The Dispatch Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Capitol Riot Investigation Pushes Forward Jul 09, 2021

Show notes

Earlier this week marked the six-month anniversary of the January 6 attack on the Capitol, but the criminal investigations are only beginning to hit full stride. Scott MacFarlane, a local investigative reporter at NBC4 Washington, who has reported extensively on the aftermath of January 6, joins Sarah and Steve to discuss the status of the ongoing criminal trials. MacFarlane also talks about the increase in threats against members of Congress.

Show Notes:

-Scott MacFarlane’s twitter account

-New York Times’ video investigation into January 6

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Six Months Later Jul 07, 2021

Show notes

In this podcast, our hosts indulge in a wide-ranging airing of grievances, starting with a reflection on the political salience of the January 6 Capitol insurrection, six months after the fact. The gang then discusses whether Republicans have lost the right to be called the party of ideas and what might be behind the GOP’s current allergy to nuance. Sarah also explores the tension between Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump that cropped up over Trump’s recent Florida rally. Looking ahead to the 2024 elections, Chris argues that most pundits are missing who will be the biggest player, by far, in the contest: President Joe Biden. Lastly, Chris asks whether the abysmal state of election administration in some cases—as revealed by the recent New York City mayoral race—is proof that Democrats' are not taking threats to the American democracy seriously, and whether the failure to do so will make it easier for bad actors to steal elections.

Show Notes:

-New York Times: Inside the Capitol Riot: An Exclusive Video Investigation

-Straw poll showing Ron DeSantis edging out Donald Trump in 2024

-Chris’ column on NYC mayoral race: “Nobody Will Ever Know Who Really Won”

-Ezra Klein: California Is Making Liberals Squirm

-Associated Press: Trump announces suits against Facebook, Twitter and Google

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From Ohio with Love Jul 02, 2021

Show notes

Rep. Anthony Gonzalez returns to the podcast this week to discuss his re-election campaign against a Trump-endorsed challenger, the House’s new January 6 commission, how Democrats’ narrow majorities in Congress shape their behavior, what’s really on his constituents’ minds, and why embracing Trump’s election lies should be a non-starter for potential GOP candidates in 2024.

Show Notes:

-Declan’s article on Trump’s recent rally with Gonzalez’s primary opponent

-Gonzalez’s previous Dispatch podcast appearance (Jan. 29)

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Welcome to New York City Jun 30, 2021

Show notes

Incompetence strikes again in New York’s mayoral race, a blow to American’s faith in government but not, our hosts argue, fuel for 2020 election fraud claims or a ding on ranked choice voting. The gang then discusses Vice President Kamala Harris’ belated visit to the U.S.-Mexico border. Steve points out that Harris’ clumsy handling of immigration is more than just a messaging failure, and says just as much about the Biden administration’s policy failures. David dives into why governors don’t call up the National Guard more (as South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem did recently for a border mission.) They also tackle an underreported aspect of infrastructure negotiations on the Hill and discuss what divides that drama reveals about the Democratic Party. Lastly, our hosts discuss Bill Barr’s defiance of former President Donald Trump on 2020 election fraud claims and whether the most hardcore Trump supporters qualify as a religion or a cult.

Show Notes:

-New York Times article about the chaos of the New York mayoral race

-Texas Tribune article about Kamala Harris’ visit to the border

-A Washington Post article about Kristi Noem’s deploying national guards to the border

-Yuval Levin’s article in National Review about how what the media missed in the infrastructure reporting

-Jonathan Karl’s story in The Atlantic about Bill Barr’s final days in Trump-era Department of Justice

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Infrastructure Deal's Uncertain Future Jun 25, 2021

Show notes

Sarah and Chris Stirewalt welcome RealClearPolitics associate editor and columnist A.B. Stoddard to the show today to run the gamut of the week’s political news. They discuss whether the bipartisan infrastructure deal is actually a compromise (and whether it can pass), why Kamala Harris is finally traveling to the border, and what needs to happen in Congress to preclude a nightmare scenario for the Republic in January 2025.

Show Notes:

-The Morning Dispatch breaks down infrastructure negotiations

-Dems Botched Voting Rights; They Need a New Bill (A.B. Stoddard, RealClearPolitics)

-The Sweep: Election Day in Gotham

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Taliban Makes Gains in Afghanistan Jun 23, 2021

Show notes

As the Biden administration seeks to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by September, the Taliban is already on the offensive. How should the United States respond? And how should the United States take care of the thousands of Afghans who have aided the United States against the Taliban? The gang discusses. Then, David brings up interesting statistics regarding how often each Supreme Court justice is part of the majority. Does this undermine the traditional categorization of justices along the ideological spectrum? Plus, they talk about the preliminary results in the New York Democratic primary, in which crime was the top voter issue according to opinion polls. What does this mean for the 2022 elections and beyond? Lastly, our hosts discuss the recent backlash from the left against musical actor Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Show Notes:

-FDD’s Long War Journal on the Taliban offensive

-Thomas Joscelyn on Al-Qaeda’s presence in Afghanistan

-Thomas Joscelyn on the Taliban gains

-Adam Liptak on Supreme Court justices’ proportions in majority

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Bipartisan Food Truck Conversation Jun 18, 2021

Show notes

Mo Elleithee, a longtime Democratic operative and executive director of the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service, joins Sarah and Chris Stirewalt to break down the results of the latest GU Battleground Poll. They talk about the implications of voters’ concerns about division, the nuanced differences between attitudinal and issue polling, and how the parties’ messaging on issues they respectively “own” are shaping political dynamics heading into the midterms.

Show Notes:

-GU Battleground Poll

-Chris’ column on junk poling

-This week’s Sweep on polling and primaries

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The Fight Over Critical Race Theory Jun 17, 2021

Show notes

The critical race theory battle has quickly invaded school boards all across the country - but is everyone arguing in bad faith? The gang considers the politics of CRT and the role of legislators in regulating public school curriculum. Plus, Sarah points out the flaws in issue polling and why we should be skeptical of the results. Finally, foreign policy galore. What should Biden say to Putin? Is this summit practice for an eventual showdown with China? Should Ukraine join NATO?

Show Notes:

-Poll: 29% of Republicans think Trump will be reinstated

-For the People (Data for Progress) poll

-Charles C.W. Cooke on critical race theory

-The Sweep

-Jonah’s column

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Mitch Daniels Talks Higher Ed Jun 11, 2021

Show notes

Purdue University President and former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels joins Sarah and Steve to talk about the state of higher education in America, wokeness on college campuses, and the national debt. Daniels explains Purdue’s new civics literacy test for all new students at the university, discusses his 2021 commencement speech and bringing back America’s “spirit of adventure,” and chats about riding into the ceremony on a motorized couch.

Show Notes:

-Purdue civics literacy test

-Mitch Daniels’ 2021 commencement speech

-FIRE study on college free speech

-Mitch Daniels rides Couch to Commencement

-Daniels op-ed regarding the national debt

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Biden's Agenda Meets Reality Jun 09, 2021

Show notes

With President Biden’s domestic agenda breaking down as he heads off on his first foreign trip, the gang talks about what it will take to get anything done in Washington. One person responsible for a great deal of stress for President Biden is Sen. Joe Manchin. Is he helping or hurting the Democrats? Plus, as U.S. forces begin to withdraw from Afghanistan, Sarah, Steve, Jonah, and David worry what will take its place. Finally: doom porn. Need we say more?

Show Notes:

-ProPublica tax story

-Politico’s story on Biden and Manchin’s ‘Joemance’

-Cicadas vs. the presidential press plane

-Joe Manchin: Why I'm voting against the For the People Act

-Are We Destined for a Trump Coup in 2024? - Ross Douthat

-Americans Are Dangerously Divided on the Insurrection - William Saletan

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