Podcast Summary: Consider This from NPR

Episode: "What can a 90s kids’ movie tell us about the redistricting battle?"

Date: November 29, 2025
Host: Myles Parks
Guest: Jason Rosenbaum (St. Louis Public Radio), Katherine Hanaway (Missouri Attorney General)

Overview

This episode examines how a surprising cultural reference—the 1997 kids’ film Air Bud—has become a touchstone in Missouri's heated debate over congressional redistricting. Host Myles Parks and reporter Jason Rosenbaum break down how political actors are invoking the so-called "Air Bud Rule" to justify mid-decade redrawing of electoral maps, what's at stake for Missouri's representation, and how this arcane process is reverberating with voters and politicians alike.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The ‘Air Bud Rule’ Analogy (00:00–02:22)

• Myles Parks and Jason Rosenbaum begin by referencing popular political movies and introduce Air Bud as an unlikely but apt metaphor in Missouri’s current redistricting battle.
• The “Air Bud Rule” refers to exploiting the absence of an explicit prohibition:
  • “There is nothing that says you cannot do mid decade redistricting.” — Jason Rosenbaum (01:22)
• By analogy, just as the rules didn’t say a dog couldn’t play basketball, Missouri Republicans argue nothing in the state Constitution actively forbids mid-decade redistricting.

2. What’s Happening in Missouri (01:42–02:22, 03:48–07:11)

• The Republican-majority Missouri legislature has passed new congressional maps, seeking to secure another GOP seat.
• Despite perceptions, the redistricting battle is ongoing, facing lawsuits, a potential referendum, and mounting public scrutiny.
  • “That couldn’t be further from the truth.” — Jason Rosenbaum (about the map being ‘a done deal’) (02:00)
• Missouri's case is part of a broader, nationwide Republican push (connected to former President Trump) to redraw lines to boost their House majority prospects.

3. Politicians React to the Analogy (04:16–05:46)

• Jason Rosenbaum tests the Air Bud analogy on politicians, with mixed results.
  • Missouri Attorney General Katherine Hanaway acknowledges the analogy, emphasizing the lack of constitutional restriction:
    • “It doesn’t say that it shall happen immediately after that. It should happen only once per decade... There isn’t a limitation.” — Katherine Hanaway (04:38)
  • Humorous exchange about the fate of Buddy the dog updates Hanaway on Air Bud's cinematic career.

4. Voter Reaction and Political Fallout (05:46–07:11)

• Democratic voters are especially energized, drawing parallels to Missouri’s abortion ban mobilization.
  • “They are enraged; they are energized, unlike anything I’ve seen since abortion was banned in Missouri in 2022.” — Jason Rosenbaum (06:01)
• There is a groundswell for a referendum to overturn the maps, which many view as a power grab.

5. The Erosion of Redistricting Norms (07:11–09:06)

• New maps break a longstanding tradition: African American Democrats in St. Louis had worked with Republicans to maintain majority-Black districts—a coalition now fractured.
  • The latest plan targets Black representation, notably by splitting Kansas City and threatening Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver’s district.
  • “This was a breaking point for African American lawmakers... a betrayal of a decades-long partnership.” — Jason Rosenbaum (08:33)

6. Procedural Surprises and Political Missteps (09:06–10:19)

• Republicans failed to secure enough votes for the map to take effect immediately, opening the door to statewide invalidation via referendum.
  • “This was just a really poorly planned and poorly executed situation.” — Jason Rosenbaum (09:25)
• Even some GOP supporters acknowledge the lack of foresight and unintended consequences.

7. Cultural Reflections & Lighthearted Moments (10:19–10:42)

• Discussion wraps with playful banter about watching Air Bud with kids.
  • “I don’t recommend doing it. It is not a good movie.” — Jason Rosenbaum (10:28)
  • “That’s never stopped us before.” — Myles Parks (10:38)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “There is nothing in this clause that gives lawmakers the right to redraw the districts in the middle of the decade. ... There is nothing that says you cannot do mid decade redistricting.”
  — Jason Rosenbaum (01:10–01:22)

• “Once I heard that argument, it is almost identical to the Air Bud rule that we have just heard.”
  — Jason Rosenbaum (01:36)

• “They are enraged; they are energized, unlike anything I’ve seen since abortion was banned in Missouri in 2022.”
  — Jason Rosenbaum (06:01)

• “This was a breaking point for African American lawmakers... a betrayal of a decades-long partnership.”
  — Jason Rosenbaum (08:33)

• “This was just a really poorly planned and poorly executed situation.”
  — Jason Rosenbaum (09:25)

• “I don’t recommend doing it. It is not a good movie.”
  — Jason Rosenbaum on Air Bud (10:28)

Timeline of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |:-------------:|:------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–02:22 | Pop culture and political movie comparisons; intro to the Air Bud analogy in redistricting | | 03:48–04:16 | Lawsuits, referenda, and the ‘Air Bud Rule’ impact in Missouri | | 04:16–05:46 | Politicians’ responses to the analogy; interview with Katherine Hanaway | | 05:46–07:11 | Voter backlash, referendum efforts, and echoes of past political mobilizations | | 07:11–09:06 | Decades-old bipartisan redistricting coalitions dissolve; impact on minority congressional districts | | 09:06–10:19 | Procedural missteps, unpredictability, and GOP vulnerabilities | | 10:19–10:42 | Lighthearted discussion about Air Bud and closing remarks |

Conclusion

This episode uniquely blends political analysis with cultural wit, using Air Bud as a metaphor for the legalistic gamesmanship shaping Missouri’s congressional landscape. The playful but pointed analogy exposes the ambiguity and controversy in redistricting battles, highlighting both the immediate stakes and broader trends in American electoral politics.