Unmoderated with Sarah McCammon

Unmoderated News
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Unmoderated with Sarah McCammon is a new podcast from Unmoderated News, that examines the personal stories that shape a new generation of leaders and the political and policy battles they fight to make change. Through intimate conversations with elected officials, political commentators, advocates, and community leaders, Unmoderated unpacks the origin stories behind today's combative centrists. Together, we explore how they fight successfully in unfriendly territory, win hearts and minds, and overcome elite interests to make life better for all Americans. Instead of soundbites and talking points, the show digs deeper to uncover the values and experiences that shape how these leaders navigate politics in turbulent times with stories about what it takes to fight for wins and results.

  1. 3d ago

    Sarah Longwell Eats the Elephant One Trump Voter at a Time

    Sarah Longwell grew up in a small town in central Pennsylvania, a place where they canceled school on the first day of deer season. She finished college not long after 9/11 and went to work for Republicans, the party she saw as being on the side of America. Longwell spent the next 15 years as a party operative and became the first woman to chair the Log Cabin Republicans, a group for gay, lesbian, and bisexual Republicans and their allies.  Then Donald Trump took over her party, and Longwell walked away. She helped start the media company The Bulwark and now spends her time trying to better understand the voters who put Trump in office. Her new book, How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time, is about what those voters have been telling her and what Democrats should do about it.  Sarah McCammon spoke with Longwell about why a “messy guy” like Trump feels familiar to voters, promoting Rick Santorum's book while quietly going to lesbian bars, and why so many Trump voters are angry heading into the midterms. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 — Cold open 01:25 — Messy voters, vibes, and why she doesn’t correct them in the room 10:01 — Follow or lead: Trump’s wall, Mamdani, and grand bargains 15:50 — Why the right owns pro-America branding 17:54 — Lesbian bars, Rick Santorum’s book tour, and Log Cabin Republicans 26:01 — What MAGA and the DSA have in common 32:02 — The midterms and Trump voters who “are depressed and they’re angry” 36:03 — Defeating MAGA, leveling with voters, and whether she’d run for president CREDITS  Unmoderated is a production of Unmoderated News. Our team is Sarah McCammon, Kate deGruyter, Emily Becker, Janae Morris, David Fanto, Alex Kapelman, Kaitlyn Perez, Amea Thompson, Madison Meyer, Harrison Chinchar, Nathan Harnick, Jack Spilles, Alan Haburchak, and Gemma Waters—music by Ṭaus al Chalabi.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Sarah Longwell Eats the Elephant One Trump Voter at a Time

  2. Oct 22

    Mike Murphy Knew Trump Was Trouble in the 90s

    Mike Murphy spent decades working for Republicans, including Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney, and John McCain. Then came Donald Trump. It was a turning point for Murphy. He never got on board with Trump, and now he’s one of the Republican Party’s sharpest critics, even while insisting he’s still a conservative. He co-hosts the Hacks on Tap podcast and co-directs the bipartisan USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future. Before the midterms, Sarah McCammon spoke with Murphy about why Trump’s 2016 campaign was so hard to compete with, the wave he expects to give Democrats more power on Capitol Hill, and how the party can win back voters who make a living with their hands. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 — Introduction and Murphy’s First Run-In With Trump 02:38 — Celebrity, Cable TV, and Trump’s 2016 Rise 07:45 — Why So Few Republicans Draw the Line, and Trump’s Economy Promise 11:37 — Midterm Predictions for the House and Senate 15:31 — What Democrats Should Do With More Power, and the DSA-MAGA Parallel 23:50 — Republican Picks and What Democrats Need in a Nominee 27:38 — The New Primary Calendar and Murphy’s “Lunch Pail” Advice 31:14 — Where the Country Goes After Trump Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Mike Murphy Knew Trump Was Trouble in the 90s

  3. Oct 15

    Cheri Bustos Won Trump Country, One Grocery Aisle at a Time

    Cheri Bustos spent almost two decades as a newspaper reporter before entering public life. She served on her city council and then, in 2012, flipped a Republican seat in a working-class stretch of northwest Illinois. Even when Donald Trump won her district in 2016, Bustos held on to that seat and won by more than 20 points. Her colleagues later chose her to lead the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for the 2020 cycle, where she fought back Republican attacks and protected the Democratic House majority.  Since leaving Congress, Bustos has spent her time thinking hard about how Democrats can win in places where the party usually loses, and what makes them successful. Sarah McCammon spoke with former Rep. Bustos about why she's keeping an eye on Iowa, how “Supermarket Saturdays” helped her hold on in Trump country, and what Democrats should prioritize if they win back Congress.  IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 — Cold open 01:02 — Keep an Eye on Iowa and Making the Midterms Local 04:58 — Recruiting for Swing Districts: Fit, Vetting, and Women Candidates 12:10 — From Journalism to Congress: Health Care and Her Brother's Cancer 15:44 — Holding a District That Swung 17 Points: Supermarket Saturday and Cheri on Shift 21:16 — Affordability at Home: $6.30 Diesel and the Piggly Wiggly 24:25 — Election Night Races to Watch and the Far-Left Trickle-Down Effect 28:39 — Priorities for a Democratic Majority and What She Wants in a Nominee CREDITS  Unmoderated is a production of Unmoderated News. Our team is Sarah McCammon, Kate deGruyter, Emily Becker, Janae Morris, David Fanto, Alex Kapelman, Kaitlyn Perez, Amea Thompson, Madison Meyer, Harrison Chinchar, Nathan Harnick, Jack Spilles, Alan Haburchak, and Gemma Waters. Music by Ṭaus al Chalabi.    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Cheri Bustos Won Trump Country, One Grocery Aisle at a Time

  4. Oct 8

    Dr. Annie Andrews Doesn't Ask Patients Their Party

    When Dr. Annie Andrews launched her Senate campaign in a solidly Republican state last year, she knew she was the underdog. No Democrat has won a Senate race in South Carolina in close to three decades, and the state has voted for Donald Trump by double-digit margins in every election he's run. Dr. Andrews is running against Darline Graham, the sister of the late, long-serving Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC). She's a pediatrician who spends her days caring for children—and as a doctor, she has ideas about what leaders can do to care for their constituents. Sarah McCammon spoke with Dr. Andrews about why she wants to pause new data centers in South Carolina, what she's seeing in the hospital as vaccine skepticism spreads from the top of the federal government, and how she plans to win over Republicans who can't imagine supporting Darline Graham. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 — Cold Open 1:10 — Lindsey Graham's Death and Darline Graham's Viral Debate Moment 3:53 — RFK Jr., Vaccines, and the Spartanburg Measles Outbreak 13:14 — A Public Option, Medicaid, and the Pro-Family Pitch to Republicans 16:49 — Parkland, the Nancy Mace Race, and RFK Jr.'s Nomination 23:10  — Gas, Grits, and Groceries: Food Deserts 26:13 — Advice for Written-Off Races, the Big Tent, and Working Across the Aisle 28:08 — Building Trust, the DSA, and South Carolina's First-in-the-Nation Primary CREDITS  Unmoderated is a production of Unmoderated News. Our team is Sarah McCammon, Kate deGruyter, Emily Becker, Janae Morris, David Fanto, Alex Kapelman, Kaitlyn Perez, Amea Thompson, Madison Meyer, Harrison Chinchar, Nathan Harnick, Jack Spilles, Alan Haburchak, and Gemma Waters. Music by Ṭaus al Chalabi.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Dr. Annie Andrews Doesn't Ask Patients Their Party

  5. Oct 1

    Jared Polis Made Colorado #1 in Education

    Jared Polis took an unusual path into politics. When he was 25, and not yet a parent, he won a seat on Colorado's State Board of Education. He later had kids of his own and became the first openly gay parent to serve in Congress. In 2018, Colorado made him the first openly gay man ever elected governor in the United States. Eight years later, education is still Governor Polis's signature issue, from passing universal preschool and full-day kindergarten to breaking with most of his party on school choice. He's zagged on plenty of other issues, too, vetoing dozens of bills from a legislature his party controls. Now, with a few months left in his final term, Governor Polis is talking about what he's learned. Sarah McCammon spoke with him in Washington, DC, about how Colorado paid for universal preschool, why he cut Tina Peters's sentence, and why he wants Democrats to be pro-capitalism.  IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 — Cold open 1:19 — Why education: preschool, apprenticeships, and school choice 17:26 — RFK Jr., vaccines, and chemicals in the food supply 19:11 — Housing, duplexes, and mortgage rates near 7% 22:20 — Mail voting and cutting Tina Peters's sentence 27:59 — The Boulder attack, Melat Kiros, and antisemitism 32:18 — Why Democrats should run on affordability and capitalism 33:57 — Legacy, life after office, and the Democratic primary   CREDITS  Unmoderated is a production of Unmoderated News. Our team is Sarah McCammon, Kate deGruyter, Emily Becker, Janae Morris, David Fanto, Alex Kapelman, Kaitlyn Perez, Amea Thompson, Madison Meyer, Harrison Chinchar, Nathan Harnick, Jack Spilles, Alan Haburchak, and Gemma Waters. Music by Ṭaus al Chalabi.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Jared Polis Made Colorado #1 in Education

