What A Day

The reality show that is President-elect Donald Trump’s White House appointments keeps on rolling. In the last few days, Trump has picked World Wrestling Entertainment co-founder Linda McMahon to be his Secretary of Education, former acting Attorney General and toilet scammer Matthew Whitaker for U.S. ambassador to NATO, and billionaire former finance executive Howard Lutnick for Secretary of Commerce. Can any of these people win confirmation from the Senate? TBD! But Trump’s team says it doesn’t really matter because they want to force the president-elect’s unqualified picks through with recess appointments. Casey Burgat, director of the Legislative Affairs program at George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management, explains how that would work.And in headlines: Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders forced a Senate vote to stop the U.S. from selling weapons to Israel, more details emerge about the sexual misconduct allegations against former Rep. Matt Gaetz, Texas has offered up thousands of acres of land to the Trump administration to construct deportation facilities.Show Notes:Check out Casey's pod – https://tinyurl.com/mphevfxbSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Tuesday marked 1,000 days since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, plunging the European continent into its largest and deadliest conflict since World War II. The milestone was marked by yet another major escalation of violence, when Ukraine launched U.S.-made long-range missiles into Russia for the first time. Russian President Vladimir Putin responded by issuing a new nuclear doctrine to lower the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. It all comes at a tense time for Europe, as leaders prepare for the return of President-elect Donald Trump, who campaigned on a promise to wind down U.S. support for Ukraine. McKay Coppins, senior staff writer at The Atlantic, explains how Europe is preparing for Trump’s return to the White House.And in headlines: South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace introduced a resolution to ban transgender women from female bathrooms in the Capitol, Trump picked Dr. Oz to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the White House says this year’s Christmas tree will come from North Carolina.Show Notes:Check out McKay's piece – https://tinyurl.com/2u862wvfSupport relief efforts for Hurricanes Helene and Milton – https://tinyurl.com/bdfc8j38Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President-elect Donald Trump made a lot of questionable promises on the campaign trail. But one of the biggest ones was his promise to improve the economy by imposing at least a 10 percent tariff on all imported goods. For goods from China, he wants a minimum 60 percent tariff. Never mind that some economists say these tariffs, if imposed, could cost the average U.S. household an extra $2,600 a year. Stacey Vanek Smith, senior story editor at Bloomberg Audio, helps us break down what Trump’s tariff plans could mean for all of us.And in headlines: Trump confirms in an early morning retweet that he will try to use the military to mass deport millions of immigrants, momentum builds around the potential release of a House Ethics Committee report about former Rep. Matt Gaetz, and a new report finds 20 percent of Americans get their news from social media influencers.Show Notes:Check out Stacey's work – www.staceyvaneksmith.com/audioSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

In 2016, Donald Trump’s presidential win came as a surprise to many people, which inspired resistance and energized liberals and progressives across the country: from the ubiquitous pink hats of the Women’s March, to striking cab drivers fighting Trump’s attempted Muslim ban, scores of people came together to push back against unconstitutional policies. But after Trump’s 2024 win, that energy doesn’t seem there. Are people tired? Numb? Resigned? What does resistance look like when we have to do it all over again? For groups like the ACLU, the battle will take place in the courtroom, where they had several big wins against the last Trump administration. AJ Hikes, ACLU Deputy Executive Director for Strategy and Culture, joins us.And in headlines: Vivek Ramaswamy says his and Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” will “delete” entire agencies via executive order, President Joe Biden authorizes Ukraine to use US-made long-range missiles against Russia, Israeli airstrikes kill nearly 100 Palestinians in Gaza, and a top Hezbollah official in Beirut, and the Democratic Party is still blowing up your phone with fundraising texts.Show Notes:Learn more about the ACLU's initiatives – www.aclu.org/campaigns-initiatives/project2025Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

Trump would love to be a dictator. His affinity for strongmen like Victor Orbán and Vladimir Putin is no secret. But will he actually take the country down that road? What does authoritarianism look like in 2024? This week on How We Got Here, Max and Erin examine the president elect’s blustering and ask: will Trump really try to become an autocrat? Or is this just a lot of hot air from someone who doesn’t really understand how to work the levers of power. Cornell political scientist Tom Pepinsky weighs in on what we should be looking out for, and what we can learn from countries like Malaysia, Hungary and Turkey.

Republicans clinched a governing trifecta late Wednesday after a handful of congressional race calls cemented the party’s House majority. As for Democrats, officially losing the House means the party will be shut out of power for at least the next two years. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said earlier this week the party will have to figure out how to strategically wield its influence while in the minority, while also figuring out how to gear up for the next election. Brianna Tucker, deputy campaign editor for The Washington Post, stops by the WAD studio to talk about what voters told her on the campaign trail, and how the Post is gearing up for a second Trump administration.Also on the show: Trump picks anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head the Department of Health and Human Services, senators voice skepticism about whether Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz can win confirmation to be the next attorney general, and The Onion buys Infowars.Show Notes:Check out Brianna's reporting – www.washingtonpost.com/people/brianna-tucker/Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Trump cabinet pageant continues! And we’re all about to find out which of the judges – aka our elected U.S. senators – are willing to let President-elect Donald Trump run the show. On Wednesday, Trump selected Florida Rep. and contender for most hated member of Congress Matt Gaetz to serve as attorney general of the United States. Gaetz has little relevant experience, but he is one of Trump’s most loyal — and vocal — supporters in Congress. At least one senator is already expressing skepticism. Ken White, a former federal prosecutor and current criminal defense attorney who writes the Popehat newsletter, games out what an Attorney General Matt Gaetz would mean for the Justice Department.And in headlines: President Joe Biden and Trump had an awkward meeting at the White House, South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune is the new Senate majority leader, and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ Infowars media empire is auctioned off to anonymous bidders.Show Notes:Check out Ken's podcast – www.serioustrouble.show/podcastSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

President-elect Donald Trump announced more appointments on Tuesday, giving us a fuller picture of what his incoming administration is going to look like (tl;dr: It's bad). One cabinet spot that’s still open, though: Secretary of Education. Whoever gets the job, they’ll likely be tasked with implementing Trump's campaign promise to close the Department of Education, a long-time GOP goal that dates back to the Reagan Era. Erica Meltzer, national editor at Chalkbeat, explains why keeping that promise will be pretty difficult.And in headlines: Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego is headed to the Senate, the New York judge overseeing Trump’s hush money trial delayed a decision on dismissing the president-elect’s conviction, and the chairman and CEO of Exxon Mobil says the incoming Trump administration should avoid drastic changes to American climate policy.Show Notes:Check out Erica's reporting – www. chalkbeat.org/authors/erica-meltzer/Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The incoming Trump Administration 2.0 is starting to take shape. And as expected, it’s a Democrat’s worst nightmare. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to name Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner with white nationalist views, to be his deputy chief of staff. He also officially announced his picks for ‘border czar,’ EPA director and U.N. ambassador, all of them in line with his repeated promise to appoint loyalists that will help him bend the government to his whims. Zack Beauchamp, senior correspondent for Vox and author of the book “The Reactionary Spirit,” explains what Trump's picks mean for the continual functioning of our democracy.And in headlines: President Biden’s lead adviser for international climate policy shared strong words about Trump at an annual U.N. climate change conference, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris made their first joint appearance since the election at a Veterans Day event, and abolitionist Harriet Tubman was posthumously awarded the rank of one-star Brigadier General in the Maryland National Guard.Show Notes:Check out Zac's reporting – www.vox.com/authors/zack-beauchampSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

We’re starting to get a fuller picture of what the incoming Congress is going to look like under President-elect Donald Trump. Republicans have clinched a majority in the Senate and seem poised to take the House, too. But on the whole, it’s a less rosy picture for the party than Trump’s win suggests. Republican Senate candidates drastically underperformed the incoming president. Over in the House, the GOP isn’t expected to make any significant gains on its existing narrow majority. Burgess Everett, Congressional bureau chief for Semafor, explains why Trump’s big win didn’t translate to more down-ballot success.And in headlines: California Gov. Gavin Newsom called for a special legislative session to “Trump-proof” state law, Trump’s White House starts to take shape, and Target stores removed ‘Wicked’ dolls from shelves amid a packaging error that included the address of a porn website.Show Notes:Check out Burgess reporting – www.semafor.com/author/burgess-everettSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Trump won over America by securing electoral votes in all seven swing states and gaining ground in historically blue areas. On this week's "How We Got Here," Max and Erin cope with post-election grief by going through the election data bit-by-bit. They discuss what we can learn about America, its political trajectory, and where we go from here. 

President Joe Biden addressed the nation Thursday for the first time since Election Day. He promised to “honor the constitution on January 20th” and peacefully hand over power to President-Elect Donald Trump. Meanwhile, the blame game and painful soul-searching within the Democratic Party has begun in earnest. Jon Favreau, co-host of ‘Pod Save America’ and former speechwriter for President Barack Obama, stopped by to discuss what comes next.And in headlines: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says he will not resign when Trump takes office, former New York City mayor and disbarred attorney Rudy Giuliani goes to court again, and Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey pushes back on the Associated Press’ race call against him.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Vice President Kamala Harris officially conceded to President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday in her first public comments since the election. Speaking to a crowd of hundreds of campaign staffers and students at her alma mater, Howard University, Harris called accepting the results a “fundamental principle of American democracy.” But she encouraged her supporters to keep fighting for the ideals her campaign championed, even in the face of defeat. ‘What A Day’ newsletter editor Greg Walters was in the audience for Harris' speech. He spoke with some of the vice president's supporters about how they're taking it all in.Also on the show: Washington Post White House reporter Yasmeen Abutaleb talks about what’s next for the Biden Administration and the Democratic Party. And Crooked Correspondent Todd Zwillich gives us an update on some of the close House and Senate races.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Welp. That happened. Former President Donald Trump declared victory in the presidential race in the early hours of Wednesday morning. As of 3 am Wednesday, The Associated Press had not officially called the race, but it had declared Trump the winner of three crucial swing states: North Carolina, Georgia and Pennsylvania, effectively cutting off any path to victory for Vice President Kamala Harris. Democrats did see a few wins down ballot. Erin Ryan, co-host of the Crooked podcast ‘Hysteria,’ joins Jane to break down some of the election results.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Happy Election Day! Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump spent their final full day on the campaign trail converging on the must-win state of Pennsylvania. Harris spent her entire day in the Keystone State, making direct appeals to Latino voters and young voters. For Trump, Pennsylvania was one of three swing states he stumped in Monday, continuing to muddle his closing message all along the way. Alyssa Mastromonaco, former White House deputy chief of staff under President Obama and co-host of the the Crooked podcast ‘Hysteria,’ explains what the Election Day vibes are like on a presidential campaign.Also on the show: Nevada Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen talks about how she's working to win her tight re-election race, and an update on a Florida ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights in the state’s constitution.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Election Day is tomorrow! More than 75 million people have already voted. And a slew of new polls released over the weekend show good news for Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign. Naturally, former President Donald Trump responded by railing against the polls at his rallies, even though polls aren’t predictions, and both candidates have a good shot at winning Tuesday. Nate Silver, polling guru and author of the Substack newsletter “Silver Bulletin,” stops by to tell us what the polls are — and aren’t — telling us ahead of Election Day.Also on the show: Abbas Alawieh, a Michigan resident and co-founder of the ‘Uncommitted’ movement,’ talks about how his fellow activists are feeling as they cast their ballots. And Crooked Correspondent Josie Duffy Rice breaks down election lawsuits in Georgia.Show Notes:Learn more about The Uncommitted Movement – https://shorturl.at/Qe3UXCheck out Nate Silver's polling – https://www.natesilver.net/Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

If Trump wins the presidential election, Project 2025 gives us an inkling of what his next term might look like. But due to a power struggle within the far-right, there could be another plan that’s just as threatening. On this week’s “How We Got Here,” Max and Erin hear from New York Times reporter Ken Bensinger about the America First Policy Institute and its political goals with a second Trump term.

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump spent their Thursdays courting voters in the Southwest. Trump started his day in New Mexico, a state that Democrats are expected to easily win, before heading to events in Nevada and Arizona. Harris also spent her day in the two Western swing states, wrapping up the night at a rally with pop megastar Jennifer Lopez. With just four days left until Election Day, Alex Wagner of MSNBC's ‘Alex Wagner Tonight’ joins us to talk about what she’s hearing on the ground and Democratic fears about a 2016 repeat.And in headlines: The head of Trump’s transition team outs himself as an anti-vaxxer on CNN, Republican Vice Presidential Nominee J.D. Vance joined Joe Rogan for a three-hour interview, and inflation continues to cool.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

In the wake of former President Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally Sunday, Major Puerto Rican stars with tens of millions of social media followers have been throwing their support behind Vice President Kamala Harris. On Wednesday, singer Nicky Jam, who endorsed Trump last month, renounced his support for the former president in a video to his supporters, citing the joke a comedian made at the rally about Puerto Rico being an ‘island of garbage.’ Adrian Carrasquillo, a national political reporter who writes about our increasingly Latino America, talks about the ongoing fallout from the MSG rally within the Puerto Rican community.And in headlines: Billionaire Elon Musk says Trump’s economic plans will come with some ‘hardship,’ Republicans revive talk of repealing Obamacare, and the U.S. Supreme Court says Virginia can keep purging its voter rolls.Show Notes:Check out Adrian's work – https://tinyurl.com/y6tvncatSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Vice President Kamala Harris delivered her closing arguments in a speech at the Ellipse in Washington D.C. — where then-President Donald Trump encouraged a mob of his supporters to march to the Capitol – to try to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Stef Kight, political reporter for Axios, breaks down the pitch Harris is making to voters in the final week of the presidential race. The fallout from Trump’s anti-Puerto Rican remarks in Madison Square Garden continues. The chairman of the Puerto Rico GOP said he won’t vote for Trump unless he apologizes. The Archbishop of Puerto Rico, Roberto O. González Nieves, has also asked Trump to “personally apologize” for the comments. But Trump did not.And in headlines: Steve Bannon was released from federal prison, the Supreme Court actually rejected R-F-K junior’s attempt to get off Michigan and Wisconsin’s ballots, and the Israeli Parliament passed two laws that would cut ties with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.Show Notes:Check out Stef's work – https://www.axios.com/authors/stefwkightSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

With one week left until Election Day, Vice President Kamala Harris plans to deliver her closing arguments today with a speech at the Ellipse in Washington D.C. It’s the same place where nearly four years ago, then-President Trump incited a violent mob to march toward the Capitol in an attempt to steal the election. For Trump’s part, he’ll end his day with a rally in Allentown, Pa., a politically purple area in one of the most important swing states this election cycle. As we head into the final few days of the presidential race, both candidates will spend their time barnstorming the swing states, making their case to an electorate that appears as evenly divided as you can get. Tens of millions of Americans have already voted. Ashlyn Earnest, a poll manager in Georgia, another major swing state, talks about what it’s like to work the polls on Election Day.And in headlines: The Trump Campaign faces blowback over racist comments made during Sunday’s Madison Square Garden rally, ballot boxes in Washington and Oregon were set on fire, legal battles over voter suppression continue, and Brown University suspended a student-led pro-Palestine group on campus.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Former President Donald Trump made his closing pitch to voters Sunday at a rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City. His speech leaned heavily on the dehumanizing anti-immigrant rhetoric that’s defined his third run for the presidency. Even his warm-up speakers sank to new xenophobic lows, with one calling Puerto Rico “a floating island of garbage.” Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris spent her Sunday campaigning in Philadelphia after blockbuster rallies with Michelle Obama and Beyoncé. Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore stops by to talk about the role of campaign surrogates in the final stretch to Election Day.And in headlines: Trump sat for a three-hour interview with podcast host Joe Rogan, The Washington Post is the latest major newspaper to have its Harris endorsement blocked by its billionaire owner, and Israel launched a retaliatory strike against Iran. Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Trump is winning the presidential race according to some polls. But others say Harris is ahead. What’s the point of following the polls if they contradict each other and, at times, seem outright broken? On this week’s “How We Got Here,” Max and Erin talk with Crooked’s Dan Pfeiffer to explain how Trump, the pandemic, iPhones and more messed with the reliability of presidential election polls.

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are preparing to make their closing pitches to voters ahead of Election Day. The Harris Campaign announced she’ll make her final arguments to the American people next week in a speech at the Ellipse in D.C., the exact same spot where nearly four years ago, then-President Donald Trump incited a mob of his supporters to march toward the Capitol. The Harris campaign said the decision to have the vice president speak at the Ellipse is meant to highlight the contrast between her and Trump, who still has yet to say whether he’ll accept the results of the upcoming election. Kyle Cheney, senior legal affairs reporter for Politico, says Trump is already laying the groundwork to challenge the election results if he loses. This time, he could be successful.And in headlines: Trump says he’ll fire Special Counsel Jack Smith if elected, Harris headlines a rally in Texas with Beyonce tonight, and Los Angeles County’s district attorney says he’ll recommend resentencing for the Menendez Brothers.Show Notes:Check out Kyle's piece – https://tinyurl.com/vn4cnjddSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Last night, Vice President Kamala Harris was in the Philadelphia suburbs for a CNN Town Hall with Anderson Cooper and an audience of what the network called “undecided and persuadable voters.” Harris fielded questions about whether former President Donald Trump is a fascist, and was asked by audience members what she’d do about the price of groceries. There’s a reason the CNN town hall was in Pennsylvania. It’s the state both campaigns have visited the most – and where they’ve spent the most money on ads. It’s also the swing state with the most electoral college votes up for grabs in the election. And on top of that – Pennsylvania is also home to an extremely tight race that will help decide which party controls the Senate. Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey joins us to talk about his race and what Democrats can do to help Harris take Pennsylvania.And in headlines: The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea sends troops to Russia, RFK Jr. asks the Supreme Court to take him off another swing state ballot, a report from Microsoft warns of Chinese, Russian, and Iranian interference in the election, and former Republican National Convention Chair Ronna McDaniel warns the GOP about neglecting young voters. Show Notes: Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Roughly 20 million people have already voted in the upcoming election, either by mail or in person. And as the ballots keep pouring in, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are running around the country, trying to sway as many voters as they can ahead of what’s shaping up to be a historically close election. On Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris sat down for interviews with NBC and Telemundo, while former President Barack Obama and rapper Eminem rallied for her in Michigan. Meanwhile, Trump joined a roundtable with Latino leaders in Doral, Florida, canceled a virtual town hall, and finished the day repeating lies about FEMA during a rally in North Carolina. Atlantic Staff writer Charlie Warzel explains how the debunked FEMA conspiracies play into something darker that’s happening online and what it could all mean for the election.And in headlines: The FBI announced it's investigating a possible leak of classified documents that allegedly outline Israel’s plans to attack Iran, a federal judge ordered former New York City mayor and Trump loyalist Rudy Giuliani to turn over his Upper East Side penthouse to two Georgia election workers who he defamed, and Trump plans a sit-down interview with podcaster Joe Rogan.Show Notes:Check out Charlie's reporting – https://tinyurl.com/4ekhx5rvSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

It's officially two weeks until Election Day, and SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk wants you to vote — for former President Donald Trump, obviously. In fact, Musk wants you to vote so badly that he says he’s giving out $1 million a day to people in swing states who sign his petition supporting the rights to free speech and to bear arms. It’s part of an effort to get more Republicans registered to vote. Except legal experts we spoke with — like Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin and UCLA election law professor Rick Hasen — say the whole scheme is likely illegal. Later in the show, NPR National Correspondent Sarah McCammon talks about where the white Evangelical vote stands after Roe. v. Wade was overturned.And in headlines: A major election watcher says Pennsylvania’s Senate race is now a ‘tossup,’ the group of men formerly known as the Central Park Five filed a defamation lawsuit against Trump, and the Biden Administration says it’s proposing a new rule to make private health insurers cover more contraceptives.Show Notes:Check out Sarah's reporting – https://tinyurl.com/234aj3vrSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

In-person early voting kicked off this weekend in Nevada, one of the key swing states that will decide the upcoming election. Like all the other major battlegrounds, polling averages show the race there between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump is a statistical dead heat. Four years ago, President Joe Biden won Nevada’s six electoral votes by about 2.5 points. But Nevada is also a state where Republicans could chip away at the Democrat Party’s historical advantage with two major voting blocs: union voters and Latino voters. Manuel Santamaria, the Nevada state director for the nonprofit Mi Familia Vota, talks about where things stand in the state with just about two weeks to go until Election Day.And in headlines: Trump waxed poetic about the late golfer Arnold Palmer’s genitalia, Cuba suffered its worst blackout in decades, and letter carriers agreed to a tentative new contract with the United States Postal Service.Show Notes:Check out Mi Familia VotaSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Buying a home is already so expensive in America, but climate change is poised to make it much worse—even if you don’t live in the path of a hurricane. This week on How We Got Here, Max and Erin take a look at Florida to understand the thorny problem of insuring a home in a warming world. They break down how the insurance system is trying to account for ever-increasing risk, and explain why people keep moving to the places that are hardest hit by climate change.

In the aftermath of increasingly destructive natural disasters like Hurricanes Helene and Milton, politicians on both sides of the aisle have politicized the recovery effort. What fewer people are making political is the reason those storms were so destructive: warmer oceans caused by climate change. Bill Nye, the Science Guy, joins us to talk about why people should vote with the environment in mind this November.And in headlines: Former President Donald Trump blames Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for Ukraine's war with Russia, A Texas state court temporarily delays an execution, Israeli officials killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, and Google says it will block all political ads as soon as the polls close on November 5th.Show Notes:Check out Bill's initiative – https://tinyurl.com/mr3dn6npSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Polls have shown that former President Donald Trump is increasingly weak when it comes to support from women. Recent Wall Street Journal polling found that Vice President Kamala Harris has a 13 point lead over Trump among women. In an attempt to reverse those trends, Trump went on Fox News to speak to a crowd of all women where he called himself the “father of IVF.” Erin Ryan, host of Crooked’s Hysteria and the weekend edition of What A Day, joins us to debrief.And in headlines: Democratic Representative Colin Allred dragged Republican Senator Ted Cruz during the Texas Senate race debate, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presented his “Victory Plan” to his country’s Parliament, and an abortion rights group in Florida sued the state after Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration ordered TV stations to stop airing their pro-abortion ad.Show Notes:Check out Hysteria – https://crooked.com/podcast-series/hysteria/Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

In a Presidential race that will be decided on the margins – there’s evidence that Vice President Kamala Harris is losing support among Black Voters and Latino Voters. Both groups still overwhelmingly support Harris, just less overwhelmingly than Democrats in the past. Journalist Paola Ramos has spent the last few years trying to understand why a growing number of Latinos seem drawn to former President Donald Trump and his far-right, nativist message. She spoke with insurrectionists, border vigilantes, a MAGA congresswoman, and others for her new book “Defectors: The Rise of the Latino Far Right and What it Means for America.”And in headlines: Donald Trump spends 39 minutes dancing at a rally, Georgia sets records for voter turnout during early voting, the Biden administration threatens to withhold weapons funding from Israel unless they allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, and North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson sues CNN for defamation.Show Notes:Check out Paola's book – https://tinyurl.com/fbxtw38eSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump are working hard to earn the support of a key voting bloc this election: union voters. While most major unions have kept up the tradition of backing Democrats by endorsing Harris, two of the country’s biggest unions — the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the International Association of Fire Fighters — opted not to endorse either candidate, citing internal divisions among their ranks. April Verrett, president of the Service Employees International Union, joins us to talk about why her union endorsed Harris, and what’s driving divisions within unions.And in headlines: Georgia’s Republican secretary of state says local officials are prepared to fight election misinformation, A Nevada man says he’ll sue a California county sheriff who accused him of plotting to assassinate Trump, and NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft is on its way to Jupiter’s ocean moon.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz will spend this week barnstorming through the so-called “Blue Wall” states: Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Between now and Saturday, the two have more than a dozen campaign events planned in the three states. While the ‘Blue Wall’ offers Democrats the best shot at winning the White House, the Harris campaign’s slate of stops there this week also reflects the party’s growing unease as the presidential race tightens. All three states also feature major Senate races that Democrats need to win for the party to hold onto its majority. Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin joins us to talk about her race and what the party needs to do to win these battleground states.And in headlines: The Pentagon announced plans to send an anti-missile defense system to Israel, Republican Vice Presidential Candidate J.D. Vance still won’t say Trump lost the 2020 election, and a Las Vegas man was arrested outside former President Donald Trump’s rally in California's Coachella Valley.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Jill Stein may not be polling high, but in several states she’s poised to bring in more votes than the margin of error between Harris and Trump. Her campaign events tout that they could cost Harris key states like Michigan, and thus the election. Is this what she wants? A closer look at Stein’s 20 years in politics reveals the Green Party candidate has had little success in elevating left-wing positions, and many of her stances—including a ceasefire in Gaza—aren’t nearly as clear cut as they seem. What’s more, Stein’s presidential runs have been aided and funded by a slew of Trump lawyers and Republican consultants. What’s her game plan here? Is she going to spoil this election? How many metaphors will Max and Erin deploy to describe her hypocrisy? Listen to this week’s “How We Got Here” to find out.

People in Florida are assessing the damage caused by Hurricane Milton. The storm made landfall late Wednesday as a Category 3 storm just south of Tampa, dropping up to 18 inches of rain overnight. As of late Thursday, around 3 million people in the state were still without power. At least 12 people died, though that number is expected to increase as rescue efforts continue. Hurricane recovery — both from Milton and Helene — is happening right alongside the 2024 election, conspiracy theories and all. Longtime D.C. reporter and friend of the pod Todd Zwillich joins us to talk about how the disinformation from the MAGA-verse is an operating feature of the movement. Later, Shaniqua McClendon, head of Crooked’s partner organization Vote Save America, talks about important down-ballot and state legislature races.And in headlines: Former President Barack Obama campaigned for Vice President Kamala Harris in Pittsburgh, Harris committed to a CNN town hall event with undecided Pennsylvania voters, and a federal judge set a date for the sex trafficking trial against rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.Show Notes:Build Your Own Ballot – https://votesaveamerica.com/be-a-voter/Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Hurricane Milton made landfall Wednesday night along Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm. It’s expected to be one of the most powerful hurricanes to hit the U.S. in more than 100 years, with sustained winds of over 120 miles an hour. As Milton moved closer to shore Wednesday, strong inland winds triggered tornado warnings across parts of Florida, and at least one tornado was reported near Fort Myers. WAD’s own Josie Duffy Rice got in contact with two friends who evacuated from western Florida ahead of the storm. Later in the show, Abrahm Lustgarten, climate reporter for ProPublica and author of the book ‘On the Move: The Overheating Earth and the Uprooting of America,’ talks about the ways climate change is reshaping how — and where — we live.And in headlines: Vice presidential candidates Tim Walz and J.D. Vance rallied supporters in Arizona, X is relaunching in Brazil, and New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art announced the theme for the 2025 Met Gala exhibition.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

In Texas, Democratic Congressman Colin Allred is making Republican Ted Cruz work hard to keep his Senate seat, with polls showing the race within three percentage points. Cruz’s campaign seems to think the best strategy for winning re-election is to lean into anti-trans messaging. Semafor politics reporter Dave Weigel joins us from the campaign trail in Texas to talk about how Cruz and other Republicans are leaning into anti-trans fearmongering this election cycle. Later, Grace Panetta, political reporter for The 19th, talks about how voter ID laws make it more difficult for trans people to vote.And in headlines: Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall as soon as tonight, former President Donald Trump has reportedly spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘as many as seven’ times since leaving office, and the Supreme Court flirts with putting restrictions on one specific type of gun.Show Notes:Dave Weigel’s reporting: https://www.semafor.com/article/10/08/2024/anti-trans-ads-didnt-work-in-2022-republicans-think-this-time-will-be-differentSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Supreme Court kicked off its new term Monday by opting not take up two cases that could have major implications for reproductive rights. In one decision, the court rejected an appeal from an Alabama fertility clinic seeking to avoid a wrongful death lawsuit over the destruction of a couple’s embryos. The other case it rejected was an appeal from the Biden administration over emergency abortions in Texas. With issues like trans rights, ghost guns and the potential for more election cases on the docket this term, Melissa Murray, co-host of Crooked's ‘Strict Scrutiny,’ breaks down what we can expect from the justices in the coming months.And in headlines: Forecasters upgraded Hurricane Milton to a Category 5 storm as it barrels toward Florida’s Gulf Coast, Vice President Kamala Harris reflected on the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel, and Georgia’s top court revived the state’s six-week abortion ban.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Donald Trump rallied with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, at the same site where a lone gunman attempted to assassinate the former president earlier this year. Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris was in North Carolina over the weekend helping with the ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene. She’s scheduled to do a series of sit-down interviews this week with a slew of different outlets, from ’60 Minutes’ to ‘Howard Stern.’Today also marks one year since Hamas militants broke out of the Gaza Strip, killing roughly 1,200 Israelis and taking more than 200 hostage in the deadliest attack on Israelis in the country’s history. It prompted Israel to immediately declared war on Hamas, and in the year since, the Gaza Health Ministry says around 42,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s military. As the threat of a wider war mounts in the region, Yonatan Zeigen, the son of an Israeli peace activist who was killed during the attack, and Nivine Sandouka, a Palestinian living in East Jerusalem and regional director of the Alliance for Middle East Peace, talk about the work they’re doing to help bring peace the region.Show Notes:Alliance for Middle East Peace - https://www.allmep.org/Vivian Silver Impact Award - https://www.viviansilver.com/Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday   

Iran launched ballistic missiles at Israel this week, in the latest escalation between the two Middle Eastern powers. But would you believe that 40 years ago the two nations enjoyed a quiet diplomacy? What happened here? And why is the rest of the Middle East once more getting sucked into the rivalry? This week on How We Got Here, Max and Erin explain why “ancient hatred” isn’t to blame, what role Lebanon and Hezbollah play, and how Donald Trump has made—and could still make—all of this much, much worse.

While Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are vying for the White House, neither will be able to make good on their campaign promises if they don’t also get some help from their respective parties in Congress. Control of both the Senate and the House are up for grabs this election cycle. And right now, Democrats’ quickest path to victory in the House runs through two unlikely states: California and New York. California Democratic Rep. Mike Levin talks about his experience flipping a longtime Republican district.And in headlines: Former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney campaigned with Harris in the birthplace of the GOP, former First Lady Melania Trump says she supports access to abortion in an upcoming memoir, and the union representing tens of thousands of longshoremen agreed to call off its walkouts at East and Gulf Coast ports.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Fighting in the Middle East between Israel, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, and Iran dramatically ramped up this week. On Tuesday, Iran launched around 200 missiles at Israel in response to the assassination of longtime Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah last week. With the help of the U.S., Israel was able to defend against most of the Iranian airstrikes and prevent significant damage. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to retaliate, while Iranian officials have warned of more airstrikes should Israel do so. Ben Samuels, U.S. correspondent for Haaretz, says the events show just how little control the Biden administration has over what happens next in the widening conflict.And in headlines: President Biden and Vice President Harris surveyed damage from Hurricane Helene in separate visits to the southeast, a newly unsealed court filing gives the public the most detailed picture yet of former President Trump’s “private criminal conduct” in the lead up to the Jan. 6 insurrection, and a federal appeals court says betting on U.S. elections can resumeShow Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance met Tuesday for the first and only vice presidential debate ahead of the November election. It’s also likely to be the final debate for both campaigns, making it one of the last big moments before voters decide who will take over the White House. The two men kept things pretty civil over their 90 minutes on stage, and neither committed the kind of egregious error that could hurt their respective tickets. WAD host Jane Coaston recaps the highlights with longtime Washington reporter Todd Zwillich. Later in the show, she’s joined by ‘Pod Save America’ co-host Tommy Vietor for more analysis.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The death toll from Hurricane Helene topped more than 120 people on Monday across six states in the southeast. Hundreds are still unaccounted for, and the number of casualties is going up. Juliette Kayyem, faculty chair of the homeland security program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and the author of ‘The Devil Never Sleeps: Learning to Live in an Age of Disasters,’ explains what the next steps in recovery will look like.And in headlines: Israel launched a ground invasion in southern Lebanon, schools outside of Atlanta closed Monday because of toxic smoke from a chemical plant, and a Superior Court judge in Georgia struck down the state’s six-week abortion ban.Show Notes: Crooked disaster relief – https://tinyurl.com/bdfc8j38Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Huge swaths of the Southeast are still digging out from Hurricane Helene after the storm made landfall Thursday night along Florida’s gulf coast. As of late Sunday, more than 90 people were reported dead across six states. Tampa and western North Carolina saw some of the worst damage from the storm. Blue Ridge Public Radio reporter Gerard Albert III joins us to talk about rescue and recovery efforts around Asheville, N.C. Later in the show, Michigan Democratic Sen. Gary Peters talks about the state of play in one of the most pivotal swing states in the upcoming election.And in headlines: Former President Donald Trump called Vice President Kamala Harris ‘mentally impaired’ during a weekend rally, Israel killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a Friday airstrike, and the International Longshoremen’s Association and its tens of thousands of members are set to strike starting Tuesday.Show Notes:Resources help victims of Hurricane Helene –https://tinyurl.com/43ykrkucSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The California Attorney General sued Exxon Mobil this week for misleading the public on the sustainability of single use plastics. How did plastics recycling go from an exciting promise to a scam perpetuated by Big Oil? Max and Erin tear into Exxon’s decades-long campaign to unwrap the truth—with help from journalist Oliver Franklin-Wallis and the AG himself, Rob Bonta. Why is it so hard to recycle plastic? Who actually processes our waste? Will the lawsuit work? Listen to this week’s How We Got Here to find out.

Federal officials on Thursday unsealed an inducement charging New York City Mayor Eric Adams with a litany of corruption and illegal campaign finance crimes, making him the city's first sitting mayor to charged with a crime. But in good news, New York's WNBA team has made it to the league’s semifinals! While 2024 has been a banner year for the WNBA, players have also had to deal with a torrent of racist invective and general culture war nonsense all season long. Crooked’s own Erin Ryan, host of ‘Hysteria’ and the weekend edition of ‘What A Day,’ joins Jane to talk about it.And in headlines: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Israeli officials defiantly rejected international calls for a ceasefire with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, and Hurricane Helene made landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast.Show Notes:Check out Hysteria – https://crooked.com/podcast-series/hysteria/Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Vice President Kamala Harris laid out what she called her “pragmatic” approach to growing the economy during a speech in Pittsburgh Wednesday. While Harris has been closing the gap with former President Donald Trump, when it comes to which candidate voters trust more to handle the economy, most polls show he still has the edge on one of the top issues in the race. But it’s not like Trump has particularly good ideas for voters who want the economy to work better for them. Among his more hare-brained plans is to appoint Elon Musk to find ways to cut government spending. Long-time tech journalist Kara Swisher explains how Trump and Musk became so close.And in headlines: The House and Senate passed a temporary spending bill to avert a government shutdown…for now, a new report from a bipartisan Senate committee detailed multiple Secret Service failures around the first assassination attempt against Trump, and a Missouri man was put to death despite state prosecutors' attempts to appeal his sentence. Show Notes:Check out Kara's pod – https://tinyurl.com/5kknr253Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

In his final address to the U.N. General Assembly Tuesday, President Joe Biden reflected on his foreign policy legacy and called on world leaders to “end this war” in Gaza. But privately, senior administration officials have reportedly acknowledged that Biden's time is running out to reach a deal for a ceasefire and the return of the remaining hostages to Israel before he leaves office. The prospect of a deal looks more distant than ever right now because of the rapidly escalating conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Nahal Toosi, senior foreign affairs correspondent for Politico, talks about the situation in Lebanon and the risks of the conflict becoming a wider regional war.And in headlines: Former President Donald Trump promised women will “no longer be thinking about abortion” if he’s elected in November, the U.S. promised to send another $357 million in military aid to Ukraine, and the Justice Department sued Visa for monopolizing the debit card market. Show Notes:Check out Nahal's work – https://www.politico.com/staff/nahal-toosiSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Let’s talk about polling! A bunch of new polls have us feeling a whole lot of feelings right now. 'Pod Save America' co-host Jon Lovett joins us for a vibe check on the state of the presidential race, and shares what he thinks we should all take away from the latest polls. Later in the show, New York magazine reporter Kevin Dugan explains former President Donald Trump's latest foray into the world of cryptocurrency.And in headlines: Israeli airstrikes hit 1,300 targets in Lebanon, Nebraska Republicans failed in their scheme to change how the state awards its presidential electoral votes, and the Republican Governors’ Association announced no more ad buys in North Carolina amid the scandal involving Lt. Gov. and gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson.Show Notes:Subscribe to Crooked's community – https://crooked.com/friends-of-the-pod-subscription/Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whatada

A slew of new polls shows Vice President Kamala Harris with a slim lead over former President Trump in the must-win swing state of Pennsylvania. With just about a month until Election Day, both presidential running mates spent the weekend campaigning in the state to shore up support for their respective tickets. One person who definitely knows how to connect with voters in Pennsylvania, though, is Democratic Rep. Summer Lee, whose district includes parts of Pittsburgh and its surrounding area. She joins us to talk about her success as a progressive lawmaker in today’s Democratic Party and the lessons that the Harris-Walz campaign can learn from younger politicians like her.And in headlines: House Speaker Mike Johnson announced an agreement for a short-term spending bill to avoid a government shutdown, four top campaign officials for Republican North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson resigned amid a swirling scandal over comments he allegedly made on a porn website’s message board, and Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah inched closer to all-out war.Show Notes:Subscribe to Crooked's community – https://crooked.com/friends-of-the-pod-subscription/Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Kamala has offered very few details on her climate and energy plans while openly promoting American fossil fuel production. Yet a lot of climate and environmental groups seem to adore her. What’s going on here?! Max and Erin explain how, even though Harris might sound pretty moderate on the campaign trail, Biden has actually tilted the energy economy so heavily that she’s set up for success. What’s Harris’ strategy in showcasing fracking? How can she weild the Supreme Court in her favor? And, at this point, is just being “good” on climate change really enough?

In a bombshell story Thursday, CNN reported that the Republican candidate for governor in North Carolina, Mark Robinson, made crazy statements on a porn website’s messaging board more than a decade ago. Robinson, who’s also the state’s sitting lieutenant governor, reportedly referred to himself as “a black NAZI” and a “perv.” He wrote about wanting to reinstate slavery, and he admitted to enjoying porn featuring people who are transgender, despite a record of deeply anti-trans comments. Robinson denied the story, despite a long-history of making similarly inflammatory comments. North Carolina Democratic Congressman Jeff Jackson, who’s running to be the state’s next attorney general, talks about what it all means for the state’s election.And in headlines: The Uncommitted National Movement said it will not endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president, the number of fatal drug overdoses in the U.S. fell dramatically for the first time in decades, and video and audio footage analyzed by the Washington Post appears to prove that the coach of Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles did submit her appeal within the necessary time frame.Show Notes:Subscribe to Tre'vell's email community – slayzhon.comSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

In the week since the presidential debate, former President Donald Trump’s lies about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, have sown chaos in the small city. Members of the Proud Boys, a right-wing extremist group, started showing up. Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said more than 30 fake bomb threats have been called in, forcing schools, government buildings and stores to close temporarily. Dr. Robert Baker, a political science professor at Springfield’s Wittenberg University, talks about how Trump’s debate comment is disrupting life in the city. Later, Miami Herald Caribbean correspondent Jacqueline Charles talks about how the situation on the ground in Haiti is driving people out of the country. And in headlines: House Speaker Mike Johnson failed to rally his conference to pass a spending bill to avoid a government shutdown, the U.S. Justice Department filed a $100 million legal claim against the owner and operator of the cargo ship that destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, and Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear signed an executive order banning the use of conversion therapy on LGBTQ minors.Show Notes:Check out Pro. Rob Baker's book – https://tinyurl.com/d9mjshysSubscribe to Priyanka's newsletter –https://www.shitiboughtandliked.com/Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Questions continue to mount around the Secret Service two days after a second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. On Monday, the interim director of the service admitted that agents did not search the perimeter of Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course, where the alleged gunman waited for 12 hours before he was spotted. Former Secret Service agent Michael Matranga talks about the work the agency does to protect people like Trump. Later in the show, Florida Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz, who sits on the bipartisan panel investigating the first assassination attempt against Trump, talks about Congress’ plans to investigate the latest incident.And in headlines: Israel declined to comment on what appeared to be a coordinated explosion of pagers used by members of Hezbollah that killed nine and injured thousands, Senate Republicans blocked a bill that would guarantee national access to IVF, and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces federal charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.Show Notes:Check out The 30 Year Project – https://tinyurl.com/ycybsfzsSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Voters in more than 30 states will get to weigh in on elections for their state supreme courts this November, with 82 seats up for grabs. While state judicial races often get overshadowed in a presidential election year, the outcomes of these races have massive consequences on people's lives. It's often state supreme courts that get the final say on local abortion restrictions, redistricting and gerrymandering cases, laws that target the LGBTQ community, and tons of other important issues. Daniel Nichanian, founder and editor of Bolts magazine, breaks down which states have big Supreme Court elections coming up and where the stakes are highest.And in headlines: The interim head of the Secret Service said the man suspected of planning a second assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump did not fire his rifle or have a sightline on Trump, Vice President Kamala Harris met with leaders from the Teamsters in an attempt to win their endorsement, and Boar's Head is shutting down the Virginia meat production facility at the center of a listeria outbreak.Show Notes:Check out the races on Bolts – https://boltsmag.org/Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

We're officially fewer than 50 days out from Election Day. While most of the attention has been on the five states that decided the 2020 race for President Joe Biden – Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia, and Arizona — there's another state that went for former President Donald Trump that Democrats are putting back in play this year: North Carolina. Trump won the state by a little more than a point four years ago, but polls now show Harris has a chance of becoming the first Democrat since Barack Obama in 2008 to turn the state blue. Anderson Clayton, chair of the state Democratic Party, joins us to talk about what Harris needs to do to win North Carolina in November.And in headlines: The FBI is investigating another apparent assassination attempt targeting former President Trump, Republican Vice Presidential Nominee J.D. Vance seemed to admit to making up racist stories about Haitian immigrants eating dogs and cats in Ohio, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will retaliate against the Yemen-based Houthi militia after the group claimed responsibility for launching a missile into the country.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

2024 is on track to be the biggest year for public stadium subsidies we’ve ever seen. Billionaire team owners keep asking for—and receiving—more exorbitant arenas and upgrades from local governments. But who’s footing the bill? The taxpayers! Even though most economists say the returns from these facilities never live up to the hype, city officials continue to court teams and kowtow to their demands. Why do teams like the Raiders, Orioles and Penguins have local governments in such an expensive chokehold? What does a stadium actually do for a community? What happens when voters have a say? Erin and Tre’vell break down how we got here, and explain why getting a new stadium in your neighborhood is no slam dunk.

Thursday night kicked off the start of week two of the NFL season. And after years of ceding the proverbial playing field to Republicans, Democrats are trying to take back football! Drew Magary, columnist for Defector and SF Gate, explains how adopting the language of football became a winning strategy for Dems heading into November. And in headlines: Former President Donald Trump insisted he won Tuesday night's debate during his first rally since his chaotic performance, a state judge in North Dakota struck down the state's near-total abortion ban, and the first ballots for the upcoming general election are officially in the mail. Show Notes:Check out Drew's work – https://defector.com/author/drew-magarySubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

It’s been about a week since federal agents seized the phones of New York Police Commissioner Edward Caban and other top NYPD officials. Caban is one of a few top deputies in Mayor Eric Adams’ administration who are currently under investigation by federal authorities, though details are so far scant. But it’s yet another potential stain on the oldest, largest, and arguably most scandal-prone police department in the country. Chenjerai Kumanyika, host of Crooked and Wondery’s new podcast ‘Empire City,’ talks about the ‘untold origin story’ of the NYPD.And in headlines: Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson delayed a vote on a six-month government spending bill, federal inspectors warned of an “imminent threat” to food safety at a Boar’s Head plant in Virginia, and an Ohio man begged former President Donald Trump and other Republicans to stop politicizing the death of his son. Show Notes:Check Out Empire City – crooked.com/podcast-series/empirecity/Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

On Tuesday night, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump faced off in their first and currently only scheduled presidential debate. The candidates went back and forth on the biggest issues in the election, including reproductive rights, the economy, immigration, and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. But while VP Harris largely stayed on message, Trump often descended into conspiracy theories and lies. Tommy Vietor, host of Pod Save America and Pod Save the World, joins to give his post-debate analysis.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday   

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are set to square off tonight in their first — and so far only — scheduled debate before the election. The stakes are immense, especially for Harris, who entered the race less than two months ago. Many voters still say they need to know more about her before they cast their ballots. Errin Haines, editor-at-large for The 19th, explains what Harris needs to say tonight to win the debate and win over voters still on the fence.And in headlines: Trump threatened to jail anyone who he believes is involved in cheating in the 2024 election, the commissioner of the New York Police Department is stepping down, and R.I.P. James Earl Jones. Show Notes:Check out Erin's work – https://19thnews.org/author/errin-haines/Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Arizona is one of 10 states where voters will get to weigh in directly on abortion access in November in the form of a ballot measure that would enshrine the right to the procedure in the state's constitution. On today's show, we're welcoming our new host of 'What A Day," Jane Coaston. Jane tells us more about her recent trip to Arizona with the 'Pod Save America' guys and speaks with Chris Love, a reproductive rights activist and a spokesperson for Arizonans for Abortion Access.And in headlines: The New York Times released a new poll showing Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump in a statistical dead heat ahead of the debate, the mother of the suspected Apalachee High School shooter says she called the school about half an hour before the shooting to warn a counselor about her son, and Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill was detained by police and placed in handcuffs a block away from the stadium ahead of Sunday's game.Show Notes:Check out AAA – https://www.arizonaforabortionaccess.org/Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Brazil’s power struggle with Elon Musk over censorship on X (formerly Twitter) escalated this week, with the country’s Supreme Court upholding a ban on the platform. 40 million Brazilians lost access to the site, which had come under fire for allowing election deniers to incite an insurrection—sound familiar? Erin and Max take a look at other countries that have enacted similar social media bans, including Sri Lanka, Turkey and India. Does it stop the violence? Do tech companies actually care about free speech there? And what does it mean for the world if more governments follow Brazil’s lead and temporarily ban social platforms to pressure companies into compliance? Can governments really be trusted to regulate our online interactions? Find out on this week’s “How We Got Here.”

Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign kicked off a weeks-long reproductive freedom bus tour this week, with a 50-stop route that runs through some of the biggest swing states in the upcoming election. It's an issue that plays to Harris' strengths — and former President Donald Trump's biggest weaknesses. While Trump loves to take credit for appointing the Supreme Court justices that ultimately helped overturn Roe v. Wade, he's spent the years since trying to moderate his stance on abortion and reproductive healthcare, angering members of his socially conservative base in the process. Shefali Luthra, who covers reproductive care for The 19th, explains how Trump's muddled stance has angered both sides of the abortion debate.In Arizona, Republican Vice Presidential Candidate J.D. Vance got an icy reaction when he told a crowd Thursday, "It's very simple, we lost Arizona" in 2020. Election denialism has become a feature of the Republican Party since Trump became its leader, trickling down through the ranks of many state GOP parties, including Arizona's. Jane Coaston, former politics reporter for Vox, a contributor to The New York Times opinion section — and WAD's newest host — examines how Arizona politics went from the party of John McCain to the epicenter of election denialism.And in headlines: Georgia police arrested and charged the father of the suspect in Wednesday's fatal shooting at Apalachee High School, Trump pleaded not guilty to the revised criminal charges in his election interference case, and President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to nine charges related to federal tax evasion and fraud.Show Notes:Check out Shefali's reporting – https://19thnews.org/author/shefali-luthra/Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Georgia police on Wednesday said four people were killed, and nine others were taken to the hospital with injuries after a shooting at Apalachee High School outside of Atlanta. Police identified the alleged shooter as a 14-year-old student at the school. Natalie Fall, the executive director of March For Our Lives, talks about how gun safety advocates are responding to the latest school tragedy.A new poll from CNN/SSRS shows Vice President Kamala Harris with a lead in the vital swing states of Michigan and Wisconsin and in a statistical tie with former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Georgia. As the nation prepares to potentially make Harris the first Indian American president in U.S. history, WAD host Priyanka Arabindi sat down with members of her own family to do exactly what you're not supposed to do at a big family gathering: talk about politics!And in headlines: The Biden administration is planning to make it harder to end a restrictive asylum policy that was supposed to be temporary, the Department of Justice said it had disrupted Russian efforts to meddle in the upcoming election, and Montana's Republican Senate nominee Tim Sheehy was caught on tape making racist comments about Native Americans.Show Notes:Check out March For Our Lives – https://marchforourlives.org/Take the AP's Gen Alpha Quiz – https://tinyurl.com/bdedmazzSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday   

A new poll from ABC News/Ipsos adds more evidence to reports of a growing gender divide among voters heading into the November election. It shows Vice President Kamala Harris has a 13-point advantage among women voters, while former President Donald Trump is leading by 5 points with men. The poll also showed white women have made one of the biggest political shifts in the last few weeks, with Trump dropping from a 13-point advantage before the Democratic National Convention to a 2-point advantage after. Vox Senior Correspondent Zack Beauchamp looks at whether there’s evidence to support a widening political gender divide and what could be driving it.And in headlines: A federal judge denied Trump’s request to delay his criminal sentencing in his New York hush-money case, more than 50 people died, and 200 more were injured in Ukraine after Russian missiles struck the central city of Poltava and A former staffer for New York Govs. Kathy Hochul and Andrew Cuomo was arrested on charges of acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government.Show Notes:Check out Zack's stories – www.vox.com/authors/zack-beauchampSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Israel spent the last few days engulfed in mass protests and paralyzed by a national strike after the bodies of six hostages, including an American Israeli, were recovered from a tunnel in southern Gaza this weekend. But despite national outcry for a ceasefire, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seemed to double down on his terms for a deal with Hamas during a press conference Monday night. While the war in Gaza captured most of the headlines this weekend, Russia's war in Ukraine is showing no signs of letting up either. On Monday, Russia fired a barrage of missiles and drone attacks on the capital city of Kyiv, while President Volodymyr Zelensky conceded that Ukrainian forces holding territory in Russia had not yet managed to divert troops away from the frontlines of the war in the country's east. Kateryna Hodunova, a journalist at the Kyiv Independent, explains where things stand in Ukraine after two and a half years of war.And in headlines: Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden held their first joint campaign event in Philadelphia to promote their support for unions, Brazil's Supreme Court upheld a decision to ban X in the country, and Italian Paralympic runner Valentina Petrillo became the first openly transgender woman to run in the games. Show Notes:Check out Kateryna's stories – https://tinyurl.com/3yztjcejSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

2024 is on track to be the hottest year on record, beating out the current #1…2023. In a world where extreme heat is becoming the norm and more and more people are living in cities, are urban areas literally and figuratively cooked? To get a sense of the unique climate threats facing cities and what mayors are doing about it, Max and Erin take a closer look at Boston, Phoenix, and Hoboken. Can soapy roads address the urban heat island effect? Where’s the best place to hide a stormwater cistern? Where does environmental justice fit into all of this? Listen to this week’s How We Got Here to find out.

As we've been covering on the show for a while now, Republican-led states across the country are attacking trans communities by banning or attempting to ban everything from life-saving healthcare to sports participation for school-aged youth. In South Carolina Thursday, a trans man, families of trans youth, and the ACLU sued the state to overturn a ban on gender-affirming healthcare signed by Republican Gov. Henry McMaster in May. And in Florida this week, a federal appeals court ruled that a state law banning gender-affirming care can be enforced while a legal challenge plays out. While the trans community may be the target of so many of these efforts, the transphobia and transmisia affect everyone, whether you're a member of the trans community or not. That's the focus of a new series of articles published by The 19th this week titled "The toll of America's anti-trans war." One of the lead reporters, Orion Rummler, explains the ways the anti-trans agenda shapes all of our lives.And in headlines: Former President Donald Trump says his administration will pay for IVF, Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz sat for their first interview with CNN, and the World Health Organization says Israel has agreed to small pauses in fighting in Gaza to help get children vaccinated against polio. Show Notes:Check out The 19th's series 'The toll of America's anti-trans war'–https://tinyurl.com/usuvrbm2Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Special Counsel Jack Smith is on a roll this week. On Monday, he asked an Atlanta-based appeals court to revive his federal classified documents case against former President Donald Trump. A day later, he filed a revised indictment against Trump over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The revisions were in response to the Supreme Court's decision earlier this year giving Trump and all future presidents broad immunity from prosecution for their official acts as president. But much of the indictment is the same as the original. Norm Eisen, who served as special counsel to the House Judiciary Committee's Democratic majority during Trump's two impeachment proceedings, helps break down where things now stand with Trump's criminal cases.And in headlines: The Supreme Court dealt another blow to President Joe Biden's efforts to ease the burden of federal student loan debt, Israel carried out its largest raids in the occupied West Bank in at least two decades, and the 2024 Paralympics are underway in Paris! Show Notes:Check out Norm's piece for Just Security – https://tinyurl.com/yc5xbzk3Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

In a letter to Republican Rep. Jim Jordan released on Tuesday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg claimed the Biden Administration "repeatedly pressured" the company to crack down on COVID-19 disinformation on its platforms and that he regrets not being more outspoken about it. Zuckerberg also said Meta was wrong to temporarily suppress a 2020 New York Post story about a laptop belonging to then-candidate Joe Biden's son, Hunter. Zuckerberg said Meta would no longer downgrade potentially false stories while it waits for fact-checkers to weigh in. Washington Post tech reporter Will Oremus explains what this means for the potential spread of misinformation this election cycle.And in headlines: Special Counsel Jack Smith filed a new indictment against former President Donald Trump over his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz will sit for their first joint interview on CNN this week, and a federal judge in Texas halted a new Biden administration program designed to give undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens a more direct path to citizenship.Show Notes:Check out Will's article – https://tinyurl.com/mvzc694dSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are campaigning this week in Georgia, one of the most crucial swing states in this year's presidential election. Before Harris replaced President Biden on the ticket, the state was looking like a lost cause for Democrats. But recent polls show it's now back in play. Democrats aren't dealing with a level playing field, though. Most recently, the state's Republican-controlled election board approved a new rule requiring counties to delay certification of votes if there are any discrepancies in the voting process. Democrats sued to block the change on Monday, saying it could lead to "mass disenfranchisement of eligible, registered Georgians." ProPublica reporter Doug Bock Clark breaks down what's happening in Georgia.And in headlines: Special Counsel Jack Smith is asking a federal appeals court to revive former President Donald Trump's federal documents case, Trump is once again threatening to back out of the Sept. 10 presidential debate on ABC, and more than a million doses of the polio vaccine have arrived in Gaza. Show Notes:Check out Doug's article – https://tinyurl.com/36sdffarSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

At last week’s Democratic National Convention, organizers tried to put unity on display by featuring speakers with a range of ideological viewpoints who support Vice President Kamala Harris’ bid for president. But one major voice was missing. DNC leaders denied the request of the Uncommitted Movement, the Pro-Palestinian anti-war in Gaza coalition, to have a Palestinian American speak on stage at the convention. One of the people who the group suggested was Georgia State Rep. Ruwa Romman, the state’s first Palestinian American elected to public office. She joins us on the show to talk about the message the DNC’s decision sends to voters opposed to U.S. support for Israel’s war in Gaza.And in headlines: The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah traded fire with Israel on Sunday in the biggest flare-up of violence between the two in recent months, Republican Vice Presidential Nominee J.D. Vance says Donald Trump would veto a federal abortion ban if elected as president, and RFK Jr. threw his support behind Trump after suspending his independent bid for president. Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The balloons are deflated. The halls have gone quiet. And the entire city of Chicago is, once more, nursing a hangover. But did the DNC really change anything for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz? Max and Erin take a look at the conventions of Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, John McCain and others to understand why some candidates get a leg up while others fizzle. How will VP Harris’ boost compare to Trump’s? Is having a clear policy agenda a pro or con for a convention? Has Bill Clinton always been so long winded?  Listen to this week’s How We Got Here to find out.

Vice President Kamala Harris officially accepted the Democratic nomination for President Thursday night on the final day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. On a star-studded night that included appearances from Kerry Washington, Reverend Al Sharpton, and NOT Beyoncé, the energy on the convention floor was electric as Democrats anticipate the general election, less than 75 days away.Harris’s speech included touching moments from her life story, remarks on the economy and the war in Gaza, and even a few jabs at former President and Republican nominee Donald Trump. “What a Day” host Juanita Tolliver joins us from the convention floor to tell us whether Harris’ speech met expectations and to give us an inside look at the excitement as the DNC comes to a close. Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Democratic National Convention continued Wednesday night as Tim Walz formally accepted the nomination for Vice President. He went full "coach mode," whipping supporters into a frenzy as Vice President Kamala Harris prepares to receive the nomination as the Democratic Presidential candidate on Thursday. Meanwhile, protestors outside the convention center continue to challenge Democrats from the left on issues like the war in Gaza, reproductive rights, and LGBTQ freedom. Chicago journalist Shawn Allee brings us the perspectives of young voters from the convention as they share which issues matter most to them at the ballot box.In anticipation of Vice President Kamala Harris' nomination, we talked to Jay Caspian Kang, a staff writer for the New Yorker, about the Harris campaign's lack of details on policy proposals. With just over two months remaining until election day, we asked him what people want to hear from Harris as she gives her much-anticipated acceptance speech this evening. Show Notes:Check Out Jay's work – https://tinyurl.com/53rbte4nSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Tuesday night’s DNC turned into a raucous celebration as delegates from each state showed off their local pride while casting their votes for Vice President Kamala Harris. Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama headlined the night’s speeches, capping an exciting night for the party. But to win in November, Democrats will need to mobilize voters while also combating a slate of new voter suppression policies enacted by Republicans since the 2020 election. Stacey Abrams, a former Georgia lawmaker and voting rights activist — and host of the new Crooked podcast ‘Assembly Required' — joins us from the DNC to talk about the voting rights fight ahead. Meanwhile, DNC organizers granted more than 200 content creators and influencers special access to the convention this year. Their presence speaks to the power of social media in the world of political messaging, especially with young voters.And it’s a power that the Democratic Party is eager to tap into in these final few months before the election. Victoria Hammett, deputy director for Gen-Z for Change, talks about the content that resonates with young voters. Show Notes:Check Out Assembly Required – https://tinyurl.com/2s38jxs3Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

On Monday night, President Joe Biden kicked off the Democratic National Convention. In his speech, a political swan song, Biden looked back on his major accomplishments during his term as president. And, somewhat awkwardly, many people clapping and cheering on Monday were the same people who pressured Biden to drop his re-election bid. The party is moving on with Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket while Biden winds down his political career. Franklin Foer, a staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of "The Last Politician: Inside Joe Biden's White House and the Struggle for America's Future," discusses Biden's legacy.While the GOP had to settle for Kid Rock and Hulk Hogan, the Democrats will have no problem bringing the star power to the DNC. Olivia Craighead, a writer covering pop culture and celebrity for The Cut, highlights the famous folks throwing their support behind the Harris-Walz campaign this week.Show Notes:Check out Franklin's reporting – https://tinyurl.com/3vdn8cpbSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Democratic National Convention kicks off today in Chicago. While Vice President Kamala Harris is riding a lot of positive momentum into the DNC ahead of her prime-time speech Thursday, there are several protests planned to coincide with the convention, especially over the war in Gaza. It has a lot of people very nervous because of the parallels to the infamous 1968 Chicago DNC when tens of thousands of protestors and police violently clashed in the city’s downtown. Shawn Allee, a longtime Chicago reporter on the ground for Crooked this week, talks about some of the major protest groups planning to demonstrate at the convention.And in headlines: Vice President Harris laid out her economic agenda during a speech in North Carolina, OpenAI said it deactivated a group of ChatGPT accounts linked to an Iranian disinformation campaign, and the Supreme Court blocked the Biden administration from enforcing new Title IX protections for LGBTQ students.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday   

It’s been about a month since former President Donald Trump chose J.D. Vance to be his running mate on the Republican ticket. And in that short amount of time, the Ohio senator has made history… as one of the most unpopular picks for the job ever. The latest polls show more than 40 percent of Americans have an unfavorable opinion of Vance, prompting some to question whether he could sink Republicans’ hopes of winning the White House in November. To better understand the extent to which Vance has become an albatross for the Trump campaign, Max and Erin look at four other unpopular V.P. picks in modern history, from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin all the way back to former President Richard Nixon’s turn as President Eisenhower’s running mate in the 50s. They’ll explore the effects each candidate had on his or her respective ticket, and what it could all mean for Vance and the Republicans this year.

Eight years after Michelle Obama's famous "When they go low, we go high" speech, Democrats have been changing their rhetorical strategy on the campaign trail and meeting former President Donald Trump on his level when it comes to personal attacks and trolling. When Vice President and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate, he'd already received praise for coining a phrase that Republicans still haven't figured out how to defend against: "Weird." Governor Walz has continued to show a knack for mocking his opponents, recently alluding at a rally to a viral but fake story involving JD Vance committing salacious acts with a couch. Aaron Blake, senior political reporter for the Washington Post, talks about the Harris-Walz campaign's willingness to trade barbs on social media and "go low" as the general election approaches in November.And in headlines: The death toll in Gaza reaches 40,000, Vice President Kamala Harris will give a highly anticipated economic policy speech in North Carolina Friday focusing on the cost of living, a Vice Presidential debate is set for September 18th, and the SAG-AFTRA video game actor strike continues as animation workers enter negotiations and Crooked Media unanimously ratifies our first union contract. Show Notes:Check out Aaron's reporting – https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/aaron-blake/Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar easily won her primary race on Tuesday in a rematch against an opponent she beat by just a few thousand votes two years ago. While she and other members of The Squad easily held onto their seats in Congress, two of their fellow progressives were ousted amid record spending by pro-Israel groups: Reps —Jamaal Bowman of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri. The American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, spent $23 million on the two races alone, helping make them the most expensive House primaries in history. Sophie Hurwitz, reporter at Mother Jones, explains why AIPAC targeted some Squad members, not others.And in headlines: New federal data showed inflation dropped below 3 percent for the first time since March 2021, the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency in response to an outbreak of mpox in 13 African countries, and archival data from NASA’s Insight Lander shows evidence of water on Mars. Show Notes:Check out reporting Sophie's reporting – https://www.motherjones.com/author/sophie-hurwitz/Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Across the West Coast, cities and counties are still figuring out their approach to homelessness roughly a month after the Supreme Court gave them the OK to ban people from camping and sleeping on the street. In California, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would go so far as to withhold state funds from local governments that don't comply with his order to clear homeless encampments. It's a mandate that's divided local leaders on how to manage one of the most complex issues facing the state. Sydney Johnson, a reporter covering homelessness for San Francisco NPR station KQED, talks about how the Supreme Court's ruling is playing out in California.And in headlines: Voters in Arizona and Missouri will get a chance to enshrine abortion rights in their state constitutions this November, Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz forcefully pushed back against Republican attacks on his military career during his first solo campaign event in Los Angeles, and the Democratic National Committee says it will stream next week's convention on social media.Show Notes:Check out Sydney Johnson's reporting – https://www.kqed.org/author/sjohnsonSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

On Monday, The FBI confirmed it's investigating claims that Iran hacked the Trump campaign. The agency did not publicly release additional information. However, according to The Washington Post, the agency has been investigating suspected Iranian phishing attempts that targeted both U.S. presidential campaigns since June. Sam Sabin, cybersecurity reporter at Axios, explains the growing risks of foreign interference in the upcoming election.And in headlines: The U.S. defense secretary ordered more military vessels to deploy to the Middle East amid fears that Iran will soon launch a retaliatory attack on Israel, Ukraine's top military commander said his forces had taken control of more than 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory, and MTV moved the annual VMAs back a day to avoid a conflict with ABC's September presidential debate.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Vice President Kamala Harris is well on her way to shoring up the kind of historic support from Black voters that was starting to slip away from President Biden before he dropped out of the presidential race. In addition to recent polls that show Harris faring significantly better with Black voters than Trump, there’s also been considerable energy among groups of Black organizers who have set up Zoom calls to fundraise for the Vice President’s campaign. But amidst that enthusiasm, voter suppression remains a major concern heading into November. Cliff Albright, co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund, discusses how his organization is working to educate voters in states with a history of suppressing the Black vote.And in headlines: President Biden gave his first sit-down interview since leaving the presidential race, Israel carried out a deadly air strike in Gaza City, and the 2024 Paris Olympics came to a close.Show Notes:Learn more about Black Voters Matter Fund –https://blackvotersmatterfund.orgSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

In front of a crowd of thousands at a rally in Philadelphia this week, Vice President Kamala Harris made her first appearance with her newly-minted running mate: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Aside from popularizing the withering “weird” insult against Republicans, the two-term Midwest governor has a reputation that straddles the moderate/progressive divide within the Democratic Party. During his decade-plus representing a swing district in the House, Walz earned a reputation as a pragmatist who regularly reached across the aisle to pass legislation through Congress. But as governor, he signed a slate of major progressive bills into law, like protecting access to abortion and gender-affirming care, expanding gun control, and guaranteeing paid family leave. To get a better sense of Walz and what we he brings to the ticket, Max and Josie examine Walz’s rise from high school social studies teacher to vice presidential hopeful. They’ll dig deep into four major policies that have helped shape his career as a lawmaker: healthcare, free school lunches, reproductive rights and IVF, and the war in Gaza.

Today marks one decade since 18-year-old Michael Brown Jr. was killed in Ferguson, Missouri. Brown's death at the hands of a white law enforcement officer ignited social unrest worldwide and led countless activists to demand an end to police violence.Former President Donald Trump held his first news conference since Vice President Harris announced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. True to Trump fashion, the hour-long conference was jam-packed with intentional mispronunciations of "Kamala," attacks on VP Harris's intelligence, incessant rambling, and lie after lie.And in headlines: VP Harris addresses the United Auto Workers in Detroit, ABC presidential debate set for September 10, continued fighting in Russia following Ukraine's surprise offensive attack, and Team USA's Noah Lyles wins a bronze despite COVID.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday   

Reproductive choice is on the ballot in 2024, and Vice President Kamala Harris is making it a central issue in her presidential campaign. Harris has been on the front lines of this fight, and since the start of 2024, she's been crisscrossing the country on a reproductive freedoms tour, emphasizing personal stories of people impacted by abortion bans. Meanwhile, Republicans have attempted to avoid this issue with equal enthusiasm. To learn more about the role that reproductive choice could play in this election, we spoke with reporter Abigail Tracy.  And in headlines: Taylor Swift concerts in Austria canceled following terrorist threat, the one-year anniversary of the Maui wildfires disaster, one of Arizona's phony 2020 electors pleads guilty, and American figure skaters finally collect their 2022 gold medals.   Show Notes:Check out Abigail's story and subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/23x2jhv3What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday      

After much deliberation, Vice President Kamala Harris announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate on Tuesday. The two debuted together later that evening at a joint rally in Pennsylvania. Walz, who’s nearing the end of his second term as Minnesota’s governor, describes himself as moderate. But during his time in office, he’s signed some major progressive legislation into law, like protecting access to abortion and gender-affirming care, expanding gun control, and guaranteeing paid family leave. Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota, explains what Walz brings to the Democratic ticket.And in headlines: Hamas named the architect of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel as its new leader, stock markets rebounded after multiple days of losses, and Team USA’s Gabby Thomas took home her first gold medal with a win in the women’s 200-meter race. Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

St. Louis, Missouri, residents will vote on Tuesday in one of the most expensive Democratic primaries of the 2024 election cycle. The Congresswoman who represents the city, Cori Bush, has been a harsh critic of Israel's response to the Hamas attacks on October 7 and the U.S. government's support for Israeli military operations. Her stance has led the pro-Israel group AIPAC to spend millions of dollars to back her opponent. We spoke to Nicholas Wu, who covers Congress for Politico, to learn more.And in headlines: Justice Neil Gorsuch weighs in on Biden's proposed Supreme Court reforms, Israeli airstrike kills 30 in Gaza shelter, Trump refuses to debate VP Harris unless it's on Fox News, and Team USA wins big over the weekend at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Show Notes:Check out Nicholas Wu's story – https://tinyurl.com/47a64a4fSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

When then-Sen. Kamala Harris ran for president in the 2020 election, progressive activists quickly labeled her a “cop,” a reference to her time as the district attorney of San Francisco. Activists argued that being a D.A. was an inherently pro-police, pro-prisons job — a charge Harris hasn’t always shied away from in her political career. To get a sense of how Harris’ past has shaped the politician she’s become, Max and Josie examine her time as the San Francisco D.A., and later the attorney general of California. They explore key moments in her career, like when she opted not to seek the death penalty against a man who killed a police officer, to get a sense of her instincts and thinking about criminal justice more broadly. They come out the other side of the conversation with something hard to come by in politics these days: nuance.

Silicon Valley leaders have been weighing in loudly on the upcoming presidential race. Over four hundred venture capitalists and other tech executives recently signed a pledge to support Vice President Kamala Harris, while some prominent holdouts like Tesla CEO Elon Musk are backing former President Donald Trump. To learn more about the tech figures getting involved in this election and precisely what's at stake for them in the 2024 election, we spoke with New York Times business journalist Erin Griffith.And in headlines: the United States and Russia complete a major prisoner swap, Israel says it killed the head of the Hamas military in July, the Senate blocks a bill that would've expanded the child tax credit, and an incredible comeback from Team USA's Simone Biles.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday     

Former President and convicted felon Donald Trump took to the main stage at the National Association of Black Journalists' annual convention in Chicago for a question and answer session. The decision of event organizers to feature Trump was highly divisive, leading one of the association's co-chairs to step down and multiple featured speakers to cancel their appearances. When the interview began, Trump wasted no time in disrespecting the Black women journalists on stage with him and questioning Vice President Kamala Harris's Black and South Asian identity. For an insider's perspective on the lead-up to and aftermath of Trump's Q-and-A session, we spoke with Ameshia Cross, Political Analyst for Sirius XM and frequent guest on MSNBC.And in headlines: Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, Israel kills Hezbollah commander and several others in Beirut airstrike, at least 11 people have died in protests of Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, and the Paris Olympics becomes "Fear Factor" as triathletes dive into the Seine River. Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday   

Vice President Kamala Harris took the stage on Tuesday at a campaign rally in Atlanta in front of a crowd of thousands. She was joined by some celebrity heavy hitters, including rappers Quavo and Megan Thee Stallion. The rally underscores the surge of voter enthusiasm we've seen since Harris stepped into the presidential race. Her next major task is picking a running mate, a decision she's expected to make in the next couple of days. And on the Republican side, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance offers a cautionary tale of how a problematic V.P. pick can drag down a campaign's momentum. Kadia Goba, political reporter for Semafor, breaks down the Democratic veepstakes.And in headlines: The head of Project 2025 is stepping down, the U.S. Senate passed a bill requiring tech companies to actively shield kids from dangerous content online, and Simone Biles led Team U.S.A back to Olympic gold in the women's gymnastics team finals. Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

On Monday, President Joe Biden announced an ambitious three-part plan to reform the Supreme Court. He’s calling for term limits, a binding ethics code, and a constitutional amendment to limit presidential immunity from prosecution. Biden’s proposals have little chance of making it through a divided Congress. However, Melissa Murray, co-host of Crooked’s legal podcast ‘Strict Scrutiny,’ says it shows that Democrats are finally waking up to the ways the court controls the party’s ability to get things done.And in headlines: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is threatening a “severe” response to the recent air strike that killed 12 children in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, protestors filled the streets in Venezuela after the government announced the re-election of authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro, and the U.S. Men’s Gymnastics team won their first Olympic medal in 16 years. Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Almost as soon as Vice President Kamala Harris jumped into the 2024 presidential race, she found a message to set her apart from former President Donald Trump: her record as a prosecutor. It’s a compelling narrative, especially given Trump’s status as a convicted felon. But when she ran for president in 2020, then-candidate Harris aligned herself with the recent wave of “progressive prosecutors” moving away from the tough-on-crime policies that helped create mass incarceration. And it’s a label Republicans are trying to use against her and other Democrats in this election. Jamiles Lartey, staff writer for the Marshall Project, talks about the backlash to the progressive prosecutor movement and how it’s shaping the 2024 election.And in headlines: Former President Donald Trump told a group of supporters that if they elect him in November they “won’t have to vote anymore,” Israel launched counterstrikes deep into Lebanon, and millions of West Coast residents are under air quality warnings as firefighters battle California’s biggest wildfire of the year.Show Notes:Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Vice President Kamala Harris is hitting the campaign trail, but her talking points don’t shed much light on her approach to foreign policy. With wars in Gaza and Ukraine—not to mention increasingly hostile relations with China and Russia—foreign policy could easily define a potential Harris Administration. To get a sense of how Harris might approach world affairs, Josie and Max take a closer look at her current national security advisor, Philip Gordon. They talk to ‘Pod Save The World’ host Ben Rhodes, who worked with Gordon in the Obama White House on some of the administration's most consequential foreign policy issues, like the war in Syria and the Iran Nuclear Deal. Together, they look at how those moments shaped Gordon, and how they could shape Harris' approach, too.

The Paris Summer Olympics holds opening ceremonies today, officially kicking off 16 days of elite athletic competition. USA gymnastics legend Simone Biles will return to the mat, while fans will return to the stadiums after COVID restrictions kept them away at the last Summer and Winter Games. There's a political context at this year's contests, too, and demonstrations have already begun in Paris to rally support for several causes. We spoke with Dave Zirin, sports editor for The Nation, about the protests happening ahead of the games.And in headlines: Vice President Kamala Harris presses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a ceasefire deal in Gaza, California Governor Gavin Newsom instructs cities to remove homeless encampments, and the Ohio Supreme Court delivers a controversial boneless chicken wing ruling.Show Notes:Read and Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://crooked.com/newsletters/?category=what-a-day-newsletterWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

On Wednesday, President Biden addressed the nation in an Oval Office speech — three days after he announced his decision to end his re-election bid and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris. Since the president announced he was stepping aside, the Harris campaign has reported a major influx of donations. As of Wednesday, it had received more than 126 million dollars. But with the election quickly approaching, one of the biggest challenges Vice President Harris will face is winning support from voters outside the committed Democratic base. Craig Snyder, the director of the political action committee Haley Voters for Harris, explains how his PAC is trying to convince people who voted for former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley in the Republican primaries to now vote for Vice President Harris instead of Donald Trump. And Abbas Alawieh, director of the Uncommitted National Movement, discusses whether voters who oppose President Biden’s handling of the war in Gaza could still be convinced to support the Vice President.And in headlines: dozens of Democrats boycotted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech before Congress, the planet's two hottest days in recorded history happened this week, and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a ban on "LGBTQ+ panic" as a legal defense. Show Notes:Read and Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://crooked.com/newsletters/?category=what-a-day-newsletterWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington, D.C., today to address a joint session of Congress. On Tuesday, hundreds of demonstrators opposed to the war in Gaza staged a sit-in at a congressional office building. Thousands more are expected to demonstrate today during Netanyahu’s speech. Inside the Capitol, nearly two dozen Democratic lawmakers say they will not attend the joint session. At the same time, both Vice President Kamala Harris and Sen. Patty Murray of Washington declined to preside over Netanyahu’s address. The Israeli prime minister is expected to meet with Harris and President Biden separately on Thursday. As Harris begins her presidential campaign in earnest, Politico national security reporter Eric Bazail-Eimil explains what a Harris foreign policy might look like.And in headlines: The head of the U.S. Secret Service resigned, convicted New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez announced he’d resign next month, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer endorsed Harris’s campaign for president. Show Notes:Read and Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/bdzcrj7aWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

With Vice President Kamala Harris in position to receive the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, Republicans like House Speaker Mike Johnson are raising the possibility of legal challenges to keep a new nominee off the ballot. Experts say these challenges will go nowhere. Republicans have also suggested they will try to block Harris from accessing the 96 million dollars Biden’s campaign raised before he dropped out. But it’s unlikely they’ll succeed there, either. We discuss the details with political reporter Abigail Tracy.And in headlines: lawmakers call for the head of the Secret Service to resign her post, an Israeli airstrike in Gaza kills at least 70 Palestinians, and Delta is still getting back on track after last week’s CrowdStrike outage. Show Notes:Read and Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/bdzcrj7aWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Joe Biden announced Sunday he is ending his re-election bid and is throwing his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic Party’s nominee in November. It’s the latest bombshell shakeup to this year’s presidential race. Biden said in a statement, “I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.” In her own statement, Harris said she intends to “earn and win the nomination.” Within hours, a number of big-name Democrats endorsed Harris, though party leadership remained notably quiet on her candidacy as of late Sunday. California Democratic Congresswoman Barbara Lee talks about why she thinks it’s time for the party to unite around Harris, while Axios National Political Correspondent Alex Thompson explains what’s next for Harris to successfully campaign.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Since the moment someone shot Donald Trump last weekend, we’ve been hearing the same thing: this election’s over, and it’s going to Trump. But the course of this race—and American politics more broadly—will probably change less than you think. Tre’vell and Max take a look at past assassination attempts in the U.S. and abroad to explain why surviving violent attacks does not guarantee an election victory. Has any politician successfully leveraged these assaults for political gain? Which US president survived two assassination attempts in one month? How would this have played out if Trump were in office? Listen to this week’s How We Got Here to find out.

Former President Donald Trump wrapped up this week’s Republican National Convention on Thursday night with the longest speech in convention history. He started with a first-person account of the attempted assassination against him last weekend. But his promised message of unity fell apart quickly as he embraced autocrats, doubled down on false claims the 2020 election was stolen, and promised the biggest deportation in history. Washington Post reporter Dylan Wells joins us from the convention while Republican political strategist Mike Madrid talks about what’s next for the Never Trump movement.And in headlines: The calls for President Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race continued to snowball, a federal appeals court fully blocked the Biden Administration’s student loan repayment program, and Costco is selling an emergency food kit with 150 freeze-dried and hydrated food servings with a promised shelf life of 25 years. Show Notes:Read Dylan Wells, Washington Post Campaign Reporter – https://tinyurl.com/2jdwteuwWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Wednesday was jam-packed with new developments on and around the Democratic campaign trail. The White House announced that President Biden tested positive for COVID. Biden also appeared to give himself room to exit the presidential race, saying in an interview with BET News he’d reconsider running if “some medical condition” emerged. However, Biden remained defiant and said he had no plans to drop out. California Congressman Adam Schiff became the most high-profile Democrat to publicly call on Biden to exit the race, telling The Los Angeles Times he has “serious concerns” over whether Biden can beat former President Trump in November. And the Democratic National Committee announced it plans to move forward with a virtual roll call vote to officially nominate Biden ahead of the convention, despite calls to drop it amid the ongoing debate within the party over the president’s candidacy. Politics reporter Todd Zwillich breaks down what it all means.And in headlines: Special Counsel Jack Smith appealed the dismissal of Trump’s classified documents case, investigators looking into the assassination attempt against Trump at a rally this weekend reportedly told lawmakers that Secret Service spotted the gunman on a nearby roof roughly 20 minutes before shots were fired, and ‘Shogun’ and ‘The Bear’ lead this year’s Emmy nominations. Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

On the outskirts of this week's Republican National Convention, the ultra-conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation held a "Policy Fest" to discuss its plans for the next Republican administration. One of the big talking points during the event was Project 2025, a nearly 1,000-page policy blueprint for the next Republican administration to dramatically remake the federal government at almost every level. While former president Donald Trump has distanced himself from Project 2025, members of his administration were directly involved in crafting it. McKay Coppins, a senior staff writer at The Atlantic who covered the Trump administration, tells us more about the goals of Project 2025.And in headlines: A jury convicted New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez on all 16 counts he faced in his federal corruption trial, President Biden is reportedly weighing sweeping changes to the Supreme Court, and a new Senate report found almost half of all worker injuries in Amazon warehouses happen during Prime Day.Show Notes:Read Project 2025 – https://www.project2025.org/Check out McKay Coppins work – https://www.theatlantic.com/author/mckay-coppins/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Former President Donald Trump chose Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate on Monday, just as Republicans kicked off their national convention in Milwaukee. Vance, who rose to fame in 2016 with his memoir ‘Hillbilly Elegy,’ has undergone a radical political transformation in the years since. Once an outspoken critic of Trump, Vance is now one of the former president’s biggest supporters in Congress. Zack Beauchamp, a senior correspondent for Vox and author of the new book “The Reactionary Spirit,” explains why Vance was a logical pick for Trump.And in headlines: Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the assassination attempt against former president  Trump at the weekend rally was a security “failure,” Special Counsel Jack Smith says he’ll appeal a federal judge’s decision to dismiss Trump’s classified documents case, and President Biden reiterated his plans to stay in the presidential race during an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt. Show Notes:Read Zack Beauchamp's article, "What J.D. Vance really believes" https://tinyurl.com/3me4cftxWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

On Saturday, a gunman attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump at one of his campaign rallies in Pennsylvania. While Trump was not seriously injured, he said on social media that one of the bullets did graze his ear. President Biden addressed the nation on Sunday evening, acknowledging one of the more shocking instances of political violence in recent history. This all happened just two days before the Republican National Convention kicks off in Milwaukee. We dive into what we know about the shooting so far, and what it means for the week ahead.And in headlines: Israel killed dozens of Palestinians in a strike on southern Gaza, half a million people are still without power from Hurricane Beryl, and honor celebrities we lost over the weekend. Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

Why isn’t there a way for party leaders to get together—in a back room, ideally somewhere dark and smokey—and just give Biden the boot? As it turns out, that’s the way things used to get done. Max and Tre’vell explain how back room dealings originated, and why they fell out of favor. Why did the Vietnam War force Democrats to change the process? Did the switch make political parties more extreme? Were there benefits to having a cabal? Listen to this week’s How We Got Here to find out.

President Joe Biden on Thursday wrapped up this week’s NATO summit in Washington by giving his first solo press conference since November. Despite more defections from House Democrats earlier in the day, Biden gave no indication that he would drop out of the presidential race. Some also praised Biden for his command of foreign policy issues during the one-hour Q&A session with reporters, though he did stumble a few times. Political reporter Abigail Tracy breaks down the reaction to Biden’s performance. Also, Illinois Democratic Rep. Mike Quigley, one of the first House lawmakers to call on Biden to leave the race, explains why he still thinks it’s time for the party to move forward with a new nominee.And in headlines: China denied NATO members’ claims that it’s a “decisive enabler of Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Donald Trump welcomed Hungary's right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban to Mar-a-Lago, and inflation is coming down.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Lawmakers continue to weigh in on the fate of President Biden’s re-election campaign. Vermont’s Peter Welch on Wednesday became the first Democratic senator to call on Biden to step aside. However, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on MSNBC that her fellow Democratic lawmakers should “hold off” on publicly debating the issue until after this week. Meanwhile, actor George Clooney penned a New York Times op-ed to describe a recent fundraiser he co-hosted for Biden and said the president was, “the same man we all witnessed at the debate.” Amid all the will-he-or-won’t-he chatter, what do voters think about Biden? Friend of the pod Dan Pfeiffer breaks down some of the recent polls in excerpts from the latest episode of, “Pollercoaster.”And in headlines: Two Senate Democrats asked Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas for possible tax and ethics violations, testimony began in the involuntary manslaughter trial of actor Alec Baldwin, and Virginia’s Glenn Youngkin became the latest governor to call for restrictions on cell phone use in K-12 schools.Show Notes:“Pollercoaster” – https://crooked.com/podcast-series/pollercoaster/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Republicans appeared to soften their stance on abortion ahead of next week’s party convention and adopted a policy platform this week that didn’t include a call for a federal ban. They did so at the direct request of former President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly tried to downplay the issue during the campaign while also taking credit for ending Roe v. Wade. But the 16-page policy document opens the door to establishing fetal personhood, which would threaten access to abortion and IVF. Shefali Luthra, who covers reproductive health for The 19th News and is author of “Undue Burden,” explains what’s actually in the Republican platform.And in headlines: President Biden commemorated NATO’s 75th anniversary in opening remarks at the alliance’s summit in Washington, Congressional Democrats appear to be falling in line behind Biden as the party’s presidential nominee, and an Israeli airstrike killed more than two dozen people in southern Gaza on Tuesday.Show Notes:The 19th, co-written by Shefali Luthra: “RNC approves platform that would give rights to fetuses, endangering abortion, IVF” – https://tinyurl.com/25gsbl6dPod Save America, “Biden Digs In” – https://crooked.com/podcast/biden-digs-in/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Biden continued to aggressively push back on the idea that he would drop out of the presidential race. He started Monday morning by sending a letter to all Congressional Democrats that said he is “firmly committed to staying in this race,” and that it was time for speculation about it to end. He followed that up by calling into MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” where he blamed the party’s “elites” for trying to push him out of the race. Tara Palmeri, senior political correspondent for Puck News and the host of the election podcast “Somebody’s Gotta Win,” breaks down the mood on Capitol Hill as lawmakers returned from the long holiday weekend.The Paris Olympics are just a couple of weeks away. One of the people competing for Team U.S.A. is runner Nikki Hiltz, who is trans and nonbinary. Hiltz will be one of a few openly trans people at the games during a socio-political moment where trans people — trans women especially — are banned from participating on sports teams that align with their identities. CeCé Telfer, the first openly transgender person to win an NCAA track and field title, has also been trying to get to the Olympics but is barred from doing so. She shares her story.And in headlines: Republicans proposed a party platform with a softer abortion stance ahead of next week's Republican National Convention, Hurricane Beryl led to at least three deaths in Texas, and Boeing agreed to plead guilty to conspiring to defraud the federal government.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Joe Biden spent the long July Fourth weekend trying to save his re-election bid after his disastrous debate performance more than a week ago. On the campaign trail and in his first post-debate interview with ABC, the president was adamant that he would not leave the race. But Biden’s publicity blitz did little to assure panicked Democrats in Washington, with some top lawmakers in both the House and Senate privately voicing hopes that the president will drop out. Alex Thompson, national political reporter for Axios, gets us up to speed on what happened over the long holiday break.And in headlines: French voters successfully rallied to stop the formation of the country’s first far-right government since World War II, Tropical Storm Beryl is expected to make landfall in southern Texas today, and four crew members inside NASA’s first Mars simulation have emerged from their year-long isolation.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

We may be starting to see a seismic shift in how the Democratic Party publicly talks about whether President Joe Biden should remain the party’s presumptive nominee for president. On Tuesday, Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett became the first sitting Democratic lawmaker to call for Biden to leave the race after his devastating debate performance last week. Longtime Illinois Rep. Mike Quigley and Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Peter Welch of Vermont were also among those voicing harsh criticism of the president and his campaign. Most notably, South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn said he would support Vice President Kamala Harris if Biden dropped out of the race. Liz Bruenig, staff writer at The Atlantic, explains how the stakes of the race have changed in recent days.And in headlines: New York Justice Juan Merchan has delayed former President Donald Trump’s sentencing until September in the wake of the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani lost his license to practice law in the state, and President Biden proposed a new rule on Tuesday to protect around 35 million people from excessive heat in their workplaces.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

The Supreme Court's conservative majority handed former President Donald Trump a major win on Monday, granting him broad — though not full — immunity from charges he tried to overturn the 2020 election. The decision effectively kicks Trump's federal election interference case back down to a lower court judge to parse out which of his actions that day, and leading up to it, could be considered "unofficial acts," for which he could still be prosecuted. It makes the likelihood of a trial before November almost nonexistent and raises the stakes of the presidential election. Kate Shaw, co-host of Crooked's legal podcast 'Strict Scrutiny,' explains what the court's decision means for Trump's Jan. 6 case and all future presidents of the United States.And in headlines: The Supreme Court put on hold a pair of social media laws from Texas and Florida, trans nonbinary runner Nikki Hiltz is headed to the Olympics after winning the women's 1500-meter race at trials, and Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment is filing for bankruptcy.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Biden campaign spent the weekend trying to contain the damage from the president’s devastating performance in Thursday night’s presidential debate. Biden acknowledged his lackluster showing during a campaign event in North Carolina on Friday. Still, it didn’t do much to end the sheer panic that has overtaken the Democratic Party and quiet the calls for him to leave the race ahead of the Democratic National Convention. Colby Itkowitz, national reporter for The Washington Post, explains what would happen if Biden were to step aside before the DNC in August.Meanwhile, the Supreme Court kicked Democrats while they were down Friday morning. The justices issued a flurry of opinions limiting the ways government agencies can set regulations, allowing city officials to remove homeless encampments, and undermining a key charge used by prosecutors in hundreds of cases against January 6 rioters. The court is expected to wrap up its term today, meaning we expect a decision in the most significant case of the year — whether former President Donald Trump is immune from prosecution for his role in the insurrection.And in headlines: France’s far-right political party won big in the country’s parliamentary elections Sunday, the U.S. dismantled the floating pier that the military built for aid delivery in Gaza, and Steve Bannon must turn himself into prison today after the Supreme Court rejected his appeal to delay his sentence.Show Notes:Read Colby Itkowitz's work- https://tinyurl.com/p4y2rywcWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Why is America so obsessed with lawns and order? Max and Erin get into the weeds of how the founding fathers made cultivating grass an American pastime, why our lawn mania is a creation of corporate marketing, and how it all feeds class anxiety. Why is it so bad for our environment? Does milkweed bring all the bees to the yard? And how much do lawns and instagram face have in common? Listen to this week’s How We Got Here to find out.  SOURCESThe History of the American LawnThe rise and fall of the American lawn, at least in California - The Washington PostUSDA ERS - WheatGrass takes up 2% of the land in the continental USThey Fought the Lawn. And the Lawn’s Done. - The New York TimesThe History of the American LawnClimate Victory Gardening: How Does It Work? | Green AmericaWhere Lawns Are Outlawed (and Dug Up, and Carted Away)Lawn wars consume America's neighborhoodsLawn ConversionKeeping your lawn cleaner and greener; new law limits fertilizer use - pennlive.comWhy stop mowing your lawn and what happens when you go no-mow - Washington PostA Brief History of Our Deadly Addiction to Nitrogen Fertilizer – Mother JonesGrand Prairie Man Served Jail Time For Too Tall Grass - CBS TexasSingle Mother 'Arrested for Grass' After Not MowingSheep Graze on the White House Lawn

Well… that happened. In the first presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle, President Biden failed to ease concerns about his age, igniting panic among Democrats. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump blustered his way through lie after lie with little pushback and once again refused to say whether he would accept the election results. Grace Panetta, politics reporter for The 19th, and Gerren Keith Gaynor, White House correspondent and managing editor of politics at The Grio, join Tre’vell Anderson to break down the highlights — and the many, many lowlights — of last night’s debate.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are set to square off tonight in their first debate of the presidential election — and the first debate in history between a sitting and former president. Whether you've been waiting for it or dreading it, the debate is expected to draw millions of viewers, even though Election Day is still months away. Friend of the pod and 'Hysteria' co-host Alyssa Mastromonaco served as the deputy chief of staff under President Barack Obama. She explains what we should expect from tonight's big event.And in headlines: The Supreme Court accidentally posted an opinion suggesting it may allow emergency abortions in Idaho, much of the upper Midwest is getting pounded by heavy rain and dangerous flooding, and soccer star Alex Morgan has been left off the U.S. Women's National Team's Olympic roster.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

Ready or not, tomorrow is debate day. And both President Joe Biden, 81, and former President Donald Trump, 78, are under a lot of pressure to show they're fit for re-election. While Biden hunkers down at Camp David to prepare, Trump has been getting an assist from his supporters sharing selectively edited "cheap fake" videos that pray on voter concerns over Biden's age. Tom Nichols, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins us to talk about why Republicans are resorting to spreading these easily debunked videos, and why they're so insidious.And in headlines: The Israeli Supreme Court ruled that ultra-Orthodox Jewish men must enter the military draft, Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange pleaded guilty to one felony count of illegally obtaining and disclosing U.S. military secrets, and the U.S. surgeon general declared gun violence a public health crisis.Show Notes:Read Tom Nichols Atlantic article – https://tinyurl.com/yc46r9xeWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

In today’s New York primary elections, voters in the state’s 16th Congressional District will decide what’s become the most expensive House primary race in American history. It pits incumbent Rep. Jamaal Bowman against Westchester County Executive George Latimer, and it epitomizes the divisions within the Democratic Party between the progressive left and the centrist mainstream. Politico’s chief Washington correspondent Ryan Lizza breaks down that race and others worth keeping an eye on tonight.And in headlines: A top official with the World Health Organization says the U.S.-built pier off the coast of Gaza is not bringing in enough aid for Palestinians, the Supreme Court announced that it will weigh in on whether states can ban gender-affirming care for trans youth, and federal prosecutors have told the Justice Department that Boeing should face criminal charges over safety issues surrounding its 737 Max airplanes.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Today marks two years since the U.S. Supreme Court's conservative majority overturned Roe vs. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that for decades guaranteed the right to an abortion. Since then, conservative lawmakers in roughly half the states have either banned or significantly restricted access to abortion, while the other half has expanded or protected access. The nexus of the debate over abortion is now our current presidential election, with both the Biden and Trump campaigns centering reproductive rights in very different ways. Alice Miranda Ollstein, health care reporter on Capitol Hill for Politico, explains how the issue is playing out on the campaign trail.And in headlines: More than 1,300 people have died so far during this year's Hajj in Saudi Arabia, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated claims that the U.S. is withholding military aid amid the war in Gaza, and track star Sha'Carri Richardson is finally getting her shot at the Olympics after winning the 100-meter sprint at the U.S. track trials this weekend.Show Notes:Check out Alice Miranda Ollstein's work – https://tinyurl.com/dwdyf6hwWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday    

Is there a way to send fewer people to prison while lowering crime rates? This week’s How We Got Here unpacks the progressive prosecutor movement—the left’s antidote to tough on crime policies. How have progressive prosecutors fared since the movement began a few years back? How are red states responding? How does the whole debate over progressive prosecutors misunderstand the fundamentals of crime? Max and Josie hold court to figure it all out.

Congress is weighing proposals to update mandatory military conscription policies — aka the draft — including whether to expand it to include women. It’s an idea that’s been debated for a while, especially since women started serving in combat roles nearly a decade ago. This month, a proposal to require women to register for the draft was included in a big Pentagon policy bill passed out of the Senate Armed Services Committee. However, it’s unlikely to win final approval. Katherine Kuzminski, a senior fellow and director of the Military, Veterans, and Society Program at the Center for New American Security, explains why the draft is still limited to just men.And in headlines: The Supreme Court kept us waiting again on Thursday for rulings on high-profile cases, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a military defense pact with North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, and Louisiana Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed a bill mandating that the Ten Commandments be posted in all public school classrooms.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Tens of millions of Americans in the Northeast and Midwest are sweating through their first major heatwave of the year. Heat is the deadliest of all natural disasters, according to the National Weather Service, killing more Americans on average each year than floods, tornados and hurricanes combined. This week, a coalition of environmental, labor, and healthcare groups filed a petition to push the Federal Emergency Management Agency to start recognizing both extreme heat and wildfire smoke as major disasters. Jean Su, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity and the petition’s lead author, explains how FEMA could help vulnerable people during extreme heat and smoke events.And in headlines: The first debate between President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump is one week from today, California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he wants to ban smartphones in public schools throughout the state, and Delaware state Sen. Sarah McBride is one step closer to becoming the first openly trans person elected to Congress.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Speaking at a Juneteenth event at the White House this month, President Joe Biden warned about the “old ghosts in new garments” trying to erase the nation’s Black history by banning books and restricting diversity programs. But across the country, people are also working hard to preserve that history in the face of Republican opposition. So, on a special Juneteenth episode of “What A Day,” we speak to an organization doing just that: The Jack Hadley Black History Museum in Thomasville, Georgia. Jack Hadley, the museum’s founder and curator, has spent his life collecting thousands of artifacts that help tell the story of Black history in America. We speak to him and the museum’s executive director, Daniel Pittman, about how the museum is growing and what it means to do this work right now. Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday dissolved his war cabinet that’s overseen the country’s fighting in Gaza. The move was expected, but it came after two centrist members of the cabinet resigned in frustration over Netanyahu’s handling of the war. Meanwhile, representatives from dozens of nations left a weekend conference in Switzerland aimed at ending the war in Ukraine with little to show for it. Ben Rhodes, former U.S. deputy national security advisor and co-host of ‘Pod Save The World,’ talks about what these developments mean for both wars.And in headlines: U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy called for tobacco-like warning labels on social media platforms, President Biden is expected to issue an executive order expanding protections for undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens, and Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore signed an executive order pardoning more than 175,000 low-level marijuana convictions.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Former President Donald Trump has vowed to appeal his criminal conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to sway the 2016 election. His sentencing is scheduled for July 11, just a few days before the Republican National Convention. Trump and his attorneys claim that the case was impermissibly flawed and that his constitutional rights were violated. Legal experts have raised possible issues for appeal, which run the gamut and include the charging scheme, the case venue, jury instructions, and evidentiary issues. Political reporter Sonam Sheth explains why Trump may have a shot at a successful appeal.And in headlines: Ukraine and Western leaders have rejected a ceasefire plan floated by Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, a wildfire in Los Angeles County burned more than 12,000 acres in a day while much of the rest of the country baked under a heat dome, and Kate Middleton made her first public appearance since announcing her cancer diagnosis.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

We’ve been hearing that the far-right is on the rise in Europe for a decade now. And yet, with a few exceptions, these parties are nowhere near taking power. Even in the EU Parliament, where the far-right made gains for the third election in a row this week, nationalist parties are STILL expected to end up marginalized and powerless. What's driving them and what's stopping them? Max and guest host Josie Duffy Rice take a look at the rise of the German far-right AfD party to illustrate what’s going on across the continent and how we got here. SOURCESGermany’s AfD Rises to 2nd Place in E.U. Election - The New York TimesFar-right AfD appears as strongest German party on TikTok – DW – 06/04/2024Germany's AfD: Euroskeptics turned far-right populists – DW – 03/11/2024A Far-Right Dilemma for Europe’s Mainstream: Contain It or Join It? - The New York TimesWhy Europe Could Melt Down Over a Simple Question of Borders - The New York TimesGermany’s Extreme Right Challenges Guilt Over Nazi Past - The New York TimesEuropean Union: False Hopes and Realities | Foreign AffairsTrump, Brexit, and the Rise of Populism: Economic Have-Nots and Cultural Backlash | Harvard Kennedy SchoolGermany's AfD: How right-wing is nationalist Alternative for Germany? - BBC NewsIslam in Germany: Facts and figures -  Deutsche Islam KonferenzHigh Tide? Populism in Power, 1990-2020Perceived ingroup disadvantage, collective narcissism and support for populismA New Stress-Based Model of Political Extremism - PMC

In a unanimous decision on Thursday, the Supreme Court preserved broad access to the abortion drug mifepristone — at least for now. The justices dismissed the case on a technicality, ruling that the anti-abortion groups and doctors who brought it didn't have a legal right to sue. But the court's decision isn't a solid win for abortion access. The justices didn't weigh in on the substance of the case, meaning it could end up back in front of the court. Already, three Republican-led states are trying to make that happen. Julia Kaye, senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union's Reproductive Freedom Project, explains the ruling and what's next.And in headlines: President Joe Biden and other G7 leaders agreed to finance a $50 billion loan to Ukraine to help pay for its war against Russia and rebuild the country's infrastructure, former president Donald Trump schmoozed with House and Senate Republicans during his first visit to Capitol Hill since the Jan. 6 insurrection, and the ACLU and immigrant rights groups sued the Biden administration over the president's executive order severely limiting asylum claims at the southern border. Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

House Democrats on Tuesday launched an official task force to take on the far-right agenda Republicans envision under a second Trump presidency. The group of Democrats aims to directly counter the plans outlined in “Project 2025,” a 1,000 page policy blueprint floated by the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation that calls for eliminating federal agencies like the FBI and Justice Department, restricting access to contraception, and concentrating more power in the presidency. Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin is on the task force. He joins us to talk about why a second Trump term could be more destabilizing than the first.And in headlines: President Joe Biden and other world leaders are convening in Italy for the G7 summit, the Southern Baptist Convention approved a non-binding resolution that condemns the use of in-vitro fertilization, and White House Press Secretary avoided giving a definitive answer on whether Biden will consider commuting his son Hunter’s eventual sentence on federal gun charges. Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

A Delaware jury on Tuesday convicted Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son, on three federal felony gun charges. The verdict makes Biden the first member of a sitting president’s immediate family to be convicted of a crime. A sentencing date hasn’t been set yet, but the president’s son is facing up to 25 years in prison. Alex Thompson, national political correspondent for Axios, was in the courtroom during the trial. He breaks down the verdict and the reactions in Washington.And in headlines: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was back in the Middle East to put pressure on Hamas to formally agree to a ceasefire deal with Israel, embattled Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is in hot water again after a secret recording caught him agreeing with Christian conservative viewpoints, and a federal judge struck down Florida’s ban on gender-affirming care.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court asked the Justice Department to weigh in on two cases that deal with whether cities and states can hold fossil fuel companies responsible for the effects of climate change. While we wait to see what happens, one thing is abundantly clear: climate change is already affecting our health. Vox Media, Grist and The 19th News teamed up for a series on how our changing climate is reshaping the reproductive cycle from menstruation to menopause. Lead reporter Zoya Teirstein joins us to talk about the series, “Expecting worse: Giving birth on a planet in crisis.”And in headlines: Voters in the key swing state of Nevada head to the polls today to vote in the state’s primary election, the United Nations Security Council approved a U.S.-sponsored ceasefire resolution for the war in Gaza, and researchers say wild African elephants call each other by unique names when communicating.Show Notes:Read the series- Expecting worse: Giving birth on a planet in crisisWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Benny Gantz, a key member of Israel’s war cabinet, resigned from his post on Sunday. His announcement came one day after Israeli forces rescued four hostages held by Hamas in an operation that killed scores of Palestinians. Gantz, who’s also Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief political rival, said Netanyahu is “preventing us from reaching real victory” and called for new elections.President Joe Biden wrapped up a five-day visit to France on Sunday. While the trip was nominally about commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Biden also used it to defend the idea of democracy itself, drawing parallels between World War II and the war in Ukraine. Behind the scenes, European leaders are privately panicking over the prospect of a second Trump term. McKay Coppins, senior staff writer at The Atlantic, says he encountered “an undercurrent of dread” in almost every conversation he had with European officials while traveling across this continent this spring.And in headlines: A New York probation official is set to interview former president Donald Trump today following his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records, Conspiracy theorist and Info Wars founder Alex Jones asked a bankruptcy court for permission to liquidate his personal assets to pay the families of the Sandy Hook shooting victims, and the head of the United Nations’ World Food Programme says Sudan could become the “world’s largest humanitarian crisis.”Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Until recently, many people—and colleges—rejected the SAT as a racist and classist metric that perpetuated social divides. But now it’s being championed as a tool for closing some of those same gaps! This week on How We Got Here: why does public opinion on the SAT keep flip-flopping? Who does the test privilege? And is it really the best metric we’ve got for college admissions? With Erin on maternity leave, “What A Day” all-star Priyanka Aribindi joins Max to assess the racist roots of the SAT, how it’s evolved since, and how its history reflects attitudes towards access to higher education.  SOURCES:Major Changes Adopted in SAT College Exam - Los Angeles TimesThe Misguided War on the SAT - The New York TimesColleges Dropped the SAT and ACT. Here’s Why Many High Schools Didn’t. - WSJThe SATs are: a) dying; b) already dead; c) alive and well; d) here forever - VoxSecrets of the SAT : Michael Chandler, Cam Bay Productions., WGBH Educational Foundation., PBS Video. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet ArchiveInterviews - Henry Chauncey | Secrets Of The Sat | FRONTLINE | PBSWhy US Colleges Are Reviving Standardized Tests - BloombergStandardized Test Scores and Academic Performance at Ivy-Plus CollegesThe Rainbow Project: Enhancing the SAT through assessments of analytical, practical, and creative skills​​The Test | Anya KamenetzThe Big Test | Macmillan

Thursday was a bit of a letdown for Supreme Court watchers. The justices issued opinions in three smaller cases, but we’re still waiting for decisions in more than two dozen others with just a few weeks left of the term. Some of those cases could be hugely consequential, touching on everything from reproductive rights and presidential immunity to social media and guns. Melissa Murray, co-host of Crooked’s legal podcast ‘Strict Scrutiny,’ says we should brace ourselves for a wild June.And in headlines: An Israeli strike killed dozens of Palestinians who were sheltering at a U.N. school complex, prosecutors called Beau Biden’s widow to the stand to testify in Hunter Biden’s federal gun trial, and Pat Sajak hosts his final episode of Wheel of Fortune today.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign rode his felony conviction to a banner fundraising day last week, raking in more than 50 million dollars within 24 hours of the verdict, according to aides. Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are in California this week to court big donors to grow their campaign war chests with the November election less than six months away. Meanwhile, both campaigns have reportedly seen a significant decline in small-dollar contributions during this election cycle. Arjun Singh, a podcast producer with the investigative outlet The Lever, explains the state of fundraising in the race so far.And in headlines: The Georgia Court of Appeals said prosecutors cannot move forward with Trump’s election interference trial until it decides whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis can stay on the case, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for a global ban on fossil fuel advertising to combat climate change, and Senate Republicans voted to block a bill that would have protected access to contraception.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Joe Biden signed an executive order that will severely limit the number of migrants who can claim asylum at the border. Flanked by high-profile Democrats at a press conference Tuesday, Biden said he was forced to act to address “a worldwide migrant crisis” amid Republican stonewalling on a bipartisan border bill. “Doing nothing is not an option. We have to act,” Biden said. But the president also came under significant criticism from others in the party, including California Sen. Alex Padilla. He explains why he thinks limiting asylum won’t work.And in headlines: The New York Times reports that Ukrainian forces struck a Russian military facility using American-made military weapons, three Trump associates have been charged with forgery in Wisconsin for their connection in trying to overturn the 2020 election, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi won a third term in the country’s elections.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Joe Biden is expected to sign an executive order today that would severely limit the number of migrants who can claim asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border. The details still aren’t totally clear, but reports say Biden’s order would cap asylum requests at an average of 2,500 a day.In Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum is set to become the nation’s first female president. She won Sunday’s election in a landslide with roughly 60 percent of the vote. She’s also the hand-picked successor of the current president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Lorena Rios, a freelance journalist based in Monterrey, joins us to talk about Sheinbaum’s historic win and what it means for U.S.-Mexico relations.And in headlines: Dr. Anthony Fauci sparred with House Republicans during a congressional hearing about the U.S. response to the pandemic, Israeli officials confirmed the deaths of four hostages in Gaza, and a Georgia court has tentatively set a date to hear former President Donald Trump’s appeal to kick Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis off his election interference case.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

We’re about five months away from election day, meaning both campaigns will do whatever they can to boost their standing with voters. One of the ways campaigns traditionally try to do this is with celebrity endorsements. But do they actually convince people to vote? Jared Clemons, assistant professor of political science at Temple University, walks us through the data. And in headlines: Hunter Biden's federal gun charge trial begins this week, Israel has agreed to President Biden’s proposed ceasefire deal for the war in Gaza, and former president and convicted felon Donald Trump has joined TikTok.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Guilty, guilty, guilty. A Manhattan jury on Thursday found former President Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony charges in his criminal hush-money trial. Trump was accused of falsifying business records in a scheme to cover up payments he made to the adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election. The verdict makes Trump the first U.S. president to be tried and convicted of felony crimes. Diana Florence, a former federal prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, explains what’s next for Trump now that he’s a convicted felon. Pod Save America co-host Dan Pfeiffer weighs in on what the verdict means for both Trump and President Joe Biden’s campaigns.Show Notes:Dan Pfeiffer's newsletter - The Message Box-  www.messageboxnews.comWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Manhattan jury in former President Donald Trump’s criminal defense trial began deliberations on Wednesday. The jury asked to rehear four pieces of testimony before breaking for the day. Outside the courtroom, Trump complained about how the case was “rigged” and how “Mother Teresa could not beat these charges.” Norm Eisen, author of the book “Trying Trump” and former special counsel to the House Judiciary Committee, explains what happens now that the jury has the case.And in headlines: Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito says he will not recuse himself from cases related to January 6th, Israel’s national security advisor said that he expects the war in Gaza to last another seven months, and giant pandas are returning to the nation’s capital.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The defense and prosecution delivered their closing arguments Tuesday in former President Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial. New York Justice Juan Merchan said jury instructions will begin early today, after which the jurors will begin deliberating Trump’s fate. He faces 34 charges of falsifying business documents in the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president. Harry Litman, senior legal affairs columnist for The Los Angeles Times and a former deputy assistant attorney general at the Department of Justice, takes us inside the courtroom.And in headlines: The Democratic National Committee announced plans to nominate President Joe Biden through a “virtual roll call” to ensure he qualifies for Ohio’s general election ballot, at least two dozen people died, and more than a million were without power after severe storms battered the eastern half of the U.S. over Memorial Day weekend, and the Pentagon said it will take more than a week to rebuild and repair portions of a temporary pier built off the coast of Gaza for humanitarian aid deliveries. Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine has called a rare special legislative session starting today to ensure President Joe Biden’s name appears on the state’s November ballot. But Ohio Democrats say Republicans are using it as a pretext to pass legislation that would make it harder for people to fund local ballot initiatives, like the one that enshrined abortion protections in the state’s constitution last year. Ohio House Democratic Minority Leader Allison Russo explains what’s at stake.House and Senate Democrats are amping up the pressure on Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito to recuse himself from two current cases involving former President Donald Trump and his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Their calls come after The New York Times reported two right-wing flags flying outside homes owned by Alito in the last few years. Jay Willis, the editor-in-chief of the website Balls and Strikes, says it’s more evidence the court needs more than an ethics code to fix its reputation problems.And in headlines: Closing arguments in Trump’s criminal hush money trial are scheduled to start today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a missile attack that killed dozens of Palestinians at a tent camp in Rafah was a “tragic mistake,” and the Libertarian Party selected Chase Oliver as its presidential nominee during its convention Sunday. Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday   

The International Criminal Court is formally seeking warrants to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. But what power does the ICC actually have? Does anything they do matter? This week on How We Got Here, Max and Erin take a look at the short history of the world’s paramount arbiter of war crimes and human rights—an impressive title for a court that seldom convicts. The hosts pick apart cases against the leaders of Kenya, Yugoslavia and Russia to determine why the ICC matters, and to whom.

The United States Supreme Court sided with Republicans in a decision over South Carolina’s disputed congressional map. Last year, a lower court ruled that the map was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander because it “exiled” thousands of Black voters from a district that was becoming increasingly competitive to make it safer for the Republican incumbent. On Thursday, The Supreme Court’s conservative majority reversed that decision in a ruling that will likely make it harder for Black voters to bring racial gerrymandering cases in the future. Marc Elias, longtime attorney for the Democratic Party and founder of the voting rights website Democracy Docket, breaks down some other big, ongoing fights over voting rights heading into the election.And in headlines: The Department of Justice announced it’s suing Live Nation over an alleged monopoly of the entertainment industry, Senate Democrats launched an investigation into a meeting last month between oil companies and former president Donald Trump, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting a massive hurricane season this year.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced plans on Wednesday to fast-track a vote on a bill to protect access to birth control and other contraceptives. It comes the day after former President Donald Trump suggested he would be open to new restrictions, only to backtrack hours later. Longtime Capitol Hill reporter Eugene Scott explains the strategy behind Schumer's fast vote.Kenyan President William Ruto arrived in Washington on Wednesday for a three-day state visit. The White House will host him at an official state dinner tonight, making Ruto the first African leader to have state visit since 2008. We’ll look at what that 16-year gap says about broader U.S. relations on the African continent.And in headlines: The New York Times reports a second right-wing flag was flown at a beach house owned by Justice Samuel Alito, the families of 19 victims of the Uvalde, Texas school shooting sued the school district and nearly 100 police officers for the botched response to the attack, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called for a snap general election on July 4.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani was one of 11 people who pleaded not guilty in an Arizona court on Tuesday to charges they tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election. In all, a state grand jury indicted 18 people in the case last month, making Arizona the fourth state to indict fake electors, following Michigan, Georgia, and Nevada. Paul Charlton, former U.S. Attorney for Arizona, explains the state’s case and how cases in other states could build on each other.And in headlines: The United Nations halted food distribution in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah after it said it ran out of supplies, South Carolina’s Republican Governor signed a law barring medical providers from providing gender-affirming care to trans youth, and Netflix said the third season of ‘Bridgerton’ had the biggest opening weekend debut in the show’s history.Show Notes:Support Trans Teens In South Carolina - www.aclusc.orgWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor on Monday announced plans to seek arrest warrants for the leaders of Hamas and Israel — including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — over their actions during the war in Gaza. Farther east in Iran, the country’s supreme leader looked to project stability after President Ebrahim Raisi and another top official died in a helicopter accident Sunday. Vox foreign affairs reporter Ellen Ioanes explains what’s at stake for both countries amid simmering tensions in the Middle East.And in headlines: Prosectors in Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial officially rested their case against the former president, voters in Georgia head to the polls to cast ballots in the state’s primary election, and organizers in Nevada say they’ve gathered more than enough signatures to qualify a ballot referendum that would enshrine abortion rights in the state’s constitution.Correction: This episode previously stated that Rudy Giuliani was set to testify in Trump’s hush money trial. He’s not set to testify — he was arraigned in Arizona Tuesday.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Joe Biden gave the commencement speech at Morehouse College’s graduation ceremony on Sunday. Some students and faculty at the historically black college in Atlanta protested his presence on campus amid the war in Gaza.Donald Trump’s criminal hush-money case may wind down this week in Manhattan. The prosecution could rest its case as soon as today. Longtime federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann says while Trump could still decide to testify, he likely knows it would be ‘suicide.’And in headlines: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash in the country's mountainous northwest, Sunday. Iran state media reported there were 'no survivors,' Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz says he'll leave the country's government in June if it doesn't come up with a plan for the war in Gaza, and rapper P. Diddy released an apology after CNN published surveillance video from 2016 of him physically assaulting his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. Show Notes:Listen to WAD episode with Morehouse Professor Andrew Douglas https://tinyurl.com/mv5mfyx5What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Birth rates are plummeting around the world and no one has cracked the code on how to get people to have babies. More money, free daycare, and medical advances don’t appear to help…and criminalizing abortion DEFINITELY doesn’t help. This week on How We Got Here, Erin and Max break down how the 20th century baby boom is misremembered, the factors responsible for declining birth rates today, and whether anything can be done about it.  SOURCES: Understanding the Baby Boom - Works in ProgressGerman birth rate drops steeply against backdrop of unease – DW – 03/20/2024Italy's falling birth rate is a crisis that's only getting worse | EuronewsSouth Korea’s birth rate is so low, the president wants to create a ministry to tackle it | CNNRomania's abortion ban was deadly for women and is a warning for U.S. - The Washington PostEl Salvador (CIA)El Salvador: Court Hears Case on Total Abortion Ban | Human Rights WatchAlarm as South Korea sees more deaths than birthsWork–life balance - Government of SwedenU.S. Fertility Rate Falls to Record Low - WSJA World Without Men: Inside South Korea’s 4B MovementEverything you need to know about artificial wombsCan Immigration Solve the Demographic Dilemma? – IMF F&D

This week, we saw some big wins in the fight to expand access to the ballot box. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court reinstated a second majority Black congressional district in Louisiana. Earlier in the week, the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s liberal majority looked poised to overturn a two-year-old decision banning nearly all absentee ballot drop boxes. Still, a new report from the Brennan Center for Justice shows voters in more than half the states will face new restrictions on voting that weren’t there four years ago. Kareem Crayton, senior director of voting rights and representation at the Brennan Center, gives us the lay of the land on ballot access heading into November.And in headlines: House Republicans moved to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt after the White House blocked the release of audio of President Joe Biden’s interviews with a special counsel over his handling of classified documents, the Supreme Court rebuffed a conservative-backed effort to challenge the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and an Indiana judge says tacos and burritos are legally sandwiches.Show Notes:Brennan Center Voting Laws Roundup: May 2024 https://tinyurl.com/3bp8a5b9What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump agreed to two debates on Wednesday. In agreeing to the debates, Biden and Trump are bucking the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which had been organizing debates since the 80s.U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said this week that the Department of Justice will “aggressively” prosecute anyone who threatens election workers ahead of the 2024 election. The announcement comes as a new poll from the Brennan Center for Justice found that more than half of local election officials are scared for their safety. Alexis Johnson, a former VICE News reporter who covers race, politics, and culture, says despite good intentions, Garland and the DOJ will likely struggle to keep that promise, leaving election workers vulnerable.And in headlines: Inflation dipped slightly in April, the number of Americans who died from a drug overdose decreased for the first time in five years, and a high-level Biden appointee resigned in protest of the U.S.’s continued support for Israel and its war in Gaza.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whatadayNew York Immigration Coalition https://www.nyic.org/get-involved/

Former President Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial hit a new level of chaos Tuesday as Michael Cohen, Trump’s former self-described ‘fixer,’ continued his testimony for a second day. Trump’s defense team also began cross-examination, trying to paint Cohen as a bitter former employee out for revenge and publicity. Outside the Manhattan courtroom, an entourage of MAGA Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, took turns railing against the trial and bashing the American justice system. And in headlines: Democrat Angela Alsobrooks will face former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan in the race for Maryland’s open Senate seat after both won their party primaries Tuesday night, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Kyiv to reaffirm the Biden administration’s support for Ukraine amid recent Russian gains in the country’s east, and President Biden announced higher tariffs on Chinese imports of electric vehicles, solar panels, semiconductors, steel and aluminum.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday  

Donald Trump leads President Biden in five of the six battleground states, according to two new polls released by the New York Times. These polls come at a time when Biden is struggling to win the support of young voters. But while polls are an essential snapshot of the country, that snapshot is fairly narrow. So to discuss what these numbers do and do not tell us, we spoke with Dan Pfeiffer, a co-host of Pod Save America and the host of Pollercoaster.And in headlines: Michael Cohen takes the stand in Trump's hush money trial, three states hold primaries, and Louisiana could be the first state in the country to categorize abortion pills as controlled, dangerous substances. Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whatadayJoin Crooked’s Friends of the Pod: http://Crooked.com/Friends

"Decision Day" for high school students looking to go to college was pushed back this year to May 15th, rather than the traditional May 1st deadline. The shift was made to accommodate for a host of problems students have had using the new federal financial aid application or FAFSA. We spoke with Ellie Bruecker, the director of research at the Institute for College Access and Success, to get a better sense of where the FAFSA fiasco left college applicants.And in headlines: Israeli forces continued to advance in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, students walk out of commencement speeches at VCU and Duke, and the start of the corruption trial of Senator Bob Menendez. Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Why are middle-aged and older Americans persistently pro-Israel? It hasn’t always been the case. This week on How We Got Here, Max and Erin discuss the profound opinion shift among younger Americans, and then take a trip off campus to understand how geopolitics and propaganda in the 21st century have entrenched pro-Israel sentiments in Gen Xers, Boomers and beyond. SOURCES:The U.S. Public’s Pro-Israel History | Pew Research CenterMajority in US Say Israel's Reasons for Fighting Hamas Are Valid | Pew Research CenterDaniel Hopkins and Gall Sigler | On-campus protests reflect stark generational divide on Israel-Palestine | The Daily PennsylvanianAmericans' Reaction to Middle East Situation Similar to PastAmericans' Views of Both Israel, Palestinian Authority DownMajority in U.S. Now Disapprove of Israeli Action in GazaDespite concerns about war, many voters would ban pro-Palestinian campus protestsHalf of US adults say Israel has gone too far in war in Gaza, AP-NORC poll showsAmericans' views divided on US policy toward Israel-Hamas war: POLL - ABC NewsThe history of US support for Israel runs deep, but with a growing chorus of critics - ABC NewsThe generation gap in opinions toward Israel | BrookingsPublic Attitudes toward Israel: A Study of the Attentive and Issue PublicsAmerican Public Opinion Polls: Attitudes Toward Israel Prior to 1967Foreign Policy Interest Groups, Mass Public Opinion and the Arab-Israeli DisputeCBS News poll: Rising numbers of Americans say Biden should encourage Israel to stop Gaza actionsThe American Public and IsraelThe 1987 AIPAC ConferenceTrump’s Hard-Line Israel Position Exports U.S. Culture War Abroad - The New York TimesHow Republicans fell in love with Israel - VoxWhat unites the global protests for Palestinian rights - VoxIsrael vs. the Palestinians: TV Coverage of the Second IntifadaPentagon deleted part of official's apology - Oct. 20, 2003Franklin Graham conducts services at Pentagon - Apr. 18, 2003Religious Beliefs, Elite Polarization, and Public Opinion on Foreign Policy: The Partisan Gap in American Public Opinion Toward Israel | International Journal of Public Opinion Research | Oxford Academic

Adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand this week in the hush money trial against former President Donald Trump. And let's just say she didn't hold back from describing what went down between them. We spoke with attorney Norm Eisen, author of "Trying Trump: A Guide to His First Election Interference Criminal Trial," to get his impressions of Trump's outlook in the New York criminal case and review the other cases the former President faces.And in headlines: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responds to Biden's threat to cut off some military aid to Israel, universities shun U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and Barron Trump is selected as a delegate-at-large to the Republican National Convention. Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that the U.S. would not supply Israel with some weapons if it moved forward with a ground invasion of Rafah. The announcement came hours after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed that the government had already paused a shipment of bombs to Israel over fears of an imminent offensive in the southern Gaza city where more than a million Palestinians are sheltering. Israel has been ramping up its attacks on Rafah over the last few days, all while negotiators frantically try to reach a ceasefire deal in Cairo. Ben Rhodes, former Deputy U.S. national security advisor to President Obama and co-host of Pod Save The World, talks about how much leverage Biden really has over Israel's military operations. And in headlines: A Georgia court agreed to hear an appeal over whether the Fulton County District Attorney can continue to lead former President Donald Trump's state election interference case, Republican and Democratic House Lawmakers blocked Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene from ousting Speaker Mike Johnson, and third-party presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says a parasite ate part of his brain.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

The Justice Department is set to take a significant step this week, initiating a lawsuit against Iowa over its new immigration law. This law, which criminalizes the entry of individuals previously deported or barred from the country, mirrors the controversial Texas law. The latter is currently under legal scrutiny. Notably, other Republican-led states are also contemplating similar legislation. Spencer Amdur, a senior staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, sheds light on the rationale behind these stringent state immigration laws and why federal courts have invalidated similar state laws.And in headlines: Adult film star Stormy Daniels described in explicit detail a sexual encounter she had with Donald Trump during testimony in the former president’s criminal hush-money trial, TikTok sued the federal government over a new law that could ban the app in the U.S., and Israeli forces seized control of the Rafah border crossing in southern Gaza. Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday     

Hamas on Monday announced it had agreed to a proposal for a ceasefire deal, renewing hopes a truce with Israel could be reached. Israeli officials said while the proposal didn’t meet all of its demands, it would send a delegation to Cairo to continue talks in hopes of reaching a deal. The movement on a possible ceasefire came as Israeli officials also ordered more than 100,000 Palestinians to evacuate parts of eastern Rafah. In this city, more than a million people are sheltering. Jeremy Konyndyk, president of the humanitarian group Refugees International, explains how an Israeli invasion of Rafah could further destabilize Gaza.And in headlines: The New York judge overseeing Donald Trump’s criminal hush-money trial fined the former president another $1,000 for violating a gag order, Indiana holds its primary election today, and Conde Nast reached a tentative labor agreement with its unionized workers.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Former President Donald Trump held an audition of sorts on Saturday for his top vice presidential picks. At least seven known Veep wannabes attended the Republican National Committee’s spring retreat at Mar-a-Lago, including South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott. The attention-seeking behavior continued into the Sunday talk shows when Scott refused to say whether or not he would accept the 2024 election results during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”And in headlines: Israel and Hamas traded blame over an impasse in the latest round of cease-fire negotiations, the Israeli government shuttered Al Jazeera’s news operation in the country and raided one of its offices, and the first civil trial over the lethal crowd surge at rapper Travis Scott’s 2021 Astroworld music festival has been delayed over a free speech claim by Apple. Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Why does it feel like avian flu is always circling around? How did it land on cows? Are we on the cusp of another pandemic? Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, host of America Dissected, joins Erin to break down how this strain of bird flu could go from animal plague to human plague, lessons learned from past outbreaks, and what can be done to stop it this time around. SOURCESA Bird Flu H5N1 Status Report - by Eric TopolUpdates on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) | FDAUSDA Now Requiring Mandatory Testing and Reporting of HPAI in Dairy Cattle as New Data Suggests Virus Outbreak is More Widespread | AgWebH5N1 update: We have to do better, fasterBird flu ‘an urgent warning to move away from factory farming’Inflation is cooling. Why are egg prices still so hard to crack?Birds, Pigs, and People: The Rise of Pandemic Flus - PMCThe cost of replication fidelity in an RNA virus.'Nobody saw this coming'; California dairies scramble to guard herds against bird fluH5N1 Bird Flu: Current Situation Summary | Avian Influenza (Flu)Bird flu risk prompts warnings against raw milk, unpasteurized dairy products - CBS NewsClimate change will force new animal encounters — and boost viral outbreaks.

Thursday was Day 10 of former President Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial in Manhattan. Before testimony resumed, Justice Juan Merchan held a second hearing on new allegations that Trump violated his gag order. Later, Keith Davidson, a lawyer for Stormy Daniels, walked the jury through the deal he brokered between Trump and the adult film star in exchange for her silence. Hugo Lowell, political investigations reporter for The Guardian, shares the latest details from inside the courthouse.And in headlines: Hamas officials said they would meet with negotiators in Egypt to continue talks for a ceasefire in Gaza, President Biden condemned the violence breaking out on college campuses across the country, and Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a new law that bans and criminalizes the sale of lab-grown meat in the state.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

New York police officers arrested more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters who’d occupied Hamilton Hall at Columbia University on Tuesday night while pro-Israeli counterprotestors attacked a pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA.Meanwhile, an overwhelming majority of House lawmakers on Wednesday voted in favor of passing the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act, a bill that critics say could create an overboard definition of what counts as anti-semitic speech on college campuses and other educational institutions. Todd Zwillich, a longtime Washington reporter and friend of the show, explains how the bill is part of a cynical ploy on the part of Republicans to divide Democrats.And in headlines: Arizona lawmakers voted to reverse the state's Civil War-era abortion ban, the Federal Reserve moved to keep interest rates flat, and the U.S. could have more than 100 million doses of bird flu vaccines available for people within four months if the disease jumps to humans. Show Notes:Joey Scott – https://muckrack.com/joey-scott-1What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Department of Justice took a significant step on Tuesday to downgrade federal restrictions on marijuana. The DOJ submitted a formal recommendation to the White House to reclassify it as a Schedule III drug. It’s a monumental shift in federal drug policy because, for more than 50 years, the U.S. government has considered marijuana to be among the most dangerous drugs, on par with heroin and LSD. Krishna Andavolu, the host and executive producer of the Vice TV show Weediquette, explains what reclassification could mean for businesses, medicine, and criminal justice.And in headlines: The New York judge overseeing Donald Trump’s criminal hush-money trial fined the former president $9,000 for violating a gag order, police arrested students that had occupied Hamilton Hall on Columbia University’s campus, and a key federal task force issued new recommendations for women and breast cancer screenings.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

New York holds a special election today to fill a seat vacated by Democratic Congressman Brian Higgins. The Democrat in the race, state Sen. Tim Kennedy, is expected to win. If he does, it would leave Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson’s majority as slim as possible: a single vote. Todd Zwillich, a longtime Washington journalist and friend of the show, explains how it will make Johnson’s job even more complicated.And in headlines: Columbia University began suspending students at the Gaza solidarity encampment, a federal appeals court ruled that certain state insurance plans must provide coverage for gender-affirming care, and the Supreme Court refused to hear billionaire and Tesla and X CEO Elon Musk’s bid to challenge the SEC’s restrictions on what he can post on social media. Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday/

President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday to discuss developments in the latest round of cease-fire talks. The White House says Biden also “reiterated his clear position” against Israel’s planned invasion of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have taken refuge since the start of the war in Gaza. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed back to the Middle East on Sunday ahead of meetings with Arab leaders this week.And in headlines: Pro-Palestine protesters and counter-protesters supporting Israel clashed on UCLA’s campus Sunday morning, Biden roasted former President Donald Trump at Saturday’s White House Correspondents Dinner, and Republican vice presidential hopeful and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem writes about killing a puppy in her upcoming memoir.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Employees of a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee just voted to form the FIRST autoworkers union in the Southern US. It’s no small feat in a part of the country that has been notoriously anti-union. How has the South managed to scare away organized labor since the Civil War? Are labor unions finally finding a foothold there now? And why have unions been in decline across the whole US in recent years? Max and Erin dive into the politics, racism and foreign influence behind it all to uncover why it’s taken so long for collective bargaining to catch on down south.  SOURCES UAW wins big at Volkswagen in Tennessee – its first victory at a foreign-owned factory in the American SouthUAW strikes at General Motors plant in Texas as union goes after automakers' cash cows | AP NewsWelcome to Operation Dixie, the most ambitious unionization attempt in the U.S. | by Meagan Day | Timeline | MediumRacial divides have been holding American workers back for more than a century - The Washington PostManufacturing jobs are defying expectations - The EconomistUnion Membership, 1939 and 1953Textile Union Fight to Organize Stevens Plants Shifts to Greenville, S.C. - The New York TimesThe UAW wants to recruit Southern auto workers. Here’s why that failed in the pastIn a seminal development for Wisconsin's economy, manufacturing has begun returning homeNissan attacked for one of 'nastiest anti-union campaigns' in modern US historyHow the South Became Anti-Union - FlagpoleUnion organizing effort and success in the U.S., 1948–2004 - ScienceDirect

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Thursday in former President Donald Trump’s presidential immunity case. Trump’s lawyer tried to assert that there’s almost no situation under which a sitting president can face criminal charges, not even ordering a military coup or sharing nuclear secrets. It is a landmark case with big implications for both this year’s election as well as some of the other criminal cases Trump faces. Leah Litman, co-host of Crooked’s “Strict Scrutiny,” says Trump’s team is trying to normalize conduct that is inconsistent with democracy and the rule of law.And in headlines: Pro-Palestinian protests spread to more college campuses, Manhattan’s DA vowed to retry Harvey Weinstein after the producer’s New York rape conviction was overturned, and Apple forecasted a bleak outlook for its Vision Pro headsets.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Supreme Court hears arguments today in a landmark case that could determine whether former President Donald Trump can be tried for his role in the January 6th insurrection. The case concerns whether presidents have “immunity” from prosecution for their conduct while in office. The court has never had to consider this issue until now, and it also has big implications for the 2024 election. Jay Willis, editor-in-chief of the progressive legal site Balls and Strikes, explains what’s at stake.On Wednesday, the court also heard its second abortion case of the term. It’s over whether an Idaho law that bans nearly all abortions can supersede a federal law that guarantees patients emergency care at hospitals. At least some of the court’s conservative justices expressed skepticism about the Idaho law.And in headlines: President Biden signs a $95 billion foreign aid package into law, Biden also signed a bill that would ban TikTok in the U.S. if its Chinese parent company doesn’t sell it off within the next year, and the United Nations called for an investigation into two mass graves in Gaza.Show Notes:Pod Save The World – https://crooked.com/podcast/gaza-protests-roil-college-campuses/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday  

Police arrested hundreds of college students in the last week amid intensifying campus protests over the Israel-Gaza war. While demonstrations have been ongoing at some universities since the start of the war, they reached new levels after Columbia University’s president called in the New York Police Department to clear an encampment on campus shortly after testifying in front of Congress. We talk to two student journalists about what’s happening on their campuses: Esha Karam, a junior at Columbia University and managing editor of the Columbia Daily Spectator, and Aarya Mukherjee, a freshman news reporter at University of California, Berkeley’s The Daily Californian.And in headlines: Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker detailed the tabloid’s ‘catch and kill’ strategy during former President Donald Trump’s criminal hush-money trial, the Supreme Court hears arguments today in a case that could decide whether states have to provide emergency abortion care to pregnant patients, and Pennsylvania Congresswoman Summer Lee edged out a more moderate challenger in the state’s Democratic primary.Show Notes:Columbia Daily Spectator – www.columbiaspectator.comThe Daily Californian – www.dailycal.orgWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and attorneys for Donald Trump gave their opening statements on Monday in the former president’s criminal hush-money trial. Prosecutors also called their first witness to the stand: former ‘National Enquirer’ publisher David Pecker. Washington Post federal courts and law enforcement reporter Shayna Jacobs was in the courtroom and details what happened.Pennsylvania holds its primary election today, and there’s plenty to watch for as returns come in. Pro-Palestinian organizers want Democrats to write in ‘uncommitted’ instead of voting for President Joe Biden. First-term Democratic Congresswoman Summer Lee is also looking to fend off a more moderate challenger and hold onto her seat.And in headlines: The Supreme Court appeared divided in a case over whether cities can criminalize homelessness, the White House and the Department of Homeland Security are reportedly looking into granting protections for hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants, and a new report says Israel hasn’t offered any proof to back up claims that a significant number of workers with the U.N. Relief and Works Agency are tied to terrorist organizations. Show Notes:The Washington Post:"Prosecutor: A tabloid pact led to Trump faking business records" - https://tinyurl.com/bz68rrbpWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

After months of delay, House lawmakers this weekend passed a package of bills to send foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Included in that package of legislation is also a bill that could end up banning TikTok. Hard-right Republicans are threatening to oust Speaker Mike Johnson over his decision to bring Ukraine aid up for a vote. At the same time, the legislation heads to the Senate for consideration later this week. The Supreme Court hears a case today over one of the country’s most heartbreaking and increasingly intractable issues: homelessness. In Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson, the justices will weigh whether penalizing people experiencing homelessness is “cruel and unusual” and, therefore, a violation of the Eight Amendment. Jeremiah Hayden, staff reporter for Street Roots in Portland, explains what’s at stake in the case.And in headlines: We’ve got a roundup of climate news in honor of Earth Day, opening statements begin in former President Donald Trump’s criminal hush-money trial, and workers at a Volkswagen plant in Tennessee join the United Auto Workers union. Show Notes:OPB: "Grants Pass v. Johnson: Here's what led to key homelessness case before high court" - https://tinyurl.com/56an9dv2What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Tesla is laying off 14,000 people, their self-driving cars are hitting a wall—figurative and sometimes literal—and this week, Cybertrucks were recalled over faulty pedals. How did Tesla go from being one of the world’s most successful businesses to the business equivalent of a dumpster fire that’s lost hundreds of billions of dollars in valuation? Erin and Max break down how Elon Musk trapped his company in a cycle of increasingly elusive innovation. And how, despite all of this, Tesla has it remained dominant in an electric car market that is only growing.  SOURCES​​Ludicrous - BenBella BooksTaxpayer Subsidies Helped Tesla Motors, So Why Does Elon Musk Slam Them? – Mother JonesHow Elon Musk Got Rich: The $230 Billion Myth | The Class Room ft. Second ThoughtCan Elon Musk Lead the Way to an Electric-Car Future? | The New YorkerTesla under investigation in California over Autopilot safety issues and false advertising - The VergeElon Musk's growing empire is fueled by $4.9 billion in government subsidies - Los Angeles TimesElon Musk’s Distraction Is Just One of Tesla’s Problems - The New York TimesTesla’s Value Dips Below $500 Billion in Blow to Stock Bulls - BloombergTesla Is Running Out of Time to Deliver on Self-Driving Promises - WSJElectric vehicles - IEASchwarzenegger boosts electric car makersAn Electric Car With Juice - The Washington PostFirst Tesla Model S deliveries set for June 22nd - The VergeWhen I First Saw Elon Musk for Who He Really IsTesla IPO Shares Pop, Drop, And Rally. Market Values It At $1.7 Billion. | TechCrunch

All 12 jurors have been seated in former President Donald Trump’s criminal hush-money trial in Manhattan. While jury selection continues today for alternates, the judge overseeing the case said opening arguments in the trial could come as soon as Monday. Former federal prosecutor Gene Rossi breaks down the challenges of seating a jury in such a historic, high-profile case.Google announced late Wednesday that it fired 28 workers who staged sit-in protests at some of the company’s offices this week. The protests were organized by the group No Tech for Apartheid. They were demonstrating against a $1.2 billion joint contract with Amazon to provide the Israeli government and military with cloud computing services.And in headlines: Mutliple news outlets reported that Israel launched a strike on Iran, House lawmakers will again take up a bill to potentially ban TIkTok, and sports icons Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird are set to produce a queer soccer romance called “Cleat Cute.” Show Notes:What A Day – Explaining The Timer on TikTok's Fate– https://tinyurl.com/2y5sr88mWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

On Wednesday, the Senate moved to dismiss two articles of impeachment against Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of the border. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats needed “to set a precedent that impeachment should never be used to settle policy disagreements.” Congressional reporter Matt Laslo breaks down the vibes on Capitol Hill.And in headlines: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned Israel that even the “tiniest invasion” on their part would provoke a “massive” response, President Joe Biden may not appear on Ohio’s ballot this November, and Arizona Republicans defeated another effort to repeal the state’s near-total abortion ban.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

House Republicans are in chaos again after a second conservative lawmaker voiced support for a push to oust Speaker Mike Johnson. The speaker announced plans to bring a foreign aid bill for Ukraine up for a vote, causing an uproar. Joan Greve, senior political reporter for The Guardian, breaks down the mood on Capitol Hill.In the Senate, lawmakers will consider a bill to reauthorize a section of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, that has bipartisan support and bipartisan critics. The part of the law up for renewal allows the federal government to obtain vast amounts of intelligence and communications within the broad category of “foreign intelligence information,” all without a warrant. Without quick Senate approval, it will expire on Friday.Speaker Johnson VS. House Far-Right GOPAnd in headlines: The Supreme Court seemed open to siding with some January 6th rioters in a case that could undo hundreds of Justice Department prosecutions, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the US will enforce new sanctions on Iran after its weekend attack on Israel, and seven jurors have been seated in former President Donald Trump’s historic criminal hush-money trial.Show Notes:WSJ: "On Ukraine’s Front Line, Soldiers Are Forced to Tune In to Washington Politics" –https://tinyurl.com/3kptnhk7What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Supreme Court hears arguments today in a major case related to the January 6th Insurrection that has the potential to undo some of the charges former President Donald Trump faces. The case looks at whether the Justice Department was right to charge some of the people who stormed the Capitol that day with the crime of obstructing an official proceeding. The case has the potential to upend hundreds of prosecutions tied to the riot, and knock out two of the four charges Trump is facing in his federal insurrection case. Leah Litman, co-host of Crooked’s legal podcast ‘Strict Scrutiny,’ breaks down the case for us.And in headlines: Jury selection began in Trump’s Manhattan criminal hush-money trial, the FBI announced it’s conducting a criminal investigation into the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, and our favorite NCAA stars are headed to the WNBA after yesterday’s draft.What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

Description: The Iranian government launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel late Saturday night in what’s believed to be Iran’s first direct attack against Israel from its own soil. Israel reported minimal damage and was able to shoot down most of the drones and missiles, with some help from the U.S. military. Ben Rhodes, former U.S. national security advisor and co-host of Pod Save The World, talks about the significance of the attack and what it means for long-simmering tensions in the Middle East.Former President Donald Trump’s historic hush money trial begins today in a Manhattan courtroom. He’s accused of falsifying business records to cover up payments he made to the adult film star Stormy Daniels in the lead up to the 2016 election. He also becomes the first former U.S. president to face a criminal trial. Attorney Norm Eisen, who served as special counsel to the House Judiciary Committee’s majority during Trump’s first impeachment, explains what we can expect during the trial.And in headlines: Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson says he will push for wartime aid to Israel and Ukraine this week, a dozen news organizations signed a joint letter asking both President Biden and former President Trump to participate in debates, and Nike is under fire over a revealing women’s kit for Team USA’s track and field athletes at this summer’s Olympics.What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

Once upon a time, borrowing money for college was an affordable path towards upward mobility. Today, it’s a crisis. With Americans owing a whopping $1.7 trillion in student loans. So how did the student debt crisis get so out of control? From bungled government programs to Sputnik to the Great Recession, “How We Got Here” unpacks the history behind spiraling student debt…with interest! SOURCESOnly 25% of those with student loans went to graduate school—but they owe around 50% of all student debt | CNBCStudent loans are now easier to discharge in bankruptcy, attorneys say: It's 'life changing' | CNBCAverage Cost of College [2023]: Yearly Tuition + Expenses | Education Data InitiativeEverything you need to know about college costs - VoxStudent loan forgiveness: What to know about Biden’s $39 billion plan - VoxWhy Does College Cost So Much? - The New York TimesIntroducing Bennett Hypothesis 2.0 | Center for College Affordability and ProductivityStatement Before the House Committee on Education and Workforce On Lowering Costs and Increasing Value for Students, Institution | Texas Public Policy FoundationIs Rising Student Debt Harming the U.S. Economy? | CFRStudent loan forgiveness: How much debt has Biden canceled? | CNN PoliticsFederal Student Loan Borrowers Reveal Grim Expectations for Payment Resumption | Morning ConsultDrivers of the Rising Price of a College Education | MHECMSD Annual Report 2022 - Student Debt and Young AmericaState Funding for Higher Education Still Lagging | NEAEducation; College Officials Defend Sharply Rising Tuition - The New York TimesStudent loan forgiveness: How much debt has Biden canceled? | CNN PoliticsThe Political Case For Student Debt Cancellation | Data for ProgressPublic Law 94-482 94th Congress An Act

The Justice Department announced Thursday, it finalized rules to close a major loophole in gun purchases. Known as 'the gun show loophole' it allowed people to sell firearms online, at gun shows, or in other more informal settings without conducting background checks. The finalized rules are expected to take effect in 30 days. Nick Suplina, senior vice president for law and policy at Everytown for Gun Safety, explains how the new rules are a big win for gun control.And in headlines: The director of the U.S. Agency for International Development said parts of Northern Gaza are officially experiencing famine; Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson says he’s heading to Mar-A-Lago; and federal prosecutors charged Shohei Ohtani’s ex-interpreter with stealing more than $16 million from the LA Dodgers star player.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

A group of House Republicans dealt Speaker Mike Johnson another embarrassing blow on Wednesday when they blocked legislation to extend part of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA. They did so after former President Donald Trump posted to “kill” the bill on social media.Meanwhile, Republicans struggled to deliver a coherent response to Tuesday’s Arizona Supreme Court decision that said an 1864 law banning almost all abortion was enforceable. Trump said Wednesday, that the ruling went too far, just days after he said the issue should be left to the states. Other Arizona Republicans tried to distance themselves from the ruling after previously supporting harsh abortion restrictions. We pulled the receipts.And in headlines: The latest Consumer Price Index report shows inflation is still stubbornly persistent; the Biden Administration announced a first-of-its-kind federal limit on so-called “forever chemicals” in drinking water; and New York City officials want to give rats birth control.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Arizona Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday, that an 1864 law banning almost all abortions is enforceable. The only exception is if a pregnant person’s life is at risk. The court stayed its decision for at least 14 days pending other legal challenges. Chris Love, one of the lead organizers behind an effort to get an abortion rights amendment on Arizona’s November ballot, explains what the decision means for the fight for reproductive rights in the state.The Environmental Protection Agency issued a new rule that will force more than 200 chemical plants to reduce their toxic emissions. The rule targets two chemicals the EPA says are likely carcinogens. Most of the affected plants are in just two states: Texas and Louisiana.And in headlines: A Michigan court sentenced both of Ethan Crumbley’s parents to 10 to 15 years in prison for failing to stop him from carrying out a mass shooting. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he hasn’t found any evidence of Israel committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. And Mattel said it will debut an easier version of the game Scrabble.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Joe Biden on Monday announced another round of student debt relief that could help tens of millions of borrowers. He made the announcement in Madison, Wisconsin, a major college town in a swing state that’s key to the president’s re-election effort. We talk to Braxton Brewington, press secretary for The Debt Collective, an organization dedicated to student debt cancellation. He gives his opinion on whether Biden’s plan will be enough to energize young voters heading into November.And in headlines: Former President Donald Trump said states should have the final say on abortion access, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a date has been set for the invasion of Rafah, and Missy Elliot announced her first-ever solo headlining tour.Show Notes:White House: “President Biden Announces New Plans that would Provide Relief to Borrowers Disproportionately Burdened by Student Loan Debt” – https://tinyurl.com/2xq4b22rThe Debt Collective – https://debtcollective.org/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Israel said on Sunday that it was reducing its military presence in Gaza but rejected any suggestion that it was a sign the war was winding down. Sunday also marked six months since Hamas attacked Israel, killed 1,200 people and took another 250 hostage. Ceasefire negotiations resumed over the weekend in Cairo amid the ongoing international fallout over an Israeli strike that killed seven aid workers with World Central Kitchen.A rare total solar eclipse will cross a large swath of North America on Monday, and more than a dozen states from Texas to Maine are within the “path of totality.” It’s only the second total solar eclipse to be visible in the U.S. in the 21st century. Scientists have a simple message for viewers: Don’t look directly at it!And in headlines: Former President Donald Trump’s campaign claimed it raised $50 million at a weekend fundraiser, a man was arrested and charged on Sunday for starting a fire outside Sen. Bernie Sanders’ congressional office in Vermont, and the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks bested Iowa and star guard Caitlin Clark in Sunday’s NCAA women’s championship game.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Why on earth is Wall Street valuing Donald Trump’s little social network at $7 billion despite having few users, scant revenue and tremendous losses? This week on “How We Got Here,” Max and Erin take stock of how wonky and meme-ified investment markets have become, what this means Trump’s legal bills, and why “DJT” shares would never be this high if not for Netscape and GameStop. SOURCESTrump Media’s Business Doesn’t Matter - BloombergPump and Dumps Are Legal Now - BloombergJonathan Lebed's Extracurricular Activities - The New York TimesTrump Media stock plunges as 2023 Truth Social loss put at $58 millionOpinion | ‘Dumb Money’ and the Meme Stock Phenomenon - The New York TimesMeme Stocks Are Back. Here’s Why Wild Trading May Be Here to Stay. - The New York TimesTrump Stock Takes Washington by Storm - WSJWho Is Fueling the Surge in Shares of the Trump SPAC? - WSJTrump’s Dazzling Truth Social SPAC - WSJ

President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Thursday, the first time since Israeli strikes killed seven aid workers with World Central Kitchen in Gaza. Biden reportedly told Netanyahu that an immediate ceasefire was necessary and seemed to condition future U.S. support on improved treatment of Gaza’s civilians. Hours later, the White House said Israel agreed to open another border crossing into Gaza so more aid could get into the area. Crooked contributor Max Fisher explains the tonal shift happening in the White House right now and what we could expect to see going forward.Biden heads to Baltimore Friday to assess the damage to the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge. The wreckage has almost completely shut down the Port of Baltimore, which supports tens of thousands of jobs in the region. Baltimore’s Democratic Mayor Brandon Scott talks about how the cleanup effort is going and what he hopes to show Biden during his visit.And in headlines: The centrist group No Labels ended its bid to field a 2024 presidential candidate, judges in Florida and Georgia slapped down separate efforts from former President Donald Trump to toss some of his criminal charges, and the first living person to ever receive a kidney transplant from a pig was able to head home after surgery.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

José Andrés, the celebrity chef and founder of World Central Kitchen, said that Israel “targeted” his aid workers when the country killed seven of them this week. He gave an interview to Reuters on Wednesday, and he also rebuked the claims by the Israeli and U.S. governments, which both say the strikes were a tragic accident. In a statement issued late Tuesday, President Biden said he was “outraged” by the deaths, and he criticized Israel for failing to protect aid workers and civilians during the war in Gaza. But the White House still hasn’t announced any plans to change its policies in support of Israel.Nearly 50,000 Wisconsinites voted “uninstructed” in Tuesday night’s Democratic Primary instead of voting for Biden. That’s more than double the goal set by organizers, who hoped to send a message to the president over his handling of the war in Gaza. It’s also more than double the margin by which Biden won the state in 2020. Reema Ahmad, the campaign manager for Listen to Wisconsin, explained what’s next for the movement.And in headlines: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed legislation to lower the draft age for men, the prosecutor in the classified documents case against Trump criticized the judge for entertaining a “flawed legal premise,” and LSU’s Angel Reese declared for the WNBA draft.Show Notes:NYT: “José Andrés: Let People Eat” – https://tinyurl.com/279vyjkhBuddhist Tzu Chi, the largest Taiwan-based disaster relief organization – https://tzuchi.us/Taiwan Red Cross – https://www.redcross.org.tw/english/index.jspWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

World Central Kitchen, an international aid group, said on Tuesday it paused its relief operation in Gaza after an Israeli airstrike killed seven of its workers on the ground there. The strikes happened late Monday night as the aid workers were leaving a warehouse in the central Gaza Strip in vehicles clearly marked with World Central Kitchen’s logo. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that the government launched a thorough inquiry into what happened, but he also added, “This happens in war.”Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island and Wisconsin held primary elections Tuesday night. Democratic organizers in Wisconsin surpassed their goal of getting 20,000 voters to cast “uninstructed” ballots in order to send President Biden the message that they disapprove of his handling of the war in Gaza. Meanwhile, thousands of Republicans cast ballots for former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, even though she dropped out of the GOP race last month.And in headlines: A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Taiwan, backers of an abortions rights amendment to Arizona’s constitution say they’ve collected more than enough signatures to get it onto the state’s November ballot, and the moon is set to get its own time zone.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday  

The Florida Supreme Court delivered bittersweet news to abortion rights advocates on Monday. In one ruling, the court gave voters the chance to enshrine abortion rights in Florida’s constitution by okaying a referendum to appear on the state ballot this November. But in a separate decision, the court also cleared the way for Florida’s six-week abortion ban to take effect in 30 days. Lauren Brenzel, campaign director for Floridians Protecting Freedom, explained the ballot initiative that now heads to voters and how the state’s impending six-week abortion ban raises the stakes.The Israeli military on Monday ended its 14-day siege of Al-Shifa, Gaza’s largest hospital. The Gazan Health Ministry estimated that about 3,000 people were inside the hospital when the IDF began its raid. Meanwhile, in Israel over the weekend, thousands in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv protested against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.And in headlines: A temporary shipping channel opened in the port of Baltimore, former President Donald Trump posted a $175 million dollar bond tied to his civil fraud case in New York, and Iowa defeated LSU and will head to the Final Four of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Cesar Chavez Day was Sunday, and it’s the day when Americans honor the late Latino civil rights icon and labor activist. Chavez is most known for co-founding the United Farm Workers (UFW) — the nation’s first-ever farmworker union. He dedicated his life to the fight for better working conditions and wages for people who were part of the agricultural workforce — many of whom were migrants. And while Chavez’s track record on immigration is complicated, UFW is one of many organizations that currently advocates for the rights of undocumented workers, more pathways to citizenship, and overall immigration reform.In this special episode, we host a roundtable with Dani Marrero Hi of La Uniòn del Pueblo Entro, Liza Schwartzwald of the New York Immigration Coalition, and Pulitzer Prize-winning immigration journalist Molly O’Toole. We talk about why our immigration system doesn’t work — and what’s at stake this November as both Biden and Trump make their case for how to fix it.Show Notes:La Uniòn del Pueblo Entro – https://lupenet.org/New York Immigration Coalition – https://www.nyic.org/Journalist Molly O’Toole – https://twitter.com/mollymotooleWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Mifepristone revolutionized abortion access in America, so much that, two years after the fall of Roe v. Wade, abortions in the United States are up.But now “Mife” is taking its turn in the crosshairs of the anti-abortion movement, facing a challenge before the Supreme Court that could cut off access to the drug. Can it survive this challenge? And, if so, would that mean the pro-choice movement is quietly winning the fight for abortion access in America?This week on “How We Got Here,” Hysteria’s Erin Ryan and Offline’s Max Fisher tell the story of how Mifepristone became the anti-abortion movement’s #1 enemy and the new lows that movement has had to go to get this challenge before the court. SOURCES: Cover Up: The Pill PlotTimeline of the Supreme Court’s mifepristone abortion pill ruling | CNN PoliticsOne in Six Abortions Is Done With Pills Prescribed Online, Data Shows - The New York TimesAbortion Shield Laws: A New War Between the States - The New York TimesChallenging Abortion, Again - The New York TimesDespite State Bans, Legal Abortions Didn’t Fall Nationwide in Year After DobbsAbortion Bans Across the Country: Tracking Restrictions by State - The New York TimesAbortion Ruling Could Undermine the F.D.A.’s Drug-Approval Authority - The New York TimesThe many lives of mifepristone: Multi-glandular exaptation of an endocrine molecule - PMC.A Political History of RU-486NYT Archive: DRUG MAKER STOPS ALL DISTRIBUTION OF ABORTION PILLThe long and winding history of the war on abortion drugsThe Complicated Life of the Abortion Pill | The New Yorker

The federal government announced on Thursday some upcoming changes to the next Census. The form will consolidate two existing questions about race and ethnicity into one question. There will also be a longer list of race categories for people to select from, along with the ability to choose more than one. The list will include, for the first time, the option to select “Middle Eastern or North African.”This Sunday is International Transgender Day of Visibility. It comes amid a legislative, political and sociocultural assault on the lives of trans people. Sports journalist and athlete Karleigh Chardonnay Webb talks about one of those assaults: a recent lawsuit against the NCAA that seeks to roll back eligibility rules for trans college athletes.And in headlines: A federal court says South Carolina can use a Congressional map ruled unconstitutional for the the 2024 election, FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison, and House Speaker Mike Johnson said he’ll send impeachment articles against DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate on April 10.Show Notes:Outsports: “College female athletes file lawsuit to ban trans athletes from competing in the NCAA” –  https://tinyurl.com/2dp4rxpaMedia Matters: “The New York Times failed to quote trans people in two-thirds of stories on anti-trans legislation in a one-year period” – https://tinyurl.com/244cbteuWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Democrats scored a surprise landslide win on Tuesday when Marilyn Lands prevailed in a special election for an Alabama State House seat previously held by a Republican. Lands made abortion rights and access to IVF central to her campaign. Democrats hope Lands’ win is more evidence that abortion access and reproductive rights remain potent issues for voters heading into the November election.Divers on Wednesday recovered the remains of two victims from the wreckage of the Baltimore bridge that collapsed earlier this week. The Francis Scott Key Bridge crumbled after it was struck by a shipping container that had lost power. At least six people — all immigrants — are presumed dead. They were filling potholes on the bridge at the time of the collapse.And in headlines: Former senator and vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman died on Tuesday at the age of 82, a federal appeals court continued its hold on a draconian Texas immigration law, and the three white Georgia men who killed Ahmaud Arbery asked a federal appeals court to overturn their hate crime convictions.Show Notes:Politico: “McDaniel eyes big payout after NBC drama” – https://tinyurl.com/238tm3v8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Supreme Court justices on Tuesday seemed skeptical of a case that challenged expanded access to the abortion medication mifepristone. It was brought by anti-abortion doctors looking to roll back access, but during oral arguments both liberal and conservative justices questioned whether the group had the right to bring the case, a concept known as standing. Leah Litman, co-host of Crooked’s legal podcast Strict Scrutiny, explained why the justices kept coming back to the issue, and what it could mean for the court’s final decision.And in headlines: Six construction workers are presumed dead after a bridge collapsed in Baltimore, former Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel got the ax from NBC News, and a New York judge issued a gag order against former President Donald Trump in his criminal hush-money trial.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The United Nations Security Council passed a resolution on Monday calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during the month of Ramadan. The United States abstained from the vote, allowing the resolution to pass. While it’s unclear how the ceasefire resolution will affect the trajectory of the war, it’s yet more evidence of the deteriorating relationship between the Biden Administration and the Israeli government.The company that owns former President Donald Trump’s social media app Truth Social will begin trading on the Nasdaq exchange Tuesday under the symbol DJT. It’s thanks to a merger that could net Trump more than $3 billion. Crooked’s news editor Greg Walters explains the mechanics of the deal and what it means for the former president.And in headlines: A New York Judge set an April 15th start date for Trump’s criminal trial over alleged hush money payments, the Supreme Court hears oral arguments in a case about access to the abortion drug mifepristone, and federal agents raided two mansions owned by Sean “Diddy” Combs.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

More than 130 people are dead after a terrorist attack Friday night at a concert in Moscow. An offshoot of the Islamic State known as ISIS-K claimed responsibility, and U.S. officials said there’s evidence to support that claim. Four suspects from Tajikistan were arrested. But Russian President Vladimir Putin instead pushed the idea that Ukraine was involved in the attack, despite the fact that there’s no evidence to support it.The Texas Medical Board on Friday released its proposed definition for what would constitute an “emergency medical exception” to the state’s strict anti-abortion law. The board left the rule purposefully vague, however. Molly Duane, a senior staff attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights, explains how the proposed definition could make things even worse for Texas patients and doctors.And in headlines: Monday is the deadline for former President Donald Trump to cough up the $454 million fine he owes in his New York civil fraud case, the Princess of Wales said she’s undergoing chemotherapy to treat an undisclosed form of cancer, and indicted former Rep. George Santos said he's dropping the Republican Party to run as an independent for another seat in Congress. Show Notes:Vox: “The battle for blame over a deadly terror attack in Moscow” – https://tinyurl.com/2aup665mTexas Medical Board’s Proposed Rule for Medical Exceptions To The State’s Anti-Abortion Law: https://tinyurl.com/2ceh2hxaPublicly Comment On The Board’s Proposed Rule – https://tinyurl.com/2dpt9zqgWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Background:Los Angeles Times: Behind the calamitous fall of hip-hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' CombsLA Times: Russell Simmons and Brett Ratner face new allegations of sexual misconduct Reuters: R. Kelly challenge to sex abuse conviction draws skepticism from US appeals court The New York Times: Music Mogul Russell Simmons Is Accused of Rape by 3 WomenVariety: Russell Simmons Sued for Alleged Rape of Def Jam Producer in '90s Hollywood Reporter: Writer Jenny Lumet: Russell Simmons Sexually Violated Me (Guest Column) TMZ: Usher Vacations in Bali with Russell Simmons, Partakes in Yoga Session  AP News: Rapper Kodak Black gets probation in teen's assault caseHollywood Reporter: Russell Simmons Sued For Defamation By Former Def Jam Recordings ExecutiveThe New York Times: Harvey Weinstein Paid Off Sexual Harassment Accusers for DecadesBody And Soul featuring Sista Dee Barnes & Rose Almighty - directed by Tamra Davis 

The Justice Department and more than a dozen states filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple on Thursday for “smothering” the smartphone industry. Among the claims, the suit accused Apple of limiting virtual wallets other than Apple Pay, making chats with Android products less secure, and blocking new apps, all to maintain a monopoly. Apple rejected the claims of the suit and said it would fight it.The New York Times reported this week that the Democratic Party is preparing to mount an aggressive campaign to challenge the presidential ballot-access efforts of third party candidates. And on Thursday, former New Jersey Governor and twice-failed Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie didn’t rule out the possibility of running with the centrist party No Labels. David Faris, an associate professor of political science at Roosevelt University, explains how third parties could tip the outcome of this election cycle.And in headlines: Lawmakers on Friday will try to pass a $1.2 trillion package to prevent a partial government shutdown, President Biden canceled nearly $6 billion more in student debt for public service workers, and Reddit made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange.Show Notes:NYT: “Democrats Prepare Aggressive Counter to Third-Party Threats” – https://tinyurl.com/yvbwakghWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Texas’ draconian immigration law SB4 is back on hold after a ruling late Tuesday night by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. SB4 would allow state law enforcement officials to arrest and detain anyone they suspect of crossing the border illegally. It also would allow judges to issue orders to deport people to Mexico. The Fifth Circuit’s decision followed an earlier decision by the Supreme Court’s conservative majority to let the law go into effect. Texas Tribune immigration reporter Uriel García explained the legal whiplash and what it means for migrants in the state.The Biden administration on Wednesday finalized the country’s strictest-ever limits on emissions for passenger cars and light trucks in an effort to rev up the nation’s transition towards electric vehicles. It’s definitely a big deal, but it is a bit more modest than what was proposed last year. Nevertheless, the health of the planet will improve with these changes as will our own.And in headlines: The Federal Reserve kept interest rates flat on Wednesday amid continued concerns over inflation, former President Donald Trump said he’d be open to endorsing a national ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, and a fourth Mississippi police officer was sentenced to 40 years in prison in a case involving the horrific torture of two Black men.Show Notes:Texas Tribune: “Disagreement and confusion on display in hearing over Texas’ new immigration law” – https://tinyurl.com/24h7x3jmABC News: “Electric vehicle sales are slowing. No need for panic yet, insiders say.” – https://tinyurl.com/2xb8okygUSC: “Study links adoption of electric vehicles with less air pollution and improved health” – https://tinyurl.com/25t24c7dWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday reiterated his plans to do exactly what President Joe Biden keeps advising him not to do: launch a ground offensive into the crowded city of Rafah in southern Gaza. Netanyahu’s comments came after Biden directly warned him against it in a phone call, their first in more than a month. Netanyahu insists a ground offensive in Rafah is the only way to eliminate Hamas, despite the fact that more than a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering there.And in headlines: Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown will face Bernie Moreno, a Trump-backed businessman, in the November election; a new report says the number of abortions in the US topped 1 million for the first time in more than a decade; and a nonprofit canceled its annual Ruth Bader Ginsberg Leadership Award gala after it came under fire for nominating… Elon Musk and Rupert Murdoch?Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Ohio is one of five states holding primary elections on Tuesday. A few big races there will make it a key state to watch in November. Democrat Sherrod Brown is looking to hold on to his Senate seat in what’s likely to be a tight race that could make or break control of the chamber. There’s also an open seat on the state’s Supreme Court that could lead to Republicans losing their majority. Ohio Democratic Party Chair Liz Walters talks about what’s at stake there this election cycle.And in headlines: Trump said he can’t pay the $454 million bond he owes in his New York civil fraud case, the U.S. Supreme Court seemed likely to reject a Republican-led effort to limit communication between the federal government and social media companies over disinformation on their platform, and the creators of the horror film “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” unveiled plans for a crossover called “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble.”Show Notes:Ohio Democrats: Build The Bench – http://ohiodems.org/buildthebenchIPC Global Famine Review Committee: Gaza Strip – https://tinyurl.com/25x5hhbhWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Georgia racketeering case against Donald Trump can proceed with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis in charge. However, on Friday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled that if Willis stayed on, her lead prosecutor, Nathan Wade, would have to leave the case. He stepped down later that day. One of Trump’s co-defendants accused Willis of misconduct for having a romantic relationship with Wade, but Judge McAfee said it did not constitute the kind of conflict of interest that would require her removal from the case. Former prosecutor Titus Nichols explains how much Willis’ case against Trump has been damaged by the accusations.And in headlines: Vladimir Putin unsurprisingly won his fifth term as Russia’s president, Trump told a rally there would be a “bloodbath” if he doesn’t win in November, and searches for VPNs shot up in Texas after Pornhub restricted access to its site in the state.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

This week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he’s invading the Palestinian city of Rafah despite strong opposition from the Biden administration. Why does Israel, a country that seems to rely on the U.S. for so much, increasingly ignore and defy its long time American patron? And at what point is a defiant ally not really an ally at all? This week on How We Got Here, Israel’s decades-long effort to break free of their military, economic, and diplomatic dependence on the United States—and what it means for the peace process.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday called for new Israeli elections to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the U.S., called Netanyahu an “obstacle to peace.” Ben Rhodes, co-host of Crooked’s ‘Pod Save The World’ and former deputy national security advisor to President Barack Obama, explains what Schumer’s comments could signal about Democrats’ shifting attitudes toward Israel over the war in Gaza.And in headlines: Vice President Kamala Harris made history by visiting an abortion provider in Minnesota, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office asked to delay its hush money case against former President Donald Trump by 30 days, and Pornhub blocked Texas users from using the site amid an ongoing legal battle over the state’s age verification law.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Americans have considered the idea of reparations for more than a century, but there’s real momentum around the movement to make it happen right now. Multiple states and localities have launched studies into doing it and California has even introduced legislation. We’ll talk to Pulitzer Prize and Emmy Award-winning journalist Trymaine Lee whose podcast “Uncounted Millions” looks at ways reparations could reshape the lives of the descendants of formerly enslaved people.And in headlines: The House overwhelmingly passed a bill to ban TikTok from U.S. app stores unless it splits from its China-based owner, a Georgia judge tossed six charges in Trump’s election interference case, and New Orleans rats are breaking into police headquarters to munch down on confiscated weed.Show Notes:“Uncounted Millions: The Power of Reparations” – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/into-america/id1499906821988 Suicide And Crisis Lifeline – https://988lifeline.org/help-yourself/lgbtq/The Trevor Project crisis hotline for LGBTQ youth – https://www.thetrevorproject.org/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The House is expected to vote Wednesday on a bill that could force the Chinese owners of TikTok to sell the social media platform or face a ban on U.S. app stores. Lawmakers say TikTok is a potential national security threat. The bill has bipartisan support in the House. Tech journalist Louise Matsakis explains why banning TikTok is one of the few issues lawmakers can agree on these days.And in headlines: The House Judiciary Committee grilled Special Counsel Robert Hur over his investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents, an FAA report said Boeing failed dozens of audits, and Airbnb told hosts no more indoor security cameras.Show Notes:Louise Matsakis’s newsletter “You May Also Like” – https://youmayalsolike.beehiiv.com/The Guardian: “Revealed: how TikTok censors videos that do not please Beijing” – https://tinyurl.com/y56o6hnkNetwork Contagion Research Institute: “ How TikTok's Global Platform Anomalies Align with the Chinese Communist Party's Geostrategic Objectives” – https://tinyurl.com/ynsd9kyjWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Biden on Monday unveiled his $7.3 trillion budget proposal for the next fiscal year. He calls for new spending to lower the cost of healthcare, housing and childcare, and wants to offset it by raising taxes on the wealthy and corporations. The proposal as it stands now has little chance of passing a divided Congress, but is the basis for negotiations and also serves as a campaign promise for his reelection.A settlement over Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay and Trans” bill means teachers and students can talk about gender identity and sexual orientations in classrooms again. Kind of. Both sides are calling it a win.And in headlines: Trump asks to delay the Manhattan trial in his hush money case, Special Counsel Robert Hur testifies in front of Congress about his investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents, and could next month’s total solar eclipse make some animals extra randy? Researchers want to know.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Ramadan began Sunday night, and it was also the unofficial deadline by which the Biden administration hoped to have negotiated a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. But as fighting in Gaza rages on and the death toll there tops 30,000, President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amped up their criticisms of each other.Haiti’s government is on the brink of collapse after local gangs united in a coordinated attack on the nation’s capital city Port-au-Prince. The roots of the violence can be traced back all the way to the 90s.And in headlines: Oppenheimer dominated the Oscars, the Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into Boeing, and the Republican National Committee named two new leaders, one with the last name Trump.Show Notes:AP: “Why is Haiti so chaotic? Leaders used street gangs to gain power. Then the gangs got stronger” – https://tinyurl.com/259cbjhv\What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Primaries elections are good, right? It’s how we hold the party accountable and raise up progressives! It turns out there’s more to the story.This week on “How We Got Here,” Max and Erin explore how party primaries have led to the success of more extreme candidates, the passage of fewer polices, and an increase in American polarization. From the Tea Party and Ron Paul to decidedly not "tea" parties with Texas House Speakers, this week’s episode probes the dangers of primaries, and why the U.S. seems to be the last country in the world to catch on.

President Biden delivered his State of the Union Thursday night. He traded verbal blows with his conservative opponents inside the room, and also offered a preview of his 2024 campaign message. Pod Save America's Tommy Vietor assessed Biden's speech on topics such as abortion access, Gaza, immigration at the southern border and more.And in headlines: Sweden joins NATO, Trump can't delay his payment to E. Jean Carroll, and House lawmakers advanced legislation that could ban TikTok.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Biden delivers his third State of the Union address Thursday night ahead of this November’s election. Part of the challenge for Biden is to show voters that he’s still got the energy for another four year term. But he also has to motivate his base, including progressives who are following his campaign with varying amounts of enthusiasm. Activists and organizers across the country told us about the issues they’re most concerned about, and what they want Biden to say when he steps up to the podium.And in headlines: Nikki Haley cedes the Republican primary race to Trump, a Russian missile hits near the President of Ukraine, and a Texas company says it’s one step closer to bringing back woolly mammoths.Show Notes:“Rep. Allred to Host Dr. Austin Dennard at State of the Union” – https://tinyurl.com/24s5646jListen To Michigan campaign – https://www.listentomichigan.com/United We Dream Action – https://unitedwedreamaction.org/Debt Collective – https://debtcollective.org/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/

Super Tuesday was mostly a blowout on the Republican side for former President Donald Trump. Nikki Haley did manage to eke out a win in Vermont, but that's not enough to give her a clear path to victory. Danielle Deiseroth, the executive director of the progressive think tank Data for Progress, helps us interpret what the Super Tuesday results could mean for both Republicans and Democrats in November.And in headlines: Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed the GOP-backed Arizona Border Invasion Act, Senator Kyrsten Sinema won't seek re-election, and Dartmouth's basketball team votes to unionize.Show Notes:Data For Progress – https://www.dataforprogress.org/Vote Save America – https://votesaveamerica.com/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Tuesday that former President Donald Trump can stay on Colorado’s primary ballot. This reverses a decision by Colorado’s Supreme Court, which ruled that Trump could be disqualified based on his actions on January 6th, and the 14th Amendment’s stipulation that insurrectionists cannot hold public office. To understand the Supreme Court’s rationale, we spoke to Leah Litman, co-host of Crooked’s “Strict Scrutiny” and professor at the University of Michigan Law School.Today is Super Tuesday. Voters in 16 states and American Samoa head to the polls, and one of the states we’re keeping a close eye on is California where several House races could determine which party will take control of Congress. We spoke with Marisa Lagos, KQED politics reporter, about how these California races in several swing districts got so competitive in the first place.And in headlines: the Supreme Court temporarily blocked Texas from implementing its harsh new immigration law, the first OTC birth control pill heads to pharmacies, and French lawmakers make abortion a constitutional right.Show Notes:Crooked’s Strict Scrutiny – https://crooked.com/podcast-series/strict-scrutiny/Vote Save America – https://votesaveamerica.com/“Biodiversity footprints of 151 popular dishes from around the world” – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10880993/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Oregon’s legislature has reintroduced criminal penalties for hard drug possession, effectively reversing course three years after voters passed the state’s Measure 110 and decriminalized possession in many cases. Many describe the reversal as a big setback for the criminal justice reform movement. But to understand how we got here, we look at where Oregon fell short in its implementation of Measure 110.Israel boycotted ceasefire talks in Cairo on Sunday after Hamas refused a demand to provide a list of all the hostages who are still alive and in their captivity. Meanwhile as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen, the U.S. carried out its first airdrop of aid supplies into the region.And in headlines: CVS and Walgreens will start dispensing abortion pills, Caitlin Clark shatters an NCAA scoring record, and Donald Gorske shatters a McDonald’s eating record.Show Notes:OPB: “Oregon’s drug decriminalization experiment appears dead” – https://tinyurl.com/2d3o5v5nWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

I see London, I see France, I see Shohei Ohtani’s underpants. This week, the MLB kicked off Spring Training with brand new see-through uniforms — yes, you read that right.But it’s not just MLB players’ clothing that’s seemingly crappier, the uniform change is another story in a long line of corporate decisions that have made the clothing we wear worse and worse with each passing year. Max and Erin get to the bottom of how fashion got so fast, telling the story of a little Spanish retailer named Zara that changed the way we shop and a big, bad bogeyman (hint: it’s private equity) that stepped in to accelerate the decline of clothing quality.

More than 100 Palestinians were killed and hundreds more injured Thursday near Gaza City as people gathered around trucks to receive much needed food and aid. Hamas said in a statement that the Gaza Health Ministry had presented “undeniable” evidence of the Israeli Defense Force directly firing at civilians. Israel, for their part, denied that soldiers shot into the large crowd.Alabama’s legislature voted to protect in vitro fertilization, or IVF, following the ruling by the state’s Supreme Court earlier this month that categorized frozen embryos as “children” and said that anyone who destroys them can be held liable for “wrongful death.” The bills aimed to protect IVF providers from lawsuits and criminal prosecution in hopes that they would resume offering treatments in the state again.And in headlines: the government shutdown will be delayed for another week, Texas battles the largest wildfire in its history, and Wendy’s sets the record straight on “surge pricing.”Show Notes:VSA’s F*ck Bans Action Plan – https://votesaveamerica.com/fuckbans/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Wednesday that he plans to step down as the Republican Senate leader in November. He has been the longest-serving Senate leader in American history, and is responsible for extensive damage to American politics and life. Congressional reporter Todd Zwillich explains why McConnell is leaving and why now.Both President Biden and former President Trump head to the southern border Wednesday as they jockey on the issue of immigration. Uriel García, immigration reporter for the Texas Tribune, talks about the humanitarian cost of the U.S. government trying to secure the border, and how Texas residents and migrants feel about the plans proposed by the two leading presidential candidates.And in headlines: the Supreme Court will weigh in on the question of presidential immunity for Trump, Senate Republicans blocked a bill that would've established federal protectors for IVF, and France will likely add the right to abortion to its constitution.Show Notes:Todd Zwillich on Twitter – https://twitter.com/toddzwillichTexas Tribune – https://www.texastribune.org/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Yet another government shutdown looms and lawmakers have until Friday night to avert it. Here's what's holding them up this time: House Republicans have refused to support a spending deal that doesn't cover some of their extremist priorities, like the reversal of a federal rule that broadens access to abortion medication. House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he's committed to avoiding a shutdown, but we're definitely not out of the woods yet.The Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear arguments about a Trump-era ban on bump stocks, which enable rapid firing when added to semi-automatic weapons. The bump stock owner who brought the case argues that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives doesn't have the authority to outlaw bump stocks, and that bump stocks shouldn't be classified as "machine guns."And in headlines: Hamas and Israel are far less optimistic than Joe Biden about the near-term possibility of a ceasefire, Starbucks agreed to start bargaining talks with the Starbucks Workers Union, and Macy's is closing 150 stores.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Supreme Court on Monday heard oral arguments on a case that could upend the online world. At issue are laws championed and passed by Republicans in Florida and Texas which would prevent social media companies from banning users based on their viewpoints. Jason Koebler, co-founder of the tech publication 404 Media, believes that tech companies would leave both states if the Supreme Court allowed these laws to stand.Michigan holds its primary elections on Tuesday. From the war in Gaza to the candidates’ ages, voters in Detroit told us what issues are the most important to them as they head to the polls.And in headlines: President Biden says he expects a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas as early as next week, the FTC sues to block a massive grocery store merger, and Trump could get hit with another gag order.Show Notes:404 Media – https://www.404media.co/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Former President Donald Trump cleaned up in the South Carolina Republican primary last Saturday, winning 60 percent of the votes to Nikki Haley’s 40 percent, in spite of the fact that the battle played out in Haley’s home state. For her part, Haley says she’s still not dropping out.The race now heads to Michigan which holds its Presidential primary on Tuesday. The results could demonstrate how much support President Biden maintains among a key demographic in the state: Muslim and Arab American voters. Many of these voters pledge to vote “uncommitted” as part of the Listen to Michigan campaign, a statewide effort aimed at pressuring the president to take action to prevent the death of thousands more people in Palestine.And in headlines: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 31,000 of his country's soldiers have died since the start of Russia's invasion, the former head of the NRA was found liable in a massive corruption lawsuit, and what happened at the Screen Actors Guild and Independent Spirit Awards.Show Notes:Listen To Michigan campaign – https://www.listentomichigan.com/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Republicans are coming after IVF? And no-fault divorce? This week, a Supreme Court ruling in Alabama and a new report from POLITICO unmasked an ascendant ideology taking over the Republican Party: Christian nationalism. Why does this ideology have Republicans waging war on public schools, failing marriages, and fertility clinics? And how did this movement go from the far fringes of the religious right to the center of the GOP? This week on How We Got Here, Offline’s Max Fisher and Hysteria’s Erin Ryan break down Christian nationalism's origin as a reaction to school desegregation, how the ideology is spreading via “trad wife” TikTok trends, and why Donald Trump is embracing the ideology as part of his 2024 presidential campaign. 

The mother of deceased Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said that authorities are “blackmailing” her over his remains to get her to agree to a secret funeral. Sanctions on more than 500 targets in Russia are expected from the U.S. State and Treasury Departments Friday for the Russian government’s suspected role in Navalny’s death.Saturday marks two years since Russia invaded Ukraine. The U.N. says that nearly 6.5 million Ukrainians have fled the country and become refugees in that time. We heard from one of those refugees about that transition and her life in Poland, which war has turned into her family’s new home.And in headlines: a Texas judge rules that one student’s locs are not protected by the CROWN Act, two more clinics stop IVF services in Alabama, and the MyPillow Guy is out $5 million for his devotion to Stopping The Steal.Show Notes:CARE – https://www.care.org/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The University of Alabama health system became the first organization in the state to pause IVF treatments following the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that said frozen embryos can legally be considered “children.” Meanwhile, the future of IVF in the ten other states remains unclear as well because, like Alabama, they say life begins at fertilization. To learn more about how this fits into the larger fight for reproductive rights, we spoke with Dana Sussman, deputy executive director of Pregnancy Justice.Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old nonbinary student in Oklahoma, died earlier this month one day after a fight in a school bathroom. The circumstances of Benedict’s tragic death are still coming into focus. But one thing’s for sure: the efforts of anti-LGBTQ lawmakers in Oklahoma, as well as influential right-wing social media accounts like Libs of TikTok, have helped create an extremely hostile environment for trans youth and LGBTQ people in the state.And in headlines: the White House wiped out another $1.2 billion in student debt, the latest on the sputtering Republican-led Biden impeachment inquiry, and the Boeing executive in charge of 737 Max’s is out.Show Notes:Pregnancy Justice – https://www.pregnancyjusticeus.org/The Independent: “Oklahoma banned trans students from bathrooms. Now a bullied student is dead after a fight” – http://tinyurl.com/2ck7rqsoAnti-Violence Project’s Hotline for LGBTQ+ Survivors of Violence – Call/Text 212.714.1141Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network – https://www.glsen.org/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The U.S. vetoed a U.N. resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and stood alone on the 15-member U.N. Security Council in its vote. To understand the veto and the current state of hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas, we spoke with The Intercept’s Prem Thakker.A newly-overhauled website for FAFSA, or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is not working as intended and it’s creating chaos for students applying for college. Left in the dark about the size of their aid packages, some students don’t know which schools they can afford. We discuss what the Department of Education says they’re doing about it.And in headlines: two men were charged in last week's shooting at a Kansas City Super Bowl victory parade, librarians could be under attack in West Virginia, and Bridgit Mendler rides the Disney-Channel-star-to-CEO pipeline.Show Notes:The Intercept’s Prem Thakker – https://theintercept.com/staff/premthakker/Politico: “College admissions face new turmoil after Biden’s Education Department fumble” – http://tinyurl.com/2ywazaznChalkbeat: “Partial FAFSA fix lets students from immigrant families apply for financial aid” – http://tinyurl.com/29bydcr7CNBC: “Disney star turned space CEO: Bridgit Mendler launches satellite data startup backed by major VCs” – http://tinyurl.com/2cazb6cbWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Wisconsin’s Democratic Governor Tony Evers signed new legislative maps into law on Monday, and broke a Republican gerrymander that has shaped the state’s politics for years. That means Democrats are pretty much set to gain seats in the state Assembly and state Senate this November. John Bisognano, president of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, explains what Wisconsin’s win means for the state and the nation.Alexei Navalny, the head of Russia’s political opposition, died last Friday while serving over 30 years in an Arctic Penal Colony. That means that with less than a month before the country’s next presidential election, the party opposing Vladimir Putin’s regime has lost its most visible leader. It’s not clear how Navalny died, but his widow Yulia accused Putin himself of killing her husband.And in headlines: Donald Trump is selling $400 sneakers while facing a $450 million fine in his New York fraud trial, the U.N’s highest court started hearing arguments on the legality of Israel’s 57-year occupation of Palestinian territories, and the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are “children.”Show Notes:National Democratic Redistricting Committee: “2023-2024 Priority States” – https://democraticredistricting.com/priority-states/PIX11: “NYPD Dance Team performs” – https://pix11.com/news/morning/nypd-dance-team-performs-on-pix11/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

What do the 1970s crime wave, the endangerment of the California condor, and Gen Xers demanding to speak to the manager have in common? There’s a compelling case that all are exacerbated by lead exposure. This week How We Got Here unpacks the long and sordid story of how lead found its way into gasoline…and the organs of many Americans. But gas is just the tip of the iceberg—we still see lead in consumer products today, from drinking water to baby food to Stanley Cups. Why do we still use this poisonous metal? What does it do to our brains? And who does it impact the most? Hysteria’s Erin Ryan and Offline’s Max Fisher unpack what lead us to this point.

Fulton County DA Fani Willis and special counsel Nathan Wade both took the stand on Thursday about their prior romantic relationship. The hearing will determine whether it constituted a conflict of interest that disqualifies Willis from prosecuting Donald Trump for election racketeering in Georgia.Meanwhile, a verdict is expected Friday in New York’s civil fraud trial against Trump, and New York’s hush money criminal trial against Trump got a start date of March 25th.And in headlines: Kansas City officials said Wednesday’s mass shooting at the Super Bowl parade probably started with a personal argument, President Biden is expected to visit East Palestine, Ohio on Friday, and an FBI informant was charged for lying about connections between Hunter Biden and Ukraine.Show Notes:What A Day will be off on Monday, February 19th for Presidents’ Day. We’ll be back with a new episode on Tuesday, February 20th. What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

A mass shooting at Wednesday’s Super Bowl parade for the Kansas City Chiefs left one person dead and 21 more injured. Authorities said they had three people in custody.Democrats took home some important wins earlier this week, including Democrat Tom Suozzi flipping the Congressional seat that once belonged to New York Republican George Santos. We’re joined by Shaniqua McClendon, Vice President of political strategy at Crooked Media, for more on what the victories could mean for Dems’ chances in November.And in headlines: President Biden blocked the deportation of Palestinians from the U.S. for the next 18 months, the ACLU of Colorado sued Children’s Hospital Colorado because the center discontinued gender-affirming surgeries for trans adults, and thousands of Uber and Lyft drivers and DoorDash delivery workers went on strike.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

House Republicans impeached Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday in a 214-213 vote. Meanwhile in New York, Democrat Tom Suozzi won the special election to replace ousted Republican Congressman George Santos, and Pennsylvania voters elected Democrat Jim Prokopiak in Tuesday’s state House special election.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may loosen Covid isolation requirements. Under newly proposed guidelines, Americans who test positive for Covid would no longer be advised to isolate for five days. Instead, they plan to recommend that people use their symptoms to determine when they should end their isolation.And in headlines: the Senate passed a $95 billion bill with aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, the death toll from last year’s West Maui wildfires reached 101 on Tuesday, and Meghan Markle teamed up with Lemonada Media for a new podcast.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Control of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives hinges on a special election taking place today in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Democrats currently have a one-seat majority in the chamber. The results of today’s race will determine if Democrats can pick up one more seat or if they become tied with Republicans. We’re joined by Melissa Walker, head of Giving Circles over at The States Project, to learn more about who’s running and what’s at stake.It’s looking like a whirlwind of a week for Trump and the many battles he faces in court. After an appeals court ruled last week that he did not qualify for immunity from prosecution, Trump and his lawyers appealed to the Supreme Court on Monday and asked them to pause the case. Meanwhile, the hearing to address the allegations that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis engaged in an improper and unethical relationship with her lead prosecutor will take place on Thursday.And in headlines: Israel’s military killed at least 67 Palestinians in Rafah, a new bill that was introduced in Wyoming could take trans kids away from their parents if they receive gender-affirming care, and Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash drivers will walk off the job this Valentine’s Day.Show Notes:The State’s Project — https://statesproject.org/Vote Save America — https://votesaveamerica.com/Palestine Red Crescent Society — https://www.palestinercs.org/enWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/

Tuesday is Election Day for the race to replace George Santos in New York’s third congressional district. The candidates running for the seat include former Democratic congressman Tom Suozzi and Nassau County legislator Mazi Pilip who’s been selected as the nominee for Republican and conservative parties. With Republicans holding a narrow 219-212 majority in the House, the stakes are high. We’re joined by Gabby Seay, the campaign director of Battleground New York, to learn more about what it would take to flip this seat and others in the state blue.And in headlines: the Senate advanced a bill that would provide $95 billion in aid for Ukraine and Israel, a series of Israeli strikes hit Rafah, and Vox’s Ellen Ioanes tells us about the significance of last week's parliamentary election in Pakistan.Show Notes:Vox: Everything is chaotic about Pakistan’s election — except the outcome - https://www.vox.com/2024/2/8/24066427/pakistan-imran-khan-nawaz-sharif What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/

It’s Week 2 of What a Day’s new series “How We Got Here,” in which Hysteria’s Erin Ryan and Offline’s Max Fisher pose a question about the week’s biggest headlines and comb through history to answer it. This week, they dive into the enemies-to-lovers story of the NFL and sports betting. Why did professional sports leagues disavow gambling for so long? How did the NFL go from hating Vegas to hosting a Super Bowl there? And who cares what color gatorade they dump on the field this Sunday? (Spoiler alert: MANY people!)

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Thursday in a case considering whether or not Donald Trump can be removed from the ballot in Colorado because of his role in the Jan. 6th insurrection. Most of the justices, including a number of the liberal justices, seemed convinced by at least one argument from the defense: that an individual state can't disqualify candidates in a national election without Congress specifically granting them that power. We’re joined by Melissa Murray, professor of law at NYU and co-host of Crooked’s Strict Scrutiny podcast, to learn more about the hearing and what comes next.And in headlines: a Special Counsel report into President Biden’s handling of sensitive government documents cleared Biden of committing any crimes, the FCC said that it’s immediately outlawing robocalls that feature AI voices, and a high school football team from the town of Lahaina is headed to the Super Bowl this weekend.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastNFL Films Lahainaluna Football Documentary - https://www.espnhonolulu.com/2024/01/04/watch-nfl-films-lahainaluna-football-documentary/Luna Strong Fundraiser - https://www.downtownathleticclubhawaii.org/luna-strong/Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/

The Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments about Amendment 4 — a constitutional amendment that would guarantee the right to abortion up until the point of fetal viability in the state's constitution. Justices must approve the language of the amendment proposed by abortion advocates before it can be put on the ballot in November. We’re joined by Anna Hochkammer, Councilmember for PineCrest Florida and Executive Director of Florida Women’s Freedom Coalition, to learn more about Amendment 4 and how it would protect women and pregnant people in the state if passed.Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the latest Hamas counterproposal for a ceasefire. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Egypt and Qatar working on mediation between Hamas and Israel. He also met with Netanyahu and other Israeli officials in Jerusalem.And in headlines: the Supreme Court will hear arguments about whether or not Trump is eligible to be president again, Senate Republicans killed the new border deal and foreign aid package, and the Environmental Protection Agency tightened standards for fine particle pollution.Show Notes:Florida Women’s Freedom Coalition — https://floridawomensfreedomcoalition.com/Vote Save America: https://votesaveamerica.com/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/

A federal appeals court on Tuesday rejected Donald Trump's immunity claim and ruled that he can be put on trial over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. A three-judge panel issued the unanimous decision, writing, “for the purpose of this criminal case, former President Trump has become citizen Trump.” We’re joined by Leah Litman, co-host of Crooked’s legal podcast Strict Scrutiny and a professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School, to learn more about the case and what comes next.And in headlines: the House rejected impeachment charges against Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, a Michigan jury voted to convict Jennifer Crumbley of involuntary manslaughter, and New Hampshire officials said they found the source behind the fake Biden robocalls.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Brittney Gilliam agreed to a $1.9 million settlement more than three years after police officers in Aurora, Colorado held her, her sister, her two nieces, and her six-year-old daughter at gunpoint. This comes on the heels of two new studies from the Journal of the American Medical Association that show the effect of police violence on Black communities.Educators in Durham, North Carolina held another “Day of Protest" on Monday that forced Durham Public Schools to close seven schools. It was the second demonstration that caused closures in less than a week over a pay dispute with the school board. Meanwhile, the University of North Carolina in Greensboro is eliminating 20 programs from its roster, citing low enrollment.And in headlines: Nevada’s Democratic and Republican presidential primaries are happening on Tuesday, King Charles III was diagnosed with cancer, and some scientists say that hurricanes are getting so intense that it may be time for a new rating.Show Notes:PNAS: The growing inadequacy of an open-ended Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale in a warming world — https://rb.gy/rrzsltWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis admitted to having a personal relationship with Nathan Wade, the prosecutor she hired to handle the election interference case against Donald Trump. Meanwhile, the federal case against Trump is being delayed. And the Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on Thursday deciding whether he can be left off the ballot in Colorado for his role in the January 6th insurrection.Police in the city of Dearborn, Michigan were on high alert this weekend after an opinion piece published by the Wall Street Journal called the city “America’s Jihad Capital.” Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud said on Saturday that he was ramping up police presence across all places of worship and major infrastructure points. President Joe Biden even weighed in on Sunday in a post on X, writing, “Americans know that blaming a group of people based on the words of a small few is wrong.”And in headlines: Senators released the long-awaited $118 billion border deal and foreign aid package, President Joe Biden won the South Carolina Democratic primary over the weekend, and more than a hundred people have been killed by the wildfires raging in Chile’s Pacific Coast.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast“Kickin' Off The Party In South Carolina” with DNC Chair Jaime Harrison - https://www.crooked.com/podcast/kickin-off-the-party-in-south-carolina/Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Welcome to What a Day’s How We Got Here, a new weekend series where Hysteria’s Erin Ryan and Offline’s Max Fisher pose a question about the week’s biggest headlines and comb through history to answer it. This week: why does it feel like the souther border is always in crisis? How does immigration enforcement distort our view of what’s actually happening? And what lessons about our fragile national identity can we learn from a discontinued California highway sign?  Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Joe Biden issued an executive order imposing sanctions and visa bans on Israeli settlers who were accused of attacking Palestinians and Israeli peace activists in the West Bank. Meanwhile, the violence in Gaza continues. The Palestinian death toll has reportedly surpassed 27,000. More than 66,000 people have been wounded by Israel since Hamas’ attack killed 1,200 and took about 250 largely civilian hostages.Universal Music Group started pulling their music from TikTok Thursday morning. The move comes after the previous licensing deal between UMG and TikTok was set to expire on Wednesday. And on Tuesday, Universal released a strongly worded open letter to TikTok outlining their concerns.And in headlines: the European Union agreed to a $54 billion funding deal for Ukraine, Oregon’s Supreme Court ruled that the Republican lawmakers who walked off the job last year to block progressive legislation cannot run for re-election, and newsroom staffers at the Chicago Tribune and six other publications around the country walked off the job to demand better pay amid stalled labor talks.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The first official Democratic primary of 2024 taking place this Saturday in South Carolina. President Joe Biden has seen a decline in support among Black voters in early polls, so this early primary date is a chance for the Biden-Harris campaign to rally support in South Carolina and make a broad appeal to Black voters nationally. We’re joined by Jaime Harrison, Chair of the Democratic National Committee, to dig into the significance of South Carolina’s Democratic primary and how it plays into the party’s agenda at large for 2024.And in headlines: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologized to the families of victims during the Senate hearing into online child safety, President Biden is set to visit East Palestine, Ohio later this month, and Utah’s Republican Governor Spencer Cox signed a bill banning trans people from using bathrooms that align with their gender identity. Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/Visit Vote Save America - https://votesaveamerica.com/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Despite reported headway in the negotiations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday rejected Hamas’ two primary demands for an extended temporary ceasefire and the release of the remaining hostages. Meanwhile, around a dozen Israeli troops disguised themselves as medics and civilians and stormed a hospital in the occupied West Bank, killing three Palestinian militants in the city of Jenin Tuesday morning.Tech CEOs of several social media platforms are on Capitol Hill today to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee about kids’ safety on the internet. Senators will question the CEOs about how their platforms contribute to child sexual abuse and exploitation and how to better protect children online.And in headlines: Donald Trump will remain on Illinois’ March 19th primary ballot, UPS plans to lay off more than 12,000 employees this year, and Sabrina Ionescu and Stephen Curry will be competing in an NBA All-Star 3-point contest.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

A bipartisan immigration deal in Congress could be announced as soon as this week. The agreement would give the executive branch the legal authority to suspend asylum when migrant crossings surpass a certain threshold, among other things. That’s the part of the deal that President Biden referred to when he said late last week that he’d “shut down the border” if this new bill makes it into law.A new report by the Associated Press found that prison labor is connected to hundreds of millions of dollars worth of food and agricultural products sold by some of the country’s biggest brands. It’s the latest indication that prison labor is used more widely than many people realize – and that these companies benefit from it while also trying to shield their connection to the public.And in headlines: Illinois could be the next state to take Donald Trump off their presidential primary ballot, Bayer was ordered to pay $2.25 billion to a man who said he developed cancer from using the company's weed killer, and a New Jersey animal shelter said it would neuter feral cats named after people’s exes for Valentine's Day.Show Notes:AP: “Prisoners in the US are part of a hidden workforce linked to hundreds of popular food brands” – http://tinyurl.com/ypxoooooLouisiana Illuminator: “Louisiana still leads nation for state prisoners held in local jails” – http://tinyurl.com/yr9wzyvrWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The UN’s International Court of Justice ruled last Friday ordering Israel to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza, but stopped short of calling for a ceasefire. The court is weeks into a case that considers whether Israel is committing genocide.Republicans are, yet again, threatening the lives of trans people. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is trying to get healthcare providers in other states to give him the private medical records of youth who’ve received gender-affirming care. Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers in Ohio and Michigan admitted late last week that their endgame is to ban trans healthcare for all.And in headlines: three U.S. troops were killed and dozens others injured in a drone strike in northeast Jordan, Maui officials identified the final known victim of the Lahaina wildfire, and activists threw pumpkin soup at the Mona Lisa in Paris.Show Notes:Erin In The Morning: “Ohio, Michigan Republicans In Released Audio: ‘Endgame’ Is To Ban Trans Care ‘For Everyone’” – http://tinyurl.com/yr43zwuvVote Save America – https://votesaveamerica.comWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Joe Biden will send CIA Director William Burns to help negotiate a new deal between Israel and Hamas to release hostages. Meanwhile, protests in the U.S. continued around America’s involvement in the war and whether we should officially call for a ceasefire. Universities in particular have been in the spotlight as the sites of many of these demonstrations.L.A. Times owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong appointed Terry Tang as interim executive editor, making her the first woman ever to be the paper’s top editor in its 142-year history. Her appointment came after a tumultuous couple of weeks at the paper. But as publications downsize and shutter, we also saw newsrooms unionize or otherwise stand up for better pay, improved working conditions and a seat at the table.And in headlines: Alabama carried out the nation’s first ever execution using nitrogen gas, transgender veterans sued the Department of Veterans Affairs over its failure to provide coverage for gender-affirming surgeries, and housing was unaffordable for half of all renters in the United States in 2022.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

New York City Mayor Eric Adams delivered his third State of the City address on Wednesday. Since just last spring, 170,000 migrants have arrived in New York City, tens of thousands of whom were sent by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. But in his speech, Mayor Adams fell short of providing any real plans to address the situation. We’re joined by Christine Quinn, former Speaker of the New York City Council and current head of shelter operator Win, to discuss what migrants need and what providers in the city are doing to meet the moment.And in headlines: the United Auto Workers Union endorsed President Joe Biden, nine people were killed and more than 70 were injured after a UN shelter in Khan Younis was bombed, and Obamacare hit a record level of enrollment.Show Notes:Win NYC – https://winnyc.org/Politico: “War cats: Ukraine enlists feline friends in fight against Russia” – http://tinyurl.com/ysytnmhpWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Former President Donald Trump won New Hampshire’s Republican primary on Tuesday and defeated former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden won the Democratic primary as a write-in candidate. We’re joined by Colin Booth, Chief Political Correspondent for the Granite Post, to break down the results.President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris held their first joint campaign event of 2024 in Manassas, Virginia on Tuesday. And one clear takeaway from this event is that the Biden-Harris campaign is betting big on abortion rights.And in headlines: Turkey’s parliament voted to allow Sweden to join NATO, the L.A. Times laid off about 115 journalists on Tuesday, and Oscar nominations are officially here.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that the Biden administration has the authority to remove parts of a barbed wire barrier erected by Texas officials at the U.S.-Mexico border. The high court ruled for Biden in a 5-4 decision, with Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett siding with the three liberal justices.More than 300 L.A. Times journalists walked off their jobs last Friday for a one-day strike to protest potential layoffs. Then on Monday, a group of ten California lawmakers said in a letter that they’re concerned about how possible cuts might impact “the availability of essential news and the strength of our democracy at large.”And in headlines: New Hampshire officials are investigating robocalls that used AI to impersonate President Joe Biden, a Georgia judge unsealed documents in a divorce case that involves prosecutors in the election interference case against Donald Trump, and we learn about the science behind heartbreak.Show Notes:LA Times: “Science can explain a broken heart. Could science help heal mine?” – http://tinyurl.com/yvjttlskWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis officially exited from the 2024 presidential race and endorsed former President Donald Trump. He made the announcement in a video posted on X on Sunday, just two days before the New Hampshire primary.Because of his exit, all eyes will be Donald Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in Tuesday’s primary. Democrats will also go out to vote, even though President Joe Biden will actually not be on the ballot this year. For more, we’re joined by Manny Espitia, former New Hampshire lawmaker and northern regional director for the progressive group Run for Something.And in headlines: the death toll in Gaza soared past 25,000 people, a grand jury is set to investigate local police in Uvalde, Texas for their response to the deadly 2022 massacre at Robb Elementary School, and California State University System faculty members will walk off the job this week to demand better pay and benefits. Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis faces misconduct allegations after a co-defendant in Georgia’s election interference case against Trump claimed that Willis was in a “romantic relationship” with her special prosecutor. The presiding judge set a hearing for February 15th to focus on the allegations.The Justice Department released a scathing 575-page report Thursday about the 2022 elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. The report described the “significant failure” in the police’s response that day, and emphasized that the officers took too long to treat the incident as an active shooter situation.And in headlines: Congress narrowly avoided a partial government shutdown by passing a short-term funding bill Thursday, Pakistan and Iran both launched unprecedented attacks on each other’s territories, and the NFL announced that Reba McEntire, Post Malone and Andra Day will perform at this year’s Super Bowl pregame.Show Notes:Missouri’s effort to get an abortion amendment on the 2024 ballot: Missourians For Constitutional Freedom – https://moconstitutionalfreedom.org/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Israel and Hamas reached an agreement on Wednesday to get medicine delivered to hostages held in Gaza. In exchange, humanitarian aid and medication will be delivered to Palestinian civilians. And overnight on Tuesday into Wednesday, Israeli forces advanced on the area around the Al Nasser hospital complex in Khan Younis, a city in Southern Gaza.Over in Texas, a floating barrier in the Rio Grande will stay for now because an appeals court reversed an order for the state to remove it. Governor Greg Abbott installed the 1,000 foot-long string of buoys and submerged netting in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass last July as part of his anti-immigration program.And in headlines: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis decided to move his presidential campaign away from New Hampshire and instead prioritize South Carolina’s primary, Democrats filed a lawsuit to demand that the Wisconsin Supreme Court throw out the state’s congressional maps, and thousands marched the streets of Honolulu on Wednesday for the annual ‘Onipa’a Peace March that commemorates the day that the U.S. illegally overthrew the Hawaiian Kingdom. Show Notes:WAD – “Hawai’i: An American Coup” – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hawaii-an-american-coup/id1483692776?i=1000594870921What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Biden invited Congressional leaders to the White House Wednesday for their first face-to-face talks in months about critical aid to Ukraine, immigration and border policy, and aid for Israel. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday where he emphasized the need for more aid and called out Putin directly.In the Middle East, fears of an expanding war in the region have multiplied in recent days. The U.S. launched a new airstrike against Houthi ballistic missiles in Yemen on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Iran launched missiles of their own at locations in Iraq, Syria and Pakistan.And in headlines: Republican presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson dropped out of the race, the Supreme Court decided to stay out of the debate over bathroom access for transgender students, and Elton John joined the EGOT club.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Iowa caucuses are officially over. Donald Trump won as expected with just over 50 percent of the vote, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis came in second and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley came in third. Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy finished in fourth place, and suspended his campaign just minutes after the polls closed and then endorsed Trump. We’re joined by Eugene Scott, senior politics reporter for Axios, to break down the results and turnout in Iowa.And in headlines: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was released from the hospital, the Biden Administration sent a cease-and-desist to Texas officials to stop blocking Border Patrol agents from the border, and we recap last night’s Primetime Emmy Awards.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Iowa caucuses are here. Former President Donald Trump is in the lead, according to the most recent Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom Iowa poll. He has the backing of 48 percent of likely Republican caucus-goers. Former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley is in second place with 20 percent, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is in third place at 16 percent.Meanwhile, it is bitterly, bitterly cold in Iowa with a wind chill warning in place until after the caucus on Tuesday. And it’s not just Iowa – an arctic cold outbreak is set to bring record-setting, too-cold-for-comfort temperatures all over. Daily records for this time of year could be broken from coast to coast.And in headlines: Sunday marked 100 days since the Israel-Hamas war began, John Kerry will step down as the U.S. special climate envoy, and the Supreme Court agreed to take on cases that will impact people experiencing homelessness and workers’ rights to unionize.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Iowa Caucuses are back! Trump is the clear favorite, but there’s a tense battle for second place that is all going to play out on Monday. We dive into what the caucuses even are, how they work, and what their role is in this year’s presidential election.Then, Crooked’s very own Tommy Vietor joins the show after being on the ground in Iowa himself. He walks us through what it was like sneaking into Republican campaign events, and what voters said.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Israel is accused of committing genocide in Gaza in a case before the International Court of Justice on Thursday. South Africa filed the claim, and it alleges that Israel violated international law by committing and failing to prevent genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza.Hunter Biden took a surprise trip to the Capitol Building on Wednesday to look Republicans in the eye as they advanced a resolution to hold him in contempt of Congress. And outside the Capitol, Hunter and his legal team reiterated the notion that House Republicans are attempting to use Hunter as a surrogate to attack the president.And in headlines: at least 10 people are dead in Ecuador in a series of attacks blamed on armed gangs, Chris Christie suspended his presidential campaign, and the Screen Actors Guild and the Director’s Guild Award nominations dropped yesterday.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Donald Trump was back in court on Tuesday for the federal case against him for trying to overturn the 2020 election. This time, however, Trump tried to make the argument that he cannot be charged at all. Plus, Trump on Monday requested that a Maine judge put a pause on deciding whether he should appear on the state’s ballot for now.The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing today about how artificial intelligence could impact journalism. One of the committee’s members – Sen. Amy Klobuchar – discusses a bill she introduced that protects local news. We’re joined by the Senator to discuss that bill and the larger effort to crack down on A.I.And in headlines: The White House ordered cabinet secretaries to tell them if they might not be able to perform their duties, New York City started evicting migrant families that hit their 60-day shelter stay limit, and powerful storms swept across the country on Tuesday.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Chair of Florida’s Republican Party of Florida, Christian Ziegler, was removed from his position on Monday after a closed-door meeting of party members in the state. It’s the latest development in the relatively small but very mighty scandal that also includes Ziegler’s wife, Bridget.Pope Francis called for surrogacy to be banned globally on Monday and described the practice as “despicable.” However, the Pope’s position on surrogacy doesn’t necessarily match up with some of his more progressive stances, including the recent allowance for Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples.And in headlines: United Airlines said that preliminary inspections into its Boeing 737 Max 9 planes revealed some loose bolts on door panels, President Joe Biden was in Charleston, South Carolina to gain much-needed support from Black voters, and we recap the winners and losers of the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Federal Aviation Administration ordered the inspection of 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 planes after a panel blew out of an Alaska Airlines plane mid-flight on Friday. No serious injuries were immediately reported, but this isn’t the first time a Boeing plane raised passenger safety concerns.At least nine Palestinians including a young child were killed in the West Bank on Sunday. And on Saturday, the Israeli military said that the remaining Hamas fighters in northern Gaza were no longer “under an organized military command,” according to the New York Times. Meanwhile, fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon escalated in recent days, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in the region for the fifth time since October 7th.And in headlines: Congressional leaders reached a deal to potentially avoid a partial government shutdown, the Pentagon faced backlash for taking three days to inform the White House of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization, and the Golden Globes and the first installment of the Emmy Awards took place over the weekend.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

ISIS claimed responsibility for the bombings in Iran that killed at least 84 people and injured 284 others on Wednesday. Plus, the United States launched a drone strike in Iraq’s capital of Baghdad on Thursday, killing a senior commander of an Iran-linked militia group and several others.New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday that he filed a lawsuit against 17 charter bus companies used by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to bus people seeking asylum at the border to New York. Adams is asking the companies to pay $708 million to cover the costs of caring for migrants.And in headlines: Donald Trump’s businesses received more than $7.8 million from at least 20 foreign governments during his time in office, a 17-year-old gunman opened fire at a high school in Iowa on Thursday, and Britney Spears took to social media to shut down rumors of a new comeback album.Show Notes:Get free COVID tests from the U.S. government – https://covidtests.gov/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

An appeals court ruled on Tuesday that doctors in Texas are not required to perform emergency abortion care as a necessary, stabilizing treatment to protect the health of the mother or pregnant person. In the opinion, Judge Kurt Engelhardt wrote the federal statute “does not mandate any specific type of medical treatment, let alone abortion.”A pair of bombs exploded in Iran on Wednesday and killed at least 95 people and injured over 200 others. The attack happened near the burial site of Iran’s former top general, Qassem Soleimani, who was killed by a U.S. drone strike in Iraq back in 2020. It is not yet clear who is responsible for the attack.And in headlines: several state capitol buildings across the country were evacuated after a bomb threat was mass-emailed to officials, Donald Trump formally asked the U.S. Supreme Court to keep him on Colorado’s primary ballot, and Snoop Dogg is teaming up with NBC to help cover the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday appealed the decision by Maine’s Secretary of State that bars him from the ballot due to his role in the January 6th insurrection. That comes after the Colorado Supreme Court last month removed Trump from the state’s ballot, which he is also likely to appeal soon.The deputy head of Hamas along with two other leaders of its armed wing were killed on Tuesday in Beirut, Lebanon by an Israeli strike. Meanwhile, the UN reports that half of Gaza’s 2.2 million residents are at risk of starvation following the onset of the war between Israel and Hamas.And in headlines: Harvard President Claudine Gay announced her resignation, at least 57 people in Japan are dead after a series of earthquakes, and Disney’s copyright on the earliest version of Mickey Mouse expired in the U.S. on New Year’s Day.Show Notes:NYT: “‘Screams Without Words’: How Hamas Weaponized Sexual Violence on Oct. 7” – https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/28/world/middleeast/oct-7-attacks-hamas-israel-sexual-violence.htmlWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Biden administration is pressuring Israel to scale back its war by the end of the year. And earlier this week, President Joe Biden warned that Israel’s “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza was whittling away international support. But it seems like the language shift hasn’t yet caused a meaningful development in the area.European Union leaders decided on Thursday to open EU membership negotiations with Ukraine. This has been a longtime goal of Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelensky and is a boost at a time when he’s trying to bolster his country’s support from allies both in Europe and in America.And in headlines: the House passed a $886 billion defense policy bill, New York Republicans have figured out who should replace George Santos in his old job, and we crown WAD’s first-ever Person of the Year.Show Notes:This is the last WAD of 2023. We’ll return with new episodes on Wednesday, January 3rd.Sign a petition for a ceasefire on Jewish Voice for Peace's website – https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/resource/ceasefire/IfNotNow’s demand for a ceasefire – https://www.ifnotnowmovement.org/ceasefire-nowDonate to the Palestinian Youth Movement – https://goodbricks.org/campaign/palestinianyouthmovement.com/donate-2022What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Supreme Court on Wednesday announced that it will hear a case challenging the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the commonly used abortion medication mifepristone. The justices also agreed to review the scope of an obstruction law that has been applied to hundreds of felony prosecutions of insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol on January 6th.Last week, the House passed a resolution that equated anti-Zionism with antisemitism. And on Wednesday, the House voted to pass a resolution condemning antisemitism on college campuses. We’re joined by Beth Miller from Jewish Voice for Peace to learn more about the difference between antisemitism and anti-Zionism.And in headlines: House Republicans voted to formally open an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, nearly 200 countries at the COP28 Summit agreed to transition away from fossil fuels, and Tesla recalled nearly all two million of its vehicles in the U.S.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

A group of ten current and formerly incarcerated people in Alabama filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday to allege inhumane conditions in the state’s prison system, and called it a “modern day form of slavery.” The lawsuit claims about 575 private companies and more than 100 public agencies have benefitted from incarcerated labor in Alabama in the past five years, and those benefits have amounted to an estimated $450 million annually.The latest Consumer Price Index showed that prices rose 3.1% in the year through November. By the numbers, economists say that data is supposed to be good news for the economy, but to Americans, it doesn’t exactly feel that way. And with just over a month from the first primary election of the 2024 season, we wanted to know what this economic news means for President Biden and Republicans who want to unseat him. To answer that question and more, we’re joined by Lindsay Owens, executive director of progressive economic think tank Groundwork Collaborative.And in headlines: The United Nations General Assembly voted to demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, the New York Court of Appeals ordered the state to draw a new congressional map ahead of the 2024 elections, and we discuss whether or not to bring back intermissions during longer movies.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The UN Climate Change Conference – known as COP28 – hit a major roadblock on Monday. There’s disagreement between countries because a potential deal stops short of a promise to phase out the use of fossil fuels.The Golden Globes nominees were announced on Monday, but this is the first time the award ceremony will be run without the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. The Association was dissolved, and a for-profit venture bought control over the awards. This year’s ceremony will be a case study in what these shows mean and their relevance in the industry.And in headlines: a pregnant woman fled Texas to obtain an abortion shortly before the state’s Supreme Court reversed a ruling that permitted her one, the University of Nevada Las Vegas canceled its last week of classes in the wake of last week’s deadly campus shooting, and the feminist website Jezebel is back.Show Notes:The Tennessean: “Tennessee Tornadoes recovery: Here's how you can help” – http://tinyurl.com/2x9qskycWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Texas Supreme Court temporarily halted the abortion procedure for Kate Cox, a 31-year-old pregnant woman who was granted the country’s first court-ordered abortion last week since the fall of Roe. The justices said Cox's procedure is on pause while they review her restraining order, which is meant to protect her and her doctors from the state’s anti-abortion measures.Sickle cell disease is a painful condition that occurs more frequently in Black people, and last Friday the FDA approved two new revolutionary treatments for it. They both use technology to edit a person’s DNA to remove the gene that causes the disease.And in headlines: the University of Pennsylvania’s president resigned after a Congressional hearing about antisemitism on campus, Donald Trump will not testify on Monday at the civil fraud trial against him in New York, and Ron DeSantis’s wife Casey erroneously suggested that everyone in the country should participate in the upcoming Iowa Caucus.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

A Texas judge ruled Thursday that a woman can terminate her pregnancy because of a lethal abnormality in the fetus. It’s the first attempt in the country to use the courts to obtain an abortion since the end of Roe v Wade, and Thursday’s ruling is meant to shield the woman and her doctor from Texas’s strict anti-abortion measures. But state Attorney General Ken Paxton warned that it’s still possible his office might prosecute those involved.Then, over 17,000 people are dead in Gaza as the war in the Middle East continues. Meanwhile, a U.S. House Committee questioned university presidents over their responses to reported antisemitic campus protests.And in headlines: Hunter Biden was hit with nine federal counts of tax-related charges, the White House proposed a new policy to strip some patents from drug companies if their prices are too high, and a new space-themed McDonald’s spin-off opens Friday in Illinois.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Senate Republicans blocked meaningful gun control once again Wednesday by stopping a Democratic measure that would have banned assault-style weapons. Unfortunately, the failed Congressional effort came on the same day as a mass shooting on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where three people were killed and a fourth wounded.The Biden Administration approved another $4.8 billion in debt relief for over 80,000 student loan borrowers. So far, the administration canceled $132 billion in loan debt for more than 3.6 million people.And in headlines: the fourth Republican presidential debate took place in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, ten fake electors in Wisconsin agreed to acknowledge President Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election, and Senate Republicans blocked a bill to provide aid to Ukraine and Israel.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

GOP Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama finally backed down on Tuesday after single-handedly blocking nearly every single military promotion for almost a year. He released the vast majority of his holds, and shortly afterwards the Senate confirmed the promotions of 440 service members.Georgia’s Republican-controlled state senate passed a redrawn Congressional map that preserves the GOP majority among the state’s delegation to the House of Representatives. The map also splits Democratic Representative Lucy McBath’s Congressional district in half to create a new majority-minority congressional district.And in headlines: Hundreds of Washington Post staffers will walk off the job for 24 hours on Thursday, SAG-AFTRA members finished voting on the proposed three-year contract between actors and Hollywood studios, and Panera Bread was hit with a second lawsuit that claims that the franchise’s Charged Lemonade drink killed a customer.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Biden administration is sounding the alarm to Congress about the need to pass a funding bill to support Ukraine in their war with Russia. White House budget official Shalanda Young sent a letter to party leaders in the House and Senate on Monday warning that “we are out of money — and nearly out of time.”The Supreme Court on Monday heard yet another case with significant implications – this time about the opioid crisis. The question in front of the court will determine whether or not the wealthy Sackler family, which made much of its fortune through opioids like Oxycontin, will be held directly liable for their role in the opioid crisis.And in headlines: Spotify laid off roughly 1,500 employees on Monday, Doug Burgum announced that he suspended his 2024 presidential campaign, and faculty at Cal State University are on strike this week.Show Notes:WaPo: “In Ukraine, a war of incremental gains as counteroffensive stalls” – https://tinyurl.com/yn8a4vmvWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday  

Hundreds of Palestinians were killed since fighting resumed after a weeklong truce between Israel and Hamas ended Friday morning. Israeli officials are also preparing for a ground invasion of the south of Gaza, and they ordered more residents to evacuate the area on Sunday. Meanwhile, it appears too soon to tell if negotiations for another truce will resume.And in headlines: the Supreme Court will hear arguments over the legality of a $6 billion Purdue Pharma bankruptcy plan, oil companies at the COP28 summit agreed to slash methane emissions, and Oxford’s 2023 Word of the Year is “rizz.”Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The weeklong truce between Israel and Hamas expired early Friday morning local time and combat operations resumed. Prior to that, Hamas released eight more hostages on Thursday for a total of more than 100. Israel that same day released another 30 Palestinians from Israeli prisons for a total of 240.Governors Ron DeSantis and Gavin Newsom took to the stage on Thursday for a primetime debate on Fox News. Under Sean Hannity’s moderation, the two debated everything from taxes to the economy to abortion policy and more.And in headlines: a New York appeals court reinstated a gag order against Donald Trump, nations at COP28 agreed to compensate countries hit by extreme weather caused by climate change, and WAD listeners share their thoughts on the word of the year.Show Notes:NYT: “Israel Knew Hamas’s Attack Plan More Than a Year Ago” – https://tinyurl.com/ypttur2jVox Media Union Layoff Relief – https://tinyurl.com/ykjqeol5What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The UN’s 28th Conference of the Parties, also called COP28, kicks off today in Dubai. The annual climate change conference is set to take place through December 12th with an estimated 70,000 people in attendance. We’re joined by Naveena Sadasivam, senior staff writer from the climate outlet Grist, for what to watch at this year’s event.And in headlines: Israel and Hamas agreed to extend their truce one more day to Friday, former U.S Secretary of State Henry Kissinger died at 100, and Taylor Swift took the top honor of being the most streamed-artist on Spotify this year.Show Notes:Grist, by Naveena Sadasivam: “The world is careening toward 3 degrees of warming, UN says ahead of climate conference” – https://grist.org/cop28/un-emissions-gap-report/Pod Save The World: “Climate Special: A Look Ahead At COP28” – https://crooked.com/podcast/climate-special-a-look-ahead-at-cop28/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Donald Trump threatened to replace the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, if he wins the 2024 presidential election. Trump took to social media over the weekend to post that he is “seriously looking at alternatives” to it, and on Monday, President Biden said in a statement: “My predecessor once again called for cuts that could rip away health insurance for tens of millions of Americans…They just don’t give up.”Hunter Biden told lawmakers on Tuesday that he is willing to publicly testify before Congress next month. That comes after House Republicans subpoenaed him as part of their impeachment inquiry into President Biden, an investigation that has not turned up any evidence that President Biden benefited from Hunter’s business dealings.And in headlines: Hamas released 12 additional hostages in exchange for Israel’s release of more Palestinian prisoners, the Koch network formally endorsed Nikki Haley for the GOP presidential nomination, and New York House Representative George Santos could be expelled from Congress as early as this week.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Israel and Hamas both agreed on Monday to extend the current pause in fighting for another two days. Hamas released another 11 hostages as part of the deal, and in exchange Israel released 33 more Palestinians being held in prison.The long-awaited trial of rap artist Young Thug started on Monday in Atlanta. The trial has implications far beyond the music industry because Young Thug and his co-defendants are being prosecuted by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and have been charged under Georgia’s RICO statute, just like former President Donald Trump.And in headlines: Vermont police arrested a suspect who they say shot and injured three college students of Palestinian descent, Amazon workers around the world walked off the job to demand better pay and working conditions during Cyber Monday, and Merriam-Webster announced 2023’s word of the year.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Seventeen more hostages held by Hamas were released on Sunday under a temporary, four-day ceasefire agreement reached last week between Israel and Hamas. In total, 58 hostages were released over the first three days of the deal, and in return, Israel agreed to release 150 Palestinian women and children from prison. Israel and Hamas have also both expressed openness to extending the pause beyond four days. Meanwhile, people on every side of the war took to the streets across the world over the weekend.And in headlines: George Floyd’s murderer Derek Chauvin is stable after being stabbed in prison, Sean “Diddy” Combs faces his third accusation of sexual assault in a month, and SAG-AFTRA published the full, tentative labor agreement reached with studios.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

A federal appeals court on Monday issued a ruling that jeopardizes the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In a 2-1 decision, the Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ruled that private groups or individuals can’t sue under a key provision of the VRA. We’re joined by Jay Willis, Editor-in-Chief of Balls and Strikes, to discuss what comes next.Over in Wisconsin, the state Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on Tuesday in a case that could toss Republican-drawn legislative maps. The lawsuit was filed by 19 Democratic voters in Wisconsin who argue that the maps are proof of gerrymandering because they ensure the GOP has an unfair advantage in State Assembly and Senate races.And in headlines: Microsoft hired Sam Altman and Greg Brockman to lead an A.I. research team, far-right populist Javier Milei was elected to be Argentina’s next president, and autoworkers ratified their contract with Detroit carmakers.Show notes:WAD will be taking a break to celebrate Thanksgiving, and will be back with a new episode on Monday, November 27th.Balls and Strikes – https://ballsandstrikes.org/NASA’s “Message In A Bottle” – https://europa.nasa.gov/message-in-a-bottle/sign-on/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Israel, Hamas and the U.S. are close to an agreement to free some hostages held in Gaza, according to The Washington Post. The tentative deal, which is being brokered by the U.S., would involve a pause in fighting in exchange for the release of at least 50 women and children hostages.Sam Altman, the CEO and co-founder of OpenAI, was ousted from his own company by its board of directors on Friday. In a statement, the company – which is the maker of ChatGPT – said of Altman: “The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI.”And in headlines: at least seven people are dead after an underwater earthquake struck the southern Philippines, former President Donald Trump can remain on Colorado’s primary ballot, and former first lady and humanitarian Rosalynn Carter died peacefully on Sunday.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Family members of Israeli hostages held by Hamas are currently on a five-day march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, with plans to end the march in front of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s home. Meanwhile, a protest calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war was held outside the Democratic Party headquarters in D.C on Wednesday. And across the country in the Bay Area, dozens of protestors shut down the westbound lanes of the Bay Bridge for roughly four hours on Thursday.Republican Representative George Santos announced that he will not seek re-election in next year’s elections after the House Ethics Committee released its highly-anticipated report on Thursday. The report found that there was “substantial evidence” that Santos used campaign money for personal expenses, and concluded that Santos “sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit.”And in headlines: the Senate passed a stopgap spending bill to prevent a government shutdown, the Supreme Court declined to enforce Florida’s anti-drag show law, and China’s President Xi Jinping suggested that his country might lend more giant pandas to the U.S. in the future.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Joe Biden and China’s President Xi Jinping met on Wednesday for the first time in a year. Following their private conversations, it was announced that the U.S. and China will resume military-to-military communications, and the leaders also reached an agreement to curb fentanyl production.The Israeli military stormed Al-Shifa hospital on Wednesday and said they found guns, ammunition, protective vests and Hamas military uniforms at the hospital – claims Hamas called “fabricated.” Meanwhile, Hamas has agreed “in principle” to a tentative deal to release at least 50 hostages in exchange for pauses in fighting and the release of women and children held in Israeli prisons, among other things.And in headlines: Donald Trump will remain on Michigan’s Republican primary ballot, New Hampshire announced that the state’s primaries will be held ahead of South Carolina, and thousands of the people took to the streets of Mexico City on Monday night to demand justice and a thorough investigation into the death of Jesús Ociel Baena.Show notes:WAD: Not On My Ballot - https://crooked.com/podcast/not-on-my-ballot/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed Speaker Mike Johnson’s bill to avoid a government shutdown. The measure passed with bipartisan support, and it now heads to the Senate for approval ahead of Saturday’s deadline to avert a shutdown.Republicans also spent Tuesday fighting mostly among themselves: GOP Senator Markwayne Mullin challenged the president of the Teamsters Union to a fight during a committee hearing, Republican Rep. Tim Burchett said Rep. Kevin McCarthy elbowed him, and Republican Rep. James Comer told Democratic Rep. Jared Moscowitz that he looked like a smurf.And in headlines: Israel said it raided Gaza’s central Al-Shifa hospital, a new report says every region in the U.S. is feeling the effects of climate change, and inflation rates cooled last month to the lowest increase since July.Show Notes:AAPI Data/AP-NORC: “Many within Asian American and Pacific Islander communities have endured discrimination” – https://tinyurl.com/ys2uvrhqWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Supreme Court announced its first-ever ethics code on Monday after pressure from Congress and the public. But it’s unclear how the code – signed by all nine justices – will be enforced. We’re joined by Leah Litman, co-host of Crooked’s Strict Scrutiny podcast, to make sense of it all.And in headlines: thousands of people fled Gaza’s largest hospital as fighting continues outside the facility, protesters and police clashed at Monday’s Cop City protests, and Chuck E. Cheese is getting rid of animatronics in nearly all of its locations around the country.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Local organizers in Atlanta are set to hold a mass nonviolent community action today against Cop City — the 90-million-dollar police training complex slated to be built in the city’s South River Forest. We’re joined by Kamau Franklin, founder of the Community Movement Builders, to discuss what’s at stake if Cop City gets built and what folks on the ground are doing to keep that from happening.And in headlines: the second largest hospital in Gaza City has run out of fuel, Republican presidential candidate Tim Scott announced that he’s dropping out of the 2024 presidential race, and a potential government shutdown is just days away.Show notes:Community Movement Builders – https://communitymovementbuilders.org/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced Thursday that he will not seek re-election in 2024. Manchin’s decision to step down leaves Democrats in a bind and jeopardizes their narrow 51-49 Senate majority.The White House said on Thursday that Israel agreed to daily, four-hour-long pauses in its military operation in Gaza to allow civilians to evacuate. These pauses will also make it easier for deliveries of humanitarian aid to get into Gaza safely, and hopefully facilitate the release of more of the 200 hostages still being held.And in headlines: the U.S. is one week away from another potential government shutdown, federal officials are investigating a series of suspicious letters sent to local election offices, and the trailblazing feminist website Jezebel will shutter after 16 years.Show Notes:Join Friends Of The Pod – crooked.com/friendsWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The third GOP presidential debate took place in Miami last night with five hopefuls on stage. Meanwhile, Donald Trump skipped out and held a rally nearby in Hialeah, Florida. We’re joined by Leah Greenberg, co-founder and co-Executive Director of Indivisible, to discuss the biggest takeaways of the night and look ahead to the 2024 presidential election.And in headlines: an estimated 40,000 people have fled northern Gaza, the Hollywood actors’ strike is over, and Virginia delegate Danica Roem became the first openly transgender state senator in the South.Show Notes:Join Friends Of The Pod – crooked.com/friendsWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Tuesday was Election Day in key battleground states. In Ohio, voters codified reproductive rights into the state’s constitution. And over in Kentucky, incumbent Democratic Governor Andy Beshear won reelection over Republican challenger Daniel Cameron. Heather Williams, interim president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, breaks down the results and gives insight on what might happen in next year’s general election.And in headlines: Israel said its troops have reached the heart of Gaza City, New Delhi is dealing with another year of severe air pollution, and scientists have discovered the oldest known black hole in space.Show Notes:Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee – https://dlcc.org/Vote Save America – votesaveamerica.comWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Israeli forces said they were closing in on Gaza City as of Monday night. Meanwhile, Palestinian health officials said more than 10,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began. Israel said it will not agree to a ceasefire, although White House officials said there might be “tactical pauses” on the table to allow for humanitarian efforts.Former President Donald Trump took the stand on Monday in his New York civil fraud trial. During his testimony, Trump called New York Attorney General Letitia James a political hack and scolded the case’s judge. He also acknowledged his role in putting together the company’s annual financial statements.The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments today in United States v. Rahimi, a case that could shape limitations on gun ownership in the future. This is the second major gun rights case this Court has taken, and it’s shaping up to be even more consequential – and contentious – than the first.And in headlines: a jury found a Colorado police officer not guilty in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, teachers in Portland, Oregon were back on the picket line, and Gannett announced its new Taylor Swift beat reporter. Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Israeli troops said they closed in on Gaza City, and Gaza appeared to be under yet another communications blackout on Sunday – the third in 10 days. Meanwhile, the conflict at the Israel-Lebanon border has gotten more deadly after an Israeli strike killed four people Sunday evening.U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in the Middle East over the last few days meeting with a host of leaders in hopes of containing the war’s fallout. On Sunday, Blinken met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank. He later stopped in Baghdad where he issued a warning, particularly to Iran and its proxies like Hezbollah.And in headlines: Donald Trump is set to take the stand in New York’s civil case against him and his company for fraud, more than 150 people were killed in an earthquake in Nepal, and SAG-AFTRA is reviewing an offer by AMPTP after months of failed labor talks.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

As Israeli troops enter Gaza City and the Palestinian death toll crosses 9,000 lives, the U.S. is pushing for a humanitarian pause in the war between Israel and Hamas. The GOP-led House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday that would provide $14.3 billion dollars in military aid to Israel, but not to Ukraine. The bill is expected to be dead on arrival in the Senate, and President Biden has also threatened to veto the legislation. And in headlines: a former Memphis police officer charged in Tyre Nichols’ death pleaded guilty to two federal charges, a jury found FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried guilty of fraud and money laundering, and family and friends mourn the passing of progressive attorney and healthcare activist Ady Barkan.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt opened on Wednesday for the first time since the Israel-Hamas war began. The move comes after a deal was reached this week to allow foreign nationals, aid workers, and some injured Palestinians to leave the embattled enclave.Representative George Santos of New York survived a House vote that would have removed him from Congress. But he isn’t off the hook just yet: he’s still under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, and his criminal trial for fraud and money laundering is tentatively scheduled for next September.And in headlines: families of transgender teenagers asked the Supreme Court to block Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for youth, the Biden administration announced a narrower plan to forgive student loan debt, and teachers at Oregon’s largest school district are on strike for the first time ever.Show Notes:POLITICO Magazine: 3 Expert Shoemakers Say Ron DeSantis Is Probably Wearing Height Boosters  – https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/10/31/desantis-boots-shoemakers-00121044What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Israel confirmed that an airstrike targeting a top Hamas commander hit a densely populated refugee camp in northern Gaza, killing at least 50 people and wounding hundreds more. The attack raises fears that Israel’s continued push into the enclave will put even more Palestinian civilians in harm’s way. On Capitol Hill, anti-war protesters interrupted a U.S. Senate hearing over the White House’s emergency aid request for Israel and Ukraine.  Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin both testified that the $106 billion request is imperative for national security.And in headlines: Republican Rep. George Santos could face an historic vote to expel him from Congress, a federal judge in Texas ordered Border Patrol agents to temporarily stop removing razor wire along the US-Mexico border, and a Kansas judge ruled that officials there cannot enforce laws that discourage anyone from seeking an abortion.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

As Israel continues its air and ground offensive into Gaza, its military says it has freed an IDF soldier who was captured by Hamas on October 7th. Meanwhile, Hamas released a video of three other Israeli hostages – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it “cruel psychological propaganda,” and rejected calls for a ceasefire.A trial to determine whether Donald Trump can appear on the 2024 presidential ballot in Colorado began on Monday. The case centers on whether the former president is ineligible to hold office again, because of the “insurrectionist” clause in the 14th Amendment. And in headlines: the union representing striking auto workers reached a tentative deal with General Motors, President Biden signed a first-of-its-kind executive order on artificial intelligence, and rapper Flavor Flav’s rendition of the national anthem has gone viral.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Gaza’s Health Ministry says that over 8,000 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas. Israel has since announced it has entered the “next stage” of its operations into Gaza, after sending in more ground troops to the enclave over the weekend.Meanwhile, calls for an immediate ceasefire have grown, with protesters taking to the streets in cities around the world to demand an unconditional end to the fighting.And in headlines: the suspected gunman behind last week’s deadly mass shootings in Maine has been found dead, Hollywood is mourning the sudden passing of “Friends” star Matthew Perry, and former Vice President Mike Pence dropped out of the 2024 presidential race.  Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

A manhunt is underway in Maine for the gunman behind two shootings in Maine. Eighteen people were killed and thirteen others were injured Wednesday evening, in what has become the deadliest mass killing in the U.S. this year. As the likelihood of an escalation in the war between Israel and Hamas looms, activists in the U.S. are revving up their demands for an immediate ceasefire. Eva Borgwardt with the progressive Jewish group IfNotNow joins us to talk about their push for peace and solidarity with Palestinians.And in headlines: a federal judge ordered Georgia to draw up new legislative maps ahead of the 2024 election, the U.S. economy grew at a blistering rate last quarter, and the inaugural Florida Man games are coming to the Sunshine State next year.Show Notes:IfNotNowMovement – https://www.ifnotnowmovement.org/Jewish Voice for Peace – https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana is the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, ending a 22-days of GOP in-fighting since Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s ouster. While he managed to earn the support of both “moderate” and far-right Republicans, Johnson has a history of voting against abortion access and LGBTQ rights.The war between Israel and Hamas rages on, and people living on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border are on edge over skirmishes between the IDF and the militant group Hezbollah. We check in with Washington Post correspondent Sarah Dadouch from Beirut about fears that the conflict could spill over.Show Notes:PRRI: Threats to American Democracy Ahead of an Unprecedented Presidential Election – https://www.prri.org/research/threats-to-american-democracy-ahead-of-an-unprecedented-presidential-election/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The whirlwind saga to choose the next House speaker continues. After three rounds of secret votes late Tuesday night, House Republicans nominated Rep. Mike Johnson as their latest contender. The move came after Rep. Tom Emmer dropped out of the race just hours after he was selected as the GOP’s speaker designee.One of the two Israeli hostages recently released by Hamas told reporters she “went through hell,”  during her two weeks in captivity. More than 200 others are still being held by the militant group. Meanwhile, Israel has continued its bombardment of Gaza, despite calls from UN Secretary General António Guterres for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.And in headlines: former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows was reportedly granted immunity by special counsel Jack Smith, more than three dozen attorneys general are going after Instagram’s parent company for features they say are hurting kids, and the United Auto Workers union once again expanded its ongoing strike.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Two more hostages held captive by Hamas were released on Monday, though Israel says more than 200 others are still being held by the militant group. Meanwhile, officials in Gaza say Israeli airstrikes have now killed over 5,000 people in the territory. Clashes along the Lebanon-Israel border are also stoking fears that the war could spill over. George Bisharat, a Middle East policy expert and professor emeritus at the University of California College of the Law San Francisco, joins us to explain how neighboring countries are watching the conflict unfold.And in headlines: Argentina’s presidential election is heading to a runoff vote next month, the United Auto Workers Union expanded its strike against Detroit’s Big Three automakers, and  Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is not happy about how he looks in wax.Show Notes:Barack Obama: Thoughts on Israel and Gaza – https://barackobama.medium.com/my-statement-on-israel-and-gaza-a6c397f09a30What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

Over the weekend, the first trucks containing much-needed humanitarian aid crossed into Gaza; hours later, Hamas, through the Qatari government, released two American hostages who were captured while visiting Israel. Meanwhile, fighting has intensified between Israeli troops and Hezbollah at the Lebanese border, fueling fears that the conflict may spread.There are now nine Republicans running to become House speaker, after Rep. Jim Jordan dropped his bid after losing a third floor vote – and a closed-door confidence vote – last week. A GOP candidate forum is set for tonight, with a full floor vote race for the next nominee could come down as early as Tuesday. And in headlines: Trump ally Kenneth Chesebro pleaded guilty in the Georgia election interference case, the city of Orlando plans to buy the Pulse nightclub property to turn it into a public memorial, and talks are set to resume this week between the actors union and Hollywood studios.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Republicans have failed, again, to select a new House speaker. Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio – the far-right Republican who’s already lost two full floor votes – said he will continue his bid for the role, despite failing to convince the holdouts from his own party. About 20 trucks carrying vital humanitarian aid for Gaza are waiting on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing, though it’s not clear when they will be allowed to enter. Meanwhile, President Biden, in a live address from the Oval Office, called on Americans to stand with Israel and Ukraine – making the case that the U.S. must help on both fronts.And in headlines: Former Trump lawyer Sidney Powell pleaded guilty for her role in the Georgia election interference case, California Senator Laphonza Butler said she will not run for a full term in 2024, and SAG-AFTRA has some Halloween costume advice for its members on strike. Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Joe Biden touched down in Israel on Wednesday in a show of support for a nation in mourning – but also warned against the human cost of being swept up by wartime rage. He also confirmed that Israel agreed to allow the beginning of humanitarian aid into Gaza from Egypt.Representative Jim Jordan once again lost his bid to become the next House speaker, with more of his Republican colleagues voting against him in the second round. A third round is scheduled for today, but his losses raise questions over whether he can get the support of his entire caucus. And in headlines: the man long suspected of killing Natalee Holloway in 2005 confessed to her murder, migrant families with children will now only have 60 days to stay in New York City shelters, and the city of Columbus, Ohio approved a sweeping deal to cancel $335 million of medical debt.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

As President Biden prepared to visit Israel, a hospital in Gaza City was hit by a devastating blast Tuesday, killing at least 500 people. Hamas blamed it on an Israeli airstrike, though Israel denied any involvement. Hours later, the White House confirmed that a planned summit in Jordan with Arab leaders was called off.Crooked’s Tommy Vietor joins us to explain how these new developments will complicate President Biden’s wartime trip.And in headlines: Rep. Jim Jordan fell short in the first round of voting to become House Speaker, the Justice Department is appealing the prison sentences of five members of the Proud Boys, and lowriders are officially free to cruise in the Golden State.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

President Biden will travel to Israel tomorrow. The high-stakes visit is meant to be a show of solidarity with Israel – while also sending a message to other countries in the region to keep the conflict with Hamas from escalating. The announcement also comes amid a continued push to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.The federal government has reached a deal with the ACLU over the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy that separated thousands of migrant families. If approved, those families will be allowed to remain in the U.S. for three years, and will receive housing and legal aid to apply for asylum.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

As Israel continues to gear up for its anticipated ground invasion of Gaza, diplomats with the United States, Egypt, and other countries are scrambling to avert a larger humanitarian crisis. Israel has given repeated orders for Gazans to evacuate south ahead of that, but basic services in that region are already incredibly strained due to years of an international blockade.And in headlines: Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan is the new GOP nominee for House Speaker, far-right Republican Jeff Landry has won Louisiana’s gubernatorial race, and Kaiser Permanente says it has reached a tentative labor deal with a coalition of healthcare workers.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Israel on Thursday to show support for the country, following Hamas’ attack over the weekend. He also called on Israel to exercise restraint as it continues its airstrikes on Gaza. Meanwhile, the United States and Qatar have agreed to stop Iran, which has helped Hamas in the past, from accessing $6 billion in recently unfrozen aid. And as the war continues, misinformation is spreading across social media, making it hard to tell what’s real and what’s not. Crooked news contributor Max Fisher joins us to discuss how to navigate the coverage and discourse surrounding the conflict.Plus, Wendy Ramirez, co-founder of Spanish Sin Pena, joins us to talk about the Spanish language and Latinx identity.And in headlines: Rep. Steve Scalise dropped out of the race to become the next House Speaker, New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez was slapped with new federal charges, and Beyoncé made an appearance at the world premiere of Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” concert movie.Show Notes:The Poynter Institute for Media Studies: How to avoid misinformation about the war in Gaza – https://tinyurl.com/2punvrrcPew Research Center: Latinos’ Views of and Experiences With the Spanish Language – https://tinyurl.com/ympduxp5Spanish Sin Pena – https://www.spanishsinpena.com/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

As Israel sends thousands of troops to the border with Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to form an emergency war cabinet with members of the country’s political opposition. It comes as Israel continues to pound the Palestinian territory with airstrikes, intensifying fears that the assault will create a humanitarian crisis. Meanwhile, Israel is on edge over the fate of over a hundred hostages taken by Hamas – as well as the prospect of an unprecedented ground invasion of Gaza. We caught up with Itamar Karbi, a PhD student living in Tel Aviv, to hear more about how the conflict has upended everyday life.  Show Notes:LA Times (Opinion): I’m an Israeli student and peace activist. Here’s what being in Tel Aviv has been like since Hamas attacked – https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-10-10/israel-hamas-war-peaceVote Save America: Ohio – https://votesaveamerica.com/state/ohio/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The devastation from the war between Israel and Hamas continues to unfold. As of Tuesday, nearly 2,000 people combined have been killed in Israel and Gaza, with many more injured. President Biden confirmed that at least 14 Americans are among the dead, and U.S. citizens are among the hostages held by Hamas.Meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Israel today in a show of solidarity. The U.S. has already repositioned military assets in the region as Israel gears up for what could be an unprecedented assault on Gaza.And in headlines: thousands of people are feared dead following Saturday’s powerful earthquake in Afghanistan, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced he’s running for president as an independent, and economic historian Claudia Goldin won a Nobel Prize for tracing the history of women in the workplace.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

At least 1,500 people have been killed in the days since Hamas, the Palestinian armed group that controls Gaza, launched a surprise attack against Israel. Israel has since declared war, and vowed to launch a "total" siege on Gaza. Meanwhile, the U.S. and other global powers are working to stop it from becoming a conflict with multiple fronts.Parts of West Maui reopened to tourists this weekend for the first time since this summer's deadly wildfires were extinguished. State officials maintain that allowing visitors to return to the area is necessary for the island's economic recovery. But many residents, including those from the town of Lahaina, say their community isn't ready.Show Notes:Council on Foreign Relations: What is Hamas? – https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-hamasMaui Medic Healers Hui – https://mauimedichealershui.org/‘Āina Momona: Maui Relief Efforts — https://www.kaainamomona.org/mauiHawai’i Public Radio, “Native Hawaiians grapple with generational trauma in wake of Maui fire” — https://tinyurl.com/mr2nc3hbCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffee.Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/

***What A Day will be back with a new episode Tuesday, October 10th***It's the start of a new Supreme Court term... and the start of Strict Scrutiny's fifth season! While the cases ahead may seem technical and boring, they’re actually quite significant. Hosts Melissa, Kate, and Leah preview the first oral arguments the Court will hear in October Term 2023. Listen to Strict Scrutiny every Monday wherever you get your podcasts. 

Federal judges chose a new congressional map for Alabama on Thursday, after a major, two year legal fight. The final, court-approved map gives Black Alabamians more political power, and could also give Democrats an edge in 2024.Talks between SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP resume today, after negotiations to end the Hollywood actor’s strike restarted earlier this week. It’s not clear if they’re close to a deal, but the use of artificial intelligence may be a major sticking point.And in headlines: the Biden administration has cleared the way to allow more border wall construction in Texas, Canadian voters elected a First Nations member to lead the province of Manitoba, and the CDC is phasing out its paper COVID vaccine cards.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Republicans remain divided over who should lead their delicate House majority after Kevin McCarthy was ousted as speaker. A vote for his replacement is set for next week – and so far, at least three Republicans have signaled that they want the job.Banned Books Week, an annual event to draw attention to the harms of censorship, has taken on new significance this year. Legislation in some GOP-led states has forced schools and libraries to pull many titles from their shelves, disproportionately targeting books about race, sexuality, and gender identity. Conrrado Saldivar, president of the Wyoming Library Association, joins us to discuss how he’s defending the right to read.And in headlines: President Biden canceled another $9 billion in student loan debt, more than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente employees walked off the job as part of a three-day strike, and voting is open for Fat Bear Week 2023.Show Notes:Banned Books Week – https://bannedbooksweek.org/American Library Association: Unite Against Banned Books – https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/Explore.org: Fat Bear Week 2023 – https://explore.org/fat-bear-weekWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

In an unprecedented move led by far-right Republicans, Kevin McCarthy was voted out of his job as Speaker of the House. He later said he would not seek the position again, leaving the House GOP fractured and scrambling to find a new leader for their slim majority. The Supreme Court heard arguments in a major case against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The fate of the agency, which was created in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, is on the line – though the justices appeared skeptical of the argument brought by payday lenders. And in headlines: Donald Trump was hit with a gag order in his civil fraud trial, Tennessee state Rep. Justin Jones filed a federal lawsuit against leaders of the state’s House of Representatives, and the entire run of “Mean Girls” is now on TikTok. Show Notes:Sixth & I: Roxane Gay in conversation with Juanita Tolliver – https://www.sixthandi.org/event/roxane-gay/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

A testy and defiant Donald Trump showed up to court yesterday in Manhattan, for the first day of his civil fraud trial. The former president called the suit, brought by New York attorney general Letitia James, a “witch hunt,” though it could cost him control of his sprawling real estate empire.Laphonza Butler will be the new junior U.S. Senator from California, after she was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to replace the late Dianne Feinstein. Marisa Lagos, political correspondent at NPR member station KQED in San Francisco, joins us to discuss Butler’s career.And in headlines: the scientists who laid the groundwork for the COVID vaccines won a Nobel Prize, the U.S. Supreme Court officially started its new term, and Mariah Carey has declared an early start to this year’s holiday festivities with a new tour.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Just hours before the Saturday night deadline, a bill to fund the government through mid-November passed both chambers of Congress and was signed by President Biden. The bill – which ensures the federal government can keep paying its workers for about 45 more days –  included funds for natural disaster relief, but notably did not include any added funding for Ukraine.Senator Dianne Feinstein, the longest-serving woman in the U.S. Senate, died Thursday night from natural causes at her home in Washington, D.C. She was 90 years old. Now, it's up to California Governor Gavin Newsom to choose her replacement ahead of next year's primary election, though he has promised to name a Black woman for the role.And in headlines: at least 13 people were killed after a fire broke out at a nightclub in the Spanish city of Murcia, New York City is still drying out after Friday’s round of heavy rain, and Beyoncé's Renaissance tour could be coming soon to a theater near you.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

Republicans held their first hearing Thursday in their impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. The six-hour hearing before the House Oversight Committee tried to make the case that the president benefitted from his son's business dealings – even though the Republicans' own witnesses said they didn't have any evidence to prove it.Meanwhile, the U.S. government notified federal workers that a shutdown is on the horizon if Congress doesn't reach a deal by 12:01 a.m. ET Sunday. The disruption could impact millions of government employees and military families, and affect many critical services.And in headlines: Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial in New York is set to start on Monday, California will raise the minimum wage for fast food workers, and Netflix has rolled the credits on its DVD-by-mail service.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The second 2024 GOP presidential debate took place yesterday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. The pool of candidates was smaller compared to the last round, but it wasn’t any less chaotic. Erin Ryan, host of Crooked Media’s “Hysteria” podcast, and Brian Beutler, founder of the Off Message newsletter, join us to break it all down.And in headlines: the American soldier who crossed into North Korea in July was transferred to U.S. custody, a federal judge in Texas blocked that state’s ban on public drag shows, and late-night TV is gearing up for its comeback.Show Notes:Substack | Off Message – https://www.offmessage.net/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Capitalism is having a moment in our current political discourse. And believe it or not, we haven't always been so quick to openly bash – or defend – it. Noel King, co-host of Vox Media's Today, Explained podcast, and her team have been exploring the forces behind American capitalism in a four-part series called Blame Capitalism. She joins us to unpack how differently both sides of the political aisle are talking about our economic system ahead of the second GOP presidential debate.And in headlines: a New York judge found Donald Trump liable for fraud, the Federal Trade Commission and 17 states sued Amazon, and Airbnb will soon let people book a weekend stay at Shrek’s Swamp in Scotland.Show Notes:Vox: Today, Explained – https://www.vox.com/today-explained-podcastThe Yale Law Journal | Lina M. Khan: “Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox” – https://www.yalelawjournal.org/note/amazons-antitrust-paradoxWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Writers Guild of America late Sunday evening announced a tentative agreement with the major studios. The Guild has said that it got most of what it wanted, including increased pay for writers on streaming content, minimum staffing requirements for TV shows, and guarantees from the studios over the use of artificial intelligence. We’re joined by WGA member Vicky Luu to talk about her reaction to the deal and more.And in headlines: the shooter who killed 23 people in a racist attack at an El Paso Walmart in 2019 has been ordered to pay over $5 million to the victims and their families, New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez said he won’t resign after being charged with bribery, and Governors Gavin Newsom and Ron DeSantis are going head-to-head on the debate stage in November.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez is facing calls from fellow Democrats to resign, as he faces federal bribery charges – the second time he’s been prosecuted for alleged corruption in the past 10 years. Menendez is accused of accepting cash, gold, and other gifts to secretly help Egypt’s government.It’s been a cliffhanger weekend for Hollywood, as the Writers Guild of America announced late Sunday evening that a tentative deal has been reached with the major studios to end the ongoing writers strike.And in headlines: a Colorado judge issued an order barring “threats or intimidation” over a lawsuit to keep Donald Trump off the state’s primary ballot, the Labor Department is investigating two major food companies over the use of child labor, and a NASA spacecraft delivered a long-awaited asteroid sample back to Earth.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Washington D.C. on Thursday to meet with President Biden and Senate leaders. Zelensky is trying to secure additional funding from the U.S. to help in the fight against Russian forces. But some Republican lawmakers are reluctant to continue financial support for Ukraine.Billionaire right-wing media mogul Rupert Murdoch is stepping down as chairman of News Corp. and Fox. His son, Lachlan, will come in to lead both companies. Murdoch’s exit caps a controversial, decades-long career that ultimately gave rise to the far-right discourse we see today.And in headlines: House Republicans once again failed to advance legislation on federal spending as the government shutdown deadline looms, India announced it has suspended visa services for Canadians, and free COVID tests by mail are coming back.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCOVID.gov: Free at-home COVID-19 tests – https://www.covidtests.govAll She Wrote Books: Author Conversation with Tre’vell Anderson, September 23rd – https://tinyurl.com/7wd776bzCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

Attorney General Merrick Garland testified before the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. During the nearly six-hour hearing, pushed back against claims that the Justice Department is unfairly protecting President Biden and his son Hunter, who has been under investigation since 2018.The trial of two police officers accused in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain began in Colorado. A total of five first responders have been charged in connection with the 23-year old’s death, who died days after being put in a chokehold by officers and injected with ketamine by paramedics.And in headlines: the Biden administration will grant temporary protections for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants in the U.S., Ohio's Supreme Court ruled that the term “unborn child” can remain on an upcoming ballot referendum on abortion, and Lahaina’s 150-year old banyan tree that was scorched by the deadly Maui wildfires sprouted new leaves.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the U.N. General Assembly yesterday, framing Russia’s aggression in Ukraine as a “genocide.” He’s also hoping to shore up support in Washington this week, amid skepticism from Republicans over whether to send Ukraine another $24 billion in aid.A New York City daycare owner and one of her relatives face federal charges after four children in her care fell ill – and one died – after they were exposed to fentanyl. Prosecutors say a kilogram of the drug was kept on top of kids’ play mats.And in headlines: House Republicans failed to advance their own defense spending bill, Azerbaijan launched a military operation in a contested Armenian enclave; plus, WAD associate producer Raven Yamamoto breaks down the latest controversy involving Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Five Americans detained in Iran for years are on their way back home as part of a rare agreement between the United States and Iran. In exchange, the U.S. released a group of Iranian prisoners, and restored Tehran’s access to some $6 billion dollars in oil revenues.Illinois became the first state in the nation to fully eliminate cash bail on Monday. The new law is a major win in the fight against criminalizing poverty, and includes other provisions that are expected to improve the way criminal courts operate.And in headlines: Hunter Biden sued the IRS for releasing his tax records, Canada expelled a top Indian diplomat over ‘credible allegations’ that India’s government was behind the killing of a Canadian Sikh activist, and talks between the Writers Guild of America and major Hollywood studios will start back up this week.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastJarrett Hill & Tre’vell Anderson: Historically Black Phrases – https://www.historicallyblackphrases.com/All She Wrote Books: Author Conversation with Tre’vell Anderson, September 23rd – https://tinyurl.com/7wd776bzCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The United Auto Workers Union is on strike at all three of Detroit’s major automakers — General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis. This is the first time in history it’s done that. Nearly 13,000 workers walked off the job at three auto plants across the country on Friday to fight for better wages and benefits as negotiations for a new labor contract continue.And in headlines: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was acquitted of all the impeachment charges against him, tens of thousands of protesters marched in Manhattan to call on world leaders to end the usage of fossil fuels, and Drew Barrymore reversed the decision to bring back her talk show amid the Hollywood writers’ strike.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

September 16th marks the one year anniversary since the death of Mahsa Amini and the start of a women-led revolution in Iran. The 22-year-old died in custody at the hands of the so-called morality police after allegedly violating the regime’s dress code. And within days, Iranians filled the streets in outrage. We’re joined by Iranian-American journalist Suzanne Kianpour to talk about how Iran has changed one year later.And in headlines: Hunter Biden was charged on three criminal counts in federal court, a Georgia judge ruled that Donald Trump and 16 others will be tried separately from two co-defendants heading to trial next month, and Planned Parenthood in Wisconsin announced that it’ll resume providing abortion services starting on Monday.Show Notes:Suzanne Kianpour in Politico: “The Women of Iran Are Not Backing Down” – https://tinyurl.com/2hlqjaebSuzanne Kianpour – https://www.kianpourworld.com/ What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Members of the United Auto Workers union are in the final countdown to reach a labor agreement with Detroit automakers. If agreements aren’t reached by 11:59pm ET Thursday night, then autoworkers will implement targeted strikes at plants run by General Motors, Ford Motor and Stellantis.Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un met up at a summit on Wednesday in Eastern Russia. After the meeting, Kim Jong Un vowed full support for Russia’s invasion and Putin offered North Korea technological help, saying that there are “possibilities” for military cooperation between the two countries.And in headlines: a federal judge in Texas ruled once again that DACA is illegal, Utah Republican Senator Mitt Romney announced that he will not seek reelection in 2024, and visual effects workers at Marvel Studios unanimously voted to unionize.Show Notes:The Cut: “This Is What a Real Housewife Looks Like” – https://www.thecut.com/article/jenna-lyons-rhony-profile.htmlPod Save The World: “Secretary of State Antony Blinken” – https://crooked.com/podcast/secretary-of-state-antony-blinken/ What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The government’s antitrust trial against Google kicked off yesterday as lawyers for the Department of Justice gave opening statements in their case. They argued that Google illegally created a monopoly with its titular search engine to squash competitors like Yahoo and Bing. We’re joined by Sara Morrison, senior tech reporter at Vox, to break down the case, why it matters and what comes next.And in headlines: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy ordered a formal impeachment inquiry into President Biden, a federal grand jury indicted the five former Memphis police officers involved in the beating death of Tyre Nichols and the CDC recommended that everyone six months and older get an updated COVID-19 vaccine.Show Notes:Vox: “What Google’s trial means for the company — and your web browsing” – https://tinyurl.com/yqq4vgyjIslamic Relief: Libya Floods Emergency Appeal – https://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/giving/appeals/libya-floods-emergency-appeal/International Rescue Committee: Helping Families in Libya – https://help.rescue.org/donate/urgent-crisis-flood-libya What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack was yesterday, and officials around the country memorialized the nearly 3,000 people who were killed. Roughly 40 percent of the victims remain unidentified, but officials recently used DNA testing to discover the identities of two more of those killed in the attack.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment trial continued into its fifth day Monday, when his former chief of staff testified that Paxton had an affair with a woman named Laura Olson. Paxton is only the third public official in Texas to be impeached, and if convicted he will be basically fired. A verdict could come down as soon as this week.And in headlines: the FDA greenlit a new round of COVID-19 vaccines, thousands are feared dead in Libya after Storm Daniel hit the country, and strippers at Portland’s Magic Tavern Club voted to unionize.Show Notes:Tre’vell Anderson and jarrett hill, co-authors of “Historically Black Phrases” join Reparations Club in LA on September 19 – https://rep.club/products/historically-blackTre’vell Anderson presents their book “We See Each Other” at All She Wrote in Boston on September 23 – https://tinyurl.com/yv9nnrdt What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

A destructive 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Morocco late Friday night and left 2,000 people dead and thousands injured. It’s the strongest to hit the country in over a century and rescue and recovery efforts have since been slow and tough.It's looking more and more likely that auto workers will go on strike starting this Friday. That’s unless United Auto Workers and the big three U.S. carmakers reach a deal by Thursday night.And in headlines: the Lahaina fire is officially 100% contained one month after it began, a court ruled that the White House overstepped the First Amendment and coerced social media platforms, and 19-year-old Coco Gauff came out on top to win the U.S. Open.Show Notes:How to Help Quake Victims in MoroccoMoroccan Red Crescent Society – https://tinyurl.com/yomslaqoDoctors Without Borders – https://tinyurl.com/yqcl3kx9Global Giving https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/morocco-earthquake-relief-fund/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

In a new report, Hawai'i’s Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism estimates that because of the Maui fire damages, the state’s economy will lose about $1.9 billion through 2024. So while state tourism officials initially urged tourists to stay away from Maui, they’ve now started to encourage tourists to come back to other parts of Maui and other Hawaiian islands to boost the local economy. But that tourism comes with a price.Today, the Florida Supreme Court will hear a case that could overturn 34 years of legal precedent regarding the right to abortion access. If successful, the state — which now provides the most abortion access in the Southeast — could quickly become a very different place for those seeking the medical procedure.And in headlines: Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled that federal laws prohibiting abortion are unconstitutional violations of women’s rights, New York City Mayor Eric Adams called on government officials to provide more support for the city’s migrant crisis, and the South Florida city of Lake Worth Beach has become the state’s first LGBTQ+ sanctuary city.Show notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

It's only been five weeks since Justice Janet Protasiewicz was sworn in to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, but state Republicans are hell-bent on getting her kicked off the court before she even hears her first case. In their latest effort, Republicans in the state are floating the idea of impeaching Protasiewicz for statements she made about legislative maps.The Biden administration announced on Wednesday that it will ban drilling in 13 million acres of wilderness in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Plus, the administration said that it will also cancel the drilling leases that were issued under former President Donald Trump.And in headlines: a federal judge ordered Texas to remove its floating barrier in the Rio Grande and banned it from building a new one, Spanish soccer player Jenni Hermoso formally accused Spanish soccer chief Luis Rubiales of sexual assault, and Air Canada kicked two passengers off of a flight for refusing to sit in vomit-stained seats.Show Notes:Defend Justice – https://www.defendjustice.com/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Interest on federal student loans has officially resumed, and payments are set to restart on October 1st. On Tuesday, however, a group of Senate Republicans introduced legislation to block President Biden’s Saving on Valuable Education Plan — or SAVE Plan — from going into effect, despite how it could help millions of people struggling to pay off their debt. For more, we’re joined by Braxton Brewington from the Debt Collective, a progressive organization fighting for full student debt cancellation.And in headlines: a court struck down Alabama’s Republican-drawn congressional map again, the impeachment trial of Texas’s Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton started yesterday, and a pair of construction workers severely damaged a part of the Great Wall in northern China. Show Notes:The Debt Collective – https://debtcollective.org/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

COVID cases and hospitalizations are on the rise in the U.S., and experts are closely monitoring a new variant nicknamed “Pirola.” Plus, there might be a new, updated vaccine as early as next week. We’re joined by Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, host of Crooked’s America Dissected, to talk about the latest uptick and what to expect in the coming months.Show notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Two more leaders of the Proud Boys were sentenced yesterday for their roles in the January 6th insurrection. Joe Biggs was sentenced to 17 years in prison while Zachary Rehl was sentenced to 15 years. Plus, Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Thursday in the Georgia criminal case where he’s accused of racketeering in his efforts to upend the 2020 presidential election results in the state.Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas officially disclosed yesterday that Republican megadonor Harlan Crow footed the bill for his private jet trips in 2022 to both attend a speech in Texas and to vacation at Crow’s home in the Adirondacks. With this disclosure, he also included a statement defending his travel with Crow.And in headlines: at least 74 people died and more than 50 were injured after a fire broke out in Johannesburg, South Africa, federal student loans will once again start accruing interest, and Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is coming to a movie theater near you this October.Show notes:WAD is taking a break for Labor Day. We’ll be back on Tuesday, September 5th.What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Hurricane Idalia made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast yesterday morning and wreaked havoc in its wake. So far, it has left at least two people dead and caused major flooding and destruction.A federal judge on Wednesday ruled that Rudy Giuliani is liable in a defamation lawsuit brought by two Georgia election workers. They say their lives were upended after being targeted by Giuliani and Donald Trump after the 2020 election.And in headlines: Narcan will soon be available over the counter in the U.S., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared to freeze in front of reporters, and flight attendants at American Airlines voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Biden administration on Tuesday shared the first ten prescription drugs that it has chosen for price negotiations through Medicare. The Biden administration will try to lower Medicare prices for the drugs by negotiating with their respective manufacturers to ease the burden of their otherwise exorbitant costs.Former employees at Twitter – a.k.a. X – have filed thousands of arbitration complaints against the company in an effort to get the severance pay that they were promised. To date, more than 2,200 cases are backed up in the JAMS arbitration system, and the fees X is on the hook for could amount to about $3.5 million.And in headlines: the Biden Administration weakened regulations protecting millions of acres of wetlands, Republican lawmakers in Tennessee voted to temporarily censure Representative Justin Jones, and Boston officially dropped gendered language from marriage certificates.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

March 4, 2024 will be the first day for Donald Trump’s federal criminal trial in which he is charged with attempting to subvert the 2020 presidential election results on January 6th. That trial date means it comes one day before the Super Tuesday primary.Tropical Storm Idalia is headed towards the U.S. and is expected to become a "major hurricane" by the time it hits Florida as early as tonight. Experts have warned residents to prepare for very severe weather, including a potentially deadly surge.And in headlines: Former L.A. City Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas was sentenced to 42 months in prison, the visual effects crew at Walt Disney Studios got one step closer to unionizing, and Dylan Mulvaney took home the trophy for Breakout Creator at the 2023 Streamy Awards.Plus, listeners share how they or their loved ones have been impacted by anti-trans or anti-LGBTQ+ legislation across the country. WAD producer Raven Yamamoto joins us to share those stories and more.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

A white gunman shot and killed three Black people in a racist attack at a Dollar General store on Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida. The attack is the latest incidence of racist gun violence perpetrated by a young, white gunman in the United States, and it is being investigated as a hate crime.Georgia Republicans have expedited the passing of a new state law that would allow the legislature to remove local prosecutors — particularly Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who recently indicted Donald Trump. This is the GOP’s latest attempt to remove prosecutorial power from DAs across the country.And in headlines: Russian officials finally confirmed that Yevgeny Prigozhin died in a plane crash outside of Moscow, at least seven people were shot and killed just outside of Haiti’s capital, and members of the United Auto Workers union overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Former President Donald Trump surrendered on Thursday at the Fulton County Jail on felony charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. He was released on a $200,000 bond. Meanwhile in the criminal case over mishandled classified documents, a former Mar-a-Lago employee who monitored the security cameras flipped on Trump after switching lawyers.Japan released the first batch of treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean, setting off huge protests in China and South Korea. A total of one million metric tons of treated water will ultimately be released.And in headlines: the Department of Justice sued SpaceX for allegedly discriminating against refugees and asylum seekers in its hiring practices, Virginia’s attorney general said local school boards must roll back accommodations for transgender students, and India became the first country to land a spacecraft near the lunar South Pole.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Eight Republican presidential candidates went head to head for the first GOP primary debate in Milwaukee Wednesday night. Notably absent from the lineup was Donald Trump — the former president instead appeared in a pre-recorded interview with Tucker Carlson that debuted on X at the exact same time as the nationally televised event. We’re joined by Crooked’s Editor-in-Chief Brian Beutler and Alyssa Mastromonaco of Crooked’s Hysteria podcast for their takes on who stood out on the debate stage.And in headlines: Russian authorities said that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the country’s paramilitary Wagner Group, died in a plane crash, South Carolina’s Supreme Court upheld the state’s near-total abortion ban, and Fyre Fest 2 tickets went on sale.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Students across the country head back to school this month, but tens of thousands of teacher positions remain vacant and more than 160,000 positions are filled by under-qualified teachers. We’re joined by Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, to learn more about the nationwide teacher shortage.And in headlines: Donald Trump’s co-defendants in the Georgia election interference case officially started to turn themselves in, members of the Teamsters union ratified their new labor contract, and sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson is now the fastest woman in the world.Show Notes:NEA’s Guide To Fixing Educator Shortages – nea.org/solutionsWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Tennessee lawmakers gathered yesterday for the start of a week-long special session on public safety and mental health. But as of Monday evening, the Senate adjourned without passing any meaningful legislation and the House adopted rules that bar lawmakers they deem as "unruly" from participating in discussion.President Biden arrived in Maui yesterday afternoon where he met with survivors and emergency workers following the deadly wildfires that devastated the island earlier this month. According to Maui’s mayor, at least 114 people died and 850 others are still believed to be missing.And in headlines: Donald Trump’s bail is $200,000 in the racketeering case against him in Georgia, the owner of a clothing store near Lake ArrowShow Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Tropical Storm Hilary made landfall in Mexico’s Baja California region yesterday and the center of the storm officially moved into Southern California Sunday evening. It’s expected to have a major effect on the region, where it could drop more than a year's worth of rain in parts of California, Nevada, and Arizona.Twenty states have enacted bans or restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors so far, and at least five states have now permanently or temporarily blocked those measures from taking effect. We’re joined by Lyra Foster, founder of the Trans Family Network, to discuss the legal battle against bans on life-saving care across the country.And in headlines: Donald Trump is officially skipping out on the first GOP presidential debate of the election cycle, Ecuadorians headed to the polls to vote for their next president, and students at West Virginia University are planning dual walkouts to protest proposed program and staff cuts.Show notes:Lyra Foster - https://tinyurl.com/wa472fedWhat A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Hundreds of documents containing detailed debate advice seemingly intended for Gov. Ron DeSantis were posted online this week, according to reporting by The New York Times. The documents – which were later taken down – were posted by Axiom Strategies, the company owned by the chief strategist for DeSantis's Super PAC.Earlier this month, a Texas woman was arrested and charged with threatening to kill U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan — the judge currently overseeing Trump’s election interference case. Plus, the Fulton County Sheriff's Office is investigating targeted threats against members of the grand jury that indicted Trump and 18 others earlier this week.And in headlines: Maui authorities released the identities of three more wildfire victims, Hurricane Hilary is headed north toward California and the Southwest region of the U.S., and Little Rock will continue offering A.P. African American Studies despite guidelines advising otherwise from Arkansas officials.Show notes:NYT: Defend Trump and ‘Hammer’ Ramaswamy: DeSantis Allies Reveal Debate Strategy - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/17/us/politics/desantis-debate-strategy.htmlHelp Maui Rise: Directly Aid ʻOhana Displaced by Fires – https://tinyurl.com/23cnpvqzMaui Mutual Aid Fund - https://www.bit.ly/mauimutualaideHawai'i' Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund - https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strongFundraiser for Nā ‘Āikane O Maui Cultural Center, which burned down: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvvJeNzy2WM/?img_index=1What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

A federal appeals court ruled yesterday that it would impose restrictions on the abortion pill mifepristone, including preventing it from being prescribed via telehealth or sent through the mail. But those restrictions won’t go into effect immediately due to a previous stay by the Supreme Court.Republican state leaders like Texas Governor Greg Abbott continue the inhumane practice of busing and flying migrants to Democratic-led states and cities. We’re joined by Jacob Love, a staff attorney with Lawyers for Civil Rights, to talk about the migrants' experience, specifically those who were flown to Martha's Vineyard by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.And in headlines: prosecutors in Georgia want their racketeering case against Trump to start as soon as March 4th, the death toll from the deadly Maui wildfires rose to 110, and dozens of protestors in Miami took to the streets Wednesday to protest the state’s new restrictions on how Black history can be taught in public schools.Show Notes:Help Maui Rise: Directly Aid ʻOhana Displaced by Fires – https://tinyurl.com/23cnpvqzMaui Mutual Aid Fund - https://www.bit.ly/mauimutualaideHawai'i' Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund - https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strongFundraiser for Nā ‘Āikane O Maui Cultural Center, which burned down: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvvJeNzy2WM/?img_index=1 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Donald Trump was indicted for a fourth time Monday night. Trump now faces a total of 91 criminal counts across four separate cases.A Texas lawsuit against Planned Parenthood seeks more than $1.8 billion in reimbursement, penalties and fees after the state moved to cut the organization as a Medicaid provider. Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, the same judge who halted federal approval of mifepristone back in April, heard arguments on Tuesday.On Monday, Chuck Hoskin Jr. was sworn into his second term as Chief of the Cherokee Nation, the most populous tribe in the country. Chief Hoskin joins us to talk about his priorities and plans going into his next term.And in headlines: President Biden plans to visit Maui to survey the damage caused by the deadly wildfires, student loans for over 800,000 people will be canceled starting this week, and Keke Palmer and Usher have a new song seemingly aimed at her ex.Show Notes:Help those affected by the fires in MauiMaui Mutual Aid Fund - https://www.bit.ly/mauimutualaideHawai'i' Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund - https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strongFundraiser for Pūnana Leo o Lāhinā whose school site at Waiola Church, which burned down: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvvWWoqSl9V/Fundraiser for Nā ‘Āikane O Maui Cultural Center, which burned down: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvvJeNzy2WM/?img_index=1 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Donald Trump was charged with 13 felonies in Georgia yesterday, including forgery, filing false documents and racketeering. Eighteen others in his circle were indicted as well, all tied to the alleged attempt to overturn the outcome in Georgia’s 2020 Presidential Election. To break down the charges, we’re joined by Morgan Cloud, professor of law at Emory University who specializes in Georgia’s RICO statute.And in headlines: the official death toll from the deadly Maui wildfires has climbed to 99, a Montana judge ruled that young people in the state have a constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment, and parents in Florida must sign off on their kids being called any name other than what’s on their birth certificate.Show Notes:Help those affected by the fires in MauiMaui Mutual Aid Fund - https://www.bit.ly/mauimutualaideHawai'i' Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund - https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strongFundraiser for Pūnana Leo o Lāhinā whose school site at Waiola Church, which burned down: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvvWWoqSl9V/Fundraiser for Nā ‘Āikane O Maui Cultural Center, which burned down: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvvJeNzy2WM/?img_index=1 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

More than 90 people have been killed in Maui since wildfires erupted last week, making it the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in over a century. The Hawai’i Tourism Authority is urging travelers to not visit the island at this time as organizers work to provide shelter to thousands of displaced residents.Former president Donald Trump could face his fourth criminal indictment as soon as this week. Fulton County Georgia prosecutor Fani Willis appears close to charging Trump with more crimes regarding 2020 election interference in the state.And in headlines: the governor of Illinois signed a law allowing people to sue gunmakers over ads that target children, police raided a local newspaper in Kansas, and the Biden administration announced a $1.3 billion investment to suck carbon dioxide out of the air.Show notes:Help Maui Rise: Directly Aid ʻOhana Displaced by Fires: https://tinyurl.com/49bxs27aHawai'i' Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund - https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strongMaui Mutual Aid Fund - https://www.bit.ly/mauimutualaideFundraiser for Pūnana Leo o Lāhinā whose school site at Waiola Church, which burned down: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvvWWoqSl9V/Fundraiser for Nā ‘Āikane O Maui Cultural Center, which burned down: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvvJeNzy2WM/?img_index=1What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Rescue efforts continue in Maui after fast-moving wildfires caused catastrophic damage across the island this week. The death toll from the wildfires has risen to at least 53 with several others wounded. Thousands of Maui residents have been displaced by the catastrophe, as well.The Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers will return to the negotiating table today. The meeting comes as the writers' strike just crossed the 100-day mark, a milestone the Guild’s negotiating committee co-chair Chris Keyser has called “an anniversary of shame.”And in headlines: the first of Trump’s many criminal trials could start as soon as January 2nd, the Supreme Court put on hold a bankruptcy settlement involving OxyContin-maker Purdue Pharma, and Virgin Galactic sent its first tourists into space yesterday.Show Notes:Help those affected by the fires in MauiMaui Mutual Aid Fund - https://www.bit.ly/mauimutualaideHawai'i' Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund - https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strongFundraiser for Pūnana Leo o Lāhinā whose school site at Waiola Church, which burned down: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvvWWoqSl9V/Fundraiser for Nā ‘Āikane O Maui Cultural Center, which burned down: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvvJeNzy2WM/?img_index=1 What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday