Beyond Politics

President Biden's candidacy is in what's increasingly looking like a death spiral. But "should he stick it out or should he drop out" is the wrong question. There is a much better and a much more important question that Democrats really need to ask. Also, is the Supreme Court's presidential immunity decision as bad as it seemed; should Russian athletes should be banned from international athletic competitions; and why sometimes scientific advance can be downright disgusting. 02:24 The Biden Question: Will He or Won't He? 04:05 Democratic Party's Internal Chaos 10:39 Polling and Public Perception 19:05 The Future of the Democratic Party 24:40 Debating Kamala Harris's Role 30:44 The Supreme Court's Immunity Ruling 39:54 Politics in International Sports 45:17 The Creepy Robot Face

"The president is now a king above the law. With fear for our democracy, I dissent." Those were the words of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor about yesterday's Supreme court decision conferring what the press described as "partial immunity" on Donald Trump and future presidents for crimes they may commit in office. But the reality goes much deeper than that. Legal scholar Kim Wehle -- a former US Attorney who regularly explains rulings like this on ABC news (subscribe to her substack here)-- explains the stark reality of what this ruling could mean. 01:29 Implications of the Ruling 03:42 Motivated Reasoning and Judicial Philosophy 09:37 The Role of Intent and Evidence 12:58 Political and Social Ramifications 22:08 The Importance of Voting and Democracy 25:36 Conclusion: Reflecting on the Future

BONUS EPISODE: There are two paths in the road ahead for Biden and the Democrats after President Joe Biden's rough debate. There is a roadmap for how he can recover--but can Biden pull it off? And if he can't, what does the unprecedented pathway of him dropping out look like? CHECK OUT MATT'S NEWSWEEK ARTICLE COVERING THIS ISSUE IN DEPTH: https://www.newsweek.com/disastrous-debate-biden-leaves-path-forward-democrats-opinion-1918957 01:44 Analyzing Biden's Debate Performance 03:38 Media Reactions and Public Perception 08:47 Strategic Pathways for Biden 10:40 Potential Replacement Scenarios 24:36 Concluding Thoughts

The debate went very badly for Joe Biden. And whether it's fair or not, the reality is that Biden's path to stopping Trump has gotten much harder. Matt, Paul, and Alicia delve into the key question of what happens next. Can Biden recover? What would that take? And if his team concludes that he can't, what would that look like? 01:32 Analyzing Biden's Performance 04:13 Media Perception and Reality 09:11 Debate Performance vs. Presidential Capability 12:12 The Elephant in the Room: Biden's Future 14:07 Strategies for Biden's Campaign 19:44 Political Campaign Strategies 24:40 Potential Democratic Candidates 26:51 The Chaos of an Open Convention 29:44 Democratic Party's Path Forward 36:33 Closing Thoughts -- Just in Case It All Goes Wrong

Delving into the challenges of the ongoing fight for America's soul, the podcast discusses the 2024 election strategies, Trump's criminal record, the divide between urban and rural voters, the messaging and advertising tactics of the Democratic Party, and the need for authenticity in political communication.

Why did the Biden campaign decide to launch a blistering new line of attack right now? And what does it tell us about what his closest advisers are seeing from the inside? We connected a few dots to try to figure out the answer. Also, a flood of big news from the tech and political world, including. And, has the Trump campaign figured out how to manipulate the media as laziness and in attention. And we close with a really delicious story, which ends up with me asking: Is Alicia Preston a French RINO traitor. But we had to start with the news yesterday of a sweeping new investigation into MAGA Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz, and an unprecedented broadside from the House Ethics committee. 00:59 Matt Gaetz Under Investigation 06:37 Biden Campaign's New Strategy 10:18 Ground Game Importance in Elections 16:01 Hi-Tech Hijinks and Social Media Concerns 20:13 The Surgeon General's Warning on Social Media 24:29 Trump Campaign's Media Manipulation 31:40 Soccer Predictions and Politics

With Donald Trump's sentencing in New York rapidly approaching, we ask, what should we want out of the judges sentencing? It's really not that clear cut, since the answer invokes issues of justice, precedent and practical politics. What will this mean for the 2024 election? How would different sentences change voters' perceptions and each sides' message? 03:38 Trump's Legal Troubles and Political Implications 15:22 Sentencing Possibilities and Ramifications

So what happened when Donald Trump went back to the scene of the crime? We're talking of course, about his visit to Congress, the independent branch of government that he urged his supporters to attack as he inspired them to attempted insurrection. We also got into the hunter Biden verdict, and the question of whether Members of Congress really misplayed the political messaging about it. We also talked about the abortion pill ruling and how the media handled that. And then today is Donald Trump's birthday. And we took the liberty at the very end of the show of proposing our very own set of birthday presents for him. 01:00 Trump's Capitol Hill Visit: A Bizarre Return 06:36 Trump's Influence and Republican Sycophancy 12:08 Nikki Haley and the Future of the Republican Party 19:34 Supreme Court Ruling on Mifepristone 24:57 Hunter Biden's Legal Troubles 30:21 Justice System and Political Influence 38:02 Trump's Birthday

Today, we look at the source of power that has driven the Republican Party for the last five decades, and has shaped the policies, politics, and politicians who in turn shape our lives. Political scientist EJ Fagan's new book 'The Thinkers,' dives into the origins, methods, and extensive power that these institutions quietly wield. 01:07 The Power Behind the Throne 03:41 The Garbage Can Model in Policy Making 11:32 Heritage's Legacy and Modern Think Tanks 20:05 The Intellectual Orthodoxy of Conservatism 20:53 Nixon and Environmental Policies 21:58 The Laffer Curve and Alternative Facts 27:31 Think Tanks and Policy Influence 34:56 Funding and Influence of Think Tanks 38:09 Polarization and the Role of Think Tanks

Int he aftermath of Donald Trump's felony conviction, polls are suggesting that critical voters are turning on him. So why are all the big name Republicans so determined to stick with him, and suggest dangerous, scary reprisals? Also is Biden's big border executive order going to make a political difference. Plus, President Biden boxed in Bibi Netanyahu on the peace deal that's on the table between Israel and Hamas. Finally, we have a bold prediction on the NBA finals. 01:03 The Aftermath of Trump's Conviction 05:02 Republican Disconnect and MAGA Penalty 06:54 Faith in Voters and Polling Insights 17:48 Biden's Border Executive Order 27:35 Netanyahu and the Israel-Gaza Conflict 36:53 NBA Finals Predictions and Conclusion