

What A Day
What A Day
If you’re looking for hype, fake outrage, and groupthink, kindly keep moving. Our mission at What a Day is simple: to be your guide to what truly matters each morning (and the fun stuff you might have missed) in just 20 minutes. Host Jane Coaston brings you in-depth reporting and substantive analysis on the big stories shaping today and the creeping trends shaping tomorrow—and when she doesn’t know the answers, she asks someone even smarter to fill us all in. Radical, right? New episodes at 5:00 a.m. EST, Monday–Friday in your favorite podcast app and on YouTube. Being informed was never this easy.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 21, 2024 • 14min
The ICC Seeks Arrest Warrants For Israeli and Hamas Leaders
The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor on Monday announced plans to seek arrest warrants for the leaders of Hamas and Israel — including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — over their actions during the war in Gaza. Farther east in Iran, the country’s supreme leader looked to project stability after President Ebrahim Raisi and another top official died in a helicopter accident Sunday. Vox foreign affairs reporter Ellen Ioanes explains what’s at stake for both countries amid simmering tensions in the Middle East.And in headlines: Prosectors in Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial officially rested their case against the former president, voters in Georgia head to the polls to cast ballots in the state’s primary election, and organizers in Nevada say they’ve gathered more than enough signatures to qualify a ballot referendum that would enshrine abortion rights in the state’s constitution.Correction: This episode previously stated that Rudy Giuliani was set to testify in Trump’s hush money trial. He’s not set to testify — he was arraigned in Arizona Tuesday.Show Notes:
What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
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For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

May 20, 2024 • 22min
Morehouse Graduates Silently Protest Biden's Commencement Speech
President Joe Biden gave the commencement speech at Morehouse College’s graduation ceremony on Sunday. Some students and faculty at the historically black college in Atlanta protested his presence on campus amid the war in Gaza.Donald Trump’s criminal hush-money case may wind down this week in Manhattan. The prosecution could rest its case as soon as today. Longtime federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann says while Trump could still decide to testify, he likely knows it would be ‘suicide.’And in headlines: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash in the country's mountainous northwest, Sunday. Iran state media reported there were 'no survivors,' Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz says he'll leave the country's government in June if it doesn't come up with a plan for the war in Gaza, and rapper P. Diddy released an apology after CNN published surveillance video from 2016 of him physically assaulting his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. Show Notes:
Listen to WAD episode with Morehouse Professor Andrew Douglas https://tinyurl.com/mv5mfyx5
What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

May 18, 2024 • 28min
The Hidden Roots of America's Baby Bust
Exploring the factors behind declining birth rates globally, from historical baby booms to modern societal pressures. Discussing ineffective policies like Romania's abortion ban and the impact of intensive parenting on birth rates. Delving into the complex interplay of birth rates, immigration, and societal challenges in affluent nations.

May 17, 2024 • 19min
Wins For Voters in Louisiana and Wisconsin
This week, we saw some big wins in the fight to expand access to the ballot box. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court reinstated a second majority Black congressional district in Louisiana. Earlier in the week, the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s liberal majority looked poised to overturn a two-year-old decision banning nearly all absentee ballot drop boxes. Still, a new report from the Brennan Center for Justice shows voters in more than half the states will face new restrictions on voting that weren’t there four years ago. Kareem Crayton, senior director of voting rights and representation at the Brennan Center, gives us the lay of the land on ballot access heading into November.And in headlines: House Republicans moved to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt after the White House blocked the release of audio of President Joe Biden’s interviews with a special counsel over his handling of classified documents, the Supreme Court rebuffed a conservative-backed effort to challenge the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and an Indiana judge says tacos and burritos are legally sandwiches.Show Notes:
Brennan Center Voting Laws Roundup: May 2024 https://tinyurl.com/3bp8a5b9
What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

May 16, 2024 • 20min
DOJ Vows To Protect Election Workers
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump agreed to two debates on Wednesday. In agreeing to the debates, Biden and Trump are bucking the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which had been organizing debates since the 80s.U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said this week that the Department of Justice will “aggressively” prosecute anyone who threatens election workers ahead of the 2024 election. The announcement comes as a new poll from the Brennan Center for Justice found that more than half of local election officials are scared for their safety. Alexis Johnson, a former VICE News reporter who covers race, politics, and culture, says despite good intentions, Garland and the DOJ will likely struggle to keep that promise, leaving election workers vulnerable.And in headlines: Inflation dipped slightly in April, the number of Americans who died from a drug overdose decreased for the first time in five years, and a high-level Biden appointee resigned in protest of the U.S.’s continued support for Israel and its war in Gaza.Show Notes:
What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday
New York Immigration Coalition https://www.nyic.org/get-involved/

May 15, 2024 • 16min
Trump's Surrogates Take Center Stage In Manhattan
Trump's former fixer Michael Cohen testifies in the hush money trial, while MAGA Republicans defend Trump outside the courtroom. Maryland's future Senate race is set with Alsobrooks and Hogan as candidates, while Blinken reaffirms support for Ukraine. Biden announces higher tariffs on Chinese imports, covering electric vehicles, solar panels, semiconductors, steel, and aluminum.

May 14, 2024 • 17min
Poll: Biden Losing Ground In Battleground States, But Don't Panic
Dan Pfeiffer from Pod Save America discusses new polls showing Trump ahead in battleground states and Biden's struggle with young voters. They caution on narrow poll snapshots and its limitations. The episode covers Michael Cohen's trial, state primaries, and Louisiana's abortion pill classification.

12 snips
May 13, 2024 • 19min
The Fiasco That Delayed College Decision Day
Ellie Bruecker, Director of research at the Institute for College Access and Success, discusses the delays in college decision day due to FAFSA issues. Topics include Israeli forces in Gaza, student protests at commencement speeches, Senator Bob Menendez's corruption trial, and Shakira's tax troubles.

19 snips
May 11, 2024 • 34min
What’s Really Behind America’s Generational Divide Over Israel
Exploring the generational divide in American attitudes towards Israel, from historical shifts to current viewpoints. Discussing the impact of media bias during the Second Intifada and the interplay between anti-American sentiments and support for Israel. Analyzing the evolving American perceptions of the Israel-Palestine conflict over the years, influenced by political figures and significant events. Delving into the shift from bipartisan to partisan support for Israel and the overall decrease in support among Americans, reflecting changing opinions.

May 10, 2024 • 16min
A Stormy Week In The Hush Money Trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand this week in the hush money trial against former President Donald Trump. And let's just say she didn't hold back from describing what went down between them. We spoke with attorney Norm Eisen, author of "Trying Trump: A Guide to His First Election Interference Criminal Trial," to get his impressions of Trump's outlook in the New York criminal case and review the other cases the former President faces.And in headlines: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responds to Biden's threat to cut off some military aid to Israel, universities shun U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and Barron Trump is selected as a delegate-at-large to the Republican National Convention. Show Notes:
What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/
For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday


