Shows
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 24: 'Because We Can'Why are Republicans trying to give themselves an edge in Congress? In the words of one GOP lawmaker: “Because we can.” This week, Rachel and Aaron separate the facts from JD Vance’s alt reality as some Democrats prepare to fight fire with fire. Plus: Trump takes federal control over Washington DC. And South Park sends up America’s most notorious puppy killer.LINKS:YouTube: President Trump holds news conference on plans to address D.C. crimeGavin Newsom to Trump: ‘You Are Playing With Fire’The Cycle (Substack): Appeasement Didn’t Work Then; It Won’t Work Now2025-08-1220 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 23: Stubborn ThingsFacts are stubborn things, at least two of Trump’s predecessors have said. And for Trump on the economy—and Jeffrey Epstein–-there’s nothing to see here. This week Rachel and Aaron look at what the latest job numbers mean for Trump 2.0. Plus, Trump is making his own list… of political enemies. And secret documents in a secret annex at FBI Headquarters? Pssh.LINKSNew York Times: Until Trump Fired Her, She Was an Economist With Bipartisan SupportABC News: Joe Rogan slams Trump administration over Epstein investigation: 'Trying to gaslight'The Breakfast Club: Charlamagne Responds To Donald Tru...2025-08-0527 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 22: Fire with FireThis week Rachel and Aaron stick to the one scandal that’s finally sticking to Teflon Don: Jeffrey Epstein, and the Trump Administration’s spectacular inability to control the narrative. Rachel dives into the need to “politicize everything.” A look at how Trump 2.0 is using immigration to destroy democracy with quiet bureaucracy. And why are some Dems demanding to fight “fire with fire” after the latest GOP effort to retain control of the U.S. House?LINKS:The Cycle (Substack): Politicize Everything: A Blueprint for a Party that FightsYouTube: 'You’ve got no rights’: teenage US citizen records...2025-07-3030 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 21: Thought ControlThis week, as Trump’s FEMA struggles to answer questions about consequential budget cuts in the aftermath of Texas flooding, Rachel and Aaron look at how the Republican Party deliberately turned climate change into a conspiracy theory. It’s MAGA thought control. Plus, the FBI tries to go after thought crimes. And the Epstein Scandal threatens to unravel MAGA, despite Trump’s best efforts to move on. Which of his allies aren’t letting it go?LINKS:The Cycle (Substack): The Big Ugly Cuts to Climate ScienceNancy Pelosi & Newt Gingrich Climate PSA (2008)Frontline: Climate of DoubtNew York Tim...2025-07-1531 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 20: Alligator AlcatrazLive Free. Die Fast. Get Digested… slowly. Welcome to “Alligator Alcatraz,” America’s first concentration camp. Plus, Rachel and Aaron explore the future, or not, of Elon Musk’s new “America Party.” Why, exactly, is America stuck with a two-party system? Meteorologists show us how cuts to NOAA and the National Weather Service impact weather disaster warning systems. And Jeffrey Epstein’s client list: What happened to piss off MAGA all over again?LINKS:The Cycle on Subtack: Elon Musk announces a new partyKXAN-TV (Austin, TX): Head of local weather warnings takes early retirement as NOAA cuts continueOxf...2025-07-0829 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 19: No WarsWhat the hell is happening with Iran and Donald “No Wars” Trump? This week Rachel and Aaron break down the confusion, and the rift it’s causing in MAGA’s alt-reality. Plus, Rachel has an important lesson for the news media about the difference between rioting and protesting. How decaying democracy has opened the door to political violence and… who told “Whisky Pete” Hegseth to “be a man” during a hearing on Capitol Hill?LINKS:New York Times: Shifting Views and Misdirection: How Trump Decided to Strike IranTucker Carlson: Tucker Confronts Ted Cruz on His Support for Regime Change...2025-06-2430 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 18: Fire & I.C.E.What is the public hearing about Trump’s order to send more troops to Los Angeles? A lot of folks don’t even know who to blame. Plus, Rachel compares the fiery I.C.E. protests with how the Nazis rose to power in 1930s Germany. How Elon’s and Don’s Big Beautiful Breakup threatens the President’s tax cuts for billionaires. We unpack the DOJ’s fishy case against Kilmar Abrego Garcea and the headlines Americans are reading. And what, exactly, does tear gas taste like?LINKS:Newsom to Defense Secretary Hegseth: Rescind National Guard OrderL...2025-06-1031 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 17: Taco TuesdayThis week Rachel and Aaron follow Elon “Black Eye” Musk out the door as he whines about the American political system he destroyed. Plus: cracks in the ice when it comes to criticizing Donald Trump and the Big Ugly Bill, a weird reminder of death from a U.S. Senator (and a weirder “apology”). What happens when you call a fascist… a fascist? And we take a hard look at the Great Replacement Theory through the lens of Tucker Carlson.LINKS:New York Times: On the Campaign Trail, Elon Musk Juggled Drugs and Family DramaAssociated Press: Musk put a...2025-06-0332 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 16: Let Them Eat TariffsThis week Rachel and Aaron translate whatever Donald “Marie Antoinette” Trump is trying to say about groceries, tariffs and Wal-Mart. Plus, an alarming shakeup in the national intelligence community. How does it compare to Adolph Hitler? And criticism of Trump from his former VP. For Mike Pence, it’s as salty as it gets. And the latest threat from Trump’s DOJ: If you can’t charge ‘em, shame ‘em.LINKS:Trump post: Wal-Mart should ‘EAT THE TARIFFS’Associated Press: Gabbard fires 2 top intelligence officials and will shift office that preps Trump’s daily briefNBC’s Meet the Press: Interv...2025-05-2026 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 15: "Evil Will Not Win"Trump pushes socialist price controls for pharmaceuticals, refugee status for white people and free flights out for everyone else. Rachel and Aaron also dive into the effort to suspend the U.S. Constitution, and compare how Trump’s chaotic presidency parallels the rise of Vladimir Putin. Plus… the Da President thinks he invented a brand new word, and Da Pope offers inspiring words for the world.LINKS:Trump wants drug price controls (Trump bashes price controls on Truth Social (August 2024)White House: TO ALL ILLEGAL ALIENS: BOOK YOUR FREE FLIGHT NOWCardinal Prevost (Pope Leo XIV) tweet re...2025-05-1322 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 14: Lord of the ShadowsThis week Rachel and Aaron investigate the three words that hit hardest from Donald Trump’s recent interview on NBC's Meet the Press, and the one word missing from the New York Times’s editorial criticizing his first 100 days. Plus: Jews and fascism? An eye-opening comparison between Trump’s “Lord of the Shadows” and the rise of the Third Reich. LINKS:NBC’s Meet the Press: Full interview with Donald TrumpNBC News: Fact-checking Donald Trump’s May interview with ‘Meet the Press’60 Minutes: How law firms targeted by Trump are responding to White House pressureMarc Elias: Democracy DocketSN...2025-05-0632 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 13: Full-Blown MeltdownAs another texting scandal jolts the Pentagon into “full-blown meltdown,” Rachel earns national attention for her internet sleuthing skills and gets vindicated in the aftermath of the Wisconsin Supreme Court race. Plus, she and Aaron take a close look at the first rule in fighting tyranny… and share a masterclass from a European internet troll.LINKS:Politico Opinion: Former Top Pentagon Spokesperson Details ‘Month From Hell’ Inside the AgencyThe Daily Beast: Rachel catches bad White House photoshop jobGeorge Carlin: Methods of ExecutionSplitTicket.org tweet: The story of Wisconsin's Supreme Court election was turnoutTimothy Snyder on Substack: Obeying in...2025-04-2226 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 12: American GestapoThis week Rachel and Aaron change up the format to take a deep dive into the arrest and deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, imprisoned in El Salvador without due process despite a U.S. Supreme Court order to “facilitate” his return. The case has chilling parallels to what happened in Germany between 1933 and 1945. This is a warning from history worth understanding.LINKSThe Persecution and Murder of the European Jews by Nazi Germany, 1933–1945Full news conference: Trump and President Bukele of El SalvadorRep. Steven Horsford blasts U.S. trade rep after Trump tariff pauseHit ‘Em Where It Hurts...2025-04-1522 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 11: It's the Stupid EconomyTrump’s planned destruction of America’s economy is a pivotal political moment. This week Rachel and Aaron offer advice for “normies” who are just now waking up to the mess. Plus, a reading of the tea leaves after the recent special elections, how to send us your best signs for this month’s next nationwide protests, and why was this week’s show a little late? We’ve got an exciting reason!LINKS:The 50501 Movement (April 19th protests)Sen. Rand Paul’s resolution to “Reassert Congressional Authority Over Tax Policy”Project 2025 Tracker2025-04-0922 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 10: Very Special ElectionsIt's Election Day! Will it be a difficult one for MAGA in Wisconsin and Florida? Plus, Rachel and Aaron get into the nitty gritty over Third Term Gate… and Signal Gate. The Trump Tax, er “Liberation Day,” prompts Aaron to move up his car shopping timeline. Musk gives away millions. And what's the one issue voters associate most with the Democratic Party? The answer may surprise you.LINKS:NBC News: Trump won’t rule out seeking a third term in the White HouseThe Intercept: In Trump’s America, You Can Be Disappeared for Writing an Op-EdThe Tufts Dail...2025-04-0126 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 09: BackdraftThis week Rachel and Aaron chase the firetrucks to the dumpster fire of the Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress who’re trying to defend it. How do you explain an unprecedented security breach involving secret war plans accidentally shared with a news editor? Where do voters draw a line in the sand? Plus, a closer look at why Elon Musk is trying to break the Overton Window. And are spring breakers really this… dumb?LINKS:The Atlantic: The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War PlansNew York Times: Musk Is Positioned to Profit Off Billions in N...2025-03-2525 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 08: The Good, The Bad & The UglyThis week Rachel and Aaron explore the good, the bad and the ugly. Why is Schumer’s vote to keep the government open an important political move? What prompted a pissed-off federal judge to issue an order from the bench? And what do the latest poll numbers mean for Trump 2.0? Plus: adios, habeas corpus. And we drop into a fiery town hall meeting in North Carolina’s bright red 11th Congressional District.LINKS:Rachel on The Cycle: Never Interrupt Your Enemy When They Are Making a MistakeMSNBC: ‘A sham: Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firing...2025-03-1824 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 07: TrumpcessionAs the Trump administration tanks the stock market and sends prices soaring even higher, Rachel and Aaron examine the stupid in “it’s the economy, stupid.” Europe reconsiders a new world leader while here at home, Republican politicians become snowflakes. Plus, a chilling observation from The New York Times’ chief White House correspondent. And how would Rachel have responded to Trump’s boring Joint Address to Congress?LINKS:The Cycle on Substack (Rachel): Here's Why Democrats Can't Meet This MomentThe Daily Beast: GOP Senator Calls Audience ‘Rude’ and Flees Town Hall After DOGE GrillingMSNBC: ‘A gift to Putin’s regim...2025-03-1125 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 06: Chainsaw MassacreThis week Rachel and Aaron cut through the noise as Elon's "Chainsaw for Democracy" cuts thousands of federal jobs, and as Steve "Prison Toady" Bannon massacres the Constitution--surprising even a fellow neo-Nazi. Trump's honeymoon is over though, according to public polling (surprise! Americans don't seem to care about DEI). And members of Congress face the music at public town halls, even in deep red districts.LINKS:NPR: DOGE released data about federal contract savings. It doesn't add upWashington Post poll: Many of Trump’s early actions are unpopularCNN Poll: Americans worried by Trump’s push to expa...2025-02-2525 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 05: Napoleon DynamiteThis week Rachel and Aaron go behind the Resolute Desk with Elon, Donald and "X Æ A-XII." They untangle a "very weird 20 minutes" from failed comedian JD Vance in Munich, start the clock on Marco Rubio's tenuous tenure as Secretary of State, and shine light on the plain-sight quid-pro-quo between Trump's Justice Department and NYC Mayor Eric Adams. Oh... and how does Trump's controversial "Napoleon Dynamite" compare to Hitler's rise in Fascist Germany?LINKS:Danielle Sassoon's eight-page resignation letter to AG Pam BondiBBC: JD Vance's "very weird" speech in MunichFormer RNC Chairman Michael Steele's praise of our b...2025-02-1828 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 04: Everything, Everywhere, All at OnceThis week, Rachel and Aaron keep up with Trump 2.0's strategy of flooding the zone, resulting in a chaotic political and media environment that can be described as "everything, everywhere, all at once." They explore the parallels of what's happening now to the rise of Nazi Germany, particularly the "golden age of culture"--which MAGA America desperately wants to control. Rachel and Aaron also discuss the threat of democracy falling apart when the Executive Branch refuses to listen to the Judicial Branch... at the encouragement of Vice President Vance. Buckle up!2025-02-1128 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 03: A Knife in the BackThis week Rachel and Aaron take a tumble through the spin cycle of Donald Trump's second full week in office, which included chaos and confusion, a stock market nose-dive, another off-the-rails news conference, pissed off allies, economic uncertainty and threats of a new consumer tax. They also take the temperature on batshit crazy Senate confirmation heatings and share some thoughts about the incoming leader of the DNC.Links:Letter to senators from Caroline Kennedy re: her cousin BobbyOur Book: Hit 'Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game (Crown, 2024...2025-02-0427 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 02: Shock & AweThis week Rachel and Aaron dive into the deliberately exhausting 'shock and awe' strategy by Trump 2.0, drawing comparisons to the "Working Toward the Fuhrer" strategy of 1930s Germany. They also discuss a powerful warning from the New York Times, coffee, inflation, shrinkflation, what you need to know about ongoing confirmation hearings in the U.S. Senate, and some tough love from... The Daily Show.Links:The New York Times: Lessons on Authoritarianism from Around the WorldOur Book: Hit 'Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game (Crown, 2024)The Cycle...2025-01-2825 min
This is America: Checked In for the Checked OutEpisode 01: Day One"Oh Sh!t! There goes the neighborhood!" Episode 01 of This is America launches on the first full day of Trump 2.0. Join political analysts Rachel Bitecofer and Aaron Murphy (authors of Hit 'Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game) as they report from the front lines of protecting democracy. This first episode explores the Great Indoor Inauguration of 2025 and calls back to William L. Shirer's "This is Berlin" broadcasts from the 1930s .and how the rise of Nazi Germany is echoing throughout MAGA America today.2025-01-2125 min
fiction/non/fictionHit ’Em Where It Hurts: Rachel Bitecofer on Democratic Strategies to Counter Republicans in the 2024 ElectionRachel Bitecofer, author of the new book Hit ’Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game, joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to talk shop about the election strategies Democrats should implement to combat Republicans and prevent fascism. Bitecofer discusses how Republicans use “negative partisanship” to win elections by slamming Democrats as a whole, and argues that Democrats must turn the tables and attack the GOP’s now-extremist brand, which poses an urgent threat to Americans. Bitecofer reads from a section of Hit ’Em Where it Hurts that describes what it means t...2024-02-2948 min
Press Play On The Full Audiobook Everyone Is Talking About — So Binge-Worthy!Hit 'Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game by Rachel Bitecofer, Aaron MurphyPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/692297to listen full audiobooks.
Title: Hit 'Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game
Author: Rachel Bitecofer, Aaron Murphy
Narrator: Rachel Bitecofer
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 8 hours 46 minutes
Release date: February 6, 2024
Genres: Current Affairs, Law, & Politics
Publisher's Summary:
A radical, urgent plan for how the Democratic Party and its supporters can win elections at one of the most pivotal moments in the history of our nation’s democracy “Bitecofer hits hard against the GOP tactics of fear and anger and the Democrats’ status quo narratives around political engage...2024-02-068h 46
Your Favorite Stories, Now in Your Ears - Full AudiobookHit 'Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game Audiobook by Aaron MurphyListen to this audiobook in full for free onhttps://hotaudiobook.com/freeID: 692297
Title: Hit 'Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game
Author: Aaron Murphy, Rachel Bitecofer
Narrator: Rachel Bitecofer
Format: Unabridged
Length: 8:46:24
Language: English
Release date: 02-06-24
Publisher: Random House (Audio)
Genres: Politics, Current Affairs, Public Policy, Political Ideologies
Summary:
A radical, urgent plan for how the Democratic Party and its supporters can win elections at one of the most pivotal moments in the history of our nation’s democracy
“Bitecofer hits hard against the GOP tactics of fear and anger and...2024-02-068h 46
Listen to Full Audiobooks in Non-Fiction, Current Affairs, Law, & PoliticsHit 'Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game by Rachel Bitecofer, Aaron MurphyPlease visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/692297 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Hit 'Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game Author: Rachel Bitecofer, Aaron Murphy Narrator: Rachel Bitecofer Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 8 hours 46 minutes Release date: February 6, 2024 Genres: Current Affairs, Law, & Politics Publisher's Summary: A radical, urgent plan for how the Democratic Party and its supporters can win elections at one of the most pivotal moments in the history of our nation’s democracy “Bitecofer hits hard against the GOP tactics of fear and anger and the Democrats’ status quo narratives around politi...2024-02-0610 minListen to Latest Full Audiobooks in Non-Fiction, Current Affairs, Law, & PoliticsHit 'Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game by Rachel Bitecofer, Aaron MurphyPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/692297to listen full audiobooks.
Title: Hit 'Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game
Author: Rachel Bitecofer, Aaron Murphy
Narrator: Rachel Bitecofer
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 8 hours 46 minutes
Release date: February 6, 2024
Genres: Current Affairs, Law, & Politics
Publisher's Summary:
A radical, urgent plan for how the Democratic Party and its supporters can win elections at one of the most pivotal moments in the history of our nation’s democracy “Bitecofer hits hard against the GOP tactics of fear and anger and the Democrats’ status quo narratives around political engage...2024-02-068h 46
The Perfectly Imperfect JourneyHaving Way Too Much Fun with Rachel BitecoferPlease note that there’s some pretty salty language in this episode.
This is a milestone episode for us. Sherry has admired Rachel Bitecofer’s work from behind her Twitter screen for years. When she used that same screen to ask Rachel to join us on the podcast, we were both thrilled she said yes.
We are even more thrilled with the conversation we got to have with Rachel. Like most of us, she’s had a bumpy road to get to where she is today: a well respected political scientist, polling expert, and commentator who has a...2022-08-3148 min