Best The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter Podcasts (2025)

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Vikings Gay Cheerleaders, Supreme Court Reviewing Conversion Therapy Ban, Paul McCartney's Got Back and The Land 1:03:31

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1d ago1:03:31

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This week Erin tells us all about her husband Alé's Paul McCartney VIP concert experience, and Bryan had some trouble offloading a ticket for the LA Philharmonic. Erin discusses the backlash to the two new gay male cheerleaders for the Minnesota Vikings squad and how their casting threatens toxic masculinity in the world of football. Bryan covers t…

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"We have a message problem, a messenger problem, an ideas problem and a brand problem." Dem strategist Lis Smith has some advice for her party. 28:34

5d ago28:34

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It's safe to say Democrats are going through something of an identity crisis at the moment. They have no clear leaders, no driving issues, and no real power in Washington. And that makes the current government shutdown an interesting test case for Democratic leaders like Chuck Schumer over what they think their voters want and how best to fight Don…

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Homeland Security Scrubbing Transgender Reporting, War on Tylenol, Back to School and The Hoka Polka 44:31

9d ago44:31

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Lace up your Hokas as we remember our childhood back to school anxiety, and we wonder if the 9-1-1 character Josh Russo was named after one of our favorite cinematic redheads. Bryan tells us about how the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis is scrubbing the T from LGB+ in their communications , which will lead to l…

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Attitudes! x IMHO: The Crossover Event! 54:37

16d ago54:37

54:37

This week we welcome IMHO: The Show's Darby Lynn Cartwright and Alexis P. Bevels to Attitudes! We reminisce with Darby and Alexis (listeners of the pod!) about Attitudes shows in the days of yore, give advice on how to continue a working relationship with your best friend (despite a fight or two), and get a surprise wig reveal from a ghost of 'Tude…

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Eight months into Trump 2.0, the economy is great for the top 10% and meh for everyone else 37:04

18d ago37:04

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We're about eight months into Donald Trump's second term, a victory driven in large part due to voter frustration with the economy and their belief that he would help get inflation down. So what does the economic picture look like today? That's not as easy a question to answer as you would think. Stock market set record highs, but consumers remain …

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Conservatives Labeling Trans People as Threats, South Carolina Proposes Abortion Ban, Gym Smoothie and Jury Duty 58:58

23d ago58:58

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Erin is fulfilling her civic duty after being called in for jury duty in Santa Fe. Bryan is stopped from going into his gym class and pulls an oopsie with a straight bro. Bryan discusses ramped up attacks against the trans community after recent events, and how conservatives are threatening to label them as violent extremist threats. Erin covers So…

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Mia Moglie, Texas A&M Discarding LGBTQ+ Books, and the Dry Cleaning Strega Nonas 58:19

30d ago58:19

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This week Erin is recovering from a mystery illness, and Bryan is in need of a new dry cleaner after his recent pick-up experience. Erin discusses the "Mia Moglie" Facebook group of 32,000 members posting intimate photos of women without their permission, and how Italian police had to intervene to shut it down. Bryan shares a story of a Texas A&M U…

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Are we heading towards the gerrymander apocalypse with David Wasserman 34:37

1M ago34:37

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We took a late summer break, but we're back with a new slate of really great interviews! When we started this year, redistricting was not something we thought would be driving our politics this cycle. But, of course, that's no longer the case with Texas unleashing a domino effect of redistricting efforts across the country. Thankfully, we know some…

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Asphalt Art Safety, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Gendered Beta Blocker Testing, and Show and Tell 56:33

1M ago56:33

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It's show and tell week for the class! Erin shows off her new BLOCH shoes, and Bryan brings in a scent from the 80s that he's been craving (and fought a store employee about). Bryan discusses a 2022 Bloomberg article with data proving that crosswalk and street art installations actually improve safety and reduce accidents for drivers and pedestrian…

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Texas Suing Abortion Pill Distributors, Dems Leaving Trans People Behind, Korn and Pobody's Nerfect 56:02

1M ago56:02

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Bryan has returned to LA to his torn apart kitchen and gets advice from EMTs about a bad batch of drugs in town. Erin's back from her quick trip to NYC where she saw some theater and families wearing merch from punk rock bands you forgot about. Erin talks about GOP shenanigans in Texas where lawmakers are attempting to pass a bill that would allow …

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Rainbow Crosswalks, Good Trouble in Texas, Carole Cook and The Incredible Mr. Limpet 51:01

2M ago51:01

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Bryan talks about finishing his run at Edinburgh, and a discussion about actress Carole Cook takes us into a 10 minute deep dive on the 1960s Don Knotts film The Incredible Mr. Limpet. Bryan discusses the new Department of Transportation mandate which led to Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis ordering every city to remove rainbow crosswalks for "polit…

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No Mifepristone at Costco, West Texas A&M Drag Ban, Amy Madigan and La Llorona 51:46

2M ago51:46

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Bryan is in his last week of shows at Edinburgh, Erin is (not) retired, and Aunt Gladys talk turns into learning about La Llorona and the Cucuy. Erin talks about the downturn of goodwill towards Costco after their decision to not sell Mifepristone due to conservative pushback. Bryan gives us some positive news with the Fifth Circuit Court in New Or…

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Kim Davis, U.S. Burning Contraceptives, Bagpipes and Oasis 52:22

2M ago52:22

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This week Bryan has been spending all his free time in Edinburgh at the copy shops printing stickers for his posters, and Erin keeps prodding at him to go and see the Oasis reunion tour. Bryan tells us about human jean skirt aka Kim Davis' return and how Republicans are playing the long game to overturn marriage equality, and how covenant marriages…

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UK's Online Safety Act, Ryan Walters, Rhode Island Workplace Accommodations, Edinburgh and Tap Shoes 59:30

2M ago59:30

59:30

Happy Birthday to Bryan! Fresh off his first week at the Edinburgh Fringe, Bryan tells us about the hustle it takes to perform at the world's largest performing arts festival. Erin saw the musical Some Like It Hot and has now been inspired to sign up for tap classes. Bryan explains the UK's Online Safety Act which now requires people to upload pers…

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Dateline: The Widow of Woodland Hills 40:52

3M ago40:52

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Bryan is prepping for his Edinburgh debut, so this week we're re-releasing one of our favorite Dateline Recaps from behind the paywall! A hairdresser to the stars. Home security DVD system. Gas station clothes modeling and sexy encounters. This is LA baby. Dateline Season 33, Episode 23. A teen returns home from school to find her father, a celebri…

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Big Beautiful Bill Implications, 988, P-Touch and Burger King 56:30

3M ago56:30

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Erin is staying dewy in Santa Fe and trying to find batteries for her P-Touch to stay organized. Bryan overhears some bros rating New York's hottest burger joints before leaving the states for his Edinburgh shows. Erin tells us about how Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" moral parameters will jeopardize Planned Parenthood in states where abortion is no…

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This pollster predicted Trump's surprising 2024 coalition. How's it holding up? 51:14

3M ago51:14

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Back in 2023, Republican pollster Patrick Ruffini wrote a book that laid out a path for how the party could win future elections with a working class multiracial coalition. Later that year, Amy talked with Patrick on this very podcast where they discussed whether Trump could expand his base to include those voters of color. Well, as we saw, he did.…

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Bisexual Erasure, Women Driving The Economy, Cigarettes and the Subie Wave 52:44

3M ago52:44

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Erin now officially owns her car and teaches us about the "Subie Wave". We reminisce about being smokers and how we love seeing the smoking trope in films with characters holding a cigarette while being sexy, hatching plans and committing crimes. Bryan discusses The National Park Service continuing the ongoing erasure of the queer community by remo…

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Danmei, Wisconsin and Arizona Abortion Ban Repeals, Boston, Viagra and Adderall 1:01:39

3M ago1:01:39

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Bryan is with a private client exploring Boston and shares some pros and cons for visitors. Erin self-diagnoses herself with ADHD after taking Adderall for a late night shoot in Vancouver. Bryan tells us about the Asian genre of gay erotic fiction called Danmei which is being criminalized under Chinese pornography laws. Erin gives us some good news…

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People Over Papers, Budapest Pride, Bezos Wedding and Glory Holes 49:12

4M ago49:12

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Erin is sweatin' it out with no AC during her last week in Vancouver, and Bryan tells us which celebrity turds were at the Bezos wedding over the weekend. Erin discusses the website People Over Papers that was designed by two women to fight fascism and inform people about ICE activity. Bryan updates us on the "municipal festival" in Budapest that s…

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The center of the political universe is Michigan 29:04

4M ago29:04

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This week we are diverging from our normal Odd Years format to introduce you to another Cook Political Report product, Editors Roundtable. This podcast features a rotating cast of our Cook Political Report team breaking down the latest news, analysis and insights about the most important House, Senate and Gubernatorial contests in the country. We l…

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Supreme Court on Gender-Affirming Care and Pregnancy Resource Centers, First Class Pringles and Normal Eye Freckle 57:42

4M ago57:42

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Erin is back in Santa Fe for a limited time, dropping off all her Vancouver luggages, and Bryan is still without a kitchen and has a new eye diagnosis. Bryan covers the recent Supreme Court case United States v. Skrmetti which upheld a Tennessee ban on gender-afffirming care. Erin examines the appeal being brought to the high court regarding New Je…

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The Comeback of Cuomo and the Rise of Mamdani 35:32

4M ago35:32

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Most of the political attention these days is centered in D.C, but there's a pretty fascinating primary contest happening just a train ride north in New York City. The Democratic primary for mayor of the Big Apple features a crowded field of Democrats, including some well known names like former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was forced to resign after…

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Anti-Trans Billionaires, Southern Baptist Convention, Bowen Island and No Kings Day 52:35

4M ago52:35

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This week Erin captains a boat from Vancouver to Bowen Island, and Bryan has some kitchen mold remediation but still attends the WeHo No King's Day protest. Erin reviews an article from Atmos where climate policy experts Vivian Taylor and Philip Newell share their discoveries of fossil fuel billionaires funneling money into the anti-trans movement …

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Hungary Pride Bans, Indy 500 Plane Banner, John Proctor is the Villain and LA ICE Raids 48:48

4M ago48:48

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This week Bryan has some pre-Tony Awards praise for John Proctor is the Villain (congrats to Cole Escola!), and we discuss the horrific ICE Raids and protests currently happening in LA. Bryan takes us to Hungary to tell us about their government banning LGBTQ+ events, including Budapest Pride, and how the EU is lacking the backbone to do anything a…

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"This will get done, the question is how painful it is to get there." Puck's Leigh Ann Caldwell on the politics of the "Big Beautiful Bill." 43:45

4M ago43:45

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President Trump's signature legislation, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, is crawling its way through Congress. Having passed the House by a single vote, the so-called BBB is in the Senate where various Republican factions - the fiscal hawks, the centrists, the populists - are divided over how to resolve their many competing priorities over the nati…

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Digital Camera Guys and Concert Selfies, State of Pride 2025, Garfield and Barefoot at the Movies 1:01:18

4M ago1:01:18

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We're seeing the signs of the start of summer (or at least people wanting it to be). Erin tries out some Boom Boom fashion with her new thrifted sleep shirt featuring everyone's favorite lasagna-eating cat, and Bryan saw a movie in New York's smallest movie theater. Erin tells us about a disturbing trend of creepy men zooming in on women's body par…

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Supreme Court Reviewing ACA Preventative Care, Toxic Masculinity, Salome and The Greatest Genitalation 1:02:16

5M ago1:02:16

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This week spring has sprung while Erin is in Vancouver, Bryan gives us a review of Salome at The Met, and we ponder whether the "Gen" in Gen X, and Gen Z is referring to private parts. Bryan informs us about the pending Supreme Court case of mandated coverage for preventative care which could affect access to PrEP, STI testing and cancer screenings…

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"We've become the crossing guard party." A Conversation with Pod Save America's Dan Pfeiffer. 39:30

5M ago39:30

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When we booked this episode with Pod Save America co-host Dan Pfeiffer several weeks back, our plan was to talk about the Democrats and their strategy and messaging around Trump - something Dan's been writing about for his Substack, Message Box. Should Democrats just focus on the economy? Should they raise alarm bells over deportations? How loudly …

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Vermont's S.28, Montana's SB99, GLAAD's Social Media Safety Index, The Good Dumbwaiter and Suspension Bridges 51:23

5M ago51:23

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This week Bryan reminisces about his family's (now closed) Italian restaurant in El Paso, and Erin gets in a fight with a Russian man at a Vancouver suspension bridge. Erin shares some good news with Vermont passing S.28 shoring up the state's shield laws for abortion medication and healthcare, plus Montana's striking down of SB 99 which would have…

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Dateline Recap: Deadly Omission 34:20

5M ago34:20

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Surprise! We're giving you one of our favorite Dateline Recaps from behind the paywall! Dateline Season 33, Episode 5. Condos. Condominiums. Jade earrings. Full purses. Count how many times we say the victim's sister's name in this recap. A murder unearths an unsolved mystery from years earlier; as the connection between the two cases becomes clear…

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Rahm Emanuel Has a Message for Democrats 47:02

5M ago47:02

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Rahm Emanuel has held many titles: Congressman from Illinois, DCCC Chairman, Chief of Staff to Barack Obama, Mayor of Chicago, and Ambassador to Japan under President Biden. These days, he doesn't have an official position at the moment. But that's not stopping him from giving some very pointed advice to Democrats on every possible platform: cable …

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Boise and Salt Lake City Pride Flags, At-Home Pap-Smear, European Jet Lag and Canadian Cell Phone 1:01:09

5M ago1:01:09

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Erin is looking for the best baked goods in Vancouver and jet lagged Bryan is back from his European vacation with Mother and Father Safi. Bryan explains how Salt Lake City and Boise have adopted Pride flags as official city flags in a work around with this year’s new Republican bans. Erin shares how the FDA has approved the first at-home tool that…

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Republican Strategist and Podcaster Josh Holmes on the Midterms, Tariffs and Why Authenticity Matters 48:08

5M ago48:08

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You may know our guest today, Josh Holmes, as one of the hosts of the popular political podcast, Ruthless. For those of you who don't know, Ruthless is to the conservative media sphere as Pod Save America is to the liberal media ecosystem. But long before he started his podcasting gig, Amy knew Josh as a Republican political operative. He was chief…

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Best of the Vault Vol. 4 54:52

5M ago54:52

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We'll be back next week with a new ep, but to hold you over we've got more of the best from the Vault! Bryan's one man show Hair I Am, Yarn Tethers, Big Teeth Small Mouth, and interviews with our friends Kulap Vilaysack and Karen Kilgariff! For this week's bonus This New Thing We're Doing! visit www.patreon.com/attitudes See omnystudio.com/listener…

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Best of the Vault Vol. 3 45:45

6M ago45:45

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We're off this week but have compiled some of our best bits from the vault! Get ready for an unfortunate hotel experience we had while on tour, Pizza Horse, and interviews with our friends Pete Zias and Sam Pancake! For this week's bonus Dateline Recap visit www.patreon.com/attitudes See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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"Trump voters are starting to ask questions." Pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson on 100 days. 46:34

6M ago46:34

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We are 100 days into the second Trump administration and there's no better person to help us understand what voters are making of these first months of Trump 2.0 than Republican pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson. Kristen is a founding partner of Echelon Insights, an opinion research and analytics firm. She's a contributing opinion writer for The New…

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For Women Scotland, Alabama Anti-LGBTQ+ Bills, Whistler and iMessage Hearts 58:08

6M ago58:08

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Recorded pre-Easter and pre-Pope dying, Erin is on her way to Whistler in Canada for a long weekend and Bryan is worried about whether his iMessage reaction to a straight man was sending the wrong signal. Erin shares news out of the UK where the TERF organization For Women Scotland won a court ruling defining a woman by biological sex. Bryan tells …

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Air Force Defies Trump, The SAVE Act, Sally Jesse Raphael and 700th Surprise! 1:00:41

6M ago1:00:41

1:00:41

We've joined The 700 Club! Who'd have thought when we started in 2011 that we'd be in this dystopian nightmare 14 years later?! For this momentous occasion we take a virtual tour of icon Sally Jesse Raphael's $6.5 million dollar mansion that's up for sale, and get surprised with well wishes from our friends and past guests! Bryan shares how the Uni…

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By this measure, America is actually a little less polarized these days 36:06

6M ago36:06

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Way back in the late 1990s, Cook Political Report founder Charlie Cook had an idea to rank all 435 congressional districts by their partisanship - in other words, whether a district is more Republican or more Democratic. That way, we'd be able to see, at a quick glance, which members of Congress represented districts that were either slightly or st…

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Georgia Woman Arrested After Miscarriage, California Rejects Trans Athlete Ban, Aunt Selfies and Slinkies 56:14

6M ago56:14

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This week we're sharing our airline hacks for all you Southwest Early Birds! Bryan is back from El Paso with stories about his silent gym experience and helping an aunt take selfies. Erin discusses Selina Maria Chandler-Scott's arrest after suffering a miscarriage in Georgia, plus how state reps are using the incident to make a case against abortio…

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Trump's Top Ad Man Pulls Back the Curtain On 2024 48:36

6M ago48:36

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On the last podcast, Amy talked with Chauncey McLean, head of the Democratic super PAC Future Forward, about their media strategy for Kamala Harris and why things didn't work out as they had hoped. For this podcast, we turn to the ad strategy of the Trump campaign with John Brabender, the chief creative officer for the media company BrabenderCox. J…

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Utah Bans Pride Flags, Exploding Voter Gender Gap, Pill Nightmares and Thomas Kinkade 1:01:20

7M ago1:01:20

1:01:20

This week Erin is taking advantage of Canada's socialized medicine with pills that are going to give her nightmares, and is pulled over by the VPD AGAIN! We go on a deep dive on Thomas Kinkade, Painter of Light, and Bryan recalls the making of his album Heels. Bryan advises us about which states are passing legislation against displaying Pride flag…

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New Jersey Reproductive Rights Bills, El Cerrito, Gay Quads, and Pulled Over in Vancouver 58:51

7M ago58:51

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Happy Birthday Erin! Our feminasty celebrated another trip around the sun with a French dinner and an encounter with the VPD. Bryan educates us on polyamorous gay quad sleeping arrangements and shares an interesting expeience at Julius' in NYC. Erin briefs us on the pro-reproductive rights bills that look like they're headed to pass in New Jersey, …

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Data Analytics Was Supposed To Be How Dems Dominated Politics. That Didn't Happen in 2024. 54:31

7M ago54:31

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Back in the 2012 cycle, Chauncey McLean was a young staffer on the Obama campaign working in the newly developing field of data analytics. Six years later, McLean put those data science skills - and the ones he developed while working in the private sector testing ads for commercial products - to work as head of the Democratic super PAC, Future For…

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Montana Anti-LGBTQ Bills, Transphobe Congressman, Squirt and SmilePik 1:07:38

7M ago1:07:38

1:07:38

This week Erin is back in Jigsaw's basement (Vancouver). Bryan has a memorable dining experience in NYC, plus he has a birthday surprise (and demonstration!) of Erin's birthday gift from Madison Avenue. Bryan informs us of Republicans changing their vote in the Montana legislature after both HB 675 and HB 754 targeting drag and trans children were …

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Why Men of Color Might Be the New Swing Voters 39:49

7M ago39:49

39:49

We've been wanting to have Terrence Woodbury on the podcast for a long time. The reason is that he's a pollster who has done some amazing work with demographic groups that made a big difference in the presidential race last year, but also in previous cycles: Black voters, voters of color, and younger voters. And if many Democrats were surprised by …

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Billionaire Women Doing Good, Love Is Blind, Scottsdale and Cruella Breville 56:47

7M ago56:47

56:47

Erin has some tales from her Scottsdale pit stop on the way home to New Mexico, and Bryan is having issues troubleshooting his new espresso machine. Erin breaks down how Reaganomics led to the rise in billionaires in this country, and how the widowed and divorced women of these tech company founders are using their immense wealth to help those in n…

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Iowa Removes Trans Civil Rights Protections, Military Female Firings, Oscars and Special Guest Jeffery Self! 1:02:36

8M ago1:02:36

1:02:36

This week we're excited to have Jeffery Self to chat about his book Self Sabotage and Other Ways I've Spent My Time coming out March 11th! Bryan regales us with what happened at The Academy Awards IRL including a bathroom emergency and the snack situation inside the Dolby Theater. Bryan then discusses the unfortunate news out of Iowa where for the …

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From Title IX to Caitlin Clark 1:01:46

8M ago1:01:46

1:01:46

Last year, as March Madness kicked into gear, there was one athlete everyone seemed to be talking about: Caitlin Clark. The then University of Iowa guard was on her way to leading her team to the NCAA finals, selling out stadiums everywhere she went and creating an unprecedented level of excitement around women's basketball. This interest followed …

The Cook Political Report With Amy Walter Podcasts