The base wants the sugar, the fat, and the salt — not someone afraid to say how they're different from Trump. Plus, DeSantis doesn't want to face the CPAC straw poll, Trump attacks Fox, and Paul Ryan doesn't see the world has moved on. Rick Wilson joins Charlie Sykes for the weekend pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Master interlocutor Mehdi Hasan says come to a debate prepared — bring receipts and know the other side's best argument better than they do. And Democrats: The heart beats the head almost every time. So, don't bring a policy paper to a knife fight. Hasan joins Charlie Sykes today. Show Notes Mehdi's book: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250853479/wineveryargument Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People over 40 tend to see themselves as about 20% younger than their actual age. Is it because aging is seen as bad — or because they're optimistic that they have many years ahead? Plus, living with long Covid, and John Fetterman's depression. Jennifer Senior joins Charlie Sykes today. Show notes Jennifer's recent Atlantic articles: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/04/subjective-age-how-old-you-feel-difference/673086/ https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/02/john-fetterman-checks-into-hospital-clinical-depression-stroke/673112/ https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/02/long-covid-symptoms-chronic-illness-disability/673057/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The former Speaker of the House tells Charlie Sykes a Reagan 2.0 candidate would have a shot in '24. He also discusses his relationship with McCarthy, how the base has evolved, and how he thinks Fox has "proper" conservative voices despite Tucker Carlson. Ryan and Sykes spoke at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scott Adams has the right to carry on about white victimhood, and newspapers have the free speech right to drop him. Plus, after the Ohio train wreck, is Biden — with his global leadership — showing shades of Bush 41? Will Saletan is back with Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Georgia jury forewoman needs to stop talking, Norma Desmond took a break from Mar-a-Lago, Charlie and Tim disagree on Roald Dahl, and DeSantis lectures New Yorkers on law & order while the big cities in Florida have a higher crime rate. Tim Miller joins Charlie Sykes for the weekend pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fox isn't news, and it isn't propaganda. It's about getting the biggest audience it can, to make the most money it possibly can. And Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity are more powerful than elected GOP leaders — even if they're afraid of their own audience. Brian Rosenwald joins Charlie Sykes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With abortion and election integrity on the line, Democrats got the opponent they wanted for the most consequential election of 2023. Plus, Joe Biden at 80 is coming into his own presidency. The view from Wisconsin: Bill Lueders joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Conspiracy theories had been gaining ground in the GOP before Trump, but after he became conspiracy-theorist-in chief, many of his fans dove into conspiracies too. QAnon now has 10 million followers, and Trump is the messiah figure at its center. Will Sommer joins Charlie Sykes today. Will Sommer's "Trust the Plan": https://www.harpercollins.com/products/trust-the-plan-will-sommer?variant=40493482541090 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Biden went to an active war zone, Lindsey Graham shows his old McCain-sidekick self, DeSantis weighs in on Ukraine, the Michigan GOP disconnects from reality, and MTG takes the leap from sedition to secession. Will Saletan is back with Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The text messages in the Dominion case show that Fox was intentionally pushing lies about 2020 — lies that led to violence. And Trump is one step away from wearing a T-shirt that says "Yes, I COUP'D!" David Frum joins Charlie Sykes for the weekend pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Pence is erasing his own profile in courage by trying to resist special counsel Jack Smith's subpoena, a Mar-a-Lago document prosecution is still viable, and Ben Wittes — who once challenged Putin to a fistfight — is still irritating the Russians. Wittes joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In early 2021, both Kushner and Trump needed a game plan for making money. MBS — who both men had helped to consolidate power and literally get away with murder — came to the rescue with billions of dollars. Michael Kranish joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Even people who aren't racist and aren't anti-trans can get rubbed the wrong way by the heavy-handed puritanical approach of the woke movement. Plus, Nikki Haley's bromides from the Republican Party of 10 years ago. Damon Linker joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What is flying above us? Is it more than sky garbage? Meanwhile, the House GOP radar is against whatever Joe Biden does. Plus, Trump's opinions about women's clothing, and the former first family feeding at the teat of MBS. Will Saletan's back with Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The weaponization committee hearing was an embarrassing bust. Plus, James O'Keefe's love of musicals, the karma of calling DeSantis a groomer — and Charlie has Covid and he still showed up for your Super Bowl weekend pod with Tim. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The drunken heckling caucus around Marjorie Taylor Greene is not out of control — it did exactly what its voters sent them to do. And Tucker Carlson is playing to that base, which has contempt for people with an education. Tom Nichols joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Biden's shrewd State of the Union address played rope-a-dope with Republicans, and he relished the scrum. Plus, Trump goes classic and pulls the groomer card on DeSantis. A.B. Stoddard joins Charlie Sykes on today's podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The balloon set off a performance theater among members of Congress that was unbecoming of their rank and office, Lt. Gen Mark Hertling tells Charlie Sykes on today's podcast. Plus, how Jan 6 has impacted education at military colleges, and an update on the war in Ukraine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It wouldn't have mattered how Biden had handled the balloon — Republicans would have said he was weak. Plus, the art of donning an AR-15 pin to trigger the libs, and Elon Musk is amplifying Russian propaganda. Will Saletan's back with Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Too many normies STILL won't say "Never Trump," but Paul Ryan may be coming around. Plus, Kari keeps pretending to be governor, Hugh Hewitt is leg-humpy, and Charlie wants Dark Brandon to go out in a flak jacket and pop the balloon. Your weekend pod with Charlie Sykes and Tim Miller. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Merrick Garland likes to say that no one is above the law, but the DOJ's own guidelines make it clear that some people are more equal than others. And no one exemplifies the disparities in our criminal justice system better than Donald Trump. Elie Honig joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump has longed complained about a deep state plot to smear him with the Russia investigation, but the Durham probe of that investigation comes off as highly partisan, unethical, and loony. Charlie Savage joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

History became more politicized in the Trump era and the conservative media ecosystem has helped amplify untruths. Princeton's Kevin Kruse and Julian Zelizer join Charlie Sykes to explain the value of learning both our good and bad history. We can handle the truth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Training and diversity are not enough — cops who break the law must be prosecuted. Plus, the normalization of political violence around Jan 6 and the attack on Paul Pelosi, and Steve Bannon goes deeper on election denialism. Will Saletan joins Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Republicans are so out of touch, their public brand is in trouble. Plus, MTG is Queen of the GOP, Schlapp is too sleazy for Gaetz, and party types are praying for a Trump heart attack. Oh, and Tim Miller tells Charlie Sykes he wants to hang with Kari Lake. Your weekend pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It took a lot of arm-twisting, but the West has finally committed to arming Ukraine with battle tanks — not only to boost its defenses, but also to take the fight to the Russians. And Crimea is now in play. Michael Weiss joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Biden has been seen as scandal-free, but his classified docs case may cost him a big political asset: the benefit of the doubt. Plus, Trump's map in the '24 primaries looks smaller. And the fallout from the arrest of a former FBI agent with ties to Russia. Jonathan Alter joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Republicans may have underperformed in the midterms, but the RNC chair fight is not about changing the party's direction. For the base, it's about out-suing the "cheating" Democrats. Plus, the free-for-all in Chicago's mayoral race, and the Oscar noms. Dave Weigel joins Charlie Sykes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The pro-life movement, undaunted by the midterms, is pushing for more restrictions— and the political backlash will be severe. Plus, give Ukraine the tanks, and don't invite Donald Trump to your funeral. Will Saletan's back with Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Republicans are back to extortion and holding the debt ceiling hostage after adding $4.7 trillion to the deficit during the Trump years — and that was before the pandemic. Why risk financial market chaos? Catherine Rampell joins Charlie Sykes for the weekend pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before John Kelly became chief of staff, he thought the chaos at the White House was due to the people around Trump. Instead, each day was about getting through the day without Trump doing something illegal, immoral, or damaging to himself or the country. Mike Schmidt joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The shift in attitudes about defense and foreign policy in Germany has been dramatic since the war in Ukraine began. Plus, will ripping off a dying dog be the tipping point for George Santos? Bill Kristol — fresh off a series of meetings in Berlin — joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New York Times-bound David French tells Charlie Sykes how he re-thought same-sex marriage, how he felt he was living in a bubble, and how religious liberty is more strongly protected than it's ever been. Plus, the inevitability of George Santos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

RonAnon Johnson wanted to get beat up on "Meet the Press" — so he could weaponize it. Plus, the active moving backward from MLK's dream, Trump gets the ultimate whataboutism, debt ceiling dangers, and a football confession. Will Saletan's back with Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former RNC Chair Michael Steele had a front-row seat for the start of the ugly transformation at CPAC. Racist rhetoric has now been normalized, and they're not even pretending anymore. Steele joins Charlie Sykes for the weekend pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Watching from a distance, former Rep. Kinzinger tells Charlie Sykes that House moderates have a lot of power they're not willing to use, while the Freedom Caucus —AKA "The Terror Club" — is willing to shoot hostages. Plus, McCarthy will say whatever he needs to say to stay in power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Without his secret pact, Kevin McCarthy likely would not be Speaker. Now, the American public — and members of Congress — are in the dark about the terms of McCarthy's agreement. Plus, will Joe Biden's classified documents sink a prosecution of Trump? Aaron Blake joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump rarely leaves his 'weird' smelling, moldy mansion, he seems bored and tired, and D-List MAGA are his main loyalists now. Plus, Olivia and Charlie go all in on the parallels to the film, Sunset Boulevard. Olivia Nuzzi joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

McCarthy paid the ransom, Bannon is openly supporting violence in Brazil, and even normie Republicans are prepared to put the US economy at risk. Plus, Charlie and Will disagree on Hakeem Jeffries' speech. Will Saletan's back with Charlie Sykes for Charlie and Will Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The hijackers have the energy in the House, Biden is quietly succeeding, no-mentum Trump's biggest fear is being ignored, DeSantis is a closet wimp, and George Santos doesn't respond to his name — is his name fake too? A.B. Stoddard joins Charlie Sykes for the weekend pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rep. Elise Stefanik was a star pupil and the future of the GOP — now she's joined the kids in the back of the class, whose only role in Congress is to generate outrage. Plus, Trump turned the party into a roadshow and McCarthy is paying the price. Nick Confessore joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

McCarthy thought he could appease the kamikaze caucus with cash and playing along with Stop the Steal — surprise, they'd rather ruin everything if they can't rule. CNN's John Avlon joins Charlie Sykes on today's pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The House Republican caucus is a jackal pack, with George Santos — the poster boy for our era of grift — along for the ride. Plus, 2023 is starting with green shoots of optimism, including a battered, bruised, and tired Donald Trump. Tom Nichols joins Charlie Sykes today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The clock is ticking down on whether to bring charges against Trump for what was essentially a "simple" scheme — a president wanted to stay in power even though he lost the election. Former DOJ prosecutor Andrew Weissmann joined Charlie Sykes for this encore episode from July. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

During his four years in office, Trump kept testing the weaknesses in our Constitutional system — and January 6 was the culmination of his war on the institutions of American government. Susan Glasser and Peter Baker's book, "The Divider" captures the threat Trump posed. But as they told Charlie Sykes, their book is not just history: It's also a prologue if he returns to power. This encore episode was originally released in September. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump is the product of an exacting and brutal father who undermined him in private, and his damaged childhood has impacted him ever since. In this encore episode from October, Maggie Haberman, author of "Confidence Man," told Charlie Sykes that Trump doesn't really trust anyone — and that the era of distrust we live in now is one of his biggest legacies.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve Bannon is a card-carrying member of the coastal elite, but he's trying to light a bonfire under American democracy. An intelligent, well-read man in the same category as Tucker Carlson, Bannon's genius is in polarizing people. The Atlantic's Jennifer Senior joined Charlie Sykes in this encore episode from June.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices