The Dispatch Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Takeaways From Elections in South Carolina and Texas Jun 17, 2022

Show notes

It’s been another week of interesting primary elections, and Sarah, David, Jonah, and Andrew discuss what we learned from Texas and South Carolina. Then our hosts dive into the details of the framework for a possible Senate gun bill and whether the House will learn to settle for compromise, not perfection. Finally, what are the key takeaways from the January 6 House Select Committee so far?

Show Notes:

-The Sweep: The Value of a Trump Endorsement

-The Dispatch: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the January 6 Committee

-The Sweep: The Politics of the January 6 Hearings

-Uphill: The Way Forward for the Senate’s Gun Violence Bill

-The Dispatch: Can We Make Red Flag Laws Work?

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Crimes of the Present Jun 15, 2022

Show notes

Thiru Vignarajah, former deputy attorney general of Maryland, joins Sarah to talk about all things Baltimore: violent crime, reforming police practices, and the Baltimore City state’s attorney race. Plus: What might help bring down gun violence in major cities?

Show Notes:

-Justiceforbaltimore.com

-French Press: Against Gun Idolatry

-The Dispatch: Can We Make Red Flag Laws Work?

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January 6 Committee Makes Its Case Jun 10, 2022

Show notes

The House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol held its first hearing Thursday night. Sarah, Steve, Jonah, and David discuss its fact-based and substantive approach to investigating what happened at the Capitol riots, and whether the Republican Party will hold former President Donald Trump accountable. Then our panel turns to the question of political violence in America: Is our political rhetoric out of control? Our hosts then cover how the California primaries are off to an interesting start with progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin’s recall on Tuesday.

Show Notes:

-The Dispatch: “Primetime Hearing Focuses on the Plan Behind January 6”

-TMD: “January 6 Revisited”

-Uphill: “January 6 Through the Images and Words of Those Who Lived It”

-The Dispatch: “What Chesa Boudin’s Recall Says About Criminal Justice Reform”

-The Atlantic: “How San Francisco Became a Failed City”

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Chuck Todd Previews Midterms, January 6 Hearings Jun 08, 2022

Show notes

Chuck Todd, host of NBC’s Meet the Press, joins Steve to discuss the public’s eroding trust in politicians and the political system. An alarming Pew Research poll turns the conversation to how context and nuance have been lost in political journalism and campaign coverage. Steve and Todd also cover the Trump divide within the Republican Party, what the January 6 Committee might tell us this week, and, of course, whether the Green Bay Packers will make the Super Bowl next season.

Show Notes:

-Pew Research: “Americans’ Views of Government”

-The Sweep: “Why Issues Don’t Change Votes”

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100 Days of War in Ukraine Jun 03, 2022

Show notes

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine started almost 100 days ago. Our hosts are here to discuss the latest from the war and America’s role. Sarah, Steve, Jonah, and David then turn to the gun debate at home: Will mass shootings in recent weeks produce different political results than past tragedies? Finally they preview next week’s January 6 hearings on Capitol Hill.

Show Notes:

-French Press: “The Tide Is Turning Toward Russia”

-The Dispatch: “A Marshall Plan for Ukraine?”

-TMD: “100 Days of War in Ukraine”

-New York Times: “Voters Say They Want Gun Control. Their Votes Say Something Different.”

-New York Times: “A Timeline of Failed Attempts to Address U.S. Gun Violence”

-RAND: “How Gun Policies Affect Mass Shootings”

-RAND: “Facts About the Effects of Gun Policies Are Elusive but Important”

-The Reload: “NRA Revenue Dropped $47 Million in 2021, Down $130 Million From Just 3 Years Prior”

-San Diego Zoo Condor Cam

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How Do You Solve A Problem Like Primaries? Jun 01, 2022

Show notes

Edward B. Foley, professor and director of the election law program at Ohio State, and Nick Troiano, executive director of Unite America, join Sarah for a conversation about reforming primaries. What does primary reform look like? Their conversation covers political science, history, and math. That’s right math. Can math save democracy?

Show Notes:

-Requiring Majority Winners for Congressional Elections

-Foley in the Washington Post: “How our system of primary elections could destroy democracy”

-The Sweep: “A Focus on the Problem with Primaries”

-Unite America: “America Has a Primary Problem”

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The Tragedy in Uvalde May 27, 2022

Show notes

On Tuesday, an 18-year-old gunman fatally shot 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Our hosts are here to discuss the latest updates and what comes next. Sarah, Steve, Jonah, and David then turn to this week’s round of primaries. What did they learn? They finish by discussing the latest from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. What does Russia’s Black Sea blockade mean for the world?

Show Notes:

-The Dispatch: “After Uvalde, What Now?”

-Uphill: “Mass Shootings Reignite Gun Control Debate in Washington”

-French Press: “Pass and Enforce Red Flag Laws. Now.”

-The Sweep: “A Focus on the Problem with Primaries”

-TMD: “A Big Night for GOP Incumbents”

-The Dispatch: “Georgia Republicans Stick With Kemp by a Wide Margin”

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Revenge of the Incumbents in Georgia May 25, 2022

Show notes

Erick Erickson, host of the Erick Erickson Show, joins Steve for a conversation about what we learned from the primary election results in Georgia, and what it all means for November and beyond. Steve is then joined by Khaya Himmelman to discuss her fact check of Dinesh D’Souza’s new documentary film 2,000 Mules.

Show Notes:

-Erick Erickson: “Trump's 2000 Mules Got Stuck in Georgia Clay”

-Erick Erickson: “The Democrats Don't Want a Solution to Gun Violence”

-Khaya’s fact check: “Fact Checking Dinesh D’Souza’s ‘2,000 Mules’”

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The Tragedy in Buffalo May 20, 2022

Show notes

Following a man’s racist attack at a supermarket in Buffalo, in which he killed 10 people and wounded three more, our hosts are here to discuss what it means for our politics and culture. Sarah, Jonah, and Declan then discuss the baby formula shortage. How did the Biden administration drop the ball? And finally, reactions to the latest round of primaries around the country.

Show Notes:

-The Dispatch: “A Look at the State of Red Flag Laws After Buffalo”

-TMD: “Grappling With the Buffalo Mass Shooting”

-Capitolism: “America’s Infant Formula Crisis and the ‘Resiliency’ Mirage”

-The Sweep: “Headed Toward a Recount in Pennsylvania”

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Mark Esper on ‘A Sacred Oath’ May 18, 2022

Show notes

Joining this week’s Dispatch Podcast with Sarah is former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper. Esper was also secretary of the Army during the Trump administration, and in his new book, A Sacred Oath: Memoirs of a Secretary of Defense During Extraordinary Times, he talks about the challenges that came with working under President Trump. In the podcast, Esper and Sarah discuss life on the inside of the administration, Esper’s infamous “Four Nos,” and what he sees as the greatest threat to the United States today. Hint, his fears are more about things happening inside the country, not outside.

Show Notes:

-A Sacred Oath: Memoirs of a Secretary of Defense During Extraordinary Times

-Esper Paints Chaotic Picture of Trump Administration’s Middle East Policy, by Charlotte Lawson

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