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Isaac Saul

Independent, non-partisan politics news where you'll hear the best arguments from across the political spectrum on the news of the day. Plus, fascinating interviews with people in the political world. Check out our newsletter: https://www.readtangle.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  • 88 episodes
  • Avg 31 min
  • English
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  • Yesterday · 5 min

    PREVIEW: The Friday Edition. - We see what we want to see.

    Stark election outcomes encourage flawed thinking. One of the great challenges of politics is trying to understand the country’s direction after a big election. Typically, that means deciphering voters — both as a monolith (“what do Americans want?”) and as blocs (“why are Hispanics breaking left?”). After the 2026 midterms, a lot of people are seeing what they want to see in the results. They start with their biases, pull in polling data, and build a theory that supports their priors. Some surely do this intentionally (in hopes of achieving a preferred political outcome), while others seem to do it subconsciously. Each narrative is as easy to tear down as it is to construct. Ad-free podcasts are here! Subscribe to unlock this episode and more. Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! Is election fraud dead? In the latest edition of A Grain of Saul, Isaac discusses how post-election claims of widespread fraud have differed this year compared to past cycles. He writes: Election denialism is pretty much dead. Could it be resurrected? Perhaps. But for now, there isn’t a single losing candidate in any race denying the results of their election, nor is the president shouting from the rooftops that this sweeping rebuke of his presidency was somehow rigged. Read on to get Isaac’s full take on why this year is different. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75 and Jon Lall. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Thursday · 27 min

    The failed impeachment of Pete Hegseth.

    On Tuesday, the House voted 211–204 to refer eight articles of impeachment filed against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the House Judiciary Committee. The Republican-controlled committee is not expected to take further action, effectively ending the impeachment attempt. 11 Democrats were absent from the vote, which allowed Republicans to pass the referral measure and avoid a floor vote on impeachment. Is election fraud dead? In the latest edition of A Grain of Saul, Isaac discusses how post-election claims of widespread fraud have differed this year compared to past cycles. He writes: Election denialism is pretty much dead. Could it be resurrected? Perhaps. But for now, there isn’t a single losing candidate in any race denying the results of their election, nor is the president shouting from the rooftops that this sweeping rebuke of his presidency was somehow rigged. Read on to get Isaac’s full take on why this year is different. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ and today’s “Under the radar” story ⁠here⁠ and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: Do you think Hegseth will eventually be impeached? Let us know. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Thursday · 3 min

    SOTR: A quick announcement.

    A quick announcement about this weeks SOTR episode. Thank you all! Ad-free podcasts are here! Become a member today. Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! Is election fraud dead? In the latest edition of A Grain of Saul, Isaac discusses how post-election claims of widespread fraud have differed this year compared to past cycles. He writes: Election denialism is pretty much dead. Could it be resurrected? Perhaps. But for now, there isn’t a single losing candidate in any race denying the results of their election, nor is the president shouting from the rooftops that this sweeping rebuke of his presidency was somehow rigged. Read on to get Isaac’s full take on why this year is different. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast was hosted by: Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Jon Lall. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Tuesday · 25 min

    Trump says U.S. will end Israel aid.

    On Tuesday, November 3, President Donald Trump announced that U.S. aid to Israel will end at the start of 2027, saying that the country “no longer need[s] it.” The president said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu brought the idea to him years ago, and the two agreed that now is the time to end the assistance. While Trump indicated that the roughly $3.8 billion in annual aid would be reduced to zero, recent reporting from Israeli outlets suggests the package will only be halved as a result of shortening its time frame. Is election fraud dead? In the latest edition of A Grain of Saul, Isaac discusses how post-election claims of widespread fraud have differed this year compared to past cycles. He writes: Election denialism is pretty much dead. Could it be resurrected? Perhaps. But for now, there isn’t a single losing candidate in any race denying the results of their election, nor is the president shouting from the rooftops that this sweeping rebuke of his presidency was somehow rigged. Read on to get Isaac’s full take on why this year is different. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: What do you think of the U.S. potentially ending aid to Israel? Let us know. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Monday · 26 min

    Trump names Stephen Miller chief of staff.

    On Friday, President Donald Trump announced he is elevating Stephen Miller to be his new chief of staff, while current Chief of Staff Susie Wiles will move to a position in the “Trump Political Operation.” The move is one of the White House’s first major personnel changes following last week’s midterm elections. A midterms mailbag. On Friday, the Tangle staff tackled an array of frequently asked questions following last Tuesday’s midterm elections. Topics included the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, key ballot initiatives across the country, Congressional Democrats’ agenda for the next two years, and the impact of gerrymandering. Check it out here. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: What do you think of Stephen Miller as chief of staff? Let us know. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Carina Pacheco and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • November 6 · 10 min

    PREVIEW: The Friday Edition. - The 2026 midterms mailbag.

    On Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance shared his assessment of Republicans’ midterm performance, arguing that the war in Iran was primarily responsible for the party’s significant losses across the United States. Vance’s post headlined broader discussions about the GOP’s electoral performance and raised questions about how the vice president might position himself for a 2028 presidential run. Suspension of the Rules. In a special, in-person, post-election edition of Suspension of the Rules, Isaac, Ari, and Kmele try to get a handle on the magnitude of Tuesday’s Democratic victory and discuss what the most immediate impacts will be on the current government — both in the White House and on Capitol Hill. Speaking of Congress, Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) drops in to give his perspective on the blue tsunami. You can check it out here. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Saul, Ari Weitzman, Will Kaback, Audrey Moorehead, Carina Pacheco, Russell Nystrom, Isaac Wood and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • November 5 · 27 min

    Vance’s midterm postmortem.

    On Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance shared his assessment of Republicans’ midterm performance, arguing that the war in Iran was primarily responsible for the party’s significant losses across the United States. Vance’s post headlined broader discussions about the GOP’s electoral performance and raised questions about how the vice president might position himself for a 2028 presidential run. Suspension of the Rules. In a special, in-person, post-election edition of Suspension of the Rules, Isaac, Ari, and Kmele try to get a handle on the magnitude of Tuesday’s Democratic victory and discuss what the most immediate impacts will be on the current government — both in the White House and on Capitol Hill. Speaking of Congress, Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) drops in to give his perspective on the blue tsunami. You can check it out here. Midterms mailbag. This Friday, we’ll be answering your questions about the 2026 midterms in a reader mailbag edition. You can submit a question for consideration here! Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: What issues were most salient in the midterms? Let us know. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • November 5 · 1 hr 4 min

    Suspension of the rules. - Isaac, Kmele and Ari process the huge margins in the midterm elections and Representative Jake Auchincloss joins the show.

    On today's jam packed episode of Suspension of the rules, Isaac, Ari and Kmele go over the large margins in the election results. The episode explores how growing frustration with rising costs, government corruption, and divisive politics contributed to a major Democratic election victory. It examines the changing expectations of voters and argues that Democrats must focus on affordability, accountability, and practical results rather than simply opposing Trump. Then U.S. Representative Jake Auchincloss joins the show for a quick chat. Last, but not least a very good grievance section. Midterms mailbag. This Friday, we’ll be answering your questions about the 2026 midterms in a reader mailbag edition. You can submit a question for consideration here! Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast was hosted by: Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Jon Lall. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • November 4 · 26 min

    Democrats sweep the midterm elections.

    On Tuesday, Democrats flipped the House and Senate, winning majorities in both chambers by significant margins. As of 10:30 AM ET, Decision Desk HQ has called 54 Senate seats for Democrats to Republicans’ 44, with Alaska and Mississippi still too close to call. In the House, Democrats will hold at least 241 seats to Republicans’ 149, having flipped 32 seats so far. Midterms mailbag. This Friday, we’ll be answering your questions about the 2026 midterms in a reader mailbag edition. You can submit a question for consideration here! Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: What issues were most salient in the midterms? Let us know. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • November 3 · 40 min

    SPECIAL EDITION: The 2026 midterms are here.

    Today is Election Day. Control of 35 Senate seats, 36 governorships, and all 435 House seats will be decided in this year’s midterms, in addition to a slew of state ballot initiatives and legislative seats. Republicans currently hold the U.S. House and Senate, but Democrats seek to flip one or both chambers to check President Donald Trump for the final two years of his term. Live election coverage sponsored by Incogni Join Isaac, Ari, and Kmele along with special guests on Nov 3 starting at 7:00 PM ET. Follow here to get an update when we go live. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Saul, Ari Weitzman, Will Kaback, Audrey Moorehead, Carina Pacheco, Russell Nystrom, Isaac Wood and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • November 2 · 31 min

    Haley Stevens endorses Mike Rogers.

    On Sunday, former Democratic Senate candidate Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) endorsed Republican candidate Mike Rogers in Michigan’s Senate race. Stevens issued her endorsement after she appeared at a church service alongside Rogers and days after a public feud with Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed; she had previously supported El-Sayed at the conclusion of the party’s primary in August. Tomorrow is Election Day! Tomorrow, we’ll publish a one-stop shop for everything you need to know about the House and Senate races, key ballot initiatives, what to expect as results come in, and more. In the meantime, if you’re on the fence about casting a ballot, check out Executive Editor Isaac Saul’s best arguments for voting. The edition is free for all to read. Then, after the day is done, head over to our YouTube channel for our Election Day livestream, as Isaac, Ari, and Kmele will be joined by some special guests starting at 7:00PM ET to report and interpret the results as they come in. Thank you to our sponsor Incogni, who can help you make sure your private information remains private. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: Do you think the endorsement will affect the race? Let us know. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • October 30 · 19 min

    FULL EPISODE: The Friday Edition. - Yes, you should vote.

    Your participation has tangible and intangible effects. Hey everyone — Election Day is on Tuesday. If you haven’t yet voted, you should make plans to. Ahead of every midterm and presidential election, I republish a piece I wrote in 2022 making the case to Tangle readers about why they should participate. Every other year, I update the piece a little bit based on responses I got the previous year or to reflect current events. This year, I’m excited to be publishing this piece again. I hope you enjoy and share it with your family and friends (this Friday edition is available to everyone). Best, Isaac While you’re here... We are currently running a 26% discount on our newsletter subscription during the 2026 midterms. That comes out to less than $4/month, which is less than you probably spend on a single coffee or beer. Subscribing to Tangle unlocks all our Friday editions (like this one), 2,000+ articles in our archive, the comments section, the ad-free newsletter, and other offerings like Press Pass and A Grain of Saul. Election night coverage. This Tuesday, Tangle’s hosting an evening of midterm elections coverage, sponsored in part by the folks at Incogni. Executive Editor Isaac Saul and our team will break down the results as they come in and welcome guests like Adam Mockler, Batya Ungar-Sargon, Dave Weigel, Noah Rothman, and more. We’ll be livestreaming from our YouTube channel, so check in here at 7:00 PM ET on Election Night. Isaac will also be joined by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman and Editor-at-Large Kmele Foster for part of the night, as he is every week for the Suspension of the Rules podcast. This week, the three discussed the breaking news out of Alaska, some viral Midterm campaign moments, and what ballot initiatives have caught their eyes. Listen to or watch the latest episode! You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Jon Lall. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • October 29 · 24 min

