The Chuck ToddCast

Full Episode - Trump Is Exhibiting 25th Amendment Behavior + How To Get Money Out Of Politics For Good Chuck Todd takes a hard look at Donald Trump’s increasingly egregious behavior and the growing questions surrounding his cognitive fitness for the presidency, sparked by a recent post that crossed a line even for many on the right. He asks what would happen if any other public figure behaved this way, why similar concerns about Biden’s decline were openly discussed while Trump’s are often brushed aside, and whether the country is getting a straight story about the former president’s health. With no clear guardrails, no apparent filters, and staff either unable or unwilling to intervene, the episode raises uncomfortable but urgent questions about judgment, accountability, and risk. Then, Jeff Clements, CEO of American Promise joins Chuck for a deep dive into one of the most consequential—and misunderstood—threats to American democracy: money in politics. Clements argues that today’s campaign finance dysfunction isn’t a failure of legislation but a court-created crisis, tracing how Supreme Court rulings turned money into speech, opened massive loopholes, and shifted lawmaking power from Congress to the judiciary. From McCain-Feingold to super PACs, the conversation unpacks why courts have repeatedly blocked reform efforts and why the problem isn’t free speech itself, but the unchecked amplification that allows wealth to drown out everyone else. The discussion turns to whether a constitutional amendment is the only viable path forward, how such an amendment could reclaim authority from the courts, and what it would take to build support across 38 states. Drawing parallels to the Gilded Age and the founders’ obsession with corruption, Clements explains why Americans broadly understand the system is broken—even if it’s hard to make campaign finance a voting issue. In a moment of democratic crisis, he makes the case that meaningful reform is still possible, and that restoring political equality could become a rare point of unity in a deeply polarized era. Finally, Chuck gives his ToddCast Top 5 book recommendations for political junkies and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 02:45 Money in politics has gotten out of control 03:45 North Carolina senate race will likely cost a billion dollars 04:30 One outside group can spend more than both campaigns combined 05:00 An amendment is the only way get campaign finance past judiciary 05:45 The judiciary has legislated campaign finance from the bench 07:30 Does the latest outrage over Trump’s Reiner tweet mean anything? 08:30 Trump’s post was a bridge too far for even some on the right 09:00 If any of us posted that, it would cost us jobs, relationships & more 10:30 At what point is Trump’s behavior 25th amendment type alarming? 11:15 Either his staff said something & he ignored it, or nobody said anything 12:15 Biden’s mental decline was apparent 14:00 Judging Trump’s mental decline is harder due to erratic behavior 17:15 It’s possible Trump feared one of his supporters murdered Reiner 18:00 Having a president with no filter should concern every American 19:15 You have to wonder if Trump is all there, all the time 21:00 We aren’t getting a straight story about Trump’s health 22:30 Concerns people on the right had about Biden, are happening w/Trump 23:45 Trump’s behavior is bad for the country & the Republican party 25:00 Voters will punish the GOP if they feel Trump’s decline was covered up 26:45 This story is only going to get worse as time goes on 28:30 New polling out on voters opinions & thoughts on corruption 29:15 What voters think corruption actually means 32:15 The voters are more sophisticated on corruption than politicians are 33:30 Large majorities thought government serves the rich & businesses 35:00 There’s an appetite for government & democracy reform 36:15 Majority of independents saw corruption in both Trump & Biden admins 37:30 Framing issues through lens of corruption could resonate 38:45 Connecting affordability to corruption could be very effective 46:00 Jeff Clements joins the Chuck ToddCast 47:15 Constitutional amendment the only way to get money out of politics? 48:30 Campaign finance problems are a “court created crisis” 50:00 The Supreme Court created all the campaign finance loopholes 50:45 If money wasn’t speech, is McCain-Feingold good legislation? 51:30 Money will always “find a way” in politics 54:45 Courts have stood in the way of campaign finance reform 55:15 How to word an amendment to take this power away from judiciary 59:00 Is there a first amendment argument against amplification? 1:00:00 Money in politics isn’t a free speech issue, it’s an amplification issue 1:04:30 Maine had a $5000 limit on PACs, was knocked down by courts 1:05:15 Courts ruled that money can’t corrupt when it’s clear they can 1:06:45 Court could rule that limits apply to PACs & campaigns, or rule no limits 1:07:45 The court has created many contradictions in campaign finance 1:08:45 A court ruling won’t fix the problem, an amendment would 1:09:15 Most campaign finance law has been written by judiciary 1:11:00 It’s difficult to make campaign finance a voting issue 1:13:15 The American people understand that the system is corrupted 1:17:15 There are many similarities between the Gilded Age & now 1:18:45 We’ll should see see several amendments in the next decade 1:20:15 Need 38 states for amendment, what’s the biggest hurdle? 1:21:30 A states rights argument would be very persuasive to legislatures 1:23:00 Free speech doesn’t mean you get to drown out everyone else 1:26:00 Money equaling speech has made money equal power 1:29:00 The founders were obsessed with corruption, led to the revolution 1:30:00 Limiting campaign finance is perceived to help the left over the right 1:33:15 Could a presidential candidate galvanize the debate? 1:33:45 The president & governors have no constitutional role in the process 1:36:00 The goal is to leave a well-informed electorate & building support 1:37:15 Are there any super wealthy donors who support these reforms? 1:39:15 This is a crisis for our democracy but could create an opportunity 1:41:00 Chuck’s thoughts on interview with Jeff Clements 1:42:30 ToddCast Top 5 books for your reading list 1:43:00 #5 The Drift by Kevin Hassett 1:46:30 #4 Mark Twain by Ron Chernow 1:48:30 #3 The Barn by Wright Thompson 1:50:00 #2 107 Days by Kamala Harris 1:52:30 #1 Fateful Hours by Volker Ullrich 1:55:00 Ask Chuck 1:55:15 Appreciation for the quick reaction videos/pods 1:58:15 Omission of “Citizen Kang” from Simpsons time machine segment 2:00:00 Could a Democrat win the Florida senate race? 2:04:00 Why don’t reporters challenge Trump to his face about his behavior? 2:10:45 Why haven’t Democrats leaned into breaking up big monopolies? 2:15:45 How has interview prep changed from MTP to now?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeff Clements,CEO of American Promise joins Chuck Todd for a deep dive into one of the most consequential—and misunderstood—threats to American democracy: money in politics. Clements argues that today’s campaign finance dysfunction isn’t a failure of legislation but a court-created crisis, tracing how Supreme Court rulings turned money into speech, opened massive loopholes, and shifted lawmaking power from Congress to the judiciary. From McCain-Feingold to super PACs, the conversation unpacks why courts have repeatedly blocked reform efforts and why the problem isn’t free speech itself, but the unchecked amplification that allows wealth to drown out everyone else. The discussion turns to whether a constitutional amendment is the only viable path forward, how such an amendment could reclaim authority from the courts, and what it would take to build support across 38 states. Drawing parallels to the Gilded Age and the founders’ obsession with corruption, Clements explains why Americans broadly understand the system is broken—even if it’s hard to make campaign finance a voting issue. In a moment of democratic crisis, he makes the case that meaningful reform is still possible, and that restoring political equality could become a rare point of unity in a deeply polarized era. Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Jeff Clements joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:15 Constitutional amendment the only way to get money out of politics? 02:30 Campaign finance problems are a “court created crisis” 04:00 The Supreme Court created all the campaign finance loopholes 04:45 If money wasn’t speech, is McCain-Feingold good legislation? 05:30 Money will always “find a way” in politics 08:45 Courts have stood in the way of campaign finance reform 09:15 How to word an amendment to take this power away from judiciary 13:00 Is there a first amendment argument against amplification? 14:00 Money in politics isn’t a free speech issue, it’s an amplification issue 18:30 Maine had a $5000 limit on PACs, was knocked down by courts 19:15 Courts ruled that money can’t corrupt when it’s clear they can 20:45 Court could rule that limits apply to PACs & campaigns, or rule no limits 21:45 The court has created many contradictions in campaign finance 22:45 A court ruling won’t fix the problem, an amendment would 23:15 Most campaign finance law has been written by judiciary 25:00 It’s difficult to make campaign finance a voting issue 27:15 The American people understand that the system is corrupted 31:15 There are many similarities between the Gilded Age & now 32:45 We’ll should see see several amendments in the next decade 34:15 Need 38 states for amendment, what’s the biggest hurdle? 35:30 A states rights argument would be very persuasive to legislatures 37:00 Free speech doesn’t mean you get to drown out everyone else 40:00 Money equaling speech has made money equal power 43:00 The founders were obsessed with corruption, led to the revolution 44:00 Limiting campaign finance is perceived to help the left over the right 47:15 Could a presidential candidate galvanize the debate? 47:45 The president & governors have no constitutional role in the process 50:00 The goal is to leave a well-informed electorate & building support 51:15 Are there any super wealthy donors who support these reforms? 53:15 This is a crisis for our democracy but could create an opportunitySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd takes a hard look at Donald Trump’s increasingly egregious behavior and the growing questions surrounding his cognitive fitness for the presidency, sparked by a recent post that crossed a line even for many on the right. He asks what would happen if any other public figure behaved this way, why similar concerns about Biden’s decline were openly discussed while Trump’s are often brushed aside, and whether the country is getting a straight story about the former president’s health. With no clear guardrails, no apparent filters, and staff either unable or unwilling to intervene, the episode raises uncomfortable but urgent questions about judgment, accountability, and risk. He also examines recent polling on the issue of corruption, and why it could be a potent electoral issue if messaged correctly. Finally, Chuck gives his ToddCast Top 5 book recommendations for political junkies and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 02:45 Money in politics has gotten out of control 03:45 North Carolina senate race will likely cost a billion dollars 04:30 One outside group can spend more than both campaigns combined 05:00 An amendment is the only way get campaign finance past judiciary 05:45 The judiciary has legislated campaign finance from the bench 07:30 Does the latest outrage over Trump’s Reiner tweet mean anything? 08:30 Trump’s post was a bridge too far for even some on the right 09:00 If any of us posted that, it would cost us jobs, relationships & more 10:30 At what point is Trump’s behavior 25th amendment type alarming? 11:15 Either his staff said something & he ignored it, or nobody said anything 12:15 Biden’s mental decline was apparent 14:00 Judging Trump’s mental decline is harder due to erratic behavior 17:15 It’s possible Trump feared one of his supporters murdered Reiner 18:00 Having a president with no filter should concern every American 19:15 You have to wonder if Trump is all there, all the time 21:00 We aren’t getting a straight story about Trump’s health 22:30 Concerns people on the right had about Biden, are happening w/Trump 23:45 Trump’s behavior is bad for the country & the Republican party 25:00 Voters will punish the GOP if they feel Trump’s decline was covered up 26:45 This story is only going to get worse as time goes on 28:30 New polling out on voters opinions & thoughts on corruption 29:15 What voters think corruption actually means 32:15 The voters are more sophisticated on corruption than politicians are 33:30 Large majorities thought government serves the rich & businesses 35:00 There’s an appetite for government & democracy reform 36:15 Majority of independents saw corruption in both Trump & Biden admins 37:30 Framing issues through lens of corruption could resonate 38:45 Connecting affordability to corruption could be very effective 45:45 ToddCast Top 5 books for your reading list 46:15 #5 The Drift by Kevin Hassett 49:45 #4 Mark Twain by Ron Chernow 51:45 #3 The Barn by Wright Thompson 53:15 #2 107 Days by Kamala Harris 55:45 #1 Fateful Hours by Volker Ullrich 58:15 Ask Chuck 58:30 Appreciation for the quick reaction videos/pods 1:01:30 Omission of “Citizen Kang” from Simpsons time machine segment 1:03:15 Could a Democrat win the Florida senate race? 1:07:15 Why don’t reporters challenge Trump to his face about his behavior? 1:14:00 Why haven’t Democrats leaned into breaking up big monopolies? 1:19:00 How has interview prep changed from MTP to now?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd blasts Donald Trump for his despicable post about Rob Reiner where he attributed the murder to politics and made it about himself. He argues that Trump only knows how to “go low” and that the post is a red flag that something is seriously wrong with the president’s mental state. Timeline: 00:00 Rob Reiner & his wife found murdered in their home 00:30 So much grief from Brown & Australia shootings & now Reiner… 02:15 Trump’s post about Reiner’s death was beyond despicable 03:45 Trump implied that Reiner’s political disagreements got him murdered 04:45 Trump’s lack of empathy during Covid contributed to election loss 06:00 Reiner should be celebrated for his art, not attacked for his politics 07:45 Trump is a virus of polarization & exploitive of any situation 08:30 Trump represents America, and his post was classless & embarrassing 10:00 Trump is leaving a terrible legacy 10:45 Trump is the most successful failure in American history 12:45 We want a president who knows how to “go high”, Trump only goes low 13:45 Nobody in Trump’s inner circle stays there for long 14:30 You can’t chase every Trump outrage, but this one stood out 15:30 Trump’s behavior will accelerate perception that he’s losing it 16:45 This is a red flag that something is seriously wrong with TrumpSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck confronts the alarming rise of antisemitism following a mass shooting that targeted Jews in Australia on the first night of Hanukkah, reflecting on how hatred now crosses traditional political lines and sharing his own family’s experiences. He argues that social media has become a primary accelerant—profiting from outrage, trapping people in media silos, and rewarding the most extreme voices—while insisting that free speech does not guarantee unlimited reach. The conversation widens to the urgent need for tech reform, growing support for restricting smartphones for kids, and public backlash to Donald Trump’s hands-off approach to regulating AI. Chuck also examines Trump’s foreign policy actions, economic excuses, and erosion of constitutional norms, warning that the U.S. is drifting toward “competitive authoritarianism.” Despite the dangers of normalization and resignation, the episode closes with a reminder that America still has the capacity to push back and reclaim democratic guardrails. Nick Troiano, executive director of Unite America, joins the Chuck ToddCast for a wide-ranging conversation about why America’s political system feels increasingly broken—and what reforms could actually fix it. Troiano explains how ranked-choice voting and primary reform can weaken the grip of the two-party system, produce more representative outcomes, and give voters in places like Alaska and Louisiana more meaningful choices. They unpack why partisan primaries reward conflict over problem-solving, how safe districts all but decide elections before voters reach the general, and why unaffiliated voters are often locked out of taxpayer-funded contests. The discussion expands to the broader reform landscape, from redistricting and campaign finance to unconventional ideas like compulsory representation and even randomly selected legislatures. Troiano argues that periods of political turmoil and inequality have historically led to democratic breakthroughs—and that today’s moment may demand the same. As power continues to consolidate and parties work to protect their advantage, this episode explores whether structural reform, rather than new personalities, is the only path to a healthier, more functional democracy. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the political and cultural impact of The Simpsons, answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and recaps the latest in college football. Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:00 Mass shooting targets Jews in Australia on first night of Hanukkah 04:30 Antisemitism comes from both sides of the political aisle 06:00 Chuck’s family’s experience with antisemitism 07:15 Biggest culprit in rise in antisemitism is social media 09:45 Social media companies profit from destroying kids & country 11:00 People need to step out of their media silos 13:30 You have the right to speech but not to reach 16:00 Tech companies need to be the focal point for major reform 17:00 Trump’s “light touch” approach to regulating AI is very unpopular 18:45 Tech can get what they want by writing a check to Trump 20:15 Growing support for restricting smartphones for kids/teens 21:15 Most extreme content reaches the most online men* 22:30 Mark Warner says “double tap” strike was 40 mins later 23:30 Strike was indefensible, it’s why Pentagon won’t release video 25:30 Trump has no legal authority from congress for strikes 28:00 Trump basically admits Republicans will lose the midterms 29:00 Trump has begun the excuse making for a bad economy 30:15 Trump spent time working on DC’s golf courses 31:30 Foreign Affairs essay says USA is in competitive authoritarianism 34:30 Trump’s actions subvert rule of law & the constitution 35:15 Competitive authoritarians turn state power on enemies 37:45 Large swaths of the media have caved to the Trump administration 40:00 After Watergate, authoritarian abuse had disappeared… until Trump 41:00 America still has hope for turning away authoritarianism 41:30 Greatest danger is acceptance and resignation 49:15 Nick Troiano joins the Chuck ToddCast 50:30 How did you get started with Unite America 51:30 There’s been pushback to ranked choice voting in recent years 52:15 Ranked choice voting is a salve for partisan primaries 54:15 New York and Maine are only partially ranked choice system 55:45 There are good ways to present ranked choice results 56:15 The current non-ranked system favors the two major parties 58:00 Runoff elections get a bad rap 59:45 Louisiana has a more functional political system due to electoral reform 1:00:45 More Alaskan voters can cast a “meaningful” ballot due to ranked choice 1:02:45 Ranked choice seems to be more beneficial to center left than center right 1:04:00 Ranked choice opponents trying to repeal it in Alaska 1:05:15 The two party wants to protect their power & fight against ranked choice 1:06:15 The status quo is causing our current politics to unravel 1:06:45 What states do you expect to be on the ballot with primary reform? 1:08:00 There’s movement to allow unaffiliated voters to vote in primaries 1:09:00 Politics has become about fighting rather than solving problems 1:11:15 Why is it so hard to galvanize the centrist voters? 1:13:00 Without a representative congress, we’ll get terrible policies 1:13:30 Without competitive elections, we get bad career politicians 1:16:00 Is there an order democracy reforms will need to be passed? 1:18:15 There are multiple potential pathways to make democracy better 1:20:00 Periods of major turmoil & inequality historically lead to major reforms 1:21:15 Is it difficult to find wealthy donors to back nonpartisan reforms? 1:23:15 Strong executive leadership makes it easier for legislatures to follow 1:24:30 Redistricting reform had strong support & has gone in the opposite direction 1:25:30 Trump is weaponizing the primary system to force redistricting 1:27:45 90% of districts in the midterms will be decided before the general election 1:28:30 In safe districts you only can choose what type of Dem/GOP candidate 1:29:30 Should be able to vote on any candidate in taxpayer funded elections 1:31:15 It’s strange that government requires public party affiliation records 1:32:30 Parties shouldn’t be allowed to ask voters to sign party pledge 1:33:30 Campaign finance reform is a salient issue to most voters 1:35:15 We used to be far more engaged politically at the local level 1:37:45 What if we randomly selected legislatures like we do juries 1:38:45 Rural states might be open to compulsory representation 1:40:15 Thoughts on a constitutional convention? 1:41:45 The electoral college is working as intended, but needs updating 1:42:30 The bar is very high for ratification during a convention 1:43:15 If power continues to consolidate, a convention becomes more necessary 1:44:00 Any itch to run for office again? 1:44:45 What are the major issues running as an independent candidate? 1:46:15 There are fewer gatekeepers for getting attention as a candidate 1:48:15 Chuck’s thoughts on interview with Nick Troiano 1:49:15 ToddCast Time Machine December 17th, 1989 1:49:30 Debut of The Simpsons 1:50:45 Simpsons has outlasted entire media eras 1:51:15 Simpsons is brilliant at parodying politics & culture 1:52:00 Burns runs for governor teaches lessons of campaigns 1:52:45 Monorail episode shows failures of debt financing infrastructure 1:53:45 Lisa goes to Washington a great explainer of how DC works 1:54:30 Sideshow Bob rigs an election and wins anyway 1:56:00 Simpsons has had cameos from major political voices 1:56:30 Simpsons spawned an entire industry for adult animation 1:57:30 South Park’s “Simpson’s Did It” was the perfect omage 1:58:15 The Simpsons made audiences smarter about how to consume politics 1:58:30 Ask Chuck 1:59:15 Did Adam Schiff hurt or help Mandella Barnes by endorsing him? 2:02:00 A “shave your head” bet between you and Cillizza over A&M vs Miami? 2:05:15 Why has the donor class become the priority over the public? 2:09:15 Why can companies absorb tariff costs, but can’t raise wages? 2:12:30 College football updateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.