Hacks On Tap
Episodes
Coward in Chief (with Stephanie Cutter)
09 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Axe and Murphy are joined by Stephanie Cutter, a longtime Democratic operative who most recently produced the 2020 Democratic National Convention. The...
An Election So Nice, You’ll Want to Vote Twice! (With Mark McKinnon)
04 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Gibbs and Axe are joined by the one and only Mark McKinnon, co-host of Showtime’s The Circus and a former Presidential advisor to George W. Bush, wh...
Post-Convention Politics & The Dark Force Farce
02 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Axe and Murphy are joined this week by Addisu Demissie, former campaign manager for Cory Booker’s presidential run and senior advisor for Joe Biden ...
Introducing: It Was Said (w Jon Meacham)
31 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to It Was Said, a 10-episode limited documentary series looking back on some of the most powerful, impactful and timeless speeches in American...
Trump's Never Ending Reality Show (With Amanda Carpenter)
28 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Guest Hack Amanda Carpenter of CNN and The Bulwark joins Gibbs and Murphy to recap the Trump National Convention. Did the GOP move the needle? What's ...
MAGA Mission: The RNC Begins
25 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Guest Hack John Heilemann of Showtime's The Circus is back this week to help Axe and Murphy recap the first night of the Republican National Conventio...
DNC Recap
21 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With our new Hackaroo host Robert Gibbs at the helm, Axe, Murphy, and Gibbs recap the Democratic National Convention. After an eventful week which cul...
The Conventions Commence (with Rahm Emanuel)
18 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The day after the debut of the first-ever virtual convention, Axe and Murphy convene to discuss what worked and what didn’t. Joined by former Chicag...
Executive Disorder (with Paul Begala)
12 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Axe and Murphy are reunited this week and joined by Paul Begala, former counselor to President Clinton and author of the new book, "You're Fired: The ...
It's Harris!
11 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The veepstakes are finally over and the pick is in: Joe Biden has chosen Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate! In this special addition of Hacks ...
Where’s the Manual for Mayhem?
04 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Murphy is out on assignment this week, but thankfully Alex Wagner and Robert Gibbs are here to fill the void. The Hacks discuss Trump’s unrelenting ...
VP Jeebies (with John Heilemann)
29 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week we’re joined by super Hack John Heilemann, co-host of The Circus on Showtime. It’s no secret that one of Trump’s biggest obstacles ...
Fort Bragg-adocious (with Donna Brazile)
22 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Axe and Murphy are joined this week by Democratic political strategist and former acting DNC Chair Donna Brazile. We talk about Trump’s new intervie...
Cognitive Distancing (with Mark McKinnon)
14 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Axe and Murphy are joined by guest hack Mark McKinnon, former presidential adviser and co-host of Showtime’s The Circus. This week we talk Trump’s...
Chaos Culture and a Special Senate Deep-Dive (with Amy Walter)
08 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks return for a special Senate deep-dive with The Cook Political Report’s Amy Walter. First, we talk Trump’s new ad offensive, the torqued ...
Pandemic Panic: Trump’s COVID Crack-Up (with John Heilemann)
01 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week the Hacks welcome back John Heilemann of Showtime’s The Circus and The Recount. We cover Covid's resurgence in red states and how it could...
Tirades in Tulsa (with Robert Gibbs)
23 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Axe and Murphy are joined by former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs. We talk Trump’s Tulsa tirade and what the smaller-than-anti...
The President of Lawlessness and Disorder (with Alex Wagner)
16 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Axe and Murphy are joined this week by Alex Wagner of Showtime’s “The Circus” and CBS News. Trumpworld is in turmoil as civil rights protest...
Protests, Polling, and Provisions (with Phil Rosenthal)
09 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joining Murphy at the helm this week is Phil Rosenthal, television writer, producer, and creator of Netflix’s “Somebody Feed Phil.” This week, w...
A Nation Grieves and the President Seethes (with Robert Gibbs)
03 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Axe and Murphy are joined this week by former Obama White House press secretary Robert Gibbs. We discuss the grief and outrage gripping the nation in ...
Masks and Gaffes (with John Heilemann)
27 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Axe and Murphy are joined by guest hack John Heilemann of The Recount and Showtime’s The Circus. This week we unpack the latest polling, what the Ha...
POTUS’s Prescription: Hoaxes and Hydroxy (with Rahm Emanuel)
20 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Guest hack Rahm Emanuel, former Chicago mayor and Chief of Staff to President Obama, joins Axe and Murphy to discuss Trump’s trip down hydroxychloro...
Prevailin’ or Just Wailin’? (with Robert Gibbs)
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Axe and Murphy are joined this week by Robert Gibbs, former White House press secretary. This week we talk Trump’s tantrum press briefing, Obama’s...
Ain't No Abe Lincoln (with Alex Wagner)
06 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks are joined this week by Alex Wagner, host of Crooked Media’s new podcast “Six Feet Apart” and co-host of Showtime’s The Circus. ...
Trump Derails and Clorox Cocktails (with John Heilemann)
28 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Axe and Murphy reunite this week with special guest hack John Heilemann of MSNBC, The Recount, and Showtime’s The Circus. The Hacks talk Trump’s C...
Open Mic Night and Gov Fights (with Mark McKinnon)
22 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Axe and Murphy unite virtually with guest hack Mark McKinnon, former presidential adviser and co-host of Showtime’s The Circus. This week, w...
Trump's Total Authority (with Rahm Emanuel)
15 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Axe and Murphy return with fellow super-hack and former Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel to talk all the latest, including Trump’s presser meltdown, Obama...
Trump’s Prescription: Mixed Messaging
07 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks are once again joined by former White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs to break down the latest in a raucous week in DC. Wisconsin improb...
Reality vs. A Reality Show
01 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Axe and Murphy are joined by former Obama White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs to discuss the latest: When reality becomes reality...
A Crisis of Confidence
24 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The socially-distanced Hacks reunite virtually to discuss the latest: Trump twists his tune as the dire COVID-19 consequences take hold. Trump is...
“I’m dealing with a #$%*ing global crisis” (with John Heilemann)
19 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The socially-distanced Hacks reunite with special guest John Heilemann of MSNBC, Showtime’s The Circus, and The Recount. As the gravity of...
A Debate, Uncharted Waters, and the Veepstakes Begin
16 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks convene the day after what might be the last debate of the primary to share their reactions and analysis. What did Biden and Sanders do well...
The Bern Cools and Politics of a Pandemic
12 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Another Super Tuesday is behind us! Bernie Sanders makes it clear he intends to stay in the race — for now. What does this mean for the upcoming he...
Super Tuesday Recap: And Then There Were Two
05 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Turns out Super Tuesday was super exciting. The Hacks spent a day taking it all in and are now ready to sort through the fallout. Where did Biden’s ...
The Fact of the Matter is… Joe is Back!
02 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks convene in the aftermath of the South Carolina Democratic primary to talk about what Joe Biden’s win might mean for the rest of the race. ...
BONUS: How To Vote for the Next President
27 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On this bonus crossover episode, the Hacks join Slate's "How To! With Charles Duhigg" to discuss how to weigh ideology vs. electability and rank the i...
Will the Democratic Party Bern?—On to South Carolina
25 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks are back for a special post-Nevada, pre-South Carolina pod: First, Sanders claims his surge has the Democratic establishment worried: ca...
Sin City Slugfest: Democrats Duke it Out
20 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks are back to break down the latest Democratic debate from Las Vegas, Nevada– Mike Bloomberg makes his debate stage debut but bombs und...
Live Free or Die: New Hampshire Votes
12 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks are back to break down the results out of New Hampshire. Bernie Sanders narrowly edged out Pete Buttigieg in the first in the nation primary...
Quality (Out-of) Control: Iowa’s Meltdown and On to New Hampshire
04 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Bleary-eyed and results-less, Murphy and guest hack Robert Gibbs join forces to wade through last night’s Iowa caucus madness. Are the Iowa cauc...
Burisma is the New Benghazi and the Mad Dash to Iowa
28 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks are back this week with a live edition before students at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. We talk all the latest— Fi...
Impeachy Not-So-Keen and the Iowa Countdown
21 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks are here to talk all the latest: The impeachment trial launches in the Senate and both sides assume their marks: will it amount to more ...
Duking it Out in Des Moines and the Non-Handshake from Hell
15 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The mad dash to the Iowa caucuses are upon us! The Hacks break down the Des Moines Register/CNN Democratic Debate—and pinch-hitting for David this w...
Hacky New Year!—Iran, Iowa, & Impeachment
07 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks kick off the new decade with all the latest— President Trump ordered the fatal strike of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani last week. Was...
Merry Debate-mas with a Dash of Joe-mentum
20 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks reunite in Los Angeles, California as the sixth Democratic debate draws to a close. Joe Biden and Amy Klobuchar overperform the norm: wi...
Jolt’n Joe Biden and Impeachment Day Zero
10 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The hacks are here to talk all the latest— Politics of impeachment: as the impeachment saga continues to unfold, Democrats and Republicans ali...
26: No Kamalot! Harris Exits and Trump Churns
04 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the Hacks dive into the latest polling out of New Hampshire and size up the state of the race. With the breaking news that Sen. Kamala Harr...
The Great Zzzzebate and Will Impeachment Ignite?
21 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks are back to discuss the latest Democratic debate. With public impeachment hearings sucking up most of the oxygen, did the debate move the ne...
Bloomberg or Iceberg?—New Entrants and The Impeachment Show
12 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks huddle to tackle the latest: The public impeachment hearings kick off this week. Republicans have been auditioning wild arguments in def...
Poltergeisty Polls, LJ Dinner Wrap-Up, and Bye-Bye Beto
05 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks are back this week to talk through the latest: The famed Liberty and Justice Dinner (formerly known as the Jefferson-Jackson) wrapped la...
al-Baghdadi Issues and Impressions in Iowa
29 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the Hacks talk politics of al-Baghdadi: did Trump overplay the death of the ISIS leader? Will Trump benefit, and will it last? The tim...
The Pierre Affair and Senate Slippage? (with Cory Booker)
22 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the Hacks dive into: The state of the Senate Republicans: Is Mitt Romney — aka Pierre Delecto — a lone detractor of harbinger of...
All's Fair in Love and Warren
16 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The fourth Democratic presidential debate is behind us and the hacks are here to break it all down. All eyes are on Liz Warren as she gets frontrun...
Great and Unmatched... Wisdom (with John Heilemann)
09 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks are back from their jaunt to Austin and itching to dig into the latest. Hill Republicans and Democrats alike are in a tizzy over Trump’s c...
Hacks Live from Austin with Karl Rove
30 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks reunite LIVE at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, TX. This time, they’re joined by super-hack Karl Rove — former Senior Advisor to P...
Hard Rain from Ukraine and Boarding the Bus with Mayor Pete Buttigieg
24 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
From whistleblowers to whistlestops, Axe and Murphy are chewing over the latest call for impeachment, Rep. Joe Kennedy, and new polling out of Iowa. M...
More Debates and 10,000 Takes with Sen. Amy Klobuchar
16 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks are back after a Democratic debate with no shortage of talking points: Castro put Biden on blast, Betsy from Oklahoma ditched the cap and go...
Houston, We Have a Preview
11 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Hacks are back in the run-up to Thursday’s debate. And the stage in Houston will be packed with TEN candidates—so what does each need to do in...
Hats, Prattle, and a Primary Battle with Mark McKinnon
03 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s episode, Biden flubs the details, but will it ever cross the line with voters? Axe and Murphy also take stock of the rest of the fiel...
A Hack in Hog Heaven and Trump’s Tempestuous Trip
27 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Axe is back from his stint in the cornfields of Iowa armed with new intel to break down with Murphy. But first – the hacks talk Trump’s erratic be...
Mooch Ado About Something
20 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Axe has returned from his secret mission and is reunited with Murphy as they hash through Trump’s latest poll numbers and his frustration with Fox N...
Calling All Conspiracies and Let Biden Be Biden
13 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s episode, Democratic strategist and guest host Paul Begala joins Murphy on the mic to take stock of this week’s news. The hacks talk...
Words, Guns, El Paso and Dayton with Rep. Steve Israel
07 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
After the country was jolted yet again by mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton, the hacks huddle up to talk about the how the President responded, wha...
Showdown in Motown
01 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode, the Hacks huddle in Detroit in the wake of the second round of Democratic debates. Axe and Murphy share their takes on the Bid...
May the debate stage be ever in your favor, Sen. Michael Bennet joins the show
23 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Axe and Murphy question whether Bob Mueller’s testimony will have any bearing on the race. Then, we’ll preview the Hunger Games, also k...
Trump's big trap and who ought to wrap
15 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s episode, Axe and Murphy talk Trump’s strategy behind attacking the progressive freshmen House members, how the latest poll numbers ...
Warren's huge haul and Steyer's surprise with Jon Favreau
09 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the hacks make sense of the newly announced fundraising numbers, talk Biden’s attempt to relaunch, discuss the political impact of Trump’...
5: The post debate pollercoaster and the art of Beto-busting with Julián Castro
02 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the hacks throw on their strategists’ caps and discuss how they would manage the leading campaigns in the wake of the first debates. Axe ...
4: Recapping the first Democratic debates
28 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The first round of debates is in the books. Who helped themselves the most and who's spending their weekend doing damage control? In this bonus episod...
3: Double-whammy in Miami: First Democratic debate preview
25 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The hacks talk Biden and Buttigieg’s tough week with race relations [2:52], escalating tensions with Iran [14:48], and preview this week’s Democra...
Trump purging pollsters, Dems ducking digital
18 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week the hacks talk about President Trump's interview on ABC [1:11], Trump's latest polling prospects [6:20], who was helped and who was hurt by ...
1: Biden plays Hyde and go seek, Warren rising in Iowa
11 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In the inaugural episode of Hacks on Tap, the hacks discuss the latest Democratic poll out of Iowa [1:30], the perils of being frontrunner [6:48], Bid...
Introduction to Hacks on Tap with David Axelrod and Mike Murphy
06 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Throughout the 2020 presidential campaign, battle-tested operatives will be sitting on bar stools along the trail, sharing war stories and unique, som...