Puck News: The Making of a President
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What is “The Making of a President” podcast and why should political junkies listen?
We talk a lot about origin stories here, how one idea can change everything. Well, the team at Puck News just launched a fantastic new podcast series that takes that concept to a whole new level. It's called The Making of a President. It's hosted by veteran political reporter Peter Hambee. The series takes you straight into the war rooms of modern political campaigns. It pulls back the curtain on high-stakes decisions, hidden mechanics, and key operatives shaping our nation's leadership. And whether you're a political junkie, and by the way, I am a political junkie, I have started listening to this podcast and it is incredible. The level of detail. That Peter goes into with his guests.
How does this series differ from typical news interviews and offer a true deep‑dive into campaign mechanics?
This is not just a quickie interview like you get on most news shows. This is a true deep dive. But whether you're a political junkie or just love any high-stakes human drama, the making of a president offers an incredible look at how power is actually won. Here now is a quick preview of episode one. Make sure to search the making of a present wherever you listen and subscribe today. We've also put a link to the show in this episode description.
Welcome everybody to my brand new show for Puck about the 2028 campaign, The Making of a President. Thank you so much for joining me. And since this is the first episode before getting into my feisty interview today with Rahm Emanuel, I wanted to put on the table what this show is and what it is not.
What will listeners learn about the hidden business, messaging, and money behind the 2028 presidential race?
We are in a midterm election right now, I know, but the presidential campaign jockey is already underway behind the scenes, and it will kick off for real immediately after the midterms conclude in November. I want this show to be about how politics and campaigns really work. As much as I'm a political junkie, and this will be my sixth presidential campaign, it's long been a gripe of mine that political journalism is kind of a cocoon. A bunch of operatives and journalists talking to each other without pausing to explain to viewers and voters what exactly they're talking about. Our conversations on this podcast are going to be smart and elevated, but we're gonna focus on the business of presidential campaigns and the gears that move them from the inside.
How messages and memes get pushed out, how the money works, how do you win a specific primary state? Why does that state matter more than another state? Does polling even work anymore? This won't be a show reacting to every micro news cycle or Trump headline.
Why does the host focus on the internal gears of campaigns instead of reacting to every news cycle?
There are too many options out there on that front. We'll obviously talk about the news and issues and big names. Those things define the rhythms of any campaign. But we won't live and die by the news cycle. Instead, I want to bring you conversations with the players who call the shots, people who can explain trends in media and technology and demographics, and the campaign. Operatives who are grappling with the fact that the rules of modern campaigning we all thought we knew are being broken and rewritten in real time. The 2028 campaign will be the most unpredictable, unmediated, and wide open presidential race we've ever seen. We're going to talk to Republicans and Democrats, and while we have a likely 2028 contender on the show today, we won't always interview candidates and politicians.
The decision makers and hustlers behind the scenes are just as interesting.
Who is the first guest, Rahm Emanuel, and what insider perspective does he bring to the 2028 campaign?
I know way too many of them at this point in my career and I want to do my best as we like to do at Puck to make those private conversations public and help all of us make sense of the carnival ride we're about to go on. If you're into all that Make sure you subscribe. My guest today is Ram Emanuel. If you know politics, you know
we hope you enjoyed that preview. To listen to the full episode, search for the making of a president. Available everywhere you get your podcasts.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What is “The Making of a President” podcast and why should political junkies listen?
0:00–0:44
2
How does this series differ from typical news interviews and offer a true deep‑dive into campaign mechanics?
0:44–1:34
3
What will listeners learn about the hidden business, messaging, and money behind the 2028 presidential race?
1:34–2:34
4
Why does the host focus on the internal gears of campaigns instead of reacting to every news cycle?
2:34–3:23
5
Who is the first guest, Rahm Emanuel, and what insider perspective does he bring to the 2028 campaign?
3:23–3:53