HeyJaredThe Briefing with Michael Waldman
Every week, Brennan Center President Michael Waldman interviews the leaders, thinkers, and activists who are changing American democracy.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 6
- Latest publication
- Sep 2, 2026
- Audience
- Checking…
- Earliest in this view
- Jul 9, 2026
Latest episodes
The Battle for American Identity (with Ben Rhodes) (opens the original)
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Are we a country based on ideals, on the American creed set out in our founding documents? Or are we a nation of blood and soil, as Vice President JD Vance has argued? Both these strains run throughout American history. Those of us on the side of equality and inclusion have much to learn from those who have come before. This week we’re joined by Ben Rhodes to discuss his new book, All We Say , in which he compiles 15 speeches that articulate various sides of these debates over American identity.
Clearing the Confusion on the Supreme Court and Mail Voting (opens the original)
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This week, the Supreme Court issued a ruling on Donald Trump’s executive order on mail voting. Headlines suggested that the justices had given Trump a green light. What did the Supreme Court actually do? And what does this mean for voters? In this urgent episode of The Briefing, Michael Waldman clears away the confusion, as well as explains the Court’s action and what comes next. He says, “I’m annoyed, but not freaked out. The Court’s ruling was a procedural one, with a great deal of legal back
Let’s Unstick Congress (with Maya Kornberg and Tom Malinowski) (opens the original)
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Does Congress need reform? To many, it's weaker and more hollowed out than ever. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Brennan Center expert Maya Kornberg has extensively researched the institution’s complexities and created a list of solutions that could make it stronger and more productive at responding to the needs of the American people. We discuss her proposed solutions and debate reform with Rep. Tom Malinowski, a former lawmaker. Read our report, Eight Solutions to Unstick Congress . Record
How will AI affect the midterms? (with Larry Norden and Abdi Ahmed) (opens the original)
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We’re back! After a summer hiatus, the podcast returns to discuss a major new study by the Brennan Center on how artificial intelligence can affect the upcoming election. A team of technology experts looked at how popular chatbots responded to prompts related to election conspiracy theories. We found good news and bad news. Chatbots often pushed back against false information, but they were also skilled at creating false images and disinformation. Listen as the lead authors discuss their finding
Trump Ramps Up Election Meddling (with Larry Norden and Wendy Weiser) (opens the original)
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We’re about 110 days out from the midterms, and the threats to our elections are mounting. This week alone, President Trump fired all remaining members of the Election Assistance Commission, the federal agency that helps states fund and administer elections. At the same time, a federal judge blocked baseless subpoenas targeting election workers in Fulton County, while the Department of Justice sent threatening letters to election officials across the country. On this week’s episode of The Briefi
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