Podcast Wednesday: Politics Podcasts
So as you may have noticed, there are changes afoot on the blog, with every day getting its own special weekly post. I'm doing this so I can better plan ahead, while still leaving room to post on whatever comes to mind. I'll continue to unveil the news Topicname Dayoftheweek titles as the week unfolds. Don't expect any massive surprises though. My interests are what they are.
Right now, "Podcast Wednesday" will basically be the same as my ongoing "my favorite X podcasts" series but with a new name on a new day and with my meager attempts at branding. However, that's a temporary situation. You see, there are only so many genres of podcasts for me to cover. So when I am done with those, this weekly post will change. I'm not entirely sure into what. Possibly recs for my favorite podcast episodes of the week.
Well, okay. That was a lot of general preamble, so let's get into specific preamble. Much as in political humor, this list is going to be very slanted. These are, after all, my faves. So, let's go.
Pod Save America
If you read my favorite political podcasts, you saw this one coming a MILE away. This is the podcast where, on Mondays, three guys who worked at the Obama WH talk about politics. And then, as a massive change of pace, on Thursdays, one of those guys talks with a different guy who used to work at the Obama WH. The two podcasts aren't really the same, though. Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, and Tommy Vietor, who do the Monday show, were all on the communications side. Spokespeople and speechwriters. They're media guys, and they're also the co-founders of Crooked Media, the company behind Pod Save America. Dan Pfeiffer, who does the Thursday show with Favreau, is a policy guy, a former Senior Advisor to the President.
Vox's The Weeds
You want to go deep on stuff? The Weeds will go DEEP on stuff. Just like PSA, this is a podcast from an explicitly progressive media entity. But it is very facts and details oriented. They go deeper on policy than most media outlets of any kind. Their recent episode on MS13 was a terrific example of that.
FiveThirtyEight Politics
If you want numbers, this is the place to go. Naturally, from a website helmed by Nate Silver, this podcast focuses a lot on polling, but they also go quite deep at times. And they are about facts, not about presenting a balanced narrative no matter what the situation may be (hi, NY Times!). The very recent departure of Harry Enten will probably have an impact, as he was a core member of the team, but we'll see how they go from here.
Says Who?
I considered putting this one in the Political Humor post, because hosts Maureen Johnson and Dan Sinker are often very funny. But this isn't that. This podcast was originally created as a way to process things during the last couple of months of the 2016 elections. It was all supposed to end on Election Night, in a live video streamed podcast. But history took a turn, and Johnson and Sinker decided that the pod's mission of "this isn't a podcast, it's a coping strategy" was still very relevant. If you're a lefty who wants to commiserate and try and figure shit out with two very smart people for about an hour every two weeks, this is the podcast for you.
Pod Save The People
This is another podcast from Crooked Media, but with a different slant. Lead by activist DeRay Mckesson, this podcast focuses on social issues, especially those pertaining to race. This is what makes it so interesting, but it's also what makes it far more relevant to Americans. It's a very good show, but I often find myself skipping it due to the local focus.
NPR Politics Podcast
I do have one podcast from a journalistic entity with no activist agenda. Some of you may say, "NPR? They're a bunch of leftists!" Maybe they are, in their private lives, but this podcast, while extremely well done, is often too concerned with the political horse race, and judging political acts mostly by how they affect - and are affected by - that, to a degree that can turn me off.
