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Unmoderated with Sarah McCammon

Unmoderated News

Unmoderated with Sarah McCammon is a new podcast from Unmoderated News, that examines the personal stories that shape a new generation of leaders and the political and policy battles they fight to make change.

Through intimate conversations with elected officials, political commentators, advocates, and community leaders, Unmoderated unpacks the origin stories behind today's combative centrists. Together, we explore how they fight successfully in unfriendly territory, win hearts and minds, and overcome elite interests to make life better for all Americans.

Instead of soundbites and talking points, the show digs deeper to uncover the values and experiences that shape how these leaders navigate politics in turbulent times with stories about what it takes to fight for wins and results.

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24 episodes
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Avg 36 min
English

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#23
Thursday · 31 min
Cheri Bustos Won Trump Country, One Grocery Aisle at a Time
Cheri Bustos spent almost two decades as a newspaper reporter before entering public life. She served on her city council and then, in 2012, flipped a Republican seat in a working-class stretch of northwest Illinois. Even when Donald Trump won her district in 2016, Bustos held on to that seat and won by more than 20 points. Her colleagues later chose her to lead the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for the 2020 cycle, where she fought back Republican attacks and protected the Democratic House majority. Since leaving Congress, Bustos has spent her time thinking hard about how Democrats can win in places where the party usually loses, and what makes them successful. Sarah McCammon spoke with former Rep. Bustos about why she's keeping an eye on Iowa, how “Supermarket Saturdays” helped her hold on in Trump country, and what Democrats should prioritize if they win back Congress. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 — Cold open 01:02 — Keep an Eye on Iowa and Making the Midterms Local 04:58 — Recruiting for Swing Districts: Fit, Vetting, and Women Candidates 12:10 — From Journalism to Congress: Health Care and Her Brother's Cancer 15:44 — Holding a District That Swung 17 Points: Supermarket Saturday and Cheri on Shift 21:16 — Affordability at Home: $6.30 Diesel and the Piggly Wiggly 24:25 — Election Night Races to Watch and the Far-Left Trickle-Down Effect 28:39 — Priorities for a Democratic Majority and What She Wants in a Nominee CREDITS Unmoderated is a production of Unmoderated News. Our team is Sarah McCammon, Kate deGruyter, Emily Becker, Janae Morris, David Fanto, Alex Kapelman, Kaitlyn Perez, Amea Thompson, Madison Meyer, Harrison Chinchar, Nathan Harnick, Jack Spilles, Alan Haburchak, and Gemma Waters. Music by Ṭaus al Chalabi. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#22
October 8 · 36 min
Dr. Annie Andrews Doesn't Ask Patients Their Party
When Dr. Annie Andrews launched her Senate campaign in a solidly Republican state last year, she knew she was the underdog. No Democrat has won a Senate race in South Carolina in close to three decades, and the state has voted for Donald Trump by double-digit margins in every election he's run. Dr. Andrews is running against Darline Graham, the sister of the late, long-serving Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC). She's a pediatrician who spends her days caring for children—and as a doctor, she has ideas about what leaders can do to care for their constituents. Sarah McCammon spoke with Dr. Andrews about why she wants to pause new data centers in South Carolina, what she's seeing in the hospital as vaccine skepticism spreads from the top of the federal government, and how she plans to win over Republicans who can't imagine supporting Darline Graham. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 — Cold Open 1:10 — Lindsey Graham's Death and Darline Graham's Viral Debate Moment 3:53 — RFK Jr., Vaccines, and the Spartanburg Measles Outbreak 13:14 — A Public Option, Medicaid, and the Pro-Family Pitch to Republicans 16:49 — Parkland, the Nancy Mace Race, and RFK Jr.'s Nomination 23:10 — Gas, Grits, and Groceries: Food Deserts 26:13 — Advice for Written-Off Races, the Big Tent, and Working Across the Aisle 28:08 — Building Trust, the DSA, and South Carolina's First-in-the-Nation Primary CREDITS Unmoderated is a production of Unmoderated News. Our team is Sarah McCammon, Kate deGruyter, Emily Becker, Janae Morris, David Fanto, Alex Kapelman, Kaitlyn Perez, Amea Thompson, Madison Meyer, Harrison Chinchar, Nathan Harnick, Jack Spilles, Alan Haburchak, and Gemma Waters. Music by Ṭaus al Chalabi. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#21
October 1 · 39 min
Jared Polis Made Colorado #1 in Education
