinely useful look inside how difficult political history gets made in Hollywood. Gunn explains that he assembled the actors and script first and only then went to a studio, that Simmons was hunting for a real challenge and nailed Shultz's accent on the first take, and that Daniels prepared by looping an hour of Reagan interviews through his headphones while biking around Chelsea, Michigan. He talks about the nervousness surrounding the idea of putting the two leaders alone in a room, the enormous goodwill Reagan carried into Reykjavík, and the fact that the whole world genuinely waited on that weekend with bated breath. Gunn is candid about the projects that didn't happen (he wanted to make a film about the Nunn-Lugar amendment and couldn't get it off the ground), the tradeoffs between film and limited series as formats, and why audiences have proven far hungrier for true history than the industry assumes. He and Chuck close on career advice — how Gunn broke in, why you have to "prove it" before anyone green-lights your dream project, and his observation that the things you don't get can end up mattering just as much as the things you do. And for anyone tempted to write off Reykjavík as a failure: the summit paved the way for the INF Treaty a year later, and the world's nuclear arsenals have since come down roughly 90%. Finally Chuck presents his ToddCast Top 5 most vulnerable Democratic seats… and couldn’t make it to 5. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.  Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Play ball and swing for the fences on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB at https://FANDUEL.COM.  Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.    Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 04:45 Review of Tuesday’s primary results 05:30 Michigan now harder for Dems in general, but El-Sayed can win 06:30 Wisconsin primary will be next big test of divide in Democratic party 08:45 Almost losing was the best thing that could have happened to El-Sayed 09:30 Republicans don’t have many senate pickup opportunities 11:30 El-Sayed’s winning margin will be less than 20k votes13:00 El-Sayed won the race in Grand Rapids 14:15 Kent county was solidly Republican for decades 16:30 The moderate/Gerald Ford Republicans aren’t voting for the GOP 17:30 There’s a growing white, progressive vote 19:45 In 2016 many people voted for Bernie out of protest for Clinton 20:30 Fascinating that Grand Rapids became a progressive stronghold 23:00 Analysts have a hard time characterizing factions inside parties 23:45 Prefer the label of “movement” vs. “governing” factions 24:45 Electability depends on the state and the situation 25:15 Money makes races more competitive, doesn’t guarantee victory 27:30 Progressives will need a crowded primary in 2028 to win 29:15 Don’t assume Francesca Hong will run away in Dem primary in WI 31:45 Big questions loom over Wisconsin primary 33:15 Some big results in Kansas flew under the radar 34:45 Founders didn’t want judges to be elected & subject to voters 35:15 Kansas rejected elections for state Supreme Court 36:30 On day one, Republicans leaned into Islamophobia against El-Sayed 37:00 The Islamophobia could boomerang on Republicans 37:45 Dems keep putting more senate seats in play, Kansas is now one 38:15 Adam Hamilton is pastor of huge church in Kansas\ 39:00 Hamilton has been a bridge builder, and beat 10 other Dems 39:45 Republicans will have a hard time making a caricature of Hamilton 40:30 Hamilton will have an unusual constituency going into the race 41:30 Roger Marshall has never had a stress test in a general election 43:00 Trump’s tariffs have caused huge problems in agriculture states 44:30 Iowa and Kansas are real pickup chances for Democrats 46:00 Missouri voters sent a message on the issue of taxes 46:45 Trump has long wanted to scrap income taxes 47:30 Voters reject a high sales tax replacing income tax 49:00 Tax credits for the KC Chiefs stadium was a political loser 49:30 Voters don’t like subsidizing rich people 50:00 More stories of Republican men behaving badly 50:15 Republicans would love to get rid of Max Miller 50:45 Trump always sides with the accused over the women 51:30 Max Miller has serious personal issues 52:45 Miller could have hurt Bernie Moreno politically 53:45 Multiple disgraced former members of congress in same race in Florida 55:00 Even if Miller is replaced, the party could face a 3-5 point penalty 55:45 Iran war is going sideways & Trump is worried about Reflecting Pool 56:30 Jeanine Pirro thought she could say one thing in public & another in court 57:15 Trump says she “choked”... she

    Full Episode - Biggest Takeaways From Tuesday’s Primaries + The Summit That Almost Ended Nuclear Weapons Forever
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The Chuck ToddCast is back! If you're looking for smart, no-nonsense political conversation, you've come to the right place. The Chuck ToddCast goes beyond the headlines, featuring conversations with top reporters, insiders, and newsmakers from D.C. to the heartland. No scripts, no spin—just real discussions about what’s shaping our politics and why it matters.

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