Andy sits down with Steve Schmidt for a conversation that is as urgent as it is unflinching. Steve Schmidt is one of the most consequential figures in modern American politics. He ran John McCain's presidential campaign, architected Arnold Schwarzenegger's come-from-behind re-election, served as a top strategist in the Bush White House, and co-founded the Lincoln Project — the most politically effective Super PAC of the 2020 election cycle. He was the first person on American television to predict that Donald Trump could win in 2015 and he accurately predicted the political violence of January 6th more than three months before it happened. Today, Steve is the founder of The Warning and co-founder of the Save America Movement, a national organizing effort operating across all 50 states with more than 250,000 grassroots donors behind it. In this conversation, Andy and Steve get into the state of American democracy, the Iran war and what it means for the Trump administration's political future, SAM's Villains campaign and the strategy behind holding bad actors accountable by name, Operation Liberty and what SAM has documented at ICE detention centers across the country, and what Steve believes this moment, as painful and frightening as it is, ultimately means for the future of the country. Steve Schmidt doesn't do spin. He doesn't do comfortable. And this conversation is no exception. Then Andy and the Jo(h)ns recap the news of the week. From Artemis II to the Pope vs. Donald Trump online, it was a big week in American politics. Plus, a litte behind-the-scenes as Andy talks about his recent appearance with Rev. Al Sharpton and a quick trip down to Atlanta for the Carter-Lewis Dinner where Andy delivered a message to Georgia Democrats: it's time to get the dirt on our boots and get to work. Merch store 👉 store.andybeshearpodcast.com/ Pre-order “Go and Do Likewise” 👉 static.macmillan.com/static/smp/go-and-do-likewise-9781250452719/ Follow us for behind-the-scenes and bonus content: Instagram: instagram.com/andybeshearpodcast/?hl=en Twitter: x.com/andybeshearpod Facebook: facebook.com/andybeshearpodcast/ Threads: threads.com/@andybeshearpodcast   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.