"Governing by rally and chaos" - A look ahead In 2025

Joe starts the show by remembering Jimmy Carter with a story you've got to hear to believe. Of all the interactions with presidents Joe has had - why this one with President Carter has stuck with him. And our first look ahead to 2025 - what has Joe and Alex feeling optimistic going into the New Year? Hint: It's people like you listening to this... Subscribe to Dan Gilmor's newsletter, "Cornerstone of Democracy" here: https://cornerstone.ghost.io/ Read Dan Froomkin's post on Trump and the press here: https://presswatchers.org/2024/12/trump-coverage-needs-to-change-and-heres-how/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Timothy Naftali, presidential historian for the Nixon Presidential Library, Columbia Scholar, and prolific writer/author, sits down with host Rick Wilson to discuss the possibility of an imperial presidency and what that means for the US on the world stage. Follow Timothy Naftali on X at @TimNaftali and read the article Rick mentions in this episode here: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/01/trump-worst-president-history/617730/ Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X or at https://bsky.app/profile/therickwilson.bsky.social at Bluesky, and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. Join the fight with Lincoln Project at www.lincolnproject.us and follow us on X at @ProjectLincoln.

This special series is a joint production by David Pepper and Resolute Square. Introducing this first chapter on mass deportation, Rick Wilson sets the stakes of what Trump has promised to do once he is sworn in: A paramilitary force in our communities rounding up law-abiding, hard working people, and caught up in the round-ups, families and people in the wrong place at the wrong time who happen to be non-white. Trump’s Project 2025: Up Close and Personal is available on all the podcast apps and at 2025pod.com. We'd also like to thank all the artists who volunteered their time to make this episode. Heather Thomas, J. Smith Cameron, Omid Abtahi, Kirk Acevedo and Bayo Akinfemi. Audio finishing by Marilyn Ernst. This series is produced by David Pepper, Melissa Jo Peltier and Jay Feldman. Trump’s Project 2025: Up Close and Personal is a production of Ovington Avenue Productions.

As the post election dust begins to settle, we look to the future. On today's episode Rick is joined by political strategist and author David Pepper to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the post-Trump landscape. They delve into the importance of state-level elections, the lessons from past midterms, and the critical need for focused messaging to counteract chaos. David also introduces his compelling Project 2025 series, which uses storytelling to highlight the real-world impacts of Trump’s proposed policies. Together, they explore how to prepare for the battles ahead and inspire proactive action to defend democracy.

Maya is joined by Matthew D. Taylor, expert on Christian Nationalism and Independent Charismatic Christianity, and Jeremy Alder, comedian and survivor of a fundamentalist missionary upbringing. Can we punch up at Christian Nationalism - oh Hell yes and we had better start doing so NOW!