The Bill Press Pod

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"The vibes are way, way up. "The Reporters' Roundtable. August 2, 2024 Aug 02, 2024

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Political Sea Change. Will Honeymoon Last? Trump’s Racist Attack. Will They Debate? JD Vance “Weird” and Struggling. No GOP Convention Bump. The Weird Factor. VP Search Ending. Biden’s Prisoner Swap. With Alex Seitz-Wald, National Politics Reporter for NBC News, Kirk Bado, Editor of The National Journal Hotline and Evan McMorris-Santoro, Reporter for NOTUS.

Today’s Bill Press Pod is supported by The United Autoworkers Union. More information at UAW.org

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An Insider's View of Kamala Harris with Jamal Simmons Jul 30, 2024

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In this episode Bill talks with Jamal Simmons, former Communications Director for Vice President Kamala Harris in the White House. He discusses the remarkable launch of Harris as the new Democratic nominee, highlighting the success of various Zoom calls organized by different groups to raise funds for her campaign. Simmons describes Harris as someone who is attentive to the needs and perspectives of different communities and has a keen mind for asking questions. He believes that Harris, having been elected in California three times, has the campaigning experience and skills necessary for a general election. Simmons also mentions that Harris's background as a law enforcement officer and her progressive approach to prosecution could be an asset in the campaign. He emphasizes that Harris is not afraid to talk about reproductive freedom and believes that she will focus on issues such as abortion rights, childcare, healthcare, and space exploration. Simmons dismisses JD Vance's first week as lackluster and suggests that there may be buyer's remorse among Republicans. He also speculates on the possibility of Donald Trump replacing Vance as his running mate. Simmons concludes by discussing the qualities Harris should look for in a running mate. He expresses optimism about the future of the Democratic Party and the strong bench of potential candidates for VP.

Today, Bill suggests we support Kamala Harris by going to ActBlue.com.

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"Stunning, historic political news." The Reporters' Roundtable -July 26,2024 Jul 26, 2024

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Biden Bows Out. Harris Roars in With: No Opposition. Grassroots Energy. “Prosecutor vs Felon.” Trump, GOP Flailing. Biden From the Oval Office. Dem Veepstakes. Vance in Trouble? With Maya King, Politics Reporter for the New York Times, covering the South, Linda Feldmann, Washington bureau chief, White House/politics correspondent at Christian Science Monitor and John Bennett, White House Correspondent & Editor-at-Large at CQ Roll Call.

Today’s Bill Press Pod is supported by The Laborers' International Union of North America. More information at LIUNA.org

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Biden Out. Harris In. What's Next? Jul 23, 2024

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President Biden has stepped down from his campaign and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor. Congressman Jared Huffman of California supports this decision and believes it gives the Democratic Party a chance to win the upcoming election. He praises Biden for putting the country above his own ambition and securing his place in history. Huffman has worked with Harris in the past and believes she brings strength and authenticity to the party. He also addresses concerns about a coronation and believes there can still be a process to validate Harris as the nominee. Huffman mentions that many top-tier Democrats have already endorsed Harris and believes she has a good chance of winning the nomination. He also discusses potential running mates for Harris, including Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan. Huffman believes that Harris will be the nominee and that the election will be a choice between the past (Trump) and the future (Harris). He believes that Harris has a strong chance of winning and that the Republican Party is flailing in response to Biden's decision. Huffman also discusses the GOP's stance on issues like abortion and immigration and how it may impact the election. Jonathan Alter, a bestselling author and presidential historian, also joins the conversation and agrees that Harris has a good chance of winning. He believes that Trump may not want to debate Harris and that she could taunt him into doing so. Alter also discusses potential vice-presidential candidates for Harris and the importance of the upcoming Democratic convention. He praises Biden's legacy and believes he will be remembered as a consequential president. You can subscribe to Alter’s great newsletter, Old Goats here OldGoats.substack.com

Today Bill encourages his listeners to support Kamala Harris by donating what you can at ActBlue.com.

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"We all need a timeout." The Reporters' Roundtable- July 19, 2024 Jul 19, 2024

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GOP Convention. No Trump Pivot. Long Rambling Speech. J.D. Vance Gets VP Nod. Assassination Attempt Impact. Vise on Biden Closing Fast. Harris the Choice? With Sabrina Siddiqui, National Politics Reporter for The Wall Street Journal, Jason Dick, Editor-in-chief at CQ-Roll Call and Brian Beutler, author of the OffMessage.net Newsletter on Substack.

Today’s Bill Press Pod is supported by The American Federation of Teachers. Doing God's work in classrooms from Preschool to Graduate School . More information at AFT.org.

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The Politics of the Trump Shooting. Plus Project 2025. Jul 16, 2024

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In this episode, Bill discusses the potential impact of the recent attempted assassination on the 2024 presidential race. He speaks with Jeff Dufour, editor in chief of the National Journal, about the short-term and long-term effects of the incident. They discuss the possibility of a temporary bump in support for Republicans, but ultimately expect the race to settle back into the usual patterns. They also discuss the rhetoric surrounding the incident and the potential for increased security measures at political rallies.

In the second half of the episode, Bill interviews Congressman Jared Huffman about Project 2025, a document outlining Trump's plans for a second term. Huffman explains that the document includes extreme measures such as a national abortion ban, the firing of federal employees who do not pledge loyalty to Trump, and the abolition of the Department of Education. Huffman and his task force are working to raise awareness about Project 2025 and plan to hold hearings in September to further discuss its implications.

Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by The Laborers International Union of North America, building America's clean energy future. More information at LIUNA.org

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"Ain't No Certainty in Politics." The Reporters' Roundtable- July 12, 2024 Jul 12, 2024

Show notes

Biden News Conference. "Control Guns Not Girls." Dam Breaking? Plan B-VP Harris? Trump’s Project 2025. GOP National Convention. Trump’s VP Pick. With David Jackson, National Political Correspondent for USA TODAY, Amanda Becker, Washington Correspondent for 19th News and author of the upcoming book, You Must Stand Up, The Fight for Abortion Rights in Post-Dobbs America and Jasmine Wright, Political Reporter for NOTUS.

Today’s Bill Press Pod is supported by The Ironworkers Union. Their motto- "The Sky's the Limit." More information at Ironworkers.org.

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Catholics for Choice and the Moral Battle for Reproductive Rights. Jul 09, 2024

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Bill’s guest today is Jamie Manson, President of Catholics for Choice, an organization that supports abortion rights and believes that the Catholic Church should give women the freedom to control their own bodies. The organization reflects the fact that the majority of Catholics in the United States support abortion rights, according to a recent Pew study. However, there is little public support for the organization among the Catholic clergy in the US, as they face severe repercussions for questioning the church's teachings. Catholics for Choice emphasizes the importance of reproductive freedom, dignity, conscience, and moral responsibility in their advocacy. They believe that abortion bans disproportionately harm marginalized communities and that abortion is a personal issue that affects many women and families. The organization has support from both Democrats and Republicans, as well as from men and women of various religious backgrounds. They are actively involved in state-level initiatives to protect abortion rights, and they believe that the issue of reproductive freedom will be important in the 2024 presidential election. Catholics for Choice also advocates for the codification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in the US Constitution to protect women's rights and equality. They believe that President Biden and Vice President Harris have taken positive steps on the issue, but they encourage them to speak out more boldly in support of abortion rights. The organization is actively involved in supporting pro-abortion initiatives at the state level and faces opposition from well-funded anti-abortion groups.

Today Bill highlights the great work of Catholics for Choice. Find out more and look into helping them further their mission at CatholicsForChoice.org.

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Red States are Laboratories of Autocracy. With Democracy Activist David Pepper Jul 02, 2024

Show notes

David Pepper, former chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, discusses the importance of focusing on races beyond the presidential election, such as State House and Senate seats and governorships as well as the U.S. House. He highlights the need for Democrats to compete in every district and emphasizes the threat of Project 2025, a plan by Trump supporters to dismantle the government if Trump is reelected. Pepper also discusses the use of school vouchers to undermine public education and calls for action to protect public schools. He is writing a novel that exposes the dangers of Project 2025 with the aim to make the threat more accessible to voters. You can follow David’s very important work on these and other key issues at DavidPepper.substack.com. Also check out more great information about David’s causes at SaveDemocracy.us.

Today's episode is supported by The United Food and Commercial Workers Union, more information at UFCW.org

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"People saw what they saw. "The Reporters' Roundtable- June 28, 2024 Jun 28, 2024

Show notes

All about the debate and what might come next with an all-star panel of Lynn Sweet, columnist and Washington Bureau Chief at the Chicago Sun-Times, Philip Bump, Washington Post national columnist, author of the How To Read This Chart newsletter and Author of the great book, The Aftermath and Emily Goodin, U.S. political reporter for the DailyMail.com

Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by The Laborers International Union of North America. More information at LIUNA.org

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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