The Axe Files with David Axelrod

Ben Rhodes, President Obama’s deputy national security advisor for strategic communications and speechwriting, speaks with David about his road to the White House, the role of Saudi Arabia in 9/11, working with Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, what went wrong in Libya, his optimism about lifting the Cuban embargo, and his defense of the President’s approach to foreign policy.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

National Journal Political Columnist Ron Fournier sits down with David to talk about his new book, "Love That Boy," and the lessons he learned raising an autistic son, as well as his time covering the Clinton White House, his assessment of Hillary, and the clamor for change in Washington.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Abner Mikva, a 60-plus year veteran of politics and public service, including stints in the Illinois statehouse, Congress, and the Federal Court of Appeals, joins David to examine his journey through political history, how Congress has changed, the ongoing Supreme Court nomination debate, and more.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Democratic Senator from Minnesota Amy Klobuchar joins David to talk about her unconventional path to public service, her father's struggles with alcoholism, the battle over the Supreme Court nomination, and her work to end the trade embargo on Cuba.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jamie Kalven, the award–winning journalist who broke the Laquan McDonald story in Chicago, speaks with David about the sexual assault on his wife, the city’s rampant gun violence, and what can be done to improve his hometown’s problems.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dan Balz, political reporter at The Washington Post, sits down with David to discuss his start in journalism at the University of Illinois, his career covering politics, and his thoughts on the 2016 presidential race, including why he thinks the eventual winner will have a difficult time governing.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The refusal of Senate Republicans to consider President Obama's Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland until after the 2016 election is an "unprecedented" move, says former Obama Administration official Ron Klain. Klain also touches on his work overseeing the Obama Administration's economic stimulus bill and coordinating its response to the Ebola outbreak, as well as his assessment of the ongoing Democratic primary.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark Leibovich, the chief national correspondent for The New York Times Magazine and author of "This Town," chats with David about his start in journalism, his nearly two decades living in Washington, D.C., and his thoughts on Donald Trump's successes and what a Trump vs. Hillary Clinton campaign would look like.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott chats with David about his upbringing in Mississippi, his cheerleading days at Ole Miss, his concerns with the historic gridlock seen today in Congress, and his opinions on the ongoing Supreme Court confirmation debate and the GOP presidential primary.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) spends his Super Tuesday talking with David on Capitol Hill about why he opposes GOP frontrunner Donald Trump, why he thinks the Republican Party is falling apart, and how his parents' owning a bar in a small South Carolina town helped prepare him for a career in politics.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices