The Axe Files with David Axelrod

David Axelrod, the founder and director of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, and CNN bring you The Axe Files, a series of revealing interviews with key figures in the political world. Go beyond the soundbites and get to know some of the most interesting players in politics.

Rank #1: Ep. 108 - President Barack Obama.
President Barack Obama sits down with David Axelrod to discuss their shared history together, how President Obama managed to stay grounded during turbulent moments of his childhood and adolescence, why the Obama presidency struggled to overcome the partisan politics in Washington, and what’s in store for the President when he leaves office on January 20th.

Rank #2: Ep. 49 - Jon Stewart (Live).
Jon Stewart, comedian, author, and former host and executive producer of "The Daily Show," chats with David in Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago to talk about Donald Trump and the 2016 election, lessons from lobbying in Washington, what he's working on today, and more.

Trumpcast

A quasi-daily podcast from Slate chronicling Donald Trump's rise to the presidency and his current administration. Journalists Virginia Heffernan and León Krauze talk to reporters, historians, psychiatrists, and other experts to help explain who this man is and why this is happening, right now, in the United States of America.

Rank #1: Pardon Me, Mr. President..
Jacob Weisberg talks to Bloomberg columnist and professor of law at Harvard, Noah Feldman, about just who the President can and cannot pardon...including himself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rank #2: The Press Conference That Did Him In?.
Jacob Weisberg is joined by fellow Trumpcast cohosts Virginia Heffernan and Jamelle Bouie to talk about Donald Trump's press conference yesterday and why this is a significant turning point in his presidency.Slate Plus members, stay tuned after the show to listen to Jacob and Virginia chat about what the decent people in the Trump administration should be doing now. To sign up for Slate Plus go to Slate.com/TrumpcastPlus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FiveThirtyEight Politics

Nate Silver and the FiveThirtyEight team cover the latest in politics, tracking the issues and "game-changers" every week.

Rank #1: Live From The New Hampshire Debate.
The crew reacts to the Democratic primary debate in New Hampshire, from the spin room.

Rank #2: The Results In Iowa.
The crew discusses the results -- so far -- from the Iowa caucuses. They also check in on the race in New Hampshire and the vote to acquit President Trump.

Political Gabfest

Voted “Favorite Political Podcast” by Apple Podcasts listeners. Stephen Colbert says "Everybody should listen to the Slate Political Gabfest." The Gabfest, featuring Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz, is the kind of informal and irreverent discussion Washington journalists have after hours over drinks.

Rank #1: The “Hardest Job in the World” Edition.
On this week’s Slate Political Gabfest, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Ronny Jackson’s will-he-won’t-he Cabinet nomination, arguments before SCOTUS in Hawaii v. Trump, and John’s new piece on the presidency. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at www.slate.com/gabfestplus.Twitter: @SlateGabfestFacebook: facebook.com/GabfestEmail: gabfest@slate.comShow notes at slate.com/gabfest Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rank #2: The Dead, Dead, Dead at 75 Edition.
Emily Bazelon, David Plotz, and John Dickerson discuss the resignation of Attorney General Eric Holder, the bombing campaign against ISIS, and Ezekiel Emanuel's Atlantic piece, "Why I Hope to Die at 75."Show notes at www.slate.com/gabfest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pod Save the World

“Pod Save America” cohost Tommy Vietor thought foreign policy was boring and complicated until he got the education of a lifetime working for President Obama’s National Security Council. On “Pod Save the World,” he and former deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes break down the latest developments and bring you behind the scenes with the people who were there. New episodes every Wednesday.

Rank #1: U.S. policy towards Israel.
Tommy and Ben Rhodes talk with former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro about his time in Israel, why the Middle East Peace process failed, Trump's approach to Israel, the BDS movement, whether support for Israel is getting politicized, Netanyahu's legal jeopardy, and Jared Kushner managing our relationship with Saudi Arabia.

Rank #2: Trump goes to war with Iran.
In a bonus episode, Tommy and Ben discuss Trump’s decision to assassinate a top Iranian official named Qassem Soleimani. What happened? How did we get here? Who is Soleimani and why is he so influential? What happens next and how should the 2020 Democrats respond? 

Civics 101

What's the difference between the House and the Senate? How do congressional investigations work? What is Federalist X actually about? Civics 101 is the podcast refresher course on the basics of how our democracy works.

Rank #1: Electoral College.
When we vote for a president, we're not really voting for a president. Today in our episode on the Electoral College, we explore the rationale of the framers in creating it, its workings, its celebrations, its critiques, and its potential future. This episode features the voices of Northwestern Professor of political science Alvin Tillery, University of Texas Professor of political science Rebecca Deen, and former 'faithless elector' Christopher Suprun.

Rank #2: Episode 2: White House Press Corps.
What's it really like for a journalist stationed at the White House? We go inside the press briefing room with NPR's Senior White House Correspondent, Scott Horsley. Civics 101 is a production of NHPR www.nhpr.org #civics101pod

With Friends Like These

Political journalist and cultural critic Ana Marie Cox sits down with liberals, conservatives, activists, former white supremacists, and others for conversations that explores our differences. It’s not about finding common ground; it’s about learning to see the world through someone else’s eyes. New episodes every Friday.

Rank #1: “They’re standing at the podium” w/ Dave Weigel.
On the Season 2 premiere, Ana traveled to CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, to try and see the world through someone the eyes of conservative activists. Ana has attended CPAC for many years, but this time discovered a different conference -- rather than idealistic conservatism, she encountered overt, explicit racism. Over the course of the conference, she talked to attendees of different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities and genders, only to find nativism and racism time and again. The Washington Post’s Dave Weigel joins the pod to discuss their past experiences at CPAC. He and Ana dive into how attitudes towards President Trump have rapidly evolved over the last few years, and how that has changed priorities within the conservative movement.Check out our sponsors!Go to stamps.com, click on the microphone at the top of the page and enter “FRIENDS” to get a four-week trial and free digital scale.Visit parachutehome.com/friends for free shipping and returns on Parachute’s bedding and bath linens.Get your first refill pack for free with a QUIP electric toothbrush at getquip.com/friends.Save time and money when you travel by going to tripping.com/friends.Receive 15% off your first purchase when you go to thirdlove.com/friends.

Rank #2: "Discomfort is a tool of oppression" .
Culture critic Ira Madison III (@ira) joins the show for a very meta conversation about white people and what it's like to be "the black friend."

The Weeds

In politics, you’re often told not to get lost in the weeds. But we love the weeds! That’s where politics becomes policy – the stuff that shapes our lives. Every Tuesday and Friday, Matthew Yglesias is joined by Ezra Klein, Dara Lind, Jane Coaston and other Vox voices to dig into the weeds on important national issues, including healthcare, immigration, housing, and everything else that matters. Produced by Vox and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Rank #1: A Weeds farewell to Paul Ryan.
Jane, Ezra, and Matt consider Paul Ryan’s legacy and new research on crime and the minimum wage. References and further reading: Ezra’s piece on House Speaker Paul Ryan’s legacy Matt’s essay following the announcement of Paul Ryan’s retirement Ted Cruz’s confusing tweet of Beto O’Rourke speaking on the shooting of Botham Jean A white paper examines the effects on criminal recidivism when states increase minimum wages Annie Lowrey’s piece in the Atlantic on a jobs guarantee  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rank #2: Kentucky, the Rust Belt, and the Big Picture on Trade.
Sarah, Ezra, and Matt talk about what Obamacare-using Trump voters are hoping for, which regions really need help, and a massive overview of the evidence on globalization and inequality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lovett or Leave It

Former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett and a panel of comedians, actors, journalists, and some of the many famous Friends of the Pod appear before a live audience to break down the week’s biggest news. Quizzes! Impressions! Shouting at cable news clips! And everyone’s favorite: nuanced discussion. New episodes every Saturday.

Rank #1: Watch for Falling Stones.
And we're back! Jon Favreau and Tommy Vietor join Lovett to cover Trump's surrender on the shutdown and Roger Stone’s indictment. Then Zoe Lister-Jones, Mitra Jouhari, Andrew Ti, and D’Arcy Carden join to talk about Pelosi versus Trump, the nationwide teacher strikes, those MAGA teens, dueling Fyre Festival documentaries, Rudy Giuliani’s emo streak, and more. Season 3! Here we go.

Rank #2: Fox & Friends with Benefits.
Trump calls his TV friends. Cosby is found guilty. Nunes can’t manage a scheme. Kanye is on his journey. A hand shake crosses the DMZ. And a debate about pizza gets VERY heated. Larry Wilmore, Negin Farsad, Grace Parra, Paul W. Downs, and Travis Helwig join Jon to break down the week. Also royal baby blah blah blah.

Pod Save America

Four former aides to President Obama—Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer and Tommy Vietor—are joined by journalists, politicians, activists, and more for a no-bullshit conversation about politics. They cut through the noise to break down the week’s news, and help people figure out what matters and how they can help. New episodes Mondays and Thursdays.

Rank #1: “Pod Lang Syne.”.
In a special New Year’s episode, Jon, Jon, Tommy, Dan, Erin Ryan, DeRay Mckesson, Ana Marie Cox, Ira Madison, and Louis Virtel discuss their resolutions for 2019. 

Rank #2: “Kavanuts.” .
Trump nominates Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, escalates his trade war with China, and gets played by North Korea. Then former Supreme Court clerk and White House lawyer Karen Dunn talks to Jon, Jon, and Tommy about how Democrats should approach the coming Supreme Court battle.

POLITICO's Nerdcast

POLITICO's top reporters dive into the political landscape, the latest numbers that matter, and detail what's really happening behind closed doors. They're people who spend Friday nights poring over poll numbers or the latest Federal Election Commission reports — so if you want to understand how the modern politics game is played, this is the podcast for you. New episodes every Friday, hosted by Scott Bland.

Rank #1: Trump on trial: Acquitted.
The Nerdcast goes daily with short episodes providing the most crucial Senate impeachment trial updates with a stable of POLITICO reporters and editors. In the final episode: senior reporter Darren Samuelsohn on the vote to acquit President Donald Trump — and Mitt Romney's vote to convict him on one article of impeachment. Plus, White House reporter Nancy Cook takes the 30-second challenge.Join us for a daily look at impeachment in under 10 minutes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rank #2: BONUS: Did a presidential pardon just become more likely?.
President Trump loves a controversial pardon. Following his disgraced former campaign chairman Paul Manafort being found guilty, it's looking like we might be entering a fall filled with the will-he-or-won't-he energy of a president faced with the power to pardon and a loyal former campaign chair caught in a, shall we say, legal snafu. Plus, we talk about the implications of Michael Cohen's, uh, implication.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Presidential

The Washington Post's Presidential podcast explores how each former American president reached office, made decisions, handled crises and redefined the role of commander-in-chief. It was released leading up to up to Election Day 2016, starting with George Washington in week one and ending on week 44 with the president-elect. Hosted by Lillian Cunningham, the series features Pulitzer Prize-winning biographers like David McCullough and Washington Post journalists like Bob Woodward.

Rank #1: George Washington: The man, the myth, the legend.
Who exactly was our first president? Bob Woodward, Joel Achenbach and Julie Miller kick off our first episode of Presidential.

Rank #2: John Adams: The case of the missing monument.
In the second episode of Presidential, biographer David McCullough as well as noted art and architecture experts explore why there's no monument to John Adams in Washington, DC -- and how that omission shapes our sense of his legacy.

The New Yorker: Politics and More

A weekly discussion about politics, hosted by The New Yorker's executive editor, Dorothy Wickenden.

Rank #1: Trump Asks, “How Did We End Up Here?” We Suggest: “Follow the Money” .
On Tuesday, Paul Manafort, Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, was convicted on multiple counts of tax and bank fraud. Also on Tuesday, Michael Cohen, Trump’s longtime lawyer and fixer, pleaded guilty to violations of campaign-finance law, which may directly implicate the President as an unindicted co-conspirator. Adam Davidson joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss what Manafort’s and Cohen’s legal troubles tell us about Trump’s history of corrupt business deals, and how to anticipate the disclosures to come.

Rank #2: Trump’s Enablers: How Giuliani, Pence, and Barr Figure Into the Ukraine Scandal .
This week, evidence emerged that Trump tried to enlist the help of a foreign power to discredit his political opponents—in this case, Democratic Presidential hopeful Joe Biden. Further disclosures revealed that the President may have been aided in his efforts by his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, Vice-President Mike Pence, and Attorney General William Barr. On Tuesday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced the start of a formal impeachment inquiry against President Trump, saying that he had betrayed his oath of office, the nation’s security, and the integrity of U.S. elections. Jeffrey Toobin, Jane Mayer, and David Rohde—three New Yorker writers who have reported extensively about the Administration—join Dorothy Wickenden to discuss the case against Trump, and how his inner circle may have helped jeopardize his Presidency.

The New Washington

This limited-run series of interviews from the producers of "The Daily" takes you inside Trump’s Washington. From July through December of 2017, "The New Washington" delivered interviews with the political character you wanted to hear from most that week, with analysis and commentary from Michael Barbaro, Carl Hulse and their colleagues in the D.C. bureau of The New York Times.

Rank #1: Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
The White House press secretary is one of the most visible jobs in American politics. Michael Grynbaum, a media correspondent for The Times, spoke with Ms. Sanders about growing up as the daughter of a prominent politician, inheriting her position after her celebrity predecessor Sean Spicer quit and trying to manage coverage of a tumultuous White House while mollifying a boss who believes he is his own best spokesman.

Rank #2: Senator Richard Burr.
The Senate Intelligence Committee’s investigation into Russian tampering in the election is the premier inquiry on Capitol Hill. The Republican senator from North Carolina, the committee’s chairman, opens up about its progress, his relationship with President Trump and a distant relative who made his last name famous.

The Rachel Maddow Show

Rachel Maddow works with unmatched rigor and resolve to explain our complex world and deliver news in a way that's illuminating and dynamic, connecting the dots to make sense of complex issues. Join her every weeknight as she provides in-depth reporting to illuminate the current state of political affairs and reveals the importance of transparency and accountability from our leaders.

Rank #1: Acting-DNI Joseph Maguire testifies before the House Intel Committee.
Joseph Maguire, the acting U.S. Intelligence Director, testified before the House Intelligence Committee about a whistle-blower complaint about President Trump’s dealings with Ukraine. He defended the whistle-blowers actions as well as his own handling of the case. Maguire was questioned by committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-California), Ranking Member Devin Nunes (R-California), Rep. Jim Himes (D-Connecticut), Rep. Mike Conaway (R-Texas), Rep.. Terri Sewell (D-Alabama), Rep. Michael Turner (R-Ohio), Rep. Andre Carson (D-Indiana), Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), Rep. jackie Speier (D-California), Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah), Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Illinois), Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-New York), Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-California), Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas), Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas), Rep. Denny Heck (D-Washington), Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Rep. Val Demings (D-Florida) and Rep Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Illinois).