Runaway Country with Alex Wagner
Runaway Country with Alex Wagner
Being an American right now is a wild ride. Every day brings a new controversy, breathless media narratives, and the same loud voices rushing in to score political points. Then another Truth Social post drops and the circus moves on. But all that noise is drowning out the actual story. On her new podcast Runaway Country, veteran journalist Alex Wagner talks to the voices at the center of the headlines: from the fringes of the resistance, to the marrow of MAGA, to the many people who’ve found themselves smack-dab in the crosshairs of a fight they never asked for. Because if you want to understand our unreal times, you’ve got to talk to the very real people who are experiencing it all first-hand. Join Alex as she brings together the stories of everyday Americans trapped in our national car with no brakes, alongside conversations with some of the smartest thinkers in politics. Buckle up, this road could lead anywhere.
New episodes every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts, and @RunawayCountryWithAlexWagner on YouTube.
If you have a story to share, send us an email or one-minute voice note at runawaycountry@crooked.com.
New episodes every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts, and @RunawayCountryWithAlexWagner on YouTube.
If you have a story to share, send us an email or one-minute voice note at runawaycountry@crooked.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books
37 snips
May 7, 2026 • 1h 10min
Trump’s Perverted Justice
Kate Shaw, law professor and Strict Scrutiny host, offers concise legal analysis of indictments, pardons, and institutional reform. Mike Gordon, former assistant U.S. Attorney who prosecuted January 6th and was fired in 2025, recounts purges and loyalty-driven DOJ changes. They discuss the Comey seashell charge, mass pardons, politicized prosecutions, and what will be needed to restore the justice system.
41 snips
Apr 30, 2026 • 1h 19min
The President and The Press
Clayton Wymers, Executive Director at Reporters Without Borders USA, outlines the World Press Freedom Index. Simon Ostrovsky, investigative reporter who survived a 2014 kidnapping in eastern Ukraine, recounts that ordeal. Brian Stelter, CNN chief media analyst, breaks down chaos at the White House Correspondents Dinner and growing institutional pressure on broadcasters. They focus on threats to journalism and how the press is responding.
24 snips
Apr 23, 2026 • 1h 9min
The Gas Prices Are Too Damn High
Alex Wetherall, a Massachusetts gas station owner, explains how wholesale price swings force retail decisions. Jim Ellinger, an Uber driver in Las Vegas, shares how rising fuel costs hit gig incomes and safety choices. Derek Thompson, writer and podcaster known for economic analysis, connects fuel spikes to wider supply, fertilizer, and political consequences. Multiple short conversations reveal immediate financial strain and systemic ripple effects.
24 snips
Apr 16, 2026 • 1h 7min
Trump’s Unholy War Against the Church
Jennifer Palmieri, former White House communications director and Democratic strategist, offers political analysis of Catholic swing voters. Doug Padgett, pastor and faith consultant, shares on-the-ground reactions from churches torn between loyalty and conscience. They discuss the Pope-Trump clash, shifting Catholic influence, wounded faith communities, and how religious voters might move politically.
54 snips
Apr 9, 2026 • 1h 2min
MAGA Turns on The Mad King
Brian Tyler Cohen, political commentator and No Lie host, breaks down MAGA figures turning on Trump. Mohamed Arrachedi, ITF coordinator, describes dire conditions for thousands of seafarers trapped near the Strait of Hormuz. They discuss threats against Iran, crew abandonment and logistics for evacuations, rising economic fallout, and calls to use the 25th Amendment.
33 snips
Apr 2, 2026 • 1h 17min
Will Trump Profit from War with Iran?
A probing look at whether foreign cash and Gulf influence shape U.S. policy toward Iran. Conversations trace close ties between Trump-era figures and Saudi money, plus how investments and security deals create leverage. Discussion also covers profiteering schemes, conflicts of interest across appointees, and how transactional politics reshape national decisions.
20 snips
Mar 26, 2026 • 1h 6min
ICE Goons at the Airport and DACA Detentions (w/ Jonathan V. Last)
Jonathan V. Last, political analyst at The Bulwark, offers perspective on immigration policy and bureaucratic tactics. Stephanie Villarreal, immigrant rights advocate, shares her husband’s DACA detention and family impact. They discuss ICE at airports, hidden administrative maneuvers that change legal status, the politics around DHS funding, and how public outrage might—or might not—drive lasting reform.
43 snips
Mar 19, 2026 • 1h 18min
Trump's Plan for Iran....Is No Plan
Claire McCaskill, former U.S. senator turned political analyst, weighs in on the political fallout and electoral math. Wes Bryant, retired Master Sergeant and Pentagon civilian-protection advisor, recounts how dismantling civilian-harm safeguards shaped the conflict. They discuss misidentified strikes, moral and military consequences, rising gas prices, allied reluctance, and calls for congressional oversight.
59 snips
Mar 12, 2026 • 1h 16min
Trump’s War of Choice Against Iran (w/ Rachel Maddow)
Adam Schiff, U.S. Senator focused on national security and oversight. Rachel Maddow, TV host and political commentator known for deep national security analysis. They tackle Congress reclaiming war powers. They debate public hearings and accountability. They unpack presidential missteps, administration chaos, moral costs of strikes, and how global reputations shift amid the conflict.
24 snips
Mar 5, 2026 • 1h 21min
The Other MAGA War….At Home
Erin Ryan, Crooked Media’s Hysteria host and political commentator, breaks down conservative plans like the Heritage Foundation’s family proposals. Sharon Johnson, former trad wife and Wake Her Up podcaster, shares leaving the LDS world and finding choice as a mother of six. They discuss the trad wife trend, political incentives pushing domestic roles, social-media aesthetics, and historical harms tied to pronatalist policy.
