Best Walter Lis Podcasts (2025)

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Alex Bennett of the PGA Tour Performance Center 25:02

Play Pause

9d ago25:02

25:02

In this episode of the Chicago Golf Report Podcast, we sit down with Alex Bennett — Director of Athletic Performance at the PGA Tour Performance Center — for a deep dive into the intersection of fitness, athleticism, and elite golf performance. Alex brings a unique perspective as a former collegiate and professional golfer turned strength and condi…

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SCOTUS' Starring Role in Trump 2.0 51:21

17d ago51:21

51:21

It's a consequential week in the Supreme Court as justices hear a case that could reorient the bounds of executive authority and overturn a ninety year precedent that insulates independent government agencies from political interference from the president. President Trump has tested those bounds of his executive power on everything from tariffs and…

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How can political journalism meet the moment? Astead Herndon has ideas. 49:28

1M ago49:28

49:28

In Amy’s opinion, Astead Herndon is one of the sharpest and most thoughtful political journalists out there. His New York Times podcast, The Run-Up, did an amazing job pulling back the cover on how national politics is done and showing the gulf that exists between the parties, the insiders and actual voters. It’s this kind of journalism that has se…

1
Jim Schiavo of Topgolf Naperville 15:50

1M ago15:50

15:50

In this all-new Chicago Golf Report Podcast episode, we go behind the scenes with Jim Schiavo, the dynamic General Manager of Topgolf Naperville—one of Chicagoland’s most popular year-round golf and entertainment destinations. With more than a decade of leadership in hospitality, operations, and growth strategy, Jim offers a rare inside look at how…

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California, Here We Come: Prop 50, Pelosi and Newsom's Future 38:56

2M ago38:56

38:56

Californians often like to think of themselves as the center of the universe. But when it comes to politics, this deep blue state is rarely in the spotlight - until now. The passage of Prop 50 in last Tuesday's election was the most consequential development to date in the redistricting wars. The new Democratic drawn map will cost Republicans three…

1
Dan Dinelli of North Shore Country Club 20:56

2M ago20:56

20:56

In this episode of the Chicago Golf Report Podcast, we dive deep into the mind and methods of Dan Dinelli, the legendary superintendent of North Shore Country Club. With over four decades at one of Chicago’s premier golf facilities, Dinelli has transformed traditional turf management into a visionary model of ecosystem stewardship. Discover how thr…

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Here's what two top reporters will be watching in NJ and VA on Election Day 42:58

2M ago42:58

42:58

One week from today, voters in New Jersey and Virginia will go to the polls. These are state and not federal elections. But they can serve as bellwethers for the upcoming midterm election next year. Topics that resonate in a purple state like Virginia this year, for example, are likely to be issues that are significant in swing states and districts…

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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

2M ago28:34

28:34

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

3M ago37:04

37:04

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

3M ago34:37

34:37

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…

1
Steve Ciancio and Josh Lesnick of Magellan Jets 19:36

4M ago19:36

19:36

Our guests this episode of The Chicago Golf Report podcast are Steve Ciancio and Josh Lesnick of Magellan Jets, a Boston-based private aviation company that provides on-demand charter, jet card ownership, and fractional ownership services. Unlike traditional airlines, the company operates with an “asset-light” business model, utilizing a rigorously…

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

5M ago51:14

51:14

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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The center of the political universe is Michigan 29:04

6M ago29:04

29:04

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

6M ago35:32

35:32

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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"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

7M ago43:45

43:45

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…

1
"We've become the crossing guard party." A Conversation with Pod Save America's Dan Pfeiffer. 39:30

7M ago39:30

39:30

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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Rahm Emanuel Has a Message for Democrats 47:02

7M ago47:02

47:02

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 …

1
Republican Strategist and Podcaster Josh Holmes on the Midterms, Tariffs and Why Authenticity Matters 48:08

8M ago48:08

48:08

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

8M ago46:34

46:34

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

9M ago36:06

36:06

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

9M ago48:36

48:36

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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Joe Pilcavage of Blue Tees Golf 20:04

9M ago20:04

20:04

Our guest this episode of The Chicago Golf Report podcast is Joe Pilcavage, the Vice President of Marketing at Blue Tees Golf, a company that designs and sells premium golf technology and accessories directly to consumers at affordable prices. Frustrated by the high cost of traditional golf equipment, Blue Tees Golf founders set out to create high-…

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John Moran – “The Prairie Raynor” and Chicago Golf Club’s Historic Transformation 26:22

9M ago26:22

26:22

Our guest this episode of The Chicago Golf Report podcast is author and Chicago Golf Club historian John Moran. “The Prairie Raynor” by John Moran and Rand Jerris has been selected as the recipient of the USGA’s Herbert Warren Wind Award, recognizing the book as an outstanding work of golf literature. “The Prairie Raynor” details Chicago Golf Club’…

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

9M ago54:31

54:31

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

9M 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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Sam Goulden – CEO, MNML Golf 35:16

10M ago35:16

35:16

Our guest this episode of The Chicago Golf Report podcast is Sam Goulden, the CEO of MNML Golf. Founded in 2020, MNML Golf is dedicated to creating the highest-quality, functional products for golfers while maintaining a strong commitment to sustainability and transparency. Their products are designed with innovation, simplicity, and utility in min…

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From Title IX to Caitlin Clark 1:01:46

10M 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 …

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Editors Roundtable: 2026 House Races We Couldn't Agree On And Why Our Ratings Will Change 29:33

10M ago29:33

29:33

This is a special episode in your podcast feed. You are about to hear a recent edition of Editors Roundtable, our Cook Political Report podcast where our team of editors trades behind-the-scenes analysis and dives into the weeds on races and elections. If you're a political junkie - and chances are high that you are if you're listening to this - su…

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Chuck Todd on Political Journalism and Why He's Passionate About Local News 52:10

10M ago52:10

52:10

Few people in Washington have shaped the political media ecosystem like Chuck Todd. Amy first met Chuck more than 25 years ago when he was the editor of what was then one of the most innovative news media disruptors of its time - The Hotline. The Hotline was political media's first aggregator using the breakthrough technology of the 1990s - the fax…

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Jonathan Marsico – Co-Founder, Ship Sticks 24:35

10M ago24:35

24:35

Our guest this episode of The Chicago Golf Report podcast is Jonathan Marsico, the Co-Founder of Ship Sticks, a premier golf club shipping provider. Since 2011, they’ve helped golfers ship their gear over 277 million miles – forming partnerships along the way with thousands of golf facilities, including over 80 percent of Golfweek’s Top 400 Golf Co…

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"This is not chaos for chaos's sake." Molly Ball on Trump 2.0. 55:23

11M ago55:23

55:23

Whether you expected it or not, it seems pretty safe to say that President Trump's first days have been defined by its intensity, a very fast moving news cycle, and often, the trademark chaos we remember from his first term. And that's why we love conversations like this one with The Wall Street Journal's Molly Ball. She's the kind of journalist wh…

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Gen Z's Gender Divide Goes Beyond Politics 41:34

11M ago41:34

41:34

We are kicking things off with a topic Amy has been fascinated by - the gender divide in American politics and why it’s so pronounced among Gen Z. In the past, young voters have reliably supported the Democratic candidate for president, regardless of gender. Just four years ago, a majority of both young men and young women voted for Joe Biden. But …

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Get ready for a new season of The Odd Years! 1:12

11M ago1:12

1:12

We started The Odd Years in 2023, which was both a literal odd numbered year, and also a political odd year; a year when there were no national elections. But Amy enjoyed these conversations so much - and so did you - that we kept going into 2024 even though it was an even year. We just couldn’t help ourselves. As we head into another odd year, we …

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Season 2, Episode 12: A Deeper Understanding of Swing State Voters 35:02

1y ago35:02

35:02

For our final show of 2024, we are bringing you a conversation we recorded a couple weeks ago with the Cook Political Report's David Wasserman and the two pollsters who collaborated with the our team on 2024 Swing State Project. We started the project in the spring of 2024 in order to get a deeper understanding of the issues, concerns, and prioriti…

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Jake Gordon – How Noteefy Fills Every Tee Time 23:40

1y ago23:40

23:40

? Our guest this episode of The Chicago Golf Report podcast is Jake Gordon, the Co-Founder & CEO of Noteefy – the #1 demand automation platform for golf courses & resorts. Noteefy helps tens of thousands of gol…

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Season 2, Episode 11: If Americans Are Unhappy With Politics, Why Didn't They Vote For Electoral Reform? 43:11

1y ago43:11

43:11

Americans often say they hate how vitriolic and polarized our politics has become, and yet our current political system helps to promote this very behavior. That's why there's been a push for electoral reforms that incentivize candidates to appeal to voters across the political spectrum instead of just focusing on the most ideological and extreme v…

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Jake Thurm – The Future of Golf Instruction 56:57

1y ago56:57

56:57

Our guest this episode of The Chicago Golf Report podcast is golf instructor Jake Thurm. With over 20 years of experience teaching golfers at all levels, Jake is at the forefront of fundamental instruction, technology and psychology in golf. Based in the Chicagoland area, Jake is a forward-thinking golf instructor who seamlessly integrates cutting-…

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Season 2, Episode 10: Why Presidential Elections Are Razor Thin in Wisconsin 39:34

1y ago39:34

39:34

Presidential elections in Wisconsin the last two cycles have been incredibly close. In 2016 and 2020, they were decided by less than one percentage point. Of course, polling in the state has been notoriously "off" - or maybe fickle - which makes it more important than ever to talk to people who have been covering politics in Wisconsin for quite som…

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Season 2, Episode 9: Why Pennsylvania is the Swingiest of Swing States 27:03

1y ago27:03

27:03

It's hard to overstate just how important Pennsylvania plays in deciding the Electoral College winner. If Kamala Harris loses the state, she'd need to win North Carolina or Georgia, as well as Nevada and the remaining blue wall states of Wisconsin and Michigan. If Trump were to lose Pennsylvania, he'd need to pick off at least one of those other Mi…

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Season 2, Episode 8: Can Democrats Finally Win North Carolina this November? 46:21

1+ y ago46:21

46:21

Amy's guest today, Dr. Michael Bitzer, calls North Carolina the "stuck battleground state." That's because Republicans have dominated there in presidential elections. And yet, every four years, Democrats hold out hope that they can turn it blue. Barack Obama did it in 2008, but no other Democrat has done so since. Will 2024 be different? Joe Biden …

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Nick Venson of Swag Golf 19:48

1+ y ago19:48

19:48

Our guest this episode of The Chicago Golf Report podcast is the founder and CEO of Northbrook-based Swag Golf, Nick Venson. A 25-year veteran of the golf and collector industry, Nick founded the company in 2018, with a focus on creating boldly-styled, premium golf accessories, equipment and apparel. Swag has earned a reputation for producing high-…

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Tim Nagle of Five Iron Golf 17:17

1+ y ago17:17

17:17

Our guest this episode of The Chicago Golf Report podcast is Tim Nagle, who is the West Regional Operations Manager for Five Iron Golf. With four Chicagoland locations, Five Iron Golf hosts best-in-class simulators, Trackman lesson studios, access to teaching professionals and in-house club fitting services. In this interview we discuss: How Tim go…

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Paola Meinzer of Latina Executive Golf Organization 18:44

1+ y ago18:44

18:44

Our guest this episode of The Chicago Golf Report podcast is Paola Meinzer of the Latina Executive Golf Organization (LEX Golf). The organization encourages participation of Latinas in golf activities to change the “status quo” by providing support, resources and opportunities to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the golf course. LEX Golf…

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Season 2, Episode 7: How Kamala Harris Changed the Presidential Race in Georgia 32:02

1+ y ago32:02

32:02

Right before President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, his path to victory appeared very narrow. It was: win the midwest states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. But with Kamala Harris now at the top of the ticket, the electoral map could open up for Democrats, and some of those states that Joe Biden won in 2020, but seemed out of reach i…

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Season 2, Episode 6: David Axelrod, Amy Walter and David Wasserman at the RNC 18:43

1+ y ago18:43

18:43

A special episode of The Odd Years: Amy and David catch up with David Axelrod in Milwaukee at the RNC. The three discuss what they're seeing on the ground, their thoughts on the selection of J.D. Vance as Trump's running mate, and the situation for President Biden and the Democrats as they head into their convention in a few weeks. David Axelrod is…

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Golf Event Planning with Logan Foote from GolfStatus 19:42

1+ y ago19:42

19:42

Our guest this episode of The Chicago Golf Report podcast is Logan Foote from GolfStatus, a leading event management platform for charity golf tournaments and fundraisers. Golf Status allows you to accept registrations, sell sponsorships, and collect donations on your custom event website and manage information in the software’s intuitive backend. …

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Season 2, Episode 5: What Polls Miss — and What We Should Focus on Instead 41:41

1+ y ago41:41

41:41

We originally asked our guest today, Michael Podhorzer, to come on to talk about voter demographics. Mike was the longtime political director for the AFL-CIO. He’s now a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and he writes a Substack called Weekend Reading. And Mike has been one of the pioneers in Democratic circles using data and analyt…

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John Tovar – ServiceMaster Swing for Service Golf Tournament to Raise Funds for Veterans 12:54

1+ y ago12:54

12:54

Our guest this episode of The Chicago Golf Report podcast is ServiceMaster Restore’s President John Tovar. Last year, ServiceMaster Restore launched the We Serve: Veterans program in partnership with the nonprofit Hire Heroes USA. The program focuses on raising funds to help make a meaningful impact on the lives of veterans and their families. To o…

1
Season 2, Episode 4: How The Diploma Divide Is Reshaping American Politics 51:54

1+ y ago51:54

51:54

If you listen to this podcast, you’ve probably heard of the so-called education divide in American politics with those with college degrees increasingly supporting Democrats and liberal causes and those without college degrees, increasingly supporting Republicans and conservative social issues. On today's show, Amy talks with Matt Grossman, Directo…

1
Mailbag: How Will Trump's Conviction Impact Downballot Races? 22:08

1+ y ago22:08

22:08

The Cook Political Report's David Wasserman, Jessica Taylor and Erin Covey answer your mailbag questions this week. They weigh in on what Trump's conviction will mean for Republicans in down-ballot races; they go into the weeds on their process for rating two congressional districts in California; they discuss Senate races in Virginia and Minnesota…