Episode Details

Chuck Todd begins with new polling that shows that the more Donald Trump enacts his promised agenda, the less the public likes it. He also highlights that Trump is underwater with the public on immigration, which was his strongest issue. Chuck also discusses the many distraction tactics Trump has unsuccessfully deployed to distract from the Epstein files, and previews the brewing battle over gerrymandering.

Then, Harvard professor and former presidential candidate Lawrence Lessig joins Chuck Todd to tackle one of America's most persistent political problems: campaign finance reform. Despite overwhelming public support for getting money out of politics, meaningful reform has remained elusive for decades. Lessig discusses his innovative legal strategy to challenge Super PACs at the Supreme Court, arguing that if direct campaign contributions can be limited, then unlimited Super PAC spending should face the same restrictions. He explains how an originalist interpretation of the First Amendment could win over conservative justices like Barrett and Gorsuch, potentially ending the era of unlimited political spending that has dominated elections since Citizens United.

The conversation expands beyond campaign finance to explore broader constitutional reforms, including the possibility of a constitutional convention that could address everything from electoral college reform to fractional voting systems. Lessig argues that both Trump supporters and traditional Democrats share a desire to reduce the influence of money in politics, creating unprecedented bipartisan momentum for change. He envisions citizens assemblies that could help reconnect politics with ordinary Americans' concerns, while discussing practical reforms like multi-member districts and proportional electoral vote allocation that states could implement immediately. The episode offers both hope and concrete pathways for restoring democratic governance "by the people" rather than by wealthy donors and special interests.

Finally, Chuck gives his thoughts on The Open Championship, the lack of leadership for the Washington Nationals and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.

Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Introduction

02:45 The more Trump succeeds on his terms, the less popular he becomes

04:15 Trump’s aggressive immigration approach is receiving backlash

08:00 The public is starting to feel the pain from Trump’s economic agenda

10:00 A strong majority believe Trump isn’t prioritizing deporting criminals

12:00 Immigration was Trump’s best issue, now he’s underwater in polling

14:00 Deportations will have a massive negative effect on the economy

15:30 All of Trump’s policies will contribute to inflation

17:15 The public wants the Fed to remain independent.

19:15 Trump’s approval rating has continually dropped

21:00 America could end up with a string of one term presidents

22:00 89% of Americans want the Epstein files released

23:00 Tulsi Gabbard’s Obama/Russia conspiracy is a distraction from Epstein

26:00 Russian election interference has been proven

28:00 Trump’s latest distraction is demanding sports teams change names

29:45 Trump demanded release of grand jury testimony to buy time

32:15 Michael Wolff says Epstein believed Trump turned him in 

33:45 Huge battle brewing over gerrymandering/redistricting

35:15 Democrats willing to cede the moral high ground and aggressively gerrymander

37:00 Trump has normalized anti-democratic behavior

39:00 A constitutional convention could address many modern issues

40:15 Professor Lawrence Lessig joins The Chuck ToddCast! 

42:15 Why can't we get traction on campaign finance reform? 

43:45 Most Americans want reform but don't think it's possible 

45:45 Is Trump's "pay to play" system making reform more likely? <