RealClearPolitics Podcast

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Senate Hearings with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Sep 04, 2025

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Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss this morning’s Senate hearings with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ announcement that he will seek to lift all vaccine requirements in the state, including those for public schools. Then, they talk about Donald Trump’s request that the Supreme Court expedite ruling on whether the president has the power to impose tariffs under emergency powers law, as claimed by the administration. Next, they discuss reactions to a federal judge in Boston who ruled that the administration must restore $2.6 billion in research funding to Harvard, saying that the freeze violates the university’s first amendment rights. Then, they talk about the case of Lauren Chen, the social media influencer at the heart of a Justice Department’s case alleging Russian influence involving her and several other conservative commentators. No charges were ever brought against her. Plus, the Justice Department opened a mortgage fraud probe into Lisa Cook, the Federal Reserve Governor that Trump hopes to fire and replace with someone who agrees with the White House on interest rate policies. And finally, RCP contributor Charlie Stone talks with Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a U.S. Marine veteran, about Arizona politics and the future of Democratic Party, including what he thinks the party must do to better connect with male voters. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Victims of Jeffrey Epstein Speak at a Press Conference Sep 03, 2025

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Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss this morning’s Capitol Hill press conference featuring victims of abuse by Jeffrey Epstein, Donald Trump’s reaction, and the chances that the House will vote to release more of the Epstein files to the public. They also talk about the GOP’s plan to rebrand “The Big Beautiful Bill” in order to help keep control of the House in 2026, and a Washington Post article outlining the Democrat’s plan to retake the chamber. Next, Carl Cannon and RCP White House correspondent Phil Wegmann discuss the U.S. naval strike on a small craft in the Caribbean Sea that the Trump Administration claims was carrying drugs from Venezuela, as the U.S. ramps up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolos Maduro. And finally, Maggie Miller talks to RealClear Investigations writer James Varney about an enormous data center under construction in rural Louisiana that will house servers for Meta’s rapid expansion into artificial intelligence. The $10 billion dollar project poses both challenges and opportunities for the local community and will require new sources of electricity. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The War Department Sep 02, 2025

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Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss President Trump’s proposal to change the name of the Department of Defense to The War Department, and the political impact of Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s recent comments on winning the Bronze Star. Then, they discuss the decisions by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) to not to seek reelection. And they talk about President Trump’s call for leading pharmaceutical companies to release data on the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine, and a new Gallup poll of parents on how they view the physical safety of their children while at school. Then finally, Andrew Walworth talks to RCP senior elections analyst Sean Trende about the fight within the Democratic Party over the schedule of the 2028 primaries, and how potential Democratic presidential candidates view the political calendar. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

LABOR DAY SPECIAL: Best of RCP Sep 01, 2025

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Andrew Walworth interviews Peter Lipsett – originally aired Aug 19th. Andrew Walworth talks to Peter Lipsett, the vice president of Donor's Trust, about his new series on the Giving Ventures podcast about different factions of the conservative movement, including the current split between so-called “National Conservatives” and “Freedom Conservatives". Carl with Jim Varney - originally aired Aug 28th. Carl Cannon talks to RealClear Investigations writer James Varney on the twentieth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which he covered as a reporter for the Times-Picayune in New Orleans. Phil with Marie Gluesenkamp – originally aired July 23rd. RCP White House correspondent Phil Wegmann talks to Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D – WA). They discuss her efforts to require the House Ethics Committee to develop standards to determine if members of Congress are experiencing cognitive decline. Tom Bevan and Austin Berg - originally aired July 31st. Tom Bevan talks to Austin Berg, Executive Director of the Chicago Policy Center and author of The New Chicago Way about Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposal for a “corporate head tax" in Chicago to help close the city’s $1.1 billion dollar budget deficit. The tax would charge large corporations for each individual they employs within the city. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tariff Exemptions, Hurricane Katrina, Chicago, and Trey Gowdy Aug 29, 2025

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Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss today’s economic news, including new inflation numbers from the Commerce Department, the end of tariff exemption for small-value shipments from overseas, and the lowest Labor Day weekend gas prices since 2020. Then they talk about the lessons of Hurricane Katrina on the storm’s 20th anniversary, FEMA’s future, and “you cannot be serious” stories for the week. Tom Bevan talks to Matt Podgorski, pollster for M3 Strategies, and Richard Porter, former RNC Committeeman from Illinois, about a new poll on public support for a potential national guard deployment to Chicago. Then Tom chats with Fox News contributor Trey Gowdy, former prosecutor, congressman, and author of the new novel, The Color of Death.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Coverage of the Catholic School Shooting in Minneapolis Aug 28, 2025

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Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss media coverage of the transgender shooter in yesterday’s attack on the Annunciation Catholic Church school in Minneapolis, as well as his writings and recordings prior to the shooting that included slogans written on gun magazines such as “Kill Donald Trump,” “For the children,” and “6 million were not enough". They also talk about the firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez after she refused to resign from her post, and the resignations of other top CDC officials that followed. Plus, the FDA and the American Academy of Pediatrics disagree over who should get the latest Covid-19 booster. Next, Tom talks to Mark Penn, Co-Director of the Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll and Stagwell Chairman and CEO, about his latest poll results regarding voters attitudes toward President Trump’s job performance, inflation, and the Epstein files. And finally, Carl talks to Real Clear Investigations writer James Varney on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which he covered as a reporter for the Times-Picayune in New Orleans. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New Polling: Most Americans Think Crime in Large Cities is a “Major Problem” Aug 27, 2025

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Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss today’s school shooting in Minneapolis. And, they discuss a new poll by the Associated Press which shows 81 percent of Americans believe crime in major cities is a “major problem” and 53 percent approve of President Trump’s handling of the issue. They also talk about a special election for the state senate in Iowa with outsized implications, and “the two-state solution” for California - the GOP's response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s redistricting plan is to divide California in two. Next, RCP contributor Maggie Miller talks to RealClear Investigations journalist Lee Fang about how some of the nation’s wealthiest philanthropies are supporting efforts to reshape math instruction around social-justice principles. And finally, Carl Cannon talks to Amir Kanpurwala, co-founder of the opinion research firm “Outward Intelligence,” about Gen Z voter behavior. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trump's Newsy Day Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

Tom Bevan, Carl Cannon and RCP White House reporter Phil Wegmann discuss Trump's newsy day yesterday, including his response to Phil's question about communism and his comment that he's thinking about how to get into heaven. They also talk about President Trump firing Lisa Cook, member of the FED board of governors AND media coverage of the big crime issue. Next, Carl speaks to Cathi Warren and Anne Welty about changes to the SNAP program. And lastly, Andrew Walworth speaks to JC Sandberg. He's the Chief Policy Officer for the American Clean Power Association which represents energy storage, solar, hydrogen and wind power companies. They talked about the Trump Administration’s decision to issue a stop work order on the Revolution Wind project off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, which is 80 % completed. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Trump Says He'll Deploy More Troops to More Cities Aug 25, 2025

Show notes

Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss the possibility that President Trump will deploy national guard to Chicago and Baltimore, and Maryland governor Wes Moore’s growing feud with Trump. They also talk about the Democratic National Committee’s annual summer meeting which begins today in Minneapolis, and President Trump’s threat to use the FCC against the three major television networks due to what he sees as unfair coverage of his first 100 days. Next, Carl Cannon talks with Andy Rotherham, former Virginia school board member on what is at stake in the upcoming Virginia governor’s race. And finally, RCP contributor Charlie Stone talks with author Alex Hutchinson about his new book, "The Explorer's Gene: Why We Seek Big Challenges, New Flavors, and the Blank Spots on the Map". Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The FBI Raid of Former National Security Advisor John Bolton, Aug 22, 2025

Show notes

Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Emily Jashinsky, host of the “After Party” podcast, discuss the FBI raid of the home and office of former national security advisor John Bolton, and a Florida judge who has ordered a stop to construction at the “Alligator Alcatraz” immigrant facility in the Everglades due to environmental concerns. Then, they discuss the pros and cons of mail-in voting, and a new memo from the centrist Democratic group Third Way on recommendations to the Democratic Party on language choice which includes 45 words that Democrats should avoid. After that, they talk about the politics of rebranding the Cracker Barrel restaurant chain, and they each give out their “You Cannot Be Serious” storied for the week. Then lastly, Maggie Miller talks with Dr. Kendall Conger, a former Duke University physician who claims he was dismissed after questioning the school’s diversity, equity and inclusion agenda and wrote about it for RealClear Investigations. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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