Beyond the Polls with Henry Olsen

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Chris Hayes on The Sirens' Call Sep 11, 2025

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The game has changed, and it's time to throw out the old playbook. So asserts Chris Hayes, host of MSNBC's "All In with Chris Hayes," in his latest book, The Sirens' Call: How Attention Became the World's Most Endangered Resource. He and Henry sat down on Wednesday to discuss the most fought-after commodity of the Digital Age: attention. They explore how our sleek modern tools have altered the way campaigns are executed, and why the political winners of this century will be those who can wield the gadgets of the future while possessing the ancient charisma that moves the people.

Sorting Out The Storting Sep 04, 2025

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Norwegian polls close on Monday, and a whopping 10 parties are vying to expand their share of the 169 seats in the nation's parliamentary body, the Storting. Nils Andresen of Minerva, Norway's conservative periodical, joins Henry to discuss the tightening race between the dominant Red-Green and Civic Bloc coalitions, as well as the internal shuffling among their constituents. Tune in for a survey of the Labour Party's late recovery and the rise of the right-populist Progress Party, along with commentary on the smaller players, such as the reconstruction efforts of the formerly-Maoist Red Party, the coalition shift of the agrarian Centre Party, and the objective of the independent Patient Focus.

Distinguishing Disarray from Disaster with Bill Galston Aug 28, 2025

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There's no denying that Democrats are in hot water after Donald Trump's surprising big win last November. The Brookings Institution's William Galston considers the party's oft-mentioned "disarray" to be exactly what one ought to expect under the circumstances. With many years of political advising under his belt and a cool head primed for strategic thinking, he chats with Henry about the Democratic Party's advantage heading into the midterms, the leadership vacuum, and the question of whether moderates will prevail in the near future.

A Mid-Decadal Clustercuss Aug 21, 2025

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Texas has fired the first shots of the redistricting war of 2025, so Henry's back with a rant for all who are still a tad confused, either by the controversy as it stands and/or where it's headed now that other states are drafting their own battle plans. Tune in for a detailed analysis of various states' statutes and cartographic reserves ahead of potential gerrymanders; essential data inputs to make sense of President Trump's approval rating; and a close look at the races that will determine control of that other legislative chamber.

Hammering out the Meaning of MAGA Aug 14, 2025

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A decade has passed since Donald Trump rode down the golden escalator to initiate a movement to make America great again, but conflicts within the coalition emerge like clockwork, proving that a definitive interpretation remains elusive. Is MAGA simply the net effect of Donald Trump's musings and maneuvers? Or is there a core ideology that successors carry on when Trump exits and the realignment settles? Josh Hammer joins Henry today to answer these big-picture questions and to propose the essential intermediate-term considerations.

The Goose, the Gander, and the Gerrymander Aug 07, 2025

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Depending on who's in power, blatantly partisan redistricting may be derided as the ultimate dirty ploy or defended as a practical measure to cultivate fairer representation. The recent effort to carve out a few more safe Republican districts in Texas has set off blue state governors, with some preparing to "go nuclear." To help get our bearings amid proliferation threats, Henry brings back Kyle Kondik of Sabato's Crystal Ball for a deep assessment of how an escalating redistricting war might play out. Plus, they take note of a handful of new Senate contestants that might shake up the races in key swing states.

A Midsummer Day's Rant Jul 24, 2025

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The president's approval rating is down some, and given the amount on his plate this month, it's hard to pin down exactly what's driving it. Today, Henry considers the effects of the piling matters of import, including lingering interest in the Jeffrey Epstein case, the "One Big Beautiful Bill," deportations, and Trump's fight with the Federal Reserve; he breaks down the balancing act of appeals to the political base against converts and independents, and puts the approval rating numbers in context of their midterm implications. Additionally, he examines the latest fundraising numbers to provide a glimpse into how some congressional races are developing.
Beyond the Polls is off next week, but we'll be back in early August!

Fight, Fight, Fighting in Butler, PA Jul 17, 2025

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While we all got a glimpse of that fateful day in rural Pennsylvania a year ago, a relative few actually witnessed it—Butler is not, after all, the kind of town most take time to visit. But reporter Salena Zito not only found herself there that day, but close enough to feel the velocity of the assassin's bullets. She joins Henry to discuss the event and what it reveals about the character of President Trump, as illuminated in her best-selling, brand-new book: Butler: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America's Heartland.

What's Left for The Left? Jul 10, 2025

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Following the stunning defeat in November, there's been no shortage of speculation on the tough road ahead for Democrats, but to get a clearer sense of that camp's prospects, one would do well to chat with a member who's stuck it out through the party's past ups and downs. Michael Tomasky, Editor of The New Republic and Democracy: A Journal of Ideas, joins Henry today to discuss the Liberal/Progressive divide and the challenge of corralling the constituencies, all in the context of a party with a long history and teeming with ambitious plans for the future.

Patriots and Partisans Jul 03, 2025

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We're on theme this week! As Americans head toward the celebration of another free and independent trip around the sun, Henry sits down with AEI's Karlyn Bowman to discuss the latest findings on how citizens of different stripes feel about their country and their sentiments about being Americans, along with their handling of flags and familiarity with our founding documents.
Happy Independence Day to all!

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