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The Al Franken Podcast: Daily Summaries Delivered
by The Al Franken Podcast
A five-time Emmy winning SNL comedy writer/producer, joins a four-time #1 NYT bestselling author, a three-time highest-rated national progressive radio host, a two-time Grammy winning artist, and a former US Senator. So, it gets a little crowded in the booth when Al talks public policy and sometimes political comedy with notable guests. Think “The Daily” without the resources of the NYTimes.
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- Jun 28, 20261h 13m
Al and Dahlia Lithwick on The Monarchic Supreme Court
For the final episode of The Al Franken Podcast, we're joined one last time by our good friend Dahlia Lithwick, Senior Editor at Slate and host of the Amicus podcast! As we await the Supreme Court’s remaining decisions, we turn to Dahlia to recap a bleak judicial term, including the decisions to gut the Voting Rights Act, strip immigrants of their Temporary Protected Status, and expel transgender servicemembers from the military.Dahlia and Al look past the mainstream media's narrative of a "moderate" bench to reveal an institution deeply aligned with MAGA's political playbook that continues to make way for an imperial presidency. On a more hopeful note, Dahlia offers a blueprint for how regular citizens can find their lane and fight back from the ground up. Dahlia issues a call for Americans to move past "learned helplessness" to dismantle the cult of the Court and return constitutional power to the people.LISTEN to Dahlia's podcast, Amicus:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amicus-with-dahlia-lithwick-law-justice-and-the-courts/id928790786READ Dahlia in Slate Magazine: https://slate.com/author/dahlia-lithwick
- Jun 21, 202648 min
Al and Franklin Foer on Iran, Ukraine, Soccer, and The World
We’re joined by our longtime friend, Franklin Foer of The Atlantic! We have a deal in Iran or at least an agreement to have an agreement. Even some Republicans are calling this an unconditional surrender. Al and Frank break down the massive concessions, which include a staggering $300 billion to reconstruct Iran, lifted blockades, and Iranian tolls in the Strait of Hormuz. And what does all of this mean for Trump and Netanyahu’s plummeting relationship ahead of the Israeli elections this fall?Frank also breaks down the war in Ukraine, the situation in Venezuela, and ongoing tensions with Cuba.Plus, we discuss Frank’s bestselling book, “How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization.” It was recently reissued to coincide with the U.S. hosting the World Cup. Frank explains how his views of world soccer have changed since the original publishing and why globalization never brought us the "kumbaya political liberalism" we were promised.READ Franklin Foer in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/franklin-foer/READ Frank’s book, “How Soccer Explains the World:” https://www.harpercollins.com/products/how-soccer-explains-the-world-franklin-foer
- Jun 14, 202650 min
Al and Mark Leibovich on The Midterm Landscape
We're joined by our friend Mark Leibovich of The Atlantic to break down Trump's sinking approval ratings, the approaching midterms, and whether Democrats are overconfident.We begin by looking at Trump and whether or not his party is feeling demoralized. Al thinks they certainly should be.We then discuss the shape of the Senate, where Democrats need to win a net of 4 seats to take control, and the House, where Democrats seem to be on track.Given the close races and election tampering from Trump and the GOP, how worried should Democrats be? And IF they take back Congress, what should their priorities be? Al and Mark agree that the House should leave impeachment alone. READ Mark in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/mark-leibovich/SUPPORT THE SHOW BY VISITING OUR SPONSORS:Save money on your wireless bill with Mint Mobile. Visit https://www.mintmobile.com/franken. Make sure you tell them you heard about this deal from The Al Franken Podcast!Get up to 15% off your skincare subscription needs with OneSkin. Visit https://www.oneskin.co/franken
- Jun 7, 202659 min
Al and Norm Ornstein on The Blueprint for Trump's Cruelty
What's actually driving the Trump administration? Our good friend and emeritus scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, Norm Ornstein, joins Al to follow the blueprint laid out by Project 2025.The chief architect of Project 2025, Russell Vought, now runs the Office of Management and Budget, the perfect position to carry out The Project’s agenda. Norm and Al cover the human cost of gutting USAID, DOGE’s chaotic assault on the federal workforce, an immigration crackdown that's begun alienating the Hispanic voters who swung to Trump in 2024, and a cabinet culture so consumed with flattery that Ornstein calls it the "Lickspittle Olympics."Plus, Trump promised to keep us out of wars, but with the ongoing conflict with Iran, the Venezuela invasion, preparations around Cuba, and a growing rift with NATO, it seems like he might not have been fully honest with the American people.Norm discusses how this administration's corruption dwarfs every previous White House scandal combined. And what should Democrats actually do if they retake Congress? Is impeachment smart politics or a distraction? And what does a credible "Project 2029" look like?LISTEN to Norm's podcast "Words Matter" with fellow friend of the show David Rothkopf: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dsrs-words-matter/id1420216970SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY VISITING OUR SPONSORS:Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Get free shipping and 365-Day returns at https://www.quince.com/frankenSave money on your insurance bills with SelectQuote! Visit https://www.selectquote.com/franken
- May 31, 20261h 2m
BEST OF: Kevin Nealon on His Career in Comedy!
In this Best Of episode, we revisit our July 2025 conversation with an old friend from Al’s SNL days, comedian Kevin Nealon! Kevin and Al trade stories from working together on Saturday Night Live and discuss how the show has changed over the years. Kevin shares how he created several trademark bits, including Mr. Subliminal and Hans and Franz. Plus, we get backstories on some sketches that Al and Kevin worked on together.We also get into Kevin's post-SNL life, including his role on the hit TV show “Weeds,” his standup, and his hiking podcast! WATCH Kevin's latest standup special, Loose in the Crotch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LamkJ2iq2sGo see Kevin on tour! https://kevinnealon.com/
- May 24, 202652 min
Catherine Rampell and Scott Lincicome on Trump's Tariffs
It’s been over a year since Trump’s “Liberation Day” when he rolled out his global tariffs, but the Supreme Court struck those down resulting in chaos and confusion about what happens next. Guest Host Catherine Rampell, of The Bulwark and MSNOW, welcomes Scott Lincicome, VP of economics at the Cato Institute, to try to make sense of how the 166 billion dollars in tariffs will be refunded to businesses that were impacted. Catherine and Scott break down the bureaucratic red tape of the refund process, why small businesses are once again getting left behind, and the valid fears of political retaliation that are keeping major corporations silent.And with the U.S. government taking multi-billion-dollar equity stakes in everything from steel mills to quantum computing, we discuss the rise of “state capitalism.” It’s not exactly the free market that Republicans have been cheering for generations. Plus, after Trump’s landmark trip to China, many Americans are experiencing what Scott calls “China envy.”READ Catherine’s writing in The Bulwark: https://substack.com/@catherinerampell/postsREAD Scott’s writing: https://www.cato.org/people/scott-lincicome
- May 17, 202655 min
BEST OF: Kasie Hunt on Her Career & Trump
In this Best Of episode, we revisit our June 2025 conversation with CNN Anchor and Chief National Affairs Analyst Kasie Hunt! It's a very fun conversation covering her work and what inspired her to follow her passion for journalism.She discusses the early days of her career covering Obama, Congress, and the passage of the Affordable Care Act. We also talk about how much Congress and the information ecosystem has changed over the years. And Kasie shares her thoughts about watching Donald Trump pardon the rioters on his first day back in office after being present in the Capitol that day.Plus, immigration raids, tariffs and the Big, Beautiful, Bill. Trump and the Republicans might actually pass the BBB, but at what cost to working Americans?WATCH Kasie on CNN, weekdays at 4pm ET: https://www.cnn.com/profiles/kasie-huntSUPPORT THE PODCAST BY VISITING OUR SPONSORS:Save money on your wireless bill with Mint Mobile. Visit https://www.mintmobile.com/franken. Make sure you tell them you heard about this deal from The Al Franken Podcast!Get up to 15% off your skincare subscription needs at https://www.oneskin.co/frankenSave money on your insurance bills with SelectQuote! Visit https://www.selectquote.com/franken today!
- May 10, 202653 min
Rep. Rosa DeLauro on Congressional Chaos
Guest Host Norm Ornstein welcomes Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) to cover all the news happening in Congress. We cover the war in Iran and how it’s driving prices up across the country and the world, consequently having a major impact on Americans' wallets. DeLauro calls this a "war of choice" and discusses what Congress can realistically do to invoke the War Powers Act and reclaim its constitutional authority.DeLauro is the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee and reveals how the Trump administration is taking the power of the purse away from Congress. Plus, the midterms are rapidly approaching. Can Democrats make enough gains to slow down the Trump administration?SUPPORT THE SHOW BY VISITING OUR SPONSORS:Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Get free shipping and 365-Day returns at https://www.quince.com/franken
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About The Al Franken Podcast
A five-time Emmy winning SNL comedy writer/producer, joins a four-time #1 NYT bestselling author, a three-time highest-rated national progressive radio host, a two-time Grammy winning artist, and a former US Senator. So, it gets a little crowded in the booth when Al talks public policy and sometimes political comedy with notable guests. Think “The Daily” without the resources of the NYTimes.
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