The Briefing with Michael Waldman

Brennan Center
  • 5.0 (37)
  • Politics

Every week, Brennan Center president Michael Waldman interviews the leaders, thinkers, and activists who are changing American democracy. brennancenter.substack.com

  1. 12h ago

    Let’s Unstick Congress (with Tom Malinowski and Maya Kornberg)

    Does Congress need reform? To many, it’s weaker and more hollowed out than ever. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Brennan Center expert Maya Kornberg has extensively researched the institution’s complexities and created a list of solutions that could make it stronger and more productive at responding to the needs of the American people. We discuss her proposed solutions and and debate reform with Rep. Tom Malinowski, a former lawmaker. Read our report, Eight Solutions to Unstick Congress. Recorded on August 11, 2026.The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brennancenter.substack.com

  2. 6d ago

    How Will AI Affect the Midterms? (with Larry Norden and Abdi Ahmed)

    We’re back! After a summer hiatus, the podcast returns to discuss a major new study by the Brennan Center on how artificial intelligence can affect the upcoming election.  A team of technology experts looked at how popular chatbots responded to prompts related to election conspiracy theories.  We found good news and bad news. Chatbots often pushed back against false information, but they were also skilled at creating false images and disinformation.  Listen as the lead authors discuss their findings, and read the report yourself here: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/does-ai-fight-or-fuel-election-disinformation  Recorded on August 11, 2026. The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brennancenter.substack.com

    How Will AI Affect the Midterms? (with Larry Norden and Abdi Ahmed)

  3. Jul 15

    Trump Ramps Up Election Meddling (with Larry Norden and Wendy Weiser)

    We’re about 110 days out from the midterms, and the threats to our elections are mounting. This week alone, President Trump fired all remaining members of the Election Assistance Commission, the federal agency that helps states fund and administer elections. At the same time, a federal judge blocked baseless subpoenas targeting election workers in Fulton County, while the Department of Justice sent threatening letters to election officials across the country. On this week’s episode of The Briefing, Michael Waldman is joined by fellow Brennan Center experts to break down the federal government’s latest attacks on our elections — and the relentless work to push back and protect the vote. Recorded on July 13, 2026.The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brennancenter.substack.com

    Trump Ramps Up Election Meddling (with Larry Norden and Wendy Weiser)

  4. Jul 9

    Bringing Power Back to the People (with Maya Wiley)

    This week, Michael is joined by Maya Wiley, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, for a wide-ranging conversation on the power of coalition building in a moment of deep challenge. Drawing on her experience as a lifelong activist and the daughter of influential organizers, Wiley offers perspective and stresses urgency. At a time marked by rising discriminatory rhetoric, the weaponization of government power, and growing concerns about corruption, she offers a clear sense of what comes next and why collective action still matters. Check out Maya Wiley’s memoir here: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/maya-wiley/remember-you-are-a-wiley/9781538739952/ Recorded on July 7, 2026.The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brennancenter.substack.com

    Bringing Power Back to the People (with Maya Wiley)

  5. Jul 2

    Power Grab: Supreme Court Delivers for Trump (with Sam Breidbart and Eric Petry)

    As the nation approaches its 250th birthday, the Supreme Court has ended its term with a slew of rulings that further undermine our constitutional system of checks and balances and allow more money to flood our political system. What do the Court’s most recent rulings mean for executive power? Where does Congress fit in? Can any campaign finance regulation ever be legal? Is birthright citizenship living on borrowed time? How can we fight back? These are some of the questions Brennan Center experts discuss in-depth in this week’s episode. Take a listen and share with friends. Recorded on July 1, 2026.The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brennancenter.substack.com

    Power Grab: Supreme Court Delivers for Trump (with Sam Breidbart and Eric Petry)

  6. Jun 25

    The Lost Founder (with Jesse Wegman)

    In this week’s episode, Jesse Wegman joins Michael Waldman to discuss his new book, The Lost Founder: James Wilson and the Forgotten Fight for a People’s Constitution, the first major biography of James Wilson. Wilson was a coauthor of the Constitution (his words: “We the People”). He signed both the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, was one of the first Supreme Court justices — and died on the run from the law. Wegman explores Wilson’s long-lasting impact, his fall from grace, and the enduring relevance of his expansive vision for American democracy. Check out Major Questions with Jesse Wegman here: Recorded on June 23, 2026.The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brennancenter.substack.com

    The Lost Founder (with Jesse Wegman)

  7. Jun 17

    FBI Raids Ohio Voting Registration Group

    Last week, the Federal Bureau of Investigation raided the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, the state’s leading voter registration organization. This is part of the latest and most aggressive escalation in the DOJ’s ongoing investigation over alleged voter fraud. This show of force raises serious questions about voting rights, election administration, and public trust in the integrity of elections. In this urgent episode of The Briefing, Michael Waldman breaks down what happened and what this means for the future of American democracy. Recorded on June 16, 2026.The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brennancenter.substack.com

    FBI Raids Ohio Voting Registration Group

  8. Jun 11

    Voters Demand Solutions to End Corruption (with Dan Weiner and Marina Pino)

    At the beginning of his second administration, Trump said about accusations of corruption and conflicts of interest: “I found out that nobody cared, and I’m allowed to.” According to a new Brennan Center poll, that is emphatically false. Americans care deeply. And they are furious. Voters see corruption as a deep-seated issue embedded in the structure of our government. They are tired of lawmakers serving private interests over their own. And they are hungry for bold, new solutions. Listen as Brennan Center experts break down the findings of our new poll and discuss how lawmakers should respond to their constituents’ demands. Recorded on June 10, 2026.The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brennancenter.substack.com

    Voters Demand Solutions to End Corruption (with Dan Weiner and Marina Pino)
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Every week, Brennan Center president Michael Waldman interviews the leaders, thinkers, and activists who are changing American democracy. brennancenter.substack.com

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