Off The Record With Paul Hodes

Todd Blanche gave up $1.8 billion to get confirmed as Attorney General. He kept the part that shields Donald Trump's tax returns — and the part that lets him decide what you see of the Epstein files.Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner and Epstein files investigator Ellie Leonard joined me live the morning the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Blanche's nomination. What they laid out is worse than the headlines.Glenn's verdict on what Blanche actually surrendered to flip Senators Cornyn and Tillis: "That would be exactly nothing." Ellie went inside the in-camera hearing where Blanche had to justify ten redactions to a federal judge, and explains why his answers are what she calls "tapioca pudding."And we get into the question nobody in corporate media is asking: after hundreds of judicial rebukes, four lawyers referred for discipline over the IRS settlement alone, and a Justice Department now suing bar associations to protect its own — will a single one of these attorney

Republicans spent the week chasing Anthony Fauci while their 2026 battlefield caught fire. Todd Blanche’s nomination stalled, Trump’s lawyers admitted the administration targeted blue states for political payback, the Iran war moved into a more dangerous phase—and nearly every major midterm indicator shifted toward Democrats.In this episode of Political Rehab, Republican strategist Matt Wylie and Democratic insider Matt Robison examine a disastrous week for the GOP—and why nearly every major political indicator is now moving toward Democrats.Anthony Fauci takes the Fifth before the Senate as Republicans revive the political battles of 2020. Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination stalls because the Trump administration refuses to provide two Republican senators with even the smallest assurance that the Justice Department’s political weaponization fund is dead.Then Trump’s own lawyers make an extraordinary courtroom admission: 283 of 284 canceled Energy Department grants were located in states that voted fo

**What will decide the battle for the U.S. Senate in 2026?** Just months ago, most political analysts thought Democrats had almost no realistic path to winning back the Senate. Today, the map looks dramatically different.In this episode of **Worth Knowing**, Matt Robison is joined by **Lauren French**, Communications Director for Senate Majority PAC, for an inside look at how Democrats believe the battlefield has shifted—and what they're seeing in polling and internal data that the public hasn't yet seen. Later, former Congressman **Paul Hodes** joins to break down the critical Maine Senate race and whether Susan Collins is more vulnerable than ever.**Topics include:*** Why Democrats suddenly have multiple paths to a Senate majority* Which Senate races are moving toward Democrats* North Carolina, Maine, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, Texas, Alaska, and more* Why affordability—not democracy—is the centerpiece of Democratic messaging* The latest on Susan Collins and Troy Jackson in Maine* How fundraising, Super P

Why would Donald Trump want Democrats to win? Because losing Congress could give him exactly what he needs: an enemy to blame, a new fundraising target and freedom from responsibility for what happens next.In this episode of Political Rehab, Republican strategist Matt Wylie and Democratic insider Matt Robison examine the growing argument that Trump is sacrificing the Republican Party’s 2026 midterm prospects for his own political benefit.Republicans are heading into recess without a convincing answer on affordability, housing, tariffs or the continuing war with Iran. Trump has shown little urgency about helping vulnerable GOP candidates, while Republicans increasingly fall back on symbolic votes, election-integrity talking points and attacks on Democratic socialists.We break down:• Why Republicans cannot explain the cost or endgame of the Iran war• What the New Jersey voter-registration failure actually proves• Why the SAVE Act would not have prevented that software error• Whether Todd Blanche’s nomination is

Republican strategist Matt Wylie looks at the new midterm fundraising numbers and says it out loud: "We're getting our butt kicked out there." This week on Political Rehab: Trump's primetime election bombshell, JD Vance's explosive Joe Rogan interview, the DSA platform that has Fox News thrilled, the GOP civil war over ICE, and the fundraising numbers turning Texas, Georgia, Ohio, and North Carolina into real Democratic opportunities.Matt Robison (former Democratic Hill staffer) and Matt Wylie (Republican strategist) break down the week's biggest political stories — plus their weekly Battlefield midterm scoreboard and a Dose of Hope segment busting two myths about daylight saving time.TOPICS COVERED:

The conversation explores one central question: What should ordinary people do when a government begins crossing moral lines? Matt Robison sits down with Gal Beckerman of The Atlantic to discuss his powerful new book How to Be a Dissident—drawing lessons from Václav Havel, Alexei Navalny, Hannah Arendt, Nelson Mandela, the Civil Rights Movement, Soviet dissidents, and more.This isn't a conversation about performative outrage or easy answers. It's about the difficult moral choices every democracy eventually asks of its citizens:• When should you resist?• What kinds of resistance actually matter?• Is protest enough?• Does political satire accomplish anything?• How do ordinary people find the courage to stand up to power?Whether you agree or disagree with every conclusion, this discussion explores one of the defining questions of our time.Subscribe for more conversations about democracy, politics, elections, and the future of America.Substack:https://worthknowing.substack.comYouTube:https://www.youtube.c

Lindsey Graham's death has instantly reshaped the fight for the U.S. Senate. In this emergency live discussion, Matt Robison is joined by Republican strategist Matt Wylie and Blue Amp Media's Cliff Schecter to break down what happens next in South Carolina, how the appointment process works, whether Republicans could suddenly have another competitive Senate race on their hands, and why the ripple effects could extend all the way to Maine, Kentucky, Michigan, and control of the Senate.They also examine:• Who Governor Henry McMaster is most likely to appoint• Whether Nancy Mace would strengthen—or endanger—Republican chances• Why Democrats quietly believe the Senate map continues improving• The latest on the Graham Platner fallout in Maine• Mitch McConnell's continued absence and the political consequences• Why the SAVE Act suddenly becomes even more important• The Republican and Democratic strategies insiders are discussing behind closed doorsThis conversation goes well beyond the headlines to expl

Trump declares the Iran ceasefire "over" as the Pentagon runs out of money. Mitch McConnell hasn't been seen in weeks, and Kentucky's governor wants proof of life. Republicans in Congress accidentally funded Planned Parenthood. And in this week's Battlefield segment, the Senate map just got a lot bigger for Democrats — six competitive races, Trump down 30 points with independents, and a new nominee about to replace Graham Platner in Maine.Matt Robison (former Democratic Hill staffer) and Matt Wylie (Republican strategist) break down the week's biggest political stories — no both-sides false balance, just two operatives who've actually worked the machine telling you what insiders are really thinking.TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Cold open00:01 – Back at war: Trump declares the Iran ceasefire "over"00:04 – Is Mitch McConnell alive? Plus, the Pentagon is out of money00:07 – Republicans accidentally fund Planned Parenthood00:10 – Trump's price theater: Freedom Fuel gas stations and

2026 is the first American election where AI is shaping every link in the chain of political power — from what campaigns put in front of voters, to how voters filter what they're told, to who tech companies are trying to elect.Matt Robison sits down with Katie Harbath — 25-year veteran of the tech-politics intersection, former Facebook elections lead, and author of the upcoming book Disrupting Politics: A Front Row Seat at the Collision of Technology and Democracy (Fall 2026) — to walk through her original survey data and what she's seeing on the ground right now.We cover:Her first-of-its-kind survey of campaign professionals: 87% use AI daily, and most campaigns still have no policy governing itWhy disclosure is more complicated than "just label it" — and the research showing labels can backfireThe voter side: only 9% say they use AI for political info, but that number is misleading once you count AI answers baked into a Google searchWhy Democratic campaign staff lean Claude and Republicans

Trump made $2 billion while his own crypto investors lost their shirts — and that's just the opening story. This week on Political Rehab, Republican strategist Matt Wylie calls his own party's Trump-branded midterm convention plan "a hostage video with balloons," the Supreme Court hands Trump sweeping new power to fire independent regulators, Clarence Thomas drops a 91-page dissent warning he'll come for birthright citizenship again, and a campaign finance ruling quietly hands Republicans what Matt Robison calls "a billion-dollar hammer" heading into the midterms. Plus: this week's Battlefield midterm dashboard, and two very different doses of hope.Political Rehab is the show where PTI meets The Daily Show — one Republican strategist, one former Democratic Hill staffer, no scripts, no spin, just the week's biggest political stories argued out loud.

After Zohran Mamdani's endorsed slate swept three New York primaries, headlines screamed that the Democratic establishment is in crisis. Fox News is thrilled. Trump's calling it a "communist" surge. And today, as Colorado votes in primaries being framed as the next test of a Democratic civil war, Matt makes the case that everyone — right-wing media, mainstream media, and panicked Democrats alike — is missing what's actually going on.Jonathan Larsen of The Fucking News (and former producer for Chris Hayes, Keith Olbermann, and Rachel Maddow) joins Matt to dig into whether this is really an ideological shift toward democratic socialism, or a hunger for fighters and change that cuts across ideology — and Jonathan pushes back hard, making the case that you can't separate "change" from what people are actually fighting for.Plus: today's three blockbuster Supreme Court rulings — birthright citizenship, transgender athletes, and a campaign finance decision that could quietly h

Donald Trump just blew up his own party. This week on Political Rehab, Matt Robison and Republican strategist Matt Wylie break down Trump's stunning decision to derail his own housing bill just before its signing ceremony, the explosive shouting match inside the Senate Republican lunch, a major court defeat for Trump's voting agenda, and the new strategy Republicans may be pursuing ahead of the midterm elections.They also examine growing Democratic anxiety after New York's progressive primary victories, launch another edition of The Battlefield with the latest midterm analysis, and finish with a Dose of Hope celebrating America's 250th birthday and remarkable new medical breakthroughs.If you want analysis based on facts, evidence, polling, and campaign strategy—not partisan talking points—subscribe and join us every week.

Senate Democrats are already war-gaming scenarios involving ballot seizures, armed federal agents at polling places, voter intimidation, and election interference ahead of the 2026 midterms.But constitutional law professor and former federal prosecutor Kim Wehle says those preparations may not be enough.In this conversation, Matt Robison and Kim Wehle examine the real risks facing the 2026 elections, the limits of existing legal safeguards, the role of state prosecutors, what the Supreme Court may do next, and why she believes Americans need to start thinking differently about defending democracy.Kim Wehle is an ABC News legal contributor, former Assistant U.S. Attorney, former Associate Independent Counsel in the Whitewater investigation, and author of How to Read the Constitution—and Why, What You Need to Know About Voting—and Why, and Pardon Power.Chapters00:00 Introduction: Is America Prepared?02:14 Senate Democrats' Election Defense Plan04:48 Why Kim Wehle Isn't Optimistic07:15 Voting Rights, Ger

Did Donald Trump just have his worst week of his second term?This week on Political Rehab, Matt Robison and Matt Wylie break down Trump's controversial Iran deal, the bizarre FISA standoff that left Congressional Republicans openly confused, a strange and meandering G7 summit performance, Trump's latest public-relations disasters at home, and the increasingly active 2028 presidential shadow primary.Plus: We debut our new segment, The Battlefield, where we track the key indicators shaping the 2026 midterms and explain what political insiders are actually watching right now.Subscribe for weekly analysis where facts matter more than spin.Subscribe to Worth Knowing with Matt Robison:https://www.youtube.com/@WorthKnowingMattRobisonRead Matt's Substack:https://worthknowing.substack.comTimestamps00:00 Introduction01:00 Trump's Iran Deal: Peace Agreement or Surrender?03:54 The FISA Standoff Leaves Republicans Mystified06:20 G7 Summit: Managing Trump or Leading Allies?08:57 Cleanup on Aisle Trump12:15

