What A Day

Latest Episodes:

Can Trump Really Bypass Senate To Fill His Cabinet? Nov 21, 2024

Show notes

The reality show that is President-elect Donald Trump’s White House appointments keeps on rolling. In the last few days, Trump has picked World Wrestling Entertainment co-founder Linda McMahon to be his Secretary of Education, former acting Attorney General and toilet scammer Matthew Whitaker for U.S. ambassador to NATO, and billionaire former finance executive Howard Lutnick for Secretary of Commerce. Can any of these people win confirmation from the Senate? TBD! But Trump’s team says it doesn’t really matter because they want to force the president-elect’s unqualified picks through with recess appointments. Casey Burgat, director of the Legislative Affairs program at George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management, explains how that would work.

And in headlines: Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders forced a Senate vote to stop the U.S. from selling weapons to Israel, more details emerge about the sexual misconduct allegations against former Rep. Matt Gaetz, Texas has offered up thousands of acres of land to the Trump administration to construct deportation facilities.

Show Notes:

Check out Casey's pod – https://tinyurl.com/mphevfxb
Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8
What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

1,000 Days of War In Ukraine Nov 20, 2024

Show notes

Tuesday marked 1,000 days since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, plunging the European continent into its largest and deadliest conflict since World War II. The milestone was marked by yet another major escalation of violence, when Ukraine launched U.S.-made long-range missiles into Russia for the first time. Russian President Vladimir Putin responded by issuing a new nuclear doctrine to lower the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. It all comes at a tense time for Europe, as leaders prepare for the return of President-elect Donald Trump, who campaigned on a promise to wind down U.S. support for Ukraine. McKay Coppins, senior staff writer at The Atlantic, explains how Europe is preparing for Trump’s return to the White House.

And in headlines: South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace introduced a resolution to ban transgender women from female bathrooms in the Capitol, Trump picked Dr. Oz to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the White House says this year’s Christmas tree will come from North Carolina.

Show Notes:

Check out McKay's piece – https://tinyurl.com/2u862wvf
Support relief efforts for Hurricanes Helene and Milton – https://tinyurl.com/bdfc8j38
Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8
What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Trump's Plan To Make Us Pay More Nov 19, 2024

Show notes

President-elect Donald Trump made a lot of questionable promises on the campaign trail. But one of the biggest ones was his promise to improve the economy by imposing at least a 10 percent tariff on all imported goods. For goods from China, he wants a minimum 60 percent tariff. Never mind that some economists say these tariffs, if imposed, could cost the average U.S. household an extra $2,600 a year. Stacey Vanek Smith, senior story editor at Bloomberg Audio, helps us break down what Trump’s tariff plans could mean for all of us.

And in headlines: Trump confirms in an early morning retweet that he will try to use the military to mass deport millions of immigrants, momentum builds around the potential release of a House Ethics Committee report about former Rep. Matt Gaetz, and a new report finds 20 percent of Americans get their news from social media influencers.

Show Notes:

Check out Stacey's work – www.staceyvaneksmith.com/audio
Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8
What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

ACLU Ready To Fight Nov 18, 2024

Show notes

In 2016, Donald Trump’s presidential win came as a surprise to many people, which inspired resistance and energized liberals and progressives across the country: from the ubiquitous pink hats of the Women’s March, to striking cab drivers fighting Trump’s attempted Muslim ban, scores of people came together to push back against unconstitutional policies. But after Trump’s 2024 win, that energy doesn’t seem there. Are people tired? Numb? Resigned? What does resistance look like when we have to do it all over again? For groups like the ACLU, the battle will take place in the courtroom, where they had several big wins against the last Trump administration. AJ Hikes, ACLU Deputy Executive Director for Strategy and Culture, joins us.

And in headlines: Vivek Ramaswamy says his and Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” will “delete” entire agencies via executive order, President Joe Biden authorizes Ukraine to use US-made long-range missiles against Russia, Israeli airstrikes kill nearly 100 Palestinians in Gaza, and a top Hezbollah official in Beirut, and the Democratic Party is still blowing up your phone with fundraising texts.

Show Notes:

Learn more about the ACLU's initiatives – www.aclu.org/campaigns-initiatives/project2025
Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8
What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

What Are the Symptoms of a Dictatorship? Nov 16, 2024

Show notes

Trump would love to be a dictator. His affinity for strongmen like Victor Orbán and Vladimir Putin is no secret. But will he actually take the country down that road? What does authoritarianism look like in 2024? This week on How We Got Here, Max and Erin examine the president elect’s blustering and ask: will Trump really try to become an autocrat? Or is this just a lot of hot air from someone who doesn’t really understand how to work the levers of power. Cornell political scientist Tom Pepinsky weighs in on what we should be looking out for, and what we can learn from countries like Malaysia, Hungary and Turkey.

Trump’s Dr. Brainworm Nov 15, 2024

Show notes

Republicans clinched a governing trifecta late Wednesday after a handful of congressional race calls cemented the party’s House majority. As for Democrats, officially losing the House means the party will be shut out of power for at least the next two years. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said earlier this week the party will have to figure out how to strategically wield its influence while in the minority, while also figuring out how to gear up for the next election. Brianna Tucker, deputy campaign editor for The Washington Post, stops by the WAD studio to talk about what voters told her on the campaign trail, and how the Post is gearing up for a second Trump administration.

Also on the show: Trump picks anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head the Department of Health and Human Services, senators voice skepticism about whether Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz can win confirmation to be the next attorney general, and The Onion buys Infowars.

Show Notes:

Check out Brianna's reporting – www.washingtonpost.com/people/brianna-tucker/
Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8
What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Matt Gaetz, Future AG? Nov 14, 2024

Show notes

The Trump cabinet pageant continues! And we’re all about to find out which of the judges – aka our elected U.S. senators – are willing to let President-elect Donald Trump run the show. On Wednesday, Trump selected Florida Rep. and contender for most hated member of Congress Matt Gaetz to serve as attorney general of the United States. Gaetz has little relevant experience, but he is one of Trump’s most loyal — and vocal — supporters in Congress. At least one senator is already expressing skepticism. Ken White, a former federal prosecutor and current criminal defense attorney who writes the Popehat newsletter, games out what an Attorney General Matt Gaetz would mean for the Justice Department.

And in headlines: President Joe Biden and Trump had an awkward meeting at the White House, South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune is the new Senate majority leader, and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ Infowars media empire is auctioned off to anonymous bidders.

Show Notes:

Check out Ken's podcast – www.serioustrouble.show/podcast
Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8
What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Tech Bros Tasked With Gutting Government Nov 13, 2024

Show notes

President-elect Donald Trump announced more appointments on Tuesday, giving us a fuller picture of what his incoming administration is going to look like (tl;dr: It's bad). One cabinet spot that’s still open, though: Secretary of Education. Whoever gets the job, they’ll likely be tasked with implementing Trump's campaign promise to close the Department of Education, a long-time GOP goal that dates back to the Reagan Era. Erica Meltzer, national editor at Chalkbeat, explains why keeping that promise will be pretty difficult.

And in headlines: Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego is headed to the Senate, the New York judge overseeing Trump’s hush money trial delayed a decision on dismissing the president-elect’s conviction, and the chairman and CEO of Exxon Mobil says the incoming Trump administration should avoid drastic changes to American climate policy.

Show Notes:

Check out Erica's reporting – www. chalkbeat.org/authors/erica-meltzer/
Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8
What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Trump Loyalists Get Cabinet Prizes Nov 12, 2024

Show notes

The incoming Trump Administration 2.0 is starting to take shape. And as expected, it’s a Democrat’s worst nightmare. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to name Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner with white nationalist views, to be his deputy chief of staff. He also officially announced his picks for ‘border czar,’ EPA director and U.N. ambassador, all of them in line with his repeated promise to appoint loyalists that will help him bend the government to his whims. Zack Beauchamp, senior correspondent for Vox and author of the book “The Reactionary Spirit,” explains what Trump's picks mean for the continual functioning of our democracy.

And in headlines: President Biden’s lead adviser for international climate policy shared strong words about Trump at an annual U.N. climate change conference, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris made their first joint appearance since the election at a Veterans Day event, and abolitionist Harriet Tubman was posthumously awarded the rank of one-star Brigadier General in the Maryland National Guard.

Show Notes:

Check out Zac's reporting – www.vox.com/authors/zack-beauchamp
Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8
What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

GOP Sees Limit To Trump's Popularity Nov 11, 2024

Show notes

We’re starting to get a fuller picture of what the incoming Congress is going to look like under President-elect Donald Trump. Republicans have clinched a majority in the Senate and seem poised to take the House, too. But on the whole, it’s a less rosy picture for the party than Trump’s win suggests. Republican Senate candidates drastically underperformed the incoming president. Over in the House, the GOP isn’t expected to make any significant gains on its existing narrow majority. Burgess Everett, Congressional bureau chief for Semafor, explains why Trump’s big win didn’t translate to more down-ballot success.

And in headlines: California Gov. Gavin Newsom called for a special legislative session to “Trump-proof” state law, Trump’s White House starts to take shape, and Target stores removed ‘Wicked’ dolls from shelves amid a packaging error that included the address of a porn website.

Show Notes:

Check out Burgess reporting – www.semafor.com/author/burgess-everett
Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8
What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected