The government shutdown is the Democrats’ first big strategic bet of Trump’s term.Not everyone in the party agreed that shutting down the government was the right move or that health care was the right message. So why did they ultimately pick this fight? What are the risks? And what could Democrats learn here that might help shape their strategy for the midterms and beyond?Jon Favreau, a former Obama speechwriter and a current co-host of “Pod Save America,” joins me to discuss.Mentioned:"Off Message” by Brian Beutler“What the Shutdown Is Really About” by Ezra KleinBook Recommendations:Civil Resistance by Erica ChenowethStride Toward Freedom by Martin Luther King Jr.The Radical Fund by John Fabian WittThoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at [email protected] can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Annie Galvin and Jack McCordick. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Aman Sahota. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Marie Cascione, Rollin Hu, Kristin Lin, Marina King and Jan Kobal. Original music by Pat McCusker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.
No persons identified in this episode.
This episode hasn't been transcribed yet
Help us prioritize this episode for transcription by upvoting it.
Popular episodes get transcribed faster
Other episodes from The Ezra Klein Show
Transcribed and ready to explore now
Our Lives Are an Endless Series of 'And'
30 May 2025
The Ezra Klein Show
Is Trump Losing? A Debate
16 May 2025
The Ezra Klein Show
‘We Have to Really Rethink the Purpose of Education’
13 May 2025
The Ezra Klein Show
Best Of: Margaret Atwood on American Myths and Authoritarianism
09 May 2025
The Ezra Klein Show
How a Red-District Democrat Is Navigating Trump
06 May 2025
The Ezra Klein Show
Trump vs. the Dollar
02 May 2025
The Ezra Klein Show