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What A Day

What A Day

What A Day 1600 Episodes Oct 13, 2026

What A Day is a daily news podcast hosted by Jane Coaston that delivers in-depth reporting and analysis on the most important stories of the day in just 20 minutes. The show aims to provide substantive coverage without hype or fake outrage, covering both major news and overlooked topics. New episodes are released every weekday morning at 5:00 a.m. EST.

Episodes

Can We Reform the Court?
Can We Reform the Court? Oct 13, 2026 1913 The Supreme Court is back in session — and nearly two years into Trump’s presidency, we have more questions than ever about the justices' ethics rules, shadow docket, and more. Jane sat down with Strict Scrutiny co-host Kate Shaw to hear her four ideas to reform the highest court in the land.Show Notes: Check out Kate’s piece – https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/13/opinion/supreme-court-reform-democ
What’s the Method to the Midterm Madness?
What’s the Method to the Midterm Madness? Oct 12, 2026 1873 The 2026 midterm elections are anxiety inducing. Will Democrats take back the House? The Senate? Can we believe the polls? 2016 PTSD is getting real, so Jane spoke with POLITICO's Dasha Burns to break down what's really going on this cycle.Show Notes: ‘The Conversation with Dasha Burns’ – https://www.politico.com/podcasts/the-conversation Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day
Will Voters Flip A Colorado House Seat Back To Blue?
Will Voters Flip A Colorado House Seat Back To Blue? Oct 9, 2026 1157 As the 2026 midterm elections approach, Republicans are working to keep voters who showed up for President Donald Trump in 2024 engaged in down-ballot races. One key battleground is Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, where freshman Republican Rep. Gabe Evans faces Democratic challenger Manny Rutinel. Rutinel joins Jane to discuss his campaign and why he believes voters should send him to Cong
Should Anyone Automate Their Life?
Should Anyone Automate Their Life? Oct 8, 2026 1926 New polling out Thursday shows that concerns about artificial intelligence are crossing party lines. According to an AP-NORC survey, 64% of Americans think AI is developing "too fast." But we wanted to hear from someone who sees the opportunities AI presents and how the technology can make our lives better. On today's show, Jane speaks with Axios co-founder and CEO Jim VandeHei about his new book
Are Republicans Losing Their Grip In North Carolina?
Are Republicans Losing Their Grip In North Carolina? Oct 7, 2026 1242 The Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with a top Senate Republican, began dialing back its funding for the North Carolina Senate race last week and shifted it elsewhere. Now a group affiliated with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, WinSenate, is doing the same. Jane talks with Anderson Clayton, chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, about what's happening in the race to repla
When Gender Identity is on The Ballot
When Gender Identity is on The Ballot Oct 6, 2026 1616 This midterm election introduces a surprising ballot measure for Washington State voters to weigh in on -- whether to require girls to undergo genital inspections if they want to play sports. Jane speaks with Washington State House Speaker Laurie Jenkins about who's behind getting the issue on the ballot and what Washingtonians are saying about it.Show Notes: Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscri
Is This Samuel Alito’s Swan Song?
Is This Samuel Alito’s Swan Song? Oct 5, 2026 1143 The Supreme Court is back, and once again a lot is on the docket. Like climate change, and what cities and states are allowed to do about it. This major climate case also saw Justice Samuel Alito's recusal — which is uncommon. To discuss what lies ahead for the court and Alito, Jane speaks with Leah Litman, host of Strict Scrutiny.Show Notes: Check out Strict Scrutiny – https://www.youtube.com/@s
Is Trump Escalating The War In Iran?
Is Trump Escalating The War In Iran? Oct 2, 2026 1268 The Group of Seven wealthy democracies said Friday that they plan to release 100 million barrels of oil and fuel products in the coming weeks — starting with “substantial” amounts of diesel. The announcement comes as Trump’s trade battles and his war in Iran have increased U.S. prices for oil and other goods ahead of next month's midterms. To discuss the latest on the war and what's happening in
Are Democrats Saying The Right Things To Win?
Are Democrats Saying The Right Things To Win? Oct 1, 2026 1641 The midterms are next month, and President Donald Trump's approval rating on issues like the economy is slipping. But are Democrats capitalizing on it? Is their messaging keeping pace with the moment? On today's show, Jane sits down with Sarah Longwell to discuss how Democrats can communicate their policy ideas more effectively and connect with voters. Longwell is the author of the new book, How
The ICE Surge Isn't Over
The ICE Surge Isn't Over Sep 30, 2026 1446 The Venezuelan man who was shot in the back by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Austin, Texas, last week has been charged with assaulting an officer. Burundi is the latest country to accept U.S. deportees to a country they have no relationship with, and the U.S. Supreme Court says third-country deportations are ok, for now. A lot is going on in the world of immigration. Jane talk
Profiles in Cowardice: A Study of Collaboration in the Trump Era with Jacob Weisberg
Profiles in Cowardice: A Study of Collaboration in the Trump Era with Jacob Weisberg Sep 29, 2026 1666 Let's talk about cowards. The people who surrendered to President Donald J. Trump's Administration – and why. Jane talks to Jacob Weisberg, author of the new book, “Profiles in Cowardice: A Study of Collaboration in the Trump Era, ” about five principal factors playing into the dynamics of “cowardice and capitulation."Show Notes: Check out Jacob's book – https://tinyurl.com/yyvnupbd Subscribe to
Trump's Government-Sponsored Ad Campaign
Trump's Government-Sponsored Ad Campaign Sep 28, 2026 1222 If you watched NFL football on Sunday, you may have seen President Donald Trump's new ad campaign, featuring a 2024 Trump ad. The ad was re-released and shown dozens of times, paid for by the US government. Trump is fixated on making the midterms about him. Jane talks to political commentator and YouTube host Adam Mockler about whether this will help or hurt the GOP candidates.Show Notes: Check o

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