The Chuck ToddCast

Latest Episodes:

Full Episode - Marjorie Taylor-Greene Is An "America First” True Believer…Trump Isn’t + The Barn, The South, and the Stories America Still Won’t Tell Nov 24, 2025

Show notes

Chuck Todd unpacks a seismic moment in Republican politics: Marjorie Taylor-Greene’s break from Donald Trump and her abrupt resignation from Congress. He traces how the split—months in the making—reveals deep fractures inside the “America First” movement, with MTG positioning herself as the true-believer successor to the Bannon wing while accusing both parties of fueling a self-serving “political industrial complex.” Chuck explains why her departure signals growing disillusionment among Trump’s base, how job displacement and economic anxiety are reshaping the electorate, and why MTG’s political instincts make her far more formidable than her critics admit. Then he turns to new confusion surrounding the administration’s Ukraine peace proposal—where even Republicans like Marco Rubio appear uneasy—and how Trump’s handling of Venezuela risks alienating Latin American partners and setting U.S. diplomacy back decades.

Then, author Wright Thompson joins Chuck Todd to discuss his new book The Barn and the enduring struggle to tell the stories of civil rights in America. Wright delves into the history of Emmett Till, the ongoing battle over how Black history is taught in the South, and the limitations of projects like 1619 in capturing the full scope of systemic racism. He reflects on how the South’s “lost cause” imagery and historical amnesia continue to shape politics, culture, and education, and why remembering Till’s story is essential for understanding the roots of American dysfunction. Along the way, Wright also explores how sports have historically led society in moral leadership, from civil rights breakthroughs to the integrity of figures like LeBron James.

Thompson also tackles broader questions about American governance and society, from the failures of individual politicians to the structural incentives that keep the country in political spirals, the challenges of the modern presidency, and the looming threats of drone warfare and algorithm-driven polarization. He offers insights from his journey as a sportswriter, illustrating how cultural narratives—from the 1940s to today—shape our national conversation. This episode is a deep dive into history, morality, and the complexities of chronicling America’s past while grappling with its present and future.

Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the year America had TWO Thanksgivings, answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and recaps the weekend in college football.

Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.

Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!

Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win!

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

04:15 Marjorie Taylor-Greene splits w/Trump and resigns from congress

06:15 MTG’s break with Trump has been months in the making

07:30 MTG is an “America First” true believer

08:30 Trump isn’t as America First as his coalition

10:15 Trump isn’t governing based on the coalition he built

11:00 MTG could be a presidential candidate repping the Bannon wing

12:15 MTG calls out the “political industrial complex” in her statement

13:45 There is truth to the political industrial complex accusation

15:30 For 20 years every election just flips back and forth between parties

17:00 Job displacement is going to be a massive electoral issue

18:00 MTG is a spurned true believer

21:30 Whatever you think of her, MTG understands how congress works

22:15 MTG wants to send the message that she’s the true believer

24:00 MTG wanted to blow up the system & establishment, Trump didn’t

26:00 Trump is always bullshitting, some of his followers are finding it out

28:15 MTG didn’t want to face a Trump-backed primary challenger

31:30 Trump will be at the center of the midterms, that’s bad for the GOP
33:00 If MTG ran for senate in Georgia, she’d probably win

34:30 The MAGA coalition is cracking, Trump won’t be able to fix it

36:15 Confusion between administration and congress over Ukraine peace deal

37:45 Rubio argued the peace proposal was written by the U.S.

39:15 Rubio is clearly uncomfortable with the terms of the deal

39:45 Steve Witkoff just plays stenographer for the Kremlin

41:00 The majority of congress supports Ukraine far more than Trump

43:00 The administration has not made the Venezuela case to congress

44:30 Trump could set us back decades with Latin America w/missteps in Venezuela

50:30 Wright Thompson joins the Chuck ToddCast

51:30 Why Wright wanted to write “The Barn”

52:45 The MAGA project wants to go back to pre civil rights era

54:00 How Emmit Till and civil rights are taught in the south

55:30 The war on black history has been embodied in textbooks

56:45 The biggest flaw of the 1619 Project is it didn’t go far enough

58:30 The barn where Emmit Till was killed isn’t a national landmark

01:00:45 The south still drapes itself in the “lost cause” civil war imagery

01:02:00 So many bomb throwing politicians aren’t built for governing

01:03:00 There was huge overseas money propping up the south in 1860’s

01:05:30 America required catastrophes to pull out of political death spirals

01:06:30 The battle against powerful forces just to tell civil rights stories

01:08:15 Emmit Til is a symbol, but he was also just a boy

01:09:30 It’s incumbent on Americans to remember Til’s name

01:10:45 The seeds of our dysfunction were planted between Vietnam & NAFTA

01:11:45 You have to understand Mississippi to understand America

01:14:00 If Garfield had lived we may have passed civil rights 80 years sooner

01:15:00 Separating your own politics from the era you are writing about?

01:16:00 There were many political fence sitters in World War 2 France

01:17:45 People are willing to ignore/participate in atrocities during civil war

01:18:15 How Wright got into sportswriting

01:19:45 Sports leaned into civil rights before society as a whole did

01:21:00 Michael Jordan wouldn’t be able to fence sit in modern America

01:23:15 From the 1940’s-60’s, sports heroes were rooted in morality

01:25:30 Greatest written sports profiles

01:27:15 The hubris of wanting to be president should disqualify you for it

01:29:15 The American tribe has been under relentless assault for 30 years

01:30:30 The American experiment is an incredibly difficult endeavor

01:31:15 Individual politicians are less important than incentive structures

01:33:00 America hasn’t had a recent galvanizing event requiring collective sacrifice

01:34:45 The coming drone wars are terrifying

01:36:45 America longs for a radical centrism

01:39:00 People need to realize the algorithm is the enemy, not another person

01:41:00 Obama v Trump could be the cultural showdown America needs

01:42:00 Trump didn’t realize the employees didn’t come with the White House

01:43:00 The presidency is an impossible job

01:44:30 Whose sports profile do you want to write but can’t get access to?

01:47:30 LeBron has managed to keep a squeaky clean profile despite his stardom

01:50:00 Why the podcast format is a better way to talk to people

1:52:30 Chuck’s thoughts on interview with Wright Thompson

1:53:00 Toddcast Time Machine - 1939

1:53:30 America had two Thanksgivings after FDR moved it

1:55:30 FDR changed the date for Thanksgiving to help retailers

1:56:15 Presidents used to choose the date for Thanksgiving

1:58:30 Thanksgiving date was always changed for logistical reasons

1:59:45 FDR moved Thanksgiving up one week & started a culture war

2:01:00 23 states celebrated “Franksgiving”

2:01:30 3 states celebrated two Thanksgivings

2:02:30 In 1941, Congress stepped to make official date for Thanksgiving

2:05:00 Ask Chuck

2:05:30 Thoughts on Trump falling head over heels for Zohran Mamdani?

2:12:30 Would Chuck ever run for office someday?

2:16:00 How do you track evolving policies across administrations?

2:18:45 College football recap

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck’s Commentary - Marjorie Taylor-Greene Is An “America First” True Believer…Trump Isn’t + Trump’s Russia First Peace Plan Nov 24, 2025

Show notes

Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.

Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

00:45 Marjorie Taylor-Greene splits w/Trump and resigns from congress
02:45 MTG’s break with Trump has been months in the making
04:00 MTG is an “America First” true believer
05:00 Trump isn’t as America First as his coalition
06:45 Trump isn’t governing based on the coalition he built
07:30 MTG could be a presidential candidate repping the Bannon wing
08:45 MTG calls out the “political industrial complex” in her statement
10:15 There is truth to the political industrial complex accusation
12:00 For 20 years every election just flips back and forth between parties
13:30 Job displacement is going to be a massive electoral issue
14:30 MTG is a spurned true believer
18:00 Whatever you think of her, MTG understands how congress works
18:45 MTG wants to send the message that she’s the true believer
20:30 MTG wanted to blow up the system & establishment, Trump didn’t
22:30 Trump is always bullshitting, some of his followers are finding it out
24:45 MTG didn’t want to face a Trump-backed primary challenger
28:00 Trump will be at the center of the midterms, that’s bad for the GOP
29:30 If MTG ran for senate in Georgia, she’d probably win
31:00 The MAGA coalition is cracking, Trump won’t be able to fix it

32:45 Confusion between administration and congress over Ukraine peace deal
34:15 Rubio argued the peace proposal was written by the U.S.
35:45 Rubio is clearly uncomfortable with the terms of the deal
36:15 Steve Witkoff just plays stenographer for the Kremlin
37:30 The majority of congress supports Ukraine far more than Trump
39:30 The administration has not made the Venezuela case to congress
41:00 Trump could set us back decades with Latin America w/missteps in Venezuela

46:45 Toddcast Time Machine - 1939

47:15 America had two Thanksgivings after FDR moved it

49:15 FDR changed the date for Thanksgiving to help retailers

50:00 Presidents used to choose the date for Thanksgiving

52:15 Thanksgiving date was always changed for logistical reasons

53:30 FDR moved Thanksgiving up one week & started a culture war

54:45 23 states celebrated “Franksgiving”

55:15 3 states celebrated two Thanksgivings

56:15 In 1941, Congress stepped to make official date for Thanksgiving

58:45 Ask Chuck

59:15 Thoughts on Trump falling head over heels for Zohran Mamdani?

1:06:15 Would Chuck ever run for office someday?

1:09:45 How do you track evolving policies across administrations?

1:12:30 College football recap

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interview Only w/ Wright Thompson - The Barn, The South, And The Stories America Still Won’t Tell Nov 24, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, author Wright Thompson joins Chuck Todd to discuss his new book The Barn and the enduring struggle to tell the stories of civil rights in America. Wright delves into the history of Emmett Till, the ongoing battle over how Black history is taught in the South, and the limitations of projects like 1619 in capturing the full scope of systemic racism. He reflects on how the South’s “lost cause” imagery and historical amnesia continue to shape politics, culture, and education, and why remembering Till’s story is essential for understanding the roots of American dysfunction. Along the way, Wright also explores how sports have historically led society in moral leadership, from civil rights breakthroughs to the integrity of figures like LeBron James.

Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.

Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Wright Thompson joins the Chuck ToddCast

01:00 Why Wright wanted to write “The Barn”

02:15 The MAGA project wants to go back to pre civil rights era

03:30 How Emmit Till and civil rights are taught in the south

05:00 The war on black history has been embodied in textbooks

06:15 The biggest flaw of the 1619 Project is it didn’t go far enough

08:00 The barn where Emmit Till was killed isn’t a national landmark

10:15 The south still drapes itself in the “lost cause” civil war imagery

12:30 So many bomb throwing politicians aren’t built for governing

13:30 There was huge overseas money propping up the south in 1860’s

15:00 America required catastrophes to pull out of political death spirals

16:00 The battle against powerful forces just to tell civil rights stories

17:45 Emmit Til is a symbol, but he was also just a boy

19:00 It’s incumbent on Americans to remember Til’s name

20:15 The seeds of our dysfunction were planted between Vietnam & NAFTA

21:15 You have to understand Mississippi to understand America

23:30 If Garfield had lived we may have passed civil rights 80 years sooner

24:30 Separating your own politics from the era you are writing about?

25:30 There were many political fence sitters in World War 2 France

27:15 People are willing to ignore/participate in atrocities during civil war

27:45 How Wright got into sportswriting

29:15 Sports leaned into civil rights before society as a whole did

30:30 Michael Jordan wouldn’t be able to fence sit in modern America

32:45 From the 1940’s-60’s, sports heroes were rooted in morality

35:00 Greatest written sports profiles

36:45 The hubris of wanting to be president should disqualify you for it

38:45 The American tribe has been under relentless assault for 30 years

40:00 The American experiment is an incredibly difficult endeavor

40:45 Individual politicians are less important than incentive structures

42:30 America hasn’t had a recent galvanizing event requiring collective sacrifice

44:15 The coming drone wars are terrifying

46:15 America longs for a radical centrism

48:30 People need to realize the algorithm is the enemy, not another person

50:30 Obama v Trump could be the cultural showdown America needs

51:30 Trump didn’t realize the employees didn’t come with the White House

52:30 The presidency is an impossible job

54:00 Whose sports profile do you want to write but can’t get access to?

57:00 LeBron has managed to keep a squeaky clean profile despite his stardom

59:30 Why the podcast format is a better way to talk to people

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck’s Commentary - New Polling Shows BIG Shift Toward Democrats + Trump’s Attempts To Manipulate The Economy Could Backfire Nov 20, 2025

Show notes

Chuck Todd breaks down why Donald Trump’s sudden push for a Ukraine “peace deal” may be more about political retreat than diplomacy, especially as Europe now shoulders most of the war’s cost—leaving Trump with diminished leverage abroad and a base deeply skeptical of foreign interventions. Chuck digs into new polling that shows a steady and significant shift toward Democrats, with a widening generic ballot advantage and Trump’s approval continuing to fall, suggesting the midterms—and even the Senate—are unexpectedly in play. He explores how Trump’s attempts to manipulate the economy could backfire, how a potential “AI bubble” could further weaken him, and why GOP divisions are poised to intensify. Plus, an update on the California governor’s race, where a field of lackluster Democratic contenders has allowed Republicans to overperform, raising questions about whether bigger names—or Rick Caruso—will jump into a race long dominated by the shadows of Jerry Brown and Gavin Newsom.

Finally, Chuck answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and previews the upcoming weekend in college football.

Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.

Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!

Timeline:

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

05:00 Trump’s “peace deal” may be his attempt to walk away from Ukraine

06:00 Europe is funding bulk of the war, Trump has less leverage

07:15 Trump’s plan to make Europe foot bill is working, but diminishes influence

09:15 If Trump gave rationale for removing Maduro, he’d have more credibility

11:00 Trump’s base doesn’t want foreign military interventions

12:30 Polling shows Democrats with large generic ballot advantage

15:30 Every poll has moved in the Democrats direction, and lower Trump approval

17:30 Donald Trump will try to pull levers to fix economy, could make it worse

19:00 Democrats have a huge advantage going into the midterms

19:45 Democrats need a 6-7 point generic advantage to win house

20:15 If current polling holds, the senate is in play

23:00 Applying election and polling trends nationwide, Dems could blowout midterms

24:30 Democrats unpopularity turned out to be meaningless in 2025 elections

26:00 Bad is going to get worse for Trump, GOP will be further divided

27:45 “AI Bubble” could sink Trump if it pops

29:00 Update on the California governor’s race

29:45 Democratic voters crave optimism, Tom Steyer doesn’t offer it

31:30 Candidates for CA governor feel like their all “Tier 2” candidates

34:00 Jerry Brown & Gavin Newsom have hovered over CA politics for decades

36:00 There are only two prominent Republican candidates in CA

37:00 Dem candidates are so weak, GOP candidates performing well

38:00 Will Rick Caruso run for mayor of LA or governor of CA?

40:30 There should be some bigger names jumping into the race

00:46:15 Ask Chuck

00:46:45 Any book recommendations on the fall of the Ottoman Empire?

00:50:45 Thoughts on voter approval for constitutional amendments?

00:56:00 Way to reform the primary system to produce moderates?

01:00:30 Dem voters still motivated to vote despite lower approval of party

01:08:00 College football preview

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Full Episode - New Polling Shows BIG Shift Toward Democrats + Why Putin Won’t Stop, And Why Ukraine Won’t Settle Nov 20, 2025

Show notes

Then, Chuck is joined by Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Anne Applebaum for a sweeping, unsparing look at the state of the Russia–Ukraine war and the global democratic landscape it threatens. Applebaum breaks down whether a ceasefire is even plausible this year, given Vladimir Putin’s unwavering war aims, the murky negotiators involved in back-channel talks, and Trump’s unusually warm posture toward the Kremlin. She details why Ukrainians refuse to accept a “kick the can” peace deal, how corruption scandals are playing out domestically, and the way drones, energy strikes, and a collapsing Russian economy are reshaping the battlefield. From mysterious elite deaths to China’s strategic support, Applebaum outlines the brittle yet dangerous architecture sustaining Putin’s regime.

The conversation widens into a broader examination of the worldwide struggle between democracy and autocracy—from Trump’s Venezuela maneuverings to Saudi Arabia’s complicated role, from Silicon Valley’s unchecked power to Europe’s scramble to recalibrate its alliances. Applebaum warns that the U.S. walking away from Ukraine would reverberate far beyond Eastern Europe, and she explains why the speed and scale of Trump’s attacks on democratic norms have raised historic alarm. It’s a candid, far-reaching assessment of the forces shaping global stability—and the stakes ahead.