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.
461episodes
Episodes
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UK Prime Minister Musical Chairs
Yesterday00:21:45Summary readyIt’s been 10 years since the UK voted to leave the European Union — a decision with major political implications that most of the country regrets. Since then, neither the Labour Party nor the Conservative Party have been able to keep a leader in power. Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigned his post – becoming the sixth prime minister to quit in the last ten years. For comparison’s sake, the UK had just two prime ministers between 1990 and 2007. So what’s going on in the UK — and who’s up next for prime minister? To find out, we spoke to Nish Kumar, co-host of Crooked Media’s Pod Save the UK.And in headlines, the US and Iran make conflicting claims over whether or not Iran is welcoming U.N. inspections of its nuclear sites, the Pentagon asks the Senate for roughly $80 billion to help pay for the Iran war, and no one wants to name their babies Donald. I wonder why!Show Notes: Check out Pod Save The UK – www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK 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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Will The Iran War Cost Trump The Midterms?
2d ago00:21:35Summary readyThe so-called “memorandum of understanding” that might end Trump’s war in Iran has felt pretty disappointing. But here in the U.S., voters may be more focused on the final outcome, and what that means going forward. To find out how Americans are feeling about the Iran war as midterms approach, we spoke to Sarah Longwell, who knows voter sentiment better than most. She’s the publisher of The Bulwark, host of The Focus Group podcast, and author of "How To Eat An Elephant," out on September 8.And in headlines, at least five people have reportedly been arrested after Trump blamed vandals for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool’s post-renovation blues, Alligator Alcatraz is officially shutting down, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announces his resignation.Show Notes: Check out Sarah's podcast – www.thebulwark.com/s/thefocusgroup 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 Is Betraying Black Soldiers
5d ago00:20:26Summary readyA message from Jane on Juneteenth:Happy Juneteenth! Juneteenth is a holiday to celebrate the end of slavery in the United States and the emancipation of millions of Black Americans held in human bondage. People like my great-great-grandparents. Their grandson, my grandfather, Oscar Coaston, served his country during World War II as part of a segregated unit that landed on Omaha Beach during D-Day.Today, nearly 80 years since the U.S. military was officially desegregated, 20% of the military is Black. But since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, the administration has made it crystal clear that Black servicemembers are not to be treated with respect.So to talk about the impact the Trump administration has had on Black members of the military, I spoke to Clint Smith. He’s a staff writer at the Atlantic.Show Notes: Clint’s piece in The Atlantic – https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/07/black-military-patriots-hegseth/687306/ 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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What If Abortion Meant Prison... Or Worse?
6d ago00:19:50Summary readyThe 2022 Dobbs decision that reversed Roe v. Wade promised to return the issue of abortion back to the states. But for anti-abortion activists, that’s never been good enough. Some anti-abortion activists are pushing bills that could see women who get abortions imprisoned. And with the number of people who have gotten abortions only increasing over the last year, that’s a lot of punishment they want to mete out. Jessica Valenti, founder of the Substack Abortion, Every Day, has been tracking abortion rights for more than a decade. We talked about why the anti-abortion movement has gotten more extreme – and what we can do about it.And in headlines, Republicans blast Trump’s new Iran memorandum, the Supreme Court rules marijuana users can own guns, and you heard it here first: the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is still green.Show Notes: Jessica’s Substack – https://jessica.substack.com/ 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 Latest Plot To Rig The Midterms
1w ago00:18:37Summary readyPresident Donald Trump has been trying to get the SAVE America Act passed for months. The bill would require not just ID, but proof of citizenship to vote — effectively disenfranchising Americans who don’t happen to have their passport or birth certificate handy. Which is… millions of Americans. So what does Trump’s determination to get this bill passed mean for November? To find out, we spoke with Marc Elias, founder of Democracy Docket.And in headlines: we finally hear what’s in the memorandum of understanding with Iran, one Georgia Republican spends $100 million to beat his Trump-backed opponent, and the World Cup’s underdogs are looking good.Show Notes: Democracy Docket – https://www.democracydocket.com/ 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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Pride Persists Even Under Trump
1w ago00:21:38Summary readyPride Month is here. It’s a month to celebrate the achievements of LGBTQ Americans and the impact they’ve had on our past and present. But it’s also a weird and very scary time for a lot of people. So what do we do now — at a time that somehow feels both great yet increasingly scary? To find out, we spoke with Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson.And in headlines, Iran’s top diplomat says the tentative deal to end the war would require Israel to withdraw from Lebanon, House Judiciary Ranking Member Jamie Raskin announces an investigation into FBI Director Kash Patel, and Vice President JD Vance braves the most intimidating interview known to man. 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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America 250? More Like: Trump 80
1w ago00:20:25Summary readyIf you didn’t tune into Paramount+ to watch the UFC Freedom 250 fight on the White House lawn, because you had better things to do, you're not alone. The entire 250th celebration of America’s founding has felt remarkably Trumpian, implying that the only way to be an American is to be a Trump supporter. So how can those of us who love this country, but hate this bullshit respond? To find out, we talked to Alex Wagner, host of Crooked Media’s Runaway Country.And in headlines, we get limited details on the new agreement between the U.S. and Iran, Trump visits the G7 summit in France, and Ukraine officially starts negotiations to join the European Union.Show Notes: Listen to Runaway Country – https://www.youtube.com/@RunawayCountrywithAlexWagner 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 Senioritis
2w ago00:19:38Summary readyOn today’s show, we are diving into the tough week our commander in chief just had. From MMA fights no one seems very excited about… to the potential end of warrantless surveillance because of an unpopular Trump hire, our dear president has been taking some big losses. Oh, and not to mention, the war with Iran is still going on. But Trump doesn’t seem to care about any of it! So to talk more about Donald Trump’s apparent case of senioritis, we called up Tim Miller, host of The Bulwark Podcast.And in headlines: Elon Musk becomes the world’s first trillionaire, a poll finds Trump is losing favor with Independents, and a federal judge agrees to extend a court-ordered block on Trump’s $1.8 billion slush fund.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 Keeps Promising Peace
2w ago00:21:16Summary readyPresident Donald Trump has changed a lot about American foreign policy – and to many, America itself. But a lot of the issues facing this country were around long before he became president. Ben Rhodes’ new book, All We Say: The Battle for American Identity: A History in 15 Speeches, tells the story of this country through speeches by figures like Ben Franklin, Martin Luther King, and yes, Donald Trump. We spoke with Ben about what those speeches reveal about being American, and what Trump’s actions in Iran can tell us about his presidency and our country.And in headlines, President Trump continues to whiplash in Iran talks, we have a new pick for the Director of National Intelligence, and Kash Patel prepares the FBI for the World Cup.Show Notes: Check out Ben's book – https://tinyurl.com/pxpr6t8c 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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America Icing Out World Cup Fans
2w ago00:18:11Summary readyThe World Cup is the biggest annual sporting event in the world. And the first game is tomorrow. This year’s competition is being hosted by three countries for the first time: the US, Canada, and Mexico. Already, fans of Argentina, Cote d’Ivoire, and other countries have flooded social media with their journeys to watch their favorite teams play. But with the World Cup, as with most things, comes… a lot of politics. We spoke with Bill Connelly to find out how politics is impacting the event. He’s a staff writer for ESPN covering soccer and college football.And in headlines, Trump continues to threaten Iran, inflation hits its highest in three years, and Democrats “nominate the guy with the nazi tattoo” in the Maine Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.Show Notes: Check out Bill's work – https://tinyurl.com/mvt45rea 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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