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Florida State Rep. Angie Nixon — the Jacksonville union organizer and DSA member who upset Alex Vindman in the Senate primary despite being outraised roughly 16-to-1 — joins the Chuck ToddCast. She explains how she got into politics through community organizing, why she associates with the DSA while not agreeing with everything it wants, and argues Democrats lost Florida because they divested from the state after 2018 rather than because of ideology. She describes being assigned a basement office with rats as punishment in Tallahassee, calls the Florida legislature pay-to-play but still workable, and lays out what she'd do in the Senate: repeal the Big Beautiful Bill, extend ACA subsidies, get big money out of politics, and fund HBCUs. She won't commit to voting for Chuck Schumer.  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 Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. 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. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Angie Nixon joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:00 From community organizing to the statehouse 05:30 Why the DSA — and where she parts ways with it 08:30 How Democrats lost Florida, and why divestment did it 14:30 Rats in the basement: corruption and pay-to-play in Tallahassee 20:45 What she wants to do in the Senate 26:30 Venezuelans afraid to leave the house, and Florida's political swings 32:30 Fixing the Democratic Party — and not committing to Schumer See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens with the attempted hijacking of a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight and the reminder that history turns as much on what almost happened as what did. With 33 days to the midterms, Ken Paxton got caught on tape at a private event calling Trump's midterm convention a negative — and is now in full cleanup mode, nervous about having crossed the president. Chuck returns to the Eric Schmitt debacle as a window into the intellectual rot of the Trump-era GOP: nobody in the room double-checked the facts, because loyalty is now valued over competence and the conclusion arrives before the evidence. He also unpacks Trump's White House AI summit, where six tech CEOs signed a one-page "morally binding" accord and Trump formally renamed AI "superintelligence" by executive order — a self-policing pact that does nothing for Republicans whose own voters are frightened of this technology.    Then, Florida State Rep. Angie Nixon — the Jacksonville union organizer and DSA member who upset Alex Vindman in the Senate primary despite being outraised roughly 16-to-1 — joins the Chuck ToddCast. She explains how she got into politics through community organizing, why she associates with the DSA while not agreeing with everything it wants, and argues Democrats lost Florida because they divested from the state after 2018 rather than because of ideology. She describes being assigned a basement office with rats as punishment in Tallahassee, calls the Florida legislature pay-to-play but still workable, and lays out what she'd do in the Senate: repeal the Big Beautiful Bill, extend ACA subsidies, get big money out of politics, and fund HBCUs. She won't commit to voting for Chuck Schumer.    Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and previews the upcoming weekend in college football.   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 Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. 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. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 08:00 The attempted hijacking and the history that almost happened 11:45 Paxton caught on tape, and a campaign in cleanup mode 17:45 The Schmitt incident and the intellectual rot of the Trump GOP 27:30 Trump's AI summit, the "superintelligence" rebrand, and a self-policing pact 31:15 The issues polling best don't help Republicans at all 36:30 An economic backdrop the GOP can't ignore 39:45 The off-ramps Trump won't take 43:00 Voter exhaustion, instability, and what comes after a wipeout  00:55:45 Angie Nixon joins the Chuck ToddCast 00:56:45 From community organizing to the statehouse 01:01:15 Why the DSA — and where she parts ways with it 01:04:15 How Democrats lost Florida, and why divestment did it 01:10:15 Rats in the basement: corruption and pay-to-play in Tallahassee 01:16:30 What she wants to do in the Senate 01:22:15 Venezuelans afraid to leave the house, and Florida's political swings 01:28:15 Fixing the Democratic Party — and not committing to Schumer 1:35:15 Ask Chuck 1:35:30 Book recommendation about the “butterfly effect” in history 1:37:15 Thoughts on your monologue on fixing public ed 1:39:00 Why aren’t Democrats putting more resources into Texas? 1:42:30 Would you have a former FBI agent on the pod to discuss changes at FBI? 1:44:45 Can a self-described Democratic socialist like AOC win in America? 1:49:45 College football preview  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens with the attempted hijacking of a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight and the reminder that history turns as much on what almost happened as what did. With 33 days to the midterms, Ken Paxton got caught on tape at a private event calling Trump's midterm convention a negative — and is now in full cleanup mode, nervous about having crossed the president. Chuck returns to the Eric Schmitt debacle as a window into the intellectual rot of the Trump-era GOP: nobody in the room double-checked the facts, because loyalty is now valued over competence and the conclusion arrives before the evidence. He also unpacks Trump's White House AI summit, where six tech CEOs signed a one-page "morally binding" accord and Trump formally renamed AI "superintelligence" by executive order — a self-policing pact that does nothing for Republicans whose own voters are frightened of this technology.  Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and previews the upcoming weekend in college football. 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 Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. 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. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 08:00 The attempted hijacking and the history that almost happened 11:45 Paxton caught on tape, and a campaign in cleanup mode 17:45 The Schmitt incident and the intellectual rot of the Trump GOP 27:30 Trump's AI summit, the "superintelligence" rebrand, and a self-policing pact 31:15 The issues polling best don't help Republicans at all 36:30 An economic backdrop the GOP can't ignore 39:45 The off-ramps Trump won't take 43:00 Voter exhaustion, instability, and what comes after a wipeout  00:52:30 Ask Chuck 00:52:45 Book recommendation about the “butterfly effect” in history 00:54:30 Thoughts on your monologue on fixing public ed 00:56:15 Why aren’t Democrats putting more resources into Texas? 01:00:45 Would you have a former FBI agent on the pod to discuss changes at FBI? 01:02:00 Can a self-described Democratic socialist like AOC win in America? 01:07:00 College football preview See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CNN chief political correspondent Dana Bash joins the Chuck ToddCast to discuss The Elections That Changed the World, out September 22nd, which she wrote with David Fisher. The fifteen elections she chose stretch from Julius Caesar — who ran partly because he was deeply indebted and didn't want to be prosecuted — to Nelson Mandela, and "election" is defined loosely enough to include Pope John XXIII's selection and Martin Luther King's informal elevation to lead the Montgomery bus boycott. The through-line is money: wealth shaped nearly every one of them, from the Magna Carta to Caesar effectively buying votes. Bash's larger point is that you rarely know in the moment how consequential a vote will be — Germany in 1932 was a revolution disguised as an election. Plus her five favorite 2026 races, why Michigan is fascinating, and what it's like covering a second-term Trump White House.  Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Dana Bash joins The Chuck ToddCast 01:00 Why write "The Elections That Changed the World"? 05:45 Caesar, Hitler, and the cautionary tales 08:00 Wealth as the through-line from the Magna Carta forward 16:30 Sun Yat-Sen and the bridge between imperial China and Mao 22:30 Pope John XXIII and modernizing the Catholic Church 26:30 Kasturba Gandhi, Golda Meir, and women leading democracies 33:45 Mandela's election and the limits of judging history in real time 45:00 2026 races to watch: Michigan, Lawler, Iowa, Texas 59:30 Covering a second-term Trump White House See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens by correcting Jon Stewart, who made him a punchline Monday — before turning to the circus at Tuesday's Jack Smith hearing. Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt, a potential 2028 VP pick, thought he'd caught Smith perjuring himself with text messages placing him at an Atlanta Hawks game the day after the Fani Willis affair broke. Smith was at an Iowa Hawkeyes women's game in Maryland. Klobuchar spotted the mix-up, Schmitt never backtracked, and Chuck's point is the deeper one: Schmitt decided the conclusion before the evidence and displayed exactly the confirmation bias he was accusing Smith of. If evidence can't change your worldview, what's the point of evidence? The second half is a substantive argument that the voucher experiment has hit a dead end — it never moved low-income kids into private schools, it mostly subsidized families already paying tuition, and school funding may be a real reason Republicans lose in November. He also explains why focusing on improving pre-k through 3rd grade education should be a national project.   Finally, Chuck presents his ToddCast Top 5 2026 midterm results that will most impact the 2028 race and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.  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 Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. 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. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 01:45 Jon Stewart, NBC, and setting the record straight 03:15 Which Republicans will actually campaign with Trump 09:15 The Schmitt-Jack Smith hearing debacle 13:15 Confirmation bias and what evidence is even for 16:15 What Jack Smith was actually investigating 22:45 Public education as an American advantage 25:30 The voucher experiment and whether competition worked 30:00 What Mississippi got right, and why pre-K through 3rd grade is everything 40:45 Vouchers hit a dead end — and the political price 47:30 Alabama's TikTok settlement and the limits of blaming teachers  00:57:45 ToddCast Top 5 2026 results that will most impact 2028 00:58:00 #5 Does an independent break through? 01:00:15 #4 California’s wealth tax 01:01:45 #3 Texas senate 01:03:15 #2 Texas governor 01:04:45 #1 Michigan senate 01:06:45 Ask Chuck 01:07:00 How would a mega-tsunami election affect committee assignments? 01:11:45 Is there a value in running uphill races beyond winning? 01:16:15 Will Republicans act with more independence from Trump after midterms? 01:18:45 If enough independents won and didn’t caucus, who would have control? 01:23:30 Favorite sports + political movies? Should Trump impeachment have been broader? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens by correcting Jon Stewart, who made him a punchline Monday — before turning to the circus at Tuesday's Jack Smith hearing. Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt, a potential 2028 VP pick, thought he'd caught Smith perjuring himself with text messages placing him at an Atlanta Hawks game the day after the Fani Willis affair broke. Smith was at an Iowa Hawkeyes women's game in Maryland. Klobuchar spotted the mix-up, Schmitt never backtracked, and Chuck's point is the deeper one: Schmitt decided the conclusion before the evidence and displayed exactly the confirmation bias he was accusing Smith of. If evidence can't change your worldview, what's the point of evidence? The second half is a substantive argument that the voucher experiment has hit a dead end — it never moved low-income kids into private schools, it mostly subsidized families already paying tuition, and school funding may be a real reason Republicans lose in November. He also explains why focusing on improving pre-k through 3rd grade education should be a national project.   Then, CNN chief political correspondent Dana Bash joins the Chuck ToddCast to discuss The Elections That Changed the World, out September 22nd, which she wrote with David Fisher. The fifteen elections she chose stretch from Julius Caesar — who ran partly because he was deeply indebted and didn't want to be prosecuted — to Nelson Mandela, and "election" is defined loosely enough to include Pope John XXIII's selection and Martin Luther King's informal elevation to lead the Montgomery bus boycott. The through-line is money: wealth shaped nearly every one of them, from the Magna Carta to Caesar effectively buying votes. Bash's larger point is that you rarely know in the moment how consequential a vote will be — Germany in 1932 was a revolution disguised as an election. Plus her five favorite 2026 races, why Michigan is fascinating, and what it's like covering a second-term Trump White House.  Finally, Chuck presents his ToddCast Top 5 2026 midterm results that will most impact the 2028 race and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.  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 Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. 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. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 01:45 Jon Stewart, NBC, and setting the record straight 03:15 Which Republicans will actually campaign with Trump 09:15 The Schmitt-Jack Smith hearing debacle 13:15 Confirmation bias and what evidence is even for 16:15 What Jack Smith was actually investigating 22:45 Public education as an American advantage 25:30 The voucher experiment and whether competition worked 30:00 What Mississippi got right, and why pre-K through 3rd grade is everything 40:45 Vouchers hit a dead end — and the political price 47:30 Alabama's TikTok settlement and the limits of blaming teachers  58:45 Dana Bash joins The Chuck ToddCast 59:45 Why write "The Elections That Changed the World" 1:44:30 Caesar, Hitler, and the cautionary tales 1:46:45 Wealth as the through-line from the Magna Carta forward 1:15:15 Sun Yat-Sen and the bridge between imperial China and Mao 1:21:15 Pope John XXIII and modernizing the Catholic Church 1:25:15 Kasturba Gandhi, Golda Meir, and women leading democracies 1:32:30 Mandela's election and the limits of judging history in real time 1:43:45 2026 races to watch: Michigan, Lawler, Iowa, Texas 1:58:15 Covering a second-term Trump White House 2:04:45 ToddCast Top 5 2026 results that will most impact 2028 2:05:00 #5 Does an independent break through? 2:09:30 #4 California’s wealth tax 2:08:45 #3 Texas senate 2:10:15 #2 Texas governor 2:11:45 #1 Michigan senate 2:13:45 Ask Chuck 2:14:00 How would a mega-tsunami election affect committee assignments? 2:18:45 Is there a value in running uphill races beyond winning? 2:23:15 Will Republicans act with more independence from Trump after midterms? 2:25:45 If enough independents won and didn’t caucus, who would have control? 2:30:30 Favorite sports + political movies? Should Trump impeachment have been broader? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thirty-five days out, Chuck Todd and Chris Cillizza open on a president playing the hits: Trump spent the weekend at a football game and a golf tournament, then announced his campaign tour kicks off in Durant, Oklahoma and Mobile, Alabama — the site of his first mega-rally in 2015 — rather than anywhere control of Congress is being decided. The more consequential move was rejecting Iran's seven-day truce offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, an exit ramp every Republican in a tough race is publicly begging for; Brent jumped above $107 on the news. That sets up the episode's best segment: a truth-serum run through every competitive Senate race asking which Republicans would actually stand next to Trump — and why the answer across Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska is no, because the damage there is his own tariff and diesel policy. Plus the Senate Leadership Fund's $118 million bet on Ken Paxton, a candidate who's spent under $1 million himself; Fetterman's "lifelong Republican" slip; why Murkowski's calculus runs entirely through Mary Peltola; and why Chuck reads AOC's upstate tour as a Senate campaign, not a presidential one.    Timeline: 00:00 Trump kicks off in Oklahoma and Mobile — and rejects the Iran exit ramp 08:00 Truth serum: which Republicans would actually do a rally with Trump? 18:00 The $118M Paxton bet, and whether McConnell would have swerved 26:00 Triage: walking from Georgia and North Carolina, holding Maine and Ohio 30:00 Fetterman's slip, Murkowski's calculus & when party switches happen 40:00 AOC's real 2028 decision — and why Chuck reads it as the Senate 48:00 The Nats finish 77-85; why reloading is harder than it looks 54:00 The Packers, an atrocious offensive line & a pick headed to the Jets 1:03:00 Kalshi sponsorship, the 62% sweep question & Collins underpriced 1:12:00 Do your own research — and World Series wishes "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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Agriculture Secretary and two-term Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack — the longest-serving USDA secretary of the modern era, now CEO of the World Food Prize Foundation — joins the Chuck ToddCast to explain what's actually happening in farm country. The Iran war has driven up input costs while deportations gut the labor supply, farmers get blamed for high prices despite capturing the smallest share of every agricultural dollar, and importing beef only discourages domestic ranchers from staying in business. Vilsack notes America has lost a million farming operations since 1973, with most federal support flowing to the top 10%. He argues food security is national security, that SNAP cuts are income cuts for farmers, and that Iowans are tired enough of watching their kids leave the state to vote for change — with Rob Sand's authenticity, not his party label, the reason he's connecting.  Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Tom Vilsack joins The Chuck ToddCast 02:00 Pirates baseball and why national media misses agriculture 05:45 The Iran war, input costs, and a deported labor force 10:00 What can actually lower beef prices 16:00 A million lost farms and who federal support really reaches 22:00 Food security is national security 29:45 SNAP cuts, rural schools, and the Senate map in the Midwest 36:00 Rob Sand, authenticity, and why Iowa may vote for change 45:00 Should 2028 Democrats spend time in Iowa? 52:45 Data centers, a bio-based farm economy, and what a good night looks like See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd zeroes in on a president who has become the entire election: Trump spent the weekend at a football game and a golf tournament while Americans struggle, announced he'd rejected an Iran deal as though he holds all the cards, and now sits at 37% approval in a new WSJ poll — the lowest for any president heading into a midterm in their polling since 1990, with 11% of his own 2024 voters saying they regret the vote. Chuck is appalled by a cultish government-produced TV ad made with taxpayer dollars, notes Republicans don't want Trump campaigning for them (he's being routed to Oklahoma and Alabama), and points to Charlie Cook's framing that this isn't a blue wave so much as a red undertow. His race of the cycle: Gina Hinojosa in Texas, running as a populist rather than a socialist, airing an ad with a former January 6th defendant, and now leading Abbott in a Marist poll. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit Woodrow Wilson suffering a debilitating stroke, the efforts to cover it up by his White House and the eerie parallels we’ve seen in the behavior of both the Biden and Trump staffers. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and recaps the weekend in football. Sign up link: nextpredict.io/summits/the-worlds-prediction-markets-summit Timeline: 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 04:45 Trump as the focal point of the entire election 06:30 The Iran war drags on while Trump seems disinterested 14:45 Trump hits 37% in the new WSJ poll 16:15 The cultish taxpayer-funded TV ad 21:15 Republicans who don't want Trump campaigning for them 26:15 Charlie Cook's red undertow, and a GOP retreat that skipped Texas 31:45 Gina Hinojosa is running the smartest campaign in red America 40:45 Why the Senate and governor maps look nothing alike 45:00 Tuberville's furries floor speech and Beshear's opportunity  57:30 ToddCast Time Machine - October 2nd, 1919 58:45 Wilson was trying to ratify the League of Nations 1:00:00 Wilson collapsed, suffered a massive stroke 1:02:15 Wilson’s doctor wouldn’t declare him incapacitated 1:03:45 Nobody was able to remove Wilson 1:05:30 States ratified the 25th amendment 1:07:15 Aides for Wilson and Trump lacked candor 1:09:00 We’re seeing boxy bulges under Trump’s pants with no explanation 1:10:00 Trump’s doctors say he’s fine, but impossible to know 1:13:15 Congress should create independent body for 25th amendment 1:16:30 Ask Chuck 1:16:45 Could Democrats use vanity plays to bargain with Trump? 1:21:15 Could voters challenge use of Missouri’s new map after midterms? 1:26:00 Did Trump deliberately ban media to coincide with meeting with Xi? 1:28:15 What role do you expect Obama to play in the midterms? 1:31:15 NFL/College football recap See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd zeroes in on a president who has become the entire election: Trump spent the weekend at a football game and a golf tournament while Americans struggle, announced he'd rejected an Iran deal as though he holds all the cards, and now sits at 37% approval in a new WSJ poll — the lowest for any president heading into a midterm in their polling since 1990, with 11% of his own 2024 voters saying they regret the vote. Chuck is appalled by a cultish government-produced TV ad made with taxpayer dollars, notes Republicans don't want Trump campaigning for them (he's being routed to Oklahoma and Alabama), and points to Charlie Cook's framing that this isn't a blue wave so much as a red undertow. His race of the cycle: Gina Hinojosa in Texas, running as a populist rather than a socialist, airing an ad with a former January 6th defendant, and now leading Abbott in a Marist poll. Then, former Agriculture Secretary and two-term Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack — the longest-serving USDA secretary of the modern era, joins the Chuck ToddCast to explain what's actually happening in farm country. The Iran war has driven up input costs while deportations gut the labor supply, farmers get blamed for high prices despite capturing the smallest share of every agricultural dollar, and importing beef only discourages domestic ranchers from staying in business. Vilsack notes America has lost a million farming operations since 1973, with most federal support flowing to the top 10%. He argues food security is national security, that SNAP cuts are income cuts for farmers, and that Iowans are tired enough of watching their kids leave the state to vote for change — with Rob Sand's authenticity, not his party label, the reason he's connecting.    Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit Woodrow Wilson suffering a debilitating stroke, the efforts to cover it up by his White House and the eerie parallels we’ve seen in the behavior of both the Biden and Trump staffers. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and recaps the weekend in football. Sign up link: nextpredict.io/summits/the-worlds-prediction-markets-summit Timeline: 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 04:45 Trump as the focal point of the entire election 06:30 The Iran war drags on while Trump seems disinterested 14:45 Trump hits 37% in the new WSJ poll 16:15 The cultish taxpayer-funded TV ad 21:15 Republicans who don't want Trump campaigning for them 26:15 Charlie Cook's red undertow, and a GOP retreat that skipped Texas 31:45 Gina Hinojosa is running the smartest campaign in red America 40:45 Why the Senate and governor maps look nothing alike 45:00 Tuberville's furries floor speech and Beshear's opportunity  59:00 Tom Vilsack joins The Chuck ToddCast 1:01:00 Pirates baseball and why national media misses agriculture 1:04:45 The Iran war, input costs, and a deported labor force 1:09:00 What can actually lower beef prices 1:15:00 A million lost farms and who federal support really reaches 1:21:00 Food security is national security 1:28:45 SNAP cuts, rural schools, and the Senate map in the Midwest 1:35:00 Rob Sand, authenticity, and why Iowa may vote for change 1:44:00 Should 2028 Democrats spend time in Iowa? 1:51:45 Data centers, a bio-based farm economy, and what a good night looks like 1:58:00 ToddCast Time Machine - October 2nd, 1919 1:59:15 Wilson was trying to ratify the League of Nations 2:00:30 Wilson collapsed, suffered a massive stroke 2:02:45 Wilson’s doctor wouldn’t declare him incapacitated 2:04:15 Nobody was able to remove Wilson 2:06:00 States ratified the 25th amendment 2:07:45 Aides for Wilson and Trump lacked candor 2:09:30 We’re seeing boxy bulges under Trump’s pants with no explanation 2:10:30 Trump’s doctors say he’s fine, but impossible to know 2:13:45 Congress should create independent body for 25th amendment 2:17:00 Ask Chuck 2:17:15 Could Democrats use vanity plays to bargain with Trump? 2:21:45 Could voters challenge use of Missouri’s new map after midterms? 2:26:30 Did Trump deliberately ban media to coincide with meeting with Xi? 2:28:45 What role do you expect Obama to play in the midterms? 2:31:45 NFL/College football recap See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd and J.A. Adande go back to the unlikely beginnings of one of the NFL’s most iconic franchises. From Curly Lambeau and the team’s unusual origin story to the community ownership structure that helped keep the Packers in Green Bay, they explore how a small Wisconsin city survived while other early NFL towns disappeared. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Brandon — who ran FreedomWorks for over a decade and now co-founded the Independent Leadership Council alongside Joe Manchin — joins the Chuck ToddCast to make the case that a handful of independents could break Washington's logjam. His argument: the parties have shrunk their tents, the blue dogs and moderate Republicans of the 1990s are gone, and in an era of slim majorities, ten independents in Congress could rewrite the rules when a new Congress is seated, install an apolitical speaker, and change every incentive overnight. He points to Montana — where the ILC-affiliated Independent PAC is now airing ads for Seth Bodnar, who needs roughly 210,000 votes to win — as proof the value of money in politics is starting to collapse. Plus: why Libertarians never break through, what younger voters actually want, and why burning the system down just leaves you living in ash.    Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 01:00 Debt, deficits, and why independents lost faith in both parties 06:30 The vanishing middle: blue dogs, shrunken tents, and the 1990s 15:00 How ten independents could break the logjam in Congress 23:30 The collapsing value of money in politics — and the Montana test 30:00 Why Libertarians can't break through, and politics as entertainment 39:15 AI, job displacement, and where independents have the best shot 46:00 Rethinking the Partisan Voter Index and where to focus 50:45 What younger voters actually want from the system 57:15 The candidates ILC is backing — and why 2026 could change everything 1:03:00 Washington's warning, Lincoln's unity ticket, and a fragile democracy See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd argues you don't need a poll to read the midterms — Republican behavior tells you everything. JD Vance is conceding things aren't going well, nobody's buying that it's Biden's economy anymore, and Tim Scott told the NRSC they're in "the fight for their lives," though his 2022 comparison misses that Democrats had Dobbs and Republicans have no equivalent in 2026. Todd's larger argument runs through Trump's UN speech, where the president justified seizing Venezuelan oil with "to the victor go the spoils" — a permission slip Todd says the rest of the world will happily accept. Between unilaterally inviting Putin to the G20, rolling out the red carpet for Xi, and a military stretched thin by Iran, America is now seen as an unreliable partner: one Trump presidency was an aberration, two changes the equation, and it'll take multiple presidents from both parties to win that trust back.  Then, Adam Brandon — who ran FreedomWorks for over a decade and now co-founded the Independent Leadership Council alongside Joe Manchin — joins the Chuck ToddCast to make the case that a handful of independents could break Washington's logjam. His argument: the parties have shrunk their tents, the blue dogs and moderate Republicans of the 1990s are gone, and in an era of slim majorities, ten independents in Congress could rewrite the rules when a new Congress is seated, install an apolitical speaker, and change every incentive overnight. He points to Montana — where the ILC-affiliated Independent PAC is now airing ads for Seth Bodnar, who needs roughly 210,000 votes to win — as proof the value of money in politics is starting to collapse. Plus: why Libertarians never break through, what younger voters actually want, and why burning the system down just leaves you living in ash. Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and previews the upcoming weekend in college football.  Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 06:15 You don't need a poll — Republican behavior tells the story 11:00 Tim Scott's "fight for our lives" and the missing Dobbs equivalent 17:45 The diesel export ban and Trump's scramble for an Iran deal 23:15 Where Democrats are short on money — and which races are slipping 29:00 "To the victor go the spoils": Trump's UN speech on Venezuela 32:45 A stretched military and allies who no longer trust us 38:30 Xi's red carpet, Putin at the G20, and unilateralism's costs 44:00 Dismantling the system that made America richer and safer  53:00 Adam Brandon joins the Chuck ToddCast 54:00 Debt, deficits, and why independents lost faith in both parties 59:30 The vanishing middle: blue dogs, shrunken tents, and the 1990s 1:08:00 How ten independents could break the logjam in Congress 1:16:30 The collapsing value of money in politics — and the Montana test 1:23:00 Why Libertarians can't break through, and politics as entertainment 1:32:15 AI, job displacement, and where independents have the best shot 1:39:00 Rethinking the Partisan Voter Index and where to focus 1:43:45 What younger voters actually want from the system 1:50:15 The candidates ILC is backing — and why 2026 could change everything 1:56:00 Washington's warning, Lincoln's unity ticket, and a fragile democracy 2:02:00 Ask Chuck 2:02:15 Any parallels from Nixon’s career that Harris could take in future run? 2:05:45 What are the five issues a Dem majority should tackle in 2027? 2:10:45 Why should fans believe this version of college football is sustainable? 2:16:45 Could congress turn AI concerns into meaningful legislation? 2:20:00 If Dems retake congress, can they force WH to change course? 2:24:45 College football preview See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd argues you don't need a poll to read the midterms — Republican behavior tells you everything. JD Vance is conceding things aren't going well, nobody's buying that it's Biden's economy anymore, and Tim Scott told the NRSC they're in "the fight for their lives," though his 2022 comparison misses that Democrats had Dobbs and Republicans have no equivalent in 2026. Todd's larger argument runs through Trump's UN speech, where the president justified seizing Venezuelan oil with "to the victor go the spoils" — a permission slip Todd says the rest of the world will happily accept. Between unilaterally inviting Putin to the G20, rolling out the red carpet for Xi, and a military stretched thin by Iran, America is now seen as an unreliable partner: one Trump presidency was an aberration, two changes the equation, and it'll take multiple presidents from both parties to win that trust back. Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and previews the upcoming weekend in college football.  Timeline: 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 06:15 You don't need a poll — Republican behavior tells the story 11:00 Tim Scott's "fight for our lives" and the missing Dobbs equivalent 17:45 The diesel export ban and Trump's scramble for an Iran deal 23:15 Where Democrats are short on money — and which races are slipping 29:00 "To the victor go the spoils": Trump's UN speech on Venezuela 32:45 A stretched military and allies who no longer trust us 38:30 Xi's red carpet, Putin at the G20, and unilateralism's costs 44:00 Dismantling the system that made America richer and safer  50:30 Ask Chuck 50:45 Any parallels from Nixon’s career that Harris could take in future run? 54:15 What are the five issues a Dem majority should tackle in 2027? 59:15 Why should fans believe this version of college football is sustainable? 1:05:15 Could congress turn AI concerns into meaningful legislation? 1:08:30 If Dems retake congress, can they force WH to change course? 1:13:15 College football preview See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd digs into ProPublica's bombshell on Susan Collins, which details how her office steered millions in federal contracts to defense firm Navatek while her campaign operation pumped CEO Martin Kao's network for donations — sometimes cut within 24 hours of the defense spending bill clearing a Senate hurdle — and how the FBI's pay-to-play investigation died after Trump's purge of the bureau. Chuck’s argument is that the legality is precisely the point: Washington in 2026 is a legalized influence marketplace, Collins is no outlier, and what's needed is a post-Watergate-style transparency revolution — if money is speech, it shouldn't be allowed to hide.  Finally, Chuck presents his ToddCast Top 5 list of the worst issues a candidate can campaign on for the midterms and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.   Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 02:30 The ProPublica story and what it says about Susan Collins 07:00 The FBI investigation Trump's bureau shut down 08:15 The bigger story: how normal this kind of corruption has become 18:00 Crypto's $30 million play in Ohio and the threat of outside money 21:30 The transparency revolution we actually need 34:45 Iran waiting out the midterms, Mamdani, and Xi's visit 38:45 New Pew data on data centers — and where the money is going 44:30 AOC hints at 2028, and the GOP's Senate spending advantage 51:30 The Paramount settlement with California  58:00 ToddCast Top 5 most unpopular campaign issues 58:45 #5 A candidate endorsed by Donald Trump 59:00 #4 Wanting to abolish ICE 59:30 #3 Supporting weapons and funding for Israel 59:45 #2 Supporting the war in Iran 1:00:15 #1 Supporting for building data centers 1:02:00 Ask Chuck 1:02:15 What prevents a journalist from pivoting during a TV interview? 1:06:15 Advice for helping with kidney stones 1:07:30 What factors are behind Kansas suddenly becoming competitive? 1:14:15 If you could ask Trump one question, what would it be? 1:16:30 Could a future congress pursue financial penalties for pardoned officials? 1:19:00 Shout out to the Nats See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.