Shows / DSR's Words Matter
DSR's Words Matter
American politics is undergoing seismic changes that will alter the course of history. At Words Matter, we believe that facts, evidence, truth and objective reality are necessary and vital in public discourse. Our hosts and guests have broad experience in government, politics and journalism -- this gives them a unique ability to explain recent events and place them in historic context. Together, with fellow journalists, elected officials, policy-makers and thought-leaders, they will analyze the…
Episodes
- DSR's Words Matter
That Was a Great Win, Now for the Hard Part
For all intents and purposes, MAGA is dead. Unfortunately, Donald Trump is still in the White House, and despite the enormous victory this week, Dems have a…
- DSR's Words Matter
Buckle Up: Preparing for Trump’s Big Push to Steal the Election
The midterm elections are five days away and all signs indicate an impending Democratic tsunami. But don’t get distracted by trans athletes and the Cheesecake…
- DSR's Words Matter
Ignore America’s Young Voters at Your Peril
The 52nd Harvard Youth Poll makes it clear: America’s young voters demand change. Corruption and political polarization have jaded America’s youth, but there…
- DSR's Words Matter
Down to the Wire in a Battle for America’s Soul
We are eighteen days away from truly monumental midterm elections. There is reason for optimism - polling looks good, Republican efforts to cheat have been…
- DSR's Words Matter
The Gathering Storm
Republican crooks across the administration are now trying to distance themselves from Donald Trump ahead of November’s elections. Yet these Republicans like…
- DSR's Words Matter
A Conversation with Timothy Snyder: Winning is Essential…But it is Not Enough
There are reasons for optimism as we head into the 2026 midterms. Polling is showing that people are fed up with Trump and his policies, courts are holding…
- DSR's Words Matter
Is it Time for a Lickspittle Hall of Fame?
Donald Trump gave Xi Jinping quite the welcome after his arrival in Washington. At the same time Trump is trying to cuddle up to Beijing, he continues his…
- DSR's Words Matter
How Low Will the Mobster-in-Chief Go?
Donald Trump is shutting down the Kennedy Center because he can’t put his name on it. The Center, of course, being a memorial to a slain US president, not just…
- DSR's Words Matter
25 Years After 9/11 and the Greatest Threats We Face Are From Within
Almost every key official in the US government is currently playing a role to disrupt the upcoming midterms - whether it’s Todd Blanche, Howard Lutnick, or…
- DSR's Words Matter
The New Acronym to Remember the Great Lakes is S-H-A-M-E
Donald Trump just signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America. This, of course, gives us a fitting new acronym to remember the names of…
- DSR's Words Matter
No, No, Norm, It’s Much Worse Than That
The “Big Beautiful Bill” is certainly big, but it is the opposite of beautiful. The bill includes a trillion dollars in cuts to Medicaid, which have been…
- DSR's Words Matter
Lickspittles on Parade
Scandals and controversies abound in the Republican Party. Between serious allegations against Ohio Representative Miller and bitter infighting over Todd…
- DSR's Words Matter
Trump’s Biggest War is Against the American People
We are fast approaching midterm elections which Trump and his cronies will try to corrupt. Pete Hegseth is asking for more money to fund the most unpopular war…
- DSR's Words Matter
What to Do When Trump Tries to Steal the Next Election
Trump and his cronies are already laying the groundwork to get involved in this years’ elections. As Trump prepares to give a major speech on Thursday night…
- DSR's Words Matter
Dead or Alive, Mitch McConnell is a Bad Man
The Supreme Court would not be what it is today without Mitch McConnell. We would not have the six-person, ultra-conservative, corrupt majority that we have…
- DSR's Words Matter
America at a Crossroads for Our 250th Birthday
This Independence Day, we’re face with a stark reality: the values and ideals that lay the foundation of our democracy are consistently being undermined by a…
- DSR's Words Matter
Now Playing! Donald Trump and the Impeachables
Our Supreme Court can’t even pretend to uphold the integrity of the law anymore. We essentially have a lawless court, not a conservative court. Their latest…
- DSR's Words Matter
Breaking News: It Matters if the President is a Psychopath
The indecency and sociopathy of Donald Trump’s presidency is in sharp contrast with the leadership of past presidents. While Clinton, Obama and Bush all had…
- DSR's Words Matter
Meeting Trump’s Twisted Deviancy Halfway Is NOT The Answer for Dems
Donald Trump is more concerned with a UFC fight at the White House than he is with the well-being of Americans. Surprised? The administration that is so…
- DSR's Words Matter
Mary Trump: Donald is Losing it Fast
Donald Trump is becoming more and more dangerous as his physical and mental health unravels. This cognitive decline, however, has serious implications for…
- DSR's Words Matter
The One and Only Way to Truly Defeat the Trump Crime Family
Crime, crime, crime. Donald Trump and his cronies have absolutely zero concept of humility, of decency, or of anything other than corruption. No one is being…
- DSR's Words Matter
Is Trump America’s Greatest Criminal Mastermind?
Donald Trump is playing Grand Theft: US Treasury. The corruption is absolutely mind-boggling, and we need to call it like it is - he is stealing our money for…
- DSR's Words Matter
Gerrymandermaxxing: Can Dems Still Win in November?
Our democracy is failing. As we approach the midterm elections this year, the Republicans are doing all they can to corrupt our electoral process. With the…
- DSR's Words Matter
The Disease that is Killing the Justice Department... and Much of DC
The Justice Department is unrecognizable. It continuously violates and obstructs true justice. Instead, it effectively as Donald Trump’s own private law firm…
- DSR's Words Matter
It Is a Make or Break Moment for America
The Supreme Court is taking away your rights. The ruling gutting the Voting Rights Act isn’t based on sound legal decision-making - it represents strategic…
- DSR's Words Matter
We Need More Scorched Earth Dems!
Congress is broken. Justice is gone. Corruption runs rampant in our government, and our most vile politicians get off scot-free. Meanwhile, many still view the…
- DSR's Words Matter
The Man Who Collects Raccoon Private Parts is Not the Biggest Loon in Trumpworld
The lunatics are truly running the asylum formerly known as the White House. Sadly, a man who collects raccoon genitalia running the HHS isn’t even the…
- DSR's Words Matter
A Confederacy of Nutlicks
Corruption, dark money, and dangerous leadership - three elements that have characterized the Trump administration. We are governed by a maniac and his corrupt…
- DSR's Words Matter
Depravity as Far as the Eye Can See
Pam Bondi is out as attorney general. Todd Blanche is set to replace her, at least according to Trump. Why did Bondi’s firing come now? Was it the result of…
- DSR's Words Matter
Top House Dem: Trump’s Got No Good Options in Iran
Donald Trump’s war in Iran is turning into quicksand. With every decision he makes, we sink deeper into this conflict, and our President is nowhere close to…
- DSR's Words Matter
A Fiasco Wrapped In A Disaster Inside a Catastrophe
Trump cannot avert a national embarrassment even if he tried. From alienating our closest European allies, to destabilizing the global economy with his attack…
- DSR's Words Matter
Kleptocracy, Kakistocracy, Nihilocracy, Schemeocracy! This is a F**ckedupocracy
The Trump administration is a shining example of every terrible -ocracy you can imagine. As global oil prices skyrocket and conflict with Iran rages on, it’s…
- DSR's Words Matter
Trump’s Mental Meltdown (feat. Mary Trump)
Donald Trump is clearly declining - mentally, physically, and at the polls - and he knows it. What does this mean for the rest of Trump 2.0? What does the…
- DSR's Words Matter
Our Chances for Restoring Our Democracy are Hanging by a Thread
The SAVE Act is the next assault on democracy by this administration — and it might just be the biggest yet. Trump and his cronies are focusing on pulling out…
DSR's Words MatterSpecial Edition: Why the SCOTUS Tariff Decision May Lead to More Abuses of Power by Trump
The Supreme Court has ruled against Donald Trump’s tariff agenda in a major blow to his economic policy. Are we finally seeing real pushback against this…
- DSR's Words Matter
American Democracy at a Point of No Return
Concerns about an impending government shutdown are growing, and it is critical that the Democratic Party can adopt strong messaging to voters. There is no…
- DSR's Words Matter
Surveying the Devastation of the Past Week of Business as Usual Under Trump
Welcome to another week in Trump’s America. The President is “renovating” the Kennedy Center a la the East Wing of the White House, the Washington Post…
- DSR's Words Matter
Don't Believe the BS That Trump & His Goons Are Changing Tactics
Alex Pretti was murdered by ICE agents in Minneapolis. Where is the accountability? The Republican Party appears more concerned with public relations than…
- DSR's Words Matter
The One Big Thing We Need to Do to Save the Country
If Donald Trump is right about one thing, it’s that “we’ve never seen anything like this.” From the disastrous alienation of our NATO allies over Greenland, to…
- DSR's Words Matter
The Steps We Must Take to Stop Trump's American Gestapo
Donald Trump is now threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act to send federal troops to Minneapolis. The public outrage and protests over the killing of Renee…
- DSR's Words Matter
We Are Living in a Horror Movie...and the Monsters are in Charge
On Wednesday, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer brutally murdered Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis. Meanwhile, Donald Trump and other MAGA…
- DSR's Words Matter
In Search of Optimism About 2026
It’s been a disastrous year in American politics. Donald Trump is going around naming everything after himself and proclaiming everything is great while the…
- DSR's Words Matter
Reflecting on Rob Reiner and his Legacy
Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle were tragically murdered. Their son, who has history of struggles with addition and mental health, is currently the lead…
- DSR's Words Matter
MAGApocalypse Now
The Republican Senate just voted against extending the Affordable Care Act. Twenty million people could lose their healthcare coverage soon, and the…
- DSR's Words Matter
MAGA is Coming Apart at the Seams
Tuesday was a surprisingly difficult victory for the Republicans in red Tennessee. The speical election’s electoral results have a lot to tell us about the…
- DSR's Words Matter
A Curmudgeon's Guide to What to Be Thankful For
As we approach Thanksgiving in our current political climate, Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf ask - what is there to be thankful for? Donald Trump’s influence…
- DSR's Words Matter
How Much Worse Can It Get? (Spoiler Alert: Way Worse)
If the current political climate wasn’t bleak enough, Donald Trump is now calling for his political enemies to be executed. The transgression of these military…
- DSR's Words Matter
The Cruelty Is The Point
As deeply disturbing as our current political situation is, the consequences of dysfunction in Washington on average Americans is what really matters. Norm…
- DSR's Words Matter
We Moved a Step Closer to the End of MAGA This Week
The Tuesday elections were a massive success for the Democrats and a beacon of hope for the United States. Nevertheless, we are still living under a Donald…
- DSR's Words Matter
Crazier Craziness from Trump Lies Ahead
You may think you’ve seen crazy, but when it comes to Trump, you ain’t seen nothing yet. With SNAP benefits set to expire and the effects of the shutdown…
- DSR's Words Matter
Searching Through the Rubble of the White House for One Little Bit of Positive News
Donald Trump just tore down the East Wing of the White House. Yup, that’s right - the President of the United States, in the middle of a government shutdown…
- DSR's Words Matter
The Government's War on Democracy is a War on You
Words matter to the Trump administration, and their willingness to accept and embrace the most vile language and discourse is despicable. At the same time…
- DSR's Words Matter
The Big Reason Trump and MAGA Must Be Held to Account
"When they go low, we go high" is officially dead—and David Rothkopf and Norm Ornstein are here to unleash a scathing critique of the Democratic Party's…
- DSR's Words Matter
Welcome to a Government Shutdown Only A Mussolini Could Love
The current government shutdown is unlike any we have seen before. President Trump is turning this into a political assault on blue states, energy projects…
- DSR's Words Matter
“Budgets? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Budgets!"
Make no mistake - we are headed towards a government shutdown and it is a strategic move from the Trump administration. So what are the Democrats doing to…
- DSR's Words Matter
Freedom of Speech in America is on Life Support
“This is a 10,000-meter race to a full-blown police state, and they’re picking up speed.” The Trump administration is using the Charlie Kirk assassination as a…
- DSR's Words Matter
Post-9/11 We Tried to Unite, Following the Kirk Shooting it’s the Opposite
Yesterday, on September 10th, 2025, Charlie Kirk was assassinated. Today, September 11th, marks the 24th anniversary of the largest terrorist attack in U.S…
- DSR's Words Matter
It's Time for an End to the Bland Leading the Bland in the Democratic Party
Democratic leadership doesn’t seem to be up to the challenge of this new Trump era. Despite some strong Democratic figures fighting back, the party has been…
- DSR's Words Matter
Remember Voting? Those Were the Good Old Days!
President Trump met with Vladimir Putin and listened to him warn against mail-in voting. Then, Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders visited the White House…
- DSR's Words Matter
From Arby’s to Subway - a Week in Review
As if Trump’s authoritarian transgressions weren’t already blatant, the President has now deployed National Guard troops to “protect” our nation’s capital -…