The Al Franken Podcast

Trae Crowder, the viral Tennessean comedian joins to discuss his upbringing in a red state, why rednecks are Trumpies and what happens to a community when the jobs leave. Learn why he understands Trump's appeal to rednecks, and how and why they transitioned from not liking Trump to supporting his every move.

In the two years since Elon Musk bought Twitter, he's turned irt into a leading source of right wing propaganda. He spreads hateful rhetoric, platforms white nationalists and engages with unfounded conspiracy theories. He lies about President Biden, promotes racist ideology and pushes his own commentary onto X users whether they follow him or not. All of this is working to do get Donald Trump elected President again. Judd Legum from the very popular newletter Popular Information explains the damage Elon could be doing in this year's elections. Subscribe to Judd's newsletter, Popular Information! https://popular.info/ Al has a brand new stand-up comedy tour! Check the dates to see if he's coming to your town! https://www.alfranken.com/appearances

Molly Jong-Fast, special correspondent for Vanity Fair and host of the Fast Politics podcast joins us for a wide ranging conversation covering Congress, abortion, the protests happening around the country and the Presidential election. She also discusses the ongoing Trump hush money scandal happening in NYC. She says the trial is "over-delivering," which could mean a guilty verdict for Trump. Read Molly's latest pieces for Vanity Fair! https://www.vanityfair.com/contributor/molly-jong-fastAl is on tour! Catch him in your city: https://www.alfranken.com/appearances

The GOP is undermining democracy all over the country. The will of the people is being subverted for a loud and active minority. In his new book, guest Ari Berman explains how and where this is happening in America. And, more importantly, what we can do to fight back.

The first criminal trial for Donald Trump is underway. The hush money trial over Stormy Daniels might be the first, but it won't be the last. But will we see the other trials before the election? And what are the consequences if Trump is found guilty? We talk to The Bestselling Authors on The Trump Indictments Andrew Weissmann and Melissa Murray!

The Republican Party has spent years undoing the will of the people in the state of Wisconsin. With gerrymandered voting maps, they've been able to lose the popular vote and still have a huge majority in the state legislature. But things are changing thanks to Ben Wikler and the Wisconsin Democratic Party! In our first Battleground State episode, Ben explains the work that is being done to preserve democracy in this critical swing state and how they are organizing to secure a win for Joe Biden in November.

The 2024 election is less than 8 months away. How do Democrats defeat Trump? How do they retain the Senate? Our guests say that it all comes down to messaging. It's important to remind voters that on issues like abortion and the economy, the Democratic Party represents their interests. Al is on tour! Come see his NEW standuphttps://www.alfranken.com/appearances

We begin our wide-ranging conversation by discussing the attack on a Moscow concert hall last week. What are the implications of that violence? And who is behind it? Then delve into the US's failure to fund the Ukrainian effort and the resulting loss of life. Will we help them? Or will Republicans continue to enable Putin? Anne also lays out the dangers of a second Trump term. With autocracy on the rise around the world, what would it look like here in America?

Domenico Mantanaro joins us to cover the political landscape! Trump trials, the general election, the Robert Hur report, and Congress. Plus, is Donald Trump taking over the RNC to help bail him out of his financial problems? And as a reporter, how does Domenico maintain objectivity vs neutrality? See all of Domenico's reporting here! https://www.npr.org/people/392602474/domenico-montanaroAl is going on tour! See if he's coming to your town and grab tickets today! https://www.alfranken.com/appearances

Former Republican operative Tim Miller joins the podcast to discuss a wide range of topics! We cover Biden's re-election strategy and react to his State of the Union speech. (Plus the GOP response from Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL), With Congress as dysfunctional as it is, is there any chance of funding the effort in Ukraine? And does Tim still find common ground with his old Republican Party? See more of Tim's work at The Bulwark Al is going on tour! Get your tickets today!

While anti-Semitism has run rampant among the far right, it has been growing among the political left. In Frank Foer's recent piece for The Atlantic, he explains how we got to this point. How have college campuses and schools become the center for anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic speech? How did college presidents mishandle the hate speech on their campuses? And what is the future of American Jews if Trump is elected again? Read Frank Foer's entire piece in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/04/us-anti-semitism-jewish-american-safety/677469/ Al is going back on tour! Get your tickets now! https://www.alfranken.com/appearances

Reproductive rights are under attack all over the country and will be one of the most important issues in the election this November. Abortion bans and limits on reproductive help are extremely unpopular and could be bad news for the Republicans enacting them. This is a must listen for reproductive rights!

The author of the profoundly disturbing book "The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory" explains how evangelicals have been turned into a political tool for the Republican Party. Alberta grew up in the evangelical wing of the Presbyterian Church and watched as they turned their back on him after he criticized Donald Trump. How did the evangelical church turn so far towards right wing politics? What exactly is an evangelical? How can those voters ever be won back? Al is going on tour! See if he's coming to your town and grab tickets today! https://www.alfranken.com/appearances

David Frum from The Atlantic Monthly discusses the chaos that Donald Trump would bring if he were elected to a second term. From the border to foreign aid to Trump's attempt to pardon his crimes... Can we withstand another Trump term?Read more from David in The Atlantic:https://www.theatlantic.com/author/david-frum/Al is going on tour! See if he's coming to your town and grab tickets today! https://www.alfranken.com/appearances

Tales from the Campaign Trail

Will the Jan. 6th Trial happen in time? Or will it just be the Stormy Daniels Case?

On MAGA

Al & Jim On How They Tried to Reward the Audience for Knowing Stuff but Not Punish Them for Not

The Federalist Society’s Got the Worst Ones All Lined Up

Heather says that Trumpers have bought into an alternative reality and that we are, at this moment, on a knife’s edge. She’s an historian and not a clairvoyant. But she’s also an activist, doing all she can to spread the word through historical analysis. Beat that, Trump!

Really great!

Jim talks about comedy and his decision to come out against Trump.

A Tour of the Big Political Events of 2023

A tour of Ukraine, Russia, China, Israel, and Gaza

My friend Norman Lear passed on this week at 101. A great man, who created legendary TV

Where they’ve been and where they’re going

Protect Democracy's Executive Director on Our Nightmare

The New York Times Reporter Puts the Current Trial Into Perspective

On the 2024 Election!

Israel’s No-Win Situation

How A Far-Right Zealot Got to be 2 nd in Line for POTUS

An Analysis from the Middle East Scholar

And 15% of Americans Believe this Stuff!

The Climate Has Always Changed – Just Not This Fast!!!

And what it says about our politics

The Trump trials and the ug-ug-ugly Garland hearings

The Atlantic writer on where it stands and where it’s going.

The Atlantic Writer on Biden’s Presidency (So Far)

WaPo’s E.J. Dionne & Harvard’s Miles Rapoport on making everyone vote!

The Highlights and Lowlights

The bloodbath in Milwaukee!!

Of his party and himself

And Donald J. Tump’s Very Weak One

Because she's the best!

Former Editor in Chief of Buzzfeed News and NYT Columnist on his new book TRAFFIC

Fighting the GOP Attack on Democracy!

And what it portends...

Deadheads were skeptical – Not anymore!

“Just for Us” a Jew goes to a neo-Nazi event - laughs o’plenty

It’s bloody, complicated!