Talking Feds

Latest Episodes:

How to Stop a Steal Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

What if ICE raids polling places on election day? What if MAGA sheriffs seize ballot boxes? What if a red-state official refuses to certify a Democrat’s narrow victory? These are the nightmare scenarios that could dam an anti-Trump midterm wave and plunge our democracy into crisis. That’s why champions of voting rights have spent years preparing for them. In this special episode Harry speaks with Jonathan Diaz, David Ogden, Joyce Vance, and Wendy Weiser about the crucial effort to protect the midterms—and just what precisely will happen if Trump or his cronies try to steal them.

Mentioned in this episode:

Jonathan’s Campaign Legal Center.

David’s Democracy Defenders Fund.

Joyce’s Substack.

Wendy’s Brennan Center for Justice.

Harry’s column about the DOJ’s latest election moves.

The “866 Our Vote” election protection site.

Key federal laws protecting voting rights.

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Inside the DOJ's Clown Car Oct 19, 2026

Show notes

Reporter Glenn Thrush joins Harry to shine a klieg light into the recesses of a Department of Justice running itself into the ground to please Donald Trump. Armed with previously unreported details, Glenn shares the inside story of why Trump loyalists departed the vaunted “grand conspiracy” investigation, which he calls “essentially dead.” Glenn also explains Todd Blanche's precarious position and why Cassidy Hutchinson has become a top target. Plus, Glenn warns that the midterms—”regardless of the result”—will bring a grave reckoning for the DOJ.
Mentioned in this episode:Glenn’s reporting: https://www.nytimes.com/by/glenn-thrush#latest.

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The “Who’s Going To Stop Me?” Presidency Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

Michelle Cottle, David Gura, and Charlie Sykes join Harry to discuss Republicans’ closing moves ahead of the midterms, new politicization at DOJ, and Pete Hegseth’s bid to livestream a firing squad. Will Trump’s battleground tour staunch Republican bleeding, or worsen it? Can administration lawyers keep getting away with casually disobeying judges? And will Trump pull the plug on the Pentagon’s effort to get the U.S. into the exclusive club of nations that perform public executions—joining current members Afghanistan and Iran?

Mentioned in this episode:
Michelle’s analysis.
David’s reporting.
Charlie’s Substack.
Harry’s column about Cassidy Hutchinson.
Michael Tomasky’s piece about the planned livestreamed execution.
Congressman Thomas Massie’s Hegseth impeachment resolution.

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A “Moonshot” Plan to Deal with AI’s Dangers Oct 12, 2026

Show notes

Ambassador Susan Rice led President Obama’s national security team and helped secure the Iran nuclear deal. As she looks around the world now, the threat she can’t stop thinking about isn’t Russia or China, but AI. She joins Harry to break down the dangers the technology poses to Americans and what she thinks the Trump administration needs to do to guard against them. Then Harry draws on Ambassador Rice’s wide-ranging expertise for her assessment of the endgame with Iran, the state of U.S. alliances, and what Democrats should do if they retake Congress.

Mentioned in this episode:
Ambassador Rice’s Substack.

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Trump’s Midterm Pitch? Bomb LA. Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

Guest host Jonathan Alter convenes David Graham and Molly Jong-Fast for a wide-ranging preview of the midterm elections now less than a month away. The trio dig into Republicans’ tactical retreat from previously competitive races, potential stumbling blocks for Democrats, a string of presidential gaffes, and the coming campaign trail confrontation between Trump and Obama.

Mentioned in this episode:
Jonathan’s Substack.
David’s reporting.
Molly’s podcast.
Time Magazine’s interview with Trump.
The Atlantic’s reporting about Kash Patel’s latest moves.
Politico reporting about Democrats’ potential missed opportunities in governors’ races.

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Rick Wilson on Why Republicans are “Running for the Hills” Oct 05, 2026

Show notes

Veteran political operative and former Republican strategist Rick Wilson takes Harry on a tour of a midterms map that just keeps looking better for Democrats. Rick breaks down why he thinks much of the MAGA coalition will stay on the sidelines, why Republicans' eleventh-hour attempts to break from Trump won't help them, and the Democratic campaigns that stand out in a swelling blue wave. It's a rollicking roadmap of the key races from Alaska to Florida. Due to a technical error, a previous episode’s audio populated in this feed. If you’re having trouble listening to the Rick Wilson conversation, please refresh the app and re-download the episode.

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Schmitt's Creek Oct 01, 2026

Show notes

What were Republicans thinking going after Jack Smith again? Kyle Cheney, Conor Lamb, and Mimi Rocah join Harry to discuss that and the week’s cascade of big legal news. Will the Department of Justice actually pursue perjury charges against Smith? Will Judge Williams and Judge Boasberg get to push ahead toward contempt proceedings against Trump and the administration? And will Trump come to regret the acceleration of his deportation drive—boosted this week by SCOTUS—when midterm votes are tallied?

Mentioned in this episode:
Kyle’s reporting.
Conor’s Substack.
Mimi’s Substack.
Mimi’s forthcoming book.
Harry’s column about the latest in Judge Williams’s slush fund case.
The New Yorker’s reporting about the hard choices facing DOJ attorneys.

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Andy Beshear Explains His Why Sep 28, 2026

Show notes

Governor Andy Beshear discusses his three-part approach to governing as a Democrat in deeply red Kentucky—and what he’s learned along the way. He talks with Harry about how his faith shapes his policies, his vision for fixing a broken government, and why a post-Trump government can’t just restore the past but needs to become more efficient and effective. Plus, the stakes of the 2026 gubernatorial races, their impact on holding fair elections in the 2028 presidential election, and what comes next for Beshear.

Mentioned in this episode:

Governor Beshear’s new book, Go and Do Likewise: How We Heal a Broken Country

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Trump Goes Dark Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

Asha Rangappa, Stuart Stevens, and Jasmine Wright join Harry to break down cratering Republican poll numbers, Trump’s quixotic media ban, Susan Collin’s quid-pro-quo scandal, and the news out of the UN General Assembly. Are polls showing a lopsided Democratic advantage to be believed? How is the allegation of a pay-to-play donation scheme changing the Maine Senate race? And hasn’t Trump’s move to ban a trio of outlets from the White House just cost him the attention he craves and requires?

Mentioned in this episode:
Asha’s Substack.
Stuart’s Lincoln Square.
Stuart’s Substack.
Jasmine’s reporting.
Harry’s column about the press ban.
ProPublica’s reporting about Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding.
ProPublica’s reporting about Susan Collins.

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The Cost of Capitulation Sep 21, 2026

Show notes

When Donald Trump retook the White House, many of the most powerful Americans—including many who resisted him in his first term—hurried to bend a knee. Jacob Weisberg wanted to understand why. He joins Harry for a conversation about his study of that capitulation: Profiles in Cowardice. Jacob breaks down the often confounding reasons these people knowingly betrayed their principles. After digging into some of the worst offenders, like Mitch McConnell, George W. Bush, and John Roberts, the pair turn to the tactics needed to counter what Jacob calls the “contagion of cowardice.”

Mentioned in this episode:
Jacob's book.
Harry's column about a story of small-scale resistance succeeding.

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