Chuck opens with an analysis of growing global tensions, including armed conflict between India and Pakistan, and the power vacuum created by America's retreat from its traditional leadership role. He discusses Joe Biden's recent BBC comments on foreign affairs and the potential for Vladimir Putin to test NATO's Article 5 commitment in the Baltics, suggesting that increased global conflict may be on the horizon as China and Russia fill the void left by the United States.

Then he’s joined by the author of the new book "Heaven Help Us" and former Ohio Governor John Kasich, who offers candid insights on the lost art of political compromise and consensus-building. Kasich discusses the toxic partisanship exemplified by the Obama/Christie hug controversy, shares his perspective on healthcare reform, and explores how faith can inform governance without violating church-state separation.

The conversation covers the prospects for the 2026 and 2028 elections, Ohio's political landscape, and the need for spiritual renewal in American culture. Kasich offers sharp criticism of both Trump's approach to tariffs and Biden's presidency, which he characterizes as a failure due to insulation from contrarian views.

Finally Chuck responds to listeners’ questions in the "Ask Chuck" segment, addressing questions about increasing the size of the House of Representatives, how organizations earn the "non-partisan" label, and whether the national debt will trigger economic catastrophe.

Timeline:

00:00 Introduction

03:15 Armed conflict between India and Pakistan

07:30 We see more conflict when the U.S. is in retreat

09:00 If America doesn’t play the role of world police, Russia and China will

11:00 We’re likely to see more conflict around the world

13:35 Joe Biden weighs in on foreign affairs on BBC

14:45 Putin likely to test article 5 in the Baltics

16:45 Democrat loss was 10 years in the making

21:45 John Kasich joins the Chuck Toddcast!

23:15 Why have we lost the art of politics and compromise?

25:45 The Obama/Chris Christie hug shouldn't have been a controversy

27:00 Government never finds a way to get money out of politics

29:05 Faith in democracy?

31:35 The next president has the opposite traits of the prior president

33:05 What will the country look for in the next president?

33:55 Advice for 2028 candidates?

35:15 Could the MAGA candidates become toxic in the primaries by 2026?

36:15 Vivek Ramaswamy's prospects in the Ohio governor's race?

37:30 Ohio isn't ruby red

39:45 Voters care less about issues and more about personal connection

41:00 The issues John Kasich would focus most on addressing

43:30 The healthcare system is broken

46:15 For profit hospitals are less profitable than non-profits

48:30 Healthcare stakeholders need to be forced to compromise

49:55 We need politicians that can build consensus, not just offer a plan

53:05 Integrating faith into governance without violating separation of church and state?

56:15 The social gospel changed the culture from an "I" environment to a "we" society

57:15 Local journalism is service journalism, national journalism is civics journalism

1:00:30 How do we move America past its "I" culture?

1:02:00 We need a spiritual renewal

1:02:45 Pope Francis could be remembered as the most important of the century

1:04:15 Trump's tariff implementation shows his inability to listen and win people over

1:06:45 We've never updated the design for our public education system

1:08:30 The education industrial complex resists reform

1:11:00 Biden's staff kept him insulated from hearing contrarian views

1:11:45 Biden's presidency was a failure

1:16:15 College football has been turned into the minor leagues

1:20:20 Chuck's thoughts on the interview with John Kasich

1:21:50 Ask Chuck

1:22:00 How would increasing the size of the house of representatives work?

1:24:40 How do entities/organizations earn the label "non-partisan"?

1:29:00 Will the national debt cause economic catastrophe?

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

As a bonus for Chuck ToddCast listeners, we’re sharing a special preview of Kamala: Next in Line, a six-part podcast from MSNBC and Wondery that goes inside the cross-cultural journey that led Senator Kamala Harris from her humble roots to become the first African-American woman to be the Vice Presidential nominee for a major party. From Oakland to Howard University, and California to Washington DC, experience her story as it has never been told before. Hosted by MSNBC's Joy Reid, the show features exclusive interviews with those who know her best, painting a picture of a woman who has fought her way to the top at every turn. Listen to the first episode, and subscribe to the series now: https://link.chtbl.com/description-kamala

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Chuck Todd begins with analysis of the current travel chaos and President Trump's controversial comments on Alcatraz and movie tariffs. He highlights former Washington Governor Jay Inslee's successful tenure and discusses the evolving political landscape, including key Republican figures declining Senate runs and potential competitive races across the country that could reshape the balance of power.

Then, former Washington Governor Jay Inslee joins the podcast, where he discusses his climate policy achievements and the existential threat of climate change. Inslee offers sharp criticism of Trump's energy and trade policies, warning they could cede technological leadership to China and harm American businesses. The conversation expands to examine political courage, institutional challenges, and what Democrats should be doing now to prepare for future elections.

Finally, Chuck concludes with an "Ask Chuck" segment covering the promotion of moderate candidates, Glenn Youngkin's legacy, and papal politics

00:00 Introduction

01:15 The US travel situation is a mess

03:15 Trump’s alcatraz comment was a distraction

07:00 Reopening Alcatraz isn’t feasible

07:20 Jay Inslee was wildly successful as governor

09:20 Brian Kemp + Chris Sununu pass on senate run

11:45 The political landscape is terrible for Republicans

13:05 Senate map isn’t great for Democrats

15:45 If Ken Paxton beats Cornyn, Texas could be in play

19:15 4 states where Democrats could put senate seats in play

19:55 Joni Ernst in line to replace Pete Hegseth?

22:20 200 house districts within a 20 point margin

24:50 Jay Inslee joins the Chuck ToddCast

26:05 Do you feel less constrained outside of politics?

28:50 Inslee's biggest achievements achieved 60%+ support

31:10 What are the details of his Climate Commitment Act?

33:20 The potential of fusion power

35:50 Donald Trump's plan to kill clean energy makes no sense

37:50 Trump is ceding clean energy tech and production to China

38:50 Why aren't Americans in the streets en masse?

41:20 Americans will suffer under Trump's policies

42:35 A bad economy will wake up the public

43:50 We'll see empty shelves within weeks

45:50 Institutions capitulating to Trump only enables him

49:35 NAFTA created winners and losers

51:20 Trump is grossly incompetent

52:05 Trump gave away his leverage

53:20 Tariffs generally aren't productive for the economy

56:50 Flooding in WA a direct result of climate change

1:00:50 Americans don't truly understand climate change

1:02:50 The insurance industry will force the government's hand

1:04:50 People in power KNOW climate will be a problem

1:08:50 What should the Democrats be doing?

1:10:20 What can we learn from Canada when dealing with Trump?

1:12:05 Trump took ownership of the economy at his own peril

1:13:05 There's a lot of talent in the Democratic Party

1:13:50 Republicans will get wiped out in the midterms

1:16:20 Congress is now a country club

1:18:20 Voters on each side have self-segregated

1:20:05 We need a president who follows the law

1:22:00 Chuck's thoughts on Inslee interview

1:22:30 Ask Chuck

1:22:45 How can we promote more moderate candidates?

1:28:20 What will Glenn Youngkin's legacy be?

1:31:50 Thoughts on "Conclave" and papal politics?

Chuck begins with analysis of the Trump administration's tariff implementation and personnel changes, including Mike Waltz's removal as national security advisor and Marco Rubio's expanding role within the administration.

Then, he’s joined by Oren Cass, a leading conservative economic thinker, on America's trade policy and the challenges of reindustrialization. Cass argues that while tariffs and reindustrialization may be sound concepts, the Trump administration's implementation has been completely counter-productive. They discuss how traditional right-of-center thinking on free trade has evolved, questions whether China's integration into global markets has delivered promised benefits, and explores the regional winners and losers of trade agreements like NAFTA.

Cass tackles questions about America's trade deficit, consumer willingness to pay more for domestic products, and whether reshoring manufacturing is practical for the American economy. The conversation examines the national security implications of trade agreements, the potential for losing allies to China's influence, and what realistic reindustrialization might look like in today's economy.

Finally, Chuck answers listener questions on the executive branch's guardrails, expectations for "Resistance 2.0," potential federal intervention in college sports, and whether media scrutiny of public officials' backgrounds has gone too far.

00:00 Introduction

02:00 If tariffs actually are a good idea, the way they’ve been implemented hasn’t given it a chance to succeed

03:30 The administration is only interested in communicating to their base

07:30 What should we take away from Mike Waltz being removed as national security advisor?

08:55 Marco Rubio is now holding four jobs in the administration

09:45 Rubio has earned Trump’s trust

13:15 Is the new model to move staff to new roles rather than fire them?

15:15 Abigail Spanberger may have had the best 100 days of any Democrat

17:55 Wes Moore announces he won’t run in 2028

20:35 Oren Cass joins the Chuck ToddCast!

22:35 Tools for achieving re-industrialization

23:35 Tariffs and reindustrialization is a good idea, Trump's rollout has been disastrous

25:35 The U.S. needs credible and sustainable trade policy

27:20 Right of center thinking for 40 years was simply "Free trade is good"

29:05 Has free and open trade been a net positive worldwide?

30:35 Does trade policy of the early 20th century make sense in the 21st century

32:20 Bringing China into the world market didn't lead to liberalization

33:50 Will we be forced to cut an unfavorable trade deal with China?

36:35 Wouldn't it make sense that the US had a trade deficit based on our consumption?

38:35 If we aren't selling other countries goods we produce, they buy our assets and debt

40:50 NAFTA produced winners and losers regionally in the United States

41:50 What could we have done differently to minimize the negative impacts of NAFTA?

44:35 Production has shifted from country to country based on lower costs

46:05 Will American consumers actually be willing to pay more for American made products? 48:50 How can we unwind globalization without severely damaging the U.S. economy?

50:50 The Toyota Camry has more American made parts than the Detroit built cars

52:35 Does reshoring low-cost manufacturing make sense for consumers and American businesses?

53:50 Will poor implementation of policy hurt the goal of reshoring manufacturing?

56:35 How do you weigh the benefits of national security provided by trade agreements? 1:01:05 Does America risk losing allies to China's sphere of influence?

1:02:05 Should our allies get a better deal than those that are unaligned or adversarial?

1:04:15 Does more trade equal less war?

1:07:05 What type of reindustrialization is realistic and what isn't?

1:10:05 Lack of competition has led to problems with Boeing

1:12:35 How long will it take to reindustrialize?

1:13:35 Would TPP have furthered the goal of isolating China?

1:16:35 Chuck's thoughts on the interview Oren Cass

1:17:27 Ask Chuck

1:17:35 Were the guardrails on the executive branch always this frail?

1:20:35 What do you expect out of Resistance 2.0?

1:21:30 Will the federal government intervene in college sports?

1:22:50 Does the media go too deep into the background of public officials prior to their public service?

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

Chuck Todd begins the show with a candid assessment of President Trump's troubled first 100 days, suggesting that Trump's authoritarian tendencies may stem more from laziness than deliberate strategy. He questions what it would take for Trump to improve his approval ratings, noting that someone truly interested in maintaining power would be working harder to communicate with non-supporters.

Then he’s joined by Dr. Jodi Vittori, an expert on kleptocracy – rule by thieves. Dr. Vittori explains why functioning democracies and kleptocracies cannot coexist, offering Russia as the clearest example while suggesting Hungary represents a more subtle version. She warns that America's potential kleptocracy would have unique characteristics, with the tariff exemption process potentially serving as a gateway.

The discussion explores how the Constitution originally included anti-corruption measures, how the Supreme Court has eroded these protections, and specific warning signs of kleptocratic governance. Dr. Vittori highlights how crypto enables corruption, why state and local governments are particularly vulnerable, and offers concrete reforms to protect democratic institutions. Their conversation concludes with the provocative question of whether Trump initiated America's slide toward kleptocracy or simply accelerated an existing trend.

The episode wraps with "Ask Chuck," tackling listener questions about whether politicians should face legal consequences for lying to the public, what it would take to end gerrymandering, the definition of political moderation in today's polarized climate, and lightens the mood by speculating about which elected officials are most knowledgeable about sports.

00:00 Introduction

01:15 Trump’s first 100 days have gone badly

03:00 Trump is mailing it in

05:00 Trump’s authoritarianism is a product of laziness

08:00 What would it take for Trump to improve his approval rating?

12:00 If Trump was truly interested in a third term, he’d be communicating to non-supporters… and he’s not

13:25 Dr. Jodi Vittori joins the show!

14:35 Define "kleptocracy" and what are some examples?

16:25 You can't have kleptocracy in a functioning democracy

17:35 Is Putin's Russia the clearest example of kleptocracy?

18:55 Hungary is the more subtle version of kleptocracy

19:55 The US kleptocracy will be unique

21:25 Is the tariff exemption process how we end up in kleptocracy?

23:10 Much of the constitution was set up for anti corruption as they knew it at the time

24:55 The Supreme Court laid the foundation for this crisis

26:25 How do you know when you're in a kleptocracy?

27:40 Lack of accountability for elites led us here

28:40 Conflict of interest is unethical but not a crime

30:25 Until 1992 members of Congress could pocket their campaign war chest

31:40 Citizens United made America unique compared to other democracies

32:45 What are the next steps on the road to kleptocracy?

33:55 Crypto is a massive enabler of corruption

35:40 State and local governments are particularly susceptible to corruption

37:05 Are there certain states that have the most corruption?

40:10 What are some reforms that we should look to pass?

44:55 Lobbying used to be corporation vs citizens, now it's corporation vs corporation

45:55 The interests of the citizens are now secondary

47:40 We've enabled corruption

49:25 The US has become a tax haven for overseas money laundering

50:55 Did Trump bring about kleptocracy, or were we already on our way there?

52:25 How did Dr. Vitorri end up specializing in anti-corruption?

55:50 Chuck's thoughts on the interview with Dr. Vittori

57:00 Ask Chuck

57:15 Should politicians or government officials be legally liable for lying to, or misleading the public?

1:01:25 What would it take to stop gerrymandering?

1:07:40 What does it mean to be a political moderate?

1:12:15 What elected official is the most knowledgeable about sports?