    The Israeli elections

    On Tuesday, Israel held its first elections since Hamas’s October 7 attacks in 2023. With approximately 96% of ballots counted, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party has won more seats than any other party in Israel’s Knesset but will fall short of the 61 seats needed for a majority. The results set the stage for what is expected to be weeks of negotiations over a new governing coalition and Netanyahu’s future. Election night coverage. This Tuesday, Tangle’s hosting an evening of midterm elections coverage, sponsored in part by the folks at Incogni. Executive Editor Isaac Saul and our team will break down the results as they come in and welcome guests like Adam Mockler, Batya Ungar-Sargon, Dave Weigel, Noah Rothman, and more. We’ll be livestreaming from our YouTube channel, so check in here at 7:00 PM ET on Election Night. Isaac will also be joined by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman and Editor-at-Large Kmele Foster for part of the night, as he is every week for the Suspension of the Rules podcast. This week, the three discussed the breaking news out of Alaska, some viral Midterm campaign moments, and what ballot initiatives have caught their eyes. Listen to or watch the latest episode! Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ and today’s “Under the radar” story ⁠here⁠ and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: What do you think of the election result? Let us know. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • October 29 · 1 hr 16 min

    Suspension of the rules. - The 2026 midterm election episode.

    In today's jam packed election themed episode of Suspension of the rules, Isaac, Ari and Kmele explore controversial campaign tactics, political rhetoric, antisemitism in political advertising, and upcoming ballot initiatives in Florida and California. They examine how political opportunism and divisive messaging affect public trust and democratic debate and much more. Its a good one! The hidden cost of the data-center boom. In recent Tangle editions, we’ve covered artificial intelligence, AI hacks, data centers, data center moratoriums — if it’s related to the AI boom (or bubble), we’ve been on it. In our new YouTube video, Associate Producer Aidan Gorman follows another lead: Are utility bills going up to pay for data centers in other states? To find the answer, Aidan takes to the road and follows a new electric line from an existing coal plant in West Virginia through a planned substation in Maryland to data centers in Virginia. You can check it out here. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Jon Lall. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • October 28 · 15 min

    A Grain of Saul - Okay, the polls are getting a little ridiculous.

    Is the "blue tsunami" talk legit? Hey — I'm Isaac Saul, the founder and executive editor of Tangle. This is my new semi-regular newsletter A Grain of Saul, where I dive into some topics we don't get to in our main newsletter. One of two things is currently happening: President Trump is burning down a powerful political coalition in historic time, or The polls are very misleading. YouGov recently ran a poll on the Senate race in Texas. Among the respondents, 52% said they had voted for Donald Trump in 2024. 40% said they had voted for Kamala Harris. 41% self-identified as Republicans, while just 26% self-identified as Democrats. And yet, in that poll, 50% of the respondents said they were planning to vote for the Democratic Senate candidate, James Talarico, and 44% said they were planning to vote for the Republican, Trump-endorsed candidate Ken Paxton. Of the people who responded that they were voting for Talarico, 97% said their mind was made up, while just 3% said there was still a chance they’d switch to Paxton. Again: James Talarico, the man President Trump has dubbed “James TalaFREAKO,” is polling six points ahead of the president’s preferred candidate, in Texas, among a group of respondents who broke 52–40 in the president’s favor less than two years ago. It’s not just in Texas, either. In Kansas, a state Trump won by 16 points in 2024, the Senate race is now a toss-up. A New York Times/Siena College poll published earlier this month shows the race tied. Kansas hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1932. The hidden cost of the data-center boom. In recent Tangle editions, we’ve covered artificial intelligence, AI hacks, data centers, data center moratoriums — if it’s related to the AI boom (or bubble), we’ve been on it. In our new YouTube video, Associate Producer Aidan Gorman follows another lead: Are utility bills going up to pay for data centers in other states? To find the answer, Aidan takes to the road and follows a new electric line from an existing coal plant in West Virginia through a planned substation in Maryland to data centers in Virginia. You can check it out here. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Jon Lall. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • October 28 · 27 min

    The Maine Senate election.

