Pod Save America
Pod Save America
Pod Save America is a no-b******t conversation about politics hosted by former Obama aides Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer, and Tommy Vietor. It cuts through the noise to break down the week’s news and helps people figure out what matters and how they can help. They’re regularly joined by journalists, activists, politicians, entertainers, and world leaders. You can watch on YouTube or listen to new episodes every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.
Subscribe to Friends of the Pod! Your subscription makes Crooked’s work possible and gives you access to ad-free episodes of Pod Save America and Pod Save the World, plus exclusive content and a lively Discord community. Learn more and subscribe at crooked.com/friends or on Apple Podcasts.
For a transcript of an episode of Pod Save America, please email transcripts@crooked.com.
Subscribe to Friends of the Pod! Your subscription makes Crooked’s work possible and gives you access to ad-free episodes of Pod Save America and Pod Save the World, plus exclusive content and a lively Discord community. Learn more and subscribe at crooked.com/friends or on Apple Podcasts.
For a transcript of an episode of Pod Save America, please email transcripts@crooked.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books
97 snips
May 12, 2026 • 1h 7min
AOC vs. Bezos
A heated back-and-forth over Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's response to a major newspaper and the billionaire debate. Deep dives into collapsing Iran ceasefire talks and the risks of control over the Strait of Hormuz. Discussion of a bizarre proposal to make Venezuela a state and the optics of a presidential trip with tech billionaires. Analysis of Virginia’s tossed congressional maps and the real impact of gerrymandering.
69 snips
May 10, 2026 • 1h 9min
Will Raphael Warnock Hear the Call?
Raphael Warnock, U.S. senator from Georgia and senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist, discusses voting rights, faith in public life, and building lasting political movements. He reacts to the Supreme Court’s voting rights rulings, links moral imagination to policy choices like childcare and healthcare, and talks about nonviolence, organizing after legal setbacks, and the role of clergy in politics.
144 snips
May 8, 2026 • 1h 38min
It's One Ballroom, Donald, How Much Could It Cost?
Tom Steyer, billionaire philanthropist and former presidential candidate now running for California governor. He discusses California’s housing crisis and permitting bottlenecks. He talks healthcare reform ambitions without detailing specifics. He addresses taxes, business competitiveness, and protecting the state’s film industry.
97 snips
May 5, 2026 • 1h 39min
Trump Is Falling. Are Democrats Rising?
Melissa Murray, NYU law professor and constitutional law scholar, joins a lively conversation on Trump’s sinking polls, why Democrats are not cashing in, and the political chaos around Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. They also dig into Spirit’s collapse, redistricting fights, John Fetterman drama, abortion court battles, and her new Constitution book.
218 snips
May 3, 2026 • 1h 16min
Bernie vs. the Robots
Bernie Sanders, Vermont’s progressive senator, talks AI slowdowns, super PAC money, and growing pressure to halt weapons sales to Israel. Peter Hamby, a political journalist at Puck, dives into online conspiracy culture on the left, rising violent rhetoric, Maine’s Senate race, and California’s surprisingly flat governor contest.
200 snips
May 1, 2026 • 1h 41min
Did Trump's Supreme Court Rig the Midterms?
Alex Wagner, MSNBC journalist and political commentator, joins the main news chat, while Zach Wahls, Iowa state senator and Senate hopeful, talks Iowa’s high-stakes race. They dig into the Supreme Court’s hit to voting protections, redistricting chaos, Trump’s revenge politics, Pete Hegseth’s fiery testimony, and why farmers are caught in the political crossfire.
81 snips
Apr 29, 2026 • 43min
Why Is the DNC Hiding Its Own 2024 Autopsy?
Ken Martin, DNC chair and longtime Democratic strategist, joins for a tense conversation about the unreleased 2024 after-action report. He defends keeping the full autopsy private, sparring over transparency and who gets to see it. They also dig into donor distrust, fundraising spin, early spending, debt, and the logic behind a 50-state strategy.
151 snips
Apr 28, 2026 • 1h 25min
Political Violence Shocks Washington
Katie Porter, former California congresswoman and whiteboard-wielding watchdog, joins for a brisk dive into Washington violence, Trump’s rush to pin blame, security gaps, and the weird ballroom angle. There’s also talk of online conspiracy spirals, the Iran stalemate, and Porter’s California governor run centered on voter apathy, affordability, taxes, and proving government works.
181 snips
Apr 26, 2026 • 1h 7min
Are Trump Voters Feeling Buyer's Remorse? (With Sarah Longwell)
Sarah Longwell, publisher of The Bulwark and a focus-group researcher, digs into what Trump and swing voters are saying now. They get into blame for high prices, backlash over Iran, MAGA infighting, and why Epstein talk fuels betrayal and conspiracy. They also touch on AI anxiety, RFK Jr. disappointment, Democratic anger, and Marco Rubio’s surprising 2028 buzz.
151 snips
Apr 24, 2026 • 1h 22min
Trump Loses the Gerrymander War
Mark Leibovich, Atlantic staff writer and sharp chronicler of Washington, joins for a lively chat on California’s messy governor race and the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Also: Democrats score a big Virginia redistricting win, Trump’s polls sink, Iran tensions deepen in the Strait of Hormuz, and Kash Patel plus a bizarre DHS scandal add more chaos.