Jared Polis took an unusual path into politics. When he was 25, and not yet a parent, he won a seat on Colorado's State Board of Education. He later had kids of his own and became the first openly gay parent to serve in Congress. In 2018, Colorado made him the first openly gay man ever elected governor in the United States. Eight years later, education is still Governor Polis's signature issue, from passing universal preschool and full-day kindergarten to breaking with most of his party on school choice. He's zagged on plenty of other issues, too, vetoing dozens of bills from a legislature his party controls. Now, with a few months left in his final term, Governor Polis is talking about what he's learned. Sarah McCammon spoke with him in Washington, DC, about how Colorado paid for universal preschool, why he cut Tina Peters's sentence, and why he wants Democrats to be pro-capitalism. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 — Cold open 1:19 — Why education: preschool, apprenticeships, and school choice 17:26 — RFK Jr., vaccines, and chemicals in the food supply 19:11 — Housing, duplexes, and mortgage rates near 7% 22:20 — Mail voting and cutting Tina Peters's sentence 27:59 — The Boulder attack, Melat Kiros, and antisemitism 32:18 — Why Democrats should run on affordability and capitalism 33:57 — Legacy, life after office, and the Democratic primary CREDITS Unmoderated is a production of Unmoderated News. Our team is Sarah McCammon, Kate deGruyter, Emily Becker, Janae Morris, David Fanto, Alex Kapelman, Kaitlyn Perez, Amea Thompson, Madison Meyer, Harrison Chinchar, Nathan Harnick, Jack Spilles, Alan Haburchak, and Gemma Waters. Music by Ṭaus al Chalabi. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#20
September 24 · 44 min
Quinton Lucas Wants Democrats at the Chiefs Game
For stretches of his childhood, Quinton Lucas was homeless. He crashed at motels, with relatives, and even at the nursing home where his great-aunt lived. Now he's the mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. He was elected in 2019, the youngest mayor of Kansas City in more than a century. Four years later, he was reelected with more than 80% of the vote. Sarah McCammon, who grew up in Kansas City, spoke with Mayor Lucas there in person about growing up poor on the city's east side, why he goes on conservative talk radio every week, what free buses taught him, and why Democrats should celebrate the American story. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 — Cold open 01:19 — Motel rooms, a private-school scholarship, and code-switching 05:12 — The housing trust fund and his doubts about rent control 11:46 — State control of the police and stadium deals with Republicans 16:49 — Conservative talk radio, purity tests, and Wesley Bell vs. Cori Bush 27:11 — Free buses and falling crime 32:41 — The World Cup and patriotism 37:02 — Gun ordinances and what's next CREDITS Unmoderated is a production of Unmoderated News. Our team is Sarah McCammon, Kate deGruyter, Emily Becker, Janae Morris, David Fanto, Alex Kapelman, Kaitlyn Perez, Amea Thompson, Madison Meyer, Harrison Chinchar, Nathan Harnick, Jack Spilles, Alan Haburchak, and Gemma Waters. Music by Ṭaus al Chalabi. #KansasCity #QuintonLucas #Democrats Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#19
September 17 · 47 min
Jessica Tarlov Wins Arguments Without Losing Friends
Jessica Tarlov is, for lack of a better term, a prominent moderate. She's one of the most recognizable Democrats on Fox News, arguing daily with people who don't agree with her, and she co-hosts the podcast “Raging Moderates” with Scott Galloway. In her new book, I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends, she draws on those daily fights to share what she's learned about arguing well—with colleagues, with critics, and with her own family. Sarah McCammon spoke with Tarlov about the family dinner table that taught her to argue while still staying connected, her belief in fighting for health care as a human right, and what she thinks it will take for moderate Democrats to out-organize the party's left flank. CHAPTERS 00:00 — Cold Open 01:03 — Making the Case For the Moderate Lane 12:58 — Learning to Argue Without Losing Friends 25:13 — Why Facts Don't Change Minds 31:09 — Chipping Away At Jesse Watters 33:18 — Where She's Actually Changed Her Mind 36:26 — The Pitch Democrats Need On Immigration 43:17 — Inside the Fight With the DSA Unmoderated is a production of Unmoderated News. Our team is Sarah McCammon, Kate deGruyter, Emily Becker, Janae Morris, David Fanto, Alex Kapelman, Kaitlyn Perez, Amea Thompson, Madison Meyer, Harrison Chinchar, Nathan Harnick, Jack Spilles, Alan Haburchak, and Gemma Waters. Music by Ṭaus al Chalabi. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#18
September 10 · 48 min
Yadira Ramos-Herbert Says Real is Better Than Polished
