Republican Party 2022: Party Over?

In the first of our 2 end-of-year special episodes, we look at the 2022 landscape for the Republican Party. A terrific trio of Republican party stalwarts & former officials–Bill Kristol, Michael Steele, & Governor Christie Todd Whitman–give a candid analysis of the grave threat to the Party & the Republic of the ascendant Trump wing of the party. They consider what a principled Republican should do today and the possible path back to normalcy for a Party that is now captured by aberrant forces.

Harry speaks with Bill Kristol, Michael Steele, & Governor Christie Todd Whitman.

A Very Variant Christmas

3 of the country’s most prominent journalists—David Frum, Jon Lemire, and Carol Leonnig—join Harry to break down a banner, and mainly glum, news week. They begin with the dramatic developments from the Jan. 6 committee, including the contempt referral for Mark Meadows. They then take up the medical and psychological challenges of the Omicron variant. Finally, they analyze the dimming prospects in Congress for the Administration’s Build Back Better package and major voting rights legislation.

Harry speaks with David Frum, Jon Lemire, and Carol Leonnig.

Economics 2021: Inflation Frustration

A special episode on the economic state of the union. On the day when the Consumer Price index recorded the highest rate of price inflation in nearly 40 years, a superb panel of economic experts–Atlantic writer Annie Lowrey, Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampell, and former Secretary of the Treasury Larry Summers–join Harry for a lively, sophisticated, and highly accessible discussion about what is driving the surge and the implications for our daily lives now and in the coming year.

Harry speaks with Annie Lowrey, Catherine Rampell, and Larry Summers.

Supreme Court: Leaving Us No Choice

The Supreme Court argument in the Mississippi abortion case, already shaping up as the biggest of the Term, transformed during oral argument this week into the most important case of a generation, as it became clear that the new conservative majority was poised either to sharply restrict, or flatly overrule, the Court’s landmark abortion jurisprudence. Harry and a panel of top Supreme Court experts analyze the argument and gauge the immense impact on American women and the court’s own standing.

Harry speaks with Dahlia Lithwick, Melissa Murray, and Kate Shaw.

Making Ends Meat: Farmers Get Raw Deal

In this special Thanksgiving episode, Harry is joined by a fantastic panel of experts – Senator Cory Booker, award-winning author Michael Pollan, and sustainable farming activist Leah Penniman – to discuss the country's deeply flawed farming and food production systems. The group breaks down the economic, health, and environmental harms of Big Agriculture; the legislative policies that have allowed them to persist; and the diverse movement working to improve the ways we produce and consume food.

Harry speaks with Cory Booker, Michael Pollen, and Leah Penniman.

Pelosi Talks, Rittenhouse Walks, Meadows Balks

The week ended with a thunderous 1-2 stroke of the passage in the House of the Build Back Better Bill, arguably the most significant piece of legislation in a generation, followed by the announcement of the across-the-board acquittals in the Kyle Rittenhouse case. An all-star panel comprising CNN anchor Laura Jarrett and Congressmen Raja Krishnamoorthi and Jamie Raskin join Harry to break down both developments and place them in the broader context of the country’s continuing partisan divide.

Host Harry Litman talks with Laura Jarrett, Raja Krishnamoorthi, and Jamie Raskin.

From the White House to the Big House to Rittenhouse

The Bannon indictment is the biggest game-changer in many months in the pursuit of the truth about various aspects of the Trump presidency. “From the White House to the Big House to Rittenhouse" features a stellar panel—Alisyn Camerota, Jen Rubin, & Rick Wilson-- to unpack the broader legal, cultural & political implications of the landmark indictment. We also cover the Rittenhouse trial, which is morphing into a litmus test of partisan divisions on issues of race, gun control, and vigilantism.

Host Harry Litman talks with Alisyn Camerota, Jen Rubin, & Rick Wilson.

DOJ: Turning Up the Heat

Our quarterly review of goings-on at the Department of Justice, with seasoned DOJ stalwarts Katie Benner, Matt Miller, and Andrew Weissmann. The group analyzes the progress of the Jan 6 investigation and assesses the criticism the Department is attracting from all corners, including the federal bench. They then canvass new DOJ policies on cybercrime and white collar crime and consider whether the changes are real or cosmetic. Finally, they take up the latest from special counsel John Durham.

Host Harry Litman talks with Katie Benner, Matt Miller, and Andrew Weissmann.

G20-20 Vision: Bringing the Good China to the Table

President Biden goes to Rome at a crucial juncture at home and a time of extraordinary challenge on the international front. He had hoped to carry with him the buoying victory of the passage of spending bills to bolster the country’s claim as the world’s leading democracy, but his efforts fell just short. A trio of national and international experts – Michael McFaul, Francis Fukuyama, and Juliette Kayyem – analyze Biden’s vexing agenda with respect to China, Russia, NATO, and climate change.

Host Harry Litman speaks with Michael McFaul, Francis Fukuyama, and Juliette Kayyem.

Utter Contempt: Breaking Bannon

It was a week of push coming to shove, as a series of high-stakes disputes moved to an endgame with no clear picture of how they would come out. Talking Feds regulars Laura Coates, Matt Miller, and Senator Al Franken join Harry to work through what happens next in the referral of Steve Bannon to the DOJ on charges of criminal contempt. They then turn to the apparent endgame of filibuster reform and voting rights before assessing Merrick Garland’s appearance before the House Judiciary Committee.

Host Harry Litman speaks with Laura Coates, Matt Miller, and Senator Al Franken