The NPR Politics Podcast

Weekly Roundup: December 4th

04 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Georgia's January 5th runoff elections will determine control of the Senate. That's brought 2024 contenders — including Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, a...

Don't Expect Donald Trump To Retire

03 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump still has more than a month left in his presidency. That's plenty of time left for pardons and planning for the future: three sources tel...

Relief Will End If Congress Can't Pass A Deal

02 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Millions of Americans rely on various relief measures to stay afloat during the pandemic, much of which is set to expire at the end of the year if Con...

Despite Conspiracy And Insinuation, The Electoral System Worked—This Time.

01 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Local officials continue to certify results despite political pressure from President Trump and his allies, who are seeking to subvert the electoral s...

Biden Picks Women And People Of Color For His Economics And Communications Teams

30 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With the American economy on uneven footing as coronavirus cases surge nationwide, President-elect Joe Biden formally announced top members of his inc...

Weekly Roundup: November 27th

27 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This Black Friday we're bringing you a greatest hits of NPR podcasts. Many other shows have been looking at specific policy options on the table for J...

NPR's Throughline: The Shadows of the Constitution

26 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this special episode NPR's Throughline explore the constitution with Heidi Schreck and her play, What the Constitution Means to Me. They discover w...

What Happens When Neither Party Gets To Celebrate The Election?

25 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Like two teams that meet in the seventh game of a World Series, both the Democratic and Republican parties bought Champagne for election night. But in...

Trump Relents, Paving Way For Biden Transition To Formally Begin

24 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump is still not conceding that he lost the election, but he's getting closer. On Monday the president tweeted that he had directed the Ge...

Biden Taps Historic Nominees As He Begins To Fill His Cabinet

23 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President-elect Joe Biden has begun to make his selections for key roles in his cabinet. He announced his picks for secretary of state and the ambassa...

Weekly Roundup: November 20th

20 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Trump is sitting down with the leaders of the Michigan legislature ahead of the state canvassing board meeting on Monday, where the election results a...

Joe Biden Won The Election—But He's Still Left Waiting In The Wings.

19 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As President Trump refuses to concede the election Joe Biden won, Biden warns that that lack of cooperation on the transition could lead to even more ...

Trump Doesn't Have To Win In Court To Erode Trust In Voting

18 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump has found little success in court, though he has continued to sew disinformation online and last night fired a top cybersecurity offic...

Democrats Riled By House Losses

17 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Democrats are regrouping after they saw their House majority shrink on election day. Their slim majority could heighten the stakes of the party's prog...

Obama Is Troubled More GOP Leaders Won't Acknowledge Biden's Win

16 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The NPR Politics team talks through big moments from NPR's sit-down with former president Barack Obama.Read the full interview here.This episode: corr...

As Coronavirus Again Breaks Records, Dem Relief Bill Hopes Hinge On Georgia

13 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Coronavirus is surging ahead of the holidays and a much-awaited relief bill is no closer to passage than it was months ago. Joe Biden hopes for an agg...

Why Did Republicans Rack Up Wins Despite Trump's Loss?

12 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Republicans gained seats in the House of Representatives and could very well hold onto the Senate. That's despite Joe Biden's broad presidential win. ...

Joe Biden Projects Calm As Trump And GOP Allies Spread Disinformation

11 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President-elect Joe Biden is attempting to lower the temperature on transition uncertainty and Donald Trump and his Republican allies continue to spre...

Supreme Court Hears Affordable Care Act Case; AG Breaks With DOJ Precedent

10 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With Obamacare once again on the chopping block at the U.S. Supreme Court, comments from the justices appeared to suggest Tuesday that a majority is i...

Pfizer Releases Promising Vaccine News; Biden Announces COVID Taskforce

09 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As coronavirus cases again surge in the United States, Joe Biden has announced his own response taskforce. And Pfizer announced promising news about i...

After Election Victory, Joe Biden Addresses Nation

08 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris addressed the nation after clinching the election.FOLLOW OUR COVERAGEThis episode: co...

Joe Biden Elected President : AP

07 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A call in Pennsylvania gave Joe Biden the necessary electoral votes to secure the presidency, says the Associated Press.READ OUR COVERAGEThis episode:...

Yeah, They're Still Counting. No, There's Nothing Suspect About That.

07 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Election workers are still diligently counting votes. Joe Biden has a narrow edge of counted votes so far in Georgia and Pennsylvania, while Donald Tr...

Biden Needs Arizona And Any Other State To Win The Presidency

05 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If the Associated Press call for Biden in Arizona is correct, Joe Biden needs just one more state to top 270 electoral votes; Donald Trump would need ...

Biden Looks Strong After Wisconsin Win, But Both Candidates Still Have A Path

04 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Biden has won Wisconsin. The races in Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina have yet to be called. Counting continues as the...

Be Patient: Vote Counting Continues, Key States Remain Outstanding

04 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As election officials predicted, high numbers of mail-in ballots and state processing restrictions have drawn out the vote counting process. Florida a...

Here's What We'll Be Watching For On Election Night

02 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Voting ends tomorrow. It could take time to know results. We talk about what we're watching for, how we'll report who won, and the moments that stood ...

Pandemic, Economy, Character: Hear How The Candidates Make Their Case

01 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It has been a long campaign, but the messages have stayed consistent. Hear how the candidates pitch themselves to voters.This episode: campaign corres...

On The Ground In Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania And Wisconsin

30 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Reporters share their reporting from key states ahead of election day in this special podcast episode.This episode: campaign correspondent Asma Khalid...

Here's How The Candidates Are Making Their Case To Black Voters

29 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Biden's campaign is hoping local validators can make his candidacy persuasive in Black communities. Meanwhile, the Trump campaign has employed dem...

New Coronavirus Cases At Record Levels; 75 Million Americans Have Voted.

28 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Nearly 70 thousand Americans test positive every day for the coronavirus, a new high. And after the pandemic drove an evolution in voting habits, more...

When Will Election Races Be Called? Here's The AP's Process

27 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

NPR, like many news outlets, relies on The Associated Press to discern and report election results. In this episode, we speak with the AP's David Scot...

Trump And Biden Are Both On The Trail, But Their Campaign Events Are Worlds Apart

26 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump is working to enthuse his supporters with rallies full of grievance and conspiracy, harkening back to his successful 2016 run. He cite...

It's Been A Minute: How Latino Voter Outreach Still Falls Short

25 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this special episode from It's Been A Minute With Sam Sanders, Sam dives into the short falls of Latino voter outreach. Latinos are the second larg...

Weekly Roundup: October 23rd

23 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The US government shared details about two alleged election meddling operations by Iran and Russia this week. The operations initially appear to be sm...

Surprise: There Was A Lot Of Policy Talk At The Final Presidential Debate

23 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden sparred over immigration, energy, and pandemic policy in the final presidential debate. But...

How Campaigns Work: Polling

21 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In an ongoing series congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell looks under the hood at campaigns. From how they raise money to what they do once they h...

Trump's Popularity In South Carolina Boosts Lindsey Graham's Odds In SC

20 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Democrats have raised oodles of money in the South Carolina Senate race. Like, a whole lot of money. And polling shows things neck-and-neck between GO...

Fifteen Days Out, Some GOP Lawmakers Are Distancing Themselves From Trump

19 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Biden warns that nothing is certain, while Donald Trump says everything is still possible. Just over two weeks out from the election, the campaign...

No Compromise From NPR: Does No-Compromising Really Work?

18 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today we are sharing an episode of NPR's No Compromise. The podcast series tells the story of three brothers who are determined to change gun politics...

Weekly Roundup: October 16th

16 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump mired himself in conspiracy last night at his NBC News town hall. Joe Biden didn't give a clear answer on court-packing, but said he'd ma...

With Biden Up Double-Digits, Dems Eye North Carolina and Georgia Senate Seats

15 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll shows Joe Biden with a double-digit national lead over President Trump. That margin makes states like North Carolin...

Out Of Bed, On His Heels: Trump Campaigns In Florida And Georgia

14 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As President Trump returns to the campaign trail after his hospitalization, he's campaigning in states that he won comfortably in 2016. Meanwhile, Joe...

Barrett Says She Isn't 'A Pawn' — But Won't Commit To Recuse From An Election Case

14 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Read All Of Our CoverageAmy Coney Barrett didn't give direct answers to many questions, as expected. Like past nominees, she refused to deal in hypoth...

'Doubt It'll Change Any Minds': Senate Goes Through Partisan Motions For SCOTUS

12 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Republican Lindsey Graham said even though views were set, the hearings for Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court nomination are important. Republicans pu...

How Campaigns Work: Advertising

11 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In an ongoing series congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell looks under the hood at campaigns. From how they raise money to what they do once they h...

As Senate GOP Demurs On Aid, Women Bear Brunt Of Economic Crisis

09 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Federal Reserve exists to lessen the severity of economic crises and its chair has been calling for more stimulus money for months. But Senate Rep...

"Violent Extremists" Planned To Kidnap Michigan Governor, Says DOJ

08 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Conspirators began training for a potential attack on Whitmer's vacation home or the governor's official summer residence over the summer, according t...

Pence And Harris Go Head-To-Head Over The Pandemic, Taxes, And Healthcare

08 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Vice President Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris spent the evening echoing the rhetoric of their respective party nominees — but with less interruptions ...

Joe Biden Up In Post-Debate Polls

06 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The president's sickness has dragged the pandemic back to the center of the presidential campaign, despite the looming Supreme Court fight. And Joe Bi...

As Trump's Care Moves To White House, Doctor Again Evades Key Questions

05 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The president's care will continue at the White House. Signs still point to a severe case of Covid-19, though his doctor continues to dodge questions ...

Questions Persist About Trump's Health After Second Dissembling Briefing

04 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The president has started a steroid and his doctor acknowledges that Trump has in fact received supplemental oxygen. His course of treatment suggests ...

After Doctor Said Trump Doing Well, Source Familiar With His Health Said Otherwise

03 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

FOLLOW OUR COVERAGE: https://n.pr/3nj0elUMuddled messaging from the White House has sent confusing signals about the president's well-being. We talk a...

Weekly Roundup: October 2nd

02 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The White House says the president's symptoms have been mild so far, but his positive test is likely to have far-reaching effects on Capitol Hill and ...

The President And First Lady Test Positive For Coronavirus

02 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump tweeted after midnight Friday that he and the First Lady Melania Trump had both tested positive for the coronavirus. The White House p...

Two Million Americans Have Already Voted

01 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Early voting is way up in 2020. But conspiracy theories spread by the president and protests at polling places have spooked some voters, and changed h...

Rail Force One: Biden Leads Whistle-Stop Tour After Debate

30 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Biden campaign chartered an Amtrak train to take the former vice president through Ohio and Pennsylvania after the first presidential debate. And,...

Debate: Trump Refuses To Condemn White Supremacy, Biden Pitches Directly To Camera

30 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The first debate was chaotic and light on policy as the participants disregarded the agreed-upon rules. President Trump repeatedly interrupted the dis...

The NYT Says Trump Paid Little In Income Taxes; What Does That Mean For The Campaign?

28 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A New York Times investigation published on Sunday said that President Trump paid just $750 in federal income taxes each year in 2016 and 2017, which ...

Amy Coney Barrett Nominated And Expected To Be Confirmed To Supreme Court

27 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The former Antonin Scalia clerk currently serves on the federal bench after a fifteen-year stint as a law professor at Notre Dame. The Senate will now...

Weekly Roundup: September 25th

25 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

There was bipartisan backlash after Trump suggested that he would have to see the results before committing to a peaceful presidential transition. And...

200,000 Americans Are Dead — And It Will Take More Than A Vaccine To Halt Pandemic

23 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It is hard to conceptualize 200,000 lives lost. Hundreds more die each day. And a vaccine, with partial efficacy and patchwork adoption, won't be enou...

It's Been Months Since Congress Last Passed Coronavirus Aid. Americans Are Struggling.

22 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As Republicans secure the votes to move forward on a Supreme Court nomination, government funding negotiations hit a snag. And Americans are strugglin...

Who Are The Women Under Consideration To Replace RBG?

21 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

"Most of them [the potential nominees] are young, and they've gone through the [nomination] process very recently," Trump said. He noted that one pers...

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Progressive Icon, Dead At 87

19 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Friday. The Supreme Court announced her death, saying the cause was complications from metastatic cancer of the pancr...

Weekly Roundup: September 18th

18 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A steady presidential race remains steady: Joe Biden's lead is in the high single-digits nationally. But Trump's messaging tying Joe Biden to socialis...

Bad News/Good News: Vaccine Access Months Away, But Masks Really Help

17 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told Congress that a widely-available vaccine probably won't be available until well into 2...

Analysis: Biden Leads, But He's Still Short Of 270 Electoral Votes

16 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Biden maintains a lead in key states Trump won in 2016, but the race remains tight in Florida. Arizona and Georgia are toss-ups, and Texas is pink...

They Voted For Obama, Then Trump—Now What?

15 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Understanding the motivation of voters in Michigan and Pennsylvania is key to understand the 2016 coalition that allowed President Trump to notch a de...

Trump's Nevada Rally Violated State Covid Rules. He Held It Anyway.

14 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

After the weekend's rally, aimed at building support among Hispanic voters, President Trump spent Monday in California hearing about disaster response...

Weekly Roundup: September 11th

11 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As wildfires rage across the west, activists are noting the campaign's relative silence on the issue of climate change. Natural disasters of all sorts...

Whistle-blower: Trump Officials Pushed Intel Staff To Downplay Russian Interference

10 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Department of Homeland Security official says in his complaint that he was ordered to halt reports that made the president "look bad." DHS and the...

On Tape: President Trump Admits To Downplaying The Pandemic

09 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump was aware of the severity of the coronavirus in early February, telling Bob Woodward that it was much more severe than the flu. In pub...

President Trump Pushes Unrealistic Vaccine Timeline In Effort To Win Votes

08 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Pressed on whether he was politicizing vaccine development by suggesting that a vaccine could come before election day (very unlikely), President Trum...

Labor Day Is When Election Season Kicks Into High Gear. Here's Where Voters Are.

07 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this Labor Day episode of the podcast, we hear from voters in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Pennsylvania about how they're feeling about their options in No...

Weekly Roundup: September 4th

04 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Isolated bursts of violence between protesters have left at least three Americans dead. But demonstrations across the country remain primarily peacefu...

The Pandemic Is Slowing Nationally, But Still Severe

03 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Six million Americans have been diagnosed with coronavirus and more than 185 thousand have died. Cases nationally are trending downward, but the Midwe...

Lawmakers On Both Sides Of The Aisle Contend With New Political Realities

02 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Republicans' internal divisions, and divisions with President Trump, made legislating nearly impossible during Trump's first term. There's little sign...

Trump Defends Man Accused Of Shooting Protesters, Visits Kenosha

01 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The president is in Kenosha, Wis., today, a city that has been rocked by protests after police shot a black man several times in the back a little ove...

Joe Biden: 'Do I Look Like A Radical Socialist With A Soft Spot For Rioters?'

31 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Biden's remarks come after several days of unrest in cities, including the shooting deaths of two protesters in Wisconsin, allegedly by an armed white...

Trump Is Following His 2016 Roadmap. Does It Matter That The Electorate Has Changed?

28 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Protests continue after police in Kenosha, Wisconsin shot Jacob Blake repeatedly in the back on Sunday. A young white man is said to have murdered two...

'We're Here And They're Not': Amid Pandemic And Recession, Trump Touts Achievements

28 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump accepted the nomination for a second term onstage at the White House, in front of 1500 people — where the was little social distanci...

Pence: Trump Won't Stay Silent When 'Our Heritage Is Demeaned Or Insulted'

27 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Pence formally accepted the vice presidential nomination on the third night of the Republican National Convention. As racial justice protests con...

Trump Leverages Presidential Power To Juice Convention TV

26 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Melania Trump gave her Republican National Convention address from the Rose Garden of "the people's house." Campaign videographers were there as Donal...

Trump, Or Else: Speakers Laud President As 'Bodyguard Of Western Civilization'

25 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump and his allies portrayed Democrats as "radical" and decried "cancel culture." The first night of the Republican National Convention at...

What To Know About The Republican National Convention

23 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump and the Republican party will lay out their vision for Trump's re-election all week. The NPR Politics Podcast breaks down what to watc...

Weekly Roundup: August 21st

21 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The head of the United States Postal Service testified before the Senate today about controversial changes that good governance watchdogs say undermin...

'An Ally Of The Light': Joe Biden Pledges Return To Hope And Compassion

21 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Biden has accepted the Democratic party's presidential nomination. In his acceptance speech, closing out the convention's final night, he pledged ...

Historic: Kamala Harris Accepts Vice Presidential Nomination

20 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kamala Harris, in her speech on the third night of the Democratic National Convention, accepted the vice presidential nomination with a nod to her mot...

One Upside For Virtual Convention? No Jeers For Controversial Speakers

19 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Democratic National Convention's second night featured speeches from Colin Powell, Bill Clinton, Jill Biden, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — anot...

Not Too Far Left, But Left Enough: Kasich and Sanders Speak On DNC Night One

18 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Those were the dual messages of the first night of the Democratic convention from former Republican governor of Ohio John Kasich and progressive fireb...

The DNC Starts Tomorrow. Here's What To Watch For.

16 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and others will speak at the mostly-virtual Democratic National Convention. And, will conventions ever be the same?Want more?...

Life Kit: How To Vote By Mail

15 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you're planning to vote this fall, you can probably mail in your ballot instead of voting in person. NPR's Life Kit put together this guide for how...

Weekly Roundup: August 14th

14 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump opposes funding for the U.S. postal service because he believes it will make voting by mail easier. Led by a major donor to the presid...

Trump's Executive Actions Are Less Than Meets The Eye

13 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump announced an executive action last weekend to grant an additional $400 in employment benefits after the White House and Congress faile...

In First Campaign Event, Kamala Harris Prosecutes Trump

13 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kamala Harris came out swinging, forceful in her critiques of President Trump at her first appearance on the campaign trail since Joe Biden selected h...

Why Pick Kamala Harris For Vice President?

11 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Who is Kamala Harris and why did Joe Biden select her to serve as his vice president and running mate? The NPR Politics team sits down to discuss the ...

Arizona Voters Discuss Coronavirus, Racial Justice, Election

10 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Who will win Arizona, Trump or Biden? How is the coronavirus being handled in the state? Who is to blame? NPR and Marist College held a virtual focus ...

Weekly Roundup: August 7th

07 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Coronavirus stimulus package negotiations are stuck at "no deal." Meanwhile, tens of millions of Americans remain jobless. Trump may accept the nomin...

Republicans Fear Democrats May Win Senate

06 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Republican strategists worry that the party may not be able to win a Senate majority again, and they almost certainly will not be able to significantl...