Yadira Ramos-Herbert grew up in Queens, the granddaughter of immigrants. She started her career as an attorney in New York City, then spent a decade in leadership at Columbia University Law School. She was working with students there when the campus was rocked by protests over the war in Gaza, after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. Soon afterward, she became the first woman and the first person of color ever to lead the city of New Rochelle, New York. Today, Ramos-Herbert presides over one of the most closely watched affordable housing efforts in America while leading a deeply diverse city through a divided political moment. Sarah McCammon spoke with Mayor Ramos-Herbert about her family’s immigration story, the backlash she sometimes faces for speaking Spanish on the job, and how she held her city together after October 7. In This Episode 00:00 — Cold open 01:43 — Grandparents, the American dream, and why she speaks Spanish on the job 13:28 — From a broken park to Mayor of New Rochelle 19:59 — Insecurities, fundraising, and being a Latina candidate 24:44 — October 7, the Columbia protests, and a mayoral race under scrutiny 31:31 — Misinformation, trust, and “Coffee with the Mayor” 34:23 — The Mamdani 9/11 controversy 37:20 — New Rochelle's housing boom and rent control 45:11 — Advice for 2028 Episode Credits Unmoderated is a production of Unmoderated News. Our team is Sarah McCammon, Kate deGruyter, Emily Becker, Janae Morris, David Fanto, Alex Kapelman, Kaitlyn Perez, Amea Thompson, Madison Meyer, Harrison Chinchar, Nathan Harnick, Jack Spilles, Alan Haburchak, and Gemma Waters. Music by Ṭaus al Chalabi. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#17
September 3 · 47 min
Frank Sharry Says Democrats Could Still Win on Immigration
Third Way Senior Fellow Frank Sharry has been at the center of nearly every major push for immigration reform for decades — and watched almost all of them fall apart. Now he wants Democrats to reckon with where they went wrong on immigration, and how the party can reclaim the middle in the midterms and beyond. Sarah McCammon spoke with Sharry about how Democrats lost credibility on the border, the “both-and” answer he thinks can win back swing voters, and how four decades working with refugees shaped his view of the issue. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 — Cold open 1:33 – Both parties captured by the loudest factions 4:33 — Biden's border fix came too late 8:34 — Secure the border, reform enforcement at home 19:18 — The "both-and-" answer costs and the Atlantic op-ed that cost Sharry old friends 30:57 — Order and generosity, "two sides of the same coin" 39:20 — Sharry's origin story 43:44 — The math behind Trump's demonization of immigrants We have some exciting news to share: the podcast will soon have a new look and a new name. We’re officially becoming Unmoderated. You’ll notice new colors, new fonts, and a fresh look but the content you know isn’t changing. Sarah McCammon will still be sitting down with leaders, advocates, and changemakers to unpack the personal stories that shaped them and the battles they’re taking on today. We'll see you next week for the start of a new chapter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#16
August 27 · 41 min
Jake Auchincloss Wants to Save Democrats from Permanent Minority
Most kids hang posters of their favorite bands on their walls. Jake Auchincloss decorated his room with pictures of the Founding Fathers. His grandfather, the son of Jewish refugees, snuck into a Marine recruiting station as a teenager during World War II, over his mother’s objections. Representative Auchincloss joined the Marines to carry on that legacy. He commanded infantry in Afghanistan, then came home and ran for office. Now he is pushing the Democratic Party toward the center—and back to winning. Sarah McCammon spoke with Representative Auchincloss about how Afghanistan shaped his view of American power, why he calls social media a failed society, and the governing vision he thinks can redefine the center around the middle class. IN THIS EPISODE: 0:00 — Cold Open and Introduction 1:01 — Admiration for the Founding Fathers 5:42 — Afghanistan and American power 10:23 — Redefining the center around the middle class 19:07 — Patriotic, productive populism 21:57 — Chatbots and developing brains 28:41 — Antisemitism in both parties 36:03 — The Israel aid vote and AIPAC 38:40 — A governing vision for the middle class Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#15
August 20 · 35 min
Elissa Slotkin is on Trump’s List… and She’s Fighting Back
Elissa Slotkin arrived in New York City as a student one day before 9/11—and before the smoke cleared, she knew what she wanted to do with her life. She went on to serve in the CIA, did three tours in Iraq, and worked in the White House under two presidents: one Republican and one Democrat. Michigan voters elected Senator Slotkin to the US Senate in 2024—the same night Donald Trump carried the state. She won in part by winning in places Kamala Harris couldn’t. And her tenure in the Senate has been defined by a willingness to take on powerful interests and stick up for what she believes in. After Senator Slotkin and other intelligence and military veterans made a public statement reminding American troops that they can refuse illegal orders, President Trump accused her of sedition. Lately she's also been taking on what she sees as the failures of her own party. Sarah McCammon spoke with Senator Slotkin in Washington, DC, about how her mother's illness and the AIDS crisis shaped her politics, what she means when she says Democrats need more alpha energy, and why she wants a crowded 2028 primary. #ElissaSlotkin #MidwestPolitics #DemocraticParty IN THIS EPISODE: 0:00 — Cold Open and Introduction 1:39 — Why Slotkin keeps showing up in the Midwest 6:04 — How her mother shaped her politics 13:44 — From 9/11 and the CIA to elected office 16:02 — The illegal-orders video and the threats that followed 21:09 — “Alpha energy” and the “happy warrior” trap 24:15 — Calling “balls and strikes” on Israel and Lebanon 28:34 — Why she wants to keep Chinese-made cars out of the United States 31:05 — The Democratic Party’s search for something new Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#14
August 13 · 40 min
Brooke Jenkins Won’t Apologize for Prosecuting Crime
Brooke Jenkins was a homicide prosecutor in San Francisco when she walked out the door and helped lead a campaign to fire her own boss. That boss was one of the most famous progressive prosecutors in America. He had promised fewer prosecutions and a new model of justice. But as drug markets spread and theft videos went viral, voters in one of America’s most liberal cities decided the experiment had gone too far. After they recalled him in 2022, Jenkins was appointed to replace him. Since then, San Francisco has become a test of a question Democrats face everywhere: Can the party get serious about crime and disorder without giving up on reform? Sarah McCammon spoke with District Attorney Jenkins about how she found her calling prosecuting violent crime, how she balances holding dangerous offenders accountable and partnering with at-risk communities, and what San Francisco can teach national Democrats. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 — Cold open 1:14 — Jenkins breaks with her boss 2:31 — Rejecting the pendulum swing on crime 7:03 — Enforcing every law 22:48 — The loss that led Jenkins to prosecution 28:38 — Democrats and the public safety argument 31:19 — Deadly force and the limits of federal power Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#13
August 6 · 43 min
Tom Suozzi: The Trump Country Democrat Pushing His Party to the Middle
Tom Suozzi grew up in a family where public service was the family business. His father immigrated from Italy, and flew bombing missions over Europe during World War II, before becoming a mayor. Suozzi went on to follow his father into politics. Today, he's the only Democrat in New York who holds a congressional district that Trump won. He’s on a campaign to push his party to declare itself capitalist not socialist and proud rather than ashamed of America. Sarah McCammon spoke with Representative Suozzi about immigration, the future of the democratic party, and how Jonah Hill inspired an odyssey of the soul before his return to Congress. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 – Public Service Runs in the Family 02:43 – Losing Big, Starting Over 10:26 – The Future of the Democratic Party 17:11 – Immigration, Polarization & Why Congress Stalls 30:10 – Antisemitism, Division & America's Political Climate 33:01 – Can Washington Learn to Govern Again? 40:34 – Looking Ahead to 2028 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#12
July 30 · 33 min
Ken Salazar on Immigration, the Border, and the Future of the Democratic Party
Ken Salazar comes from a part of Colorado with a complicated history that has shaped the way he understands immigration and identity. Salazar has represented his home state in the U.S. Senate, served as President Obama’s Interior Secretary, and more recently, he was President Biden's ambassador to Mexico—at a time when Biden’s border policy was under scrutiny. Now, Salazar is sharing his ideas about what went wrong and where Democrats should go from here. His new book ‘Borderlands’ is out now wherever books are sold. Sarah McCammon spoke with Secretary Salazar about the politics of border security, the future of U.S.-Mexico relations, and Salazar's proposal for a new North American alliance. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00 — Cold open 1:05 — Ken Salazar's family history in the American Southwest 6:17 — Immigration reform under Presidents Bush and Obama 9:38 — Why bipartisan immigration reform repeatedly failed 15:53 — Lessons from the Biden administration's border policy 21:45 — Border security, asylum reform, and mass deportations 24:11 — The future of the Democratic Party 25:45 — U.S.-Mexico relations and North American cooperation 26:34 — Themes from Salazar's new book, Borderlands Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#11
