The Bill Press Pod

Latest Episodes:

"You have to defeat them again and again and again." With Stuart Stevens Jan 02, 2024

Show notes

In the first Bill Press Pod of 2024, Bill and Stuart Stevens discuss the current state of the Republican party and the potential for a Trump re-election. Stevens, a legendary Republican campaign manager, warns that a Trump re-election could lead to the end of democracy in America. He discusses his new book, "The Conspiracy to End America Five Ways: My Old Party is Driving Our Democracy to Autocracy," and highlights the dangers of sliding into autocracy. Stevens believes that the Republican party has lost its way and needs to be defeated repeatedly in order to change. He also expresses concern about the potential for a third-party candidate to disrupt the 2024 election.

Today Bill salutes his own union, SAG-AFTRA and their historic victory after a long strike. More information at SAGAFTRA.org.

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Our Best Favorite Stories of the Week of 2023 Dec 29, 2023

Show notes

When Bill talks to people who listen to the Bill Press Pod, they tell him that one of their favorite parts of the show is when our reporters contribute their favorite stories of the week. Those stories can be funny. They can be sad. They can be important. They can be poignant. We've assembled a bunch of them for your listening pleasure here at the end of 2023.

Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by the Iron Workers Union. Rebuilding America in some of the most dangerous jobs in all of construction. We salute them and you can find more information at Ironworkers.org.

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Re-assessing President Jimmy Carter with Jonathan Alter Dec 26, 2023

Show notes

After watching the memorial service for First Lady Rosalyn Carter last month, we decided it’s time to take another look at our 39th President, Jimmy Carter. And the very best person to do that is journalist and historian Jonathan Alter. His 2021 book, His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, A Life, is out in paperback and you can get it here. Alter is also the author of a very good Sub-stack newsletter, Old Goats. You can see that here. Bill and Jonathan discuss the legacy of the 39th President, Jimmy Carter, and his wife, Rosalyn Carter. They argue that while Carter's presidency is often viewed as ineffective, he actually accomplished a great deal and set a new standard for post-presidencies with his extensive public service. They also highlight Rosalyn Carter's significant contributions as First Lady, including her instrumental role in passing the Mental Health Act of 1980. The discussion also touches on Carter's deep faith and his commitment to environmental issues.

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

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Year-End Editors' Roundtable December 22 Dec 22, 2023

Show notes

PROGRAM NOTE: THIS EPISODE WAS RECORDED BEFORE THE COLORADO SUPREME COURT DECISION ON DONALD TRUMP'S ELIGIBILTY TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT. Three top Washington editors, who also regularly join us on The Reporters’ Roundtable, look back at 2023 and ahead to 2024. They reveal what they spend most of their time editing and what they expect to be doing again next year. Bill is joined by Ginger Gibson Senior Washington editor at NBC News, Jeff Dufour, Editor-in-chief of The National Journal and Jason Dick, Editor-in-chief of CQ Roll Call. They discussed Donald Trump's legal troubles, the disarray in the House of Representatives, political violence, and the GOP primary. They also discussed special elections focused on abortion access and the disconnect between economic indicators and public sentiment. Looking ahead to 2024, the panel predicted that the Trump trials will continue to dominate headlines, along with the economic issues and the potential for a dramatic choice between democracy and autocracy in the presidential election.

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

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Judging the Judiciary with Courts Expert, Dahlia Lithwick Dec 19, 2023

Show notes

As the year ends, we take a look back at our judicial system and look forward to what we can expect from it in 2024 with legal expert Dahlia Lithwick, a Senior Editor at Slate and a Contributing Editor at Newsweek. She graduated from Stanford Law and has been covering the courts for over two decades. She hosts the podcast, Amicus. In the pod today, Bill and Dahlia discuss the current state of the American judicial system, focusing on the impact of the Trump administration's appointments and the potential consequences for the 2024 presidential election. They discuss the role of the Supreme Court and its shift to the right under Trump, with three of his appointees now sitting on the bench. They also discuss the potential for authoritarianism if Trump were to return to office, with the former president currently arguing in various courtrooms that he is exempt from the justice system due to his previous role as president.. The podcast ends with a discussion on the legacy of Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman on the Supreme Court, and her belief in the importance of the court's reputation.

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

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"Packed With Big News." The Reporters' Roundtable December 15 Dec 15, 2023

Show notes

Impeachment Folly. Hunter Speaks. GOP Stiffs Ukraine. Trump Dominates Iowa. Haley’s Moment? Rudy’s Descent. Biden Not Run? With Sabrina Siddiqui, White House Reporter at The Wall Street Journal, David Jackson, National Political Correspondent for USA TODAY and Kirk Bado, Editor of The National Journal Hotline.

Today’s Bill Press Pod is supported by The American Federation of Teachers. Doing God's work in classrooms all across America from Elementary Schools through Universities, More information at AFT.org.

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How Can Evangelicals Support Trump? With Tim Alberta Dec 12, 2023

Show notes

Tim Alberta is a staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of the great new book, The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism. You can get your copy here. He was previously the chief political correspondent for Politico. He is also the author of American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump. In this episode Alberta, a former seminarian and son of an evangelical pastor, discusses his personal experience with evangelical faith and the intersection of faith and politics. He explores the influence of evangelicalism on American politics, particularly in relation to Donald Trump and the rise of Christian nationalism. Alberta argues that the politicization of faith has had a negative impact on the church, leading to a decline in religious identification and attendance. He also addresses the role of race in the evangelical movement and the challenges of reconciling politics with the teachings of Jesus.

Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, America’s largest and most diverse union. More information at Teamster.org.

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"Explicit and Shocking." The Reporters' Roundtable December 8 Dec 08, 2023

Show notes

Kevin Quits. Narrow House Majority. Ukraine/Border Fight. Blurred J6 Footage. “Moses” Mike Johnson. GOP Debate.(Why?) Haley Debates Well. Liz Cheney’s Warnings. Trump Dictator Day One. Hunter Biden Tax Charges. 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. Host of the Monitor Breakfast and Arthur Delaney, Political Reporter at HuffPost.

Today Bill suggests a great holiday gift: a one-of-a-kind scarf from his wife, Carol. Woven from Rayon Chenille or Bamboo, they make a great gift of warmth for the people you love. You can see the amazing designs at CarolPressScarves.com. Order now and they will arrive before Christmas.

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"The Future is Unwritten" with Historian Heather Cox Richardson Dec 05, 2023

Show notes

Everyday, Boston College historian Heather Cox Richardson writes the newsletter, Letters from an American, A newsletter about the history behind today's politics. You can get it here. It is one of the most popular newsletters in America with over 1.3 million daily subscribers. That's a lot. She is a Professor of History at Boston College, where she teaches courses on the American Civil War, the Reconstruction Era, the American West, and the Plains Indians. Her latest book is Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America. This is the book we saw President Biden buy on his Thanksgiving vacation. You can get it here. On the podcast Bill and Professor Richardson discuss the importance of the upcoming presidential election and the threat to democracy in the United States. They also touch on topics such as the role of race and religion in American politics, the Ukraine conflict, and the potential for a two-state solution in the Middle East. Richardson expresses optimism about the future, citing historical examples of Americans standing up for democracy in challenging times.

Today's Bill Press Pod is supported by The United Food and Commercial Workers Union. They are the union members we most often see at our grocery stores, pharmacies, and retail department stores. They also work in food processing plants and in the cannabis industry. More information at UFCW.org.

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"Two Things Can be True." The Reporters' Roundtable. December 1 Dec 01, 2023

Show notes

Santos Expulsion Drama. “Trump’s Not Eating.” Right. McCarthy Quitting? Impeachment Fiasco. Haley Momentum? So What. Newsom-DeSantis Debate. Why? Israel Drags Down Biden. Favorite Stories! With Philip Bump, National Columnist for The Washington Post and author of the How To Read This Chart newsletter and the book, The Aftermath, Jason Dick, Editor in Chief at CQ Roll Call, Political Theater podcast host and Leah Askarinam, one of the top DC elections analysts.

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