Chuck Todd argues corruption may be the Democrats’ best closing argument, drawing the 2006 parallel: the Mark Foley scandal gave Republican voters permission to vote against their own party, and tying the cost of living to a kleptocracy could do the same thing now. He’s bullish on the Senate, puts a blue tsunami at 15-20%, and points to Péter Magyar’s Hungary campaign as proof the corruption argument works. The Musk-Starshield reporting sharpens it — the richest man in the world appears to be shaping American foreign policy while funding Ken Paxton after every other donor walked away. Then Ohio: a video featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother calling her a liar, from a woman who stayed married to the man Acton says raped her at twelve. Acton’s brother called it a despicable low; Ramaswamy’s campaign didn’t deny it and kept attacking her credibility. 

Then, Stateline executive editor Scott Greenberger joins the Chuck ToddCast to argue for a founder most Americans have never heard of. In The Forsaken Founder, Greenberger makes the case that Gouverneur Morris has as strong a claim to writing the Constitution as Madison does — he was the best writer among the founders, the one who drafted the final text, and the one who stood up most forcefully against slavery, calling the three-fifths clause a fatal flaw and warning the country could not remain half slave and half free. So why is he forgotten? Partly because he never sought the presidency, partly because he rubbed people the wrong way, and partly because the Virginians who won the presidency wrote the history. Greenberger also wrote a biography of Chester A. Arthur, and he and Chuck get into the forgotten eras of American politics, the Garfield counterfactual, and why you never know you’re living through a political era until it’s over. 

Finally, he updates his ToddCast Top 10 list of senate seats most likely to flip parties and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.

For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership

Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. 

Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! 

Timeline:

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

04:00 Corruption as the Democrats’ closing argument

06:00 The 2006 parallel and permission to vote against your own party

10:00 Bullish on the Senate, and the odds of a tsunami

12:15 What Magyar proved in Hungary

14:15 Musk, Starshield, and buying American foreign policy

15:30 Why Musk is the only one funding Paxton

18:45 Congress needs to investigate

27:30 Can voters connect their struggles to the corruption?

32:00 The Ramaswamy ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother

38:00 What we know and don’t about who produced it

43:45 Could it take down the entire Ohio GOP ticket?

47:45 Character and corruption in the Trump era — until now? 

56:45 Scott Greenberger joins The Chuck ToddCast

58:15 Why resurface Gouverneur Morris

1:00:45 As strong a claim to writing the Constitution as Madison

1:04:15 Why he rubbed people the wrong way — and was forgotten

1:08:30 “Half slavery and half free” and the three-fifths flaw

1:11:45 The Bronx estate, the voting franchise, and a man who never sought office

1:20:15 Morris in France, the king, and the Reign of Terror

1:24:15 Feuding with Madison over the War of 1812

1:28:00 Laying out the city of New York

1:31:00 Garfield, Arthur, and the eras history forgets

1:39:15 The what-ifs, and where Trump may land historically

1:44:15 Stateline, the death of local news, and AI in the newsroom

1:52:00 ToddCast Top 10 Senate seats most likely to flip

1:52:15 #1 North Carolina

1:53:00 #2 Ohio

1:54:15 #3 Texas

1:55:30 #4 Alaska

1:56:00 #5 Maine

1:57:15 #6 Kansas

1:58:30 #7 Michigan

2:00:00 #8 Iowa, #9 South Carolina #10 Nebraska

2:05:00 Ask Chuck

2:05:15 Why not eliminate political parties entirely?

2:11:15 What do prediction market bettors know that pollsters don’t?

2:15:15 Why is Elon Musk exempt from ban on donations from defense contractors?

2:17:30 Could Starshield decision be a war crime?

2:20:30 Are voters starting to grow tired of Trump even if base remains loyal?