The Chuck ToddCast

Carolyn Ryan — deputy managing editor of The New York Times — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a candid conversation about the state of American journalism at a moment when the Times has become, as Ryan puts it, one of the last big independent organizations left in news. Ryan makes the case that serious journalism has become almost impossible without the resources the Times can still muster — deep-dive reporting requires enormous time, the best legal team in the business to withstand the threats and lawsuits now routinely aimed at the press, and an ownership structure insulated from market pressure. She's blunt about the difference the Ochs-Sulzberger family makes: newsrooms owned by publicly traded companies inevitably change their behavior to satisfy shareholders, while the family that controls the Times is, in her words, "ride or die" for journalism — a distinction that has never mattered more than it does now, even as she praises the excellent nonprofit newsrooms springing up around the country. Ryan explains how the Times is building regional reporting hubs and investing heavily in places like Texas on the theory that a truly national news organization needs a journalist in every state, why book reporting from stars like Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan often lands with more impact and candor than day-to-day breaking news, and how the paper decides which reporters get the coveted book leave that produces those deeper stories.
The conversation gets into the harder editorial questions facing the Times in the Trump era. Ryan discusses the paper's major investment in a more rigorous polling and data operation , its aggressive push into video to reach younger audiences, and the perennial tension over whether there should be a brighter line between the newsroom and the opinion page — a separation the Times has tried to clarify through design changes and by being more transparent about its process. Ryan is thoughtful about one of the thorniest challenges in modern journalism: how to handle the obvious lies told by Trump and other political figures, explaining that to actually call something a "lie" you have to establish intent, that the audience cares enormously about how things are described, and that the language should always be direct and forthright without tipping into hysteria. She closes with a sharp critique of the Pentagon kicking out reporters and banning contact with unauthorized military members — a policy she argues is not only unconstitutional but a direct threat to the journalism that keeps the public informed about how its military actually operates.
Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership

Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Carolyn Ryan joins the Chuck ToddCast
01:45 The NYT is the last big independent organization left in news
02:45 Positives & concerns about the state of media?
04:15 NYT stress importance of fact based reporting
05:00 It’s important for journalists to have access to resources
06:30 Journalists require access to legal resources
07:30 Deep dive journalism requires lots of time & resources
08:00 NYT has the best legal team in the business
09:00 Newsrooms owned by publicly traded companies change behavior
10:30 The Ochz-Sulzberger family is ride or die for journalism
11:30 Great non-profit newsrooms exist around the country
14:00 NYT is trying to build hubs in certain cities & regions
14:30 Book reporting can have greater impact than day-to-day reporting
16:00 What’s the NYT policy regarding book vs day-to-day reporting?
16:45 Haberman/Swan are a singular force in journalism
17:30 Haberman is a scoop machine
18:00 Situation room with Bibi scoop broke in the paper months ago
18:45 Book reporting offers depth and candor that breaking news doesn’t
20:45 How do you decide which reporters can go on book leave?
22:30 NYT has created a much more rigorous polling unit
23:00 Polling and data are huge investments for the Times
24:45 State level polls are a great way to take temperature on issues
26:00 Public opinion shift on Israel has been historically fast
27:30 NYT investing big in video to reach a younger audience
29:30 Journalism has to adapt to new technologies/platforms
32:30 Should there be a brighter line between the NYT & opinion page?
33:15 Times isn’t guided by audience capture or clicks
34:15 Changed the design of the opinion segment to differentiate it
36:00 Is the fact checking process the same for opinion pieces?
38:15 Have to be forthright about the journalism process for the audience
40:00 The impact of having your newsroom centered in NYC?
43:30 It’s important to elevate journalists from across the country
44:30 NYT is investing heavily in reporting in Texas
45:45 You want a national strategy, have a journalist in every state
48:00 Grappling with publishing Trump’s & others obvious lies
49:00 To call something a lie, you have to understand intent
50:30 The audience really cares about how things are described
51:00 Language should be direct & forthright, not hysterical
53:30 Audience is being numbed to the corruption stories
56:15 Unclear how the Dem establishment responds to progressive uprising
57:15 What’s being missed by Pentagon kicking out reporters?
58:00 Banning talking to unauthorized military members is unconstitutional
1:00:00 The importance of access journalism
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd delivers a sweeping, big-picture meditation on the Trump era and where it's ultimately headed, arguing that despite the widespread conviction that Trump is teflon and that nothing will ever take him down, his presidency will end not with a bang but a whimper — and history won't remember it well. He predicts that a century from now Trump will be remembered somewhere between Grover Cleveland and Richard Nixon, and that his act, like every previous iteration of Trump, will eventually wear out its welcome with the public — because it always has, and he's already entered some version of lame-duck territory. The heart of the episode is Chuck’s astonishment at Trump's financial disclosure, which he calls a brazen catalog of impeachable offenses. His sharpest line reframes Trump's entire brand: he doesn't actually "own the libs" — he owns the people who send him money, and he's utterly oblivious to the plight of anyone who isn't rich. He closes on a genuinely searching note — observing that Trump is visibly aging and less sharp, that the country is tired of him and it's starting to show, that his single greatest fear is exposure and ridicule, and that he's proving to be nothing more than a grifter.
Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the admission of several western states into the union and how it built the modern senate. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.


Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.


For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership

Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
04:00 Trump has been teflon, we’re convinced nothing will take him down
05:00 Trump era will end in a whimper, history won’t remember it well
07:15 In 100 years, Trump will be as remembered like Cleveland or Nixon
08:15 Trump admitted to rank corruption in his financial disclosures
09:45 Eventually, Trump’s act will wear out its welcome
10:45 Those who criticized Hunter Biden should be outraged about Trump
12:15 Trump has already entered some version of lame duck territory
14:00 Every era of Trump eventually wore out with the public
16:00 In politics, Trump has had nine lives. Survived when nobody else would
17:30 January 6th should have been the end of Trump… but wasn’t
19:15 The bribes from the middle east just keep getting worse and worse
21:15 Trump has lost his ability to influence anyone but his base
22:30 Trump’s financial disclosure is a catalog of impeachable offenses
23:15 Trump’s act feels like it’s entering its late-stage form
24:15 Trump made America 250 participation an endorsement of himself
28:00 Financial disclosure showed how brazen his corruption is
29:30 Trump’s disclosure was 927 pages, Obama’s was 8
31:00 Trump was anti-crypto until he realized he could monetize it personally
31:45 Trump has converted the presidency into a business
33:00 Trump doesn’t “own the libs”... he owns the people who send him money*
36:00 Trump is oblivious to the plight of anyone who isn’t rich
37:45 Trump has stakes in tons of companies with government contracts
39:30 In a healthy political system, this level of corruption would force retreat
41:15 Almost no Republicans appeared with him as he monetized the 4th of July
42:30 America should have been about the country, Trump made it about himself
44:15 Trump ignored warnings about the heat, put his own supporters at risk
46:30 The botched reflected pool is a perfect metaphor for Trump’s presidency
48:15 The white supremacist Patriot Front showed up in DC
49:00 Patriot Front felt emboldened and welcomed enough to show up in Trump’s DC
51:30 Trump is aging and not as sharp
52:15 The country is tired of Trump and it’s starting to show
53:30 Trump’s biggest fear is exposure and ridicule
55:30 Trump is politically vulnerable, he’s proving to only be a grifter
57:00 How did the country turn itself over to this man twice?
1:04:00 ToddCast Time Machine - July 10th, 1890
1:04:30 The U.S. had just admitted six new states and twelve Republican senators
1:05:15 Settlers were building the west, politicians were building the senate
1:07:00 Congress needed to replace votes from the south with votes from the west
1:08:15 Political considerations are why we have two Dakotas
1:08:45 The western states provided votes for a stronger federal government
1:10:30 The politicians had a public mandate to admit these states
1:11:15 Republicans built and maintained their political coalition via statehood admission
1:12:45 Politicians will always seek to give themselves political advantage
1:13:15 The map of America is a map based on political considerations
1:14:00 D.C. and Puerto Rico will eventually become states
1:14:45 Ask Chuck
1:15:00 Thoughts on D.C. statehood, do you support it?
1:18:15 What would it take for a 3rd party to have a viable chance of winning?
1:21:45 If Democrats take control of congress, do they risk stopping Trump’s arch?
1:25:00 What is holding back Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio governor’s race?
1:28:45 How could the Supreme Court overturn a constitutional amendment?
1:32:00 Props to Charleston, South Carolina and Miami helmet
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd delivers a sweeping, big-picture meditation on the Trump era and where it's ultimately headed, arguing that despite the widespread conviction that Trump is teflon and that nothing will ever take him down, his presidency will end not with a bang but a whimper — and history won't remember it well. He predicts that a century from now Trump will be remembered somewhere between Grover Cleveland and Richard Nixon, and that his act, like every previous iteration of Trump, will eventually wear out its welcome with the public — because it always has, and he's already entered some version of lame-duck territory. The heart of the episode is Chuck’s astonishment at Trump's financial disclosure, which he calls a brazen catalog of impeachable offenses. His sharpest line reframes Trump's entire brand: he doesn't actually "own the libs" — he owns the people who send him money, and he's utterly oblivious to the plight of anyone who isn't rich. He closes on a genuinely searching note — observing that Trump is visibly aging and less sharp, that the country is tired of him and it's starting to show, that his single greatest fear is exposure and ridicule, and that he's proving to be nothing more than a grifter.
Then, Carolyn Ryan — deputy managing editor of The New York Times — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a candid conversation about the state of American journalism at a moment when the Times has become, as Ryan puts it, one of the last big independent organizations left in news. Ryan makes the case that serious journalism has become almost impossible without the resources the Times can still muster — deep-dive reporting requires enormous time, the best legal team in the business to withstand the threats and lawsuits now routinely aimed at the press, and an ownership structure insulated from market pressure. She's blunt about the difference the Ochs-Sulzberger family makes: newsrooms owned by publicly traded companies inevitably change their behavior to satisfy shareholders, while the family that controls the Times is, in her words, "ride or die" for journalism — a distinction that has never mattered more than it does now, even as she praises the excellent nonprofit newsrooms springing up around the country. Ryan explains how the Times is building regional reporting hubs and investing heavily in places like Texas on the theory that a truly national news organization needs a journalist in every state, why book reporting from stars like Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan often lands with more impact and candor than day-to-day breaking news, and how the paper decides which reporters get the coveted book leave that produces those deeper stories.
The conversation gets into the harder editorial questions facing the Times in the Trump era. Ryan discusses the paper's major investment in a more rigorous polling and data operation , its aggressive push into video to reach younger audiences, and the perennial tension over whether there should be a brighter line between the newsroom and the opinion page — a separation the Times has tried to clarify through design changes and by being more transparent about its process. Ryan is thoughtful about one of the thorniest challenges in modern journalism: how to handle the obvious lies told by Trump and other political figures, explaining that to actually call something a "lie" you have to establish intent, that the audience cares enormously about how things are described, and that the language should always be direct and forthright without tipping into hysteria. She closes with a sharp critique of the Pentagon kicking out reporters and banning contact with unauthorized military members — a policy she argues is not only unconstitutional but a direct threat to the journalism that keeps the public informed about how its military actually operates.
Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the admission of several western states into the union and how it built the modern senate. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.

For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership

Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com

Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
04:00 Trump has been teflon, we’re convinced nothing will take him down
05:00 Trump era will end in a whimper, history won’t remember it well
07:15 In 100 years, Trump will be as remembered like Cleveland or Nixon
08:15 Trump admitted to rank corruption in his financial disclosures
09:45 Eventually, Trump’s act will wear out its welcome
10:45 Those who criticized Hunter Biden should be outraged about Trump
12:15 Trump has already entered some version of lame duck territory
14:00 Every era of Trump eventually wore out with the public
16:00 In politics, Trump has had nine lives. Survived when nobody else would
17:30 January 6th should have been the end of Trump… but wasn’t
19:15 The bribes from the middle east just keep getting worse and worse
21:15 Trump has lost his ability to influence anyone but his base
22:30 Trump’s financial disclosure is a catalog of impeachable offenses
23:15 Trump’s act feels like it’s entering its late-stage form
24:15 Trump made America 250 participation an endorsement of himself
28:00 Financial disclosure showed how brazen his corruption is
29:30 Trump’s disclosure was 927 pages, Obama’s was 8
31:00 Trump was anti-crypto until he realized he could monetize it personally
31:45 Trump has converted the presidency into a business
33:00 Trump doesn’t “own the libs”... he owns the people who send him money*
36:00 Trump is oblivious to the plight of anyone who isn’t rich
37:45 Trump has stakes in tons of companies with government contracts
39:30 In a healthy political system, this level of corruption would force retreat
41:15 Almost no Republicans appeared with him as he monetized the 4th of July
42:30 America should have been about the country, Trump made it about himself
44:15 Trump ignored warnings about the heat, put his own supporters at risk
46:30 The botched reflected pool is a perfect metaphor for Trump’s presidency
48:15 The white supremacist Patriot Front showed up in DC
49:00 Patriot Front felt emboldened and welcomed enough to show up in Trump’s DC
51:30 Trump is aging and not as sharp
52:15 The country is tired of Trump and it’s starting to show
53:30 Trump’s biggest fear is exposure and ridicule
55:30 Trump is politically vulnerable, he’s proving to only be a grifter
57:00 How did the country turn itself over to this man twice?
1:05:15 Carolyn Ryan joins the Chuck ToddCast
1:07:00 The NYT is the last big independent organization left in news
1:08:00 Positives & concerns about the state of media?
1:09:30 NYT stress importance of fact based reporting
1:10:15 It’s important for journalists to have access to resources
1:11:45 Journalists require access to legal resources
1:12:45 Deep dive journalism requires lots of time & resources
1:13:15 NYT has the best legal team in the business
1:14:15 Newsrooms owned by publicly traded companies change behavior
1:15:45 The Ochz-Sulzberger family is ride or die for journalism
1:16:45 Great non-profit newsrooms exist around the country
1:19:15 NYT is trying to build hubs in certain cities & regions
1:19:45 Book reporting can have greater impact than day-to-day reporting
1:21:15 What’s the NYT policy regarding book vs day-to-day reporting?
1:22:00 Haberman/Swan are a singular force in journalism
1:22:45 Haberman is a scoop machine
1:23:15 Situation room with Bibi scoop broke in the paper months ago
1:24:00 Book reporting offers depth and candor that breaking news doesn’t
1:26:00 How do you decide which reporters can go on book leave?
1:27:45 NYT has created a much more rigorous polling unit
1:28:15 Polling and data are huge investments for the Times
1:30:00 State level polls are a great way to take temperature on issues
1:31:15 Public opinion shift on Israel has been historically fast
1:32:45 NYT investing big in video to reach a younger audience
1:34:45 Journalism has to adapt to new technologies/platforms
1:37:45 Should there be a brighter line between the NYT & opinion page?
1:38:30 Times isn’t guided by audience capture or clicks
1:39:30 Changed the design of the opinion segment to differentiate it
1:41:15 Is the fact checking process the same for opinion pieces?
1:43:30 Have to be forthright about the journalism process for the audience
1:45:15 The impact of having your newsroom centered in NYC?
1:48:45 It’s important to elevate journalists from across the country
1:49:45 NYT is investing heavily in reporting in Texas
1:51:00 You want a national strategy, have a journalist in every state
1:53:15 Grappling with publishing Trump’s & others obvious lies
1:54:15 To call something a lie, you have to understand intent
1:55:45 The audience really cares about how things are described
1:56:15 Language should be direct & forthright, not hysterical
1:58:45 Audience is being numbed to the corruption stories
2:01:30 Unclear how the Dem establishment responds to progressive uprising
2:02:30 What’s being missed by Pentagon kicking out reporters?
2:03:15 Banning talking to unauthorized military members is unconstitutional
2:05:15 The importance of access journalism
2:08:15 Chuck’s thoughts on the interview with Caroline Ryan
2:11:00 ToddCast Time Machine - July 10th, 1890
2:11:30 The U.S. had just admitted six new states and twelve Republican senators
2:12:15 Settlers were building the west, politicians were building the senate
2:14:00 Congress needed to replace votes from the south with votes from the west
2:15:15 Political considerations are why we have two Dakotas
2:15:45 The western states provided votes for a stronger federal government
2:17:30 The politicians had a public mandate to admit these states
2:18:15 Republicans built and maintained their political coalition via statehood admission
2:19:45 Politicians will always seek to give themselves political advantage
2:20:15 The map of America is a map based on political considerations
2:21:00 D.C. and Puerto Rico will eventually become states
2:21:45 Ask Chuck
2:22:00 Thoughts on D.C. statehood, do you support it?
2:25:15 What would it take for a 3rd party to have a viable chance of winning?
2:28:45 If Democrats take control of congress, do they risk stopping Trump’s arch?
2:32:00 What is holding back Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio governor’s race?
2:35:45 How could the Supreme Court overturn a constitutional amendment?
2:39:00 Props to Charleston, South Carolina and Miami helmet
2:40:15 Thoughts on LeBron & his free agency
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd delivers a genuinely heartfelt lament that America's 250th anniversary — a moment that should have been enormous — has been shrunk, cheapened, and ultimately ruined by a president who turned the country's birthday into his own political rally. He argues the American experiment is a remarkable achievement worth celebrating in full, that "a more perfect union" is the single greatest phrase in the founding documents precisely because it acknowledges the country is a perpetual work in progress, and that the 250th should have been a moment to celebrate American progress rather than run from American history — to recognize that America is fundamentally an idea rather than an ethnicity. Instead, Trump has made the nation's birthday about Donald Trump: he created his own version of the celebration, turned "The Great American Fair" into a dud, and once again demonstrated his belief that everyone and everything must accommodate him. He says he feels genuinely betrayed watching the brand of America get sullied and cheapened this way, and argues the country desperately needs a president capable of rising above himself — something Trump has proven, again and again, he simply cannot do. He finds a silver lining in the Supreme Court blocking Trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship, arguing it proves this is a conservative court but not purely a Trump court — though he's sharply critical of the Court's campaign finance ruling, which he frames as a straightforward bailout of the Republican Party.. He closes by looking ahead: the Colorado primaries raised the question of whether the DSA movement has truly broken through.
Then, Debbie Cox Bultan — CEO of the NewDEAL, a network of center-left state and local elected officials focused on delivering results rather than fighting culture wars — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case for the unglamorous, often-overlooked pragmatic wing of the Democratic Party. Bultan argues that the center-left's defining challenge is structural and almost temperamental: moderates and pragmatists are, by their very nature, not the loud part of the coalition, which means they get drowned out. She rejects the premise that "fighting the other side" has to mean yelling, argues that governing effectively is still the best way for talented officials to rise through the ranks. Bultan notes a crucial asymmetry that gives her hope: the left has not actually dominated Democratic primaries the way the right has captured GOP primaries, in part because the perception of electability matters far more to base Democratic voters than it does to the Republican base — and she points to how even Mamdani's focus on affordability carried genuine cross-party appeal as evidence that pragmatic, results-oriented messaging still works.
The conversation digs into the deeper tensions facing the party heading into a favorable 2026 and a wide-open 2028. Bultan introduces the concept of "pragmatic disruption" — the idea that the people who genuinely want to disrupt a broken system actually need government to work to do it. Bultan argues the leadership of key left-leaning interest groups has drifted much further left than the actual Democratic electorate, advises candidates to stop answering interest-group questionnaires that force them into litmus-test corners, and warns that base voters can become obsessed with issues only 1% of the electorate actually cares about. She frames this moment — with Trump as a uniquely norm-breaking figure and the country's 250th anniversary approaching — as the perfect opening for a serious conversation about democracy reform.
Finally, he presents his ToddCast Top 5 list of the best fictional presidents seen on TV & movies and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.

From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com

Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial (980) 734-3985 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/chuck /*Paid Partnership

Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
03:30 The American 250 celebration sucks… Trump ruined it
04:00 America 250 should be much bigger, and keeps feeling smaller
05:45 The American experiment is a remarkable achievement
07:00 Modern American democracy didn’t start until the 1960s
07:30 “More Perfect Union” is greatest phrase in founding documents
08:15 250 should be celebrating our progress, not afraid of our history
09:00 SCOTUS blocking Trump’s ban on birthright citizenship was important
09:30 America is an idea, not an ethnicity
10:30 This was a moment to celebrate and also understand our history
11:00 Donald Trump has made the country’s birthday about Donald Trump*
12:15 Trump created his own version of the celebration
13:00 He turned the country’s birthday into his own political rally
14:45 Trump thinks everyone should accommodate him. Insult to Americans
15:30 The country needs a president that can rise above himself. Trump can’t
16:30 The Great American Fair could have been amazing. Instead it’s a dud
18:15 The big anniversaries force us to look at ourselves, not like what we see
19:45 Love the American story BECAUSE it’s complicated
21:00 Trump is showing us who he is by stealing this anniversary from us
22:00 Trump has sullied the brand of America, doesn’t have to be at 275
22:45 Feel betrayed as an American by this, resent seeing it cheapened
24:00 SCOTUS showed it’s a conservative court, but not a Trump court
25:15 There are partisans on the court, but the court itself isn’t purely partisan
26:15 Campaign finance ruling is a bail out of the Republican party
26:45 Campaigns can buy TV ads at a lower rate, outside groups can’t
28:00 Republicans have more big $ donors, Dems have more small $ donors
30:15 Court shows deference to congress if they are explicit in what they want
31:45 There will still be an effort to block birthright citizenship
32:30 Did Colorado primaries show the DSA movement has broken through?
33:15 Michigan will be the real test for the DSA
36:15 Let this be a lesson to anyone coming from Bidenworld
38:00 If Dems win both chambers, smooth path for Jeffries to speakership
38:45 Failure to win the senate will cause lots of finger pointing
46:30 Debbie Cox Bultan (New Deal Leaders) joins the Chuck ToddCast
48:30 What is the best way to describe the center-left?
50:00 New Deal is a group of center-left officials trying to deliver results
51:15 What’s different between New Deal and the DLCC?
51:45 Need to modernize progressive politics for the 21st century
53:15 Members don’t have to declare which part of coalition they are in
53:45 Governing effectively is the best way to rise up the ranks
55:00 The democratic pipeline for talent has proven to be effective
55:30 Want to support talented candidates once they get elected
56:45 By nature, the moderates/centrists aren’t a loud part of the coalition
57:45 Some voters treat bipartisan compromise as treason
58:30 Reject the idea that “fighting the other side” means yelling
59:15 20% of Democratic voters post the vast majority of online content
1:00:45 The political conflict isn’t just online, it’s starting to be everywhere
1:03:15 The institutionalists are now between the center left and right
1:04:00 State & local officials are the bright spots in American politics
1:05:15 Primary season heightens partisanship
1:06:00 The left hasn’t dominated Democratic primary elections
1:06:45 Perception of electability matters more to base Dems than base GOP
1:07:30 Mamdani’s focus on affordability has had cross party appeal to voters
1:08:45 Is there such a thing as “pragmatic disruption”?
1:09:45 People who want to be disrupters need government to work
1:14:15 Do Democrats need to diversify the backgrounds of their office holders?
1:15:00 More veterans are now running as Democrats
1:17:45 Trump is a uniquely troubling and norm-breaking person
1:18:30 Feels like beginning of the 20th century, need major reforms
1:19:45 The 250th anniversary is a great time to talk about democracy reform
1:20:45 Democrats are going to have a great election in ‘26
1:21:15 If Dems win both chambers, how do they govern with Trump?
1:23:00 What do you say to progressives who have never had the presidency?
1:25:15 The word socialism has a different meaning to different voters
1:26:00 Can center-left Dems get behind a DSA nominee?
1:28:00 Do progressives really want to risk someone like RFK running healthcare?
1:28:30 Progressives can’t rebrand the world socialism
1:30:45 Leadership of key interest groups on left are much further left now
1:31:15 Candidates shouldn’t answer questionnaires from interest groups
1:32:15 Base voters can obsess over issues 1% of electorate cares about
1:33:30 The donors are part of the problem, but that’s starting to change
1:34:30 Democrats need to do a lot more listening
1:35:00 What could you provide a local official that wants to run for higher office?
1:36:00 Helping candidates with pragmatic governing and skill development
1:39:15 Civic engagement and national service could help the country heal
1:42:30 ToddCast Top 5 Fictional Presidents
1:43:30 #5 David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) from 24
1:44:30 #4 Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) from Veep
1:46:00 #3 James Marshall (Harrison Ford) from Air Force One
1:47:45 #2 Thomas Whitmore (Bill Pullman) from Independence Day
1:48:45 #1 Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho (Terry Crews) from Idiocracy
1:51:00 Ask Chuck
1:51:15 What’s the point of voting down ballot when politicians vote on party lines?
1:59:00 Issue with Mamdani’s comments on Israel and religious/ethno states?
2:03:15 Expanding vote by mail?
2:05:00 Could Trump legally mount a write-in campaign?
2:10:00 Is America still not ready to elect a woman president?
2:13:30 What’s your take on the NPR retraction on Alito retirement?
2:20:45 How will Rubio/Vance dynamic play out in ‘28?
2:25:15 What’s the latest a SCOTUS justice can retire & get confirmed?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd delivers a genuinely heartfelt lament that America's 250th anniversary — a moment that should have been enormous — has been shrunk, cheapened, and ultimately ruined by a president who turned the country's birthday into his own political rally. He argues the American experiment is a remarkable achievement worth celebrating in full, that "a more perfect union" is the single greatest phrase in the founding documents precisely because it acknowledges the country is a perpetual work in progress, and that the 250th should have been a moment to celebrate American progress rather than run from American history — to recognize that America is fundamentally an idea rather than an ethnicity. Instead, Trump has made the nation's birthday about Donald Trump: he created his own version of the celebration, turned "The Great American Fair" into a dud, and once again demonstrated his belief that everyone and everything must accommodate him. He says he feels genuinely betrayed watching the brand of America get sullied and cheapened this way, and argues the country desperately needs a president capable of rising above himself — something Trump has proven, again and again, he simply cannot do. He finds a silver lining in the Supreme Court blocking Trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship, arguing it proves this is a conservative court but not purely a Trump court — though he's sharply critical of the Court's campaign finance ruling, which he frames as a straightforward bailout of the Republican Party.. He closes by looking ahead: the Colorado primaries raised the question of whether the DSA movement has truly broken through.
Finally, he presents his ToddCast Top 5 list of the best fictional presidents seen on TV & movies and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
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Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
03:30 The American 250 celebration sucks… Trump ruined it
04:00 America 250 should be much bigger, and keeps feeling smaller
05:45 The American experiment is a remarkable achievement
07:00 Modern American democracy didn’t start until the 1960s
07:30 “More Perfect Union” is greatest phrase in founding documents
08:15 250 should be celebrating our progress, not afraid of our history
09:00 SCOTUS blocking Trump’s ban on birthright citizenship was important
09:30 America is an idea, not an ethnicity
10:30 This was a moment to celebrate and also understand our history
11:00 Donald Trump has made the country’s birthday about Donald Trump*
12:15 Trump created his own version of the celebration
13:00 He turned the country’s birthday into his own political rally
14:45 Trump thinks everyone should accommodate him. Insult to Americans
15:30 The country needs a president that can rise above himself. Trump can’t
16:30 The Great American Fair could have been amazing. Instead it’s a dud
18:15 The big anniversaries force us to look at ourselves, not like what we see
19:45 Love the American story BECAUSE it’s complicated
21:00 Trump is showing us who he is by stealing this anniversary from us
22:00 Trump has sullied the brand of America, doesn’t have to be at 275
22:45 Feel betrayed as an American by this, resent seeing it cheapened
24:00 SCOTUS showed it’s a conservative court, but not a Trump court
25:15 There are partisans on the court, but the court itself isn’t purely partisan
26:15 Campaign finance ruling is a bail out of the Republican party
26:45 Campaigns can buy TV ads at a lower rate, outside groups can’t
28:00 Republicans have more big $ donors, Dems have more small $ donors
30:15 Court shows deference to congress if they are explicit in what they want
31:45 There will still be an effort to block birthright citizenship
32:30 Did Colorado primaries show the DSA movement has broken through?
33:15 Michigan will be the real test for the DSA
36:15 Let this be a lesson to anyone coming from Bidenworld
38:00 If Dems win both chambers, smooth path for Jeffries to speakership
38:45 Failure to win the senate will cause lots of finger pointing
45:00 ToddCast Top 5 Fictional Presidents
46:00 #5 David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) from 24
47:00 #4 Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) from Veep
48:30 #3 James Marshall (Harrison Ford) from Air Force One
50:15 #2 Thomas Whitmore (Bill Pullman) from Independence Day
51:15 #1 Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho (Terry Crews) from Idiocracy
53:30 Ask Chuck
53:45 What’s the point of voting down ballot when politicians vote on party lines?
1:01:30 Issue with Mamdani’s comments on Israel and religious/ethno states?
1:05:45 Expanding vote by mail?
1:07:30 Could Trump legally mount a write-in campaign?
1:12:30 Is America still not ready to elect a woman president?
1:16:00 What’s your take on the NPR retraction on Alito retirement?
1:23:15 How will Rubio/Vance dynamic play out in ‘28?
1:27:45 What’s the latest a SCOTUS justice can retire & get confirmed?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.