Washington Today

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James Carville on the 2026 Midterms & Rafael Mangual on Falling Crime Rates Aug 15, 2026

Show notes

A look at the 2026 midterm elections and the primary season with veteran Democratic strategist James Carville and RealClearPolitics co-founder Tom Bevan, including the growing influence of democratic socialist candidates within the Democratic Party. Then, Manhattan Institute fellow Rafael Mangual discusses new crime data showing violent crime at or near historic lows in many U.S. cities and whether federal policies and National Guard deployments have played a role.

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President Trump touts anti-crime agenda at police academy in NY; Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to federal charges related to shooting death of health care executive Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

President Donald Trump speaks at a police academy in Garden City on Long Island, New York about his anti-crime and anti-illegal immigration agenda with Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Republican nominee for New York governor; North Carolina Democratic Senate nominee Roy Cooper continues his series of campaign events highlight affordability with a stop in Henderson; Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins starts a reelection bus tour in Kittery and is asked about ICE funding; Today is the 91st anniversary of Social Security being signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt; Luigi Mangione pleads guilty in federal court to charges related to the shooting death of health care executive, Brian Thompson; President Trump comments about the alleged troubles surrounding the long deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, and he says about the war with Iran he might declare the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory; On this five year anniversary of the Taliban retaking control of Afghanistan, a quarter of the world's nations, including the United States, condemn the Taliban's treatment of women and girls, and harboring of terrorists.

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Attorney General Blanche praises Justice Dept career staff in first speech; Kennedy Center board votes for 2 year closure for renovation & for putting Donald Trump's name back on the facade Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

Newly confirmed Attorney General Todd Blanche speaks to the employees at the Justice Department about their hard work and integrity, respecting the authority of the judiciary, and letting people of different political backgrounds disagree to work out the best policy. Reporters note that he did not talk about the Biden administration's alleged weaponization of the Justice Department or about 'activist' judges, which he and President Donald Trump have often mentioned in speeches; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is asked at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Atlanta how he would work with President Trump should the Democrats win a majority of House seats this November and he is elected Speaker; We check in on a close House race in Michigan, as well as the governor's race in that state; Vice President JD Vance's Anti-Fraud Task Force accuses hospitals of using fake billing codes to get insurance companies to cover transgender care for minors and bring in tens of millions of dollars; Kennedy Center board votes to move forwards with a closure for two-years for renovations and to put President Trump's name back on the facade in a different form than what was struck down by a judge. It would read, “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump”; Trump Administration accuses China of evading U.S. tariffs by shipping products through other countries to the U.S.; United Nations Security Council holds a meeting on Yemen, where attacks by Iranian-supported Houthis on Saudi Arabia and international shipping have increased, sparking fears of a wider war.

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DSA candidate loses WI Gov. primary, another wins MN Sen. primary; Inflation cools in July; DOJ announces arrests in fake marriages-for-Green-Cards scheme Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

Democratic nominee for Wisconsin governor David Crowley calls for unity after his surprise upset victory over Francesca Hong, whose views align more with Democratic Socialist agenda, while in the Minnesota U.S. Senate Democratic primary, the more progressive candidate Peggy Flanagan beats the moderate Angie Craig. Also in Minnesota, Republican candidate for governor Mike Lindell, an ally of President Donald Trump, refuses to concede defeat to Lisa Demuth, who was declared the winner in the primary by the Associated Press, citing voting 'anomalies'. Attorney General Todd Blanche announces arrests in an alleged scheme to orchestrate over 1,000 sham marriages with foreign nationals, primarily from China, to obtain U.S. Green Cards; Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) & NY Attorney General Letitia James (D) are asked about plans to buy for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks; Labor Department's inflation report: prices increased 0.1%, or 3.4% year over year, down from 3.5% in June; FDA's Acting Commissioner Kyle Diamantas provides an update on the response to the cyclospora outbreak; Justice Department says the President can claim Executive Privilege to shield his conversations not just with government employees, but also 'private advisers'. We will talk about the implications with The Hill's National Security and Legal Affairs Reporter Rebecca Beitsch. (50)

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American Robert Gilman released from Russia prison & flown home; Campaign primary day in six states; The Hill's Miranda Nazzaro on WH not releasing AI safety/security testing guidelines Aug 11, 2026

Show notes

American Robert Gilman is released from prison in Russia and flies home. President Donald Trump says it was after he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, it was for humanitarian reasons due to Gilman's poor health and "Russia asked for no one in return"; Campaign primary day in six states. Republicans in South Carolina are choosing a replacement nominee for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, and among whose running is his sister, Darline Graham, who has been appointed to replace him, while Democrats in Minnesota and Wisconsin are faced with candidates pitting the moderate and progressive wings of the party against each other, for a Senate seat & governorship, respectively; Today is the anniversary of President Trump's declaration of a crime emergency in Washington, DC that led to the deployment of thousands of National Guard troops patrolling the streets; White House has reportedly developed guidelines for voluntary testing of artificial intelligence models for safety and security, but is sharing them only with certain technology companies and not the public. We will talk about that with The Hill's Senior Technology Reporter Miranda Nazzarro. (41)

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Weekend Edition: Iran War, U.S. Munitions, and the Push for Independent Candidates & Primary Reform Aug 08, 2026

Show notes

Defense policy expert Seth Jones of the Center for Strategic and International Studies discusses the latest developments in the U.S.-Iran war, including reports that U.S. munitions stockpiles are running low. Then, Adam Brandon of the Independent Leadership Council explains the group's new effort to elect independent candidates to federal office. Finally, Unite America Executive Director Nick Troiano discusses his organization's campaign to reform political primaries and what those changes could mean for the future of U.S. elections.

