The Al Franken Podcast

Madeleine Dean, a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania and former impeachment manager, discusses curbing presidential pardon power after blatant corrupt pardons. She critiques blanket January 6th pardons. They explore pay-for-pardons, high-profile clemencies, links between pardons and foreign policy grift, and ICE mistreatment including conditions at the Dilley detention center.

George Packer, Atlantic staff writer and political profile expert, discusses his reporting on J.D. Vance. He explores Vance's troubled upbringing, Marine service, Yale years, and rise from bestselling author to national politician. Packer examines influences like Peter Thiel and the shift from thoughtful writer to MAGA culture warrior. The conversation also touches on what Democrats might do in response.

Brian Tyler Cohen, YouTuber and progressive political commentator, digs into the U.S.-Iran conflict and how Trump framed it. They discuss credibility, the controversy over the girls' school strike, domestic policy fallout like ACA and food aid cuts, and whether the conflict has clear objectives or risks wider escalation.

Paul Rieckhoff, Iraq War veteran and CEO offering a veteran's perspective on military policy and human costs. David Rothkopf, foreign affairs analyst and author with expertise in national security and geopolitics. They unpack the origins of U.S.–Iran hostility, debate military effectiveness versus strategy, warn about regional escalation and nuclear risks, and scrutinize political motives and transparency in the campaign.

Ari Berman, National Voting Rights Correspondent for Mother Jones and author covering U.S. elections, breaks down alarming tactics to interfere with the 2026 midterms. He discusses the Fulton County ballot seizure, the SAVE America Act's voter-document rules, redistricting shifts, and how enforcement tactics and legal moves could reshape turnout and control.

Molly Jong-Fast, writer and podcaster known for political commentary and New York Times pieces, returns to unpack recent political scandals. They discuss the partial release of Epstein files and withheld pages. They dig into Howard Lutnick’s ties, Prince Andrew’s arrest, threats to voting access from the SAVE Act, GOP strategy on the filibuster, CBS vs Colbert tensions, EPA rollbacks, ICE raids, and Trump-era corruption.

Mark Leibovich, Atlantic staff writer known for sharp political profiles, dissects Trump's chaos, from humiliation-as-management to corruption tied to policy. He breaks down immigration actions, the Epstein/Bondi fallout, and how Trump's tactics reshape governance. Leibovich also surveys Democratic infighting and the party’s path toward finding a winning future candidate.

Dahlia Lithwick, senior editor at Slate and host of Amicus, breaks down how recent court decisions shape accountability and civil liberties. She traces troubling ICE actions, the implications of federal seizures of ballots, and key Supreme Court fights on voting rights, birthright citizenship, tariffs, and transparency. Short, urgent, and wide-ranging conversation about the risks to democratic institutions.

Norm Ornstein, political scientist and emeritus AEI scholar, breaks down ICE’s aggressive actions in Minnesota and the community response. They cover alleged abuses, children used as bait, political fallout for figures like Stephen Miller and Kristi Noem, risks to voter rolls, and local mutual aid and observer efforts.

Wendell Potter, former Cigna VP turned whistleblower and health reform advocate. He recounts two harrowing stories that pushed him to speak out. He explains how prior authorization, high deductibles, PBMs, and expired ACA subsidies destabilize the market. He discusses Medicare Advantage, vertical integration, and why policy choices matter now more than ever.