Beyond the Polls with Henry Olsen

Latest Episodes:

Cooking with What's In the Kitchen Feb 06, 2025

Show notes

Conventional wisdom has it that the Democratic Party lost in November after moving too far to the left on its social and economic stances. But these are hardly conventional times, so why not let an outsider have a say? Henry sits down with Maurice Mitchell, National Director of the Working Families Party, to discuss the WFP’s aim to win elections by offering a progressive alternative to the corporate-aligned Democratic Party. Maurice takes us through the WFP’s break with Democrats in 1998 and its 26-year history; he points out the attention they’ve achieved nationwide and the obstacles they’ve faced in a rigid two-party system. Further, he disputes the calls for centrism following Kamala Harris’s defeat and illustrates how the Working Families Party platform has a future in a country hungry for change.

Bopping with the Bobos, with David Brooks Jan 30, 2025

Show notes

A quarter century after publishing his famous book about the ascendant bohemian bourgeoise ("Bobo") upper class, New York Times columnist David Brooks has found cause to reconsider the new elite. He and Henry sit down to discuss the vanities of that insular group, the incongruence of their public espousals and private behavior, and how some form of nationalist populism was the public's best available means of course correction.

Deciphering Our Political Matrix: Is America Red-Pilled? Jan 23, 2025

Show notes

Sean Trende, RealClearPolitics' Senior Elections Analyst and author of The Lost Majority, returns to share his insights on America's versicolored electorate. He and Henry discuss the country's small-C conservative disposition that Donald Trump won over with his "revolution in common sense". They consider the profound difference between the start of Trump's second term, exemplified by his day one preparedness, along with the challenges he'll face in juggling his coalition's disparate priorities. On the other hand, they consider the great task before the Democratic Party — an uphill battle with a let's-rock-the-boat base whose preferred candidates don't appeal to the center.

Uniting Capital and Labor with Karl Rove Jan 17, 2025

Show notes

If you wanna win an election, you gotta build a coalition—just don't expect it to last forever. As we enter the second quarter of this American century, Henry sits down with Karl Rove to discuss the coalition he helped forge at the millennium's beginning. But they don't stop there! Karl and Henry find valuable lessons in the Republican Party's working-class appeal during the McKinley era, on to the Compassionate Conservatism of the aughts, and finally to Donald Trump's assertive MAGA movement.

Shuffling Through the Bargaining Chips Jan 09, 2025

Show notes

Beyond the Polls is back! This week, Henry sits down with the Washington Post's Jason Willick to go over Donald Trump's haul ahead of his second inauguration. The duo speculates on everything from the president-elect's comments about desired new territories, defense aspirations, and tariffs, before considering how all of this fits with the MAGA coalition and how his maneuvers will play with the judiciary that Trump helped build in term one.
Plus, Henry surveys the electorate's sentiments on presidents past and present as laid out in the latest Economist/YouGov poll.

Third Rail or Third Way? Dec 19, 2024

Show notes

For our last journey beyond the polls of the year, we examine the Democratic Party's options post-2024. Jonathan Cowan, president of the centrist think tank Third Way, joins Henry to explain how the left wing took over the party vessel and how they ran it off the tracks. They consider whether Democrats will get the message in time to compete in 2028 and go over the playbook necessary for those center-left candidates who are serious about winning elections.
Henry's off for the holidays, but stay subscribed—or get started if you haven't already!—and we'll see you back in 2025.

Stumbling Blocks Dec 13, 2024

Show notes

This week on Beyond the Polls, Henry sits down with Tim Goeglein of Focus on the Family to cover his new book, Stumbling Toward Utopia: How the 1960s Turned Into a National Nightmare and How We Can Revive the American Dream. They dive into the early roots of the midcentury's cultural upheaval and consider why Americans seem ready to turn back the tide.
Plus, Henry eschews Beltway insider opinions in favor of ordinary Americans' take on Trump and Harris post-election, along with Trump's cabinet selections, as shown in recent polling data.

By Popular Demand Dec 06, 2024

Show notes

It's an all-rant episode this week as Henry breaks down the latest polling on Donald Trump's boosted favorability. (They like him. They really like him!) Plus, we go abroad to take a look at the populist movements that are sinking European establishmentarians who were meant to keep this global movement at bay.

Quo Vadis, Democrats? Nov 21, 2024

Show notes

For years, Ruy Texiera has warned Democrats of the consequences of its moves away from the working-class voters who have held up the popular party since the days of FDR. Today, he and Henry work out a few answers to the question Ruy posed in his recent book, Where Have All the Democrats Gone? They go over the insularity that's led the elite leftward, consider the intra-party fights necessary to break up the club, and wonder how long it will take for such punchy liberal patriots to emerge.

Called It! Nov 07, 2024

Show notes

Want a detailed analysis of Tuesday's red wave but don't know whose to take to the bank? Why not give a listen to the guy who boldly predicted the results? That's right, our own Henry Olsen got it about as right as could be! So this week's episode is an all-rant breakdown of who voted which way, why they went there, and what to expect from voters and the parties beyond 2024.
P.S. Henry's off next week, but be sure to stay subscribed to Beyond the Polls (or hop on if you haven't already), because we're taking this podcast to 2025!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Beyond the Polls with Henry Olsen

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected