Hacks On Tap
When David Axelrod and Mike Murphy get together to talk politics, it’s not academic. They speak from the perspective gained through hundreds of campaigns for offices from City Hall to the White House. So if you want to know what’s really going on behind the scenes, where strategic decisions are being made, pull up a stool for Hacks on Tap. Incisive, sometimes uproarious and always entertaining, these political warhorses and their guests will give you insights you’ll only get from folks who have spent a lifetime in the political trenches of both parties.
Episodes
July 29, 2025 • 65 mins
This week, our two chief windbags, Axe and Murphy, are joined by seasoned Democratic strategist Lis Smith—and author of Any Given Tuesday. The Hacks unpack Trump’s Epstein problem and the surrounding pardon chatter, his scenic detour to Scotland, and the frosty turn in his bromances. They wade into early polling, premature redistricting shenanigans, and take out the crystal ball to scan the House and Senate maps for potential ...
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July 22, 2025 • 64 mins
This week, Murphy and Heilemann are joined by ink-stained Hackeroo Robert Costa—national correspondent for CBS News Sunday Morning and chief Washington analyst for CBS News, as well as co-author of Peril. The Hacks break down Hunter Biden’s recent interview—and yes, a certain Hackeroo got name-checked, much to his surprise (and ours). They dig into the weight of Joe Biden’s legacy as the Democratic primary field begins to stir...
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July 15, 2025 • 63 mins
This week, Murphy and Heilemann are joined by the great Frank Lavin—former U.S. Ambassador to Singapore, Reagan’s political director, and a Swiss Army knife of global politics. The Hacks dive into a tidal wave of news: renewed demands for the release of the Epstein list, Trump falling out of vogue with the GOP, Putin calling Trump’s bluff, the political undertones of the World Cup, the New York mayor’s race, and so much more. ...
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July 8, 2025 • 70 mins
This week, Axe and Murphy are joined by Wall Street Journal political reporter Josh Dawsey, co-author of 2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America, just released today. They dig into Dawsey’s reporting, the fallout from Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill”, the devastating flash floods in Texas, Biden’s cell phone, spaceships, crayons, and what all of it says about where we’re headed.
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July 1, 2025 • 55 mins
All three Hacks together —- a real Fourth of July miracle. They cover Thom Tillis’ resignation, the big, beautiful bill, the New York mayor’s race, Elon’s tweets, kitchen-table economics, rising star Sarah McBride, the Trump monster, the DOGE monster, and more—because nothing says “patriotism” like chaos, crypto, and meat cuts.
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June 24, 2025 • 74 mins
This week, the Hacks are pulling double duty—two big stories, two top-notch guests. First, Senator Elissa Slotkin—former CIA analyst and Pentagon official—joins to break down U.S. involvement in Iran, Trump’s handling of the strikes, and the rift this is opening inside the Republican Party. Then, the Hacks turn to the city that never sleeps with former U.S. Ambassador to South Africa and longtime New York political heavyweight...
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June 17, 2025 • 63 mins
This week, the Hacks return amid a whirlwind of headlines and rising tensions. Axe and Murphy are joined by the incomparable Maggie Haberman—Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and one of the most trusted chroniclers of American politics. The Hacks dig into the escalating conflict in the Middle East, Trump’s abrupt departure from the G7, the drama unfolding in the New York races, and the latest on Ukraine. Plus: ICE operations i...
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June 10, 2025 • 63 mins
This week, Axe and Heilemann are joined by Marc Short—former Chief of Staff to Vice President Mike Pence and Director of Legislative Affairs under President Trump—for a jam-packed conversation. From his front-row seat in the Trump administration, Short reflects on what feels like a political Groundhog Day: National Guard troops on the ground in California. He opens up about working with Stephen Miller, hints at what Mike Pence...
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June 6, 2025 • 33 mins
This week, in honor of Mike Murphy’s 30th birthday (don’t fact-check that), we’re serving up a bonus mini-sode! Mike is joined by longtime pod pal JMart to unpack the latest fallout in the bromance no one asked for — Musk and Trump. The Hacks dissect where the relationship went sour, what comes next for the billionaire and the president, and what this high-profile spat means for the future of American politics.
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June 3, 2025 • 60 mins
This week Axe and Murphy were joined by Democratic strategist and political firecracker Lis Smith. The Hacks dive into Sen. Ernst’s weird apology, Elon’s pushback on the ‘big, beautiful bill’, Gov. Wes Moore’s future on the national stage, the New York mayoral race, and so much more. Buckle up!
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May 27, 2025 • 56 mins
The full Hackeroo trio is back in the bunker, wading through a Memorial Day medley of MAGA mayhem. Trump’s at it again — hosting a crypto dinner straight out of “Shark Tank,” taking new aim at Putin, picking trade fights, and going after the Ivy Leagues. Plus, the hacks open up the listener mailbag and dig into your sharpest questions, wildest theories, and most unfiltered takes. Buckle up.
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May 20, 2025 • 58 mins
This week, Murphy and Heilemann are joined by their old pal Jonathan Martin to wade through the flotsam and jetsam of another jam-packed political week. They discuss the new book about Biden has everyone talking—about his legacy, his future, and now the tragic cancer diagnosis at the center of it all. Plus: the price of eggs, Trump’s spin on inflation, the SALT fight, and so much more!
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May 13, 2025 • 61 mins
This week, the Hacks welcome their old friend Rahm Emanuel —- former Chicago mayor, White House chief of staff, U.S. ambassador to Japan, and now CNN political commentator. They taxi down the runway on jet diplomacy, manufacturing strategy, and the challenge of crafting economic messages that actually land. Plus, a deep dive into the old bait-and-switch (and occasional political backstab), Biden’s comms blitz, and the surprisi...
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May 6, 2025 • 63 mins
This week, Axe and Heilemann are joined by their old pal—the former senator and current director of the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics—for a freewheeling conversation on the philosophy (or lack thereof) of Donald Trump. The Hacks break down the so-called “doll economy,” dig into Trump’s polling, immigration rhetoric, populist messaging, and yes… the cake eaters.
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April 29, 2025 • 57 mins
This week all three Hacks reunited to cover the first 100 days of the Trump presidency. They dig into the “feral animal cunning” behind Trump’s political instincts, the human toll of his immigration and trade policies, and the raw nerves hit by the latest of tariff uncertainty. And so much more — the Hacks are back!
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April 22, 2025 • 59 mins
This week, Murphy is still flying solo—but he's not alone. He's joined by veteran GOP strategist and communications pro Doug Heye, along with Axios senior political reporter Alex Isenstadt, author of the new book Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump's Return to Power. The Hacks dig into Senator Chris Van Hollen’s visit with Kilmar Ábrego García, dissect the evolution from Trump 1.0 to Trump 2.0, and unpack all the political mayh...
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April 15, 2025 • 60 mins
This week, Mike Murphy is flying solo — but fear not, he’s joined by two heavyweight Hacks: Jonathan Martin, veteran political reporter and senior political columnist for Politico, and Robert Costa, CBS News chief election and campaign correspondent and co-author of Peril with Bob Woodward. Together, they dive into POTUS v. SCOTUS, wrongful deportations, China’s tariff triumphs, Harvard fighting back, deficits, stagflation, st...
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April 8, 2025 • 63 mins
This week, Axe and Murphy are back together -- proof that political gravity always pulls the Hacks back into orbit. They’re joined by legendary Democratic pollster and savant, John Anzalone. The Hacks dive right into Anzalone’s polling, discussing Trump’s tariffs, the stock market vs. the supermarket, the Democratic need to lay out an economic agenda, angels and demons, melting ice sculptures, and so much more!
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April 1, 2025 • 60 mins
This week, Mike Murphy is hacking—and not in the good, political way, but in the coughing-his-lungs-out way—so the heroic John Heilemann swoops in to save the day and join David! The Hacks are joined by legendary journalist, author, former RFK speechwriter, and all-around wise guy Jeff Greenfield to break down the Wisconsin Supreme Court showdown, Trump’s third-act trolling, RFK Jr. (the bizarro version), authoritarian antics,...
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March 25, 2025 • 62 mins
This week, Axe and Heilemann are joined by Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow for a deep dive into the week’s political mayhem. The Hacks break down war planning via Signal, Trump’s deportations and legal issues, exploding head emojis, going down the rabbit hole, pyrotechnics, nonsense, and so much more.
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