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The Chuck ToddCast

The Chuck ToddCast

By: Chuck Todd
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 The Chuck ToddCast is back! If you're looking for smart, no-nonsense political conversation, you've come to the right place. The Chuck ToddCast goes beyond the headlines, featuring conversations with top reporters, insiders, and newsmakers from D.C. to the heartland. No scripts, no spin—just real discussions about what’s shaping our politics and why it matters.2025 Chuck Todd Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • How Does GOP RECLAIM Republican Party From Trump?

    How Does GOP RECLAIM Republican Party From Trump?
    Jun 12 2025
    Chuck Todd criticizes the controversial military birthday parade planned by Trump in Washington, D.C., which marks both the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary and Trump’s 79th birthday. He calls out the event as a politicization of the military, a costly spectacle ($25–$45 million) that could have been spent addressing critical social needs such as homeless veterans, Medicaid funding, or infrastructure repair. He takes particular issue with the military personnel being vetted for political loyalty to Trump, which undermines the traditionally apolitical nature of the military and risks eroding public trust. Chuck examines the broader consequences of Trump’s actions, including his use of military intervention in domestic unrest and harsh rhetoric against protestors, which contributes to the dangerous polarization of Americans and threatens democratic norms.Chuck Todd sits down with former Congresswoman Barbara Comstock to discuss her ongoing efforts to reform the Republican Party from within and the challenges facing the GOP in the Trump era. Comstock argues that the party's fundamental problem isn't ideological but character-based, as Republicans have abandoned character as a voting issue and are now required to lie to their voters to maintain political viability. She believes reform must come from the bottom up through state and local politics, which have been less infected by Trumpism, and warns that MAGA Republicans' indifference to whether government actually works has created a dangerous dynamic where loyalty to Trump is the only qualification that matters.The conversation explores the practical consequences of Republican governance, from potential Medicaid cuts that could devastate rural hospitals and long-term care facilities, to the party's abandonment of Christian principles regarding care for the vulnerable. Comstock sees an opportunity for reform during the eventual succession fight after Trump, arguing that it will take just one person of character to begin rebuilding the party. She's particularly critical of figures like JD Vance, whom she describes as a charlatan who cannot represent the party's future, while expressing cautious optimism about leaders like Glenn Youngkin. Throughout the discussion, Comstock draws parallels to international politics, praising Zelenskyy as the world's greatest leader while condemning the Tucker Carlson wing of the party for siding with Putin, ultimately arguing that voters will punish incumbents of both parties if government continues to fail.00:00 Introduction01:05 The two types of ex-Repubicans03:40 The bleak future of the two-party system04:30 Trump's military birthday parade07:20 Longterm damage of politicizing the military08:55 Conservative's absurd renaming of Confederate bases11:30 The HUGE price of this military parade13:30 What the $45 million COULD have been used to fix15:10 Why politicizing the military would be end of the republic16:00 How this stunt is escalating tensions w/ ongoing protests17:15 Why this Trump scandal is particularly un-American19:45 Barbara Comstock joins the Chuck ToddCast!20:45 Efforts to reform the Republican party from within23:00 State and local level politics have been less infected by Trumpism25:15 Republicans are required to lie to their voters26:15 Reform will come from the bottom up27:00 Character is a bigger problem for Republicans than ideology28:30 Republicans have given up on character as a voting issue30:30 Winsome Earle-Sears has capitulated to the Trump movement33:15 Should Republicans embrace Trump’s ideology but with high character candidates?35:15 MAGA Republicans don’t care if government doesn’t work36:00 Loyalty is the only qualification Trump cares about39:00 Attrition and incentives are a better way of cutting government42:15 Emergency care for illegal immigrants is mandated by law43:00 Christian Republicans want to kick the samaritan to the curb44:00 Medicaid cuts will cause rural hospitals to close45:00 Medicaid sustains the long term care industry46:45 Congress has abdicated its responsibility to govern48:15 It takes one person of character to begin reforming the GOP49:15 There will be opportunity for reform during the succession fight50:45 When you make government work well, voters notice52:00 Could Republicans get wiped out like the Tories in the UK?53:30 Zelenskyy is the greatest leader on the world stage55:00 The Tucker Carlson wing has sided with Putin56:15 Can a non MAGA Republican win over MAGA voters in the future?58:45 Howard Lutnick and Linda McMahon have looked clueless1:00:15 The Republican party has become an anti-intellectual party1:01:30 Has JD Vance always been a charlatan?1:03:30 JD Vance can’t be the future of the party1:04:45 Is Glenn Youngkin redeemable?1:07:00 Trump will want to anoint his successor1:07:30 Who are some current Republicans that could reclaim the GOP?1:10:15 The potential GOP reformer needs to be someone new1:13:15 Voters won’t be kind to incumbents ...
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    1 hr and 30 mins
  • 'Prime Minister': MUST-WATCH Documentary Of Jacinda Ardern's INCREDIBLE Story

    'Prime Minister': MUST-WATCH Documentary Of Jacinda Ardern's INCREDIBLE Story
    Jun 11 2025

    Chuck Todd reflects on his recent conversation with Steve Bannon and proposes his theory for what Donald Trump and his MAGA movement's populism is really tapping into not just in America, but as a global phenomenon. Chuck says that the Democrats have an opportunity to position themselves as an opposition party that taps into the American populace's skepticism of concentrated power, and that if the current Democratic leadership isn't equipped to navigate the moment, they could set themselves up to get steamrolled by Trumpism the same way that the George Bush and Mitt Romney wing of the Republican Party did. Chuck goes on to look at some of the races he's most excited for in 2026.

    Chuck Todd welcomes filmmakers Lindsay Utz and Michelle Walshe to discuss their documentary "Prime Minister," an intimate portrait of former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's extraordinary leadership during some of the most challenging moments in recent history. The film, built around Ardern's personal audio diaries that weren't meant to be released until after her death, chronicles her navigation through three defining crises: the Christchurch shooting, the COVID-19 pandemic, and giving birth while in office. The filmmakers had unprecedented access to Ardern, capturing her reflections on leading a nation through tragedy and global upheaval, while New Zealand became the first country to eradicate COVID-19 through decisive leadership and strong public health measures.

    The conversation explores the broader themes of the documentary, including the misogynistic backlash Ardern faced both for her COVID response and her decision to ban semi-automatic weapons after Christchurch. Utz and Walshe discuss the challenge of misinformation during the pandemic, the export of American political mistrust to other democracies, and how Ardern's millennial confidence shaped her leadership style. Despite her international popularity, the filmmakers reveal that Ardern has sworn off politics forever, making this documentary a crucial historical record of her tenure. The film serves as both a case study in crisis leadership and an inspiration for young women considering political careers, showcasing how Ardern became a global role model while navigating the unique pressures facing female leaders in the modern political landscape.

    Finally, he addresses listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment!

    00:00 Introduction

    03:50 Steve Bannon's theory about Trump & the global populist movement

    06:10 Why Trump's character is a distraction for Democrats

    08:10 Democrats' advantage as an outsider party

    10:45 New Jersey gubernatorial race

    14:30 Democratic Senate candidates popping up in Iowa

    18:30 Minnesota Senate Democratic primary

    20:45 New candidate alert in Georgia!

    23:00 Louisiana getting rid of runoffs?

    24:10 Mark Green stepping down in Tennesee

    29:30 Lindsay Utz and Michelle Walshe join the Chuck Toddcast!

    30:30 What was the origin story of their documentary “Prime Minister”

    31:30 How often did they have access to Jacinda Ardern?

    32:50 Ardern’s audio diaries weren’t supposed to be released until she died

    34:00 Ardern showed extraordinary leadership after the Christchurch shooting

    35:30 Adrern’s story wasn’t local and could resonate worldwide

    37:30 Was Ardern surprised when reflecting on her diaries?

    38:30 Ardern had to lead through 2 crises

    39:30 The tentpoles of the documentary are Covid, Christchurch and giving birth in office

    42:30 Great responsibility to get the story right due to historic nature

    44:30 Was Arden’s book coordinated with the release of the documentary?

    45:30 What was the hardest thing to leave out?

    47:30 New Zealand’s great response to Covid relied on strong leadership

    49:30 New Zealand was the first country to eradicate Covid

    51:00 Citizens of every country blamed their leaders for Covid

    52:30 Misinformation was a huge problem during Covid

    53:30 Was there an anti-vax community in NZ prior to Covid?

    54:45 Was the widespread mistrust in the American government exported to NZ?

    55:45 Ardern received terrible misogynistic blowback from the public

    56:30 Was the backlash worse for Covid or for banning semiautomic weapons?

    59:40 Ardern swears she’ll never go into politics again

    1:02:30 Is Ardern more popular outside of New Zealand?

    1:03:45 What do you hope a young female politician takes away from “Prime Minister”?

    1:05:15 Was Ardern’s confidence a byproduct of being a millennial?

    1:07:45 Ardern was a great role model for young women

    1:08:30 Do they have another project planned in the future?

    1:11:40 Where can people see “Prime Minister”?

    1:14:00 Ask Chuck!
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    1 hr and 22 mins
  • DC/DOX Film Festival Kicks Off Its THIRD Year!

    DC/DOX Film Festival Kicks Off Its THIRD Year!
    Jun 10 2025
    DC/DOX Film Festival Kicks Off Its THIRD Year! | Chuck Todd Politics PodcastChuck Todd reacts to Donald Trump’s escalating conflict with the state of California and Governor Gavin Newsom over the ICE raids and protests. Chuck warns that if Trump makes good on his threats to arrest Newsom, he could make him a powerful martyr. He also weighs in Barack Obama’s lack of presence for the Democrats while they struggle with a leadership vacuum.Then sits down with Jamie Shor and Sky Sitney, the co-founders of DC/DOX, Washington D.C.'s premier documentary film festival now in its third year. The duo discusses how they merged their individual visions to create a festival that perfectly captures the capital city's unique position as a hub for storytelling about politics, power, and social change. They explore how modern film festivals have evolved from simple showcases to essential curators in an era where the barrier to entry for documentary filmmaking has never been lower, yet the challenge of finding distribution and audience has never been greater.The conversation highlights some of the festival's most compelling offerings, from the visceral war documentary "2000 Meters To Adiivka" to the humorous AI exploration "Deepfaking Sam Altman," and the shocking government surveillance tale "The Spies Among Us." Shor and Sitney discuss the delicate balance between activism and entertainment in documentary filmmaking, the importance of transparency around AI usage in film production, and how their curation reflects the current cultural moment. They also address the ongoing distribution crisis facing independent filmmakers and explain how festivals like DC/DOX provide crucial visibility for smaller creators who lack major studio backing, while partners like Netflix and National Geographic help amplify important voices in documentary storytelling.Finally, he addresses listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment!Timeline:00:00 Introduction02:30 Trump is in a showdown with the state of California03:30 The “Newscum” nickname makes Trump look unserious05:30 The first amendment doesn’t only apply to citizens07:30 The Trump recession has begun08:30 The Big Beautiful Bill fight is going poorly for Republicans09:30 Trump wants to make California a political punching bag10:15 Trumpworld wants to make Gavin Newsom the face of the Democratic party11:30 If Trump arrests Newsom, Newsom could become a martyr12:00 Should Barack Obama be filling the Democratic leadership vacuum?13:30 DNC leadership seems to be paralyzed 14:30 Obama is the only leader the entire coalition trusts17:45 There’s not enough faith in the Democratic bench18:45 Obama has stayed above the fray19:20 Obama speaking out would raise the alarm amongst disengaged voters20:30 Biden failed to make the country turn the page on Trump 22:45 If Trump tries to seek a third term, so can Barack Obama24:00 Jamie Shor & Sky Sitney join the Chuck ToddCast! 25:45 What is DC/DOX and how has it evolved over three years? 28:20 How did Jamie and Sky meld their visions into one? 30:00 Why D.C. is the perfect host city for the festival. 32:30 The barrier to entry for making documentaries is lower than ever 34:30 Modern film festivals are a curator for films rather than just a showcase 36:30 Most of the documentaries presented don't have major studio backing 37:45 Netflix and NatGeo were early partners of DC/DOX 40:15 Festivals provide visibility for smaller filmmakers 41:00 Sky's favorite feature length films being featured at DC/DOX? 42:30 "2000 Meters To Adiivka" is a visceral war documentary 44:15 Jamie's favorite films being featured at DC/DOX? 47:00 What is "Andy Kaufman Is Me" about? 49:00 What is "Barbara Walters Tells Me Everything" about? 51:00 "Deepfaking Sam Altman" is a great and funny exploration of AI 53:00 "The Spies Among Us" is a shocking tale of government surveillance 54:15 What are the best documentary shorts featured at DC/DOX? 58:45 Activist documentaries still have to be entertaining to make change 1:00:45 The films curated have to be reflective of the time 1:02:45 Filmmakers must be transparent about their use of AI1:06:15 AI ethics in filmmaking will continue to evolve 1:07:15 What is the state of the industry for documentary filmmakers? 1:10:00 Is there a distribution crisis in the film industry? 1:12:00 Where do you go to buy tickets or get more info for DC/DOX?01:14:40 Chuck's thoughts on interview with Jamie Short & Sky Sitney 01:15:50 Ask Chuck 01:16:05 Should the US consider Sunday voting & a Presidential Reform Act? 01:24:10 National security book recommendations? 01:29:10 Members seem clueless…who is actually writing the legislation in Congress?
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    1 hr and 36 mins
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I wonder. if the urban areas are so racially enlightened, why, in cities such as Baltimore, are not the white, woke, multicultural liberal elite not moving into the black neighborhoods and those neighborhoods not welcoming, indeed even courting these great white hopes? Now I'm am not, obviously, talking about gentrification that displaces the existing community in favor of wealth eutopia.

Woke with Closed Eyes and Beatless Hearts

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Reliable and clarifying. Chuck helps cut through the noise and breaks down the many complex issues into understandable basics of human relationships and feelings with an understanding of history.

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