The Chuck ToddCast

Chuck Todd opens with the Iran war back on and the rug pulled out from under the world economy once again — but his central argument is that this is now the biggest broken campaign promise in 40 years. He draws a crucial distinction between ordinary campaign lies and genuinely major broken promises: "build the wall" was a broken promise that didn't much hurt Trump, but "no new wars" was foundational to his appeal, and the Iran calamity is now actively damaging the economy and making everyday life harder for the voters who trusted him. He notes candidate Trump was actually right that an Iran war would be irresponsible, that securing anything would require a months- or years-long ground commitment Trump won't make, and that the president was so consumed with keeping his birthday celebration on schedule that he tried to time the war around it. Marco Rubio, as always, has vanished now that things are going badly. Todd flags the NATO meetings underway in Turkey (a complicated ally Trump only engages because he and Erdogan play by the same strongman rules), marvels that Trump remains inexplicably sympathetic to a Putin who has never been weaker, and warns that all of it is making Americans less safe. He then turns to the Maine Senate race, which has become a genuine debacle: Todd argues Graham Platner was caught in a clear lie to Democratic senators about Jenny Racicot — who has said publicly she believes Platner sexually assaulted her — and that Platner knew both what she believed and that she was talking to reporters. Todd is emphatic that the lies need to be called out, that leaning into misogyny is no way to win back working-class white men, and that progressives cannot let Trump set the bar for acceptable character. He frames the whole primary through the fighter-versus-winner divide, notes this could be the second high-profile Bernie-endorsed candidate to lose (raising the stakes for Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and underscoring how much harder it is for progressives to win statewide), and argues the progressive left urgently needs to get its house in order. Todd closes with two intriguing threads: the swirling rumors about Mitch McConnell's health and status (his seat is on the ballot in November, and Kentucky's legislature changed its vacancy-appointment law in a way that may violate the state constitution but has never been tested in court), and the escalating fight between the Trump administration and the Smithsonian — where Todd concedes the administration had a couple of fair critiques but argues that its core complaint, that the museum is "woke" for simply asking questions about history, amounts to demanding the Smithsonian swap one alleged ideology for an openly right-wing one, when the honest approach to contested history is simply to present the facts and let people interpret them.
Finally, Chuck updates the ToddCast Top 5 most likely senate flips if Maine is off the board for Democrats post-Platner scandal and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
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Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
05:00 The Iran war is now back on
06:00 The rug has been pulled on the world economy once again
06:30 The Iranians won this conflict, they have more leverage
07:30 There’s a difference between campaign lies & major broken promises
09:30 “Build the wall” was a broken promise, but didn’t impact Trump much
10:45 Trump’s other major promise was “No new wars” & Iran is a calamity
12:30 This broken promise is damaging the economy & making life difficult
13:15 When things are going badly, Marco Rubio disappears
14:30 This will be the biggest broken campaign promise in 40 years*
15:00 Candidate Trump was right that an Iran war would be irresponsible
16:15 Ground troops would be a months… if not years commitment
17:30 Trump wanted to stop the war in time for his birthday party
18:00 Trump was more concerned with keeping celebrations on schedule
18:45 NATO meetings currently taking place in Turkey…a complicated ally
19:30 Trump likely only attends this meeting because Erdogan is hosting
20:45 Trump & Erdogan are world leaders that play by the same rules
21:30 Putin has never been this weak as the ruler of Russia
23:00 It’s still perplexing that Trump is so sympathetic to Putin
24:15 Shirking Putin would make things easier for Trump…but he still doesn’t
25:00 Trump’s actions are making us all less safe
26:00 The Maine senate race has turned into a massive debacle
27:30 The framing is “Do you want to fight, or do you want to win?”
28:15 How much leverage does Platner have in choosing his replacement?
29:30 Democratic base wants a fighter, not a uniter this primary cycle
32:00 Pragmatic Democrats should make the “winning” case
32:45 Susan Collins has overperformed “generic Republican” for 30 years
34:30 Platner was caught in a clear lie to Democratic senators *
35:45 Jenny Racicot made clear she believed she was sexually assaulted by Platner
36:45 Platner knew she what she believed and that Racicot was talking to reporters*
38:00 He clearly lied to senators and the lies need to be called out*
39:30 Leaning into misogyny isn’t the way to win back white men
40:15 Platner was the left's idea of how to appeal to working class white men
41:30 Progressives can’t let Trump set the bar for character
42:30 Democrats should be thankful there’s time to fix this
44:30 This could be two high profile races that Bernie endorsees have lost
46:30 It’s much harder for progressives to win in statewide races
47:15 This puts more pressure on Abdul El-Sayed to win in Michigan
48:00 The progressive left needs to get their house in order
49:45 Rumors are flying about the status of Mitch McConnell
50:30 If Republicans wanted to put the rumors to bed, it’d be easy to do
51:30 McConnell’s seat is on the ballot in November
52:00 KY legislature changed law on vacancy appointments, against state constitution
53:00 Law change has never been tested in the courts
54:15 Simplest explanation might be McConnell wants to keep it private
56:00 Could keeping the illusion of McConnell going help with a SCOTUS confirmation?
57:00 This wouldn’t change a confirmation vote by much since he can’t vote
59:30 Fight between Trump administration and the Smithsonian
1:00:00 Administration had a couple fair critiques, but most wasn’t
1:00:30 Administration claimed the Smithsonian is “woke”
1:02:45 Another complaint was not enough America 250 programming/exhibits
1:05:00 Simply asking questions about history isn’t proof of an ideology
1:05:45 Administration is demanding the Smithsonian adopt their own ideology
1:06:30 Report claims left-wing bias, but now insists on a right-wing bias
1:09:15 History is open to interpretation, it’s best to present the facts
01:14:45 Chuck’s thoughts on the interview with Tad Devine
01:15:15 ToddCast Top 5 most likely senate flips if Maine is off the board
01:15:45 #1 North Carolina
01:16:15 #2 Michigan
01:19:30 #3 Ohio
01:20:00 #4 Alaska
01:20:45 #5 Iowa
01:21:00 If all these flip, Dems need to find one more seat
01:23:15 Susan Collins still unlikely to win, but Dems have to get it together
01:24:15 Democrats have to nominate a woman after Platner scandal
01:25:00 Ask Chuck
01:25:30 What’s one widely believed political myth that isn’t true?
01:29:15 Comparison of Trump’s impact on Atlantic City to Robert Moses?
01:31:45 Are Republicans not aware a future Dem could use expanded presidential powers?
01:34:45 USMNT loses to Belgium, whatever Trump touches dies
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens with the Iran war back on and the rug pulled out from under the world economy once again — but his central argument is that this is now the biggest broken campaign promise in 40 years. He draws a crucial distinction between ordinary campaign lies and genuinely major broken promises: "build the wall" was a broken promise that didn't much hurt Trump, but "no new wars" was foundational to his appeal, and the Iran calamity is now actively damaging the economy and making everyday life harder for the voters who trusted him. He notes candidate Trump was actually right that an Iran war would be irresponsible, that securing anything would require a months- or years-long ground commitment Trump won't make, and that the president was so consumed with keeping his birthday celebration on schedule that he tried to time the war around it. Marco Rubio, as always, has vanished now that things are going badly. Todd flags the NATO meetings underway in Turkey (a complicated ally Trump only engages because he and Erdogan play by the same strongman rules), marvels that Trump remains inexplicably sympathetic to a Putin who has never been weaker, and warns that all of it is making Americans less safe. He then turns to the Maine Senate race, which has become a genuine debacle: Todd argues Graham Platner was caught in a clear lie to Democratic senators about Jenny Racicot — who has said publicly she believes Platner sexually assaulted her — and that Platner knew both what she believed and that she was talking to reporters. Todd is emphatic that the lies need to be called out, that leaning into misogyny is no way to win back working-class white men, and that progressives cannot let Trump set the bar for acceptable character. He frames the whole primary through the fighter-versus-winner divide, notes this could be the second high-profile Bernie-endorsed candidate to lose (raising the stakes for Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and underscoring how much harder it is for progressives to win statewide), and argues the progressive left urgently needs to get its house in order. Todd closes with two intriguing threads: the swirling rumors about Mitch McConnell's health and status (his seat is on the ballot in November, and Kentucky's legislature changed its vacancy-appointment law in a way that may violate the state constitution but has never been tested in court), and the escalating fight between the Trump administration and the Smithsonian — where Todd concedes the administration had a couple of fair critiques but argues that its core complaint, that the museum is "woke" for simply asking questions about history, amounts to demanding the Smithsonian swap one alleged ideology for an openly right-wing one, when the honest approach to contested history is simply to present the facts and let people interpret them.