  6. Sep 24

    Quinton Lucas Wants Democrats at the Chiefs Game

    For stretches of his childhood, Quinton Lucas was homeless. He crashed at motels, with relatives, and even at the nursing home where his great-aunt lived. Now he's the mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. He was elected in 2019, the youngest mayor of Kansas City in more than a century. Four years later, he was reelected with more than 80% of the vote. Sarah McCammon, who grew up in Kansas City, spoke with Mayor Lucas there in person about growing up poor on the city's east side, why he goes on conservative talk radio every week, what free buses taught him, and why Democrats should celebrate the American story.   IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 — Cold open 01:19 — Motel rooms, a private-school scholarship, and code-switching 05:12 — The housing trust fund and his doubts about rent control 11:46 — State control of the police and stadium deals with Republicans 16:49 — Conservative talk radio, purity tests, and Wesley Bell vs. Cori Bush 27:11 — Free buses and falling crime 32:41 — The World Cup and patriotism 37:02 — Gun ordinances and what's nextCREDITS Unmoderated is a production of Unmoderated News. Our team is Sarah McCammon, Kate deGruyter, Emily Becker, Janae Morris, David Fanto, Alex Kapelman, Kaitlyn Perez, Amea Thompson, Madison Meyer, Harrison Chinchar, Nathan Harnick, Jack Spilles, Alan Haburchak, and Gemma Waters. Music by Ṭaus al Chalabi.#KansasCity #QuintonLucas #Democrats   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Quinton Lucas Wants Democrats at the Chiefs Game

  7. Sep 17

    Jessica Tarlov Wins Arguments Without Losing Friends

    Jessica Tarlov is, for lack of a better term, a prominent moderate. She's one of the most recognizable Democrats on Fox News, arguing daily with people who don't agree with her, and she co-hosts the podcast “Raging Moderates” with Scott Galloway.In her new book, I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends, she draws on those daily fights to share what she's learned about arguing well—with colleagues, with critics, and with her own family. Sarah McCammon spoke with Tarlov about the family dinner table that taught her to argue while still staying connected, her belief in fighting for health care as a human right, and what she thinks it will take for moderate Democrats to out-organize the party's left flank. CHAPTERS00:00 — Cold Open01:03 — Making the Case For the Moderate Lane12:58 — Learning to Argue Without Losing Friends25:13 — Why Facts Don't Change Minds31:09 — Chipping Away At Jesse Watters33:18 — Where She's Actually Changed Her Mind36:26 — The Pitch Democrats Need On Immigration43:17 — Inside the Fight With the DSA Unmoderated is a production of Unmoderated News. Our team is Sarah McCammon, Kate deGruyter, Emily Becker, Janae Morris, David Fanto, Alex Kapelman, Kaitlyn Perez, Amea Thompson, Madison Meyer, Harrison Chinchar, Nathan Harnick, Jack Spilles, Alan Haburchak, and Gemma Waters. Music by Ṭaus al Chalabi.    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Jessica Tarlov Wins Arguments Without Losing Friends

  8. Sep 10

    Yadira Ramos-Herbert Says Real is Better Than Polished

    Yadira Ramos-Herbert grew up in Queens, the granddaughter of immigrants. She started her career as an attorney in New York City, then spent a decade in leadership at Columbia University Law School. She was working with students there when the campus was rocked by protests over the war in Gaza, after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. Soon afterward, she became the first woman and the first person of color ever to lead the city of New Rochelle, New York. Today, Ramos-Herbert presides over one of the most closely watched affordable housing efforts in America while leading a deeply diverse city through a divided political moment.  Sarah McCammon spoke with Mayor Ramos-Herbert about her family’s immigration story, the backlash she sometimes faces for speaking Spanish on the job, and how she held her city together after October 7. In This Episode 00:00 — Cold open 01:43 — Grandparents, the American dream, and why she speaks Spanish on the job 13:28 — From a broken park to Mayor of New Rochelle 19:59 — Insecurities, fundraising, and being a Latina candidate 24:44 — October 7, the Columbia protests, and a mayoral race under scrutiny 31:31 — Misinformation, trust, and “Coffee with the Mayor” 34:23 — The Mamdani 9/11 controversy 37:20 — New Rochelle's housing boom and rent control 45:11 — Advice for 2028  Episode CreditsUnmoderated is a production of Unmoderated News. Our team is Sarah McCammon, Kate deGruyter, Emily Becker, Janae Morris, David Fanto, Alex Kapelman, Kaitlyn Perez, Amea Thompson, Madison Meyer, Harrison Chinchar, Nathan Harnick, Jack Spilles, Alan Haburchak, and Gemma Waters. Music by Ṭaus al Chalabi. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Yadira Ramos-Herbert Says Real is Better Than Polished
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4.8
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22 Ratings

About

Unmoderated with Sarah McCammon is a new podcast from Unmoderated News, that examines the personal stories that shape a new generation of leaders and the political and policy battles they fight to make change. Through intimate conversations with elected officials, political commentators, advocates, and community leaders, Unmoderated unpacks the origin stories behind today's combative centrists. Together, we explore how they fight successfully in unfriendly territory, win hearts and minds, and overcome elite interests to make life better for all Americans. Instead of soundbites and talking points, the show digs deeper to uncover the values and experiences that shape how these leaders navigate politics in turbulent times with stories about what it takes to fight for wins and results.

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