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Hacks On Tap

Vox Media

When David Axelrod, Mike Murphy, and John Heilemann get together to talk politics, it’s not academic. They speak from the perspective gained through hundreds of campaigns for offices from City Hall to the White House. So if you want to know what’s really going on behind the scenes, where strategic decisions are being made, pull up a stool for Hacks on Tap. Incisive, sometimes uproarious and always entertaining, these political warhorses and their guests will give you insights you’ll only get from folks who have spent a lifetime in the political trenches of both parties. 

From the Vox Media Podcast Network

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  • 36 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 1 hr 6 min
  • English

Episodes 36

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  • Yesterday · 1 hr 3 min

    Blue It All Up

    Three bleary-eyed Hacks convened this morning to dissect the scale and sweep of the 2026 midterms! Axe, Murphy, and Heilemann dive headfirst into the Democratic blue wave, break down the night's biggest stars, surprises, and seismic shifts, and unpack what it all means for the road to 2028 (yes, we're already going there). You've waited long enough — let's get into it! Photo by Brandon Bell via Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • Friday · 59 min

    The Count of Mar-a-Lago (With Jonathan Martin)

    The Hacks are back, and with the midterms around the corner, it’s tricks, treats, and toss-ups! Axe and Murphy are joined by Hacks frequent flyer, political reporter extraordinaire, and master of the campaign trail, Jonathan Martin! With Election Day lurking just around the corner, the guys dig into Trump’s ever-changing rally schedule and his role in the midterm madness, dissect dueling attack ads haunting the airwaves in key battleground states, and untangle the wicked web of culture wars, pocketbook politics, and corruption scandals. They also explore the ever-shifting left-right divide, gaze into their crystal balls to predict who will emerge from the House and Senate battles, and confront the spookiest question of all: How will Trump react to the results, and how far might he go if control of Congress slips from his grasp? Photo by Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • October 27 · 1 hr 3 min

    Yes We Flan (with Steve Schale & David Kochel)

    The Hacks are back! With the clock ticking down to the midterms, Murphy and Heilemann are joined by not one, but two brilliant Hackeroos: Democratic strategist and Florida political guru Steve Schale and veteran Republican strategist and Iowa political whisperer David Kochel! The Hacks dive deep into the battlegrounds of Michigan and Iowa, check in on key races across the country, catch up on the latest antics of presidents past and present, and break down what turnout, shifting political winds, and the size of a potential wave could mean for control of Congress next week. Plus, plenty more from the home stretch of midterm madness! Photo by Emily Elconin from Bloomberg via Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • October 23 · 1 hr 1 min

    When Negative Goes Negative (with Sarah Longwell)

    The Hacks are back — and so soon! Axe, Murphy, and Heilemann are joined by legendary Republican strategist, focus group whisperer, Bulwark publisher, and author of How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time, Sarah Longwell! The Hacks dive headfirst into the political firestorm engulfing Ohio after Vivek Ramaswamy's attack ad against Amy Acton sparked outrage across party lines. They pick Sarah's brain on what voters are really saying in focus groups, which messages are landing (and which are crashing and burning) across the country, and what it all means for the battle for control of the House and Senate as Election Day draws near. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • October 20 · 1 hr 5 min

    The Juice the Base Play (With Addisu Demissie)

    This week, all three Hackeroos are joined by Democratic strategist, campaign trail veteran, and a man who knows his way around an electoral map, Addisu Demissie! The Hacks take stock of the key races across the country as the midterms enter the home stretch, unpack the shifting electoral map and what it means for the road to the White House, dig into the demographic trends shaping the electorate, and debate the anatomy of a wave election. Photo by Stefania Pelfini la Waziya via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • October 13 · 1 hr 14 min

    Split Happens (with Robert Gibbs and Karl Rove)

    This week, Axe and Murphy are joined by not one, but two frequent-flyer Hackeroos: Mr. Texas himself, Karl Rove, and former Hackateer extraordinaire, Robert Gibbs! The guys dive headfirst into the political circus, take stock of key battleground states, dissect the latest polls and early voting numbers, and venture into the Trumpaverse to figure out who's really calling the shots. Photo by Erik S. Lesser / AFP via Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • October 6 · 1 hr 6 min

    Wave Watch (with Doug Sosnik and Ron Brownstein)

    This week, Axe and Murphy are joined by excellent Hackeroos Doug Sosnik, veteran strategist and professional campaign war-room survivor, and Ron Brownstein, dean of political journalism and longtime electoral-map obsessive. The Hacks dive into the final stretch of the midterms—ads, polls, trends, and the increasingly chaotic science of figuring out what any of it means. Photo via Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • September 29 · 1 hr 3 min

    For Whom the Poll Tolls (with John Anzalone and David Plouffe)

    This week, Axe and Murphy are joined by not one, but two all-star Hackeroos: veteran Democratic pollster John Anzalone and former Obama campaign manager and White House senior adviser David Plouffe. The crack team dives into the numbers from Anzalone’s latest polling, the ad wars raging across the country, the midterm turnout puzzle, Democratic bed-wetting, voter identity, emerging party leadership, and so much more as they set the scene for the battle for control of the House and Senate. Photo illustration by Joe Raedle via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • September 22 · 1 hr 5 min

    Pressing His Luck (with Whit Ayers)

    This week, Murphy and Heilemann are joined by Whit Ayres, president of North Star Opinion Research and veteran Republican polling Hack. The Hacks dive into the nation’s many wars: Trump’s war with the press over access to the White House, the ad war raging in the midterms, and the U.S.’s actual war with Iran. In other words: just another quiet week in politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • September 15 · 1 hr 2 min

    Above the Fold (with Julie Pace)

    This week, the Hacks are joined by recently inducted Hackeroo Julie Pace, senior vice president and executive editor of The Associated Press! The Hacks dive into the battle for control of Congress and the midterm messaging wars, from culture-war distractions and fake protesters to zingy lines and the fight to break through. Plus, Julie takes the Hacks behind the headlines on how the AP calls races, fact-checks political ads, and navigates its own battles over press access. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • September 8 · 1 hr 4 min

    The Final Sprint

    The Hacks are back! This week, all three Hackeroos convened to dive into the post-Labor Day sprint to the midterms. The guys discuss Trump’s potential war chest and the role of money in politics, renaming wars, and what could change between now and Election Day — looking to history, presidential polling, turnout, and key races for clues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • September 1 · 1 hr 30 min

    The Hacks Present: Stay Tuned with Preet

    Neuroscientist, philosopher, and Making Sense podcast host Sam Harris joins Preet Bharara to examine why good-faith debate has become so difficult—and what that breakdown has done to American politics. They discuss social media’s fragmentation of the information landscape and declining trust in the press and public institutions. They also consider Donald Trump’s resilience in the face of scandal, the different standards applied to the political left and right, the Democratic Party’s relationship with its activist wing, and whether Trumpism can survive Trump. Then, Preet and Sam turn to the rule of law: the growing impulse to prosecute political opponents, the limits of relying on norms, the difference between accountability and retribution, and what it would take to restore a measure of normalcy to American political life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • August 25 · 1 hr 10 min

    Oh Canada! (With Jonathan Martin)

    This week Axe and Murphy were joined by loyal Hackeroo, food savant, and incredibly talented journalist Jonathan Martin! The Hacks head north to unpack the latest battle with our neighbor, eh, before tapping JMart’s insights on the key races shaping up around the country. They dig into the chaos heading into the midterms, Trump’s massive war chest, stolen pens, “he would never do that” stock, and so much more! Photo by Cole Burston/Bloomberg via Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • August 18 · 1 hr 7 min

    Running on Empty (with Ron Brownstein)

    This week Axe and Murphy were joined by Bloomberg Opinion columnist, CNN senior political analyst, and certified Hackeroo Ron Brownstein. The Hacks dive into this week in the political circus — from military misadventures and ballroom loyalty tests to surging gas prices, plummeting poll numbers, and everything in between. Photo by Brandon Bell via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • August 12 · 1 hr 3 min

    Goat Rodeo (with Addisu Demissie)

    Late last night, three bleary-eyed Hacks convened to discuss the results—or what we had of them—from yesterday’s Midwestern primaries. Axe and Heilemann were joined by legendary Democratic Hackeroo Addisu Demissie to break down the lessons from last week in Michigan and this week in Wisconsin and Minnesota. The Hacks dig into what it all means for the midterms, the evolving dynamics of the DSA within the Democratic Party, the polling industrial complex, and so much more! Photo by Stephen Maturen via Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • August 5 · 1 hr 2 min

    The Midwest Strikes Back

    This week the Hacks are reunited! All three Hackeroos are back together to break down the Michigan primary results and what they could mean for the midterms. They also dive into the latest from Virginia and Wisconsin, Murphy's EV road trip, and so much more—but you've waited long enough. Photo by JEFF KOWALSKY / AFP via Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • July 28 · 1 hr 14 min

    The Cannibal King (with Jonathan Martin)

    This week Murphy and Heilemann welcome back Hack frequent flier and POLITICO's Jonathan Martin. The Hacks break down the White House Correspondents' Dinner, the latest on the war with Iran, the state of the midterms, DNC drama, and JMart's conversation with Rahm Emanuel—including a very important review of Chicago tavern-style pizza. Plus, the wet hot DSA summer, and so much more! Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • July 21 · 1 hr 5 min

    Iran Out of Patience (with Maggie Haberman)

    This week Axe and Murphy were joined by Maggie Haberman, one of the sharpest and most deeply sourced reporters covering Trump and the White House. The Hacks dive into her new book, Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, and her remarkable reporting on the origins of Trump’s war with Iran, his focus heading into the midterms, and why he remains fixated on the 2020 election. The guys also check in on the latest from Michigan and Maine—and so much more! Photo by Alex Wong via Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • July 14 · 1 hr 6 min

    Lust but Verify (with Jonathan Freedland)

    This week, Axe and Heilemann are joined by a Hack from across the pond and all-around political savant, Jonathan Freedland. Jonathan is a Guardian columnist, host of Politics Weekly America, and co-host of Unholy, the podcast covering Israel and the Middle East. The Hacks dive into the biggest stories of the week, including the sudden passing of Senator Lindsey Graham and the political legacy he leaves behind, Trump's war against Iran, the Democratic Party's evolving stance on Israel, chunky forearms, bin-faced politicians, and so much more. Photo by BENJAMIN CREMEL/AFP via Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • July 7 · 1 hr 3 min

    PAC to the Future (with Elie Honig)

    The Hacks are back, and this week Axe and Murphy are joined by CNN’s senior legal analyst, former federal prosecutor, and resident translator of legalese into English, Elie Honig. The Hacks dive into the fallout from Graham Platner’s exit from the Maine Senate race, check in on a handful of key contests, and unpack the role—and controversy—surrounding AIPAC money in Democratic primaries. Then they put Elie to work, unpacking the Supreme Court’s latest rulings, the Court’s ideological makeup, and where the law may be headed next. Photo by Kevin Carter via Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Showing 1–20 of 36 episodes