The Al Franken Podcast

We are approaching the longest government shutdown in American history with no end in sight. But it seems like this is exactly what the Trump administration wants. How much longer can this go on? We are joined by David Weigel from Semafor to discuss the damage of the shutdown and how the White House believes it's winning this fight. Weigel examines how the Trump administration seems to be disconnected from reality over the state of the economy despite concerns over tariffs, the cost of living, and, of course, the $300-million ballroom Trump is building after demolishing the East Wing of the White House.  Plus, with 70% of Americans believing that the Democrats are out of touch, how does the party fix their broken image? Could a change in leadership be the answer Americans are looking for? READ David Weigel in Semafor: https://www.semafor.com/author/david-weigel 

Every day brings a new constitutional crisis. Donald Trump isn't just breaking norms... he's weaponizing the entire justice system against anyone who dare cross him. We're joined by former U.S. Attorney Harry Litman to cut through the chaos and explain what the hell is happening. Trump promised that he would bring "retribution" to his second term - turns he wasn’t lying. So far he’s gone after James Comey, Letitia James, John Bolton. Harry breaks down why these prosecutions represent "rock bottom, ninth circle of hell" for the Justice Department—and why they're likely unconstitutional. Harry also discusses Trump sending the National Guard into (Democratic-led) cities despite their objections. Is that legal? Some courts say yes, some say no. Now it's at the Supreme Court, which has already enabled Trump's overreach at every turn. Harry tells us why this is the single most dangerous thing happening right now. We also delve into the complexities of  Louisiana v. Callais, the Voting Rights Act case before the Supreme Court which could eliminate Section II and allow for the elimination of majority-minority districts (we’ll explain this!), likely imperiling 15 House seats now held by Democrats. Plus, it turns out that it's easier than anyone thought to demolish the East Wing of the White House! At least we're getting a new ballroom.... Harry walks us through why this unprecedented destruction is probably illegal, but so outrageous that no legal framework even exists to stop it. LISTEN to Harry's podcast, Talking Feds: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-feds/id1456045551 READ Harry's Substack: https://harrylitman.substack.com/ USE Promo Code FRANKEN for 10% off of your first Graza olive oil order! https://partners.graza.co/FRANKEN

Donald Trump and the Republican Party have the backing of Evangelicals and fundamentalist Christians. But if you read the Bible or listen to the teachings of Jesus Christ, it would be clear that their policies are anything but Christ-like. We're joined by comedian, radio host, and NYT bestselling author John Fugelsang to discuss his new book, “Separation of Church and Hate.”  Fugelsang shares his unique perspective as a Christian who was raised by a former nun and a Franciscan Brother. He shows the disconnect between what far-right Christians claim Jesus taught versus what he actually said in the Bible. Jesus promoted peace, love, compassion, and mercy... None of which are evident in today's Republican Party.  We also break down many social issues that right-wing Christians use their faith to justify. Jesus advocated against the death penalty, provided for the poor, and never once said that homosexuality is a sin. Not to mention abortion, which was weaponized in the 1980s to consolidate power under Ronald Reagan.  We hope this interview can help you engage with right-wing Christians in a civil way by pointing to actual scripture, which might help them see the contradictions and lies that their party embraces. READ John's bestselling book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Separation-of-Church-and-Hate/John-Fugelsang/9781668066898 LISTEN to The John Fugelsang Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-john-fugelsang-podcast/id1464094232

We're thrilled to welcome David Hogg to the podcast. Hogg is a co-founder of March For Our Lives and his PAC, Leaders We Deserve. He shares about how the tragedy in Parkland, FL launched him into the political fray. Hogg notoriously served as a Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee for a brief time. He tells us about some of the inner workings of the DNC and then what happened when shit hit the fan. He argues that too many long-serving Democrats in Congress are "asleep at the wheel" and believes that backing younger primary challengers is the solution. We also lay out what kind of messaging Democrats need to focus on to win back young voters and improve their brand. Donald Trump and the Republicans are wildly unpopular, but the Democrats are often even less popular. The answer? Be the party who fights for affordable healthcare and lowering everyday costs.  LEARN more about David's Political Action Committee: https://leaderswedeserve.com/ 

Chaos has ensued across the federal government as we face another shutdown. We're joined by political scientist, an emeritus scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, and friend of the show, Norm Ornstein, to make sense of it all. What is this shutdown all about? Healthcare. With Republicans in charge of the House, the Senate, the Presidency, AND the Supreme Court, can they dodge the blame? Meanwhile, Trump and OMB Director (and Project 2025 author) Russell Vought will use this moment to further gut the federal government. What kind of long term damage could this cause? Also this week, Trump proposed a deal to end the war in Gaza. Norm walks us through the terms and what comes next. Could peace be on the horizon? Plus, Norm breaks down the bizarre address from Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth to the top military generals. This entire stunt cost millions of dollars, but did it accomplish anything? Listen to Norm's podcast "Words Matter" with fellow friend of the show David Rothkopf: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dsrs-words-matter/id1420216970

 Trump picked RFK Jr. to take over the Department of Health and Human Services, and chaos has ensued. So far, RFK Jr. is ignoring the advice of experts and bringing along his cronies to push vaccine skepticism. It could have a devastating impact on the health of Americans for years to come. We're joined by Former CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden, who currently heads global health organization Resolve to Save Lives, and MSNBC senior enterprise reporter Brandy Zadrozny, who has covered RFK Jr. for over a decade. Together we discuss the dangers that RFK Jr. poses to Americans’ health and how the “MAHA” movement is NOT making America healthy again. We also talk through Trump and RFK Jr.’s latest announcement declaring Tylenol a contributing factor in the rise of autism, despite numerous studies saying otherwise. READ Dr. Frieden's new book, “The Formula for Better Health”: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/798043/the-formula-for-better-health-by-tom-frieden-md-mph/ READ Brandy Zadrozny’s work for MSNBC: https://www.msnbc.com/author/brandy-zadrozny-ncpn858391 For information on our newest sponsor, Mint Mobile: www.mintmobile.com/franken 

Hear a teaser for The Global Story, the daily BBC news podcast that covers the intersection where the world and America meet. Find The Global Story on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

We are joined by Randi Weingarten, the President of the American Federation of Teachers, to discuss her new book, “Why Fascists Fear Teachers: Public Education and the Future of Democracy.” In the book, Weingarten details how there has been a systematic demonization of teachers and public education in America. She argues that one of the pillars of public education is critical thinking, which prevents fascism from flourishing in society - so fascists (and wannabe fascists) hate it. We explore a variety of topics facing schoolchildren and their parents today, including charter schools, artificial intelligence, phones in schools, and the treatment of LGBTQ+ students. We also discuss Trump’s proposed elimination of the Department of Education, attacks on teachers unions, and how we may have kept the schools closed for too long during Covid-19. READ Randi's new book: https://sites.prh.com/whyfascistsfearteachers

Baltimore, Maryland is one of Donald Trump's most frequent targets when talking about crime in America. As the President continues to threaten to send troops into American cities, we wanted to hear from Baltimore's mayor, Brandon Scott.  Since Mayor Scott took office, the city has seen a dramatic drop in violent crime. He explains his policies and how investing in the community has helped calm the violence in Baltimore. So it's no surprise that he does NOT want Trump sending troops to his city. Mayor Scott shares how growing up in Baltimore impacted his political ideology. He also discusses some of the major victories he's had, including lawsuits against a major gun dealer AND opioid manufacturers and distributors. Those lawsuits have brought hundreds of millions into the city and are being reinvested directly into the community. LEARN more about the Mayor of Baltimore’s work: https://mayor.baltimorecity.gov/ Get 60% off of your first box of meals for your dog with our newest sponsor, Ollie! https://www.ollie.com/franken 

Donald Trump rolled out the red carpet for Vladimir Putin in Alaska last month and came up empty handed...  No ceasefire, no concessions, nothing. So what does the future of the war in Ukraine look like? We turn to journalist Tim Mak who has been based in Kiev since the start of the war. Tim is the founder of The Counteroffensive, a Substack that chronicles life in Ukraine and the agony of this war. Tim breaks down the current state of the war, and he’s not too optimistic about the possibility of peace anytime soon. 70% of Ukrainians believe the war will still be going on a year from now. And if a deal is struck, how does the world make sure that Russia doesn't just attack again? READ Tim’s work in The Counteroffensive: https://www.counteroffensive.news/ Get 15% off your skin care with our new sponsor, OneSkin, using code FRANKEN! https://www.oneskin.co