Podcast
What A Day
Hosted by What A Day · EN
If you’re looking for hype, fake outrage, and groupthink, kindly keep moving. Our mission at What a Day is simple: to be your guide to what truly matters each morning (and the fun stuff you might have missed) in just 20 minutes. Host Jane Coaston brings you in-depth reporting and substantive analysis on the big stories shaping today and the creeping trends shaping tomorrow—and when she doesn’t know the answers, she asks someone even smarter to fill us all in. Radical, right? New episodes at 5:00 a.m. EST, Monday–Friday in your favorite podcast app and on YouTube. Being informed was never this easy.
446episodes
Episodes
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Trump’s Dangerous New Spy Boss
Today00:17:06Summary readyPresident Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he's appointing the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Bill Pulte, as acting Director of National Intelligence. The news comes after Tulsi Gabbard announced she was resigning from the position amid her husband's battle with cancer. So who is Bill Pulte? From what we know, Pulte is another Trump-henchman type whose only qualification for the high-stakes position seems to be the ability to do just about anything Trump wants him to do. And that's raised red flags among many people, including our guest, Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly. He serves on the Senate Intelligence and Armed Services Committees.And in headlines, Russia launches a massive attack against Ukraine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies on Capitol Hill, and whac-a-mole? More like whac-a-manhole! Videos of people popping out of New York City sewers are popping up online.Show Notes: Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday
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Californians Vote With New Map
Yesterday00:21:07Summary readyCalifornia politics is experiencing a rare moment on the national stage as wacky candidates and local scandals have become a microcosm for the country as a whole, as well as a potential preview of what November’s midterms have in store. We talk to KQED’s Marisa Lagos about what the hell is going on with California politics right now.And in headlines, primary season kicks off nationwide, Trump's Iran War negotiations hit another setback, an appeals court rules Trump's ban on transgender troops illegal, the White House temporarily pauses its slush fund for Trump's political allies, and several states extend bar and restaurant hours for the World Cup.Show Notes: Check out Marisa's work – www.kqed.org/author/mlagos Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday
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Is Social Media Hype Even Real?
2d ago00:21:36Summary readyIt’s no secret that what we see on social media is highly choreographed. But a recent article in New York Magazine by Lane Brown confirms it by uncovering the world of artificial hype that drives what we perceive as buzz. The piece dominated the groupchats these last few days, and for good reason: it taps into a general unease about how we’ve ceded our reality to platforms that are manipulated by shadowy ad campaigns. Brown joins the show to lay it all out for us.And in headlines, Trump’s “walk back weekend,” protestors clash with police outside a New Jersey ICE detention center, and voting begins in the the Colombian presidential election.Show Notes: The Feed Is Fake, by Lane Brown – https://www.vulture.com/article/social-media-feeds-chaotic-good-projects-clipping.html Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday
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ICE Is Still Detaining People
5d ago00:21:07Summary readyPresident Donald Trump's immigration policies haven't been getting much attention lately. But don't be fooled — the immigration detention industrial complex hasn't slowed down. One infamous facility in Florida, known as "Alligator Alcatraz," is reportedly closing. Katie Blankenship is an attorney representing immigrants across the country – including some who have been detained at "Alligator Alcatraz". Jane talked about what she's hearing from her clients and what you need to know about the immigrant experience in America right now.And in headlines, former First Lady Jill Biden admits she thought President Joe Biden was having a stroke during that debate, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent thinks it's totally normal to put Trump's face on a 250-dollar bill, and Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie and former Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene vacation in Costa Rica with their partners.Show Notes: Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday
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The Challenge To Ending The Iran War
6d ago00:20:15Summary readyDespite whatever President Donald Trump has said over the last few days, his war in Iran does not look like it's ending soon. But here's the thing: a major factor in what happens with Trump's Iran war isn't Trump – it's Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Despite a ceasefire, Israel has continued to bomb targets in southern Lebanon – part of the country's war against Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed proxy militia that controls a swath of Lebanon. And on Wednesday, Israel told residents of southern Lebanon to leave their homes as the Israeli military moves into new areas of the country. So what do Israel's goals mean for Trump's Iran war – and the future of the Middle East? To find out, we spoke to Nahal Toosi. She's the senior foreign affairs correspondent and columnist at POLITICO.And in headlines: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton dominated Sen. John Cornyn in Tuesday's Senate Republican primary runoff; House Democrats introduce a bill to block construction of Trump's proposed "triumphal arch;” and a Ball State University employee gets paid after she was fired for criticizing Charlie Kirk.Show Notes: Check out Nahal's work – https://tinyurl.com/4nmp552x Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday
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The Real J6 Victims Are Standing Up
1w ago00:19:21Summary readyYou know, President Donald Trump's 1.776 billion-dollar MAGA slush fund? The fund is intended for victims of "DOJ weaponization," like the January 6 insurrectionists Trump pardoned. Shockingly, very few people support it. And now former Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn and a colleague, actual victims of the January 6 insurrection, are suing the Trump administration to put a stop to this fund. Jane speaks with Dunn about the slush fund, his lawsuit, and why it's so important to him to stand up for what actually happened that day.And in headlines: Trump has yet another physical, Republicans' redistricting war takes a hit, and the Trump administration thinks it may be a good idea to have federal employees sign NDAs. Just in case...Show Notes: Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday
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MAGA's Misogyny
1w ago00:20:35Summary readyYou may have noticed that misogyny seems to be everywhere right now, especially online. As American women continue to move further to the political left, men on the American Right appear to have responded by losing their minds completely. Helen Lewis, a staff writer for the Atlantic, coined a term for these kinds of people. She calls them "masculinists." And she argues that "masculinism" has become a bonding agent for the American right wing that can paper over other divides. Helen joins the show to discuss her article, "The Men Who Want Women to Be Quiet."And in headlines, what we do and don't know about Trump's alleged Iran deal, Tulsi Gabbard resigns as National Intelligence Director, and Pro-Palestine Activist Mahmoud Khalil takes his deportation case to the Supreme Court.Show Notes: Check out Helen's piece – https://tinyurl.com/4mfbz2s5 Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday
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How Trump Got In The Way Of His Own Bill
2w ago00:21:41Summary readyRepublicans had a filibuster-proof immigration bill that would allocate $70 billion to immigration enforcement and fully reopen the Department of Homeland Security. But then, Trump got involved. First, he wanted $1 billion for "security" for his beloved beautiful ballroom. Then, the Department of Justice announced that $1.776 billion slush fund for Trump's allies. After Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche met with Senate Republicans to make the case for the slush fund on Thursday, everyone got so mad that Senate Majority Leader John Thune gave up on getting a vote together for the immigration bill and sent everyone home for the holiday. To unpack the reconciliation bill mess, we spoke to Pennsylvania Democratic Representative Brendan Boyle. He's the ranking member of the House Budget Committee.And in headlines, Iran is reportedly reviewing the U.S.'s latest peace proposal, the Trump administration eases restrictions on planet-warming "super pollutants" used in air conditioners and refrigerators, and the Democratic National Committee finally releases its autopsy of the 2024 election.Show Notes: Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday
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Trump's Revenge Tour Could Backfire
2w ago00:20:40Summary readyA swath of President Donald Trump’s handpicked candidates won their primary elections Tuesday night – and one of Trump's biggest opponents in Congress, Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie, lost. It was the continuation of Trump’s weeks-long revenge tour against Republicans he views as disloyal. So, for more about what we learned from Tuesday’s primaries, we spoke with Alex Wagner. She’s the host of Crooked Media’s Runaway Country.And in headlines, President Donald Trump gives a commencement speech to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s graduates, the so-called Board of Peace needs money, and the Department of Justice announces charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro as the Trump administration escalates pressure on the island.Show Notes: Check out Runaway Country – tinyurl.com/mrmmsw8d Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday
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Is The US Ready For A New Global Health Threat?
2w ago00:19:06Summary readyThe World Health Organization met on Tuesday in Switzerland to discuss a deadly outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. According to the WHO, the outbreak, which has killed more than 130 people and infected more than 500, could last for months. Those numbers could be much, much higher than what they've been able to report. The Ebola outbreak comes in the midst of another deadly health crisis you've probably heard a lot about: hantavirus. It's part of a family of extremely dangerous viruses that are primarily spread by rats and mice. As all this is going on, you're probably wondering who's running the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention? And who is currently the Surgeon General of the United States? The answer to both? Currently, no one has been confirmed by the Senate. To find out more about what's happening with America's public health system, we spoke with Apoorva Mandavilli. She's a science and global health reporter at the New York Times.And in headlines, President Donald Trump shows off the White House ballroom construction site, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche sits for a Congressional hearing, and guess who's making a lot of money trading stocks? You're not going to like the answer.Show Notes: Check out Apoorva's work – www.nytimes.com/by/apoorva-mandavilli Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday
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