The NPR Politics Podcast
Episodes
House Democrats Push For Money For States In New Relief Bill
13 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
House Democrats plan to move forward with a $3 trillion bill for additional coronavirus relief, following up on the historic $2 trillion aid package p...
Nation's Top Health Officials Testify
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Public health needs continue to stymie lawmakers' hopes for an immediate economic reopening. The nation's top health experts appeared — virtually —...
Fauci In "Modified Quarantine"; CA Special Election Has Lessons For November
11 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After coming into contact with a White House staff member who tested positive for the coronavirus, Anthony Fauci and two other top officials from the ...
Weekly Roundup: May 8th, 2020
08 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After months of wrangling following the Russia probe, prosecutors will not go ahead with the case against Michael Flynn based on the former national s...
Supreme Court Firsts: Teleconferences, Livestreams, And A Toilet Flush
07 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Supreme Court resumed oral arguments this week after a lengthy hiatus because of the pandemic. The high court heard arguments via teleconference, ...
Partisan Divide: Michigan, Texas Take Differing Approaches To Reopening
06 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As new confirmed cases decline in the state, Michigan has extended its stay-at-home order until May 15th. Texas is moving quickly toward reopening, an...
Trump Visits Mask Factory In Arizona, A 2020 Battleground
05 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In his first major trip during the outbreak, President Trump is in Arizona Tuesday touring a mask factory. The state is an important 2020 battleground...
Hill Leaders Turn Down Additional Tests For Lawmakers
04 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The top lawmakers on Capitol Hill, both up for reelection this year, denied the administration's offer of more testing for lawmakers. Many Americans r...
Weekly Roundup: May 1st, 2020
01 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Note: This podcast contains a frank discussion of an alleged sexual assault.In an appearance on MSNBC Friday morning, Joe Biden denied sexually assaul...
Treatment Research Continues As Phased Reopening Begins
30 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The original White House social distancing guidelines are lapsing, with a phased plan for reopening that delegates more control to states taking their...
Half Of Households Financially Impacted By Coronavirus. It Could Get Worse.
29 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Fifty percent of Americans said they or someone in their household has either lost hours or a job because of the coronavirus, as the economy rapidly s...
WH Guidelines For Reopening Remain Vague So States Like Georgia Return To Work
28 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The White House has released guidelines for when and how states can begin reopening their economies, but the metrics are loose. Georgia's Governor Bri...
"Veepstakes": Joe Biden Begins Search for Vice Presidential Pick
27 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joe Biden has committed to selecting a woman as his running mate. Now that is the presumptive nominee, he's facing pressure from a number of camps in ...
Weekly Roundup: April 24th, 2020
24 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Doubts grow over the next phase of the coronavirus relief plan. And, the coronavirus outbreak has reshaped how top strategists are approaching congres...
Trump's Immigration Order Stops Far Short Of Total Ban
23 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Late Monday night, President Trump tweeted that he would sign an executive order suspending all immigration into the United States. The proclamation t...
Despite Protests, Most Americans Still Support Coronavirus Restrictions
22 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Demonstrations supported by national conservative groups have begun to spring up across the country. They are protesting the severe restrictions that ...
Another Half-Trillion: Senate Reaches Deal On Rescue Package
21 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The $484 billion bill is expected to approved by the Senate Tuesday afternoon. The largest component of the legislation, according to a summary obtain...
Former Staffer Accuses Joe Biden Of Sexual Assault
20 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Note: This podcast contains an explicit description of an alleged sexual assault.Tara Reade, a former junior staffer in Joe Biden's Senate office, has...
Weekly Roundup: April 17th, 2020
17 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The White House has now issued guidance about when communities can begin to reopen, a phased plan based on downward trends in positive cases. But for ...
Unemployment Claims Remain Sky-High, All But Undoing 10 Years Of Job Gains
16 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
5.2 million people filed for unemployment benefits last week, bringing the four-week total to 22 million — nearly wiping out all the job gains made ...
Trump, Governors Weigh How To Reopen Country
15 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump is impatient to get the country reopened. The administration's public health experts and the governors of California and New York say ...
Obama Endorses Biden For President—So What?
14 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Barack Obama endorsed Joe Biden in a twelve-minute video shared online Tuesday morning. So what does the former president's endorsement mean in an ele...
Trump Promised Corporate Partnerships To Fight The Virus. They Haven't Materialized.
13 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Rather than a sweeping national campaign of screening, drive-through sample collection and lab testing, NPR found a smattering of small pilot projects...
Weekly Roundup: April 10th, 2020
10 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In a White House briefing Friday, the top medical experts from the coronavirus task force said the social distancing measures appeared to be constrain...
17 Million Americans Have Filed For Unemployment In The Last 3 Weeks
09 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The number of people seeking unemployment benefits shot up again last week, as 6.6 million more people filed initial claims, and analysts expect the n...
Bernie Sanders Suspends Presidential Campaign
08 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In a livestream announcing his exit from the presidential contest, Bernie Sanders told support that while there was no viable path forward for his cam...
Despite Health Risks, In-Person Voting Underway in Wisconsin
07 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After a protracted tug-of-war between the state's governor, legislature and Supreme Court, voting is underway in Wisconsin's primary election. Results...
White House: This Week Could Be Toughest Yet
06 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Deaths from the coronavirus outbreak are expected to spike this week in some of the country's hardest hit communities. President Trump breaks from his...
Weekly Roundup: Friday, April 3rd
03 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Democratic National Committee has agreed to push back their nominating convention until mid-August. Mike Bloomberg is facing lawsuits from former ...
Nearly Ten Million Americans Have Filed For Unemployment In The Last Two Weeks
02 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
More than six million people filed for unemployment last week, on top of the 3.3 million claims the week prior. Analysts project the share of American...
How Tennessee and Colorado Are Responding to Pandemic
01 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As the White House warns the American public to expect 100 thousand or more deaths from the coronavirus outbreak, the administration is deferring to s...
Pandemic Opens A New Front In The Battle Over Abortion Access
31 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Should abortion count as an essential medical service during the coronavirus outbreak? States disagree, prompting court fights. And lawmakers differ o...
President Trump Extends Social Distancing Guidance Through April
30 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump is now asking Americans to stay at home through April, with some hints that the social distancing measures could last even longer. Eve...
Weekly Roundup: Friday, March 27
27 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A record number of Americans filed for unemployment benefits for the first time last week as the coronavirus hammered the economy. It's nearly five ti...
Joe Biden, Retail Politician, Tries His Hand At Virtual Campaigning
26 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joe Biden has held a number of web-based campaign events and fundraisers now that the coronavirus outbreak has grounded his campaign. Early efforts we...
Senate and White House Announce Deal On Coronavirus Package
25 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell touted a bipartisan deal to provide emergency funds in response to the new coronavirus pandemic and committed t...
As Congress Closes In On A Deal, Trump Says He Wants To Open U.S. By Easter
24 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A Senate agreement on emergency funding to address the coronavirus could be "hours" away, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday, as Republicans and ...
Tempers Flare In Coronavirus Aid Negotiations
23 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As financial markets fall and case numbers soar, Congress has (so far) been unable to reach a deal on a major coronavirus aid package with an expected...
Weekly Roundup: Friday, March 20
20 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Senate is negotiating another aid package to address the coronavirus, one that would provide direct cash payments, loan guarantees for impacted bu...
White House Touts Coronavirus Treatments, As FDA Warns They May Be Months Away
19 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The White House gave a press conference Thursday afternoon touting potential new treatments for the coronavirus. The head of the Food and Drug Adminis...
President Trump Partly Shuts Border With Canada
18 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Defense Department said it would contribute to the coronavirus pandemic response with hospital ships, field treatment centers and medical supplies...
After More Primaries Biden Grows Lead As Coronavirus Reshapes Primary Calendar
18 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joe Biden now has secured more than half of delegates in the Democratic primary contest, making a Bernie Sanders comeback increasingly unlikely. Biden...
Trump: Avoid Gatherings Of More Than 10 People To Limit Contagion
16 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump gave a briefing on the coronavirus this afternoon in which he acknowledged that the coronavirus could cause disruptions for several mo...
Biden, Sanders Debate One-On-One As Coronavirus Upends The Race
16 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Former Vice President Joe Biden made big news, committing to have a woman as his running mate. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said it would be his "stron...
Weekly Roundup: Friday, March 13
13 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump declared a national emergency Friday afternoon amid growing concern about the coronavirus outbreak across the United States. The move,...
Pelosi Vows To Bring Coronavirus Bill To House Floor As Republicans Push For Changes
12 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House will vote Thursday on a package of measures to address the coronavirus despite pushback from the top House Republi...
President Trump Issues New Travel Restrictions As Coronavirus Spreads
12 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In remarks from the Oval Office Wednesday night, President Trump announced actions aimed at curbing the spread and economic downfall of coronavirus, w...
Sanders Says He Is Winning 'Generational Debate,' Losing On 'Electability'
11 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Despite an underwhelming performance in yesterday's primary contests, Bernie Sanders says he remains a contender for the Democratic presidential nomin...
Joe Biden Wins Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi Primaries
11 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joe Biden's campaign momentum continued on Big Tuesday, with decisive wins in at least three of six primary elections. The results paint a grim pictur...
Stocks Fall Sharply Ahead Of "Big Tuesday" Primaries
09 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As financial markets reckon with another acute shock, a question for the White House resurfaces: will it take measures to stabilize the U.S. economy? ...
Weekly Roundup: Friday, March 6th
06 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As the public continues to brace for the spread of the new coronavirus, President Trump has continued to spread misinformation about the disease. And ...
Elizabeth Warren Ends Her Campaign, Talks About Support from 'All Those Little Girls'
05 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren ended her bid for the presidency on Thursday, marking the end of a campaign that once rocketed Warren to front run...
Mike Bloomberg Drops Out; Demographics Of Biden's Supporters
04 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joe Biden's victories on Super Tuesday illustrated the importance of campaign momentum. He won in several states where he had little to no campaign in...
Super Tuesday: Biden's Surge Continues As Sanders Leads In California
04 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joe Biden topped the polls in eight states on Super Tuesday, including surprise wins in Minnesota and Massachusetts. Bernie Sanders lead in four state...
How They'll Win: Candidates Outline Path To Nomination Ahead of Super Tuesday
02 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Our reporters have been following the Democratic presidential candidates all across the country for months. Ahead of Super Tuesday, we check in with t...
Joe Biden Wins Big In South Carolina. Now What?
01 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Associated Press has called the South Carolina primary race for former Vice President Joe Biden. It gives his campaign a much needed boost ahead o...
Weekly Roundup: February 28th
28 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
By some measures, this week was the stock market's worst since the 2008 financial crisis as traders worried about the market impacts of the new corona...
This Majority-Minority City Voted For Donald Trump
27 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As part of our Where Voters Are series, NPR's Ari Shapiro and Colorado Public Radio's Bente Birkeland share their reporting from Pueblo, Colorado.Over...
Here's How The U.S. Is Responding To Coronavirus
26 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
United States health officials delivered a clear message Tuesday: serious measures could be required to stem the new coronavirus. One top official des...
Bernie Sanders and Mike Bloomberg Face Debate Attacks
26 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In a chaotic CBS debate in South Carolina, candidates of all stripes attacked Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders as he continues to pull away from the pac...
Candidates Jockey For Position As Sanders Alternative Ahead of Tuesday Debate
24 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Moderate presidential hopefuls face a collective action problem—each wants to see voters rally behind one alternative to Bernie Sanders, but (so far...
Bernie Sanders Projected to Win Nevada Caucus
23 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Senator Bernie Sanders is the projected winner of the Nevada caucus, according the Associated Press."In Nevada, we have just put together a multi-gene...
Weekly Roundup: Friday, February 21
21 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As Nevada prepares for tomorrow's caucus, state party officials express confidence that it will run more smoothly than Iowa's caucus. Also, Vermont Se...
Bloomberg Faces Voters After Debate; Trump Ally Roger Stone Sentenced
20 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg hit the campaign trail in Salt Lake City, Utah today after a debate performance that some say left him br...
NPR Politics Live From Thousand Oaks, CA: Recapping The Democratic Debate
20 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is a special episode, recorded in front of a live audience at Kavli Theatre in Thousand Oaks, California. The cast recaps the ninth Democratic pr...
Michael Bloomberg Qualifies For Wednesday Debate As Sanders Secures Double-Digit Lead
18 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will appear on Wednesday's debate stage in Nevada, after qualifying in this morning's NPR/PBS Newshour/Ma...
NPR's Throughline Presents: 'She Got Next'
17 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This President's Day we're bringing you a special episode from NPR's Throughline. It's a podcast that looks at the past in order to understand the pre...
Weekly Roundup: Friday, February 14
14 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Attorney General William Barr asked President Trump to stop his social media commentary on Thursday after the flap over the case involving Trump's adv...
Candidates Vie For Support Of Black Voters; Bloomberg Remarks Cause Controversy
13 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joe Biden's theory of the case is that his current support among black voters will lead to success in Nevada and South Carolina. That, in turn, he ho...
After Trump Tweet, DOJ Softens Sentencing Recommendation For POTUS Ally
12 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hours after the Justice Department intervened to seek a shorter sentence for Roger Stone, the four federal prosecutors who secured his conviction with...
Bernie Sanders Wins New Hampshire Democratic Primary
12 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has narrowly won the New Hampshire Democratic primary, as moderate voters split their voters between other candidates.F...
On the Ground In New Hampshire
10 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of The NPR Politics Podcast, Asma Khalid travels to candidate events around the state of New Hampshire and speaks with reporte...
Voters Of Color At The Center Of Heated Democratic Debate
08 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
At the end of a busy week in American politics, seven Democrats took the stage in New Hampshire ahead of the state's Tuesday primary.Each candidate ma...
Tensions Between Pelosi and Trump on Display After Senate Acquittal
06 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The impeachment trial is over, but there are still hard feelings between President Trump and Democratic leadership. Those tensions were on display tod...
Senate Votes To Acquit President Trump, Ending Historic Impeachment Trial
06 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Senators voted mostly along party lines this afternoon to acquit President Trump on two articles of impeachment. The White House called President Trum...
"Stronger Than Ever Before": Trump Delivers Made-For-TV State of The Union Address
05 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It was a highly partisan event. Trump touted his own accomplishments on issues like the economy and paid family leave, lowering the cost of health car...
Buttigieg And Sanders Locked In Tight Race After Partial Iowa Results Released
05 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Ind., is neck and neck with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Iowa caucuses, according to a partial r...
Iowa Results Waylaid By "Technical Difficulties," Democrats Say
04 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As problems with a mobile app through which vote tallies were transmitted electronically caused a delay in the reporting of Iowa caucus results on Mon...
In Impeachment Trial, Both Sides Make Final Pitch on Conviction vs. Acquittal
03 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The White House legal team and House managers made their closing arguments today in the Senate impeachment trial. With an acquittal looking almost cer...
Special Episode: On The Ground in Iowa
03 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of the NPR Politics Podcast, Scott Detrow travels to candidate events around the state of Iowa days and speaks with our campai...
NPR Politics Live From Des Moines: The Road To 2020
01 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is a special episode, recorded in front of a live audience at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, IA on Friday, January 31. The cast breaks down ev...
Witness Vote Fails, But Impeachment Trial Stretches To Next Week
01 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Senate adjourned for the weekend, but the impeachment trial of President Trump is not over. Senators voted not to hear from new witnesses on Frida...
Questions of Foreign Interference Continue as Trial Moves Closer to Vote on Witnesses
31 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Close to a vote on whether to include witnesses, the White House legal team continued to defend its argument that the president sometimes has authorit...
Trump Legal Team Says Quid Pro Quo In Pursuit Of Reelection Isn't Impeachable
30 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The point was made by Alan Dershowitz, one of the president's attorneys: "If a president does something which he believes will help him get elected in...
President's Defense Team Concludes Arguments in Impeachment Trial
28 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump's impeachment defense team concluded their arguments with time to spare Tuesday. White House counsel Pat Cipollone said the two artic...
John Bolton Casts Shadow Over Trump Impeachment Defense
28 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As President Trump's legal team continues their case for acquittal, a report in The New York Times about an alleged conversation between Trump and Bol...
Trump's Legal Team Begins Impeachment Defense, Says The President Did 'Nothing Wrong'
25 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump "did absolutely nothing wrong," White House counsel Pat Cipollone said Saturday, as lawyers representing the president got their first...
Weekly Roundup: Friday, January 24
25 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Democratic impeachment managers conclude their opening arguments Friday night in the Senate Impeachment trial. The president's defense team begins the...
A Few Republicans And The American Public: Democrats Target Their Impeachment Message
24 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On the second day of their opening arguments in the Senate impeachment trial, Democratic managers honed their case. They hope to persuade a narrow ban...
NPR Politics Live From Drew University: The Road To 2020
23 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is a special episode, recorded in front of a live audience at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey on Wednesday, January 22nd. As part of Drew ...
Senate Trial Opens With Democrats' Appeal to Remove Trump
23 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As the third presidential impeachment trial in the country's history got underway, there was a lot that sounded familiar.House impeachment managers, l...
Senate Impeachment Trial Begins With Partisan Rules Fight
22 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The first full day of the Trump impeachment trial has been dominated by partisan fighting over the rules of the proceedings.Senate Majority Leader Mit...
We've Attended Thousands of Political Rallies. Here's How They Work.
20 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Every political rally can be distilled to a few elements: the music, the stump, and the call to action. But each candidate's rallies look a bit differ...
Weekly Roundup: Friday, January 17
17 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
President Trump has announced his legal team for the Senate impeachment trial—and it includes ghosts of impeachment past. And a non-partisan governm...
Trade Deals Offer Trump Fodder To Tout On Trail
16 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, President Trump inked deals in the two trade spats that have helped to define presidency: The US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, an incremental up...
After Weeks of Delay, House Transmits Articles of Impeachment to Senate
15 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi named seven Democratic members of Congress as the managers to argue the case for impeachment before the Senate."The emphasi...
Democratic Debate Confronts A Loaded Question: 'Can A Woman Win Against Trump?'
15 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Six Democratic presidential candidates debated on Tuesday night in Iowa, less than three weeks before the state's first-in-the-nation caucuses.It came...
With A Debate Looming, Progressives Feud and Cory Booker Drops Out
13 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
New Jersey Senator Cory Booker has suspended his presidential campaign, citing a lack of money to run a winning campaign.Also, Massachusetts Senator E...
NPR Politics Live From Chicago: The Road To 2020
11 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is a special episode, recorded in front of a live audience at the Harris Theater in Chicago, IL on Friday, January 10th. The cast breaks down eve...
How Chief Justice Roberts May Preside Over Senate Impeachment
10 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to hand over articles of impeachment to the Senate next week and when the trial begins, Chief Justice John Robe...