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Full Episode - Both Parties Showing Cracks After Government Shutdown + How Democrats Can Win In Appalachia
On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck breaks down the political fallout from the ending of the longest government shutdown in history— and what it revealed about both parties’ internal divides. He also answers listeners’ questions regarding the shutdown.
Then, former intelligence officer and Democratic senate candidate from Kentucky Joel Willett joins Chuck Todd for a wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation — from his post-9/11 path into military service to the experiences that pushed him toward the Democratic Party. They highlight the parallels between his own story and JD Vance’s, offering candid thoughts on Hillbilly Elegy and how addiction, inequality, and disillusionment shape modern politics. He argues that the fentanyl crisis can’t be solved by policing supply alone — the real solution lies in investing in treatment, healthcare access, and rebuilding opportunity in communities like his home state of Kentucky.
The conversation turns sharp as Willett critiques senate Democrats’ handling of the recent shutdown deal, calling it a “betrayal of the public,” and weighs in on the Democrats’ leadership struggles, the GOP’s subservience to Trump, and the erosion of national security norms. From the dangers of AI-era inequality to the growing politicization of the intelligence community, Willett warns that without courage and reform, even the institutions built to protect democracy could falter.
Finally, he gives his update ToddCast Top 5 Senate seats most likely to flip parties, and answers more non-shutdown related questions in “Ask Chuck”
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Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
03:15 Shutdown fight wasn’t only about healthcare, Dems wanted a fight
05:00 Shutdown was impacting people who don’t follow politics & risky
05:45 Democrats are fighting over tactics, not policy
07:30 Democrats need a leadership change, but may not happen right away
08:30 There’s a growing divide amongst Republicans in congress
09:30 The trickle down economy isn’t working for most Americans
10:30 Voters will want more guardrails on economy to help inequality
11:30 Q&A - Shutdown related questions
11:45 Republicans control government, why aren’t they getting more blame?
13:00 Media mistakenly believes the public understands government
15:15 Johnson kept the house adjourned to avoid optics issues
17:15 Journalists need to explain politics in a way that’s accessible
18:15 How do you win a shutdown fight? Is it possible to win one?
20:00 Congress should find a way to make shutdowns impossible
21:30 Shutdowns are purely for partisan actors
24:30 Is a tough vote the only thing Democrats extracted from shutdown?
28:00 Schumer is a terrible communicator and can’t communicate the win
29:30 Why was the legislative process so dysfunctional?
33:45 We need a congressional leader to make the committee process wor
Published on 3 days, 13 hours ago