Ten years ago, a faction of Republicans set out to stop Donald Trump. They were right about nearly everything. And they failed.This week, Matt Robison is joined by writer and former Never Trump ghostwriter Melissa Amour for an inside look at why the movement failed, what she learned working behind the scenes, and what happens next as the Baby Boomer generation that shaped modern American politics begins to leave the stage.Along the way, Matt and Melissa discuss Trump's Iran deal, the collapse of traditional Republican opposition, Democratic branding problems, AI, Social Security, generational change, and whether Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z can build something better than the political system they've inherited.If you're interested in the future of American politics—not just the next election—this conversation is for you.Subscribe to Worth Knowing with Matt Robison:https://worthknowing.substack.comSubscribe to Melissa Amour:https://theinsideoutsider.substack.comXYZ: Politics After the Boom:https:/

Donald Trump says he loves inflation. Seriously. This week on Political Rehab, Matt Robison and Matt Wylie break down one of the strangest weeks of Trump's presidency as rising prices, a growing conflict with Iran, election conspiracy theories, media battles, and Trump's expanding sports empire all collide.The bigger question: is Trump betting against reality—and expecting voters to go along with it?In this episode:

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is here — on American soil for the first time since 1994.And the U.S. Men’s National Team may be on the verge of something historic.In this episode, Matt Robison sits down with acclaimed soccer journalist and author Leander Schaerlaeckens (The Guardian, The Ringer) to explore why this World Cup matters far beyond sports. From Christian Pulisic and America’s “golden generation” to FIFA politics, ticket controversies, Donald Trump, and the future of soccer in the United States, this conversation explains why the biggest event on Earth could reshape American sports for decades.Leander is the author of The Long Game: U.S. Men's Soccer and Its Savage Four-Decade Journey to the Top, or Thereabouts, one of the most insightful books ever written about the rise of American soccer.TIMESTAMPS00:00 Why the World Cup may be the biggest human event on Earth04:15 Meet Leander Schaerlaeckens and The Long Game05:00 Why the World Cup matters even if you don't follow soccer07:00 How global the Wo

Trump's inner circle is shrinking, Republicans are showing signs of independence, and Democrats may be in a stronger position than most people realize heading into the 2026 midterms.In this episode of Political Rehab, Matt Robison and Matt Wylie break down the week's biggest political stories:

Donald Trump promised lower prices and a stronger economy. Instead, Americans facing a devastating economic shock in the coming months. Matt Robison speaks with Anne Kim and Ira Shapiro, co-editors of Betrayed: America Didn't Vote for This, about the long-term consequences of Trump's second term, the damage to institutions, the rule of law, government competence, medical research, and democracy itself.Then Matt is joined by Lawrence Winnerman to discuss his blockbuster analysis of why rising energy costs, supply-chain disruptions, inflation pressures, and the AI economy may be setting the stage for a major economic downturn. They explore the hidden costs of the Iran conflict, the Strait of Hormuz, the growing gap between Wall Street and the real economy, and whether artificial intelligence could eliminate millions of white-collar jobs.Subscribe to Worth Knowing for independent analysis you won't find anywhere else: https://worthknowing.substack.com#Trump #Economy #Recession #Inflation #AI #Artific

Trump’s Iran strategy is spiraling, Republicans are openly panicking, Senate confirmations are collapsing, and Donald Trump increasingly appears trapped inside an alternate reality built by loyalty, flattery, and political fear.In this episode of Political Rehab, Matt Robison and Matt Wylie break down:Trump’s chaotic Iran negotiationswhy Republicans fear the economic fallout is only beginningthe shocking Texas Senate result that could backfire on the GOPwhy Trump may no longer control the Senatethe growing questions surrounding Trump’s health and Walter Reed visitsthe increasingly surreal cabinet meetings and authoritarian-style praise ritualsthe Democratic Party autopsy and what Democrats actually need to changewhy inflation, immigration, and branding defeated Kamala Harrishow Democrats could become the party of change againand why AI taxes and sovereign wealth funds may become major political ideas in the futurePLUS:A Dose of Hope on what Americans across BOTH parties still agree on — and why the country ma