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Chuck Todd is on vacation but the fresh content keeps coming! Chuck empties the 2025 mailbag and answers a variety of listeners’ questions focused on politics & policy, the future of Trump & MAGA, and naturally… one on his beloved Green Bay Packers.

 

If you’d like to ask Chuck a question, shoot us an email at AskChuck@thechucktoddcast.com

Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!

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:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

01:30 The need for real fiscal reform to try to tackle the national debt?

06:15 Anyone in MAGA that could reunite the two wings of the GOP?

13:30 Would the ACA receive the same blowback if Romney was president?

18:00 Sources to track the Talarico vs. Crockett race in Texas?

22:30 Will Republicans make trans rights a central issue in 2026?

26:30 Will flawed AI content moderation become a bigger issue?

32:15 How could the Trump administration try to rig the 2026 election?

36:30 Thoughts on proposed constitutional amendments?

44:00 Is it a zero-sum game between legacy & independent media?

52:30 Concerns with the Packers?

Chuck Todd is on vacation but the fresh content keeps coming! Chuck empties the 2025 mailbag and answers a variety of listeners&rsquo; questions focused on politics &amp; policy, the future of Trump &amp; MAGA, and naturally&hellip; one on his beloved Green Bay Packers.
&nbsp;
If you&rsquo;d like to ask Chuck a question, shoot us an email at AskChuck@thechucktoddcast.com
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to <a href="https://quince.com/CHUCK">https://Quince.com/CHUCK</a> for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd&rsquo;s introduction
01:30 The need for real fiscal reform to try to tackle the national debt?
06:15 Anyone in MAGA that could reunite the two wings of the GOP?
13:30 Would the ACA receive the same blowback if Romney was president?
18:00 Sources to track the Talarico vs. Crockett race in Texas?
22:30 Will Republicans make trans rights a central issue in 2026?
26:30 Will flawed AI content moderation become a bigger issue?
32:15 How could the Trump administration try to rig the 2026 election?
36:30 Thoughts on proposed constitutional amendments?
44:00 Is it a zero-sum game between legacy &amp; independent media?
52:30 Concerns with the Packers?

The Chuck ToddCast is back! If you're looking for smart, no-nonsense political conversation, you've come to the right place. The Chuck ToddCast goes beyond the headlines, featuring conversations with top reporters, insiders, and newsmakers from D.C. to the heartland. No scripts, no spin—just real discussions about what’s shaping our politics and why it matters.

The Chuck ToddCast

Special Mailbag Episode: Reuniting The GOP, Legacy vs. Independent Media, AI Content Moderation & More

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/54be7f56-e8ad-49de-809d-b3ca014b03d1/transcript

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Chuck Todd opens with a brutal verdict on the emerging Iran "deal": it's just a worse version of the Obama agreement Trump once tore up, Iran has effectively avoided every stated goal Trump and Israel set out to achieve, and Tehran retains control of the Strait of Hormuz — meaning this is unambiguously a loss for the United States, no matter how the administration tries to spin it. He argues Trump bit off far more than he could chew, that Bibi Netanyahu put his faith into Donald Trump (which never ends well), and that America's standing has been diminished in ways that will reverberate for years. Iran's regime won't be able to repress its own people forever, He notes, but the window to actually topple it during the protests was missed — and Gulf state allies will now be dealing with the Iranians for much longer than they bargained for, having quietly hoped the U.S. and Israel would do their dirty work for them. The political damage at home is just as severe. He cites the Wall Street Journal christening the past seven days as "the week that broke Trump's hold on Congress," with the president now underwater on every single issue, consumer confidence unlikely to recover before the midterms, the Senate unable to fund DHS through reconciliation because Trump makes bipartisan solutions impossible, and his January 6th slush fund producing a backlash that won't go away — with Republican senators visibly wavering. Chuck's verdict on the lame duck arriving early: this is a failed first two years of the Trump presidency, and the stronger his grip on the party, the weaker that party becomes in general elections. He blasts Todd Blanche for turning the DOJ into Trump's personal legal team (Blanche should be impeached, Todd argues, and nothing coming out of this DOJ can be trusted), tears into the long-awaited DNC autopsy of the 2024 loss as paralyzed, tone-deaf, and poorly thought-out — naming Ken Martin as the wrong person to lead the DNC and noting that the simple truth Democrats can't bring themselves to face is that the party is perceived as too liberal in a country with more conservatives than progressives. He flags Mike Duggan dropping out of the Michigan governor's race after his hoped-for contentious Democratic primary never materialized, and Tulsi Gabbard's resignation as DNI proving that the position itself was never really necessary

Then, former Marine sniper AJ Pasciuti — author of the new book Dark Horse and host of the Combat Story podcast — joins the Chuck Toddcast for one of the most riveting and clear-eyed conversations about military service, leadership, and the realities of modern war. Pasciuti was 16 years old on September 11th, enlisted at 17, and eventually became the Marine who led the team that killed "Juba" — the notorious Iraqi sniper who uploaded videos of his American kills to the internet to taunt the U.S. military. He walks listeners through the entire hunt: how Marines studied Juba's uploaded footage to identify his patterns, how the team set a trap, how Pasciuti spotted Juba in his hide by catching the glint off the lens of a Sony Handycam, and how he knew within minutes that they'd gotten him — while emphasizing that he may have pulled the trigger but it was an entire team that brought Juba down. Pasciuti reflects on the strange experience of fighting enemies who saw themselves as freedom fighters rather than terrorists, why attention to detail is the trait that weeds out most sniper candidates, and how snipers are ultimately meant to combat the enemy emotionally as much as physically.

The conversation broadens into a sweeping meditation on what military service teaches you about America — and where Pasciuti worries the country is heading. He calls the military one of the last bastions of the American dream, where opportunity is real but has to be earned, and argues that a culture promoting service to the greater good over the accumulation of wealth would make America measurably healthier.. Pasciuti is openly worried about political leadership infecting the values of the military, makes the case that empathy must be viewed as a strength rather than a weakness in military leadership, and insists his book is political but not partisan — it's about values. He offers a vital warning that the Taliban proved asymmetrical warfare can defeat a stronger foe, that drone warfare is dangerously dehumanizing combat by reducing casualties to dollars and cents, and that the most important thing any soldier carries home is their soul intact — something he says becomes harder every year as the social contract between America and its veterans erodes. Pasciuti describes seeing fear rather than hatred in the eyes of a dying enemy combatant, a moment that has stayed with him, and explains why he can't support any politician who describes a political opponent as an enemy. He shares his experience running for city council and personally knocking on thousands of doors, his frustration with the financial barriers to entry in modern politics, and his belief that current discourse simply doesn't allow for real dialogue. He closes with the most powerful observation of the episode, made for Memorial Day: the holiday isn't about those who came home — it's about those who didn't — and anyone calling for war should be required to first sit down and have a conversation with a Gold Star family.

Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine for a thoughtful Memorial Day reflection on how countries honor their war dead — and how the rituals they choose reveal who they understand themselves to be. He traces Memorial Day back to its actual origins in the Civil War and its 600,000 American dead, including the powerful and often-forgotten story of formerly enslaved people who reburied Union soldiers from a mass grave to give them the dignified resting place their country had failed to provide. He explains that the date was chosen not because of a specific battle but because of when flowers bloom, that Southern states kept parallel remembrance traditions for the Confederacy, and that Memorial Day's secondary role as the unofficial start of summer has always made it a uniquely American hybrid of grief and gathering — which, Chuck argues, is actually one of its virtues, because coming together is how communities find common ground. He surveys how other nations approach the same task: WWI created a uniquely Canadian identity around remembrance, Russia centers its V-Day celebrations on WWII triumph as the foundation of national identity, Germany approaches its war dead cautiously and somberly with a deep awareness of historical responsibility, and Japan frames remembrance through loss, peace, and explicit anti-war reflection. His larger argument is that the story and tone of a country's remembrance day reveals exactly how it understands itself — what it celebrates, what it confronts, and what it would rather not look at. He closes with the smallest but most important reminder of the day: you don't say "Happy Memorial Day." He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.

Predict the action all the way through the finals. Sign up now for your twenty-five dollar bonus on https://fanduel.com/predicts 

Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.

 Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. 

Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

04:00 Pending Iran deal looks like a worse version of Obama’s deal

04:45 Iran looks to have avoided all of Trump + Israel’s stated goals

05:15 Iran retains control of Strait, that means this is a loss for Trump

06:15 Trump is capitulating, and this diminishes America’s standing

07:15 Administration hoping to sweep Iran under the rug in time for the midterms

08:00 Normally, America would be leading Ebola response. Trump destroyed USAID

08:45 Helping with disease outbreaks was about protecting us at home

10:00 Unlikely the Iranian regime will be able to repress their people forever

11:00 Trump bit off more than he could chew and needs an offramp

11:45 Bibi put his faith into Donald Trump, which never goes well

13:00 Trump hires flawed people that could only work for him. Makes them loyal

14:15 Politics infects every decision Trump makes

15:45 Gulf state allies will have to deal with Iran for much longer now

16:30 Missed the window to topple the regime during the protests

18:00 Gulf states were hoping U.S. and Israel would do their dirty work

18:30 Trump was worst possible commander in chief for this moment

19:30 It’s a big loss for Trump, but he had no choice but to end the war

22:00 New polling shows Trump approval tanking, huge generic Dem advantage

23:45 WSJ dubs the past week, “The week the broke Trump’s hold on Congress”

25:00 Trump is underwater on every issue

26:00 It’s highly unlikely consumer confidence will rise before the midterms

27:00 Trump is directly responsible for higher inflation and cost of living

28:00 Senate cannot find way to fund DHS through reconciliation

29:30 Trump makes any bipartisan solution impossible

30:15 Todd Banche is making DOJ Trump’s personal attorneys

31:45 Can’t trust anything this DOJ says. Blanche should be impeached*

33:15 Trump’s J6 slush fund is likely illegal and has GOP senators wavering

34:15 Backlash to slush fund isn’t going away

35:45 The stronger Trump grips the party, the weaker it is in general elections

36:30 The lame duck is here. This a failed first two years of Trump’s presidency

37:15 DNC finally releases autopsy of 2024 election loss

37:45 Ken Martin is the wrong person for the DNC chair. In over his head

38:15 The simple fact of the matter is the party is perceived as too liberal

40:45 There are more conservatives than progressives, need to win the moderates

42:00 Autopsy offering gubernatorial wins as a counterpoint is tone deaf

43:45 Trump’s electoral strength doesn’t translate when he isn’t on ballot

44:30 DNC was in a no-win situation with the autopsy

45:15 Seems like the autopsy was just going through motions, poorly thought out

46:30 DNC is paralyzed, in need of new leadership

48:30 Mike Duggan drops out as independent in MI governor’s race

50:00 Duggan counted on contentious primary & that didn’t happen

52:00 Duggan didn’t want a Republican elected and dropped out

52:30 Tulsi Gabbard resigns. DNI post shown to not be necessary

53:00 The CIA has won the “turf battle” amongst intel agencies

54:30 Gabbard isn’t the first DNI that’s been marginalized.

55:15 It’s easy to eye roll Don Jr & Hunter Biden… Their fathers screwed them up

1:03:30 AJ Pasciuti (Dark Horse) joins the Chuck ToddCast

1:05:30 If you wrote the book 10 years ago, how would it have been different?

1:07:00 You gain extra perspective about “why” when more time has passed

1:07:45 Leadership is currently in very short supply

1:09:45 The book is a love letter and thank you to people who shaped AJ’s life

1:11:45 The military is one of the last bastions of the American dream

1:12:45 Was 16 years old on 9/11 and the attack inspired AJ to enlist at 17

1:13:45 How did you identify that you had the skills to be a sniper?

1:15:15 Gunnery Sgt. Jackson helped set AJ on his trajectory

1:16:00 What is training for a sniper like?

1:17:00 Attention to details is the trait that weeds out most sniper candidates

1:17:45 Snipers have to be self-dependent, must rely on yourself for survival

1:19:00 Snipers are meant to combat the enemy emotionally, scare them

1:19:45 “Juba” may not have been just one enemy sniper & hunted Americans

1:20:15 Juba uploaded videos of sniper kills of Americans to the internet

1:21:00 Watching the videos allowed marines to understand Juba’s patterns

1:21:30 Set up a trap for Juba and Juba fell into it

1:22:30 AJ knew they had killed Juba within minutes

1:23:30 Caught a glint of the lens of a Sony handycam to spot Juba

1:24:45 AJ may have pulled the trigger, but it was an entire team that got him

1:26:15 Marines were shocked that people would fight for a tyrant like Saddam

1:27:00 We viewed the enemies as terrorists, they viewed themselves as freedom fighters

1:28:45 Does the message to the troops today seem different than when you served?

1:29:45 When we send Americans into conflict, it must be for a just cause

1:30:15 There’s a responsibility that comes with having the greatest military in history

1:31:15 Are you worried political leadership is infecting the values of the military?

1:32:15 Leadership needs to project values people are inspired to defend

1:34:00 Military leadership needs to view empathy as a strength, not a weakness

1:35:00 The book is political but not partisan. It’s about values

1:36:45 A culture that promotes services to the greater good is healthier

1:38:30 If the culture promotes service over wealth, we’d be better off

1:39:00 Mandatory service in Israel has helped to bond their society

1:41:30 Service strips away the illusion that we succeed alone

1:42:45 Veterans aren’t easily categorized in their politics

1:43:30 Military provides an opportunity, but you have to earn it

1:45:30 Competitive advantage for the military is to think, adapt & react quicker

1:46:45 Marine culture should create soldiers that are problem solvers

1:47:45 Taliban found that asymmetrical warfare could defeat a stronger foe

1:50:00 We have to better prepare for asymmetrical warfare

1:50:45 The American Revolution was fought with asymmetrical warfare

1:51:30 Drone warfare dehumanizes war. Casualties counted in dollars and cents

1:52:45 War is a chess game, and modern tech has leveled the playing field

1:54:45 Have to avoid being dehumanized by war

1:55:30 Saw an enemy combatant dying, saw fear in his eyes, not hatred

1:56:15 Wrote the book not to glorify war, but to tell the realities of it

1:57:45 The hardest part of coming home was doing so with your soul intact

1:59:00 The social contract with our soldiers must be protected

2:00:15 How are you able to publicly express your experience when many can’t?

2:02:30 Can’t support someone that says a political opponent is an enemy

2:03:30 Tell us about your podcast “Combat Story”

2:05:00 Ran for city council, personally knocked on thousands of doors

2:06:30 Our current politics doesn’t allow for dialogue

2:08:45 There’s a financial barrier to entry into politics

2:11:30 Memorial Day is tough, it’s about those who didn’t come home

2:12:00 Anyone calling for war should have a conversation with a gold star family 

2:15:15 Chuck’s thoughts on interview with AJ Pasciuti

2:16:00 ToddCast Time Machine

2:16:30 Every country honors war dead, but don’t do it the same way

2:17:15 Memorial Day was borne out of the civil war and 600k Americans dead

2:18:00 Formally enslaved people reburied union soldiers from mass grave

2:18:45 Holiday is also about who gets remembered in our national story

2:19:15 Date was chosen due to flowers blooming & not a specific battle

2:20:30 Southern states kept remembrance traditions for the confederacy

2:21:15 Memorial Day also marks the unofficial start of summer

2:21:45 Gathering together is an important way to find common ground

2:22:45 Different memorial traditions & rituals in other countries

2:23:30 WW1 created a unique identity in Canada

2:24:00 Russia celebrates V-Day, triumph in WW2 central to identity

2:24:45 Germany remembers war cautiously and somberly

2:25:30 Japan remembers war through loss, peace and anti-war reflection

2:26:15 Other memorial rituals around the world

2:27:45 Story and tone of remembrance days are how countries view themselves

2:28:45 You don’t say “Happy Memorial Day”

2:30:00 Ask Chuck

2:30:15 Isn’t it odd that we know so little about attempted Trump assassins?

2:37:00 Why didn’t Dems lean into “Trump Lie Trackers” more in campaigns?

2:41:00 Does the “Epstein Class” framing feel stronger than the “1%”?

2:45:00 Did “No Child Left Behind” do real damage to civics education?

2:51:15 Does the 2.5 swing in presidential elections show most voters are locked in?

Chuck Todd opens with a brutal verdict on the emerging Iran "deal": it's just a worse version of the Obama agreement Trump once tore up, Iran has effectively avoided every stated goal Trump and Israel set out to achieve, and Tehran retains control of the Strait of Hormuz &mdash; meaning this is unambiguously a loss for the United States, no matter how the administration tries to spin it. He argues Trump bit off far more than he could chew, that Bibi Netanyahu put his faith into Donald Trump (which never ends well), and that America's standing has been diminished in ways that will reverberate for years. Iran's regime won't be able to repress its own people forever, He notes, but the window to actually topple it during the protests was missed &mdash; and Gulf state allies will now be dealing with the Iranians for much longer than they bargained for, having quietly hoped the U.S. and Israel would do their dirty work for them. The political damage at home is just as severe. He cites the Wall Street Journal christening the past seven days as "the week that broke Trump's hold on Congress," with the president now underwater on every single issue, consumer confidence unlikely to recover before the midterms, the Senate unable to fund DHS through reconciliation because Trump makes bipartisan solutions impossible, and his January 6th slush fund producing a backlash that won't go away &mdash; with Republican senators visibly wavering. Chuck's verdict on the lame duck arriving early: this is a failed first two years of the Trump presidency, and the stronger his grip on the party, the weaker that party becomes in general elections. He blasts Todd Blanche for turning the DOJ into Trump's personal legal team (Blanche should be impeached, Todd argues, and nothing coming out of this DOJ can be trusted), tears into the long-awaited DNC autopsy of the 2024 loss as paralyzed, tone-deaf, and poorly thought-out &mdash; naming Ken Martin as the wrong person to lead the DNC and noting that the simple truth Democrats can't bring themselves to face is that the party is perceived as too liberal in a country with more conservatives than progressives. He flags Mike Duggan dropping out of the Michigan governor's race after his hoped-for contentious Democratic primary never materialized, and Tulsi Gabbard's resignation as DNI proving that the position itself was never really necessary
Then, former Marine sniper AJ Pasciuti &mdash; author of the new book Dark Horse and host of the Combat Story podcast &mdash; joins the Chuck Toddcast for one of the most riveting and clear-eyed conversations about military service, leadership, and the realities of modern war. Pasciuti was 16 years old on September 11th, enlisted at 17, and eventually became the Marine who led the team that killed "Juba" &mdash; the notorious Iraqi sniper who uploaded videos of his American kills to the internet to taunt the U.S. military. He walks listeners through the entire hunt: how Marines studied Juba's uploaded footage to identify his patterns, how the team set a trap, how Pasciuti spotted Juba in his hide by catching the glint off the lens of a Sony Handycam, and how he knew within minutes that they'd gotten him &mdash; while emphasizing that he may have pulled the trigger but it was an entire team that brought Juba down. Pasciuti reflects on the strange experience of fighting enemies who saw themselves as freedom fighters rather than terrorists, why attention to detail is the trait that weeds out most sniper candidates, and how snipers are ultimately meant to combat the enemy emotionally as much as physically.
The conversation broadens into a sweeping meditation on what military service teaches you about America &mdash; and where Pasciuti worries the country is heading. He calls the military one of the last bastions of the American dream, where opportunity is real but has to be earned, and argues that a culture promoting service to the greater good over the accumulation of wealth would make America measurably healthier.. Pasciuti is openly worried about political leadership infecting the values of the military, makes the case that empathy must be viewed as a strength rather than a weakness in military leadership, and insists his book is political but not partisan &mdash; it's about values. He offers a vital warning that the Taliban proved asymmetrical warfare can defeat a stronger foe, that drone warfare is dangerously dehumanizing combat by reducing casualties to dollars and cents, and that the most important thing any soldier carries home is their soul intact &mdash; something he says becomes harder every year as the social contract between America and its veterans erodes. Pasciuti describes seeing fear rather than hatred in the eyes of a dying enemy combatant, a moment that has stayed with him, and explains why he can't support any politician who describes a political opponent as an enemy. He shares his experience running for city council and personally knocking on thousands of doors, his frustration with the financial barriers to entry in modern politics, and his belief that current discourse simply doesn't allow for real dialogue. He closes with the most powerful observation of the episode, made for Memorial Day: the holiday isn't about those who came home &mdash; it's about those who didn't &mdash; and anyone calling for war should be required to first sit down and have a conversation with a Gold Star family.
Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine for a thoughtful Memorial Day reflection on how countries honor their war dead &mdash; and how the rituals they choose reveal who they understand themselves to be. He traces Memorial Day back to its actual origins in the Civil War and its 600,000 American dead, including the powerful and often-forgotten story of formerly enslaved people who reburied Union soldiers from a mass grave to give them the dignified resting place their country had failed to provide. He explains that the date was chosen not because of a specific battle but because of when flowers bloom, that Southern states kept parallel remembrance traditions for the Confederacy, and that Memorial Day's secondary role as the unofficial start of summer has always made it a uniquely American hybrid of grief and gathering &mdash; which, Chuck argues, is actually one of its virtues, because coming together is how communities find common ground. He surveys how other nations approach the same task: WWI created a uniquely Canadian identity around remembrance, Russia centers its V-Day celebrations on WWII triumph as the foundation of national identity, Germany approaches its war dead cautiously and somberly with a deep awareness of historical responsibility, and Japan frames remembrance through loss, peace, and explicit anti-war reflection. His larger argument is that the story and tone of a country's remembrance day reveals exactly how it understands itself &mdash; what it celebrates, what it confronts, and what it would rather not look at. He closes with the smallest but most important reminder of the day: you don't say "Happy Memorial Day." He also answers listeners&rsquo; questions in the &ldquo;Ask Chuck&rdquo; segment.
Predict the action all the way through the finals. Sign up now for your twenty-five dollar bonus on https://fanduel.com/predicts&nbsp;
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com &amp; enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
&nbsp;Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.&nbsp;
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd&rsquo;s introduction
04:00 Pending Iran deal looks like a worse version of Obama&rsquo;s deal
04:45 Iran looks to have avoided all of Trump + Israel&rsquo;s stated goals
05:15 Iran retains control of Strait, that means this is a loss for Trump
06:15 Trump is capitulating, and this diminishes America&rsquo;s standing
07:15 Administration hoping to sweep Iran under the rug in time for the midterms
08:00 Normally, America would be leading Ebola response. Trump destroyed USAID
08:45 Helping with disease outbreaks was about protecting us at home
10:00 Unlikely the Iranian regime will be able to repress their people forever
11:00 Trump bit off more than he could chew and needs an offramp
11:45 Bibi put his faith into Donald Trump, which never goes well
13:00 Trump hires flawed people that could only work for him. Makes them loyal
14:15 Politics infects every decision Trump makes
15:45 Gulf state allies will have to deal with Iran for much longer now
16:30 Missed the window to topple the regime during the protests
18:00 Gulf states were hoping U.S. and Israel would do their dirty work
18:30 Trump was worst possible commander in chief for this moment
19:30 It&rsquo;s a big loss for Trump, but he had no choice but to end the war
22:00 New polling shows Trump approval tanking, huge generic Dem advantage
23:45 WSJ dubs the past week, &ldquo;The week the broke Trump&rsquo;s hold on Congress&rdquo;
25:00 Trump is underwater on every issue
26:00 It&rsquo;s highly unlikely consumer confidence will rise before the midterms
27:00 Trump is directly responsible for higher inflation and cost of living
28:00 Senate cannot find way to fund DHS through reconciliation
29:30 Trump makes any bipartisan solution impossible
30:15 Todd Banche is making DOJ Trump&rsquo;s personal attorneys
31:45 Can&rsquo;t trust anything this DOJ says. Blanche should be impeached*
33:15 Trump&rsquo;s J6 slush fund is likely illegal and has GOP senators wavering
34:15 Backlash to slush fund isn&rsquo;t going away
35:45 The stronger Trump grips the party, the weaker it is in general elections
36:30 The lame duck is here. This a failed first two years of Trump&rsquo;s presidency
37:15 DNC finally releases autopsy of 2024 election loss
37:45 Ken Martin is the wrong person for the DNC chair. In over his head
38:15 The simple fact of the matter is the party is perceived as too liberal
40:45 There are more conservatives than progressives, need to win the moderates
42:00 Autopsy offering gubernatorial wins as a counterpoint is tone deaf
43:45 Trump&rsquo;s electoral strength doesn&rsquo;t translate when he isn&rsquo;t on ballot
44:30 DNC was in a no-win situation with the autopsy
45:15 Seems like the autopsy was just going through motions, poorly thought out
46:30 DNC is paralyzed, in need of new leadership
48:30 Mike Duggan drops out as independent in MI governor&rsquo;s race
50:00 Duggan counted on contentious primary &amp; that didn&rsquo;t happen
52:00 Duggan didn&rsquo;t want a Republican elected and dropped out
52:30 Tulsi Gabbard resigns. DNI post shown to not be necessary
53:00 The CIA has won the &ldquo;turf battle&rdquo; amongst intel agencies
54:30 Gabbard isn&rsquo;t the first DNI that&rsquo;s been marginalized.
55:15 It&rsquo;s easy to eye roll Don Jr &amp; Hunter Biden&hellip; Their fathers screwed them up
1:03:30 AJ Pasciuti (Dark Horse) joins the Chuck ToddCast
1:05:30 If you wrote the book 10 years ago, how would it have been different?
1:07:00 You gain extra perspective about &ldquo;why&rdquo; when more time has passed
1:07:45 Leadership is currently in very short supply
1:09:45 The book is a love letter and thank you to people who shaped AJ&rsquo;s life
1:11:45 The military is one of the last bastions of the American dream
1:12:45 Was 16 years old on 9/11 and the attack inspired AJ to enlist at 17
1:13:45 How did you identify that you had the skills to be a sniper?
1:15:15 Gunnery Sgt. Jackson helped set AJ on his trajectory
1:16:00 What is training for a sniper like?
1:17:00 Attention to details is the trait that weeds out most sniper candidates
1:17:45 Snipers have to be self-dependent, must rely on yourself for survival
1:19:00 Snipers are meant to combat the enemy emotionally, scare them
1:19:45 &ldquo;Juba&rdquo; may not have been just one enemy sniper &amp; hunted Americans
1:20:15 Juba uploaded videos of sniper kills of Americans to the internet
1:21:00 Watching the videos allowed marines to understand Juba&rsquo;s patterns
1:21:30 Set up a trap for Juba and Juba fell into it
1:22:30 AJ knew they had killed Juba within minutes
1:23:30 Caught a glint of the lens of a Sony handycam to spot Juba
1:24:45 AJ may have pulled the trigger, but it was an entire team that got him
1:26:15 Marines were shocked that people would fight for a tyrant like Saddam
1:27:00 We viewed the enemies as terrorists, they viewed themselves as freedom fighters
1:28:45 Does the message to the troops today seem different than when you served?
1:29:45 When we send Americans into conflict, it must be for a just cause
1:30:15 There&rsquo;s a responsibility that comes with having the greatest military in history
1:31:15 Are you worried political leadership is infecting the values of the military?
1:32:15 Leadership needs to project values people are inspired to defend
1:34:00 Military leadership needs to view empathy as a strength, not a weakness
1:35:00 The book is political but not partisan. It&rsquo;s about values
1:36:45 A culture that promotes services to the greater good is healthier
1:38:30 If the culture promotes service over wealth, we&rsquo;d be better off
1:39:00 Mandatory service in Israel has helped to bond their society
1:41:30 Service strips away the illusion that we succeed alone
1:42:45 Veterans aren&rsquo;t easily categorized in their politics
1:43:30 Military provides an opportunity, but you have to earn it
1:45:30 Competitive advantage for the military is to think, adapt &amp; react quicker
1:46:45 Marine culture should create soldiers that are problem solvers
1:47:45 Taliban found that asymmetrical warfare could defeat a stronger foe
1:50:00 We have to better prepare for asymmetrical warfare
1:50:45 The American Revolution was fought with asymmetrical warfare
1:51:30 Drone warfare dehumanizes war. Casualties counted in dollars and cents
1:52:45 War is a chess game, and modern tech has leveled the playing field
1:54:45 Have to avoid being dehumanized by war
1:55:30 Saw an enemy combatant dying, saw fear in his eyes, not hatred
1:56:15 Wrote the book not to glorify war, but to tell the realities of it
1:57:45 The hardest part of coming home was doing so with your soul intact
1:59:00 The social contract with our soldiers must be protected
2:00:15 How are you able to publicly express your experience when many can&rsquo;t?
2:02:30 Can&rsquo;t support someone that says a political opponent is an enemy
2:03:30 Tell us about your podcast &ldquo;Combat Story&rdquo;
2:05:00 Ran for city council, personally knocked on thousands of doors
2:06:30 Our current politics doesn&rsquo;t allow for dialogue
2:08:45 There&rsquo;s a financial barrier to entry into politics
2:11:30 Memorial Day is tough, it&rsquo;s about those who didn&rsquo;t come home
2:12:00 Anyone calling for war should have a conversation with a gold star family&nbsp;
2:15:15 Chuck&rsquo;s thoughts on interview with AJ Pasciuti
2:16:00 ToddCast Time Machine
2:16:30 Every country honors war dead, but don&rsquo;t do it the same way
2:17:15 Memorial Day was borne out of the civil war and 600k Americans dead
2:18:00 Formally enslaved people reburied union soldiers from mass grave
2:18:45 Holiday is also about who gets remembered in our national story
2:19:15 Date was chosen due to flowers blooming &amp; not a specific battle
2:20:30 Southern states kept remembrance traditions for the confederacy
2:21:15 Memorial Day also marks the unofficial start of summer
2:21:45 Gathering together is an important way to find common ground
2:22:45 Different memorial traditions &amp; rituals in other countries
2:23:30 WW1 created a unique identity in Canada
2:24:00 Russia celebrates V-Day, triumph in WW2 central to identity
2:24:45 Germany remembers war cautiously and somberly
2:25:30 Japan remembers war through loss, peace and anti-war reflection
2:26:15 Other memorial rituals around the world
2:27:45 Story and tone of remembrance days are how countries view themselves
2:28:45 You don&rsquo;t say &ldquo;Happy Memorial Day&rdquo;
2:30:00 Ask Chuck
2:30:15 Isn&rsquo;t it odd that we know so little about attempted Trump assassins?
2:37:00 Why didn&rsquo;t Dems lean into &ldquo;Trump Lie Trackers&rdquo; more in campaigns?
2:41:00 Does the &ldquo;Epstein Class&rdquo; framing feel stronger than the &ldquo;1%&rdquo;?
2:45:00 Did &ldquo;No Child Left Behind&rdquo; do real damage to civics education?
2:51:15 Does the 2.5 swing in presidential elections show most voters are locked in?

Full Episode - Trump’s Iran Deal Is Worse Than The Deal He Tore Up + A Marine Sniper’s Message on Service, Sacrifice, and Country 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ab136514-b7cc-4f49-913b-b454015833da/transcript

Former Marine sniper AJ Pasciuti — author of the new book Dark Horse and host of the Combat Story podcast — joins the Chuck Toddcast for one of the most riveting and clear-eyed conversations about military service, leadership, and the realities of modern war. Pasciuti was 16 years old on September 11th, enlisted at 17, and eventually became the Marine who led the team that killed "Juba" — the notorious Iraqi sniper who uploaded videos of his American kills to the internet to taunt the U.S. military. He walks listeners through the entire hunt: how Marines studied Juba's uploaded footage to identify his patterns, how the team set a trap, how Pasciuti spotted Juba in his hide by catching the glint off the lens of a Sony Handycam, and how he knew within minutes that they'd gotten him — while emphasizing that he may have pulled the trigger but it was an entire team that brought Juba down. Pasciuti reflects on the strange experience of fighting enemies who saw themselves as freedom fighters rather than terrorists, why attention to detail is the trait that weeds out most sniper candidates, and how snipers are ultimately meant to combat the enemy emotionally as much as physically.

The conversation broadens into a sweeping meditation on what military service teaches you about America — and where Pasciuti worries the country is heading. He calls the military one of the last bastions of the American dream, where opportunity is real but has to be earned, and argues that a culture promoting service to the greater good over the accumulation of wealth would make America measurably healthier.. Pasciuti is openly worried about political leadership infecting the values of the military, makes the case that empathy must be viewed as a strength rather than a weakness in military leadership, and insists his book is political but not partisan — it's about values. He offers a vital warning that the Taliban proved asymmetrical warfare can defeat a stronger foe, that drone warfare is dangerously dehumanizing combat by reducing casualties to dollars and cents, and that the most important thing any soldier carries home is their soul intact — something he says becomes harder every year as the social contract between America and its veterans erodes. Pasciuti describes seeing fear rather than hatred in the eyes of a dying enemy combatant, a moment that has stayed with him, and explains why he can't support any politician who describes a political opponent as an enemy. He shares his experience running for city council and personally knocking on thousands of doors, his frustration with the financial barriers to entry in modern politics, and his belief that current discourse simply doesn't allow for real dialogue. He closes with the most powerful observation of the episode, made for Memorial Day: the holiday isn't about those who came home — it's about those who didn't — and anyone calling for war should be required to first sit down and have a conversation with a Gold Star family.

Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.

 Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. 

Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 AJ Pasciuti (Dark Horse) joins the Chuck ToddCast

02:00 If you wrote the book 10 years ago, how would it have been different?

03:30 You gain extra perspective about “why” when more time has passed

04:15 Leadership is currently in very short supply

06:15 The book is a love letter and thank you to people who shaped AJ’s life

08:15 The military is one of the last bastions of the American dream

09:15 Was 16 years old on 9/11 and the attack inspired AJ to enlist at 17

10:15 How did you identify that you had the skills to be a sniper?

11:45 Gunnery Sgt. Jackson helped set AJ on his trajectory

12:30 What is training for a sniper like?

13:30 Attention to details is the trait that weeds out most sniper candidates

14:15 Snipers have to be self-dependent, must rely on yourself for survival

15:30 Snipers are meant to combat the enemy emotionally, scare them

16:15 “Juba” may not have been just one enemy sniper & hunted Americans

16:45 Juba uploaded videos of sniper kills of Americans to the internet

17:30 Watching the videos allowed marines to understand Juba’s patterns

18:00 Set up a trap for Juba and Juba fell into it

19:00 AJ knew they had killed Juba within minutes

20:00 Caught a glint of the lens of a Sony handycam to spot Juba

21:15 AJ may have pulled the trigger, but it was an entire team that got him

22:45 Marines were shocked that people would fight for a tyrant like Saddam

23:30 We viewed the enemies as terrorists, they viewed themselves as freedom fighters

25:15 Does the message to the troops today seem different than when you served?

26:15 When we send Americans into conflict, it must be for a just cause

26:45 There’s a responsibility that comes with having the greatest military in history

27:45 Are you worried political leadership is infecting the values of the military?

28:45 Leadership needs to project values people are inspired to defend

30:30 Military leadership needs to view empathy as a strength, not a weakness

31:30 The book is political but not partisan. It’s about values

33:15 A culture that promotes services to the greater good is healthier

35:00 If the culture promotes service over wealth, we’d be better off

35:30 Mandatory service in Israel has helped to bond their society

38:00 Service strips away the illusion that we succeed alone

39:15 Veterans aren’t easily categorized in their politics

40:00 Military provides an opportunity, but you have to earn it

42:00 Competitive advantage for the military is to think, adapt & react quicker

43:15 Marine culture should create  soldiers that are problem solvers

44:15 Taliban found that asymmetrical warfare could defeat a stronger foe

46:30 We have to better prepare for asymmetrical warfare

47:15 The American Revolution was fought with asymmetrical warfare

48:00 Drone warfare dehumanizes war. Casualties counted in dollars and cents

49:15 War is a chess game, and modern tech has leveled the playing field

51:15 Have to avoid being dehumanized by war

52:00 Saw an enemy combatant dying, saw fear in his eyes, not hatred

52:45 Wrote the book not to glorify war, but to tell the realities of it

54:15 The hardest part of coming home was doing so with your soul intact

55:30 The social contract with our soldiers must be protected

56:45 How are you able to publicly express your experience when many can’t?

59:00 Can’t support someone that says a political opponent is an enemy

1:00:00 Tell us about your podcast “Combat Story”

1:01:30 Ran for city council, personally knocked on thousands of doors

1:03:00 Our current politics doesn’t allow for dialogue

1:05:15 There’s a financial barrier to entry into politics

1:08:00 Memorial Day is tough, it’s about those who didn’t come home

1:08:30 Anyone calling for war should have a conversation with a gold star family

Former Marine sniper AJ Pasciuti &mdash; author of the new book Dark Horse and host of the Combat Story podcast &mdash; joins the Chuck Toddcast for one of the most riveting and clear-eyed conversations about military service, leadership, and the realities of modern war. Pasciuti was 16 years old on September 11th, enlisted at 17, and eventually became the Marine who led the team that killed "Juba" &mdash; the notorious Iraqi sniper who uploaded videos of his American kills to the internet to taunt the U.S. military. He walks listeners through the entire hunt: how Marines studied Juba's uploaded footage to identify his patterns, how the team set a trap, how Pasciuti spotted Juba in his hide by catching the glint off the lens of a Sony Handycam, and how he knew within minutes that they'd gotten him &mdash; while emphasizing that he may have pulled the trigger but it was an entire team that brought Juba down. Pasciuti reflects on the strange experience of fighting enemies who saw themselves as freedom fighters rather than terrorists, why attention to detail is the trait that weeds out most sniper candidates, and how snipers are ultimately meant to combat the enemy emotionally as much as physically.
The conversation broadens into a sweeping meditation on what military service teaches you about America &mdash; and where Pasciuti worries the country is heading. He calls the military one of the last bastions of the American dream, where opportunity is real but has to be earned, and argues that a culture promoting service to the greater good over the accumulation of wealth would make America measurably healthier.. Pasciuti is openly worried about political leadership infecting the values of the military, makes the case that empathy must be viewed as a strength rather than a weakness in military leadership, and insists his book is political but not partisan &mdash; it's about values. He offers a vital warning that the Taliban proved asymmetrical warfare can defeat a stronger foe, that drone warfare is dangerously dehumanizing combat by reducing casualties to dollars and cents, and that the most important thing any soldier carries home is their soul intact &mdash; something he says becomes harder every year as the social contract between America and its veterans erodes. Pasciuti describes seeing fear rather than hatred in the eyes of a dying enemy combatant, a moment that has stayed with him, and explains why he can't support any politician who describes a political opponent as an enemy. He shares his experience running for city council and personally knocking on thousands of doors, his frustration with the financial barriers to entry in modern politics, and his belief that current discourse simply doesn't allow for real dialogue. He closes with the most powerful observation of the episode, made for Memorial Day: the holiday isn't about those who came home &mdash; it's about those who didn't &mdash; and anyone calling for war should be required to first sit down and have a conversation with a Gold Star family.
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com &amp; enter code TODDCAST&nbsp;for 30% off your first order.
&nbsp;Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.&nbsp;
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 AJ Pasciuti (Dark Horse) joins the Chuck ToddCast
02:00 If you wrote the book 10 years ago, how would it have been different?
03:30 You gain extra perspective about &ldquo;why&rdquo; when more time has passed
04:15 Leadership is currently in very short supply
06:15 The book is a love letter and thank you to people who shaped AJ&rsquo;s life
08:15 The military is one of the last bastions of the American dream
09:15 Was 16 years old on 9/11 and the attack inspired AJ to enlist at 17
10:15 How did you identify that you had the skills to be a sniper?
11:45 Gunnery Sgt. Jackson helped set AJ on his trajectory
12:30 What is training for a sniper like?
13:30 Attention to details is the trait that weeds out most sniper candidates
14:15 Snipers have to be self-dependent, must rely on yourself for survival
15:30 Snipers are meant to combat the enemy emotionally, scare them
16:15 &ldquo;Juba&rdquo; may not have been just one enemy sniper &amp; hunted Americans
16:45 Juba uploaded videos of sniper kills of Americans to the internet
17:30 Watching the videos allowed marines to understand Juba&rsquo;s patterns
18:00 Set up a trap for Juba and Juba fell into it
19:00 AJ knew they had killed Juba within minutes
20:00 Caught a glint of the lens of a Sony handycam to spot Juba
21:15 AJ may have pulled the trigger, but it was an entire team that got him
22:45 Marines were shocked that people would fight for a tyrant like Saddam
23:30 We viewed the enemies as terrorists, they viewed themselves as freedom fighters
25:15 Does the message to the troops today seem different than when you served?
26:15 When we send Americans into conflict, it must be for a just cause
26:45 There&rsquo;s a responsibility that comes with having the greatest military in history
27:45 Are you worried political leadership is infecting the values of the military?
28:45 Leadership needs to project values people are inspired to defend
30:30 Military leadership needs to view empathy as a strength, not a weakness
31:30 The book is political but not partisan. It&rsquo;s about values
33:15 A culture that promotes services to the greater good is healthier
35:00 If the culture promotes service over wealth, we&rsquo;d be better off
35:30 Mandatory service in Israel has helped to bond their society
38:00 Service strips away the illusion that we succeed alone
39:15 Veterans aren&rsquo;t easily categorized in their politics
40:00 Military provides an opportunity, but you have to earn it
42:00 Competitive advantage for the military is to think, adapt &amp; react quicker
43:15 Marine culture should create&nbsp; soldiers that are problem solvers
44:15 Taliban found that asymmetrical warfare could defeat a stronger foe
46:30 We have to better prepare for asymmetrical warfare
47:15 The American Revolution was fought with asymmetrical warfare
48:00 Drone warfare dehumanizes war. Casualties counted in dollars and cents
49:15 War is a chess game, and modern tech has leveled the playing field
51:15 Have to avoid being dehumanized by war
52:00 Saw an enemy combatant dying, saw fear in his eyes, not hatred
52:45 Wrote the book not to glorify war, but to tell the realities of it
54:15 The hardest part of coming home was doing so with your soul intact
55:30 The social contract with our soldiers must be protected
56:45 How are you able to publicly express your experience when many can&rsquo;t?
59:00 Can&rsquo;t support someone that says a political opponent is an enemy
1:00:00 Tell us about your podcast &ldquo;Combat Story&rdquo;
1:01:30 Ran for city council, personally knocked on thousands of doors
1:03:00 Our current politics doesn&rsquo;t allow for dialogue
1:05:15 There&rsquo;s a financial barrier to entry into politics
1:08:00 Memorial Day is tough, it&rsquo;s about those who didn&rsquo;t come home
1:08:30 Anyone calling for war should have a conversation with a gold star family

Interview Only w/ AJ Pasciuti - A Marine Sniper’s Message on Service, Sacrifice, and Country 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ff61bcbb-8f57-47bd-b5a9-b454013b3604/transcript

Chuck Todd walks through a primary night that should make every elected Republican break out in a cold sweat — Democrats outvoted Republicans by 100,000 votes in Georgia. He argues we now have a fully formed "woke right" — and Trump is leading it. The man who built his political brand on refusing to conform to anyone's mindset has become the most aggressive cancel culture warrior in American politics, ending the careers of Republicans who cross him. The downstream consequences are catastrophic for the GOP: Republicans will now have to dump enormous money into Texas to defend a seat that was supposed to be safe, and Texas joins North Carolina and Ohio as an expensive trio Republicans will struggle to defend. Trump appears either clueless or in denial that he's systematically setting his own party up for massive failure, but Chuck notes a "YOLO caucus" is quietly emerging among Senate Republicans who know they're toast and may act more independently. He closes with a moving tribute to Barney Frank, who died at 86 after 32 years in Congress — the architect of Dodd-Frank, the first openly gay member of Congress, who came out in 1987 at the height of the AIDS crisis and endured Gingrich-era homophobia that he felt punished him beyond what any straight politician would have faced. Frank's parting message to today's Democrats sits at the center of Todd's episode and arguably explains why the party keeps losing winnable elections: "Don't litmus test yourselves into oblivion." 

Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.

Predict the action all the way through the finals. Sign up now for your twenty-five dollar bonus on https://fanduel.com/predicts  

 

Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST

for 30% off your first order.

 

 Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. 

 

Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!

 

Timeline:

00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction

02:30 Georgia Republican senate race headed to runoff

04:00 Democrats outvoted Republicans by 100k votes in Georgia

05:30 Breakdown of primary results from Idaho

06:00 An independent has a better chance to win in Idaho than a Dem

06:30 Brad Little was able to stand up to Trump & survive

07:00 You can’t oppose Trump and be a Republican in good standing

08:00 We now have a “woke right” that Trump is leading

08:45 Trump’s initial appeal was not having to conform to a certain mindset

09:30 Cancel culture is now Trump targeting any Republican who crosses him

10:45 Republicans can’t oppose taxpayer funding for Trump’s ballroom

11:30 Trump is as defensive about Epstein as he was about Russia

12:45 There’s a lot of circumstantial evidence with Trump/Epstein

13:15 Trump angry that Lauren Boebert won’t drop Epstein

14:00 Ken Paxton’s election denialism is what won him Trump’s support

15:15 Cassidy and Cornyn supported 90% of Trump’s agenda…wasn’t enough

15:45 Elected Republicans know that Trump can end their career in a primary

17:00 It’s Trump’s party but he’s setting it up for massive failure

17:45 GOP senators relieved they don’t have to vote for ballroom funding

18:15 There’s a growing YOLO caucus in the Republican senate

19:15 Republicans will have to spend way more money in Texas now

20:00 Cornyn has raised $400m for Republicans

22:15 Trump seems clueless or in denial that the GOP is set up to fail in the fall

23:45 Paxton is so corrupt he belongs nowhere near political power

24:15 Talarico can beat Paxton, but it will be close

25:00 Trump doesn’t usually spend money that doesn’t help Trump

26:30 Republicans are now playing defense…do they concede NC?

28:30 Texas, NC and Ohio become an expensive trio for GOP to defend

29:00 Several other potential Democratic senate pickups

35:00 Barney Frank passes away at 86, served in congress 32 years

37:15 Dodd-Frank has stood the test of time

37:45 Frank was a barrier breaker as first openly gay member of congress

38:15 Frank came out in 1987 at the height of the AIDS crisis

39:30 Republicans led by Gingrich used Frank’s sexuality as a cudgel

40:45 Frank felt overly punished because he was a gay man

43:00 Frank had to work in a place where homophobia was rampant

44:00 Frank’s closing message to Dems - “Don’t litmus test yourselves into oblivion”

45:30 Frank was a larger public figure than he gets credit for

46:30 Ask Chuck

46:45 Is it possible the U.S. ever defaults on the national debt?

51:00 Is there a scenario where states coordinate gerrymandering reforms?

54:30 Are Dems in a no win scenario when it comes to redistricting?

59:45 Any chance senators like Cornyn or Cassidy could break ranks?

1:04:30 How can you say don’t fight fire with fire to people whose rights are threatened?

Chuck Todd walks through a primary night that should make every elected Republican break out in a cold sweat &mdash; Democrats outvoted Republicans by 100,000 votes in Georgia. He argues we now have a fully formed "woke right" &mdash; and Trump is leading it. The man who built his political brand on refusing to conform to anyone's mindset has become the most aggressive cancel culture warrior in American politics, ending the careers of Republicans who cross him. The downstream consequences are catastrophic for the GOP: Republicans will now have to dump enormous money into Texas to defend a seat that was supposed to be safe, and Texas joins North Carolina and Ohio as an expensive trio Republicans will struggle to defend. Trump appears either clueless or in denial that he's systematically setting his own party up for massive failure, but Chuck notes a "YOLO caucus" is quietly emerging among Senate Republicans who know they're toast and may act more independently. He closes with a moving tribute to Barney Frank, who died at 86 after 32 years in Congress &mdash; the architect of Dodd-Frank, the first openly gay member of Congress, who came out in 1987 at the height of the AIDS crisis and endured Gingrich-era homophobia that he felt punished him beyond what any straight politician would have faced. Frank's parting message to today's Democrats sits at the center of Todd's episode and arguably explains why the party keeps losing winnable elections: "Don't litmus test yourselves into oblivion."&nbsp;
Finally, he answers listeners&rsquo; questions in the &ldquo;Ask Chuck&rdquo; segment.
Predict the action all the way through the finals. Sign up now for your twenty-five dollar bonus on https://fanduel.com/predicts&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com &amp; enter code TODDCAST
for 30% off your first order.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
&nbsp;
Timeline:
00:00 Chuck Todd&rsquo;s introduction
02:30 Georgia Republican senate race headed to runoff
04:00 Democrats outvoted Republicans by 100k votes in Georgia
05:30 Breakdown of primary results from Idaho
06:00 An independent has a better chance to win in Idaho than a Dem
06:30 Brad Little was able to stand up to Trump &amp; survive
07:00 You can&rsquo;t oppose Trump and be a Republican in good standing
08:00 We now have a &ldquo;woke right&rdquo; that Trump is leading
08:45 Trump&rsquo;s initial appeal was not having to conform to a certain mindset
09:30 Cancel culture is now Trump targeting any Republican who crosses him
10:45 Republicans can&rsquo;t oppose taxpayer funding for Trump&rsquo;s ballroom
11:30 Trump is as defensive about Epstein as he was about Russia
12:45 There&rsquo;s a lot of circumstantial evidence with Trump/Epstein
13:15 Trump angry that Lauren Boebert won&rsquo;t drop Epstein
14:00 Ken Paxton&rsquo;s election denialism is what won him Trump&rsquo;s support
15:15 Cassidy and Cornyn supported 90% of Trump&rsquo;s agenda&hellip;wasn&rsquo;t enough
15:45 Elected Republicans know that Trump can end their career in a primary
17:00 It&rsquo;s Trump&rsquo;s party but he&rsquo;s setting it up for massive failure
17:45 GOP senators relieved they don&rsquo;t have to vote for ballroom funding
18:15 There&rsquo;s a growing YOLO caucus in the Republican senate
19:15 Republicans will have to spend way more money in Texas now
20:00 Cornyn has raised $400m for Republicans
22:15 Trump seems clueless or in denial that the GOP is set up to fail in the fall
23:45 Paxton is so corrupt he belongs nowhere near political power
24:15 Talarico can beat Paxton, but it will be close
25:00 Trump doesn&rsquo;t usually spend money that doesn&rsquo;t help Trump
26:30 Republicans are now playing defense&hellip;do they concede NC?
28:30 Texas, NC and Ohio become an expensive trio for GOP to defend
29:00 Several other potential Democratic senate pickups
35:00 Barney Frank passes away at 86, served in congress 32 years
37:15 Dodd-Frank has stood the test of time
37:45 Frank was a barrier breaker as first openly gay member of congress
38:15 Frank came out in 1987 at the height of the AIDS crisis
39:30 Republicans led by Gingrich used Frank&rsquo;s sexuality as a cudgel
40:45 Frank felt overly punished because he was a gay man
43:00 Frank had to work in a place where homophobia was rampant
44:00 Frank&rsquo;s closing message to Dems - &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t litmus test yourselves into oblivion&rdquo;
45:30 Frank was a larger public figure than he gets credit for
46:30 Ask Chuck
46:45 Is it possible the U.S. ever defaults on the national debt?
51:00 Is there a scenario where states coordinate gerrymandering reforms?
54:30 Are Dems in a no win scenario when it comes to redistricting?
59:45 Any chance senators like Cornyn or Cassidy could break ranks?
1:04:30 How can you say don&rsquo;t fight fire with fire to people whose rights are threatened?

Chuck’s Commentary - Trump Made The Midterms MUCH Harder For Republicans + Rest In Peace, Barney Frank

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/20b576f6-91db-49e3-b2a0-b45100214119/transcript

Special Mailbag Episode: Reuniting The GOP, Legacy vs. Independent Media, AI Content Moderation & More

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