The Abortion Debate Returns With Risks For Both Parties

Some voters are in the dark about which districts they live in and who their candidates are because officials in several states and the president are obsessed with redrawing congressional maps. The latest push on redistricting comes after the Supreme Court struck down parts of the Voting Rights Act. Also, public health officials are clear: hantavirus is different from COVID and highly unlikely to cause a global pandemic. But is our government ready for the next health crisis?    And RFK Jr talks a lot about Making America Healthy Again. But so far, he’s getting politically beaten up by the junk food lobby.  Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene  Guests:  Elizabeth Bruenig, staff writer, The Atlantic (@ebruenig) Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch (@whignewtons)

The Supreme Court gutted a key piece of the Voting Rights Act, and Louisiana lawmakers are moving fast to redraw district maps ahead of this year’s midterms. The decision could help Republicans’ chances to hold on to their House majority, while delivering a blow to Black representation in Congress.  Conspiracy theories spread fast after last weekend’s attempted attack on the president. Some people said without any evidence that it was staged as a distraction from the Iran War or Trump’s approval numbers, or even a ploy to get the White House ballroom built. What do you do when conspiracy theories move faster than facts? Plus, King Charles III’s charm offensive to mend U.S.-U.K. relations, which are at an historic low because of Britain’s lack of support for the Iran War. We look at if that can be fixed with a royal touch. Mo Elleithee joins on the left, and Sarah Isgur is with us from the right. Producer: Leo Duran Host: Susan Davis Guests:  Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons

Democrats claimed victory in Virginia to redraw district maps and flip as many as four seats from Republicans in Congress. It’s the latest in a gerrymandering arms race to control the House that started with the Texas GOP, but where does it end? We talk about the President’s negotiating tactics in Iran. It’s also a big test for Vice President J.D. Vance to prove himself on the international stage. But with little to show so far, what does it mean for his aspirations to the White House? Plus, Congress takes up a huge bill to address food and farming in America. However, the typical left/right divide is scrambled by the Make America Healthy Again movement. Liz Bruenig joins from the left, and Sarah Isgur is with us on the right. Producer: Leo Duran Host: McKay Coppins, staff writer, The Atlantic (@mckaycoppins)  Guests:  Elizabeth Bruenig, staff writer, The Atlantic (@ebruenig) Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch (@whignewtons)

Pope Leo’s call for peace evidently didn’t sit well with President Trump. He lashed out and called the Pope bad for foreign policy, while Vice President JD Vance lectured the pontiff to be careful when opining on matters of theology.  The president’s next move in Iran is a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, but is it an effective strategy to force negotiations, or could it backfire and possibly embolden China? Also, what Viktor Orban’s fall as Hungary’s leader could tell us about the health of far-right movements. Plus, we chat with Sarah Isgur about her new book that takes us inside the Supreme Court, “Last Branch Standing.”  Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene  Guests:  Mike Dubke, veteran GOP communications strategist and advisor. He was the White House Comms Director under Donald Trump in 2017 - @MikeDubke Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons

President Trump wanted the Iran War to end quickly after six weeks of fighting, and so he issued a dire threat: submit or he will “end an entire civilization.” Now we’re in a fragile two-week ceasefire for negotiations. The White House says the warning was necessary to get us to this point, but critics called it reckless. Congress also returns to DC after its two-week recess, and it’s back to the continuing standoff on funding for the Department of Homeland Security. What can we expect from a legislative branch that was already struggling to get much done before a midterm election year? Plus we reflect on the meaning of the Artemis mission and whether it puts all our partisan battles in perspective.  Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene  Guests:  Mike Dubke, veteran GOP communications strategist and advisor. He was the White House Comms Director under Donald Trump in 2017 - @MikeDubke Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee