Shows / Political Theater
Political Theater
Have you ever asked, “WTF?,” about politics? Or, “who are these people making decisions about my life?” Political Theater pulls back the curtain on the stunts, antics and motivations that drive Washington. Host Jason Dick and the Roll Call team spotlight the spectacle, the players and what’s going on behind the curtain in Washington’s long-running drama: Congress.
Episodes
- Political Theater
'You expected to die of dieseases' — Lessons from past pandemics
This isn't the first pandemic the United States, and Washington, has grappled with in the last century. But there are some key differences in our culture, like…
- Political Theater
Dulcé Sloan is not a 'celebrity'
The comedian and ‘The Daily Show’ correspondent dives into her new podcast ‘That Black Ass Show’, how she keeps her comedy personal and why she still has to…
- Political Theater
Not even a pandemic can budge America's political dynamics
We're less than six months away from Election Day and the political dynamics have changed little: Donald Trump is a slight underdog for re-election, control of…
- Political Theater
A formidable coronavirus meets its match: New Jersey gas stations, liquor control boards
The coronavirus pandemic has upended daily life as we know. But the coronavirus might have met its match in some truly indelible parts of our culture: full…
- Political Theater
“Out of the blue … all hell broke loose”: Mario Diaz-Balart on his COVID-19 recovery
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart was the first member of Congress to disclose he had COVID-19, and he tells Political Theater about those first scary days of…
- Political Theater
What we learned, or didn’t, from the Ebola crisis
What lessons did the U.S. government learn from its success in clamping down on the 2014 Ebola epidemic in fighting the coronavirus pandemic? “We did basically…
- Political Theater
What happens when you lose track of your own story
When we started realizing how significant the coronavirus pandemic was shaping up to be, we wanted to cover not just the story, but how we covered it. At…
- Political Theater
It's not chaos: This is how debate in the Senate should look
Congress has worked hard to address the human and economic costs of the coronavirus pandemic. Amid this work, some senators have gotten testy on the floor…
- Political Theater
One Mike, two Mike, red Mike, blue Mike.
There are 24 men named Mike on the Hill. It’s the most popular name up there, followed closely by John. To put that into context, there are more men named Mike…
- Political Theater
"Slay the Dragon" attempts to humanize gerrymandering
A new documentary, "Slay the Dragon" explores what happens when voters fight back against gerrymandering. Jason Dick is joined by the directors of the film…
- Political Theater
Comedian Margaret Cho makes the personal laughable
Margaret Cho has been called a political comedian, but to her political comedy is just a part of the authenticity she strives for. On this episode of Political…
- Political Theater
Gearing up for many upcoming Un-Super Tuesdays
So it turns out Super Tuesday was pretty spectacular. Race dynamics changed dramatically, several marquee House and Senate races were set up and the stage is…
- Political Theater
Our Texas-sized Super Tuesday Jamboree
Everything is bigger in Texas, and Texas is even bigger when it's part of Super Tuesday. And while the Democratic presidential primary gets a lot of attention…
- Political Theater
Nevada is next: takeaways from the state's early caucuses
Taco trucks, cookies and a ‘Battle Born’ caucus interview with Julián Castro: CQ Roll Call reporter Niels Lesniewski joins Political Theater to share some of…
- Political Theater
The upside of populism: A chat with Daron Acemoglu
With populist leaders like President Donald Trump and Sen. Bernie Sanders leading their parties' primaries, it seems people are fed up with their current…
- Political Theater
New Hampshire scramble: Dems power into primary with little clarity
New Hampshire's 2020 Democratic primary was the mirror image of Republicans' 2016 primary. We're still lacking clarity even as the the field winnows. One thing…
- Political Theater
Donald Trump: How to win kitsch and influence people
President Donald Trump's State of the Union was a master class in deploying conservative rhetoric, entertainment kitsch and Americana tropes before a televised…
- Political Theater
Wildest caucus ever? Iowa goes down to the wire
Less than one week to go, and it's anyone's guess who will win the Iowa Caucuses. What's the biggest thing on Iowans' minds as they decide? Impeachment?…
- Political Theater
Comic Maz Jobrani is seriously funny about politics
In a special edition of Political Theater, PhD drop out and comic Maz Jobrani takes Heard on the Hill's Kathryn Lyons "back to school" to talk Trump hecklers…
- Political Theater
The White House and The Lion King
There is a lot to learn from covering the White House for four years. For former CQ Roll Call White House correspondent John T. Bennett, that included the…
- Political Theater
Impeachment Clouds Hang over Iowa Debate
This week's Democratic presidential debate in Iowa was the last chance for the significantly winnowed field to make a big impression -- not just before the…
- Political Theater
Waiting for Pelosi: The Senate theater of the absurd
Senators are getting a little antsy waiting for Speaker Nancy Pelosi to deliver articles of impeachment of Donald Trump so they can start a trial. We spent the…
- Political Theater
Picture perfect: CQ Roll Call's photographers explain their favorite images of 2019
From Jon Stewart’s smirk to a scrum at the Iowa State Fair to the frenzy surrounding former presidential aide Hope Hicks, CQ Roll Call photographers explain…
- Political Theater
Sitting at 'Desk 88' with Sen. Sherrod Brown
Democrat Sherrod Brown was first elected to the House in 1992 and just won a third Senate term in 2018. Perhaps aware of the history that surrounds him and his…
- Political Theater
The ‘center’ of Mitch McConnell's legacy building
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is not shy about using his namesake McConnell Center at the University of Louisville as a platform for showcasing his…
- Political Theater
Off-year election debrief: Trump 'always makes it about him'
It is tempting to read into 2019's off-year elections for clues into next year’s big political brouhaha. Since President Donald Trump campaigned in many of…
- Political Theater
When Art Imitates Life: "The Report"
The new movie "The Report" turns to real life to create art. The film is based on the Senate Intelligence Committee's torture report of 2014. Senate…
- Political Theater
The four most likely scenarios for 2020 elections, explained
The 2020 elections are shaping up as the most significant in memory, but predicting them is a handicapper's nightmare. Nevertheless, CQ Roll Call Elections…
- Political Theater
The most vulnerable 2020 House and Senate incumbents, explained
One year out from Election Day 2020 and Senate Republicans and House Democrats find themselves in parallel universes. The GOP is on defense in Senate races…
- Political Theater
From Impeachment's High Solemnity to High Farce
Every impeachment inquiry has its own distinct identity. CQ Roll Call contributor Finlay Lewis discusses the first impeachment inquiry he covered, that of…
- Political Theater
Inside the unique tributes to Elijah Cummings
The memorials for the late Rep. Elijah E. Cummings illustrate the unique way the nation remembers figures like him, a tradition of grieving both in public and…
- Political Theater
Between a Trump and a hard place
Republican senators up for re-election in swing states have a delicate balance to strike. They need to get almost all Republican voters in their column while…
- Political Theater
The Supreme Court is ready for its closeup
Hot topics? The Supreme Court’s got ‘em this term. LGBTQ rights. Guns. Immigration. With the High Court's new term starting Monday, CQ Roll Call legal affairs…
Political TheaterThis is not your father's impeachment
The conventional wisdom is that impeachment could imperil Democrats in 2020. But beware the conventional wisdom, and relying on dated data and small sample…
Political TheaterThat 70s show: Biden Edition
Joe Biden is among the most recognizable politicians. But even he was an upstart once. In 1972, he was just a 29-year old lawyer running an uphill race against…
Political TheaterK Street doesn't want your retired and hungry lawmakers
Lobbying firms on K Street and trade associations used to be a sure bet for retiring members of Congress. Not anymore. Julian Ha, a recruiter on K Street and…
Political Theater2018 election wraps up in NC with poll showing Democrat in lead
When voters in North Carolina's 9th district vote in the Sept. 10 special election, the 2018 election cycle will finally conclude. Democrat Dan McCready is…
Political TheaterStage managing ’The Trump Show on the Road’ in Biarritz
How do you plan for the unplanned? That was the challenge for advance teams paving the way for the recent G-7 summit in Biarritz, France, and for President…
Political TheaterMysteries of the Senate, bathtubs and beyond.
Politicians and pundits are fond of saying that Washington has never been more polarized and that the Senate in particular may never recover from…
Political TheaterThe Iowa State Fair: Our hits, misses and lessons learned
For all its quaintness and fun, the Iowa State Fair does a pretty good job of approximating politics at the national level, be it questions about electability…
Political TheaterIowa State Fair: Why do you have to come here to be president?
Iowa plays a big role in presidential politics because of its first in the nation caucuses. Even by that standard, though, this time around feels busier, and…
Political TheaterThe Iowa State Fair: A day in the deep-fried life
Yes, there are lot of politicians who attend the Iowa State Fair to court voters. But there is so much else to this unique event, from the almost 70 fried…
Political TheaterThe Iowa State Fair: Our pro-active primer on politics, pork and public officials
Political Theater is heading to the Iowa State Fair to check out how the 2020 races for president, Senate and four competitive House races are shaping up in…
Political Theater'The Great Hack,' Cambridge Analytica and our blurred reality
How do you make a story about data interesting? That was the challenge of documentary The Great Hack. Filmmaker Karim Amer discusses the challenges and human…
Political TheaterRobert Mueller was sobering. That spilled over to D.C. bars
The Mueller Report might animate members of Congress and political operatives, but when it comes to drawing people to the bar in D.C., it's no contest: They'd…
Political TheaterGet used to it: Trumpism with or without Trump
Why does President Donald Trump attack his opponents so viciously, sometimes using racist tropes? Because it’s effective. And Republicans know that. Our…
Political TheaterHarry Reid in winter: still grappling, and dabbling, in politics
Harry Reid might have retired from the Senate in 2017 and started battling cancer in 2018, but the former Democratic leader doesn’t seem to be the retiring…
Political Theater‘Mike Wallace is Here‘ shows how we got here
The new film “Mike Wallace is Here,” shows how legendary journalist Mike Wallace shaped modern journalism and politics. But this world is one where journalists…
Political TheaterField notes from a North Carolina runoff and a reparations hearing
A North Carolina House race is dividing the GOP in Washington, D.C., reports CQ Roll Call's senior political reporter Simone Pathé. And Clyde McCrady talks…
Political TheaterJames Inhofe and the art of the bipartisan joke
As the Senate starts to debate one of the most consequential policy bills, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the chairman of the committee that is…
Political Theater‘Running with Beto’: the off-stage version of Beto O’Rourke
It was on when Beto O'Rourke, center fielder for the Los Diablitos de El Paso, jumped up on hay bale when filmmaker David Modigliani, first baseman for the…
Political TheaterWhy the Grim Reaper thing works for Mitch McConnell
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is a successful politician without being a typical one. He's proudly uncharismatic, relatively unpopular in his home…
Political TheaterWhen Werner Met Mikhail in "Meeting Gorbachev“
Everything about Werner Herzog becomes theater. His documentary “Meeting Gorbachev” combines his iconic narrative style, never-before-seen footage of the last…
Political TheaterGet used to talking about Pennsylvania
For pure Political Theater, it will be hard to beat Pennsylvania during the 2020 campaign. The Keystone State will be, well, key to an Electoral College…
Political TheaterThese Democratic women don't want to be 'show ponies'
Five Democratic freshmen, all women with military or intelligence backgrounds, are banding together to help each other fundraise for their 2020 races. They all…
Political TheaterMovie Night: The Catholic priest who shepherded civil rights
A documentary about the late Notre Dame president Fr. Theodore Hesburgh, a real life "Forrest Gump" who challenged presidents and popes in the last…
Political TheaterWho's afraid of gerrymandering?
Political gerrymandering is losing friends fast, at least in the courts. Ohio and Michigan recently got smacked by federal judges for rigging the maps in favor…
Political TheaterMovie Night: "Hail Satan?"
Penny Lane’s documentary “Hail Satan?” is among the most entertaining civics lessons to come around in a long time. Chronicling in jaunty manner the origins…
Political TheaterNo holds Barr as Democrats grill attorney general
Anytime Attorney General William Barr talks about the Mueller report it’s a big deal. It's a bigger deal in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Add a…
Political TheaterMovie Night: "Knock Down the House"
If you listen to this podcast, you know Jason Dick loves movies, especially if they relate to politics. So on occasion, we’re going to bring you conversations…