Best Speakerryan Podcasts (2024)

1
Happy Days for Republicans in Milwaukee 37:39

1h ago37:39

37:39

The Republican National Convention in Milwaukee has put some steam in the strides of the GOP, who have taken their 2024 confidence meter up to 11. Republicans feel good about their nominee, Donald Trump, their opponent, Joe Biden, and their chances in November. Roll Callers John Bennett and Briana Reilly join the podcast to talk about what it's lik…

1
Just the facts, just the facts, with factba.se 29:24

2d ago29:24

29:24

Want a look at George W. Bush’s comments at the 2007 White House Correspondents Dinner? Or what coffee shop President Joe Biden visited last weekend in Harrisburg? Or the White House briefing room seating chart from 2015? There are ways to find all of this on your own. Or there is Factba.se, the longtime go-to for all White House transcripts, calen…

1
Nathan Gonzales just can't wait to get on the road again 24:22

16d ago24:22

24:22

Roads are such a great metaphor for writers. There are roads to nowhere, to recovery. They can be less travelled. It can be enough for some books to just have the main characters be on the road. Now Roll Call Elections Analyst Nathan Gonzales is hitting the road too, kicking off an occasional series on House races that will determine the majority t…

1
Two years in the post-Dobbs world 35:16

22d ago35:16

35:16

It has been nearly two years since the Supreme Court overturned the federal right to abortion, overturning Roe v. Wade in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Since then, several states have instituted their own abortion policies, including total bans on the procedure. We have also had several elections show to what extent reproductive…

1
When being ambassador to Iceland isn't enough 44:32

1M ago44:32

44:32

Looking for guidance on how to get ahead in politics? Be a grunge rocker in college or a NASCAR driver. Don't be ambassador to Iceland, an actor or a video game music composer. A Trump endorsement helps. Less clear: how voting for or against dumping Kevin McCarthy affects things. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

1
Gathering in dark rooms: Sky Sitney on DC/DOX’s upcoming festival 41:02

2M ago41:02

41:02

The DC/DOX Documentary Film Festival kicks off its second full festival this month, showcasing a diverse slate of non-fiction stories for a hungry audience in the nation’s capital. From politics, of course, to fashion, health, movie stars, the space program, there is a little bit of everything to choose from. There is also a very interesting conste…

1
Summertime, and the political news is busy 53:51

2M ago53:51

53:51

Forget Hollywood blockbusters: This summer will be all about the politics. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, we'll be witness to a criminal trial for a U.S. senator (oh, and a former president too), make-or-break Senate primaries, the political conventions, Supreme Court opinions on abortion and presidential immunity and much, much more. Inside Elect…

1
Primary colors: Breaking down the latest congressional contests 34:16

2M ago34:16

34:16

The races that will shape November's election continue to take shape now that we have primary results in Maryland, West Virginia and Nebraska, with consequences at the House, Senate and even presidential level. Roll Call elections analyst Nathan Gonzales discusses those races and his latest Inside Elections ratings changes. Learn more about your ad…

1
How to get yourself on Roll Call's Most Vulnerable Incumbents list 32:55

2M ago32:55

32:55

At Roll Call, we periodically update our list of most vulnerable senators and members of the House as we get closer to the election. It's a shifting list, and reflects a snapshot in political dynamics. So how does one land on the list? Roll Call campaign staff writers Daniela Altimari and Mary Ellen McIntire join the Political Theater podcast to di…

1
Jan. 6, 2021 and the people who will never forget 39:05

3M ago39:05

39:05

There is no way to spin being beaten and bloodied and scared. The history of the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 is still being written, which is an important and massive undertaking. Not everyone wants to talk about the bear spray and broken windows. But the new documentary “The Sixth” by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine gives a fresh voic…

1
Meanwhile, in non-Trump, non-impeachment and non-speaker news 42:02

3M ago42:02

42:02

This has been a momentous week for politics. Jury selection started in the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump. The Senate dispensed with impeachment articles against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. And the House considers a foreign aid package that has made Speaker Mike Johnson a target of his unhappy colleagues. But be…

1
‘Food, Inc. 2’ filmmakers provide plenty to chew on 28:39

3M ago28:39

28:39

People feel so passionately about food that perhaps it is not a surprise it has yielded that rarest of things: A sequel to a documentary. The makers of 2008’s “Food, Inc.,” are, as the new movie’s tagline goes, back for seconds with “Food, Inc. 2,” a multi-layered look at the food industry, its farmers, workers, scientists, journalists and more. Co…

1
When the most powerful people get what they want, Ohio version 28:49

4M ago28:49

28:49

What does it mean when both Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and former President Donald Trump agree on the same candidate? Because that happened in Ohio’s Republican Senate primary. That was not the only win for the establishment, such as it is, during Tuesday’s elections. Roll Call campaign staff writer Daniela Altimari spent some qualit…

1
The highs, lows and weirds of the White House beat 31:46

4M ago31:46

31:46

Covering the White House is one of the most high-profile beats in politics. Covering the Trump, then the Biden White House, and starting during a pandemic and an election year makes it even more high profile. Roll Call Chief Correspondent Niels Lesniewski has been at the helm for a little over four years and shares his experiences as he prepares fo…

1
The changing 2024 Senate landscape 39:51

5M ago39:51

39:51

Lost in this year’s highly competitive presidential nominating contest (sarcasm detector!) is the coming-at-you primaries for House and Senate that kicked off with a bang on Super Tuesday. We got some clarity about fall matchups in some high-profile races on that most special of Tuesdays, and some of that clarity came from folks who were not even f…

1
What we talk about when we talk about Super Tuesday 34:13

5M ago34:13

34:13

Tuesdays can get a bad rap. Sometimes the best that can be said about them are that they're the day that's the furthest from next Monday. But not Super Tuesday! More than a quarter of the House of Representatives faces a primary race on March 5, and there are two high-profile Senate races as well. And while not all of Super Tuesday's races are comp…

1
Exploring the inbetweenness of Taiwan 30:04

5M ago30:04

30:04

S. Leo Chiang’s documentary films explore lives across continents and culture, from the first Vietnamese-American congressman to the first LGBT political party in the Philippines to a legendary Hawaiian ukulele player. His latest film, the documentary short “Island in Between,” has been nominated for an Academy Award. Its subject, Taiwan’s Kinmen I…

1
One special place: New York’s 3rd Congressional District 29:36

5M ago29:36

29:36

What’s not to like about political stories that encompass not only New York City, Queens specifically, but reach into Long Island’s northern shore in Nassau County. The special election in New York’s 3rd Congressional District to replace expelled GOP Rep. George Santos is over, with Democrat Tom Suozzi defeating Republican Mazi Melesa Pilip for the…

1
'What the Hell just happened?' Congress reaches deep into the failure well 39:34

5M ago39:34

39:34

The current congress started off last year with an historic show of dysfunction, taking 15 rounds of voting to elect a speaker. Things did not get better. And then this week we saw the House and the Senate devolve into what some observers dubbed “failure theater.” One senator, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, asked simply, “What the Hell just happened?…

1
A sense of where he is: Bill Bradley's 'Rolling Along' one-man show 26:43

6M ago26:43

26:43

There are not a lot of resumes that read like Bill Bradley’s. Gold medal Olympian. Rhodes Scholar. Pro basketball player. Author. Senator. Presidential candidate. Radio host. And now a documentary film storyteller. His latest project, "Rolling Along," premiered last June at the Tribeca Film Festival, appropriate for the iconic New York Knick, and s…

1
What's the big idea? The big political stories beyond the headlines 39:37

6M ago39:37

39:37

We’re off and running in a pivotal election year, but beyond the horse race coverage and hot takes, there are always big stories that will help define what is going on. Herb Jackson, Roll Call’s politics editor, and Political Theater host Jason Dick trade big ideas about what the big stories are for 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit meg…

1
Signs of life? Democrats start to sound off about Biden campaign 25:55

6M ago25:55

25:55

Democrats are voicing concerns that the Biden re-election campaign needs to start getting on the road, but the question is, which direction? And who's driving? Dispatches from a fretting Capitol Hill, courtesy of Roll Call editor-at-large John Bennett, who joins the podcast to discuss his reporting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone…

1
Whyiowa? Because we start at the beginning 31:58

6M ago31:58

31:58

It’s January 2024. It’s cold, especially in Iowa and New Hampshire, the first stops on the presidential campaign voting calendar. We kick off this year by discussing the early contests, as well as setting the stage for the rest of this election year, particularly House and Senate races, with Roll Call’s elections analyst, Nathan Gonzales. Learn mor…

1
Don't hassle me I'm local: The DC episode 44:54

7M ago44:54

44:54

How big a deal is the pandas leaving the National Zoo? Or the sale of the Commanders? Or the Wizards and Capitals possibly leaving downtown DC? Or all the retail vacancies piling up? Recommend If You Like Editor Brandon Wetherbee gets local with the Political Theater podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

1
The view from 2073: What political stories this year will be relevant in 50 years? 34:42

8M ago34:42

34:42

As political journalists, it is easy to get wrapped up in the story of the day. Elections and court decisions. Wars and strikes. Retirements and deaths. But what news events will endure and mark this year as unique? Fifty years ago, in 1973, we had the Watergate, Roe v. Wade and more. Nathan Gonzales joins the podcast to consider what political sto…

1
Facing backlash: LGBTQ+ families in 'We Live Here: The Midwest' 28:28

8M ago28:28

28:28

The recent elevation of Rep. Mike Johnson to be Speaker of the House has brought up questions about the Louisiana Republican’s record and positions in several areas, particularly his opposition to equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community. Filmmakers Melinda Maerker and David Miller have a new documentary for Hulu, “We Live Here: The Midwest,” which gi…

1
The harrowing journey out of North Korea in ‘Beyond Utopia’ 23:27

8M ago23:27

23:27

If you know anyone who clings to antiquated notions that documentary films are dry affairs, kindly refer them to “Beyond Utopia,” Madeleine Gavin’s movie about the perilous paths North Korean defectors and their allies take to get them safely out of one of the world’s most repressive and cloistered countries. In addition to addressing the important…

1
The cranky American: A tale of public polls 36:14

9M ago36:14

36:14

If you’re feeling cranky about politics, you’re not alone. Public polling shows a remarkably wide swath of Americans with historically poor views of politics and politicians. Nathan Gonzales, Roll Call’s campaign analyst and publisher of Inside Elections, joins the podcast to discuss why and the campaign ramifications. Learn more about your ad choi…

1
Home-grown horror: The long reach of "The Exorcist" 29:36

9M ago29:36

29:36

Washington is a city rooted in politics and history. It is also the home of one of the most iconic horror stories of all time, “The Exorcist.” The novel and movie, set in Georgetown, have been freaking people out for more than a half-century. Louis Bayard, author of "The Pale Blue Eye" and other novels, has written about growing up with "The Exorci…

1
The times, they are confusing: Why is Congress like this? 35:33

9M ago35:33

35:33

A speaker is deposed. Members of Congress gets indicted. A former president stands trial. Things feel unsteady, even dangerous. Has it ever been like this before? And will it change? Molly Reynolds, senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, discusses what’s going on in Congress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaph…

1
The fall of the House of ... Representatives 30:58

10M ago30:58

30:58

The instability of the House of Representatives is on full display, with this week seeing the first-ever ouster of a speaker, which led to the first-ever use of continuity of government rules to install a speaker pro tempore to preside over the institution until the chamber can elect its next speaker. And, if you remember how that went in January, …

1
Bob Menendez: Born to run under indictment? 31:34

10M ago31:34

31:34

Sen. Bob Menendez is a New Jersey institution, and in a familiar place, running for election while fighting federal corruption charges. He has always come out on top before, but times have changed, and his Democratic colleagues are pressuring him to resign. How did Menendez get to where he is, and what are his options? Roll Call Politics Editor Her…

1
In “Deadlocked,” it’s increasingly the Supreme Court’s world, and we just live in it 27:46

10M ago27:46

27:46

Filmmaker Dawn Porter’s documentaries run the spectrum of the political world and process, including Bobby Kennedy’s 1968 presidential campaign, the legacy of Congressman John Lewis, the Tulsa massacre, Civil War spies, abortion and more. Her latest project, the mini-series “Deadlocked,” is a history of the modern Supreme Court, from the Warren Cou…

1
If it’s September, it’s government meltdown time 32:02

10M ago32:02

32:02

September is always stressful around Washington. Congress rarely even tries to pass its spending bills in time for the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. Throw in the House GOP’s impeachment inquiry of President Joe Biden, and you have even more stress. Both topics, along with another developing wild card, redistricting, are likely to help define …

1
The contemporary reach of ‘Golda’ during the ‘Yom Kippur of democracy’ 19:55

11M ago19:55

19:55

With “Golda,” director Guy Nattiv depicts the story of Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir’s leadership during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, bringing his affection for the paranoid thrillers of the 1970s to the screen during a time of heightened political tensions in Israel and the rest of the democratic world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit mega…

1
The 'Oppenheimer' expanded universe: Steve James' tale of atomic espionage in 'A Compassionate Spy' 27:50

12M ago27:50

27:50

Steve James is a documentary filmmaker whose body of work has taken him from "Hoop Dreams" to the 2008 financial crisis and more. His latest film, "A Compassionate Spy," is about Ted Hall, a physicist who worked at Los Alamos during World War II and helped develop the atomic bomb. You may have heard something or other about the bomb lately, with Ch…

1
I know what you did this summer 30:34

1y ago30:34

30:34

What's the difference between launching a political campaign on June 30 and July 10? Does it really matter? Here to explain why it does is Nathan Gonzales, Roll Call’s Election Analyst and the publisher of Inside Elections. We also talk about sharks, ditches and an unlikely double feature of "The Skulls" and "Back to School." Learn more about your …

1
Chronicling one year of the post-Dobbs world 20:29

1y ago20:29

20:29

June 24 marks the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that overturned Roe v. Wade and the federal right to an abortion. Amanda Becker, a former Roll Caller who writes about politics for the 19th and just completed a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard, is writing a book about the immediate fallout of th…

1
DC/DOX adds another diverse layer to Washington's film community 21:58

1y ago21:58

21:58

Washington is a film capital, home to a diverse slate of festivals to match a diverse slate of interests and people. This week, the DC/DOX festival gets under way with dozens of documentary features on topics ranging from the war in Ukraine, the Supreme Court, Joan Baez, Steph Curry and more. DC/DOX co-founder Sky Sitney joins the podcast to talk a…

1
Taking flight: Ondi Timoner’s ‘Last Flight Home’ 26:55

1y ago26:55

26:55

Good documentaries tell stories that work on multiple levels. Filmmaker Ondi Timoner’s “Last Flight Home” does this by portraying a family as it prepares for the loss of its patriarch, who has chosen to end his life, and documenting a very specific time in our history, when the most personal medical and health care choices are the sources of monume…

1
When 'Yellowstone' came to Capitol Hill 33:16

1y ago33:16

33:16

"Yellowstone" and its related series are a cultural phenomenon, and have provided Native Americans a voice and platform that breaks boundaries. Two of the actors in the series, Mo Brings Plenty and Michael Spears, discuss their recent visit to Capitol Hill, Native representation in movies and pop culture and what makes "Yellowstone" different. Lear…

1
The Capital Challenge race, explained 20:48

1y ago20:48

20:48

The annual Capital Challenge foot race is a unique gathering of the three branches of government and the journalists who cover them: a three-mile, mid-week, morning race of about 600 people that raises money for youth financial literacy. But there is more going on beyond folks pounding the pavement. CQ Roll Call's Health Team Editor Jessica Wehrman…

1
The most vulnerable 2024 incumbents, so far 43:42

1y ago43:42

43:42

It is a Roll Call tradition: identifying the most vulnerable House and Senate incumbents each election cycle. And for our first look at the franchise for 2024, we will discuss the 20 on the hot seat whom we have put on the list with Herb Jackson, Roll Call’s politics editor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

1
The White House Correspondents Dinner, explained 35:52

1y ago35:52

35:52

The White House Correspondents Dinner, the crown jewel of Washington’s spring prom season, roared back this past week, freed from many of the physical and psychological restraints of the COVID pandemic. But the pandemic is but one of the many turning points in the dinner’s long history — which includes the Mummers. George Condon, the White House Co…

1
You sunk my battleground! The 2024 campaign gets under way 26:47

1y ago26:47

26:47

President Joe Biden made it official this week: He is running for re-election. The 2024 presidential race will be determined largely in the same battlegrounds it did the last few elections. In some cases, that means the presidential race could have a down-ballot effect on competitive House and Senate races. Nathan Gonzales, publisher of Inside Elec…

1
Nothing is simple in the Senate 24:01

1+ y ago24:01

24:01

Ah, the Senate. Anything you think should be simple never really is. Democrats there are trying to figure out what to do about the extended absence of Sen. Dianne Feinstein from committee work. But they cannot just replace her on committees temporarily, as they sought to do this week. Why? Because the Senate is a continuing body subject to organizi…

1
The National Press Club, explained 27:56

1+ y ago27:56

27:56

The National Press Club is part of the fabric of Washington politics and news. It is a professional and social gathering place for people in the news, or people looking to make news, from Charlie Chaplin to Barack Obama. It’s got a complicated history, but it is also a key part of the battle for press freedoms across the globe. On this episode we’r…

1
Worlds collide: Separation of powers fights heat up 22:31

1+ y ago22:31

22:31

The country’s founders were big fans of separating the powers of the branches of government. The current tussles among Congress, the White House and the courts show that the debate over where one institution’s authority ends and another begins is as lively as ever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

1
Yes, they look at ALL the votes 29:23

1+ y ago29:23

29:23

For decades, CQ has studied the votes of members of Congress and lined them up according to party unity, loyalty to the president, participation, and more. There is a lot that goes into it, and people around the world look to these studies to make sense of the legislative branch. Ryan Kelly and Herb Jackson from the CQ Roll Call newsroom discuss CQ…

1
The Gridiron Club, explained 28:43

1+ y ago28:43

28:43

The Gridiron Club is one of Washington’s longest-standing journalism institutions. Founded in 1885, it is known for its annual dinner, a gathering of club members, fellow journalists and Washington elites. Normally shrouded in secrecy, the Gridiron is making news. National Journal’s George Condon discusses everything you wanted to know about the Gr…

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