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Senate on way to confirming Todd Blanche as Attorney Gen. after GOP Sen. Cassidy says he will vote 'yes'; Fed. appeals court panel puts WH ballroom on hold Aug 07, 2026

Show notes

Senate is on track to confirm Todd Blanche as Attorney General, after the final two undecided Republicans announced how they will vote: Lisa Murkowski (AK) is a 'no', but Bill Cassidy (LA) is a 'yes', meaning Blanche has just enough support to make it; Senate passes the 'Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia & Iran Act' with an overwhelming bipartisan vote. It gives the U.S. President power to sanction countries that import Russian oil and gas, aiming to cut off the Russia's money supply to continue its war against Ukraine; Labor Department says the U.S. economy lost 23,000 jobs in July… not what forecasters had expected; Federal appeals court panel rules construction of President Trump's White House ballroom must stop because it requires Congressional approval. President says he will appeal to the Supreme Court, calling the project necessary for presidential security and the court's decision was "horrendous, politically motivated, and unlawful"; What is next for the Farm Bill now that the Senate Agriculture Committee has voted it down over party disagreements about food aid funding? We will talk with Grace Yarrow, Food & Agriculture Reporter for Politico (36); House Speaker Mike Johnson predicts his Republican party will buck the historical trend of the President's party losing House seats in the midterm elections.. and he will remain Speaker after November.

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Senate Cmte votes to hold Dr. Fauci in contempt of Congress over his taking the Fifth at a COVID hearing; Pres. Trump signs order banning 'birth tourism' citizenship Aug 06, 2026

Show notes

Senate Committee votes to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci, former top government official during COVID-19, in contempt of Congress after he invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to answer questions at last week's hearing on the origins and response to the pandemic; Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) talks about what could be voted on in the Senate these final few days in session before the August recess; Senate Agriculture Committee votes down a 5 year Farm Bill after Democrats demanded, and Republicans, rejected a two-year delay to changes to the food-aid program SNAP; FCC votes to repeal a rule that prohibits any company from owning television stations reaching more than 39% of U.S. TV households; Latest on the war with Iran and talks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and the reported clash him had with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the how the war has reduced the U.S. supply of certain munitions; President Trump signs Executive Orders to limit birthright citizenship, including in cases known as 'birth tourism'; Congressional Democrats highlight today's 61st anniversary of the Voting Rights Act being signed into law, warning of the voting restrictions being pursued by Republicans today.

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Progressive Abdul El-Sayed Defeats Moderate Haley Stevens in Michigan U.S. Senate Democratic primary Aug 05, 2026

Show notes

Progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed is declared the winner in a very close Michigan U.S. Senate Democratic primary over more moderate candidate Haley Stevens; Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) signs Congressional redistricting legislation that could result in Republican losing their only current U.S. House seat in the state; Gov. Maura Healey (D-MA) signs a bill to restrict U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests in places like schools, hospitals, and courthouses. She calls it the calling it the toughest and strongest state law in this area; President Donald Trump visits Las Vegas to talk about the economy and immigration; Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche is asked about the President's anger at U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for dropping charges against defendants in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool cases; Vice President JD Vance says he wants Congress to take steps to advance the White House Anti-Fraud Task Force efforts; Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announces the federal government is ending its relationship with an organ donation coordination group – Network for Hope – after findings cases where the organ procurement process began in patients that showed signs of life.

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Senate Judiciary Cmte approves Todd Blanche Attorney General nomination; 19 in Pennsylvania charged with multi-million dollar home health care fraud Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

Senate Judiciary Committee votes along party lines to approve the nomination of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to be in that role permanently; Senate leaders discuss the agenda for what they hope will be the last week in session in Washington before the August break, including a bill to prevent another government shutdown in October; Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) asks for and get a House Ethics Committee investigation of allegations of domestic abuse made by his ex-wife against him, he says to clear his name. We will hear from his former father-in-law, Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH), who has said he is unfit to be in office; Justice Department announces charges against 19 people in Pennsylvania accused of collecting more than $4 million in fraudulent Medicare and Medicaid home health care claims; Stocks jump on Wall Street, partly on hopes the energy waterway Strait of Hormuz will soon reopen; Astronaut Chris Williams, who returned to Earth a week ago from the International Space Station, is asked about support of family during his mission, including from his uncle, Fox News Senior Political Analyst Juan Williams.

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