Then, legendary Democratic strategist Tad Devine — a senior adviser to Bernie Sanders' 2016 campaign and a veteran of multiple presidential campaigns — joins the Chuck Toddcast with a new book and a provocative thesis: the Democratic Party actively screwed Bernie Sanders, and in doing so screwed itself. Devine says he got angrier and angrier as he wrote the book, revisiting how Sanders couldn't get booked on the Sunday shows for years, how the nominating process was rigged in Hillary Clinton's favor by a party establishment that gave far too much weight to insiders and superdelegates, and how roughly half of Obama's 2008 supporters migrated to Bernie in 2016. Devine wrestles honestly with the central tension of Sanders' relationship to the party: Bernie would never actually register as a Democrat (unlike Zohran Mamdani, who embraced the label), begrudgingly agreeing only to put "Democrat" next to his name, describing his agenda as the "second agenda of Benjamin Franklin" and understanding perfectly well that the word "socialism" is toxic to many voters even as he refused to abandon it. The what-ifs are tantalizing: Devine argues that if Bernie had been declared the winner of Iowa on caucus night in 2016, the whole race might have unfolded differently, and that if Sanders had won the first three states, the establishment would have mobilized to stop him by any means necessary.
The conversation broadens into a sweeping critique of how Democrats choose their nominees and what the party needs to reform. Devine argues the party must give voters far more control over nominations, that the primary calendar is one of the most important and underappreciated parts of the entire process, and that independents should be allowed to participate in either party's primary rather than being forced to register months in advance. He credits Sanders with hitting on the enduring insight that the system is rigged against working people — a message supercharged after the Supreme Court unleashed the flood of money into politics following Obama's election — and makes the striking counterfactual case that Bernie would have beaten Trump in 2016 because, unlike Hillary Clinton, he could credibly run as a change candidate, and the white working-class vote wouldn't have broken so heavily toward Trump. Devine muses that Sherrod Brown would have made a strong running mate for Sanders, wonders aloud whether Bernie would ever have said yes to Clinton as a running mate, and argues that electing Bernie would have been a powerful national reckoning. He's clear-eyed about the party's deeper problem — the DNC is fundamentally risk-averse, and politics is about taking risks.
Finally, Chuck updates the ToddCast Top 5 most likely senate flips if Maine is off the board for Democrats post-Platner scandal and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
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Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code CHUCKTODDCAST at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/chucktoddcast
From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
05:00 The Iran war is now back on
06:00 The rug has been pulled on the world economy once again
06:30 The Iranians won this conflict, they have more leverage
07:30 There’s a difference between campaign lies & major broken promises
09:30 “Build the wall” was a broken promise, but didn’t impact Trump much
10:45 Trump’s other major promise was “No new wars” & Iran is a calamity
12:30 This broken promise is damaging the economy & making life difficult
13:15 When things are going badly, Marco Rubio disappears
14:30 This will be the biggest broken campaign promise in 40 years*
15:00 Candidate Trump was right that an Iran war would be irresponsible
16:15 Ground troops would be a months… if not years commitment
17:30 Trump wanted to stop the war in time for his birthday party
18:00 Trump was more concerned with keeping celebrations on schedule
18:45 NATO meetings currently taking place in Turkey…a complicated ally
19:30 Trump likely only attends this meeting because Erdogan is hosting
20:45 Trump & Erdogan are world leaders that play by the same rules
21:30 Putin has never been this weak as the ruler of Russia
23:00 It’s still perplexing that Trump is so sympathetic to Putin
24:15 Shirking Putin would make things easier for Trump…but he still doesn’t
25:00 Trump’s actions are making us all less safe
26:00 The Maine senate race has turned into a massive debacle
27:30 The framing is “Do you want to fight, or do you want to win?”
28:15 How much leverage does Platner have in choosing his replacement?
29:30 Democratic base wants a fighter, not a uniter this primary cycle
32:00 Pragmatic Democrats should make the “winning” case
32:45 Susan Collins has overperformed “generic Republican” for 30 years
34:30 Platner was caught in a clear lie to Democratic senators *
35:45 Jenny Racicot made clear she believed she was sexually assaulted by Platner
36:45 Platner knew she what she believed and that Racicot was talking to reporters*
38:00 He clearly lied to senators and the lies need to be called out*
39:30 Leaning into misogyny isn’t the way to win back white men
40:15 Platner was the left's idea of how to appeal to working class white men
41:30 Progressives can’t let Trump set the bar for character
42:30 Democrats should be thankful there’s time to fix this
44:30 This could be two high profile races that Bernie endorsees have lost
46:30 It’s much harder for progressives to win in statewide races
47:15 This puts more pressure on Abdul El-Sayed to win in Michigan
48:00 The progressive left needs to get their house in order
49:45 Rumors are flying about the status of Mitch McConnell
50:30 If Republicans wanted to put the rumors to bed, it’d be easy to do
51:30 McConnell’s seat is on the ballot in November
52:00 KY legislature changed law on vacancy appointments, against state constitution
53:00 Law change has never been tested in the courts
54:15 Simplest explanation might be McConnell wants to keep it private
56:00 Could keeping the illusion of McConnell going help with a SCOTUS confirmation?
57:00 This wouldn’t change a confirmation vote by much since he can’t vote
59:30 Fight between Trump administration and the Smithsonian
1:00:00 Administration had a couple fair critiques, but most wasn’t
1:00:30 Administration claimed the Smithsonian is “woke”
1:02:45 Another complaint was not enough America 250 programming/exhibits
1:05:00 Simply asking questions about history isn’t proof of an ideology
1:05:45 Administration is demanding the Smithsonian adopt their own ideology
1:06:30 Report claims left-wing bias, but now insists on a right-wing bias
1:09:15 History is open to interpretation, it’s best to present the facts
01:16:15 Tad Devine joins the Chuck ToddCast
01:17:30 Why do you say that the Democrats screwed Bernie?
01:18:45 Got more and more upset while writing the book
01:20:15 Sanders couldn’t get booked on the Sunday shows for years
01:23:00 Half of Obama’s supporters went to Bernie
01:24:00 Obama didn’t learn the fundamental lesson of his own campaign
01:26:00 The nominating process was rigged by the Democratic party
01:27:00 Gore didn’t control the party until he became the nominee in 2000
01:29:15 Why not play favorites when Bernie wouldn’t register as a Democrat?
01:30:00 Mamdani said he was Democrat, Bernie never would
01:31:15 Bernie begrudgingly agreed to Democratic Party next to his name
01:32:45 Bernie described his agenda as “2nd agenda of Benjamin Franklin”
01:34:00 People recoil at the word socialism, not necessarily the policies
01:34:45 Bernie understands the word socialism is toxic, but doesn’t care
01:36:15 Campaign needed to embrace the tapestry of America
01:36:45 Would election go differently if declared winner of Iowa on caucus night?
01:38:00 Both campaigns essentially said they won Iowa in 2016 primary
01:39:15 Bernie didn’t want to be a back-bencher, motivated him to run
01:40:15 Best measure of support is in open primaries
01:40:45 In how many states did Trump eaten into Bernie’s support?
01:41:30 If Bernie won first three states, establishment would try to stop him
01:42:15 Why did Bernie stand down for Biden?
01:43:15 Biden took Bernie’s infrastructure proposal and turned it into law
01:44:30 Was Bernie running to win or to make a point?
01:45:15 Tried to make a point, then grassroots energy swelled
01:46:45 The party needs to give voters more control over nominations
01:48:00 Dukakis wanted to get rid of the superdelegates
01:49:15 Democratic party gave too much weight to party insiders
01:50:00 It’s not just a DNC problem, there’s issues with media coverage
01:50:45 Primary calendar is one of the most important parts of process
01:52:15 Independents should be allowed to participate in either primary
01:54:00 Had to register as Dem in fall of 2015 to vote in 2016 primary
01:56:15 Bernie hit on the idea that the system is rigged against working people
01:57:15 After Obama won, SCOTUS allowed the flood of money into politics
01:59:00 Most people want money out of politics, need legislation or amendment
02:00:30 Voters need to be empowered to solve America’s problems
02:01:30 How do we get leaders that will let the reforms happen?
02:03:00 Should we have a broader or narrower definition of Democrat?
02:04:15 It was remarkable that Bernie did so well with the youngest voters
02:05:45 Bernie would have beaten Trump, Hillary couldn’t be a change candidate
02:07:15 White working class vote wouldn’t have gone mostly to Trump
02:08:45 Sherrod Brown would have been a strong running mate for Bernie
02:09:30 Would Bernie have said yes to Clinton as a running mate?
02:10:45 Electing Bernie would have been a powerful reckoning
02:12:00 The DNC is risk averse and politics is about risk taking
02:13:15 Bernie shouldn’t run in 2028, he’s too old
02:14:00 When Bernie is with Mamdani, he seems like Bernie’s son
02:15:15 AOC - Run for senate or run for president?
02:16:15 Who will get Bernie’s affection as his successor
02:20:30 Chuck’s thoughts on the interview with Tad Devine
02:21:00 ToddCast Top 5 most likely senate flips if Maine is off the board
02:21:30 #1 North Carolina
02:22:00 #2 Michigan
02:25:15 #3 Ohio
02:25:45 #4 Alaska
02:26:30 #5 Iowa
02:26:45 If all these flip, Dems need to find one more seat
02:29:00 Susan Collins still unlikely to win, but Dems have to get it together
02:30:00 Democrats have to nominate a woman after Platner scandal
02:30:45 Ask Chuck
02:31:15 What’s one widely believed political myth that isn’t true?
02:35:00 Comparison of Trump’s impact on Atlantic City to Robert Moses?
02:37:30 Are Republicans not aware a future Dem could use expanded presidential powers?
02:40:30 USMNT loses to Belgium, whatever Trump touches dies
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legendary Democratic strategist Tad Devine — a senior adviser to Bernie Sanders' 2016 campaign and a veteran of multiple presidential campaigns — joins the Chuck Toddcast with a new book and a provocative thesis: the Democratic Party actively screwed Bernie Sanders, and in doing so screwed itself. Devine says he got angrier and angrier as he wrote the book, revisiting how Sanders couldn't get booked on the Sunday shows for years, how the nominating process was rigged in Hillary Clinton's favor by a party establishment that gave far too much weight to insiders and superdelegates, and how roughly half of Obama's 2008 supporters migrated to Bernie in 2016. Devine wrestles honestly with the central tension of Sanders' relationship to the party: Bernie would never actually register as a Democrat (unlike Zohran Mamdani, who embraced the label), begrudgingly agreeing only to put "Democrat" next to his name, describing his agenda as the "second agenda of Benjamin Franklin" and understanding perfectly well that the word "socialism" is toxic to many voters even as he refused to abandon it. The what-ifs are tantalizing: Devine argues that if Bernie had been declared the winner of Iowa on caucus night in 2016, the whole race might have unfolded differently, and that if Sanders had won the first three states, the establishment would have mobilized to stop him by any means necessary.
The conversation broadens into a sweeping critique of how Democrats choose their nominees and what the party needs to reform. Devine argues the party must give voters far more control over nominations, that the primary calendar is one of the most important and underappreciated parts of the entire process, and that independents should be allowed to participate in either party's primary rather than being forced to register months in advance. He credits Sanders with hitting on the enduring insight that the system is rigged against working people — a message supercharged after the Supreme Court unleashed the flood of money into politics following Obama's election — and makes the striking counterfactual case that Bernie would have beaten Trump in 2016 because, unlike Hillary Clinton, he could credibly run as a change candidate, and the white working-class vote wouldn't have broken so heavily toward Trump. Devine muses that Sherrod Brown would have made a strong running mate for Sanders, wonders aloud whether Bernie would ever have said yes to Clinton as a running mate, and argues that electing Bernie would have been a powerful national reckoning. He's clear-eyed about the party's deeper problem — the DNC is fundamentally risk-averse, and politics is about taking risks.
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.

Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Tad Devine joins the Chuck ToddCast
01:15 Why do you say that the Democrats screwed Bernie?
02:30 Got more and more upset while writing the book
04:00 Sanders couldn’t get booked on the Sunday shows for years
06:45 Half of Obama’s supporters went to Bernie
07:45 Obama didn’t learn the fundamental lesson of his own campaign
09:45 The nominating process was rigged by the Democratic party
10:45 Gore didn’t control the party until he became the nominee in 2000
13:00 Why not play favorites when Bernie wouldn’t register as a Democrat?
13:45 Mamdani said he was Democrat, Bernie never would
15:00 Bernie begrudgingly agreed to Democratic Party next to his name
16:30 Bernie described his agenda as “2nd agenda of Benjamin Franklin”
17:45 People recoil at the word socialism, not necessarily the policies
18:30 Bernie understands the word socialism is toxic, but doesn’t care
20:00 Campaign needed to embrace the tapestry of America
20:30 Would election go differently if declared winner of Iowa on caucus night?
21:45 Both campaigns essentially said they won Iowa in 2016 primary
23:00 Bernie didn’t want to be a back-bencher, motivated him to run
24:00 Best measure of support is in open primaries
24:30 In how many states did Trump eaten into Bernie’s support?
25:15 If Bernie won first three states, establishment would try to stop him
26:00 Why did Bernie stand down for Biden?
27:00 Biden took Bernie’s infrastructure proposal and turned it into law
28:15 Was Bernie running to win or to make a point?
29:00 Tried to make a point, then grassroots energy swelled
30:30 The party needs to give voters more control over nominations
31:45 Dukakis wanted to get rid of the superdelegates
33:00 Democratic party gave too much weight to party insiders
33:45 It’s not just a DNC problem, there’s issues with media coverage
34:30 Primary calendar is one of the most important parts of process
36:00 Independents should be allowed to participate in either primary
37:45 Had to register as Dem in fall of 2015 to vote in 2016 primary
40:00 Bernie hit on the idea that the system is rigged against working people
41:00 After Obama won, SCOTUS allowed the flood of money into politics
42:45 Most people want money out of politics, need legislation or amendment
44:15 Voters need to be empowered to solve America’s problems
45:15 How do we get leaders that will let the reforms happen?
46:45 Should we have a broader or narrower definition of Democrat?
48:00 It was remarkable that Bernie did so well with the youngest voters
49:30 Bernie would have beaten Trump, Hillary couldn’t be a change candidate
51:00 White working class vote wouldn’t have gone mostly to Trump
52:30 Sherrod Brown would have been a strong running mate for Bernie
53:15 Would Bernie have said yes to Clinton as a running mate?
54:30 Electing Bernie would have been a powerful reckoning
55:45 The DNC is risk averse and politics is about risk taking
57:00 Bernie shouldn’t run in 2028, he’s too old
57:45 When Bernie is with Mamdani, he seems like Bernie’s son
59:00 AOC - Run for senate or run for president?
1:00:00 Who will get Bernie’s affection as his successor
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd and J.A. Adande tell you the INCREDIBLE story behind Wimbledon. It didn't just become the most prestigious tournament in tennis—it helped create the sport we know today. From a croquet club raising money for a broken lawn roller to becoming one of the most iconic sporting events in the world, Wimbledon has shaped the rules, traditions, legends, and culture of modern tennis for nearly 150 years.
Chuck and J.A. trace the full history of the tournament, from its Victorian origins to unforgettable champions like Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Björn Borg, Martina Navratilova, Pete Sampras, Billie Jean King, Althea Gibson, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Venus Williams, and more. Along the way, we explore how Wimbledon changed tennis forever—and why the sport wouldn't be the same without it.
Whether you're a lifelong tennis fan or just discovering the magic of Wimbledon, this is the story behind the world's most famous tennis tournament.
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on ad placements)
00:00 How Wimbledon Created Modern Tennis
07:09 Federer vs. Nadal: The Greatest Match Ever?
11:37 The Surprising Origin of Wimbledon
22:50 Wimbledon's Traditions Explained
35:35 The First Wimbledon Champions
55:08 Why Everyone Wears White at Wimbledon
01:11:00 Rod Laver, Billie Jean King & the Open Era
01:28:55 Althea Gibson Breaks Tennis' Color Barrier
01:43:00 Breakfast at Wimbledon & America's Obsession
02:08:13 Borg vs. McEnroe & Tennis' Greatest Rivalries
02:29:36 Federer, Serena & the Greatest Champions
02:53:40 Our Wimbledon Mount Rushmore
03:01:10 Why Wimbledon Still Defines Tennis
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Cillizza and Chuck Todd launch Super Tuesdays — the now-on-every-feed version of the show they've been doing together — with a wide-ranging conversation that runs from Trump's self-centered Fourth of July to the summer's most consequential Senate primaries.
First, Chris starts with the update that the USMNT lost to Belgium after President Trump intervened to get star striker Falorin Balogun’s red card overturned and wonders if Trump curses every sports team he involves himself with. He also weighs in on the latest developments surrounding Graham Platner.
Then, the guys break down why Trump's 250th-anniversary flop and his eye-popping financial disclosure ($2.2 billion in his first year back, $1.4 billion of it from crypto) add up to what Chuck calls "late-stage Trumpism" — a president who's more isolated, less able to self-correct, and increasingly celebrating his own version of patriotism by himself. From there it's onto the world stage: Trump's trip to the NATO summit, his instinct to break the alliance, and why throwing a lifeline to a historically vulnerable Putin makes no strategic sense.
The back half turns to the 2026 map and the 2028 shadow race. Chuck and Chris dig into Mallory McMorrow's exit and the now one-on-one Abdul El-Sayed–Haley Stevens fight in Michigan, the outsider-vs-insider dynamic driving Democratic primaries, and what the Black vote means from Detroit to Karen Bass's LA. They size up the Wes Moore–Pritzker–Buttigieg field, decode the Graham Platner drama in Maine and why Susan Collins stays chronically underrated, and offer a sharp consumer's guide to why the NYT and Fox polls tell such different stories. Then they close the way only these two would — Trump's alleged FIFA meddling ahead of USA–Belgium, a lesson on how corruption always comes back around, LeBron's next move, and a deep Nationals All-Star and trade-deadline dive.
Timeline:
00:00 USMNT loses to Belgium
07:00 Welcome to Super Tuesdays
09:25 Chuck watched 90% of Trump's July 4th speech
09:45 How it compares to Reagan & the 1986 Statue of Liberty centennial
11:11 Gerald Ford's restrained 1976 bicentennial in an election year
11:31 Trump threw away years of 250th anniversary planning
12:44 Trump's financial disclosure: $2.2B in year one, $1.4B from crypto
13:16 The Trump Bible and the tchotchke economy
14:24 "You should've seen what they wanted to put in that disclosure"
15:45 No elected officials showed up to celebrate the 4th with Trump
16:46 Trump is celebrating his version of patriotism by himself
17:05 The K-shaped economy & why Trump is insulated from the 80%
18:37 The case that we've reached "late-stage Trumpism"
21:06 AI-written speeches Trump can't even stick to
22:00 Expect a staff exodus after the midterms
23:12 Trump will never give a "shellacking" concession speech
23:38 The GOP language shift from "socialists" to "communists"
24:15 Trump heads to the NATO summit — can he actually break NATO?
25:32 Trump the transactionalist & the FIFA-Qatar corruption aside
26:36 Trump, Putin, and the shared goal of weakening Europe
28:50 Putin has never been this vulnerable
31:11 Why Trump is drawn to strongmen and rogues
32:20 Trump has no lifelong friends — everyone he gets close to gets alienated
33:37 Transactional "friends" like Howard Lutnick
34:11 To the Senate: Mallory McMorrow drops out of Michigan
35:44 Democratic primary energy is outsider vs. insider
36:38 El-Sayed is a genuinely talented communicator
38:04 Jackson & Bernie's Michigan wins as a pattern
39:34 Progressives' persistent problem with the Black vote
42:06 Michigan is the Democratic-held seat the party overlooks
43:30 How Michigan slipped from the blue wall
44:46 If El-Sayed and Paxton both win, donors panic
45:37 The 2028 hunt for the "most electable" Democrat
47:32 The real dividing line: fix the institutions or blow them up
49:09 Pritzker is the overlooked progressive-with-a-record
51:07 Pete Buttigieg's Biden baggage is heavier than he thinks
51:35 The Graham Platner story brewing in Maine
51:56 Collins vs. Platner is basically a toss-up
52:38 Trump takes credit for FIFA siding with the US over Belgium
54:50 A generic Democrat would beat Collins by ten
57:23 NYT forecasting vs. Fox snapshot polling
59:53 The real battlegrounds: Iowa, Ohio, Alaska
1:00:11 Where Democrats find another seat — Kansas, Mississippi
1:02:04 Jolly vs. Byron Donalds & the closer-than-you-think governor's race
1:04:00 The World Cup, Balogun's red card & USA-Belgium
1:05:23 No other president would have intervened with FIFA
1:05:49 Left-leaning soccer fans rationalizing corruption that helps them
1:08:16 A birthright-citizen Balogun & soccer's Trump ambivalence
1:08:59 LeBron's "Decision Part 10" & Rich Paul's genius whiteboard
1:10:29 Why the Warriors fit LeBron's game
1:12:19 LeBron wants to play guard, not power forward
1:14:00 Nats All-Stars: James Wood & CJ Abrams snubs and starters
1:16:53 The Aug. 3 trade deadline: buyer, seller, or stand pat?
1:18:19 Abrams & Wood among the game's best Black players
1:18:45 Building the Nats around Black stars in a majority-Black city
1:19:59 Baseball's demographics & the "no Bubbas in Connecticut" bit
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