The ‘Socialist’ Brand Helps Some Democrats…For Now

Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code KCRW at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/kcrwPart of any midterm election year is trying to guess the larger trends to see how our politics are evolving in one direction or another. “Progressives are gaining momentum!” Except not in Wisconsin this past week. “President Trump can steer any primary vote his way!” Or not, given that his ally Mike Lindell didn’t advance in the Minnesota Governor’s race.We talk about the nuance and surprises from the latest primaries, and how the emerging message might be that voters just want new faces and new energy. Plus, President Trump faces the inescapable reality that he’s lost support for the war in Iran among voters and his own party. The Washington Post also breaks the story that Trump secretly flew out of Turkey last month because of a threat, leaving Air Force One – and reporters and key Trump officials on board – to be used as a decoy. And the WNBA has been getting its moment of glory, while also getting dragged into the culture wars. Producer: Leo DuranHost: David Greene Guests:  Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Jonah Goldberg, co-founder and editor-in-chief at The Dispatch - @JonahDispatch

Progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s Senate primary, but he’ll have to beat Republican Mike Rogers who wants to flip this seat for the GOP. Can El-Sayed and other progressive candidates win over independent voters this fall? Polls suggest they have a lot of work to do, with a lot at stake for Democrats. Also, how our legal system pushes back against a president who often acts like he’s above the law. And in Ohio, a Republican congressman clings to his re-election hopes even after his ex-wife accused him of domestic violence. That ex-wife also happens to be the daughter of a U.S. senator.Producer: Leo DuranHost: David Greene Guests:  Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Will Swaim, CEO of the California Policy Center - @WillSwaim

What does “affordability” mean, and who should we trust to deliver it? Democrats are pounding the affordability message hard, saying President Trump began a global tariff war and a war in Iran that have both pushed prices up for Americans. We’ll talk about what actual ideas Democrats are offering to bring relief. The boldest ideas so far have come from their more progressive members, which could be a potential challenge for the more moderate wing of the party. Republicans have their own challenge: GOP lawmakers seem willing to work on bipartisan solutions on affordability, but President Trump keeps undermining them.Mo and Sarah have their own policy debate to stump for proposals that can bring prices down, and also pick each other’s ideas apart.Plus, Dr. Anthony Fauci refused to answer questions about Covid in a congressional hearing, and we talk about whether he was justified.Producer: Leo DuranHost: David Greene Guests:  Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons

Progressive Democrats are surging in primary elections across the country, but the party establishment is worried they’ll lose this November. Republicans think those progressives will be easier to beat, too.So how will this intra-party fight among Democrats play out and determine control of Congress? And why is the GOP so sure they can beat progressive Dems when some polls show their party is underwater with voters on the economy?Plus, the president campaigned to secure elections using false claims. House Republicans advanced his elections bill – the SAVE America Act – just as two election deniers advanced in Arizona’s Republican primaries.And we talk about the Iran war. Republicans passed extra military spending to keep it going, so do those Republicans now own an unpopular war?Producer: Leo DuranHost: Susan Davis Guests:  Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons

Senator Mitch McConnell was absent from Capitol Hill for weeks. Rumors and conspiracies swirled until he recently reappeared and said he was in medical care recovering from a fall.He’s not the only politician who’s hid their health from the public eye – Joe Biden, for instance, tried to keep concerns about his health quiet before the 2024 election – until it was too hard to ignore.We talk about what aging and ailing lawmakers owe to the public especially if it impairs their ability to serve.Plus, immigration enforcement is surging. ICE doubled the number of arrests compared to earlier this year, and has been doing it without the massive protests that rocked the country. But now, with two headline-grabbing shootings of motorists by ICE agents, what is the future of that strategy?We also talk about how congress came together on a massive affordable housing bill.Producer: Leo DuranHost: Mike Madrid Guests:  Liz Bruenig, staff writer at The Atlantic - @EBruenig Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons

Democrats badly want to win control of the Senate this fall, but they just suffered a bad blow: Graham Platner, their candidate in Maine, dropped out of the race after facing rape allegations. Whose job was it to vet Platner? And what do Democrats do with this race now? Then, from cryptocurrency profits to calling the head of FIFA, what is President Trump’s relationship with corruption? He seems to embrace the image of being able to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. Is there a disciplined message Democrats can craft to combat the power of his persona? And David gives a tribute to Don Gonyea, who is stepping away from NPR after a legendary political reporting career.Producer: Leo DuranHost: David Greene Guests:  Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons

The Supreme Court finished its term with some pre-July 4th fireworks by issuing decisions that continue to shape the powers of the presidency. But how solid is this narrative out there that Trump benefits from a conservative-leaning court? The justices also loosened the leash for how much the parties can coordinate with and help fund congressional candidates. We look at what impact this could have for Republicans and Democrats, as well as the influence of big money in politics. Producer: Leo DuranHost: David Greene Guests:  Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons

Are socialists taking over the Democratic Party? New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a proud Democratic Socialist, won some stunning victories in Congressional primaries. His chosen candidates beat out more mainstream Democrats. Republicans have their own issues. President Trump met with several GOP senators and things got testy. His decision to target sitting Republicans in recent primaries may be backfiring because, well, those incumbents are still in office for now and have nothing to lose.Both parties face infighting and an identity crisis. What does this say about our politics?Producer: Leo DuranHost: David Greene Guests:  Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons

Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code KCRW at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/KCRWPresident Trump is lauding his peace deal between the U.S. and Iran as a success – one far greater than the deal former President Obama brokered. But even members of his own party are skeptical that the new plan is any better. What goals did he achieve in this costly conflict?America turns 250 next month, but the White House has taken over some of the party planning and one event is being promoted as a “spectacular Trump rally.” How do Americans celebrate the country’s birthday without the political backdrop? And we answer one listener who asks if we should really be surprised that some Americans want a strong executive branch. Producer: Leo DuranHost: David Greene Guests:  Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons

Politics cast a big shadow over several big sporting events this week. The President’s immigration policies are affecting players’ and fans’ plans to travel to World Cup events in the U.S., the Administration hosts a UFC event on the White House lawn, and Trump caused disruption and was met with boos when he visited Madison Square Garden for an NBA Finals game.We dig into the all-important senate race in Maine where Democrat Graham Platner won his party’s nomination despite a series of damaging revelations about his past.Also, could counting votes a little faster in California and elsewhere help head off conspiracy theories about voter fraud in the future?Producer: Leo DuranHost: David Greene Guests:  Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons