The NPR Politics Podcast

Democrats lost the race for the White House, and lost control of the Senate, in 2024. But, after holding on to a few competitive seats in the House of Representatives, what lessons can be learned for their future elections? This episode: voting correspondent Ashley Lopez, congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson.The podcast is produced by Jeongyoon Han and Kelli Wessinger, and edited by Casey Morell. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

President Biden previously had said he would not issue a pardon to his son, Hunter, who was convicted in June of federal gun charges for lying about his addiction to crack cocaine when he purchased a gun. Three months later, he entered a guilty plea to tax offenses for failing to pay at least $1.4 million in federal taxes. Sentencing was expected later this month in both cases. The decision is attracting criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. This episode: voting correspondent Ashley Lopez, national justice correspondent Ryan Lucas, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson.The podcast is produced by Jeongyoon Han and Kelli Wessinger, and edited by Casey Morell. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Today, the second of a two-part investigation from NPR's Embedded.All Marines take an oath to defend the Constitution. After Sgt. Joshua Abate participated in the events on January 6, the Corps has to decide if he is a Marine worth keeping. Did he break his oath when he entered the Capitol that day? And what does his case say about the changing narrative around January 6?As the 2024 presidential election approaches, January 6 casts a long shadow. NPR's Tom Bowman and Lauren Hodges follow the military's efforts to address extremism in the ranks, and the political hurdles it has faced along the way.LEARN MORE:- View the Report on Countering Extremist Activity Within the Department of Defense, from the Countering Extremist Activity Working Group (CEAWG) at the Department of Defense. - Read this investigative piece from the AP about radicalization in the military.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Today, the first of a two-part investigation from NPR's Embedded.Sgt. Joshua Abate's career in the Marine Corps seemed to be taking off. He was about to start a top-clearance internship at the NSA. But first, he had to take a standard polygraph test.And then a routine question came up: Have you ever tried to overthrow the U.S. government? Abate told the polygrapher something that he'd been keeping quiet for nearly two years: He followed the crowd that broke into the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.This admission leads to a different kind of January 6 story. Abate says he's not an insurrectionist. So why did it take him so long to talk openly about that day? And what did he actually do inside the Capitol?Digging into FBI documents and CCTV footage, NPR's Tom Bowman and Lauren Hodges follow Abate's case in federal court. Reexamining their own firsthand accounts of what happened that day, their reporting offers a fresh look at January 6 and what it means for the military.LEARN MORE:- Explore NPR's database of January 6 criminal cases.- Read the findings about extremism in the military from researcher Michael Jensen and the University of Maryland's National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy