The Chuck ToddCast

Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul joins Chuck Todd for a sweeping conversation about whether the world is slipping back into a pre–World War II world order marked by isolationism, power struggles, and a fading commitment to democracy. McFaul argues we’ve entered a new era of great power competition, with China offering an alternative world order and America retreating from its role as the global stabilizer...

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck breaks down a week that feels like a case study in America’s democratic backslide. With the government shutdown dragging on and Donald Trump disengaged from any real effort to end it, Republicans in Congress are paralyzed — and Democrats risk losing ground the longer it continues. Chuck examines how Trump’s brand of politics has reshaped the culture, from congressional ...

Chuck Todd examines the mounting political and institutional strain as the government shutdown drags on — and why Democrats may need to declare a partial victory just to move forward. The episode explores how Trump’s rise has exposed deep vulnerabilities in the American system, from unchecked profiteering and politicized justice to the growing entanglement of big tech, big money, and government power. Todd breaks down t...

Chuck Todd sits down with veteran Democratic strategist and data expert Tom Bonier to unpack one of the biggest political mysteries of the Trump era: why Democrats are losing voter registrations—and how the GOP got so good at winning them. From the fallout of the Bernie-Clinton primary to the brand erosion under Biden, Bonier traces how Democrats’ messaging, outsourcing, and demographic targeting have backfired while Re...

Chuck Todd examines the mounting political and institutional strain as the government shutdown drags on — and why Democrats may need to declare a partial victory just to move forward. The episode explores how Trump’s rise has exposed deep vulnerabilities in the American system, from unchecked profiteering and politicized justice to the growing entanglement of big tech, big money, and government power. Todd breaks down t...

Chuck Todd breaks down the latest political and global chaos as the government shutdown drags on with no resolution in sight—because, as he puts it, “nothing moves without Trump.” From Trump’s trade threats against China and his transactional diplomacy in the Middle East to Netanyahu’s political freefall in Israel, the episode examines how American and global politics are increasingly driven by short-t...

Chuck Todd breaks down the latest political and global chaos as the government shutdown drags on with no resolution in sight—because, as he puts it, “nothing moves without Trump.” From Trump’s trade threats against China and his transactional diplomacy in the Middle East to Netanyahu’s political freefall in Israel, the episode examines how American and global politics are increasingly driven by short-t...

Moody’s chief economist Mark Zandi joins Chuck Todd to assess an economy that looks strong on paper—but feels weak for most Americans. While the top third of earners are doing well, lower-income households are tightening their belts as consumer spending slows and job creation stagnates. Zandi warns of a 30–40% chance of a recession by 2026, citing the drag from federal job cuts, the drying up of COVID relief funds...

As the government shutdown stretches on, Chuck Todd breaks down how both parties are calculating the political costs — and why Democrats may have already achieved what they wanted. With air travel disruptions mounting and healthcare debates pulling in new Republican attention, the public’s patience is wearing thin. Meanwhile, tensions between Trump and Illinois leaders have escalated, raising questions about the politicization of t...

As the government shutdown stretches on, Chuck Todd breaks down how both parties are calculating the political costs — and why Democrats may have already achieved what they wanted. With air travel disruptions mounting and healthcare debates pulling in new Republican attention, the public’s patience is wearing thin. Meanwhile, tensions between Trump and Illinois leaders have escalated, raising questions about the politicization of t...

Chuck Todd sits down with Washington Monthly editor-in-chief Paul Glastris to unpack how America’s college ranking system went off the rails—and how it’s warping higher education itself. Glastris argues that U.S. News & World Report rewards wealth, not value, pushing schools to chase prestige over affordability and teaching quality. He highlights Berea College as a model for what higher ed could be: a well-endowed school that actua...

Chuck Todd breaks down the political fallout as the government shutdown begins disrupting air travel—and both parties claim they’re “winning.” He argues that when politicians are upending people’s lives, no one is really winning. The conversation turns to Israel, where Prime Minister Netanyahu faces deepening domestic backlash and a loss of international allies. With 66% of Israelis wanting the war in Gaza to end and growing calls ...

In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck sits down with Stanford political scientist Adam Bonica to unpack the dark underbelly of political fundraising. Bonica reveals how the Democratic consulting firm Mothership Strategies helped shape modern campaign fundraising — and how their tactics, often resembling internet scams, have extracted hundreds of millions from small-dollar donors, many of whom are elderly or unaware they’ve b...

Chuck Todd breaks down the political fallout as the government shutdown begins disrupting air travel—and both parties claim they’re “winning.” He argues that when politicians are upending people’s lives, no one is really winning. The conversation turns to Israel, where Prime Minister Netanyahu faces deepening domestic backlash and a loss of international allies. With 66% of Israelis wanting the war in Gaza to end and growing calls ...

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck examines the second week of the government shutdown, explaining why Republicans are taking most of the blame—but why it’s not an automatic win for Democrats. He breaks down the political incentives that keep both sides digging in, Trump’s efforts to punish his own voters in blue states, and the growing risk of violent confrontations with protestors. Chuck also explores how the shutdown i...

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck examines the second week of the government shutdown, explaining why Republicans are taking most of the blame—but why it’s not an automatic win for Democrats. He breaks down the political incentives that keep both sides digging in, Trump’s efforts to punish his own voters in blue states, and the growing risk of violent confrontations with protestors. Chuck also explores how the shutdown i...

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt joins Chuck to talk about why mayors often stand apart from the hyper-polarized world of national politics. With no partisan primaries to cater to, Holt argues that mayors are forced to be pragmatic and bipartisan—because when city leaders fail, the public notices quickly. He describes how Oklahoma City reflects the political and demographic balance of the countr...

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck breaks down the absurdity of the U.S. government repeatedly grinding to a halt over government shutdowns. He explains why disruptions like TSA slowdowns and flight delays could force a faster resolution, why this standoff likely won’t last beyond a couple of weeks, and how Republicans may try to negotiate, only to walk back agreements through budget rescissions—or even consider ending th...

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Teamsters president Sean O’Brien joins Chuck to talk about the future of organized labor in an era defined by Amazon, automation, and artificial intelligence. O’Brien warns that AI-driven job displacement could be the central issue of the 2028 campaign, and he argues that technology is being adopted without worker input—repeating mistakes unions made during NAFTA, when labor put too much trust...