Convening in the wake of President Trump’s selection of Judge Amy Comey Barrett for the Sup Ct vacancy caused by Justice Ginsburg’s death, Feds Dahlia Lithwick, Joe Lockhart, and Bret Stephens analyze Barrett’s qualifications and the politics surrounding her confirmation. What are the long-term consequences of the 5-member majority of far-right Justices that Barrett cements? And what is the Ds’ best short-term political strategy given that the Rs have the raw numbers to assure Barrett’s ascent?
Honoring RBG: May her Memory be a Revolution
Initially taped just before the announcement of the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, this episode features Feds Natasha Bertrand, former Senator Al Franken, and Matt Miller delving into the stark, Orwellian divide between the true facts about the virus, the DOJ, and misinformation on the one hand, and the wholly fictional account propounded by the President and his Administration on the other. The Feds reconvene after the taping to add a discussion about RBG’s death and its implications.
Before She was Notorious: Clerking for Ruth Bader Ginsburg
In this special bonus Talking Feds Now, three #Sistersinlaw, all clerks to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, come together to describe what Justice Ginsburg really was like as a mentor, judge, spouse, and improbable pop culture hero. Amanda Tyler, Gillian Metzger, and Ginger Anders talk about their lives during their clerkships and paint a multi-dimensional portrait of the woman they knew and revered. They discuss everything from her approach to writing to her love of opera and of course her judicial work.
Homeland Insecurity: Flying Blind
Convening on the 19th anniversary of 9/11, fed regulars Frank Figliuzzi, David Frum, and Juliette Kayyem take stock of the most pressing threats to the homeland; the largely fictitious threats that the President continues to proffer; and the consequences for the country of the divide between the two. The feds consider the DHS whistleblower complaint and what it suggests about homeland security in 2020.They then zero in on the provocative charges in the new books by Bob Woodward and Pete Strzok.
The Vote is in the Mail: Election Protection (from the ground up)
A dream team of Democratic Party leaders -- Marc Elias, the leading lawyer in the country for election protection, Senator Amy Klobuchar, and Congresswoman Katie Porter -- join Talking Feds host Harry Litman to discuss the gargantuan efforts afoot to protect the right to vote in the November election. You’ve heard about the manifold problems; now hear about the concrete strategic battles the Democrats are waging in litigation, legislation, and public opinion.
Sisters in Law Special Voters Rights Edition: Use it or Lose it
In Part 2 of a special bonus edition of Talking Feds commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment, Jill Wine-Banks, Joyce Vance, and Barbara McQuade speak with Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) about voter suppression, the unravelling of our democracy that has been going on for years, and the role the legal community has played in these failures.
Married to the Don
In the wake of the Republican convention and the renomination of President Trump, MSNBC host Chris Hayes, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, and author Jeff Toobin join Harry for a 360° review of the Convention and what it portends about the Republicans’ election strategy going forward. The group then moves to the Kenosha unrest, and the stark red-blue divide in reaction to the events. The Kenosha bedlam sets up a sidebar from NBA Coach Steve Kerr on the federal role in firearms regulation.
Conventional Wisdom: It Is What It Is
It was the week when the Democrats formally selected their standard bearers in the 1st-ever virtual convention, and feds Laura Jarrett, Frank Figliuzzi, & Matt Miller assess the Convention and the Dems’ message. They next take up the Intel Committee’s devastating Report detailing repeated connections between the Trump Campaign and the Russian Government. And they examine the indictment of Kevin Clinesmith and what if anything it portends and do the same for the SDNY indictment of Steve Bannon. Read the full transcript here.
The Sisters in Law Special Edition: Nasty Women Vote
In part one of this special Sisters-in-Law edition of Talking Feds commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote, Jill Wine-Banks, Joyce Vance, and Barbara McQuade speak with civil rights attorney Vanita Gupta and lawyer and Stanford Law School professor Pam Karlan about protecting voters rights. Read the full transcript here.
Kamala: Game On!
In a week dominated by Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s selection of California Senator Kamala Harris to be his running mate, Jonathan Alter, Joe Lockhart, Asha Rangappa, and Harry discuss the behind-the-scenes selection of Harris and then proceed to evaluate the choice. Turning to the Republican response, the Feds discuss the loathsome charge, countenanced by Trump, that Harris is ineligible to serve. Finally, the four explain why the attack on the USPS is so grave and what can be done about it. Read the full transcript here.
