Post Reports

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The Trump campaign, upended Aug 28, 2024

Show notes

This is not the presidential race that former president Donald Trump prepared for. Today, we unpack the state of the Trump campaign, its struggles to adapt and its strategy to face a new opponent.

This presidential race has taken several unexpected turns, especially for former president Donald Trump.

Earlier this summer, the spotlight moved off of Trump as Vice President Kamala Harris jumped into the race. Now, the Republican nominee is crisscrossing the country to battleground states to recapture national attention.

Host Martine Powers speaks with national political reporter Isaac Arnsdorf about the state of Trump’s campaign and how it's adapting to an entirely new opponent.

Today’s show was produced by Ali Bianco, with help from Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was edited by Reena Flores and Monica Campbell and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Sean Sullivan and Erin Patrick O’Connor.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here. And check out the latest story from health columnist Anahad O’Connor on how the avocado oil sold in some grocery stores may be fake.

How NASA plans to rescue two astronauts stuck in space Aug 27, 2024

Show notes

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore were supposed to be on the International Space Station for eight days. But as the Boeing Starliner capsule they were in was approaching the space station, the spacecraft’s thrusters started to fail. Since then, Boeing and NASA have struggled to figure out what went wrong. NASA decided last week that the astronauts should stay put for eight months until they could come back in a SpaceX capsule.

Host Martine Powers speaks with space industry reporter Chris Davenport about the plan to bring the astronauts home and what the repercussions of this mission will be on Boeing and future space travel.

Today’s show was produced by Ted Muldoon, with help from Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Reena Flores. Ted also mixed the show. Thanks to Chris Rowland.

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The poison in school water fountains Aug 26, 2024

Show notes

When the state of New York became the first in the nation to require public schools to test their drinking water for lead in 2016, students learned that dozens of water fountains across the district were contaminated. Since then, a group of students and parents have banded together to fight for clean water in the schools.

Host Martine Powers speaks with investigative reporter Silvia Foster-Frau about her reporting in the East Ramapo Central School District and what people everywhere need to know about keeping kids’ drinking water safe.

Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff, with help from Bishop Sand. It was mixed by Sean Carter and edited by Monica Campbell. Thanks to Rosalind Helderman.

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The Campaign Moment: Harris makes history Aug 23, 2024

Show notes

Elahe Izadi, co-host of “Post Reports,” and senior political reporter Aaron Blake sit down with White House reporter Cleve Wootson at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to talk about the highlights from Harris’s speech. Harris focused on her middle-class upbringing and how she would protect abortion access and reproductive rights, and she cast herself as a candidate who would bring normalcy and competency to the White House.

They also revisit the most memorable speeches of the four-day convention and look ahead to what the next two months might look like for Harris.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Ariel Plotnick. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Sam Bair.

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here.

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The strategy behind Ukraine’s move into Russia Aug 22, 2024

Show notes

As Ukraine continues to lose ground to Russia in the east of the country, President Volodymyr Zelensky has quietly moved Ukrainian forces into Russia. Post correspondents have documented the operation and witnessed the Russian soldiers taken captive by Ukrainian forces in this surprise incursion.

Additional Post reporting alongside Ukrainian forces revealed the state of Sudzha, a captured Russian town in western Russia.

Host Martine Powers speaks with Ukraine bureau chief Isabelle Khurshudyan in Kyiv about why Ukraine advanced into Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s response, and what might happen to the people in this newly occupied area of Russia.

Today’s show was produced by Bishop Sand, with help from Rennie Svirnovskiy, Ali Bianco and Emma Talkoff. It was mixed by Sean Carter. The show was edited by Monica Campbell, with help from Reena Flores. Thanks to Jenn Amur, Jon Gerberg and Siobáhn O’Grady.

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The student revolution that toppled a government Aug 21, 2024

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On Aug. 5, following weeks of student protests and police violence that left hundreds dead, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India. The students have since worked with the country’s military to form an interim government, led by Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus.

Soon after Hasina’s resignation, South Asia correspondent Karishma Mehrotra traveled to the capital city of Dhaka to speak to students, members of the new interim government and others. Martine Powers talks with Karishma about what she learned in Dhaka – and what comes next as this new government tries to make meaningful reforms.

Today’s show was produced by Peter Bresnan, with help from Emma Talkoff. It was mixed by Sean Carter and edited by Monica Campbell. Thanks to Anant Gupta and Rashad Ahamad.

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The Campaign Moment: Biden passes the torch Aug 20, 2024

Show notes

Biden received a warm welcome at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday evening when he walked on stage to address his party. Thousands of Democratic delegates packed in the arena chanted “Thank you, Joe!” and pumped signs saying “We love Joe” as he gave his speech.

“Post Reports” co-host Elahe Izadi and senior political reporter Aaron Blake talk with White House reporter Matt Viser about Biden’s historic address and what the first night of the convention tells us about the current strength of the Democratic Party.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks also to Ariel Plotnick.

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here.

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Why is the U.S. obsessed with sanctions? Aug 19, 2024

Show notes

The United States imposes more sanctions than any other country on Earth. Since the 1960s, sanctions have become a core element of U.S. diplomatic strategy, with countries like North Korea, Venezuela, Syria, Russia, China and Iran all being subject to these economic penalties.

Today, Elahe Izadi speaks with White House economics reporter Jeff Stein about how the United States fell in love with sanctions, about whether the country’s current strategy is sustainable and about whether sanctions truly work as a diplomatic tool.

Plus, Elahe reports from Chicago on the opening scenes of the Democratic National Convention.

Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy and Ariel Plotnick, with help from Trinity Webster-Bass. The show was mixed by Sean Carter and edited by Reena Flores, with help from Lucy Perkins. Thanks to Mike Madden.

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The long aftermath of the Freedom Summer murders Aug 17, 2024

Show notes

On a hot June evening in 1964, Mickey Schwerner, James Chaney and Andrew Goodman were ambushed by the Ku Klux Klan and killed as they left town.

The atrocity became a seminal moment in the civil rights movement. Yet 60 years after the killings, some people in Philadelphia worry that the country is forgetting what was learned along the way. Others wonder what the past is owed — and for how long. They talked with Susan Levine this spring about their community’s painful legacy of racism.

This episode was produced and mixed by Bishop Sand. It was edited by Lucy Perkins. Thanks also to Allison Michaels.

The Campaign Moment: Dems’ down-ballot dreams Aug 16, 2024

Show notes

Senior political reporter Aaron Blake and congressional reporter Liz Goodwin talk with “Post Reports” co-host Martine Powers about the economic policies that Harris’s campaign unveiled Friday, and whether Democrats could win a trifecta in November and make those proposals reality.

They also look ahead to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next week, where President Joe Biden will address delegates after withdrawing from the race last month.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy and mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy.

Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

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