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Wall Street journalist William D. Cohan — author of the New York Times bestseller Money to Burn, on Leon Black and the rise of Apollo — joins the Chuck ToddCast to connect the dots between media consolidation, private equity, and the opaque corner of finance the ToddCast has been chasing since the Lakers special report. Cohan explains why Skydance needs CNN’s cash flow to service $80 billion in debt, why Trump may kill Nexstar’s bid for ABC out of spite toward Disney, and how a sports franchise purchase actually gets financed — including whether Mark Walter bought the Dodgers or insurance premiums did. On Black, Cohan had extensive access: Black maintains the hundreds of millions he paid Epstein were for tax and estate planning, and an investigation he commissioned found no nefarious activity, though Cohan is skeptical anyone pays that much for tax advice. His closing warning echoes Chuck’s: after 2008 regulators pushed risky assets outside the banks, and the new shadow banking system is barely regulated at all.    For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area.  Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!    Timeline: 00:00 William D. Cohan joins the Chuck ToddCast 02:30 Will public companies offload their news networks? 04:15 Skydance’s $80 billion debt and why it needs CNN 08:15 Nexstar, ABC, and Trump’s grudge against Disney 12:15 Netflix, YouTube, Apple, and who’s actually winning 17:45 Redbird, overinflated valuations, and the Lakers money 24:30 Trophy purchases, the Dodgers, and insurance premiums 29:00 Private equity as a business — and as a political boogeyman 36:30 Bessent as sycophant, and the treasury buyback 38:30 Leon Black, Epstein, and an attempted rehabilitation 45:00 Shadow banking and the crisis we’ll regulate afterward See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens on the Wedgewood Polls scandal — a firm that admitted this week it fabricated its data as an “experiment,” after Mallory McMorrow says the fake numbers killed her Michigan Senate campaign. Chuck argues it’s worthy of a real investigation and that McMorrow should consider civil litigation. Then the main event: a NYT/Siena poll putting Democrats +11 on both the generic House and Senate ballots, with a clean sweep on issue favorability. At D+11, Chuck says Democrats net 40-50 House seats and win Ohio, Texas, Maine, Iowa and Alaska. The generational numbers are the ones that should terrify the GOP — only 15% of voters under 30 and 20% of millennials identify as Republican, and this electorate would have given Kamala Harris a 3-point win. Plus: Vance defending Ramaswamy’s Ohio ad on the grounds that all tactics are fair if you win.    Wall Street journalist William D. Cohan — author of the New York Times bestseller Money to Burn, on Leon Black and the rise of Apollo — joins the Chuck ToddCast to connect the dots between media consolidation, private equity, and the opaque corner of finance the ToddCast has been chasing since the Lakers special report. Cohan explains why Skydance needs CNN’s cash flow to service $80 billion in debt, why Trump may kill Nexstar’s bid for ABC out of spite toward Disney, and how a sports franchise purchase actually gets financed — including whether Mark Walter bought the Dodgers or insurance premiums did. On Black, Cohan had extensive access: Black maintains the hundreds of millions he paid Epstein were for tax and estate planning, and an investigation he commissioned found no nefarious activity, though Cohan is skeptical anyone pays that much for tax advice. His closing warning echoes Chuck’s: after 2008 regulators pushed risky assets outside the banks, and the new shadow banking system is barely regulated at all. Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and previews the weekend in college football. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area.  Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!    Timeline: 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 9:00 The fake polling scandal and separating good polls from bad 12:00 NYT/Siena: Democrats +11 and a clean sweep on the issues 17:00 The Habba pardon deal and Trump threatening voters 19:45 Why under-30 turnout decides this election 24:00 What D+11 actually means for the House and Senate map 30:00 The generational collapse of Republican identification 36:15 “Poor” economic conditions and Trump’s historic unpopularity 43:15 Every indicator says wave — but what if the polling error cuts the other way? 45:45 Talarico pulls away, and Democrats spend in Mississippi 51:00 How ugly politics locks good people out 54:00 Ramaswamy message-tested that ad — and Vance defended it 1:04:15 Four things Chuck wishes he knew before Election Day  1:21:00 William D. Cohan joins the Chuck ToddCast 1:23:30 Will public companies offload their news networks? 1:25:15 Skydance’s $80 billion debt and why it needs CNN 1:29:15 Nexstar, ABC, and Trump’s grudge against Disney 1:33:15 Netflix, YouTube, Apple, and who’s actually winning 1:38:45 Redbird, overinflated valuations, and the Lakers money 1:45:30 Trophy purchases, the Dodgers, and insurance premiums 1:50:00 Private equity as a business — and as a political boogeyman 1:57:30 Bessent as sycophant, and the treasury buyback 1:59:30 Leon Black, Epstein, and an attempted rehabilitation 2:06:00 Shadow banking and the crisis we’ll regulate afterward 2:15:00 Ask Chuck 2:15:30 What would happen if Missouri's new map gets thrown out? 2:19:30 Which bellwether counties are on your radar? 2:24:30 Could Trump’s Russia friendly policy come down to a man-crush on Putin? 2:28:00 How will Massachusetts replace Lt. Gov candidate who dropped out 2:29:30 If Dems win the senate is eliminating the filibuster inevitable? 2:35:00 College football preview See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing The Real(ish) History of America (w/ Heather Cox Richardson & Rebecca Nagle) from Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams. Follow the show: Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams America has an infamously imperfect past, but rather than confronting our demons, interpretations of our history have become a political football. This week, Stacey is joined by historian and author Heather Cox Richardson, and award winning journalist and member of the Cherokee nation, Rebecca Nagle. They talk about where America stands 250 years in, why erasing native history is so damaging, and how the way we frame our past shapes our civil discourse today. Learn & Do More: Be Curious: Visit Heather Cox Richardson’s substack, “Letters from an American” for more excellent insight into American history. Also listen to Rebecca’s new podcast, “First America” and pick up a copy of her book, “By the Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight For Justice on Native Land”. Solve Problems: Consider donating to NDN Collective to support their mission of creating sustainable solutions on indigenous terms through organizing, activism, philanthropy, and more. And visit The Native American RightsDISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].

Stateline executive editor Scott Greenberger joins the Chuck ToddCast to argue for a founder most Americans have never heard of. In The Forsaken Founder, Greenberger makes the case that Gouverneur Morris has as strong a claim to writing the Constitution as Madison does — he was the best writer among the founders, the one who drafted the final text, and the one who stood up most forcefully against slavery, calling the three-fifths clause a fatal flaw and warning the country could not remain half slave and half free. So why is he forgotten? Partly because he never sought the presidency, partly because he rubbed people the wrong way, and partly because the Virginians who won the presidency wrote the history. Greenberger also wrote a biography of Chester A. Arthur, and he and Todd get into the forgotten eras of American politics, the Garfield counterfactual, and why you never know you’re living through a political era until it’s over.    Timeline: 00:00 Scott Greenberger joins The Chuck ToddCast 01:30 Why resurface Gouverneur Morris 04:00 As strong a claim to writing the Constitution as Madison 07:30 Why he rubbed people the wrong way — and was forgotten 11:45 “Half slavery and half free” and the three-fifths flaw 15:00 The Bronx estate, the voting franchise, and a man who never sought office 23:30 Morris in France, the king, and the Reign of Terror 27:30 Feuding with Madison over the War of 1812 31:15 Laying out the city of New York 34:15 Garfield, Arthur, and the eras history forgets 42:30 The what-ifs, and where Trump may land historically 47:30 Stateline, the death of local news, and AI in the newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd argues corruption may be the Democrats’ best closing argument, drawing the 2006 parallel: the Mark Foley scandal gave Republican voters permission to vote against their own party, and tying the cost of living to a kleptocracy could do the same thing now. He’s bullish on the Senate, puts a blue tsunami at 15-20%, and points to Péter Magyar’s Hungary campaign as proof the corruption argument works. The Musk-Starshield reporting sharpens it — the richest man in the world appears to be shaping American foreign policy while funding Ken Paxton after every other donor walked away. Then Ohio: a video featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother calling her a liar, from a woman who stayed married to the man Acton says raped her at twelve. Acton’s brother called it a despicable low; Ramaswamy’s campaign didn’t deny it and kept attacking her credibility.    Then, Stateline executive editor Scott Greenberger joins the Chuck ToddCast to argue for a founder most Americans have never heard of. In The Forsaken Founder, Greenberger makes the case that Gouverneur Morris has as strong a claim to writing the Constitution as Madison does — he was the best writer among the founders, the one who drafted the final text, and the one who stood up most forcefully against slavery, calling the three-fifths clause a fatal flaw and warning the country could not remain half slave and half free. So why is he forgotten? Partly because he never sought the presidency, partly because he rubbed people the wrong way, and partly because the Virginians who won the presidency wrote the history. Greenberger also wrote a biography of Chester A. Arthur, and he and Chuck get into the forgotten eras of American politics, the Garfield counterfactual, and why you never know you’re living through a political era until it’s over.    Finally, he updates his ToddCast Top 10 list of senate seats most likely to flip parties and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.   For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area.  Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!    Timeline: 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 04:00 Corruption as the Democrats’ closing argument 06:00 The 2006 parallel and permission to vote against your own party 10:00 Bullish on the Senate, and the odds of a tsunami 12:15 What Magyar proved in Hungary 14:15 Musk, Starshield, and buying American foreign policy 15:30 Why Musk is the only one funding Paxton 18:45 Congress needs to investigate 27:30 Can voters connect their struggles to the corruption? 32:00 The Ramaswamy ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother 38:00 What we know and don’t about who produced it 43:45 Could it take down the entire Ohio GOP ticket? 47:45 Character and corruption in the Trump era — until now?  56:45 Scott Greenberger joins The Chuck ToddCast 58:15 Why resurface Gouverneur Morris 1:00:45 As strong a claim to writing the Constitution as Madison 1:04:15 Why he rubbed people the wrong way — and was forgotten 1:08:30 “Half slavery and half free” and the three-fifths flaw 1:11:45 The Bronx estate, the voting franchise, and a man who never sought office 1:20:15 Morris in France, the king, and the Reign of Terror 1:24:15 Feuding with Madison over the War of 1812 1:28:00 Laying out the city of New York 1:31:00 Garfield, Arthur, and the eras history forgets 1:39:15 The what-ifs, and where Trump may land historically 1:44:15 Stateline, the death of local news, and AI in the newsroom 1:52:00 ToddCast Top 10 Senate seats most likely to flip 1:52:15 #1 North Carolina 1:53:00 #2 Ohio 1:54:15 #3 Texas 1:55:30 #4 Alaska 1:56:00 #5 Maine 1:57:15 #6 Kansas 1:58:30 #7 Michigan 2:00:00 #8 Iowa, #9 South Carolina #10 Nebraska 2:05:00 Ask Chuck 2:05:15 Why not eliminate political parties entirely? 2:11:15 What do prediction market bettors know that pollsters don’t? 2:15:15 Why is Elon Musk exempt from ban on donations from defense contractors? 2:17:30 Could Starshield decision be a war crime? 2:20:30 Are voters starting to grow tired of Trump even if base remains loyal? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd argues corruption may be the Democrats’ best closing argument, drawing the 2006 parallel: the Mark Foley scandal gave Republican voters permission to vote against their own party, and tying the cost of living to a kleptocracy could do the same thing now. He’s bullish on the Senate, puts a blue tsunami at 15-20%, and points to Péter Magyar’s Hungary campaign as proof the corruption argument works. The Musk-Starshield reporting sharpens it — the richest man in the world appears to be shaping American foreign policy while funding Ken Paxton after every other donor walked away. Then Ohio: a video featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother calling her a liar, from a woman who stayed married to the man Acton says raped her at twelve. Acton’s brother called it a despicable low; Ramaswamy’s campaign didn’t deny it and kept attacking her credibility.    Finally, he updates his ToddCast Top 10 list of senate seats most likely to flip parties and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.   For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area.  Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!  Timeline: 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 04:00 Corruption as the Democrats’ closing argument 06:00 The 2006 parallel and permission to vote against your own party 10:00 Bullish on the Senate, and the odds of a tsunami 12:15 What Magyar proved in Hungary 14:15 Musk, Starshield, and buying American foreign policy 15:30 Why Musk is the only one funding Paxton 18:45 Congress needs to investigate 27:30 Can voters connect their struggles to the corruption? 32:00 The Ramaswamy ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother 38:00 What we know and don’t about who produced it 43:45 Could it take down the entire Ohio GOP ticket? 47:45 Character and corruption in the Trump era — until now?  0:54:15 ToddCast Top 10 Senate seats most likely to flip 0:54:30 #1 North Carolina 0:55:15 #2 Ohio 0:56:30 #3 Texas 0:57:45 #4 Alaska 0:58:15 #5 Maine 0:59:30 #6 Kansas 1:00:45 #7 Michigan 1:02:15 #8 Iowa, #9 South Carolina #10 Nebraska 1:07:15 Ask Chuck 1:07:30 Why not eliminate political parties entirely? 1:13:30 What do prediction market bettors know that pollsters don’t? 1:17:30 Why is Elon Musk exempt from ban on donations from defense contractors? 1:19:45 Could Starshield decision be a war crime? 1:22:45 Are voters starting to grow tired of Trump even if base remains loyal? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With 14 days left, Chuck Todd & Chris Cillizza make the argument that should scare Republicans most: corruption has climbed to the number two or three issue, and unlike any other message, it hands a lifelong conservative permission to punish his own party without admitting he was ever wrong. The evidence is already in the ad buys — Trump appeared in 47% of Republican broadcast airings in May and 1% in October — even as he opens a nine-stop closing tour in Wichita and calls the polls rigged. Chuck and Chris dig into why his Senate coattails are a myth Republicans keep believing, read the Kalshi market where an Abbott-plus-Talarico split is the likeliest Texas outcome, and unpack the five-day implosion of press secretary Katie Zacharia. Then the hardest question either of them gets: if Democrats actually sweep, what does December look like? Chuck’s answer is paralysis inside both parties, a Schumer who won’t walk away, and a president who’s less a partisan than a dealmaker. Plus Ann Hornaday, Miami at No. 1, and the cheapest World Series ticket in years.  18+ only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Please carefully consider if it is appropriate for you in light of your personal financial circumstances. Kalshi products are not available in all jurisdictions. See kalshi.com/regulatory for more information. Sign up today to get $25 in bonuses when you trade $25: SUPERTUESDAYS http://kalshi.com/r/SUPERTUESDAYS Timeline: 00:00 Fourteen days out and Trump’s closing tour 08:00 Corruption, the permission slip, and ad data that gives the game away 15:00 What Trump says versus what he’d actually do after polls close 21:00 Kalshi: the Texas two-race market, vouchers, and the Beshear fight 29:00 The five-day press secretary and a West Wing built to keep Trump busy 35:00 What December actually looks like if Democrats sweep 43:00 DC statehood, the scorpion and the frog, and the race to replace him 49:00 Election-night tea leaves, and whether Schumer walks away 55:00 Miami–Florida State: the double-overtime finish and No. 1 since 2002 1:01:00 A 12-team playoff, Mensah, and the Arch Manning question 1:07:00 Rays–Brewers, and an election-night announcement coming See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd argues the environment hasn’t moved an inch and the only real question is whether this is a Category 1 blue wave or a Category 5 tsunami — with Trump already running the blame game, pre-blaming Cornyn and Karl Rove for a Paxton loss. Democratic small-dollar fundraising is enormous, early voting shows higher Black and Latino engagement, and Todd sets the benchmark: 245 House seats is a governing majority, 220-225 isn’t. But the story he keeps circling is Starshield. Reporting indicates Musk pitched throttling Ukraine’s satellite system directly to Trump, who “agreed” — though Trump denies it, Musk points at the government, and two senior officials told CNN the order didn’t come from the president. Todd’s question is the one nobody’s answering: how much control does Elon Musk have over American foreign policy?  Finally, he hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the stock market meltdown on Black Monday, how automation made the problem worse, and what lessons we can draw as we enter the age of AI. He also answers listeners’ questions in the Ask Chuck segment and recaps the weekend in college football. For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area.  Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!    Timeline: 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:00 Category 1 wave or Category 5 tsunami? 06:15 Trump gets a head start on the blame game 07:30 Democratic fundraising vs. the GOP’s billionaire money 14:30 What early voting is telling us 19:15 What a real governing majority looks like 24:00 The Senate map, Collins vs. Jackson, and AOC’s million-dollar play 34:15 Nebraska oppo and Bodnar’s internal poll 38:15 Susie Wiles, Katie Zacharia’s five-day tenure, and Trump’s bubble 45:45 How much distance can GOP candidates find? 51:30 Corruption starts to resonate — and Guilfoyle’s burn book 56:00 Trump sides with Putin again, and the diesel deal 1:03:00 The Starshield throttling and who actually ordered it 1:11:30 Republicans struggle to defend it  1:19:30 ToddCast Time Machine - October 19th, 1987  Black Monday 1:21:00 Wall Street finding out the risks of automating decisions 1:24:00 Automation compounded the sell off  1:26:30 Monday arrives and a massive sell off occurs 1:29:00 The underlying economy wouldn’t have dictated a crash 1:30:45 Fed announces it will provide liquidity to keep markets functioning 1:37:00 Market started assuming fed would save them from their stupidity 1:38:45 Similarities with how AI is being regulated today 1:42:15 Ask Chuck 1:42:30 What if Miami had joined the SEC? 1:45:45 What happens to anti-Trump Republicans a decade from now? 1:47:00 How will congress govern & how will Trump respond after a massive wave? 1:51:00 College football recap See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd argues the environment hasn’t moved an inch and the only real question is whether this is a Category 1 blue wave or a Category 5 tsunami — with Trump already running the blame game, pre-blaming Cornyn and Karl Rove for a Paxton loss. Democratic small-dollar fundraising is enormous, early voting shows higher Black and Latino engagement, and Todd sets the benchmark: 245 House seats is a governing majority, 220-225 isn’t. But the story he keeps circling is Starshield. Reporting indicates Musk pitched throttling Ukraine’s satellite system directly to Trump, who “agreed” — though Trump denies it, Musk points at the government, and two senior officials told CNN the order didn’t come from the president. Todd’s question is the one nobody’s answering: how much control does Elon Musk have over American foreign policy?  Then, Andy Lack — the former NBC News and MSNBC chairman who founded Mississippi Today and Deep South Today, and has now committed $12 million to nonprofit journalism — joins the Chuck ToddCast to explain why he went from running the most-watched news division in the world to building newsrooms in the Deep South. He argues Democrats simply don’t know how to talk to rural voters, white or Black, and describes a Mississippi that has made real gains in early education while still fighting brain drain and a sense of being stuck. On the business, Lack is clear-eyed: trust is the whole formula, video is essential, and the concentration of media ownership among billionaires and tech executives is a genuine threat. Plus what happens to medium-sized markets when the affiliate structure collapses, and why state and local government desperately needs watchdogs again.  Finally, he hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the stock market meltdown on Black Monday, how automation made the problem worse, and what lessons we can draw as we enter the age of AI. He also answers listeners’ questions in the Ask Chuck segment and recaps the weekend in college football.   For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area.  Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!    Timeline: 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:00 Category 1 wave or Category 5 tsunami? 06:15 Trump gets a head start on the blame game 07:30 Democratic fundraising vs. the GOP’s billionaire money 14:30 What early voting is telling us 19:15 What a real governing majority looks like 24:00 The Senate map, Collins vs. Jackson, and AOC’s million-dollar play 34:15 Nebraska oppo and Bodnar’s internal poll 38:15 Susie Wiles, Katie Zacharia’s five-day tenure, and Trump’s bubble 45:45 How much distance can GOP candidates find? 51:30 Corruption starts to resonate — and Guilfoyle’s burn book 56:00 Trump sides with Putin again, and the diesel deal 1:03:00 The Starshield throttling and who actually ordered it 1:11:30 Republicans struggle to defend it  1:20:30 Andy Lack joins the Chuck ToddCast 1:22:00 Why he founded Deep South Today 1:24:15 Mississippi’s politics, and the openings Democrats miss 1:26:45 Early education gains, brain drain, and a state stuck in the past 1:30:45 The model: pairing capital cities with smaller ones 1:33:00 Local news in a fragmented media era 1:34:45 The formula for success — video, and trust above all 1:45:30 Tech billionaires owning the media ecosystem 1:49:45 What happens when the affiliate structure collapses 2:00:00 Streaming, legacy brands, and journalism in the age of AI 2:05:45 Data centers and how tech engages communities 2:10:15 Expanding into news deserts and why watchdogs matter 2:14:00 ToddCast Time Machine - October 19th, 1987  Black Monday 2:15:30 Wall Street finding out the risks of automating decisions 2:18:30 Automation compounded the sell off  2:21:00 Monday arrives and a massive sell off occurs 2:23:30 The underlying economy wouldn’t have dictated a crash 2:25:15 Fed announces it will provide liquidity to keep markets functioning 2:31:30 Market started assuming fed would save them from their stupidity 2:33:15 Similarities with how AI is being regulated today 2:36:45 Ask Chuck 2:37:00 What if Miami had joined the SEC? 2:40:15 What happens to anti-Trump Republicans a decade from now? 2:41:30 How will congress govern & how will Trump respond after a massive wave? 2:45:30 College football recap See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andy Lack — the former NBC News and MSNBC chairman who founded Mississippi Today and Deep South Today, and has now committed $12 million to nonprofit journalism — joins the Chuck ToddCast to explain why he went from running the most-watched news division in the world to building newsrooms in the Deep South. He argues Democrats simply don’t know how to talk to rural voters, white or Black, and describes a Mississippi that has made real gains in early education while still fighting brain drain and a sense of being stuck. On the business, Lack is clear-eyed: trust is the whole formula, video is essential, and the concentration of media ownership among billionaires and tech executives is a genuine threat. Plus what happens to medium-sized markets when the affiliate structure collapses, and why state and local government desperately needs watchdogs again.    For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area.  Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!  Timeline: 00:00 Andy Lack joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:30 Why he founded Deep South Today 03:45 Mississippi’s politics, and the openings Democrats miss 06:15 Early education gains, brain drain, and a state stuck in the past 10:15 The model: pairing capital cities with smaller ones 12:30 Local news in a fragmented media era 14:15 The formula for success — video, and trust above all 25:00 Tech billionaires owning the media ecosystem 29:15 What happens when the affiliate structure collapses 39:30 Streaming, legacy brands, and journalism in the age of AI 45:15 Data centers and how tech engages communities 49:45 Expanding into news deserts and why watchdogs matter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Harlan joins Chuck Todd and J.A. Adande for the final chapter of Dynastic's Green Bay Packers series. Growing up in Green Bay as the son of longtime Packers president Bob Harlan, Kevin witnessed the franchise's transformation firsthand. From the fading glory of Vince Lombardi's dynasty to the resurgence under Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, Harlan offers a behind-the-scenes perspective on one of the most remarkable organizations in professional sports. Kevin shares untold stories about the Packers' financial struggles, the signing of Reggie White, the transformation of Lambeau Field, and the decisions that helped secure the franchise's future. He also reflects on the legendary Ice Bowl, the origins of the Lambeau Leap, and what makes Green Bay unlike any other NFL city. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens with Saturday’s fourth No Kings rally and the question of whether protest energy converts to turnout — noting the movement may now be more credible with voters than the Democratic Party itself. Then the story out of Pensacola Beach: ICE confronted four roofers repairing Hurricane Isaias damage at the Grand Marlin, and the men refused to come down until agents left, sending their paperwork down instead. Todd calls targeting hurricane recovery workers egregious and terrible politics with Hispanic voters, especially with families afraid to use storm shelters. The back half turns philosophical — Bill Kristol’s four leaders who’ve emerged as defenders of the world order (Zelenskyy, Magyar, Carney, Pope Leo) and Todd’s argument that America is perfectly capable of producing someone similar, if Democrats don’t mistake a midterm win for a mandate.    Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the Ask Chuck segment and previews a huge upcoming weekend in college football.   Timeline: 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 02:45 No Kings and converting protest energy into turnout 07:45 ICE confronts hurricane recovery workers in Pensacola 14:45 Why this is terrible politics with Hispanic voters 15:45 Roger Marshall’s desperation ad 19:15 Accelerating inflation and a bleaker environment for the GOP 21:15 Ossoff rules out 2028, Wes Moore keeps the door open 24:00 Raskin’s Smithsonian proposal and the problem with negative ads 31:00 Could a viable independent stop the GOP in swing states? 38:30 Kristol’s four defenders of the world order 47:00 Could America produce a leader like that? 50:45 What the GOP does after a repudiation 54:15 The wrong lesson Democrats could learn from winning 58:30 The next president inherits a mess  1:11:00 Ask Chuck 1:11:15 Is Trump truly this out of touch about the struggle of everyday Americans? 1:15:00 Could a wave produce massive gains for Dems at state level in Iowa 1:18:45 How much can media bias and coverage skew narratives? 1:24:30 Could a gas tax holiday meaningfully change perception of economy? 1:26:00 Where would a livestream execution actually be platformed? 1:29:45 College football preview   For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area.  Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!  18+ only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Please carefully consider if it is appropriate for you in light of your personal financial circumstances. Kalshi products are not available in all jurisdictions. See kalshi.com/regulatory for more information. Sign up today to get $25 in bonuses when you trade $25: CHUCKTODD http://kalshi.com/r/CHUCKTODD See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens with Saturday’s fourth No Kings rally and the question of whether protest energy converts to turnout — noting the movement may now be more credible with voters than the Democratic Party itself. Then the story out of Pensacola Beach: ICE confronted four roofers repairing Hurricane Isaias damage at the Grand Marlin, and the men refused to come down until agents left, sending their paperwork down instead. Todd calls targeting hurricane recovery workers egregious and terrible politics with Hispanic voters, especially with families afraid to use storm shelters. The back half turns philosophical — Bill Kristol’s four leaders who’ve emerged as defenders of the world order (Zelenskyy, Magyar, Carney, Pope Leo) and Todd’s argument that America is perfectly capable of producing someone similar, if Democrats don’t mistake a midterm win for a mandate.    Then, Dr. Ayanna Howard — the former NASA JPL roboticist who became Spelman College’s 12th president in August — joins the Chuck ToddCast to argue America needs a dedicated federal agency to oversee AI, regulated by specialty rather than treated as one monolithic technology. Her warning is pragmatic: without guardrails, the backlash after an inevitable bad event will be enormous. She explains why there is no such thing as general AI, why the technology is simultaneously oversold and improving fast, and why models trained on history risk writing marginalized groups out of it. On education, Howard argues critical thinking and basic learning skills matter more than ever, that COVID lockdowns damaged study and social skills in ways schools still haven’t addressed, and that the demographic cliff will force some universities to close. Plus: why America still hasn’t built a moon base.    Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the Ask Chuck segment and previews a huge upcoming weekend in college football.   Timeline: 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 02:45 No Kings and converting protest energy into turnout 07:45 ICE confronts hurricane recovery workers in Pensacola 14:45 Why this is terrible politics with Hispanic voters 15:45 Roger Marshall’s desperation ad 19:15 Accelerating inflation and a bleaker environment for the GOP 21:15 Ossoff rules out 2028, Wes Moore keeps the door open 24:00 Raskin’s Smithsonian proposal and the problem with negative ads 31:00 Could a viable independent stop the GOP in swing states? 38:30 Kristol’s four defenders of the world order 47:00 Could America produce a leader like that? 50:45 What the GOP does after a repudiation 54:15 The wrong lesson Democrats could learn from winning 58:30 The next president inherits a mess  1:12:00 Dr. Ayanna Howard joins The Chuck ToddCast 1:14:30 From NASA to academia 1:17:15 The case for a new federal AI agency 1:20:45 Guardrails, backlash, and regulating by specialty 1:23:45 What people fundamentally misunderstand about AI 1:29:45 The risk of AI training on an incomplete history 1:33:00 Teaching math and critical thinking in the AI era 1:41:30 The demographic cliff and universities that won’t survive 1:44:00 Spelman’s focus, trade schools, and classical education 1:48:45 Reforming K-12 and the lingering damage from lockdowns 1:56:00 Equity in AI development and the case 2:10:15 Ask Chuck 2:10:30 Is Trump truly this out of touch about the struggle of everyday Americans? 2:14:15 Could a wave produce massive gains for Dems at state level in Iowa 2:18:00 How much can media bias and coverage skew narratives? 2:23:45 Could a gas tax holiday meaningfully change perception of economy? 2:25:15 Where would a livestream execution actually be platformed? 2:29:00 College football preview   For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area.  Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!  18+ only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Please carefully consider if it is appropriate for you in light of your personal financial circumstances. Kalshi products are not available in all jurisdictions. See kalshi.com/regulatory for more information. Sign up today to get $25 in bonuses when you trade $25: CHUCKTODD http://kalshi.com/r/CHUCKTODD See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Ayanna Howard — the former NASA JPL roboticist who became Spelman College’s 12th president in August — joins the Chuck ToddCast to argue America needs a dedicated federal agency to oversee AI, regulated by specialty rather than treated as one monolithic technology. Her warning is pragmatic: without guardrails, the backlash after an inevitable bad event will be enormous. She explains why there is no such thing as general AI, why the technology is simultaneously oversold and improving fast, and why models trained on history risk writing marginalized groups out of it. On education, Howard argues critical thinking and basic learning skills matter more than ever, that COVID lockdowns damaged study and social skills in ways schools still haven’t addressed, and that the demographic cliff will force some universities to close. Plus: why America still hasn’t built a moon base. Timeline: 00:00 Dr. Ayanna Howard joins The Chuck ToddCast 02:30 From NASA to academia 05:15 The case for a new federal AI agency 08:45 Guardrails, backlash, and regulating by specialty 11:45 What people fundamentally misunderstand about AI 17:45 The risk of AI training on an incomplete history 21:00 Teaching math and critical thinking in the AI era 29:30 The demographic cliff and universities that won’t survive 32:00 Spelman’s focus, trade schools, and classical education 36:45 Reforming K-12 and the lingering damage from lockdowns 44:00 Equity in AI development and the case for diverse models 50:15 Why we haven’t gone back to the moon    For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /  *Paid Partnership Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area.  Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!  18+ only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Please carefully consider if it is appropriate for you in light of your personal financial circumstances. Kalshi products are not available in all jurisdictions. See kalshi.com/regulatory for more information. Sign up today to get $25 in bonuses when you trade $25: CHUCKTODD http://kalshi.com/r/CHUCKTODD See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd maps a map that keeps getting worse for Republicans: they’re not defending Trump, and they’re trying to convince voters they aren’t Trump Republicans. Ohio is the firewall and the money is pouring in, while the GOP plays triage in Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and South Carolina and pulls funding from House incumbents. Chuck sees no sign of a blue mirage — consumer confidence is lower than at any point under Biden, a majority say they’re cutting back on spending, and no amount of Trump talking changes lived experience. He also hits Kimberly Guilfoyle’s forced resignation as ambassador to Greece, Katie Zacharia’s debut as press secretary, the federal search of Ilhan Omar’s home, and Elon Musk’s additional $276 million in political spending since July.  Finally, Chuck presents his ToddCast Top 5 list… expanded to ten with the expanding map, of Governorships most likely to flip parties and answers listeners’ questions in the Ask Chuck segment. Timeline: 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 06:45 Republicans running from the Trump label 10:00 Trump’s disappearing filter 13:00 Ohio as the firewall and whether rallies actually help 15:45 Triage in Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and South Carolina 18:15 How big can the House wave get? 21:15 The Latino vote shifts back and the districts in play 26:45 No signs of a blue mirage, and the consumer confidence problem 33:30 Guilfoyle out, and the consequences Trump never faces 37:15 Katie Zacharia’s debut and the sycophancy requirement 41:00 The search of Ilhan Omar’s home and the DOJ’s credibility 47:00 Musk’s $276 million and the problem of concentrated power  55:00 ToddCast Top 10 Most Likely Governor’s Seat Flips 58:30 #1 Iowa 59:45 #2 Kansas 1:01:15 #3 Ohio 1:02:00 #4 Alaska 1:02:45 #5 Texas 1:03:30 #6 Georgia 1:04:30 #7 Nevada 1:05:30 #8 Oregon 1:06:30 #9 Wisconsin 1:07:00 #10 Florida 1:09:30 Ask Chuck 1:09:45 Predictions for Missouri house race 1:12:00 If Trump doesn’t fire Hegseth, could impeachment succeed? 1:16:00 Why is US an outlier on third party success? 1:17:30 If election is a repudiation, reform on emergency presidential powers? 1:21:00 Can Annie Andrews overcome straight ticket voting in SC? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.