'Animal,' Episode 4: Ferrets

In primary elections across the United States, the Republican Party will test its voters appetite for revenge, and the Democratic Party will test its voters appetite for change. The New York Times journalists Shane Goldmacher, Lisa Lerer and Reid Epstein sat down with Michael Barbaro to explain which key elections to watch. Guest: Shane Goldmacher, a national political correspondent for The New York Times. Lisa Lerer, a national political correspondent for The New York Times. Reid J. Epstein, a New York Times reporter covering politics. Background reading:  These seven elections on Tuesday will test President Trump’s power. Mr. Trump’s push for electoral retribution is heading to the ballot box. See a calendar of primary elections and read about some of the year’s most competitive races. Photo: Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar/USA TODAY Network For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the midst of a cascade of violent acts against political figures in the United States, a few questions keep coming up — how did we get here, and how much worse could it really get? Robert Pape, a professor at the University of Chicago and one of the country’s leading voices on political violence, discusses why violence is on the rise and what it would take to stop it. Guest: Robert Pape, a professor of political science at the University of Chicago. Background reading:  Is the United States in a politically violent age? This is what the data and history say. Here’s how to understand claims about U.S. political violence and threats to presidents. Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times, Kenny Holston for The New York Times and Adriana Zehbrauskas for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Roughly a year ago, a team at The New York Times Magazine set about tackling a nearly impossible task: creating a list of the greatest living American songwriters. But how to take the tens of thousands of songwriters working in this country and narrow them down to a digestible list? The answer involved thousands of voting ballots, hundreds of music industry insiders and a series of closed-door meetings among a small group of music experts. The result, The Times’s list of the 30 greatest living American songwriters, was published this week. Today, Michael Barbaro talks with Sasha Weiss, a deputy editor of The Times Magazine, who oversaw the project, as well as Joe Coscarelli and Jody Rosen, two members of the cadre of critics assigned with compiling the final list. They discuss the list-making process, what defines a great songwriter and why Billy Joel didn’t make the final cut. We also hear from some of the songwriters featured on the list, including Taylor Swift, Nile Rodgers and the songwriting team of Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne.   On Today's Episode: Sasha Weiss is a deputy editor of The New York Times Magazine. Joe Coscarelli is a culture reporter for The Times. He is a co-host of “Popcast,” a producer of the “Song of the Week” video series and the author of “Rap Capital: An Atlanta Story.” Jody Rosen is a contributing writer for the magazine and the author of “Two Wheels Good: The History and Mystery of the Bicycle.”   Background Reading: The 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters Cast Your Vote for the Greatest Living American Songwriters   Photo credit: Stefan Ruiz for The New York Times Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The conservative media commentator split with the administration over the war in Iran. Will the breakup last? Thoughts? Email us at [email protected] Watch our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheInterviewPodcast For transcripts and more, visit: nytimes.com/theinterview Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense, went before Congress to answer for a war in Iran that has reached a stalemate and a management style that has caused controversy at the Pentagon. Eric Schmitt, a national security correspondent, takes us inside Mr. Hegseth’s testimony. Guest: Eric Schmitt, a national security correspondent for The New York Times in Washington. Background reading:  Read takeaways from Mr. Hegseth’s second day of testimony on the Iran war. Photo: Anna Rose Layden for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court dealt what may be a final blow to the landmark Voting Rights Act when it struck down Louisiana’s voting map as unconstitutional. Adam Liptak explains the legal logic of the ruling, and Nick Corasaniti talks about how the decision will reshape American democracy. Guest: Adam Liptak, the chief legal affairs correspondent of The New York Times and the host of The Docket, a newsletter on legal developments. Nick Corasaniti, a New York Times reporter covering national politics, with a focus on voting and elections. Background reading:  The Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s voting map. Here’s what to know about the Voting Rights Act. Photo: Angelina Katsanis for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A landmark proposal for a one-time tax on billionaires in California recently reached a milestone. The labor union backing it said it had collected enough signatures to put the measure on the state’s ballot. Laurel Rosenhall, who covers California politics for The New York Times, explains how the state arrived at this moment and what it might mean nationwide. Guest: There are enough signatures to place the California billionaire tax proposal on the state ballot in November, its backers say. Background reading:  There are enough signatures to place the California billionaire tax proposal on the state ballot in November, its backers say. Photo: Jae C. Hong/Associated Press For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What we know about the man in custody after the shooting at the White House correspondents’ dinner, and how the incident unfolded.  The man accused of storming the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner with multiple weapons was charged on Monday with trying to assassinate President Trump. Devlin Barrett, who covers the Justice Department, explains what we know about the suspect, his plan to target the president and whether the incident should be seen as a security failure or success. Guest: Devlin Barrett, a New York Times reporter covering the Justice Department and the F.B.I. Background reading:  ‘Shots Fired!’: Inside the pandemonium at the Washington Hilton. Charges against the assassination attempt suspect were based on a shotgun shell and a screed. Experts said the security at the White House correspondents’ dinner worked as intended. Photo: Salwan Georges for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Over the weekend, President Trump called off a trip to Pakistan by two of his negotiators for a potential additional round of talks with Tehran, leaving the fate of the cease-fire in limbo. Farnaz Fassihi, who covers Iran for The New York Times, looks at who is in charge of the country after the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and what those leaders really want. Guest: Farnaz Fassihi, the United Nations bureau chief for The New York Times. She also covers Iran and how countries around the world deal with conflicts in the Middle East. Background reading:  These are the generals who are running Iran. Here’s what to know about the U.S.-Iran peace talks. Photo: Arash Khamooshi for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With war, political wrangling and price hikes jockeying for headlines, it’s a rare thing to sit for an hour with a large group of strangers and focus on the small pleasures in life. But that’s what the show “Every Brilliant Thing” is all about. Since 2013, Duncan Macmillan’s audience-participation-heavy play has been performed in dozens of languages in hundreds of locations across the globe. It revolves around a central character who writes a list of all the good things in life for a depressed parent. And while it tackles dark subject matter — including frequent mentions of a loved one’s suicide — it may be one of the funniest shows about depression, ever. In this episode of “The Sunday Daily,” Michael Barbaro talks with Daniel Radcliffe, who currently stars in a Broadway production of the show, and Mariska Hargitay, who will step into the role in a few weeks. We’ll also hear from the playwright and several other actors who have performed the play on stages, in living rooms, on basketball courts and aircraft carriers all over the world.   On today's episode: Daniel Radcliffe Mariska Hargitay Duncan Macmillan Candunn Jennette Greg Dragas Mugambi Nthiga Erika de la Vega Jung Sae-Byul Mohsina Akhter Tommy Schoffler Nanda Mohammad   Background reading: ‘Every Brilliant Thing,’ Now Starring Daniel Radcliffe and You Daniel Radcliffe Makes ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ Shine Daniel Radcliffe Wanted a Break From Broadway. Then He Read This Play.   Photo credit: Sara Krulwich/The New York Times Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.