    In a Senate race that could determine the majority in the upper chamber, Democrat Troy Jackson holds a narrow polling lead over Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins in Maine. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to win a Senate majority, and Collins is the only incumbent Republican senator running for reelection this year in a state that Kamala Harris (D) won in 2024. The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections and Sabato’s Crystal Ball all rate the race a toss-up, but Jackson holds a 1.2-point lead over Collins in the most recent RealClearPolitics polling average. As of Wednesday morning, 220,000 Mainers have cast early votes in the election, with registered Democrats outnumbering Republicans nearly 5:2. The hidden cost of the data-center boom. In recent Tangle editions, we’ve covered artificial intelligence, AI hacks, data centers, data center moratoriums — if it’s related to the AI boom (or bubble), we’ve been on it. In our new YouTube video, Associate Producer Aidan Gorman follows another lead: Are utility bills going up to pay for data centers in other states? To find the answer, Aidan takes to the road and follows a new electric line from an existing coal plant in West Virginia through a planned substation in Maryland to data centers in Virginia. You can check it out here. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: Who do you think will win? Let us know. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Will Kaback and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • October 27 · 29 min

    The $8 billion farmer relief package.

    On Monday, October 19, President Donald Trump announced the Harvest Fuel Relief Program (HFR), an $8 billion program to support farmers during a spike in diesel costs. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) will disburse the funds as one-time payments based on a formula that projects farmers’ needed aid, with the first payments potentially going out by the end of the year. Get your brand in front of Tangle readers. Do you own a business or work for a brand you think Tangle readers would love? We work with businesses of all sizes to connect their brands with more than 500,000 politically diverse, highly engaged readers. Some of our best advertising partners have come directly from this community, and we’d love to explore how we can help your business connect with our audience, too. Want more info on how to bring your brand to Tangle? Click hereto learn more about the available opportunities. Reach out to start a conversation about the opportunities available. Corruption, continued. On Friday, Executive Editor Isaac Saul published part two of his ongoing reporting on apparent corruption in the second Trump administration. This piece examines stories that have surfaced in just the past five months, showing that the self-dealing has only increased since Isaac’s first edition back in May. The information is the narrative. There is just the reality before us — the simple black-and-white facts of what has been done and what is happening, here, right now. It is remarkable in all the worst ways, brimming with details that, if you care about good governance or honesty or character, might make you angry. You can read the full piece here. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: Do you think this aid program will help farmers? Let us know. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Wood and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • October 26 · 25 min

    The DOJ’s Alaska lawsuit.

    On Thursday, the Justice Department suedAlaska and its Division of Elections director, seeking to preemptively block certification of the state’s Senate election if it is impacted by “voter confusion.” The closely contested race features two candidates named Dan Sullivan; Dan S. Sullivan is the incumbent Republican senator, and Daniel J. Sullivan is a challenger with no party affiliation. The lawsuit alleges that Daniel J. Sullivan entered the race “with the intention of misleading supporters of Senator Sullivan.” Attorneys for Democratic candidate Mary Peltola have asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit. Corruption, continued. On Friday, Executive Editor Isaac Saul published part two of his ongoing reporting on apparent corruption in the second Trump administration. This piece examines stories that have surfaced in just the past five months, showing that the self-dealing has only increased since Isaac’s first edition back in May. The information is the narrative. There is just the reality before us — the simple black-and-white facts of what has been done and what is happening, here, right now. It is remarkable in all the worst ways, brimming with details that, if you care about good governance or honesty or character, might make you angry. You can read the full piece here. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: What do you think of Sullivan’s candidacy and the DOJ suit? Let us know. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • October 23 · 11 min

    PREVIEW: The Friday Edition. - The corruption is still the story.

    I spent five months tracking every Trump corruption story. Here’s what I found. Several hours ago, I had to abandon my contacts for glasses. My eyes are still dry and burning. My left leg is asleep. My fingers are cramping. My phone is dead. I’m out of coffee and desperate for a bourbon or perhaps a cigarette (I don’t smoke). I have a Google document filled with 10,000 words, more than a hundred individual stories, scores of links to dig deeper into — I’m wondering how I’m going to get my editors to read the whole thing, let alone get millions of Americans to care about it. I’ll have to get it to half that length, and maybe even shorter, before I can put it in front of anybody. This is where I’ve landed after five more months attempting to document all the grifting, corruption, and self-dealing of the Trump administration. I published my first piece on this topic on May 1, titled “The everything, everywhere, all at once corruption story.” When I finished that piece and read it back, I was astounded at the end result. Not because it was a particularly riveting piece of writing, but because seeing it all together in one place shifted something inside me, solidifying a perspective about this administration that won’t be easily forgotten. I was gratified to see it had a similar impact on others; it was widely read and cited, generating hundreds of thousands of views, over 1,000 comments, and a mention in The New York Times. At the time, I was pretty skeptical about the degree to which people would care about the corruption permeating our government right now. Everyone seems so fatigued by the news that they aren’t paying attention, or they’re too comfortable in their partisan corners to break ranks, or they’re simply too overwhelmed to get worked up. Our ability to be concerned or even shocked seems diminished. But it turns out I was wrong: In what looks to me to be a historic piece of polling, Fox News recently found Americans are now putting government corruption as their #1 concern heading into the 2026 midterms, ahead of issues like inflation, immigration, and healthcare... Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! Suspension of the Rules. On this week’s episode, Isaac reveals his big board of Senate midterm predictions to Kmele and Ari, who offer a few disagreements. Then, the three discuss the protests and riots in France. Then, are Ari, Isaac, and Kmele as knowledgeable about Europe as a European is about the United States? All that and more on this week’s episode, which you can listen to here and watch here. The debut. This week, Executive Editor Isaac Saul announced A Grain of Saul, a new iteration of an old favorite column where he’ll share fresh perspectives on politics and culture. Today, he publishes his first piece, exploring a frequently discussed — albeit sensitive — question: Are Americans just stupid? Check it out here. They’re trying to scare you. As the midterms near, campaigns are leaning into a familiar tactic: fear. You’ve probably seen or heard all manner of political advertisements warning of catastrophic consequences if an opponent or their party wins power. In the latest video for his new YouTube channel, Isaac breaks down the psychology of these ads and how to tell when politicians are playing on fear-based emotions. Check it out here. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Isaac Saul and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Jon Lall and Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • October 22 · 25 min

    The Ohio attack ad.

    On Tuesday, Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s (R) campaign released an advertisement featuring his opponent Amy Acton’s (D) mother, Donna Arthur, accusing her daughter of lying about her childhood and urging Ohioans to vote against her. The ad has generated backlash after Acton’s campaign and news outlets highlighted that Acton’s stepfather, whom Arthur remained married to until his death, was charged with sexually assaulting Acton when she was 12. Suspension of the Rules. On this week’s episode, Isaac reveals his big board of Senate midterm predictions to Kmele and Ari, who offer a few disagreements. Then, the three discuss the protests and riots in France. Then, are Ari, Isaac, and Kmele as knowledgeable about Europe as a European is about the United States? All that and more on this week’s episode, which you can listen to here and watch here. The debut. This week, Executive Editor Isaac Saul announced A Grain of Saul, a new iteration of an old favorite column where he’ll share fresh perspectives on politics and culture. Today, he publishes his first piece, exploring a frequently discussed — albeit sensitive — question: Are Americans just stupid? Check it out here. They’re trying to scare you. As the midterms near, campaigns are leaning into a familiar tactic: fear. You’ve probably seen or heard all manner of political advertisements warning of catastrophic consequences if an opponent or their party wins power. In the latest video for his new YouTube channel, Isaac breaks down the psychology of these ads and how to tell when politicians are playing on fear-based emotions. Check it out here. Ad-free podcasts are here! Get 20% off your first year of ad-free episodes, exclusive interviews, and deep dives with Tangle’s podcast membership! You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ and today’s “Under the radar” story ⁠here⁠ and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠. You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: What do you think of the ad? Let us know. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall. This podcast written by: Audrey Moorehead and audio engineered and edited by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Audrey Moorehead, and Carina Pacheco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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