The Latest

We made it! Joe Biden is president. Joe and Alex talk about our 46th president's inaugural speech, and if "unity" is possible -- and why Joe Biden is the man to bring us closer to a healthier brand of politics than what we're accustomed to. (ie, one where the Republicans don't announce Articles of Impeachment on Day One. Then, how do the Democrats handle the power struggle in the Senate as the Republicans fight to hold on to some influence, and is it possible they could *gain* in 2022 instead of losing ground back? Finally, even though Donald Trump is out... how are we feeling about the way things are headed more generally? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What a ridiculous month. Joe and Alex are here to help you make sense of it all. First, the House has impeached the president for a second time, but the trial likely won't begin until Pres. Biden (that looks nice) is in office. What are the endgames for McConnell and the Republicans, and how does Biden want this to go? Then, Joe has said for years Trump would never truly go away. Well... what about now? This time next week, he'll be a disgraced former president without the ability to tweet. How does he maintain a hold on half the country -- or does he? Then, Jaime Harrison is expected to lead the DNC. What does this mean for the Democrats, a party that often is too concerned with winning federal elections and not the local, state-level ones that Republicans have wisely focused on for decades? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lot has happened since Joe and Alex last convened. First, we address the violence incited by the president yesterday at the US Capitol, and how members of both parties responded -- and what it means from here. Could the GOP turn towards a new, less destructive agenda? Then, a reminder that the Democrats won BOTH runoffs in Georgia and the Senate Majority. What are the lessons from this stunning victory, and how does a Democratic Senate potentially guide Joe Biden's choices of where to start putting the country back together? Next, Pres.-Elect Biden nominated Merrick Garland for Attorney General, not (as we had hoped) Doug Jones. What does this final major appointment mean, and, most critically, how will Joe Biden govern? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe and Alex quickly give us an update on early returns from GA -- almost 1 million votes are in! -- and what the early voting patterns mean (if anything). Nate Cohn's Twitter thread is linked here. Next, Mitch McConnell said it was time for the GOP to "turn the page" and accept President-Elect Biden as, well, President-Elect. Why now? How much weight does the relationship between Biden and McConnell play into this decision? Plus, what does it mean for actual governance -- and for 2022 Senate races? Then, Pete Buttigieg looks to be our next Secretary of Transportation. What does Joe make of this choice -- of all the departments, why Transportation? And what does this mean for the future of the Democratic party, now that hardly any of the so-called "stars" have been elevated to big Cabinet posts? Lastly, an audience question from a listener in South Dakota asks when the Democrats will get their act together and re-invest in rural states. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another week closer to the Senate runoffs -- another week where the Republicans are fighting each other, even after Trump went down to rally the faithful for the two candidates. What was the fallout? What is the likelihood one of the candidates on either side could run ahead of the other? And could Perdue take a hit for choosing to let Ossoff debate an empty podium? Next, the Electoral College will formally make Joe Biden the next president on Dec. 14 (Monday). Could that finally put a nail in this strange parallel universe Trump and his cohorts are inhabiting? Then, a listener question about why Democrats can't compete with the slogans and simple messaging of the Republicans. Finally, Joe and Alex address some rumors about a potential Cabinet appointment close to their hearts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe and Alex are back to break down the wild weekend ahead in Georgia, where the president plans to hold rallies for the Republican Senate candidates — all while decrying the electoral process. Then, is it true Trump may be planning an announcement for a campaign in 2024? What’s the future of every other GOP politician of note given that possibility? Finally, what does Joe make of the Biden Cabinet thus far, and what do the announcements signal about the incoming administration? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, a listener question so good we did it off the top -- where should the party (and donors) put their resources moving forward? Then, an update on the GA Senate races. Taking all polls with a grain of salt, what is Joe seeing from the early data? What is Trump's role in the race? What would he advise Trump to do? Next, the transition to Joe Biden's presidency is being stonewalled by an angry Trump administration. What should Biden be doing? Is there anything he should be doing differently, politically speaking? Lastly, which party is in more trouble going forward, the Trump-less (or Trump-tethered) GOP, or the Democrats, who face steep odds to hold the House and Senate by 2022? Joe diagnoses the massive problem the Democrats face, and what we can all do to stop it from hitting us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe starts off by explaining exactly why the Republicans and Mitch McConnell continue to stand by Donald Trump, even after he got blown out in the presidential election. (How good does that feel to read?) Then, what