Election Night Cheat Sheet (feat. Steve Kornacki)

The problems dogging attorney general pick Matt Gaetz don't seem to be going away, as new leaks expose a history of thousands of dollars in Venmo payments to two women at the center of the complaints against him. Meanwhile, newly unearthed video of RFK Jr., Trump's choice for health secretary, shows him speculating about whether the Covid pandemic was planned by the government. Tommy is joined by Democratic strategist and media expert Lis Smith to unpack all the chaos, plus what the Dems are missing, what needs to shift in their media strategy, and the big questions driving the race for DNC Chair. Then, Dan sits down with Sen. Jon Tester to reflect on his re-election battle in Montana, how Democrats can win in the heartland again, and the best way to connect with voters in red states. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Donald Trump completes his journey from outcast to cool kid, showing off his MAGA clique at a glitzy UFC fight and even getting nemeses Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski to come groveling to Mar-a-Lago. Meanwhile, it may not be such smooth sailing for two of his top cabinet picks, Matt Gaetz and Pete Hegseth, as questions mount about sexual misconduct. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy break down all the latest, including Democratic governors' plan to constrain Trump's power, the upcoming race for DNC chair, and under-the-radar moves at the FCC. Then, Tommy talks with NBC News's Brandy Zadrozny, an expert in misinformation and the rise of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., about RKF's plans for the medical care you get and the food you eat. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Donald Trump goes all in on naming his biggest political boosters to Cabinet posts, whether they're qualified or not (they're not!). Trump wants alleged sex offender Matt Gaetz for Attorney General, vaccine skeptic RFK Jr. for HHS Secretary, dictator sympathizer Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence, Fox News host Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense, and Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy for the newly invented Department of Government Efficiency. Jon and Dan discuss the odds of Senate Republicans blocking any of these nominations, why Trump picked them in the first place, and how Democrats can respond without defending the status quo. Then, Jon sits down with Senator-elect Andy Kim of New Jersey to talk about how Democrats can listen and learn after the election, what Kim thinks of Trump's Cabinet picks so far, and learning to be comfortable with uncomfortable politics. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Jon and New York Times columnist Ezra Klein, host of The Ezra Klein Show, talk through what we know about how Democrats started to lose working-class and lower-information voters—even before 2024—how social media and interest groups drive those divides, why blue states and cities shifted right, and what progressives can do to tackle the affordability crisis. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Trump begins staffing top roles in his second administration with loyalists and sycophants—and demands that the senators running for majority leader agree to embrace a process that would allow him to appoint whoever he wants without Senate confirmation. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss whether Trump's opening moves are as chilling as we thought they'd be, what we do and don't know about his second-term plans, and how he might pursue revenge on his opponents. Then, Tommy speaks with New York Congressman Pat Ryan, who hung on in a tough district, about the lessons the Democratic Party needs to learn in order to win.  For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

The best way to understand what happened on Tuesday is to listen to what the actual voters have been saying. Dan checks back in with two strategists who run focus groups with key parts of the electorate: Sarah Longwell of The Bulwark, who's been talking to Trump-curious swing voters for months, and Carlos Odio of Equis Research, an expert on the Latino vote. Sarah and Carlos discuss some of the warning signs that were blinking red long before last week, and how we can recognize them—and act on them—in the future. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast. 

As Kamala Harris officially concedes after a terrible election, Democrats begin searching for lessons—and singling out others for blame. Jon, Lovett, Dan, and Tommy discuss Harris's farewell message, the various conflicting and enraging theories being floated as to why she lost, and how we should think about campaigns going forward. Plus: Sen. Jacky Rosen appears to score a win in Nevada, and Democratic House candidates in uncalled races see a path to victory—and maybe even a narrow majority. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast. 

After a night of resounding losses and a nationwide lurch to the right, Jon, Lovett, Tommy, and Dan begin to sift through the pieces—what we know, and we don't, about the race Democrats ran, what voters are looking for, and how to endure the turmoil of a second Trump term. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

After a surprise appearance on  Saturday Night Live, Kamala Harris closes on optimism, unity, and lower prices—while Trump fantasizes about reporters getting murdered and says he regrets leaving office after losing reelection. With just one day to go, Jon, Lovett, and Tommy sort through the latest from the trail and the final batch of high-quality polls, including a stunning result from Ann Selzer in Iowa showing Harris up three points in a deep-red state. Then, the guys reflect on what we've already  learned from the campaign—regardless of the outcome. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

With just two days to go, Dan sits down with Election Night guru and NBC News National Political Correspondent Steve Kornacki for a pre-election deep dive. Steve breaks down the state of the race, shares insights on key battleground states, trends among key voter groups, and which counties he's watching to signal election night outcomes. Then, Steve and Dan dig into close Senate and House races, plus some quirks in ballot-counting that could affect how quickly we get results. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast. From now through the election, you can subscribe to Crooked Media's Friends of the Pod membership with a massive 25% discount. Your support helps us build the shows and initiatives we’re envisioning for 2025—it’s the best way to back our team as we create new content and launch exciting projects! Take advantage of this offer here: http://go.crooked.com/B3CLJM or sign up at the top of your Apple Podcasts feed!