July 23 · 34 min
Justin Bibb on Winning City Hall at 34
Justin Bibb grew up in a house where public safety was personal. His father was a police officer and firefighter, his grandmother led the neighborhood watch, and those experiences shaped how he thinks about government, safety, and civic responsibility. Even after leaving Cleveland, Bibb never stopped thinking about how to make his hometown stronger. He eventually returned to run for mayor, becoming one of the youngest leaders of a major American city. Today, he's focused on policing, the housing affordability crisis, and the long work of revitalizing a Rust Belt city that has spent decades reinventing itself. Sarah McCammon talks with Bibb about what it takes to govern through difficult tradeoffs, why he believes cities are leading the country on problem-solving, and what national Democrats can learn from local leaders delivering results. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00 — Cold open 01:14 — Growing Up in the Shadow of Decline 06:13 — Why He Came Home 09:22 — Winning City Hall at 34 15:23 — Rebuilding Cleveland's Neighborhoods 21:19 — Why Mayors Get Things Done 25:12 — Leading After Tamir Rice 30:30 — Hope for the Next Generation 31:48 — Politics Without the Performance Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#10
July 16 · 44 min
Mark Cuban Has a Plan to Fix Health Care
Most people know Mark Cuban as a Shark Tank investor or longtime owner of the Dallas Mavericks. But a few years ago, he started Cost Plus Drugs to cut out the middleman in a pharmaceutical industry he says is fundamentally broken. Cuban wants healthcare for everyone—even if he doesn't think Medicare for All is the answer. He argues that transparency is the missing ingredient, and lays out what he thinks it would actually take to build a universal healthcare system that works. Sarah McCammon speaks with Cuban about healthcare reform, AI, wealth inequality, the future of the Democratic Party, and why he believes politicians need to spend less time talking and more time solving people's everyday problems. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00 — Cold open 1:14 — Why Cost Plus Drugs exists 4:54 — The transparency problem 9:13 — Universal healthcare vs. Medicare for All 16:10 — Billionaires and inequality 23:29 — Democrats, DSA, and social media 28:52 — AI and the future of work 38:08 — Advice for the next Democratic nominee Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#9
July 9 · 46 min
Jackie Payne on the Moderate Women Who Decide Elections
Jackie Payne on the Moderate Women Who Decide Elections After Donald Trump won in 2016, Jackie Payne did something unusual. She got in a car and spent two years just listening to women. What she found was a huge number of moderate women — in the suburbs and small towns — that both parties keep underestimating, and keep getting wrong. Closing that gap with America’s largest single voting bloc would meaningfully expand the coalition for progress and put extremists on the ropes. Payne is the founder and executive director of Galvanize Action, a group focused on moderate women. That makes her uniquely plugged into what these women want, and full of ideas on how to persuade them. Sarah McCammon spoke with Payne in Seattle. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 — Cold open 01:02 — The shock of 2016 03:39 — Conflict, self-doubt, and standing alone 05:40 — Why white women: math and morality 10:48 — Who these women are 12:37 — The 2024 shift nobody noticed 18:09 — Broken arms and sick days 21:41 — The affordability-and-corruption recipe 24:14 — What's actually in their feeds 29:31 — Can a woman win in 2028? 45:02 — Make her feel seen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#8
July 2 · 25 min
Joe Walsh and Yemisi Egbewole Diagnose the Brand
Democrats have a branding problem. Joe Walsh and Yemisi Egbewole think they know why. They took very different roads into the Democratic Party. Walsh was a Tea Party congressman who campaigned for Donald Trump in 2016. Egbewole ran communications in Joe Biden's White House — and now she's a political commentator on Fox News. They both have ideas about why the Democratic Party feels so out of touch to many red-state voters, and thoughts on how to win them back. Sarah McCammon spoke with them live on stage in Charleston, South Carolina earlier this year. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 — Cold open 00:26 — Two roads into the party 02:19 — What turns gettable voters off 04:54 — Crime down 35% means nothing 07:23 — The online left monster 10:10 — Authenticity vs. fighting 11:18 — Why there's no going back to Obama 14:14 — Independent media is where voters are 16:42 — Going into enemy territory 17:58 — Win purple, own purple 19:03 — The national brand problem 23:27 — Ultimate advice for democratswhats Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#7
June 25 · 39 min
Bobby Pulido: The Quinceañera Candidate
Bobby Pulido spent thirty years building a career as a Tejano music star. Now he's running for Congress in South Texas, in one of the poorest parts of the state, trying to unseat a Republican incumbent. Pulido's opponent mocked his music career, saying the election wasn't about who you want performing at your niece's quinceañera. So he turned that dig into four thousand invitations to quinceañeras and other celebrations across Texas. Pulido thinks the key to flipping the district is to keep showing up in unconventional places. Sarah McCammon spoke with him in Washington, D.C. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 — Cold open 01:15 — The dig, flipped into 4,000 invitations 04:38 — Trust beats policy / ranch halls 07:47 — What "Tejano" means 12:25 — Immigration, up close 18:16 — Why Hispanic voters moved right 21:46 — The gender gap and purity tests 24:50 — Faith and the "godless" label 27:19 — Rural respect over money 30:31 — Why a Democrat / social media's cancer 32:38 — Celebrity: weakness or strength 36:06 — Why leave the stage for Congress Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#6
June 18 · 34 min
Nikki Budzinski Works the Floor, Not the Feed
Nikki Budzinski is the kind of Democrat a lot of people say the party needs more of — a reluctant politician who came up in the labor movement and now represents a sprawling district in downstate Illinois. But she'd be the first to tell you her party has lost touch with the voters she grew up around. She was born in Peoria, moved around as a kid, and landed back in the heartland. She likes to say she's one of the few members of Congress who's spent time on the kill floor of a meatpacking plant. And she just won her primary by more than 50 points against a challenger who said she wasn't progressive enough. Now Budzinski represents a district that stretches from a college town to steel mills and soybean fields — and she's trying to answer a question her party can't afford to get wrong: how do Democrats win back working people who've stopped believing the party is fighting for them? 00:00 — Cold open 1:44 — Peoria roots and a working-class inheritance 4:00 — The kill floor in Kentucky 7:03 — A $15 wage won across the table 12:56 — On why she Democrats lost the working class 15:50 — Voting to deny ICE new money 21:46 — Workhorse, not show horse 25:10 — Money in politics and governing with power 32:16 — Her grandfather's American dream Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#5
June 11 · 31 min
Rahm Emanuel on Faith, Israel, and What’s Next (Pt. 2)
Rahm Emanuel believes in Israel. He also thinks its government is making historic mistakes. In Part 2 of our conversation, he aims his critique in every direction. Sarah McCammon spoke with Ambassador Emanuel in Chicago about the Jewish upbringing that still shapes him, why he confronted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to his face in 2009, and why he says the party's divide on Israel is generational rather than partisan. Part 1 dropped last week. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 — Cold open 00:56 — A secular country still searching for meaning 02:52 — The Sadiq Khan synagogue story 05:20 — His grandmother’s red purse and family passports 09:09 — Navigating this moment as a Jewish Democrat 13:53 — Going face-to-face with Netanyahu in 2009 16:01 — Where the Palestinian leadership failed 16:42 — "A very aggressive moderate" 20:36 — Why Democrats flinch at power 26:32 — What’s Next Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
#4
June 4 · 28 min
Rahm Emanuel: America Has Lost Its Nerve (Pt. 1)
Rahm Emanuel has a reputation for two things: a tough demeanor and a policy nerd's command of detail. In Part 1 of our interview, he lives up to both. Ambassador Emanuel argues that America has spent 25 years sleepwalking — through the Iraq war, the Great Recession, and the pandemic — and that the people responsible were never held accountable. His solution starts somewhere you might not expect: a Mississippi classroom. Sarah McCammon spoke with him in Chicago about his diagnosis of the country, the education plan he'd run from elementary school to free community college, how we confront AI anxiety, and why he says it's the crisis neither party takes seriously enough. Part 2 drops next week. 00:00 — Cold open 01:27 — Why New Hampshire, and what a bike trip tells you 05:51 — "America has lost its nerve" 08:23 — The pattern: elites walk off clean 10:43 — How business put the China market over national security 14:33 — The Chicago school record 15:34 — Phonics, Mississippi, and a generation lost 16:06 — A plan for every graduate, and free community college 17:31 — Trades and "build baby build" 19:54 — Ban social media under 16 20:20 — AI anxiety and why the trades are the hedge 23:56 — How a president leads without commanding the states 27:12 — The three doors and the 80 percent Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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