the hell do we make of any polling leading up to these Georgia Senate runoffs? What do the lessons of Doug Jones' special election win suggest about how Democrats can win those seats? Without Donald Trump on the ballot, who will show up? Finally, revisiting the fight among progressives and moderates in the Democrats, which continues to spill out into public. Joe reveals a warning related to the US Census, and presents the problem for the party -- and the solution. Finally, an audience question about how Joe Biden will be able to fill up a functioning Cabinet with the obstructionist Republicans potentially overseeing a majority in the Senate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Note: We taped on Thursday before Georgia, Pennsylvania, Nevada, North Carolina, or Alaska had been called (only Fox and the AP had called Arizona) and before Trump made his ridiculous speech Thursday night. First, Joe gives his take on what happened. The good: Joe Biden got the most presidential votes ever. We flipped the Blue Wall and Arizona and Georgia became purple states. The bad: Donald Trump got the second-most votes ever. And Doug Jones didn't get the result we wanted. Second, Joe took some heat for a tweet suggesting Democrats need to do a better job reaching conservatives in order to govern and win more votes. He explains his thinking. Finally, what the hell do we make of the entire business of polling now that they missed so egregiously? What does this mean for campaign managers like Joe? Arnon Mishkin profile Alex mentioned: https://www.businessinsider.com/fox-news-decision-desk-director-election-night-calling-races-2020-10 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe predicted 95 days ago that this election would look like 1980, where Jimmy Carter and the Democrats were wiped out behind an unpopular incumbent. Tonight, we'll see if he was right. First, given the chance, will Joe walk his prediction back? Will Election Day turnout really be dominated by Republicans? What states is Joe looking at now that the polls are locked in? Next, Axios reported Trump will declare victory if he looks to be ahead at any point. Joe explains why he's not worried about that, at least from an electoral standpoint. Then, a quick look at the Senate races (including a potential surprise), and Joe's prediction that the Democrats may win big in the Senate. And then, the exact counties Joe will be watching tonight that will have a big hand in dictating what will happen in the election. (List below) Our listener question is about split-ticket voters. COUNTIES TO WATCH: FL: Sumter, Pinellas, Miami-Dade, Hernando, Duval PA: Lackawanna, Armstrong, Indiana, Lycoming, Schuylkill, Montgomery OH: Stark, Ross, Pike Joe's map pre-election: https://www.270towin.com/maps/3zwK2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, Joe and Alex take a look at the latest polls and talk about where the race stands this late in the game. What does Biden's latest big lead illustrate about who's drifting from one side to the other? What is Joe's map -- more importantly, what surprise swing state is Joe putting in the Dem column? Next, what do the candidates' travel schedules this week show about how they're viewing the race? Is Biden taking an unnecessary risk going to Georgia and Iowa instead of Michigan and Pennsylvania? Finally, what will we know on Tuesday? Many are pontificating that we may not know for weeks who won the race. Joe disagrees, and thinks we may know a lot fairly quickly. Also, are you worrying day after day about the election? Joe quells some of those worries, but also asks you to lean into them. Make a difference. Finally, a listener question about exit polls, which are instrumental for how news organizations make calls. How do they work in the pandemic era? Take a look at Joe's map here: https://www.270towin.com/maps/3zwK2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we're joined by one of the Hacks on Tap, Mike Murphy! He's the strategic advisor to Republicans Voting Against Trump, a group working hard to turn out the swing voters who could make a huge impact in this election. Mike joins Joe and Alex to talk about the early vote returns, the huge turnout in Texas, the future of the GOP, and whether civility will return to politics. He also has a suggestion for neurotic return-watchers that we could all probably use. Plus, intel from RNC spies from Air Force One and Mike's primers on which *specific counties* to watch for on Election Night for a harbinger of the whole enchilada. To read Richard Ben Cramer's book Joe references: https://www.amazon.com/What-Takes-Way-White-House/dp/0679746498 To learn more about RVAT, visit https://rvat.org/. To support Joe and Alex, please visit DougJones.com/help. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe and Alex first recap the debate, which was a remarkably less terrible experience than the previous one. Who watches these final debates? Did any of Trump's meandering conspiracy theories land? Did Biden - or Trump - land any convincing blows? Next, what to make of Biden campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon cautioning campaign staff and supporters that the race is still neck and neck in battleground states? Is that true? A Biden senior advisor told Politico what states they think they need to get to 270; what does Joe think? Then, Biden is raking in unprecedented cash as we near the finish line. How does that translate into actual results? What are some of the impacts of the Biden campaign's massive financial lead over the president? Two listener questions take us home: first, about what kind of turnout to expect, and second, what early Election Night results could be a harbinger for the ultimate result. Please give us a rating on iTunes and subscribe! And support Joe and Alex by making a contribution to Doug Jones for Senate at DougJones.com/help. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe and Alex are joined by Paul Maslin, the veteran pollster who conducted the poll that had Doug Jones ahead by a point last week. How did he determine that number, and are national Democrats overlooking the Jones race? What are the trends in AL that could speak to national trends? Paul lives in Wisconsin, and shares some insight about the state of the race there, including a potential swing county and a prediction for what will happen in the state Nov. 3. Then, a broader look at the whole race. What feels like the most likely possible outcome at this point? Please subscribe, rate and review the show. See you Friday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, Joe and Alex recap the weird Trump Town Hall and the delightfully normal Biden Town Hall, but then explore more troubling realization of how divided our country is. Plus, a heads up to our listeners to tune into Pod Save America today, Oct. 16, for some breaking news. Please check it out and leave in the reviews that we sent you! Along with that, a look at several key Senate races. What does Mitch McConnell's PAC spending reveal about the state of Senate races in North Carolina, Maine, Texas, and others? Finally, what do we make of this idea the Republicans will show up in droves on Election Day to offset the lead the Democrats are building in early and absentee voting? Our listener question this week is about what happens if Fox calls the presidential race for Trump in a misleading fashion. Link to Pod Save America: https://crooked.com/podcast-series/pod-save-america/ Thomas Edsall's column in the NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/14/opinion/biden-trump-presidential-election.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Good news: From now till Election Day, you'll get two episodes a week! Today, Joe and Alex quickly touch on: The Biden campaign has sent surrogates to Texas and Biden himself is in Ohio. What does this mean? What do we make of the dueling messages out of the SCOTUS hearings that started Monday? Should Democrats be nervous that the Republicans may be on the verge of a surprise Senate pickup in Michigan? Subscribe, rate and review -- and don't forget to leave a question on the iTunes store or via email at thattrippishow@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, the VP debate was almost quaint in how civil it was. What do we make of Kamala's performance, plus what happens next with Trump's mixed messages on whether he'll show up for future debates, virtual or otherwise? Second, Trump's positive test for COVID-19 upended the entire country, and of course the wild presidential race. What happens now? And what does McConnell pushing forward on the SCOTUS nomination say about the prospects of the race? Next, polls continue to predict a Biden landslide. Joe has been predicting something to that effect for months. But now, Democrats are worried that perhaps the Biden campaign's eyes are bigger than their stomach as they make a play for places like Texas. Are they playing their alleged lead wisely? And how do you reconcile the GOP in registering new voters in swing states? Our listener question is about the wild turns in the North Carolina Senate race in the last week and how they could affect -- or not affect -- the battle for the Senate. Please leave us a question in the reviews on Apple Podcasts -- give us five stars if you're there! -- or submit one via email to ThatTrippiShow@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(Note: this episode was taped prior to the President announced he had tested positive for COVID.) Joe and Alex agree: the debates were a mess, but the result is ultimately good for Biden. The Trump team seems to be aware they're losing, so how bad could this get? Then, a reminder that the election has already started (gulp). Over 2 million votes have already been cast, some in pivotal states like Florida, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. What are the numbers suggesting about who is voting and why? Lastly, Joe has been predicting a 1980-esque result -- the trouncing of an unpopular incumbent -- for months. What if that happens? Where do Republicans (and Democrats) go from there? Our listener question this week asks why none of us saw the country going in the direction it has. But some did. Please leave us a question in the reviews on Apple Podcasts -- give us five stars if you're there! -- or submit one via email to ThatTrippiShow@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First: We mourn the passing of American giant Ruth Bader Ginsburg. But in our 2020 world, her death led to an explosive political conversation immediately. So, what do we do now? What should Biden do to respond to the obvious Republican hypocrisy? How could this impact turnout? Then, concerned progressives donated in record numbers to Senate campaigns last week. What do candidates like Al Gross (I-AK) and Mike Espy (D-MS) do with a sudden influx of cash? Is it too late to make a difference? And then: is it time to get pissed off? Are we supposed to just let Mitch McConnell get away with this? What are Democrats supposed to do now? Joe's take here is critical for all of us to hear. Submit a question by leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, then type your question in the reviews. Please leave us 5 stars while you're there! To send us a video or audio from what you're seeing in your state or your campaign - email thattrippishow@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices