The Supreme Court is showing us over and over how out of touch they are with not just the American people but actual reality. Last week in a shocking decision written by none other than Clarence Thomas, they twisted themselves in knots to approve the sale of bump stocks over the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. A rule implemented after the…

Project 2025 is an insidious and extensive blueprint to dismantle the federal government and roll back Americans fundamental rights in the name of an authoritarian agenda. Led by the Heritage Foundation with over a hundred other extremist and MAGA organizations, funded by millions of dollars in dark money, and recruiting the most extreme MAGA peopl…

Donald Trump is increasingly unhinged, and his followers are constantly threatening retribution and revenge for his prosecutions and other perceived attacks. The likelihood of political violence hasn’t been this high since the run up to January 6th, 2021. The threat is growing. How bad is it and how can we stop it before it gets out of control? Fre…

The battle for the soul of our country is being fought from Washington D.C. to school board meetings across the country. A coordinated and well-funded movement has been sweeping the nation to roll back diversity, support for LGBTQ and minority students, and leverage vouchers to defund public schools. It started in Southlake, Texas and Mike Hixenbau…

We are all hearing how the youth vote is in peril for Biden as the Gaza War drags on and support for Israel has become a dividing issue for many college students and young Americans. Sam Schwartz lost a cousin in the Parkland High School shooting and has taken up the cause of activism leading a coalition of youth advocacy groups in a nationwide bus…

Trump is promising to be a dictator on Day One and the co-chair of the Republican Party has promised “scorched Earth” when he returns to power. In a new book Federico Finchelstein lays out how Trump can become a modern fascist if returned to power and how he’s already three quarters of the way there. Fred discusses it with Professor Finchelstein a …

Each day the political media is showing their inability to meet this important moment in U.S. history. From the New York Times using polls to determine priorities to running fake stories as simple differences of opinion. The media can’t seem to call it like it is when it’s needed more than ever. Fred discusses it with former Chicago Tribune metro e…

There is a growing militant movement of extreme Christians using the rhetoric of terrorism that has analysts increasingly worried. It was a good time to talk to an extremism expert. In her gripping new book, Kingdom of Rage: The Rise of Christian Extremism and the Path Back to Peace former senior counterterrorism official, Elizabeth Neumann, delves…

There is a lot of talk about the legal issues surrounding Donald Trump’s New York election interference trial so Fred wanted to talk about the political fallout to his strongman image and the other stories you might have missed with author and writer Brynne Tannehill. Brynne is a graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy and the Air Force Institute of Te…

Fred chats with Patrick Murphy about the attacks on our military and veterans and what it's like appearing on Fox News daily as the progressive voice trying to break through the lies and manipulations. Patrick regularly appears as an analyst and guest on Fox News and has served as a soldier, America’s first Iraq War veteran elected to Congress, and…

Rachel Vindman joins Fred on a special episode to discuss the outrageous abortion ruling in Arizona, Trump’s attempt to thread the needle, and Republican’s panic after finally getting what they wanted on abortion. Women are pissed and so are we. Rachel is a wife, mom, podcast host, writer, and activist. She is a co-host of the Suburban Women Proble…

The Republicans and extremists have decided that transgender kids are their target to divide the nation and focus their hate. From laws banning their participation in sports, ending their care, investigating clinics that support them to turning families in for abuse investigations. The hate has been growing in red states. Fred wanted to speak to an…

It only took about ten minutes for the lunatics on the far right to blame everything from DEI to the border for the accident at the Key Bridge in Baltimore. They have mastered the outrage cycle and that wasn’t even one of the craziest stories this week! Political strategist, podcast host, and bestselling author Cliff Schecter joins the show this we…

Moms for Liberty and their clones have been causing chaos across the country in school board meetings and hallways alike. Guest Laura Pappano has attended both of their summits and just published her new book on the movement to save our schools ‘School Moms: Parent Activism, Partisan Politics, and the Battle for Public Education.’ She and Fred disc…

Fifteen youth activism groups endorsed President Biden this week amid worries that the Gaza situation is peeling off support for the Administration. Fred discusses it with Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez, the President of NextGen America, the country’s largest youth voting rights organization. NextGen American helped mobilize one in nine young voters acr…

DC-based political advisor, commentator, and social entrepreneur Rina Shah joins Fred to discuss the madness of the Republican Party, how to reach the normies, and how no matter how professional a campaign they build its always going to be Trump blowing it up. Rina is a proud daughter of West Virginia and of immigrants from Uganda and India. In 201…

Dr. Kevin M. Kruse has spent his career studying the conservative movement and race relations and unfortunately his expertise is coming in handy today as the Republican Party becomes more extreme by the day. He and Fred examine the racism, authoritarianism, and failure of today’s GOP and how Biden and the Democrats should take them based on the suc…

Fred is joined by the ‘Liberal Redneck’ himself, Trae Crowder to talk about the weird love Republicans have for Putin, the continued failure of Reconstruction in the South, and more. Trae first gained international attention (or notoriety depending on your politics) in 2016 for his hugely viral series of “Liberal Redneck” comedic “porch rant” video…

Host Fred Wellman is solo this week as it was one of shocking news here and abroad with the shooting in Kansas City and the death of Alexei Navalny in Russia. Both stories hit close to home for Fred as a veteran and Missouri resident. He watched his friend Mayor Quinton Lucas go from celebrating another world championship to managing a mass shootin…

Professor Austin Sarat is a political scientist and attorney. He and Fred discuss the insane legal week and what we as Americans must do to fight for this democracy. Austin is the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science at Amherst College. He is also a Five College Fortieth Anniversary Professor. He has written, co-…

Kaivan Shroff joins Fred to discuss the outrageous twisting of DEI to cover for Republican racism, Taylor Swift hysteria, and much more. Kaivan is a public interest attorney who serves as press secretary for the youth mobilization nonprofit Dream For America and as senior advisor for the Institute for Education, a D.C. nonprofit. He worked on the l…

Juliet Jeske is a journalist and producer of the Decoding Fox News newsletter and podcast. She graduated from the Craig J. Newmark School of Journalism at the Central University of New York and has been studying the right-wing media environment for many years. She and Fred discuss how much in the tank Fox News is for Donald Trump and the MAGA movem…

Trump can be beaten and has been in court before. This week's guest Tristan Snell was the New York AG prosecuting attorney on the Trump University case and he knows what it takes to beat Trump and his peers. Fred and Tristan discuss that and the legal peril Trump faces today. Snell is a lawyer and legal commentator featured on MSNBC and NPR, and in…

If you thought Trump Admin 1.0 was bad, you can’t imagine how insane the second version will be with less guardrails and thousands of acolytes installed in the government. Fred and HuffPo senior White House correspondent S.V. Dáte discuss the crazy legal arguments he’s floating and what the next year will look like. S.V.’s book, The Useful Idiot, c…

How do we cut through vibes and actually reach young voters before its too late? What drives Gen Z and Millenials to the ballot box and what matters to this next generation of voter? We welcome back John Della Volpe who is America’s leading polling expert on the topic as we head into one of the most important elections of the modern era. John Della…

We end the year on a positive turn in the economy and justice finally moving for Donald Trump. Fred also caught a bug so while the news is good, his voice isn't. We are fortunate to have this great interview with MSNBC's Katie Phang from February that has never aired on MeidasTouch. She and Fred discussed the search for justice and American’s faith…

Colorado’s Supreme Court made the factual ruling that Donald Trump supported an insurrection and isn’t eligible to run for President. This week we are joined by petitioner’s attorney Mario Nicolais to chat about this stunning win. Mario is a lifelong Coloradan and attorney and a former colleague of Fred’s from the Lincoln Project. Mario has worked …

This is a special episode dedicated to the situation in Ukraine and in Washington D.C. as the U.S. Congress and White House are deadlocked in pushing through more aide for the beleaguered nation. We discuss the danger on the ground in Ukraine and the danger we face in the halls of Congress too. We speak with two brilliant guests to tell the story, …

Brian Stelter probably watches more Fox News than the people that work there and when the Dominion lawsuit opened up the private emails and text messages in the company he pounced. The result is his latest gripping book “Network of Lies” on how key elements of the Big Lie were fostered on Fox and the price both they and we are paying for it. Stelte…

Steven Beschloss has created award-winning content, as a writer, journalist, editor and filmmaker. Consistent in this work is a passion for writing and a belief in the transformative power of story. He applies that in a dozen different ways to our fight for our democracy today and especially through his newsletter ‘America, America’ focused on poli…

Fred is solo this holiday weekend to dive into the real stakes of the upcoming election from Trump’s authoritarian rhetoric and even more draconian plans to how Democrats can fight back and win. The pro-democracy forces are winning but there is work to be done and issues that can carry them to victory. Check out this special one man show and an imp…

Harry Dunn is a serving police officer who defended the United States Capitol on January 6th with his fellow Capitol and District Police officers. In the aftermath he has taken it on as his mission to tell the truth about that day, understand those who came that day, and make sure it never happens again. His new book ‘Standing My Ground’ is already…

America is embroiled in total legal chaos from Trump's multiple trials, the impeachment sham in the House, the Supreme Court's ethics being investigated, and more. Fred and CNN Legal Analyst and defense lawyer Shanlon Wu break down the multiple moving parts and Project 2025 too. Shan Wu is a regular CNN and NPR legal analyst and former federal pros…

Fred is joined by his good friend and former Lincoln Project colleague Jeff Timer this week to discuss the increasing normalization of violence in the GOP, their inability to govern, and the successes of the Democrats in Michigan. Timmer is a leading political and issue advocacy strategist who has spent 30 years providing big-picture counsel and co…

Retired Sergeant Aquilino Gonell was brutally assaulted defending the U.S. Capitol on January 6th. His injuries ended his police career but led him to finding his voice to fight back against the people who participated in that brutal attack on our nation. He and Fred discuss that day, his service to the nation, and his disgust seeing those who orga…

Pennsylvania first term Representative Chris Deluzio joins Fred from the Capitol as total chaos unfolds and the House Republicans fail to find any consensus on a new Speaker. Nothing is getting done for the country or our allies as the clock ticks down to another shutdown. Rep. Deluzio is a native of Western Pennsylvania representing Pennsylvania’s…

We have the crossover event of the year as MeidasTouch Legal AF Co-Host Michael Popok joins the show to talk about the insanity in the House GOP, Donald Trump's fading mental capacity, and much more. Michael is a 30 year+ national trial lawyer and strategist at Zumpano Patricios & Popok with offices in New York, Miami and Las Vegas. Beginning in 20…

Fred was on the road this week in Washington D.C. lobbying for Ukraine funding and in St. Louis for the Democratic National Committee's Fall Meeting. He chats with DNC Chairman Jaime Harris, Minnesota Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, and Richmond Mayor Lavar Stoney about what the party faces and how they plan to keep the winning momentum going. In addi…

Representative Dan Goldman sits on both the House Oversight and the so-called Weaponization of Government Committee and has been battling back the extremists in the Republican Party since he arrived in Congress. There are some there who would be happy to see the building burn and as we hurdle towards a government shut down and sham impeachment inve…

Over a decade since Eric Deggans wrote the book 'Race-Baiter' about the media's role in our civil discourse surrounding race and more they haven't seemed to learn any of the lessons. He and Fred discuss the role of the news media in today's civil discourse, the dangers of re-writing history, why DEI in journalism matters, and much more. Eric Deggan…

Simon Rosenberg is the producer of the Substack community the ‘Hopium Chronicles’ and was the founder and president of NDN/New Policy Institute, a center-left think tank in Washington, DC. He moved on this year to take his fight for our democracy into a direct mission of motivating and informing Americans on the way we can take back our nation. Sim…

Alex Vindman has seen how the Republican attack machine personally and knows how dangerous it is for national security. Now Tommy Tuberville is sitting on 301 promotions and growing while the GOP undermines efforts to defeat Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It won’t just hurt us today but years from now too. Vindman is a retired Army officer who serve…

Rex Huppke is known for his sharp wit and tongue in cheek columns on politics and our nation. He and Fred talk about the crazy moment from mugshots to making Alex Jones super mad. Rex is a national opinion columnist at USA TODAY where he occasionally writes midly amusing columns on the news of the day. Before joining USA Today he was with the Chica…

Democrats are everywhere including places that have been essentially abandoned to the GOP in rural areas. Jess Piper is the ‘Dirt Road Democrat’ who speaks to what is happening in these places and what we need to do to take them back. She and Fred discuss the challenges, what it’s like to run for office in tough places, and what is next to start ta…

David Hogg had a literal baptism of fire into activism after surviving the Parkland High School shooting, so the barbs and attacks of politics don’t stop him from fighting for change. Now he’s got a new mission. He and Fred discuss it Gen Z’s activism, and why these fights matter. David is a leader in the fight to end gun violence and Co-Founder of…

Journalist Aaron Rupar immerses himself in the madness of the far right every day and broadcasts the lunacy for us all to see. He posts the clips and analysis we need to see to understand what is happening now and why it matters. We talk about all of the madness from the Trump indictments to the GOP primary and more. He is the former politics and p…

From CRT hysteria, to Supreme Court decisions on affirmative action, and Ron DeSantis’ war on ‘Woke’ there is no denying there is an ongoing attack on any progress made by Black Americans by a new white nationalist movement. Michael Harriot has been studying white America his entire life and offers a very direct analysis of our society that must be…

The new PACT Act is one of the largest expansions in veterans healthcare in modern history and is available now. If veterans of Vietnam and the Gulf War era apply by August 9th they can have their benefits backdated to when the law was passed last year. Fred speaks with Terrance Hayes the press secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs about…

How does a former CIA officer in Congress deal with the politicization of our national defense but still find ways to work across party lines? Guest U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger is doing just that. She represents Virginia's 7th Congressional District. Abigail’s career has been defined by public service — first serving as a federal agent with the U.…

What is it like to battle the most far right ideas of the GOP in a red state where they hold all the power? How do you stop the onslaught of extremist policies from gender affirming care to abortion when you're working with a weak hand? Missouri Representative Crystal Quade has been fighting it for 6 years as Minority Floor Leader and now she’s run…