Pod Save America
Politics
Pod Save America is a no-b******t conversation about politics hosted by former Obama aides Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer, and Tommy Vietor. It cuts through the noise to break down the week’s news and helps people figure out what matters and how they can help. They’re regularly joined by journalists, activists, politicians, entertainers, and world leaders. You can watch on YouTube or listen to new episodes every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. Subscribe to Friends of the Pod! Your subscription makes Crooked’s work possible and gives you access to ad-free episodes of Pod Save America and Pod Save the World, plus exclusive content and a lively Discord community. Learn more and subscribe at crooked.com/friends or on Apple Podcasts. For a transcript of an episode of Pod Save America, please email [email protected].
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Recent Episodes
Will the Blue Wave Be Bigger Than 2018?
Sep 18, 2026JD Vance begs voters to give the White House "another chance" as a series of new polls show a political environment even more favorable to Democrats than the one that propelled the blue wave in 2018. ...
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Artificial Intelligence, Actual Idiots
Sep 15, 2026Trump dismisses the AI CEOs at Anthropic, OpenAI, and xAI who are calling for a "global slowdown" of AI development, saying the only government regulation the industry needs is a "high IQ" president. ...
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Pod Save America discusses the AI safety debate that erupted over the weekend, featuring perspectives from leading tech CEOs calling for regulation while Trump and his allies push for unrestricted development. The episode also covers Russian corruption in the Trump family, extreme Republican candidates in Texas, and includes an interview with Sarah Longwell about her new book and insights from voter focus groups on 2028 political dynamics.
- The AI Safety Debate Erupts
- Understanding the AI Threat
On the Ground in Michigan with Abdul El-Sayed
Sep 13, 2026Tommy flies out to Detroit to talk to Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, asking him about his masculinity-forward campaign, the electorate's appetite for candidates who fight back, and...
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Pod Save America's Tommy Vietor travels to Detroit to interview Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, exploring his campaign strategy, the Republican attacks against him, and the broader stakes of this crucial Senate race. The episode contrasts the issues voters care about at town halls with the media's focus on controversies, while examining Abdul's approach to masculinity, public health, and progressive politics in a swing state.
- Abdul's Campaign Tour and Voter Concerns
- Media Coverage vs. Voter Reality
Dallas Bribers Club
Sep 11, 2026At the GOP midterm convention in Dallas, Donald Trump promises that he'll give every American adult a $5,000 check if — and only if — Republicans retain control of the Senate and House, a plan so absu...
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Pod Save America hosts Jon Favreau and Dan Pfeiffer analyze the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, where Trump promised $5,000 checks, J.D. Vance positioned himself as Trump's heir, and Republicans attacked Democrats as terrorist sympathizers. The episode also features John Lovett's interview with California Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton, who discusses his pitch to Democratic voters and his positions on immigration, housing, and Trump.
- Republican Convention Overview: Trump's Ego Show
- Trump's $5,000 Dividend Bribe: A Desperate and Impossible Promise
Poll Me Twice, Shame On Me
Sep 06, 2026Nate Silver, Clare Malone, and Galen Druke — the hosts of Crooked Media's new show Still Counting — join Lovett to talk about the Senate races they find most interesting and Trump doing everything in ...
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Jon Lovett hosts Nate Silver, Claire Malone, and Galen Druke to discuss their new podcast Still Counting, launching with Crooked Media. The conversation covers Trump's midterm strategy, Senate races (particularly Michigan), Democratic Party dynamics, candidate quality versus environment, and the mechanics of political forecasting models. They analyze whether Trump is helping or hurting Republicans, debate Abdul El-Sayed's chances in Michigan, and explore what defines effective center-left politics.
- Trump's Midterm Strategy and Approval
- The Michigan Senate Race and Abdul El-Sayed
Will Trump's Postal Service Seize This Mail Bag?
Sep 04, 2026Jon, Tommy, Lovett, and Dan answer listener questions, diving into what they’re most hoping to learn from the 2026 midterms, their favorite political ads of all time, and the groyper takeover of the R...
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A Labor Day mailbag episode where the Pod Save America hosts answer listener questions about the 2026 midterms, 2028 presidential race, political strategy, and various hypothetical scenarios. The episode concludes with an interview with Vote Save America's Shaniqua McClendon about their Crooked Dozen program targeting beatable Republican House seats.
- 2026 Midterms: What to Watch For
- Managing Expectations in Divided Government
Republicans Suddenly Have Plans Next Week
Sep 04, 2026Dozens of Republican lawmakers tell the press that they won't be attending Trump's midterm convention next week, citing a variety of unconvincing excuses, but the president seems unfazed by his party'...
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Pod Save America hosts John Favreau and Dan Pfeiffer discuss Trump's midterm strategy, his reluctance to spend his super PAC money, and Republicans avoiding his convention. They also cover data center politics, AI regulation debates, and feature journalist Jasper Nathaniel's reporting on Israeli settler violence in the West Bank, examining the settlement movement's connections to the Israeli government and implications for a two-state solution.
- Trump's Midterm Strategy and Super PAC Spending
- Republican Avoidance of Trumpapalooza Convention
Is Trump Trying to Lose the Midterms?
Sep 01, 2026Weeks after a Republican campaign committee called AI data centers the "anchor hanging around" GOP candidates' necks, Trump weighs in to say that all Americans who oppose data center construction are ...
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Pod Save America hosts Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, and Tommy Vietor discuss the escalating Iran conflict, Trump's chaotic leadership, and the 2026 midterms. They analyze military leaders opposing the war, Pete Hegseth's presidential ambitions, data centers becoming a political liability, and Supreme Court rulings. The episode concludes with an interview with Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, the Democratic nominee for governor, who discusses economic issues, data centers, social media regulation, and his opponent Governor Lombardo's record.
- Iran War Reignites Despite 'Mission Accomplished' Claims
- Senior Military Leaders Oppose Hegseth's War Plans
Obama's Campaign Manager's 2028 Scouting Report
Aug 30, 2026Jon sits down with legendary Democratic strategist David Plouffe to assess the race for the Senate and House and — why not? — look forward to 2028. The two talk through the new roster of early primary...
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Jon Favreau interviews David Plouffe about the 2026 midterms and the upcoming 2028 Democratic presidential primary. Plouffe, who served as Obama's 2008 campaign manager and advised Kamala Harris's 2024 campaign, discusses how Democrats can close the deal with voters in competitive races, analyzes the new early state calendar that will fundamentally reshape the primary process, and evaluates potential candidates including Kamala Harris, AOC, and Jon Ossoff. The conversation explores the critical importance of candidate performance and communication skills in today's information environment.
- Democrats' Current Political Position and Midterm Strategy
- Closing Strategy for Frontline Candidates
Lake America Great Again
Aug 28, 2026With his approval rating 20 points underwater, Donald Trump previews his new midterm strategy: telling voters to pretend he’s on the ballot. Jon and Dan break down how that will play, react to the pre...
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Pod Save America hosts John Favreau and Dan Pfeiffer discuss Trump's chaotic approach to the 2026 midterms, including his bizarre Lake Ontario renaming, his strategy to make the election about himself, and his planned two-night convention. They cover RFK Jr.'s dangerous anti-vaccine rhetoric amid a measles outbreak, the Georgia Senate race's latest Nazi scandal, and Trump's attempts to restrict mail-in voting. The episode concludes with an interview with Dr. Annie Andrews, the Democratic Senate candidate challenging Darlene Graham in South Carolina.
- Trump's Lake Ontario Stunt and Foreign Policy Disasters
- Trump's Narcissistic Midterm Strategy: Making It All About Himself
Donald J. Plump
Aug 25, 2026As the Trump administration launches economic wars against Iran and Canada, the Washington Post reports on Trump's war with a third adversary: his weight. Jon, Tommy, and Lovett calculate Trump's BMI ...
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Pod Save America discusses Trump's economic warfare against Iran and Canada, with hosts analyzing sanctions, trade wars, and tariffs that threaten to raise prices for Americans. The episode includes coverage of Trump's weight gain, JD Vance's campaign activities, Michigan Senate race dynamics, Ohio political landscape, and an interview with Seth Moulton challenging Ed Markey in the Massachusetts Senate primary. The show also announces Still Counting, a new podcast from Nate Silver joining Crooked Media.
- Trump's Weight Gain and Self-Awareness Issues
- Economic D-Day: Trump's Iran Sanctions Strategy
How to Reach the Unreachable Voter
Aug 23, 2026How can Democrats reach the elusive swing voter? Danielle Butterfield, executive director of Priorities USA, one of the most important PACs in Democratic politics, joins Dan to talk about Priorities' ...
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Dan Pfeiffer interviews Danielle Butterfield, Executive Director of Priorities USA, about how Democrats are approaching digital strategy and early campaign efforts for 2028. They discuss groundbreaking research on how less politically engaged voters consume information, the failures of traditional Democratic digital advertising, and why Priorities has already launched a $30 million campaign to define potential 2028 Republican nominees like J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio.
- The Evolution of Priorities USA and Digital Investment
- The Fundamental Problem with Democratic Digital Strategy
Total Eclipse of the Harp
Aug 21, 2026MAGA world continues to express outrage over Jon Ossoff's "travel with Natalie" remarks, including an over-the-top rant from Scott Jennings that is being seen as the pundit's shameless audition for th...
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Jon Favreau and Dan Pfeiffer analyze Trump's second term detachment from governing while focusing on personal projects, the Natalie Harp security clearance scandal, Republican primary dynamics, and the emerging data center issue dominating midterm races. The episode includes Lovett's interview with Iowa Senate candidate Josh Turek about his grassroots campaign strategy.
- Trump's Detachment and Natalie Harp's Unprecedented Influence
- Scott Jennings' Press Secretary Audition and Fake Outrage Performance
Printer? I Hardly Know Her!
Aug 18, 2026Jon Ossoff attacks Trump for sidestepping his duties to "travel with Natalie," the White House aide known as Trump's "Human Printer," who has a suspiciously close relationship to the president. Jon,...
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Pod Save America discusses the expiration of the Iran ceasefire, Trump's military and diplomatic challenges, Senate race dynamics, and features an interview with Ohio congressional candidate Brian Poindexter about his race against scandal-plagued Max Miller.
- Iran Ceasefire Expires and Trump's Strategy of Nothing
- Trump Scales Back South Korea Military Exercises
AI Apocalypse... Now?
Aug 16, 2026Is AI set to destroy the world, or could it all just be a bubble? Why does Sam Altman want ChatGPT to monitor everything you do on your computer? Who is set to win the AI Game of Thrones? Casey Newt...
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Tommy Vietor interviews Casey Newton, editor of Platformer and co-host of Hard Fork, about the current state of AI development, security risks, and regulatory challenges. The conversation covers recent incidents where AI models autonomously hacked other systems, the debate between AI optimists and doomers, concerns about open-weight models, employment impacts, and the potential for an AI bubble. Newton provides practical advice on using AI tools while expressing cautious concern about the technology's rapid advancement and insufficient government oversight.
- The AI Hype vs. Reality Debate
- The Dragon Metaphor: Personal Superintelligence
Trump's Mile-Hide Club
Aug 14, 2026Donald Trump hides in a catering truck and boards a secret plane to evade an Iranian security threat, leaving reporters, White House officials, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio alone aboard Air Forc...
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Jon Favreau and Dan Pfeiffer discuss Trump's disastrous Iran war, including his escape on a catering truck from an assassination threat, ICE's plans to use electric shock gloves, and DHS surveillance programs. They analyze recent Democratic primary results in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota, debate electability discourse, examine polling accuracy issues, and speculate about Caroline Leavitt's replacement as White House Press Secretary.
- Trump's Iran War Quagmire and Air Force One Incident
- ICE's Electric Shock Gloves and Escalating Brutality
Can Dems Put Woke to Bed?
Aug 11, 2026Republicans amp up the fear-mongering on "communism" as Democrats try to move past some of their nominees' most controversial past statements. In the words of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: "Woke 1 wa...
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Is the Progressive Takeover Real?
Aug 09, 2026MS NOW's Chris Hayes joins Alex Wagner to talk about what Democrats should take away from the progressive movement's big primary win in Michigan and how the party's reaction may predict what's ahead i...
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Alex Wagner talks with MSNBC's Chris Hayes about the 2026 Democratic midterms, progressive primary victories, the role of AIPAC money in Democratic races, and how the party should navigate media strategy and masculinity politics heading into 2028. They discuss recent wins by Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and other progressive candidates, the influence of new media figures like Hasan Piker, and the challenges facing Democrats in swing states.
- Progressive Primary Victories and the Michigan Race
- The Problem with Centrism and Rahm Emanuel's Critique
Tucker 2028?
Aug 07, 2026Tucker Carlson, with the help of Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie, explores launching a third-party bid for president. Jon and Dan discuss how his candidacy could upend the 2028 election and...
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Pod Save America hosts Jon Favreau and Dan Pfeiffer discuss Trump's affordability messaging in Vegas, Republican controversies, Democratic primaries in Michigan and Wisconsin, and a Third Way campaign against Democratic Socialists. Dan interviews Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley about the Wisconsin gubernatorial primary.
- Trump's Vegas Rally and Islamophobic Crowd Reactions
- The Great Burrito Debate and Republican Messaging on Affordability
Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan's democratic Senate nomination, defeating Rep. Haley Stevens by one point after a heated campaign about the future of the Democratic party. Jon and Dan sit down for a bo...
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Pod Save America delivers a bonus episode analyzing Tuesday's Michigan Democratic Senate primary, where Abdul El-Sayed narrowly defeated Haley Stevens by one point despite being outspent 11-to-1 and facing $60 million in outside spending. The hosts discuss the surprisingly close margin, the impact of AIPAC spending, coalition dynamics, and what Abdul needs to do to win the general election against Mike Rogers. The episode includes an interview with Bernie Sanders about the primary victory and broader progressive politics.
- Michigan Senate Primary Results and Analysis
- Polling Misfire and Coalition Analysis