Chuck Todd opens with the political obituary of Bill Cassidy, the Louisiana senator whose primary defeat is the latest and clearest evidence that there is simply no room left in the Republican Party for anyone who ever had qualms about Donald Trump. He argues Cassidy's downfall was as much self-inflicted as Trump-driven: he had the spine to vote to convict in the second impeachment trial but never the spine to actually defend the vote, owning it while constantly running from it on the trail. Cassidy could have run as an independent and didn't, gave up the last shreds of his credibility by voting to confirm RFK Jr., and put himself in the worst possible position to defend the toughest vote of his career. He uses the moment to make a broader argument: the Republican Party no longer believes in morals, ethics, or character, the leaders of both parties are damaging their own institutions in pursuit of raw power, and the country desperately needs more independents and third parties to break the duopoly. Trump, Chuck reminds listeners, is the scorpion of the fable — he will sting you every time, regardless of what you've done for him.

The bigger story, though, is Trump's stunning 180 on China — a complete reversal that has produced near-total silence from the GOP's once-deafening chorus of China hawks. He argues Trump has gone from confrontation to pure transaction with Beijing, that he appears willing to sell out Taiwan as leverage, and that he's effectively treating American arms sales to Taipei as bargaining chips in a trade negotiation. The contrast with Nixon's trip to China is glaring: Nixon went with a coherent strategy, Trump went without one. For decades America positioned itself as the defender of democracy worldwide, but that role is now genuinely in question — Pacific allies are nervous about Chinese aggression, rightfully so if America is prepared to trade away Taiwan, and Trump is signaling to the world that you simply cannot count on the United States anymore. He argues that the most damning indictment of the modern GOP is the fact that Trump is visibly screwing up on the world stage and not a single Republican will say so. He closes with a more hopeful note from his commencement address at John Carroll University, praising the school's political journalism program for teaching students morality and empathy, and reflecting that this graduating generation has been forced to adapt and develop resilience in ways no class before them ever had to.

Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the fraught opening of the Brooklyn bridge and the campaign to overcome the public’s fear about a new technology. He also answers listeners’ questions in an extended edition of “Ask Chuck”.

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Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

03:45 Bill Cassidy’s vote to convict Trump cost him his senate seat

04:45 Closed GOP primary will favor Trump endorsed candidates

06:30 Only 3 Republicans left in congress who voted to impeach

09:00 Cassidy was 2nd worst performing of all GOP who voted to convict

09:30 Cassidy never defended his vote during the campaign

11:45 Cassidy could have run as an independent, but chose not to

13:00 More senators would have voted to convict on a secret ballot

14:30 Cassidy owned his vote, but always ran away from it

16:00 Cassidy gave up his credibility by voting to confirm RFK Jr.

16:45 There is no room in the GOP for people who have qualms with Trump

19:00 The Republican party doesn’t believe in morals, ethics or character

20:30 Cassidy put himself in worst possible position to defend a tough vote

22:15 Leaders of both parties are damaging their parties trying to win power

23:45 We need more independents & third parties to threaten the duopoly

24:45 Cassidy had the spine to vote to convict, but never explained the vote

26:00 Donald Trump is the “scorpion” of lore and will sting you every time

28:00 Louisiana primary vote total barely favored Republicans

29:00 Gutting of Voting Rights Act looks like it will juice black voter turnout

30:00 Presidential level turnout of black voters is possible in the south

31:00 Trump has pulled a complete 180 on China

32:00 Trump seems willing to completely sell out Taiwan

33:00 Trump has gone in the opposite direction of his “tough on China” position

34:15 Trump has gone from confrontation to transaction with China

35:30 Trump seems to be treating Taiwan as leverage

37:00 What happens to GOP hawkishness on China if Trump reverses his position?

37:30 GOP China hawks have been conspicuously silent

39:15 Trump is treating arms to Taiwan as a bargaining chip for China

40:00 For decades, America was the defender of democracy. That’s in question now

41:00 Pacific allies are nervous about China, rightfully so if U.S. sells out Taiwan

41:45 Trump is telling the world you can’t count on America

42:30 Trump is more worried about his political standing than American strength

43:45 Trump’s policies have made things more expensive & the economy worse

46:45 Nixon’s trip to China came with a coherent strategy, Trump’s didn’t

47:45 Trump can’t bomb his way into a solution with Iran

48:30 If the U.S. isn’t the defender of democracy worldwide… who is?

50:00 Trump is screwing up and nobody in his party will say so

54:00 Chuck gave commencement address at John Carroll University

55:00 JCU has a great program for political journalism

55:45 Program’s goal is to instill students with morality and empathy

57:00 This graduating generation has been forced to adapt and be resilient

1:03:00 ToddCast Time Machine - May 1883

1:03:30 New York opens the largest suspension bridge ever built, the Brooklyn bridge

1:04:00 The idea of a suspension bridge from Booklyn to Manhattan seemed impossible

1:05:45 Project seemed cursed after the designer of the bridge died

1:07:00 Emily Roebling effectively becomes the project manager for the bridge

1:08:00 May 24th, 1883 - The Brooklyn bridge finally opens

1:08:30 The bridge changed Brooklyn permanently, turns into a borough of NYC

1:09:45 Rumors start spreading that the bridge is collapsing

1:10:15 Twelve people died in stampede over fears of bridge collapsing

1:11:00 P.T. Barnum helps to calm public fear about the bridge

1:11:45 Elephants were paraded over the bridge to show it was stable

1:12:45 The public has to trust new technologies enough in order to use them

1:14:15 Ask Chuck

1:14:30 How should Democrats approach the issue of transgender rights?

1:20:30 Why do so many Americans believe major political events are “staged”?

1:24:45 Should Democrats stick with incrementalism or take a confrontational approach?

1:31:15 If MLB realigns, how would you restructure it?

1:40:00 Could Liz Cheney or Adam Kinziger become viable independent candidates?

1:43:15 Why doesn’t the press pool push back when attacked by Trump?

1:48:00 Who would have to leave the Democratic party to initiate its collapse?

1:51:00 What do you see happening with Trump’s tariff regime after SCOTUS ruling?

1:56:00 Nats off to a surprisingly good start