The Bill Press Pod

Latest Episodes:

The View from Inside the Courtroom with Jonathan Alter May 21, 2024

Show notes

Jonathan Alter is a presidential historian and longtime reporter and columnist for Newsweek in its heyday. For the last few weeks, he has been in the actual courtroom with Donald Trump every single day. He and Bill discuss the trial of and the likelihood of Trump being convicted of a felony. The defense has just about wrapped up its case, with Michael Cohen admitting to stealing money from the Trump Organization. The prosecution had to remind the jury that it is Donald Trump who is on trial, not Michael Cohen. The judge also criticized a defense witness for inappropriate behavior in the courtroom. He and Bill discuss the dramatic events that occurred in the courtroom, including the clearing of the courtroom and a frenzied exit by reporters. The trial is not about whether Trump had sex with Stormy Daniels, but rather about campaign finance violations and falsification of business records. The defense is trying to shift the focus onto Cohen, while the prosecution is trying to establish that Trump knew about and approved the illegal payments. The chances of Trump being convicted are discussed.

You can read his short daily reports in The New York Times here and the longer reports at his newsletter at OldGoats.substack.com.

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

"Regular Rude Squabbling. "The Reporters' Roundtable-May 17, 2024 May 17, 2024

Show notes

Cohen Testifies. MAGA Reps to NY. Speaker Johnson, Too. Veep Race. Debates Are On. Weed Downgraded. Maryland Senate Race. Hearing Chaos. With Katherine Doyle, Reporter for NBC News, Arthur Delaney, Political Reporter at Huff Post and Kirk Bado, Editor of National Journal Hotline.

Today Bill highlights the work of the World Central Kitchen and Jose Andres. Feeding people all over the world and now back in Gaza. You can help by going to their website at WCK.org.

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

Strong Warnings on Ukraine, Israel and...Space. with The Washington Post's David Ignatius May 14, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, Bill interviews David Ignatius, Foreign Policy Columnist for the Washington Post and author of the new novel, "Phantom Orbit." They discuss the current state of the world, focusing on the challenges facing the United States in foreign policy. Ignatius shares his recent experiences in Ukraine and Gaza. The conversation concludes with a discussion of Ignatius' his new novel, "Phantom Orbit” which is centered in the world of satellites and their role in modern warfare and the competition between the United States, China, and Russia for control of space. Ignatius explains the importance of space in military operations and the need for a dedicated Space Force. And says we are behind in today's space race. You can purchase your copy here .

Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by The United Food and Commercial Workers Union. More information at UFCW.org.

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

"More Bizarre than Usual." The Reporters' Roundtable-May 10, 2024 May 10, 2024

Show notes

Biden’s Big Israel Problem. Stormy vs Trump. Judge Cannon Saves Trump. MTG Fails Bigly. Johnson Echo’s Trump’s Lies. Appliance Freedom! RFK, Jr’s Brain Worm. Kristi Noem’s Dog Disaster. MD Senate Race. With Jason Dick, Editor in Chief at CQ-Roll Call, Sabrina Siddiqui, National Politics Reporter for The Wall Street Journal, Philip Bump, National Columnist for The Washington Post and author of the book, The Aftermath and the How to Read this Chart Newsletter and Mary Ellen McIntire, Campaign Staff Writer at CQ Roll Call.

Today’s Bill Press Pod is supported by The American Federation of Government Employees. More information at AFGE.org.

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

The Truce: Progressives, Centrists, and the Future of the Democratic Party May 07, 2024

Show notes

Hunter Walker, investigative reporter at Talking Points Memo, discusses his new book, "The Truce: Progressives, Centrists, and the Future of the Democratic Party." The book examines the ongoing struggle within the Democratic Party over its direction, particularly as progressives like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gain momentum. Walker argues that the party is a diverse coalition that relies on young people, union members, and people of color, in contrast to the increasingly extreme right-wing Republican Party. He also explores the challenges facing the Democratic Party in the 2024 elections and the influence of figures like Bernie Sanders and Nancy Pelosi. Walker highlights the need for Democrats to unite and engage young voters and people of color in order to overcome Republican structural advantages and win elections. You can purchase the book here.

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.

"Sounds Dystopian. "The Reporters' Roundtable-May 3, 2024 May 03, 2024

Show notes

Trump Trial. Trump Sleeping. Cohen in the Crosshairs. Trump’s Time Cover. Politics of Campus Protests. RFK, Jr. For Real? Mike Johnson Resurgent. Ted Cruz Attacks MTG. Kristi Noem’s Dog. With Ginger Gibson, Senior Washington Editor for NBC News, Shirish Date, Senior White House Correspondent at Huff Post, Nikki Schwab, Senior U.S. Political Reporter for The Daily Mail and Alex Roarty, Politics Reporter at NOTUS Reports.

Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. More information at UFCW.org.

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

Trump vs Biden with Historian Doug Brinkley Apr 30, 2024

Show notes

In the final episode of a four-part series on the American presidency, Bill and historian Douglas Brinkley discuss the upcoming 2024 election and compare the qualities and visions of Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Brinkley highlights Biden's experience and character, noting his long career in politics and his ability to work across the aisle. He also emphasizes Biden's commitment to democratic institutions and his belief in the importance of saving democracy. On the other hand, Brinkley describes Trump as an agent of chaos and authoritarianism, who prioritizes isolationism and disregards scientific evidence. He warns that a second term for Trump would have significant consequences for the country, including the potential erosion of NATO and the environment. Despite the challenges, Brinkley encourages listeners to have faith in America and to continue fighting for its values and democracy.

Today’s Bill Press Pod is supported by the Ironworkers Union. More information at Ironworkers.com

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

"What did we learn?" The Reporters' Roundtable-April 26, 2024 Apr 26, 2024

Show notes

Trump/Immunity. Trump/Catch and Kill. Johnson’s Conversion. Ukraine $$ Flowing. Chuck Praises Mitch. Anti-Trump Vote in PA. Trump in the Dock/Biden on the Trail. Campus Protest Impact. With Sarah Wire, Washington Reporter for Los Angeles Times, Igor Bobic, Senior Politics Reporter for Huff Post and Brian Beutler, writer of the Off Message Newsletter and co-host of the Politix podcast.

Today’s Bill Press Pod is supported by The International Brotherhood of Teamsters . More information at Teamster.org

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

A President's Team. With Historian Doug Brinkley Apr 23, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, Bill continues his four-part series on the American presidency with guest Doug Brinkley, a presidential historian who is a professor at Rice University and as the official presidential historian at CNN. He’s the author of dozens of books and scholarly articles and is considered one of the top presidential scholars in the country. They discuss the importance of the people a president surrounds themselves with and how it impacts their administration. They mention examples of presidents who had strong teams, such as Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt. They also discuss the role of the vice president and first lady in shaping a president's decisions. They then compare the teams of Donald Trump and Joe Biden, noting the high turnover and lack of cohesion in Trump's team, while praising the loyalty and unity of Biden's team. They also mention the very powerful influence of Jill Biden on the administration.

Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by United Food and Commercial Workers Union.More information at UFCW.org.

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

"An insane week in Washington." The Reporters' Roundtable-April 19, 2024 Apr 19, 2024

Show notes

Foreign Aid Breakthrough. Johnson’s Conversion. His Job Not Safe. Mayorkas Impeachment Fail. Border Politics. Youth Vote. Trump's Trial Negatives. Kennedys Endorse Biden. Third-Party Threats. With Jeff Dufour, Editor-in-chief at The National Journal, Maeve Sheehy, Congressional Reporter for Bloomberg Government, Mini Racker, Politics Reporter for the Daily Beast and Erin Covey, U.S. House Analyst for the Cook Political Report.

Today’s Bill Press Pod is supported by The American Federation of Government Employees. More information at AFGE.org.

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