Pod Save America
Pod Save America is a no-b******t conversation about politics hosted by former Obama aides Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer, and Tommy Vietor. It cuts through the noise to break down the week’s news and helps people figure out what matters and how they can help. They’re regularly joined by journalists, activists, politicians, entertainers, and world leaders. You can watch on YouTube or listen to new episodes every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. Subscribe to Friends of the Pod! Your subscription makes Crooked’s work possible and gives you access to ad-free episodes of Pod Save America and Pod Save the World, plus exclusive content and a lively Discord community. Learn more and subscribe at crooked.com/friends or on Apple Podcasts. For a transcript of an episode of Pod Save America, please email transcripts@crooked.com.
Pod Save America
Afleveringen
- 20 okt 2026Aflevering 1228
Vice President JD Vance tries and fails to act normal during a CBS town hall in Michigan — but struggles even harder to explain away his boss's policies. Donald Trump sells out Ukraine to Vladimir Putin, a complex scandal involving two Trump advisors engulfs the White House, new details emerge about the firing of Katie Zacharia, and Republicans try to make an issue out of the riots in France. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy react to all the latest, including new lines of attack in the Senate races in Michigan and Maine, and Trump telling his followers not watch Fox News anymore. Then, Mayor Paige Cognetti talks to Jon about fighting corruption in Pennsylvania and flipping a critical House seat blue. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 18 okt 2026Aflevering 1227
With two weeks until the midterms, Amy Walter, publisher and editor-in-chief of the Cook Political Report, sits down with Dan to break down what she calls the most brutal political environment Republicans have faced in twenty years. They discuss whether the numbers indicate a "blue wave" or a "red undertow," whether the polls can be trusted, and why massive Republican spending can't outrun Trump's cost-of-living crisis and his war in Iran. They also dig into the strategy—or lack thereof—behind Trump's rally blitz, whether gerrymandering has backfired on the GOP, and why Democrats may actually perform better in red states than in blue ones this November. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 16 okt 2026Aflevering 1226
Trump makes the case for Jon Husted in Ohio, praising the Republican senator's greatest asset: his athletic behind. Jon and Dan react to Trump's Ohio rally and his other messages to voters on the campaign trail, Politico reporting that Trump is considering replacing White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles with an MLB executive, and new press secretary Katie Zacharia's brutal debut briefing. They discuss the president canceling the Department of Defense's plans to livestream the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan, the administration's deeply troubling attempt to strip Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of her citizenship, and another pathetic attempt at humor from Vice President JD Vance. Then, Sherrod Brown talks to Dan about his bid to retake his old Senate seat in the Buckeye State. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. To watch this episode with subtitles, click here and turn on closed captions (CC). You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 13 okt 2026Aflevering 1225
A right-wing conspiracy theory claiming that James Talarico, who has been off the campaign trail with the flu, was actually at a mental institution in Ohio is immediately debunked in humiliating fashion. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy react to the idiocy and all the other developments in the race to flip the Senate, including Trump calling Abdul El-Sayed a "jihadist," Darline Graham insisting the war with Iran must go on, and Trump's super PAC announcing that it's "trimming the map" to focus on fewer races. Then they react to federal agents raiding Rep. Ilhan Omar's DC home, Pete Hegseth's announcement that the Department of Defense will livestream an execution, and reports that Trump may now be considering firing the scandal-ridden ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle. Finally, Chris Pappas, the Democratic nominee for Senate in New Hampshire, talks to Lovett about his campaign in the Granite State and his family inventing the chicken tender. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. To watch this episode with subtitles, click here and turn on closed captions (CC). You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 11 okt 2026Aflevering 1224
As Democrats in competitive races across the country try to thread the needle on a closing argument, Jon and legendary political consultant David Axelrod discuss the most memorable exchanges from this week's Senate debates, the best messages of the cycle, and what candidates in frontline races should do to finish strong. Then they look ahead to 2028 and whether promising candidates like AOC and Jon Ossoff will run, and why Axelrod thinks the exact traits that Trump lacks will be in high demand. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. To watch this episode with subtitles, click here and turn on closed captions (CC). You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 9 okt 2026Aflevering 1223
The Wall Street Journal reveals brazen corruption by Kimberly Guilfoyle, the former Fox News host (and Don Jr. fiancée) now serving as ambassador to Greece — and the Daily Mail piles on with eye-popping reports about misbehavior on the job. Jon and Dan react to the brewing scandal and take a look at Trump's closing message: medals for himself and his tech billionaire friends, an empty promise to hand out $5,000 checks and pretending that James Talarico has meat poisoning. Then they turn to the latest in the key Senate races: Mike Rogers's attempt to break with Trump on Canada tariffs, Susan Collins's embarrassing remarks about healthcare coverage, and Ken Paxton telling donors that he wants to cut funding to Social Security and Medicare. Finally, Lovett sits down with Angie Nixon, the Democratic Senate nominee in Florida, to talk about how she can win in a state Trump calls home. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. To watch this episode with subtitles, click here and turn on closed captions (CC). You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 6 okt 2026Aflevering 1222
With less than 30 days until the midterms, Trump hits the campaign trail, promising Republican voters that they're going to "win big" and "shove it up their ass." (Whose? He didn't specify.) Meanwhile, the polls tell a different story, showing Democratic Senate candidates leading in five Republican states: Texas, Alaska, Ohio, Iowa, and Kansas. Jon, Tommy, and Lovett discuss whether the Democratic momentum is too big to be true, Republican super PACs reallocating money to typically red states, and Trump doxxing Sen. Tom Cotton over daylight saving time dispute. Then the guys check in on the latest in the Michigan, Texas, and Florida Senate races, Kristi Noem's half-billion-dollar purchase of five jets on her way out the door at Homeland Security, and Vivek Ramaswamy's latest athletic passion: weightlifting. Finally, Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic nominee for governor in Texas, stops by the studio to talk to Tommy about opening up a lead on three-term Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 4 okt 2026Aflevering 1221
Michael Lewis, the New York Times bestselling author of "Moneyball" and "The Big Short," stops by the studio to talk to Lovett about "Blockers: Rebels in the Deep State," his latest book on the government employees who stood up to Elon Musk and Donald Trump during the heyday of DOGE. Lovett and Lewis revisit the story of Colin O'Brien, the security chief who locked DOGE out of the U.S. Institute of Peace, and break down how Howard Lutnick's takeover of the Commerce Department reveals the inner workings of Trump's government. Then, Lewis shares what essential government employees told him about working under DOGE, why he thinks DOGE may have been created in the first place, and how the next Democratic candidate should make rebuilding the government a top message following DOGE's damage. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 2 okt 2026Aflevering 1220
Pete Hegseth, in an unconventional speech, announces that beardos, weirdos, and wimps are no longer welcome at the Department of War as his boss officially hit the road to campaign for Senate Republicans — whether they want him to or not. Jon and Dan react to Trump's event with Ken Paxton in Texas, Trump proclaiming his love for data centers in a wide-ranging interview with TIME, and Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt's embarrassing mix-up in a Judiciary Committee hearing with former Special Counsel Jack Smith. Then, Rev. Adam Hamilton, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Kansas, talks to Dan about what it'll take to elect the state's first Democratic senator in nearly 100 years, and why he considers himself both a liberal and a conservative. Get your tickets to Crooked Con 2026 at crookedcon.com ! Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 29 sep 2026Aflevering 1219
Senate Democrats signal they may be open to impeaching Pete Hegseth after the election if the House has the votes for it. Jon, Tommy, and Lovett discuss why that trial would be a great use of a new Democratic Senate majority, Trump saying that the American economy is "the best in the world" despite record-setting diesel prices and stunningly low consumer sentiment, and Mike Johnson's new claim that opposition to new data centers is "a Chinese psy-op." Plus, AI labs pause development of their most advanced models (over the president's objections), Ambassador to China David Perdue admits that Trump tried to sell weapons to Xi Jinping, the White House keeps running political ads with taxpayer money, and Fox News's Greg Gutfeld sounds off — on overweight sex workers. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. To watch this episode with subtitles, click here and turn on closed captions (CC). You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 27 sep 2026Aflevering 1218
Live from the Texas Tribune Festival, Jon, Tommy, Lovett, and Dan discuss the dream of a blue Texas and how the campaigns there are doing, from James Talarico's debate challenge to Ken Paxton, to Gina Hinojosa's momentum in the governor's race, to Donald Trump's decision to stay away entirely. Then they discuss Trump's special welcome — and ballroom tour — for Chinese President Xi Jinping and an assorted cast of tech oligarchs, and the Republican Party's growing frustration with their underperformance in typically purple states like North Carolina and Georgia. Then, award-winning Tejano artist Bobby Pulido, the Democratic nominee in Texas's must-win 15th district, stops by to talk about his race to unseat Trump-backed Rep. Monica De La Cruz. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 25 sep 2026Aflevering 1217
The news is full of encouraging signs for Democrats. Is it all too good to be true? Dan and Jon react to Republican candidates running away from Trump on Iran, then break down the latest polls — including a surprising Times/Siena result from Maine — to take a sober look at the range of outcomes (all of them good!) that are reasonable to expect. Plus, a big win for freedom of the press and an eye-opening new warning about furries in the cockpit. Then, Tommy talks to activist and athlete Colin Kaepernick about life after the NFL, and his new book "The Perilous Fight." Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 22 sep 2026Aflevering 1216
Major television networks halt White House pool coverage after Trump announces that he's banning journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico. Jon and Tommy react to Trump and JD Vance's justifications for the decision, before breaking down the details of the Ellisons' deal with the California attorney general that will allow the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger to proceed. They then discuss the Iran war expanding to other countries, the president's call for an "AI Force" as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent negotiates with China, the Republican Party's growing cash advantage in the midterms, and Trump's announcement that his triumphal arch will now also serve as a military installation. Then, Cait Conley, the Democratic nominee in New York's 17th District, stops by the studio to talk to Dan about her race to unseat Republican Rep. Mike Lawler. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 20 sep 2026Aflevering 1215
Fox News host Jessica Tarlov, the lone liberal voice on "The Five," stops by the studio to talk to Tommy about her new book "I Disagree: Winning Arguments without Losing Friends." Tarlov offers Tommy a behind the scenes look into the making of Fox's most combative show and her relationships off-screen with her conservative colleagues. She also talks about how she handles criticism from Fox News's most infamous viewer, what it's like watching her former colleagues serve in the President's cabinet, and why she thinks Democrats need to spend more time on Fox News in 2028. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 18 sep 2026Aflevering 1214
JD Vance begs voters to give the White House "another chance" as a series of new polls show a political environment even more favorable to Democrats than the one that propelled the blue wave in 2018. Jon, Dan, and Alex break down how much "hopium" we should be huffing, a new ad from a Florida Republican breaking with Trump on immigration, and whether unexpectedly close Senate races in Minnesota and New Hampshire should have Democrats worried. They dive into JD Vance's advice to AI companies to simply stop "building Frankenstein" and unpack Trump's fixation on demolishing the Kennedy Center if he's not allowed to name it after himself. Alex talks about her new book, "The Steal: Four Right-Wing Hard-Liners, One Republican Presidency, and the Raid on America's Courts," which follows the conservative movement's deliberate takeover of the American judicial system. Then, Dan Osborn, the independent candidate for Senate in Nebraska, stops by the studio to talk to Jon about his campaign against Pete Ricketts. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 15 sep 2026Aflevering 1213
Trump dismisses the AI CEOs at Anthropic, OpenAI, and xAI who are calling for a "global slowdown" of AI development, saying the only government regulation the industry needs is a "high IQ" president. Jon, Tommy, and Lovett break down the "sick conspiracy" claim the administration and tech investors have leveled at AI makers, the recent developments that united Dario Amodei, Sam Altman, and Elon Musk, and the chances that meaningful AI regulation could pass before the election or in a lame-duck Congress. Then they turn to AI's impact on the 2028 presidential election, a Russian oligarch's unusual involvement in Donald Trump Jr.'s wedding festivities, and the worst Republicans on and off the ballot in Texas. Then, Sarah Longwell, publisher of The Bulwark, stops by the studio to talk to Jon about her new book, "How to Eat an Elephant." Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 13 sep 2026Aflevering 1212
Tommy flies out to Detroit to talk to Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, asking him about his masculinity-forward campaign, the electorate's appetite for candidates who fight back, and how to restore trust in the American healthcare system. But first, Tommy sits down with Jon to talk about the energy he saw on the ground in Michigan, what he heard from voters, and what it'll take for Abdul to win come November. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 11 sep 2026Aflevering 1211
At the GOP midterm convention in Dallas, Donald Trump promises that he'll give every American adult a $5,000 check if — and only if — Republicans retain control of the Senate and House, a plan so absurd that even his own defenders can't explain it. Jon and Dan process the most ridiculous moments from the 18 hours of speeches, including JD Vance previewing his presidential campaign, Mike Rogers and Ted Cruz using the 25th anniversary of 9/11 to paint Democrats as terrorist sympathizers, and Democratic Senator John Fetterman's surprise video appearance. Then, to cap off a Republican-filled episode, Lovett talks to Steve Hilton, the Republican nominee for California governor, about his relationship with Trump and what it'll take to tackle California's housing crisis. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 8 sep 2026Aflevering 1210
Jon, Tommy, Lovett, and Dan answer listener questions, diving into what they’re most hoping to learn from the 2026 midterms, their favorite political ads of all time, and the groyper takeover of the Republican Party. Then, Vote Save America’s Shaniqua McClendon returns to the pod to talk to Tommy about the Crooked Dozen — VSA’s 12 most flippable and most annoying Republican targets — and the best ways you can get involved to help take back the House and flip the Senate.
- 6 sep 2026Aflevering 1209
Nate Silver, Clare Malone, and Galen Druke — the hosts of Crooked Media's new show Still Counting — join Lovett to talk about the Senate races they find most interesting and Trump doing everything in his power to help Republicans lose the midterms. The crew, who you may remember from the FiveThirtyEight podcast, dives deep into the numbers, breaking down what polling errors we should expect this November, what kind of candidates overperform versus underperform the national average, and the science behind Nate's midterm election forecast model, FLIPR. Subscribe to Still Counting on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
- 4 sep 2026Aflevering 1208
Dozens of Republican lawmakers tell the press that they won't be attending Trump's midterm convention next week, citing a variety of unconvincing excuses, but the president seems unfazed by his party's lack of enthusiasm for more Trump, announcing Trump midterm ads, Trump coins, and the possibility he may rename the Strait of Hormuz to the Trump Strait. Dan and Jon preview the pity party and then react to Ed Markey's primary win over Seth Moulton, Kamala Harris brushing off red-state Democrats refusing her support, and the Democrats' new line of attack against the GOP — tying the construction of data centers to a tax provision in the Big Beautiful Bill. Then journalist Jasper Nathaniel stops by the studio to talk to Tommy about his reporting on violence in the West Bank. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 1 sep 2026Aflevering 1207
Weeks after a Republican campaign committee called AI data centers the "anchor hanging around" GOP candidates' necks, Trump weighs in to say that all Americans who oppose data center construction are "backwards and poor" — while he digs in on the trade war with Canada and the hot war with Iran. No wonder a leading Republican senator tells Politico that Trump — and the whole party — are "in serious trouble." Jon, Lovett, and Tommy try to make sense of Trump's choices at home and abroad, process the latest from the courts on mail-in voting and the White House ballroom, discuss Abdul El-Sayed's apology to Michigan's Jewish community, and react to the latest racist provocation from Laura Loomer. Then, Tommy sits down with Aaron Ford, the Democratic nominee for governor in Nevada. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 30 aug 2026Aflevering 1206
Jon sits down with legendary Democratic strategist David Plouffe to assess the race for the Senate and House and — why not? — look forward to 2028. The two talk through the new roster of early primary states and the political dynamics at play in each, and then do some (very) early handicapping of the rumored '28 contenders, from Kamala Harris to AOC and Jon Ossoff. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 28 aug 2026Aflevering 1205
With his approval rating 20 points underwater, Donald Trump previews his new midterm strategy: telling voters to pretend he’s on the ballot. Jon and Dan break down how that will play, react to the president renaming Lake Ontario to “Lake America,” and preview the Republican Party’s midterm convention. They also discuss Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s handling of a measles outbreak in Pennsylvania, new polling that has James Talarico up on Ken Paxton in Texas, and the unnerving number of Nazi-related scandals surrounding Mike Collins’s Senate campaign in Georgia. Then, Annie Andrews, the Democratic nominee for Senate in South Carolina, talks to Dan about the momentum building for her campaign now that Darline Graham has won the Republican nomination. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. To watch this episode with subtitles, click here and turn on closed captions (CC). You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 25 aug 2026Aflevering 1204
As the Trump administration launches economic wars against Iran and Canada, the Washington Post reports on Trump's war with a third adversary: his weight. Jon, Tommy, and Lovett calculate Trump's BMI and then break down Scott Bessent invoking World War II when announcing new Iranian sanctions and Trump's new 50% tariffs on Canadian imports. They then turn to the midterms to discuss Susan Collins skipping out on a campaign event with JD Vance, Mike Rogers' attempt to distance himself from AIPAC, and Democrats' growing chances to flip Ohio blue. Then, Congressman Seth Moulton talks to Jon about the Massachusetts Senate primary and why he's decided to challenge Senator Ed Markey.
- 23 aug 2026Aflevering 1203
How can Democrats reach the elusive swing voter? Danielle Butterfield, executive director of Priorities USA, one of the most important PACs in Democratic politics, joins Dan to talk about Priorities' attempts to reshape how Democratic campaigns think about targeting voters on the internet. S he breaks down their research into how voters are looking for information on search engines, why campaigns need to rethink how they talk to voters on YouTube, and how Priorities USA is getting out ahead of 2028 by trying to frame JD Vance and Marco Rubio in swing voters' minds before the presidential election begins. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 21 aug 2026Aflevering 1202
MAGA world continues to express outrage over Jon Ossoff's "travel with Natalie" remarks, including an over-the-top rant from Scott Jennings that is being seen as the pundit's shameless audition for the open White House press secretary job. Dan and Jon react to Harp-gate, an MS NOW report that says Harp declined to seek a security clearance, and the New York Times reporting that Pete Hegseth brings his wife to highly sensitive meetings to "keep him out of trouble." They then turn to the midterms to unpack Angie Nixon's surprising defeat of Alexander Vindman in the Florida Democratic Senate primary, Dan Sullivan vs. Dan Sullivan in the Alaska general election, Darline Graham's historically embarrassing debate answer in South Carolina, and the impact the debate over data centers is having on the Ohio Senate election. Then, Josh Turek, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Iowa, stops by the studio to talk to Lovett about Democratic momentum in the Hawkeye State and how he convinced Barack Obama to shoot hoops in his viral endorsement video. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. To watch this episode with subtitles, click here and turn on closed captions (CC). You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 18 aug 2026Aflevering 1201
Jon Ossoff attacks Trump for sidestepping his duties to "travel with Natalie," the White House aide known as Trump's "Human Printer," who has a suspiciously close relationship to the president. Jon, Tommy, and Lovett discuss the new line of attack and the president's response, the end of the 60-day cease-fire agreement with Iran, Trump's decision to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea, and his reaction to the horrible conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. Then, they check in on the fight to take back the Senate, Ken Paxton stealing a $1,000 pen, Mary Peltola rejecting Kamala Harris's endorsement, and a new poll in Michigan that has Abdul El-Sayed down four points to Mike Rogers. Then, Brian Poindexter, a union ironworker, talks to Tommy about his campaign to unseat disgraced congressman Max Miller of Ohio. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 16 aug 2026Aflevering 1200
Is AI set to destroy the world, or could it all just be a bubble? Why does Sam Altman want ChatGPT to monitor everything you do on your computer? Who is set to win the AI Game of Thrones? Casey Newton, editor of the tech newsletter Platformer and co-host of Hard Fork, joins Tommy to talk about the hype and doom surrounding the world-changing technology and to unpack what could happen to us now that AI models are learning to outsmart their creators. The two discuss the eccentric billionaires recklessly promoting the industry, how far behind the United States is when it comes to AI guardrails, and why Silicon Valley doesn't seem to understand what Americans actually want from the technology. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. To watch this episode with subtitles, click here and turn on closed captions (CC). You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.
- 14 aug 2026Aflevering 1199
Donald Trump hides in a catering truck and boards a secret plane to evade an Iranian security threat, leaving reporters, White House officials, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio alone aboard Air Force One to fend for themselves. Dan and Jon discuss the President's profile in courage and the rest of the latest, including a series of shocking new developments with ICE, the discourse around electability after David Crowley's unexpected primary win in Wisconsin, and Nate Silver's new midterm model, which is uncharacteristically optimistic about Democrats' chances of taking back both the House and Senate. Then, the guys bid farewell to press secretary Karoline Leavitt and debate which MAGA-world figures are most likely to replace her. Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends , on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel. You can request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com . Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.