The Chuck ToddCast

In this episode recorded immediately after Trump's record-breaking 108-minute State of the Union address, Chuck Todd argues that while Trump's base will love the "own the libs" moments — from trolling Democrats in the chamber to the raucous "USA" chants from Republicans — the speech was fundamentally a missed opportunity that did nothing to help the GOP heading into the midterms. He contends that Trump chose to be a party leader rather than a president, turning the address into something resembling an award show by packing it with medal presentations, the Olympic men's hockey team, honorees who deserved more dedicated recognition rather than being used as applause props in an already bloated speech. He argues that Trump's tone on the economy couldn't have been worse for Republicans: with his approval at 60% disapproval and the Supreme Court having just struck down his tariffs days earlier, Trump barely addressed voters' core concerns about costs and affordability, instead declaring a "turnaround for the ages" that doesn't match most Americans' lived experience. He notes Trump’s highlighting of Iran's ballistic missiles sounded like a pretext for war that won't play well with parts of his own base. He praises Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger's Democratic response as simple and effective — particularly her pointed questions about whether the president is actually working to make life more affordable — and argues she clearly won over independents. He closes with a bigger-picture observation: that there's a 60% majority coalition available on populist economic issues like protecting the safety net from cuts to fund tax breaks for the wealthy, but that Democrats still have a damaged brand despite Trump's terrible numbers, and that voters who thought they were getting first-term Trump are reckoning with something very different.
Then, Paul Auslander, President of SeaBridge Private Wealth, a division of SeaBridge Investment Advisors LLC joins the Chuck Toddcast for a wide-ranging conversation about the intersection of money, markets, and the current political moment. Auslander walks through how the political climate now factors directly into financial planning projections, noting that European indices doubled the S&P's performance last year as capital flows shift overseas, and that a growing number of wealthy clients are hedging by moving money out of the United States. He offers candid takes on the issues keeping investors up at night: the inevitability of Social Security cuts (though he argues simply pushing retirement age from 67 to 69 would stabilize the fund), the likely future of Social Security privatization, crypto's evolution from a technological revolution into a special interest that bought its own policy outcomes, and whether there's money to be made off bad Trump policies that are likely to be reversed. Auslander also explains why the bond market is a better barometer of economic health than the stock market, why private equity is sitting on mountains of sidelined capital, and why he remains cautiously bullish on 2026 — largely because AI is only in the "second inning" and massive disruption is still ahead.
The conversation also ventures into territory financial planners don't usually discuss publicly. Auslander addresses whether the wealthy are worried the "pitchforks are coming for them," pointing to economic anxiety driving a spike in gun sales and a pop culture landscape that increasingly portrays corporations and the ultra-rich as villains. He breaks down the rise of family offices — private wealth management firms for the ultra-wealthy that take a long-term investment view — and explains why companies increasingly choose to stay private thanks to nearly unlimited private capital, rather than face the scrutiny of public markets. They also dig into the generational divide between investing and gambling, the casino-like nature of prediction markets, and the burden that post-Lehman Brothers insurance and regulatory requirements have placed on small businesses and regional banks that had nothing to do with the 2008 financial crisis. Auslander closes with a pointed message: that Fed independence and the rule of law are paramount to economic stability, and that centrism — not ideological extremism — remains the best way to run the country.
Finally, Chuck presents his updated ToddCast Top 5 list of senate seats most likely to flip in the midterms and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
Go to https://zbiotics.com/CHUCKTODDCAST and use CHUCKTODDCAST at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics.”
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
American Finance Disclaimer: NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1081, for details about credit costs and terms. Or https://apply.americanfinancing.net/thechucktoddcast
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
03:15 Trump’s base will love “own the libs” moments from SOTU
04:30 Most of Trump’s base was celebrating himself & animating his base
05:15 Trump’s tone on the economy couldn’t have been worse for GOP
06:30 Trump hid behind the glory of others, turned speech into award show
07:45 Awards are an incredible honor, deserved more time & recognition
09:30 Hopefully the recipients get dedicated events to honor them
10:00 Overloading the speech with awards felt a bit gimmicky
11:00 Trump mostly bit his tongue when addressing SCOTUS
11:30 Trump chose to be a party leader rather than president, trolled Dems
12:15 Spanberger’s response to SOTU was simple & effective
14:00 Spanberger definitely did better with independents than Trump
14:45 Trump’s proposal to make AI companies provide their power is a winner
15:15 Trump highlighting Iran’s ballistic missiles sounds like a pretext for war
16:30 Attacking Iran won’t play well with parts of Trump’s base
17:30 Trump didn’t talk about Venezuelan democracy, just oil
18:15 Trump’s still working with the Maduro regime
19:45 Are we trying to prevent Iranian nukes, or attempting regime change?
20:30 Trump claiming credit for getting Mexican cartel leader is a big faux pax
21:45 Allies feel like Trump will sell them out just so he can take credit
22:30 Trump didn’t address voters concerns on costs & the economy
23:45 Trump is better on the attack than defending his record
24:30 The speech didn’t give Republicans a boost for the midterms
25:30 Most Americans don’t support cutting safety net for tax cuts
27:30 There’s a 60% majority to be had on economic issues, not cultural ones
29:15 Voters keep picking the out party
30:30 There’s a majority coalition to be won with populist economic policy
32:30 This could be a moment for candidates to shed the party label
33:00 Democrats will have a strong midterm just being against Trump
33:45 Class politics could create a strong majority
35:30 Voters thought they’d get 1st term Trump, not what they’re getting
45:30 Paul Auslander joins the Chuck ToddCast
47:00 Paul’s origin story
48:15 Financial planning was mostly done by insurance companies in 70’s
49:00 Northerners move to FL for taxes & weather, but FL is pushing it socially
51:30 Fiduciary responsibility is the line of demarcation in financial planning
52:30 Factoring the political climate into financial planning projections
54:00 European index doubled the performance of the S&P last year
55:00 Tax policy is generally the biggest concern for investors
57:30 A cut to social security payments is bound to happen
58:30 If you push retirement from 67 to 69 the SS fund becomes healthy
1:00:45 Social security privatization likely to happen in the future
1:02:45 Money to be made off bad Trump policies that are likely to go away?
1:03:45 Crypto became a special interest & bought support for pro crypto policy
1:05:30 Crypto is a revolution that predates Trump & will outlast him
1:07:00 Lesson to be learned from rise then collapse in price of silver?
1:08:00 Central banks are buying silver, gold and assets
1:09:30 How many people are hedging by moving money out of the U.S.?
1:10:15 Europe is spending big money on arms & infrastructure
1:11:30 Definition of a “Family Office”
1:14:00 Family office investments are increasingly popular & take the long view
1:15:30 Are the investors/wealthy worried the pitchforks are coming for them?
1:17:00 Economic anxiety driving a spike in gun sales
1:18:30 Pop culture portrays corporations & wealthy as the villains
1:20:00 Private equity has a lot of money on the sideline, looking for investments
1:23:00 The burden of insurance requirements on small business
1:25:30 Small & regional banks paying for the sins of Lehman Brothers
1:26:30 Companies stay private due to near unlimited private capital
1:27:15 Do young people like investing… or do they just like gambling?
1:28:15 Thoughts on prediction markets?
1:29:30 There’s a casino like approach to certain markets
1:30:45 If the house flips, you could see money get withdrawn from markets
1:32:00 How do Trump’s relationships with world leaders affect projections?
1:33:15 The bond market is more indicative of economic health than stock market
1:34:15 Uncertainty will impact earnings
1:34:45 Why are you feeling bullish on 2026?
1:37:00 AI is only in the 2nd inning. Disruption is coming
1:40:00 Thom Tillis sounds like a different man now that he’s retiring
1:41:00 Centrism seems like the best way to run the country
1:43:00 AI won’t be replacing financial advisors anytime soon
1:45:15 What’s one question you want every presidential candidate to answer?
1:45:45 Fed independence and rule of law are paramount
1:47:30 Chuck’s thoughts on interview with Paul Auslander
1:48:45 ToddCast Top senate seats most likely to flip in midterms
1:49:00 #1 North Carolina
1:50:45 #2 Maine
1:53:45 #3 Michigan
1:58:15 #4 Alaska
2:01:15 #5 Texas
2:06:30 Honorable mentions: South Dakota & Minnesota
2:11:30 Ask Chuck
2:11:45 Promoting tariffs & AI have to only be bad for Trump?
2:12:45 Can Republicans not endorsed by Trump win their primaries?
2:14:15 Will lifting pesticide bans cause MAHA voters to turn on Trump?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode recorded immediately after Trump's record-breaking 108-minute State of the Union address, Chuck Todd argues that while Trump's base will love the "own the libs" moments — from trolling Democrats in the chamber to the raucous "USA" chants from Republicans — the speech was fundamentally a missed opportunity that did nothing to help the GOP heading into the midterms. He contends that Trump chose to be a party leader rather than a president, turning the address into something resembling an award show by packing it with medal presentations, the Olympic men's hockey team, honorees who deserved more dedicated recognition rather than being used as applause props in an already bloated speech. He argues that Trump's tone on the economy couldn't have been worse for Republicans: with his approval at 60% disapproval and the Supreme Court having just struck down his tariffs days earlier, Trump barely addressed voters' core concerns about costs and affordability, instead declaring a "turnaround for the ages" that doesn't match most Americans' lived experience. He notes Trump’s highlighting of Iran's ballistic missiles sounded like a pretext for war that won't play well with parts of his own base. He praises Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger's Democratic response as simple and effective — particularly her pointed questions about whether the president is actually working to make life more affordable — and argues she clearly won over independents. He closes with a bigger-picture observation: that there's a 60% majority coalition available on populist economic issues like protecting the safety net from cuts to fund tax breaks for the wealthy, but that Democrats still have a damaged brand despite Trump's terrible numbers, and that voters who thought they were getting first-term Trump are reckoning with something very different.
Finally, Chuck presents his updated ToddCast Top 5 list of senate seats most likely to flip in the midterms and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
Go to https://zbiotics.com/CHUCKTODDCAST and use CHUCKTODDCAST at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics.”
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
American Finance Disclaimer: NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1081, for details about credit costs and terms. Or https://apply.americanfinancing.net/thechucktoddcast
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
2:15 Trump’s base will love “own the libs” moments from SOTU
3:30 Most of Trump’s base was celebrating himself & animating his base
4:15 Trump’s tone on the economy couldn’t have been worse for GOP
5:30 Trump hid behind the glory of others, turned speech into award show
6:45 Awards are an incredible honor, deserved more time & recognition
8:30 Hopefully the recipients get dedicated events to honor them
9:00 Overloading the speech with awards felt a bit gimmicky
10:00 Trump mostly bit his tongue when addressing SCOTUS
10:30 Trump chose to be a party leader rather than president, trolled Dems
11:15 Spanberger’s response to SOTU was simple & effective
13:00 Spanberger definitely did better with independents than Trump
13:45 Trump’s proposal to make AI companies provide their power is a winner
14:15 Trump highlighting Iran’s ballistic missiles sounds like a pretext for war
15:30 Attacking Iran won’t play well with parts of Trump’s base
16:30 Trump didn’t talk about Venezuelan democracy, just oil
17:15 Trump’s still working with the Maduro regime
18:45 Are we trying to prevent Iranian nukes, or attempting regime change?
19:30 Trump claiming credit for getting Mexican cartel leader is a big faux pax
20:45 Allies feel like Trump will sell them out just so he can take credit
21:30 Trump didn’t address voters concerns on costs & the economy
22:45 Trump is better on the attack than defending his record
23:30 The speech didn’t give Republicans a boost for the midterms
24:30 Most Americans don’t support cutting safety net for tax cuts
26:30 There’s a 60% majority to be had on economic issues, not cultural ones
28:15 Voters keep picking the out party
29:30 There’s a majority coalition to be won with populist economic policy
31:30 This could be a moment for candidates to shed the party label
32:00 Democrats will have a strong midterm just being against Trump
32:45 Class politics could create a strong majority
34:30 Voters thought they’d get 1st term Trump, not what they’re getting
44:45 ToddCast Top senate seats most likely to flip in midterms
45:00 #1 North Carolina
46:45 #2 Maine
49:45 #3 Michigan
54:15 #4 Alaska
57:15 #5 Texas
1:02:30 Honorable mentions: South Dakota & Minnesota
1:07:30 Ask Chuck
1:07:45 Promoting tariffs & AI have to only be bad for Trump?
1:08:45 Can Republicans not endorsed by Trump win their primaries?
1:10:15 Will lifting pesticide bans cause MAHA voters to turn on Trump?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Auslander, President of SeaBridge Private Wealth, a division of SeaBridge Investment Advisors LLC joins the Chuck Toddcast for a wide-ranging conversation about the intersection of money, markets, and the current political moment. Auslander walks through how the political climate now factors directly into financial planning projections, noting that European indices doubled the S&P's performance last year as capital flows shift overseas, and that a growing number of wealthy clients are hedging by moving money out of the United States. He offers candid takes on the issues keeping investors up at night: the inevitability of Social Security cuts (though he argues simply pushing retirement age from 67 to 69 would stabilize the fund), the likely future of Social Security privatization, crypto's evolution from a technological revolution into a special interest that bought its own policy outcomes, and whether there's money to be made off bad Trump policies that are likely to be reversed. Auslander also explains why the bond market is a better barometer of economic health than the stock market, why private equity is sitting on mountains of sidelined capital, and why he remains cautiously bullish on 2026 — largely because AI is only in the "second inning" and massive disruption is still ahead.
The conversation also ventures into territory financial planners don't usually discuss publicly. Auslander addresses whether the wealthy are worried the "pitchforks are coming for them," pointing to economic anxiety driving a spike in gun sales and a pop culture landscape that increasingly portrays corporations and the ultra-rich as villains. He breaks down the rise of family offices — private wealth management firms for the ultra-wealthy that take a long-term investment view — and explains why companies increasingly choose to stay private thanks to nearly unlimited private capital, rather than face the scrutiny of public markets. They also dig into the generational divide between investing and gambling, the casino-like nature of prediction markets, and the burden that post-Lehman Brothers insurance and regulatory requirements have placed on small businesses and regional banks that had nothing to do with the 2008 financial crisis. Auslander closes with a pointed message: that Fed independence and the rule of law are paramount to economic stability, and that centrism — not ideological extremism — remains the best way to run the country.
Go to https://zbiotics.com/CHUCKTODDCAST and use CHUCKTODDCAST at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics.”
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
American Finance Disclaimer: NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1081, for details about credit costs and terms. Or https://apply.americanfinancing.net/thechucktoddcast
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Paul Auslander joins the Chuck ToddCast
01:30 Paul’s origin story
02:45 Financial planning was mostly done by insurance companies in 70’s
03:30 Northerners move to FL for taxes & weather, but FL is pushing it socially
06:00 Fiduciary responsibility is the line of demarcation in financial planning
07:00 Factoring the political climate into financial planning projections
08:30 European index doubled the performance of the S&P last year
09:30 Tax policy is generally the biggest concern for investors
12:00 A cut to social security payments is bound to happen
13:00 If you push retirement from 67 to 69 the SS fund becomes healthy
15:15 Social security privatization likely to happen in the future
17:15 Money to be made off bad Trump policies that are likely to go away?
18:15 Crypto became a special interest & bought support for pro crypto policy
20:00 Crypto is a revolution that predates Trump & will outlast him
21:30 Lesson to be learned from rise then collapse in price of silver?
22:30 Central banks are buying silver, gold and assets
24:00 How many people are hedging by moving money out of the U.S.?
24:45 Europe is spending big money on arms & infrastructure
26:00 Definition of a “Family Office”
28:30 Family office investments are increasingly popular & take the long view
30:00 Are the investors/wealthy worried the pitchforks are coming for them?
31:30 Economic anxiety driving a spike in gun sales
33:00 Pop culture portrays corporations & wealthy as the villains
34:30 Private equity has a lot of money on the sideline, looking for investments
37:30 The burden of insurance requirements on small business
40:00 Small & regional banks paying for the sins of Lehman Brothers
41:00 Companies stay private due to near unlimited private capital
41:45 Do young people like investing… or do they just like gambling?
42:45 Thoughts on prediction markets?
44:00 There’s a casino like approach to certain markets
45:15 If the house flips, you could see money get withdrawn from markets
46:30 How do Trump’s relationships with world leaders affect projections?
47:45 The bond market is more indicative of economic health than stock market
48:45 Uncertainty will impact earnings
49:15 Why are you feeling bullish on 2026?
51:30 AI is only in the 2nd inning. Disruption is coming
54:30 Thom Tillis sounds like a different man now that he’s retiring
55:30 Centrism seems like the best way to run the country
57:30 AI won’t be replacing financial advisors anytime soon
59:45 What’s one question you want every presidential candidate to answer?
1:00:15 Fed independence and rule of law are paramount
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emmy Award-winning director and Academy Award nominee Geeta Gandbhir joins the Chuck Toddcast to discuss her critically acclaimed Netflix documentary The Perfect Neighbor, which uses years of police bodycam footage to reconstruct the events leading to the 2023 fatal shooting of Ajike Owens by her neighbor Susan Lorincz in Ocala, Florida. Gandbhir reveals that Owens was a personal friend of her family — her sister-in-law's best friend — and that the film was never initially planned as a documentary; she and her partner went to Florida to support the family and keep the story in the news, fearing Lorincz would walk free under Florida's stand your ground laws. The Sundance Directing Award winner explains how the production team obtained the bodycam footage through the family's attorneys, Benjamin Crump and Anthony Thomas, and describes the rare experience of having not just the aftermath but years of "before" footage — creating a slow-building tension she compares to Blair Witch and Paranormal Activity. Gandbhir emphasizes that the film doesn't preach; it simply presents the chronology and lets the audience decide.
The conversation goes deeper into the systemic failures the footage revealed: Lorincz was the only person in the neighborhood who repeatedly called police, yet officers saw her as a nuisance rather than a threat — her whiteness, Gandbhir argues, shielding her from scrutiny. Police never checked whether Lorincz owned a gun, and in other states, her pattern of behavior would have resulted in harassment charges long before the shooting. Gandbhir explains why the case resulted in a manslaughter conviction rather than a more serious charge, advocates for the eradication of stand your ground laws that exist in 38 states, and makes a compelling case that some police funding would be better directed toward social workers and mental health professionals. She also reflects on what the film has meant to Owens' four children and their family, the power of bodycam footage as both a tool for truth and a potential instrument of surveillance, and what a potential Academy Award would mean — not for herself, but as a platform to drive real change.
Go to https://zbiotics.com/CHUCKTODDCAST and use CHUCKTODDCAST at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics.”
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
American Finance Disclaimer: NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1081, for details about credit costs and terms. Or https://apply.americanfinancing.net/thechucktoddcast
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Geeta Gandbhir joins the Chuck ToddCast
00:45 “The Perfect Neighbor” isn’t a gun story, it’s a societal story
01:30 How important is a potential Academy Award for you?
02:15 Awards give you a platform to talk about issues & bring change
03:00 Film produced independently, then Netflix gave it a huge platform
04:00 How close did you follow this story in real time?
04:30 Ajike Owens was a personal friend of Geeta
05:45 There’s so much gun violence, individual stories don’t break through
06:45 The production team received body cam footage from family lawyers
08:00 We usually see the aftermath of shootings, rarely the before footage
09:45 Needed to understand chronology of body cam footage
11:00 Film’s tension building compared to Blair Witch & Paranormal Activity
11:45 Racial justice/tension movies can make for a difficult watch
12:45 Movie doesn’t preach, just shows the event & let’s audience decide
14:30 Footage portrayed a working class, striving community
16:00 Everyone knows the Susan Lorincz, “get off my lawn” type character
16:45 No understanding of why Susan Lorincz was so broken as a person
19:30 Lorincz was the only woman in the neighborhood that complained to police
20:15 This didn’t feel like manslaughter, it felt pre-meditated
21:00 Prosecutors felt a manslaughter charge would be easier to convict
21:30 Hope DeSantis understands the damage stand your ground laws cause
22:45 If there was no body camera footage, Susan could have walked
24:00 Police bodycams should be on at all times to prevent distortion of truth
24:45 Bodycam footage is a double edged sword, can be used for surveillance
25:30 Original footage included protests, funerals & B-roll of the neighborhood
27:15 Neighbors had a very visceral reaction to the film, but did find it therapeutic
28:45 Having body camera footage could have prevented historical race riots
30:15 The ultimate hope is to eradicate “stand your ground” laws
31:15 There’s power in telling a true story with unscripted footage
33:30 Ajike Owens was a bright young woman with a promising future
34:45 How are her children doing?
36:15 Watching the grief of the children was devastating & powerful
37:30 Family wanted the world to see their grief
38:00 Hope the film can inform police training
38:45 In other states, Susan would have been charged for nuisance or harassment
40:00 Some police funding would be better spent on social workers, psychiatrists etc
41:15 It felt like police didn’t know how to handle Susan
42:45 Police saw Susan as a nuisance, not a threat. Her whiteness protected her
44:30 Susan seemed to be a loner & clearly always miserable
45:30 Police never checked into whether Susan was a gun owner
46:30 What type of projects are you working on next?
47:45 Another documentary will be announced in a couple weeks
49:00 Telling the story in a visual medium reaches people who don’t read
51:00 Comedy and humor is a great way to teach
51:30 How do you use AI, what are you comfortable with, what will you fight?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd argues that the United States is in an especially precarious moment of Trump's presidency — but that the guardrails of American democracy are proving they still exist. Todd breaks down the ruling's implications, noting that without tariff revenue the already ballooning U.S. budget deficit will accelerate, and that the coming chaos over refunds for billions in illegally collected duties will be a mess for businesses, consumers, and the trade deals that were negotiated under a now-invalidated framework. He highlights the emerging three distinct wings of the Supreme Court — with Gorsuch writing a pointed concurrence calling out his colleagues, Kavanaugh dissenting on foreign policy grounds, and the liberal justices joining Roberts on textual grounds — and argues the ruling reflects the public's own disapproval of Trump, which a new poll now places at 60% disapproval. He reserves his sharpest commentary for Trump's reaction: rather than pivot, the president attacked his own Supreme Court appointees for disloyalty and accused the Court of "foreign influence," a response Chuck calls a gift to Democrats and a sign that Trump is terrified dissent will become contagious among Republicans. Chuck also cautions that Democrats shouldn't celebrate too much — their brand remains damaged despite Trump's cratering numbers — and offers a counterintuitive observation: that Trump's greatest weakness isn't his authoritarian instincts but his laziness, arguing that his reliance on emergency powers is a shortcut to avoid the hard work of legislating.
Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the Reichstag fire & how Hitler was able to turn Germany’s democracy into a dictatorship through the use of emergency powers he was granted. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
Go to https://zbiotics.com/CHUCKTODDCAST and use CHUCKTODDCAST at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics.”
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.
American Finance Disclaimer: NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1081, for details about credit costs and terms. Or https://apply.americanfinancing.net/thechucktoddcast
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
02:45 We are in an especially precarious moment of Trump’s presidency
7:15 Supreme Court tariff ruling shows the guardrails still exist
8:00 Without tariffs, U.S. budget deficit will grow even faster
9:45 Trump plans on going down with the ship, may sink GOP
11:45 Courts ruling wasn’t surprising, tariff authority belongs to congress
13:15 Gorsuch called out his colleagues in his opinion
14:45 Kavanaugh’s dissent argued tariffs as a foreign policy issue
16:45 There are three distinct wings in this Supreme Court
18:30 Ruling reflects the public's disapproval of Trump
20:00 We saw tariff price spikes in Q4, ruling would help GOP
20:45 Trump’s response was to attack his own appointees for disloyalty
22:30 Trump lashed out, afraid dissent will become contagious
23:30 Trump accused SCOTUS of “foreign influence”
26:00 Trump is too lazy to become one of history’s worst autocrats
27:45 Trump’s laziness is his greatest weakness
29:15 Emergency powers are a shortcut to avoid legislating
30:45 Chaos is coming, people will want refunds for illegal tariffs
32:30 Consumption taxes put the burden on lower income people
34:00 Fallout from the ruling will be a mess for businesses
34:45 What will happen to trade deals that were cut based on illegal tariffs?
35:15 Trump has alienated every major ally the U.S. has
36:15 Trump is vulnerable to Republicans walking away from him
38:30 Trump reaction to tariffs was a gift to the Democrats
40:15 New poll shows Trump’s disapproval at 60%
41:45 Democrats brand still bad despite Trump’s terrible approval
52:30 ToddCast Time Machine - February 27th, 1933
53:00 Reichstag fire gave Hitler emergency powers
53:45 Germany’s economy had been devastated
55:00 In three years, Germany cycled through three unstable governments
56:00 German elites thought they could use Hitler’s popularity & manage him
57:00 Whether Nazi’s helped, or just exploited the fire is still debated
58:15 Reichstag Fire decree suspended civil liberties
59:30 Enabling Act allowed Hitler to legislate without parliamentary approval
1:00:15 The German dictatorship was created via constitutional rules
1:01:30 Emergency powers aren’t always authoritarian, it’s who uses them
1:02:30 Ask Chuck
1:02:45 Why does populism lead to antisemitism?
1:06:15 Is this the administration that’s run the most like a business?
1:11:30 Starting to see Republicans breaking with Trump?
1:13:30 What if the Constitutional Convention had not been held in summer?
1:16:30 Thoughts on Gallup ending presidential tracking, NJ-11 election?
1:23:30 Need for regulation on prediction markets
1:25:30 What’s going on with Virginia’s redistricting effort?
1:30:30 Does international diplomacy have a greater impact on the president's legacy?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.