Pod Save America

Seven Republicans take the stage for the second primary debate, and they all manage to lose to the guy who isn't there. Jon, Jon, and Dan react to all the canned lines, missed opportunities, and—yes—awkward sex jokes that made this a night to forget. Meanwhile, the front-runner grovels for the UAW endorsement in an appearance at a non-union shop—just a day after being found liable for massive fraud in New York.

Trump goes on a crazy spree and demands a shutdown, suggests that America’s top general deserves to be executed, and promises to investigate media outlets if he wins. Meanwhile, his GOP opponents who trail him by more than 40 points prepare to duke it out on the debate stage for the second time. The Washington Post releases an outlier poll that triggers a freakout. House Republicans turn on each other as they bring the government closer to a shutdown. New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez gets indicted for bribery and corruption. And later, Tommy talks to Kal Penn about the youth vote and Hollywood writer’s strike.

With the first primaries still months away, Trump skips more debates and pivots to a general election strategy with a primetime speech to autoworkers in Michigan and an attempt to cast himself as more moderate on abortion. Will it work? Then, Politico Congressional correspondent Daniella Diaz joins the show to help make sense of the GOP’s shutdown shit show. Finally, the most divisive topic on Capitol Hill this week: what John Fetterman is allowed to wear.

The right dials up the heat on Donald Trump as he continues to make potentially incriminating statements. Republicans inch closer to a government shutdown. Mitt Romney takes his Senate exit stage left. Then, Michigan Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin joins the show to discuss the United Auto Workers' strike and her campaign for Senate. And Lauren Boebert is on an "apology tour" after the groping and vaping episode that got her booted from a performance of "Beetlejuice."

With just two weeks left to avoid a government shutdown, Kevin McCarthy opens an impeachment inquiry against President Biden, even though Republicans have provided zero evidence that Biden did anything wrong. Trump outlines his radical vision for a potential second term as the President unloads on "Maganomics." Then, Representative Jamie Raskin joins to break down the House Democrats' counterattack plan on impeachment. And: strap-ons in the Senate! How a hearing on book bans turned X-rated.