Best Election 2020 Podcasts (2024)

On "Can He Do That?" The president is reportedly considering pardoning himself and his family for potential future Justice Department charges. And where does recent news of a “bribery-for-pardon” scheme fit into a president's limitations on pardon power?By The Washington Post

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How to raise $170 million after an election 24:48

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How President Trump might use the $170 million he’s raised to challenge election results. Infighting muddies the future of the Democratic Party. And, how the pandemic has complicated shared custody agreements.By The Washington Post

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Wisconsin recount adds to Biden’s margin of victory 2:34

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From "The Daily 202" podcast, The recount of presidential ballots in Wisconsin’s two largest counties reconfirmed Sunday that Biden beat President Trump in the key swing state by more than 20,000 votes.By The Washington Post

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Trump allows transition to begin, but his baseless efforts to sow doubt continue 4:19

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On "The Daily 202" podcast, President Trump effectively surrendered his three-week protest of the election results on Monday night by giving the green light for the government's official transition process to begin.By The Washington Post

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The campaign to flip the election 12:21

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Will anyone stop the president’s attempts to overturn the election?By The Washington Post

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Trump puts democracy through a stress test 6:59

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From "The Daily 202" podcast, President Trump is using the power of his office to try to reverse the results of the election. He is orchestrating a far-reaching pressure campaign to persuade Republican officials to overturn the will of voters.By The Washington Post

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Trump’s lame-duck agenda: Lessons from history and warnings for coronavirus 24:01

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This week on the "Can He Do That?" podcast, Professor Jeremi Suri offers an example from history with lessons for today. Plus, reporter Yasmeen Abutaleb on the implications of Trump's approach to the virus for Biden's incoming team.By The Washington Post

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Inauguration is 62 days away. What could go wrong? 18:29

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The votes have been (mostly) counted, and though Joe Biden is clearly the president-elect, there are still more steps and potential obstacles for that to become official. Plus, why more men are dying of covid-19.By The Washington Post

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How we voted, and why 30:39

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A look at how key groups voted in this election: from Latinos in Texas and the women who went for President Trump to the Black voters who pushed President-elect Joe Biden across the finish line.By The Washington Post

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A red wave of Republicans — and covid cases 13:55

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From the "Post Reports" podcast: How Republicans are using election wins to justify their approach to the pandemic. The CDC’s latest on why you should wear a mask. And, the coronavirus response in Africa.By The Washington Post

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Does Trump’s refusal to concede put national security at risk? 32:03

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On "Can He Do That?" Experts are concerned that the president's unwillingness to start a transition threatens our country’s safety by denying President-elect Joe Biden resources. Shane Harris explains the risks when a smooth transition is blocked.By The Washington Post

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The worst covid surge is just beginning 12:43

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The Democrats’ last hope to take control of the Senate comes down to Georgia, from "Post Reports."By The Washington Post

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Trump checks out, ignoring public duties, as coronavirus surges and firing spree continues 10:01

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Plus, President-elect Joe Biden considers Hillary Clinton for UN ambassador.By The Washington Post

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What’s wrong with polling? 14:46

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Campaign strategists and the public were led to believe that Democrats were headed for a wave. Election results have told a different story, just as they did four years ago. And the next steps for a promising coronavirus vaccine.By The Washington Post

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Biden’s pick for chief of staff is the ultimate Washington survivor 10:42

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On "The Daily 202" podcast, President-elect Joe Biden has chosen longtime Washington operator Ron Klain to be White House chief of staff.By The Washington Post

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Is this a coup? 21:58

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On "Post Reports," White House reporter Josh Dawsey on what’s going on behind the bold claims from the president that he will stay for four more years. Plus, Juliet Eilperin on Biden's plans to tackle climate change, and what could stand in his way.By The Washington Post

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Biden hopes to name several Cabinet nominees by Thanksgiving 5:31

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On "The Daily 202" podcast: President-elect Joe Biden downplayed the difficulties that his team is having amid a lack of cooperation by Trump in the transfer of power.By The Washington Post

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These tweets may be harmful to your democracy 20:18

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On "Post Reports" podcast, breaking down conspiracy theories over election fraud. The Republicans who won, even when Trump didn’t.By The Washington Post

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Barr weaponizes the Justice Department to investigate Trump’s baseless fraud claims 8:09

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On "The Daily 202" podcast, Attorney General Bill Barr gave federal prosecutors the green light on Monday to pursue any allegations of “vote tabulation irregularities” before results are certified.By The Washington Post

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New president, same pandemic 28:35

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President-elect Joe Biden prepares a transition to the White House — and readies a team to combat a surging pandemic. And for future leaders, the hope and promise of Kamala Harris. Read more: Joe Biden is projected to be the next president of the United States. But, as politics writer Matt Viser reports, the president-elect faces some Trump-sized r…

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Trump appointee refuses to sign key letter allowing Biden's transition team to get to work 7:24

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On "The Daily 202" podcast: the Trump administration, in keeping with the president’s failure to concede the election, has no immediate plans to sign paperwork officially turning over millions of dollars to President-elect Joe Biden's transition team.By The Washington Post

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President-elect Joe Biden calls this ‘a time to heal’ as he reads a Catholic hymn in victory speech 14:50

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On "The Daily 202" podcast, Joe Biden, the man who was once the country’s youngest senator, will become the country's oldest president.By The Washington Post

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How does a man who hates losing prepare to lose? 28:15

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On "Post Reports," Biden renews calls for patience as key states swing in his favor. Meanwhile inside the White House, President Trump is by turns angry and despondent. But no matter what happens next, it’s clear: Trumpism is here to stay.By The Washington Post

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Biden takes lead in Georgia and Trump’s margin narrows in Pennsylvania 8:59

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On "The Daily 202" podcast: Democratic nominee Joe Biden overtook President Trump in Georgia early Friday morning as the state’s Democratic-leaning counties reported more absentee ballots, gaining Biden a small lead.By The Washington Post

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The divided states of America 25:08

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Why the Trump campaign is mounting legal challenges in swing states. What the election reveals about the urban-rural divide. And why Wall Street likes the sound of gridlock in Washington.By The Washington Post

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What do Trump’s legal threats actually accomplish? 30:30

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On the "Can He Do That?" podcast. Will the Trump campaign's suits stop vote counting or overturn results? Election law expert Edward Foley explains how the Trump team's fight in the courts could shape the final outcome.By The Washington Post

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Biden is on a path toward victory after wins in Michigan and Wisconsin 10:29

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On "The Daily 202" podcast: as Trump’s rhetoric grew more aggressive over the course of the day, Biden’s electoral position only strengthened — and states including Michigan and Wisconsin fell into his column.By The Washington Post

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The race to 270 27:56

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From the "Post Reports" podcast, battleground states continue counting ballots in races that are too close to call. And how Democrats failed to capture Latino voters in Florida.By The Washington Post

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With the presidency on the line, Trump wants judges to stop Pennsylvania from counting ballots 11:54

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On "The Daily 202" podcast: President Trump said the ongoing vote count in Georgia, Pennsylvania and other key battleground states amounted to “a major fraud on our nation,” and he vowed to file lawsuits to stop it.By The Washington Post

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It’s not over yet 21:30

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On "Post Reports," as the nation waits to find out the results of the election, we hear what it's like to report the news in this moment of uncertainty.By The Washington Post

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The citizen’s guide to election night 28:39

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From Kenosha, Wis., to Greenville, N.C., voters are anxiously heading to the polls on the last day of the 2020 general election. How voters have navigated the process of casting a ballot this year. And what to watch for on this election night.By The Washington Post

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Trump and Biden focus on the North, but the South could determine an early winner 10:41

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On "The Daily 202" podcast: The focus of the candidates’ time has largely shifted northward.By The Washington Post

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The year of the voter 20:20

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How a chaotic year resulted in sky-high voter turnout. And, how Democrats are trying to win back rural votes in the Midwest.By The Washington Post

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Biden plans to pick a very diverse Cabinet if he wins 12:52

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On "The Daily 202" podcast: intense jockeying is underway in Washington for jobs in a potential Biden administration.By The Washington Post

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Will our democracy survive this election? 26:11

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From "Post Reports" – The decline of democracy in the United States. Lessons from 150 books about President Trump and his time in office. And, the rise of Sarah Cooper.By The Washington Post

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Appeals court panel rules Minnesota must set aside ballots received after Election Day 5:21

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On "The Daily 202" podcast: The 8th Circuit ruled last night that the state of Minnesota must set aside ballots received after Election Day.By The Washington Post

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Q-tips, generators and a prayer: How to run an election 17:08

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Chris Anderson is a Florida election official. In the weeks leading up to Nov. 3, he has been trying to administer an election safely, securely and as smoothly as possible. The tools of his trade: 101,000 Q-tips from a local Dollar Tree, a phone constantly pinging with text messages, and an election supervisor’s prayer that begs, “We don’t care who…

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Democrats in Pennsylvania and North Carolina claim key wins at the Supreme Court 2:42

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On "The Daily 202" podcast: The Supreme Court last night allowed extended periods for receiving mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania and North Carolina.By The Washington Post

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Can we trust polling in battleground states? 24:51

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A snapshot of what’s happening in key battleground states. And, what we can and can’t learn from polling.By The Washington Post

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70 million Americans have already voted 2:53

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On "The Daily 202" podcast: the 70 million or so Americans who have already voted equals roughly half of the total turnout in 2016.By The Washington Post

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Will your vote count? 24:11

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What we can learn from a Supreme Court decision on mail-in ballots in Wisconsin. The states where most voters still can’t vote by mail. And why it’s easier to vote from space than from your own home. Read more: On Monday night, the Supreme Court rejected a request to extend Wisconsin’s deadline for counting mail-in ballots. Justice Brett M.Kavanaug…

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Justice Barrett gets right to work and may decide on more election cases soon 7:18

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On "The Daily 202" podcast: There are four emergency requests pending at the court — two involving election procedures in the battleground states of North Carolina and Pennsylvania.By The Washington Post

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The court that Mitch McConnell built 27:11

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Mitch McConnell’s Supreme Court victory. The future of the Affordable Care Act. And a shift in the White House’s thinking on how to tackle the coronavirus.By The Washington Post

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Pence determined to maintain schedule after five aides test positive, irrespective of CDC guidelines 6:38

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On "The Daily 202" podcast: the presidential campaign was roiled anew this weekend by a fresh outbreak of the coronavirus at the White House that infected at least five top aides or advisers to Vice President Pence.By The Washington Post

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The winners and losers of early voting 28:46

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From "Post Reports" — What record-breaking early-voter turnout means for Democrats and Republicans. How one election official is handling the “tsunami” of ballots in her Texas county. Plus, the latest on foreign election interference.By The Washington Post

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Biden’s oil gaffe and Trump’s subdued performance in final debate unlikely to change race 3:50

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On "The Daily 202" podcast, In their final debate, President Trump tried to cast Joe Biden as a scandal-plagued politician and Biden sought to portray Trump as a demagogue who criminally abused immigrants and mishandled the coronavirus pandemic.By The Washington Post

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How 2020 races across the country lay the groundwork for a president’s influence 17:18

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On the "Can He Do That?" podcast, races across the country will have implications for the future of our electoral landscape and matter for the power of the next president. Reporter Dave Weigel on the 2020 races you should be watching.By The Washington Post

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Trump mulls firing FBI director, as DNI accuses Iran of election interference 8:24

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From today's "Daily 202" podcast, the president grows increasingly frustrated that federal law enforcement has not delivered his campaign a last-minute boost.By The Washington Post

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Introducing the mute button to the presidential debate 4:20

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From the "Post Reports" podcast — President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden face off in their final presidential debate on Thursday. Political reporter Amy B Wang explains what to expect.By The Washington Post

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Election 2020 Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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