382 episodes

Have you ever asked, “WTF?,” about politics? Or, “who are these people making decisions about my life?” Political Theater pulls back the curtain on the stunts, antics and motivations that drive Washington. Host Jason Dick and the Roll Call team spotlight the spectacle, the players and what’s going on behind the curtain in Washington’s long-running drama: Congress.

Political Theater CQ Roll Call

    • News
    • 4.6 • 40 Ratings

Have you ever asked, “WTF?,” about politics? Or, “who are these people making decisions about my life?” Political Theater pulls back the curtain on the stunts, antics and motivations that drive Washington. Host Jason Dick and the Roll Call team spotlight the spectacle, the players and what’s going on behind the curtain in Washington’s long-running drama: Congress.

    When 'Yellowstone' came to Capitol Hill

    When 'Yellowstone' came to Capitol Hill

    "Yellowstone" and its related series are a cultural phenomenon, and have provided Native Americans a voice and platform that breaks boundaries. Two of the actors in the series, Mo Brings Plenty and Michael Spears, discuss their recent visit to Capitol Hill, Native representation in movies and pop culture and what makes "Yellowstone" different. 
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    • 33 min
    The Capital Challenge race, explained

    The Capital Challenge race, explained

    The annual Capital Challenge foot race is a unique gathering of the three branches of government and the journalists who cover them: a three-mile, mid-week, morning race of about 600 people that raises money for youth financial literacy. But there is more going on beyond folks pounding the pavement. CQ Roll Call's Health Team Editor Jessica Wehrman, a long-time runner of the race herself, coordinated our many teams this year and lets us know how it all went.
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    • 20 min
    The most vulnerable 2024 incumbents, so far

    The most vulnerable 2024 incumbents, so far

    It is a Roll Call tradition: identifying the most vulnerable House and Senate incumbents each election cycle. And for our first look at the franchise for 2024, we will discuss the 20 on the hot seat whom we have put on the list with Herb Jackson, Roll Call’s politics editor.
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    • 43 min
    The White House Correspondents Dinner, explained

    The White House Correspondents Dinner, explained

    The White House Correspondents Dinner, the crown jewel of Washington’s spring prom season, roared back this past week, freed from many of the physical and psychological restraints of the COVID pandemic. But the pandemic is but one of the many turning points in the dinner’s long history — which includes the Mummers. George Condon, the White House Correspondents Association historian and White House correspondent for National Journal, joins the podcast in the latest in our occasional series on D.C. institutions. 
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    • 35 min
    You sunk my battleground! The 2024 campaign gets under way

    You sunk my battleground! The 2024 campaign gets under way

    President Joe Biden made it official this week: He is running for re-election. The 2024 presidential race will be determined largely in the same battlegrounds it did the last few elections. In some cases, that means the presidential race could have a down-ballot effect on competitive House and Senate races. Nathan Gonzales, publisher of Inside Elections and Roll Call’s elections analyst, joins the podcast to discuss. 
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    • 26 min
    Nothing is simple in the Senate

    Nothing is simple in the Senate

    Ah, the Senate. Anything you think should be simple never really is. Democrats there are trying to figure out what to do about the extended absence of Sen. Dianne Feinstein from committee work. But they cannot just replace her on committees temporarily, as they sought to do this week. Why? Because the Senate is a continuing body subject to organizing resolutions that the chamber has to pass. And it is very easy to grind things to a halt in the Senate, even on something that seems routine. 
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    • 24 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
40 Ratings

40 Ratings

andydbaxter ,

Great for politics nerds!

I thoroughly enjoy the cheerful and neutral approach that this podcast usually takes in analyzing the spectacle of politics. The specific theme allows concentration on fun and interesting stories that are often otherwise overlooked. Great for politics nerds!

Also, I have tremendous respect for the reporters’ recent coverage of the invasion of the Capitol. The podcast on the following day was extremely insightful into the events that occurred and the potential next steps. More than anyone else, these reporters were the ones that I looked to in order to make sense of the situation, both during and after, because they are true experts and professionals in their field and have therefore earned my trust.

Nbee2 ,

always timely and enjoyable

great quick hit podcast that brings together timely political news with cultural insights

Hill Staffer ,

Hill Staffer

Audio is terrible and is what holds this podcast back

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