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What A Day

If you’re looking for hype, fake outrage, and groupthink, kindly keep moving. Our mission at What a Day is simple: to be your guide to what truly matters each morning (and the fun stuff you might have missed) in just 20 minutes. Host Jane Coaston brings you in-depth reporting and substantive analysis on the big stories shaping today and the creeping trends shaping tomorrow—and when she doesn’t know the answers, she asks someone even smarter to fill us all in. Radical, right? New episodes at 5:00 a.m. EST, Monday–Friday in your favorite podcast app and on YouTube. Being informed was never this easy.

President Donald Trump is obsessed with the past. Last night, Trump gave a primetime address about his favorite subject: the 2020 election, which he did not win. But as we have just celebrated America’s 250th birthday, many of us are thinking a lot about the past – and what our history has to do with the future of our country. Heather Cox Richardson is a history professor at Boston College and the author of the Substack “Letters from an American.” We talked about America’s past, what historical moments remind her most of right now, and why – despite everything – she’s hopeful about the future.

And in headlines, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin gives a White House briefing doubling down on Trump’s election claims, the US expands its attacks in what feels like the never-ending war against Iran, and federal officials have identified a source of the outbreak of the diarrhea-causing parasite cyclospora.

Show Notes:

 • Check out Heather's work – 
heathercoxrichardson.substack.com • 

 • Call Congress – 
202-224-3121 • 

 • Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – 
https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy • 

 • What A Day – YouTube – 
https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast • 

 • Follow us on Instagram – 
https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ • 

 • For a transcript of this episode
, • please email 
transcripts@crooked.com •

Amending The Constitution For The 21st Century With Heather Cox Richardson

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche went under the microscope this week as he took questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee as part of his confirmation proceedings. A major line item for senators? The concern that Blanche — who once was President Donald Trump’s personal criminal attorney — might still be operating as Trump’s personal attorney in spirit. Blanche is in a tough spot, because history has shown that his future job security is dependent on doing exactly what Trump says. For more on how an attorney general who’s subject to the whims of Trump could impact the justice system, we spoke with Laura Coates. She’s chief legal analyst for CNN and host of Laura Coates Live.

And in headlines: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt returns to her briefing podium, federal investigators are looking into a White House teleprompter operator accused of insider trading, and smoke from wildfires in Canada and Minnesota darken U.S. skies.

Show Notes:

 • Call Congress – 
202-224-3121 • 

 • Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – 
https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy • 

 • What A Day – YouTube – 
https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast • 

 • Follow us on Instagram – 
https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ • 

 • For a transcript of this episode
, • please email 
transcripts@crooked.com •

What Happens When Trump's Lawyer Becomes America's Lawyer

It’s been less than a week since Graham Platner officially withdrew from the Maine Senate race after a serious allegation of sexual assault. Maine Democrats are planning a nominating convention two days before the deadline to select another candidate – and at least seven Democrats have already thrown their hats into the ring. But Maine voters who believed in Platner are left without the fresh, inspiring candidate they supported. Rebecca Traister is a writer at large for New York magazine and a Maine resident. While some on the Left claim that Platner’s existence was an embrace of masculinity and a rejection of QUOTE “Dem HR lady politics”, she found that Mainers, specifically women, had a far different view. We spoke to her about where those voters go next.

And in headlines, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche gets grilled during his Senate confirmation hearing, the CDC imposes travel restrictions on Americans leaving the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the U.S. Mint will soon produce $1 gold coins with Trump’s face on them.

Show Notes:

 • Check out Rebecca's work – 
nymag.com/author/rebecca-traister/ • 

 • Call Congress – 
202-224-3121 • 

 • Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – 
https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy • 

 • What A Day – YouTube – 
https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast • 

 • Follow us on Instagram – 
https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ • 

 • For a transcript of this episode
, • please email 
transcripts@crooked.com •

Where Does Maine Go Post-Platner?

Last week, ICE agents killed a Mexican man in Houston, Texas, who was driving to work and was not the target of an ICE operation – despite what the Department of Homeland Security said initially. And yesterday, ICE agents in Maine killed a Colombian man who was legally permitted to work in the United States. He was also not the target of an operation. This marks two deaths at the hands of ICE officers in the last week alone. For more on what’s behind the recent surge of ICE activity – and violence — we spoke to David Bier. He’s the Director of Immigration Studies at the Cato Institute.

And in headlines, Trump reverses course on charging ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh makes his first appearance before Congress, and Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett testifies about the sharp increase in threats she’s experienced since joining the nation’s highest court.

Show Notes:

 • Check out David's work – 
cato.org/people/david-bier • 

 • Call Congress – 
202-224-3121 • 

 • Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – 
https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy • 

 • What A Day – YouTube – 
https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast • 

 • Follow us on Instagram – 
https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ • 

 • For a transcript of this episode
, • please email 
transcripts@crooked.com •

ICE’s Deadly Traffic Stops

South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham passed away suddenly on Saturday evening at the age of 71. A preliminary report said he died of an aortic dissection, caused by heart disease. Today, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster announced Graham’s temporary replacement – his younger sister, Darline Graham Nordone. And she has big shoes to fill. Graham was a political lifer. Before winning a seat in the Senate in 2003, he served in the House of Representatives beginning in 1995. And like many Republicans, Graham went from a dedicated opponent of Donald Trump to one of Trump’s most committed partisans. So for more on Graham’s legacy and what happens next, we spoke with Matt Viser a few hours before McMaster’s announcement. Viser is a staff writer at The Atlantic.

And in headlines, Trump said the United States is “reinstating” a blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell revealed for the first time that a fall led to his hospitalization, and a federal immigration officer fatally shot a motorist in Maine.

Show Notes:

 • Check out Matt's work – 
theatlantic.com/author/matt-viser/ • 

 • Call Congress – 
202-224-3121 • 

 • Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – 
https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy • 

 • What A Day – YouTube – 
https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast • 

 • Follow us on Instagram – 
https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ • 

 • For a transcript of this episode
, • please email 
transcripts@crooked.com •

Lindsey Graham's Sister Picked To Complete His Senate Term

A lot of Democratic voters want fighters in the battle against President Donald Trump and the Trumpified Republican Party, and it’s pretty obvious why. Even when Democrats control Congress and the White House, it feels like they focus more on making common cause with Republicans than on getting anything done. Brian Tyler Cohen is a progressive YouTuber who thinks that if and when Democrats win back the White House in 2029, they need to take the office they’ve won and run with it. His new book, “The Day After: How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World” comes out next week. We talked about what it means for Dems to fight back in the Trump era.

And in headlines: new details emerged in the ICE killing of a Mexican man in Houston, Trump dismantled a bipartisan board that oversees elections, and Israel reportedly told the U.S. that Iran hatched a new plot to kill Trump.

Show Notes:

 • Brian Tyler Cohen’s “The Day After: How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World” – 
https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/thedayafter • 

 • Call Congress – 
202-224-3121 • 

 • Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – 
https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy • 

 • What A Day – YouTube – 
https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast • 

 • Follow us on Instagram – 
https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ • 

 • For a transcript of this episode, please email 
transcripts@crooked.com •

Do Democrats Need to Fight Dirty?

Since 84-year-old Senator Mitch McConnell was hospitalized on June 14th after being found unconscious at his home, not one person — not even President Donald Trump — seems to know what is going on. McConnell is one of the most powerful Republican figures in political history. But over the last few years, he’s had a number of health issues, including freezing episodes during press conferences. And while he’s not running for reelection, his murky health status is not that uncommon for our very old Congress. To find out what that does for our politics and country, we spoke with Idrees Kahloon. He’s a staff writer at The Atlantic who wrote about the incredible power of elder Americans.

And in headlines: Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner announced he will withdraw from his race — but he's reportedly waiting until the last possible second to make it official, the U.S. launched new airstrikes against Iran, and FBI Director Kash Patel is facing new criticism for his taxpayer-funded lifestyle.

Show Notes:

 • Idrees Kahloon’s “An Oligarchy of Old People” – 
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/05/gerontocracy-wealth-power/686585/ • 

 • Call Congress – 
202-224-3121 • 

 • Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – 
https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy • 

 • What A Day – YouTube – 
https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast • 

 • Follow us on Instagram – 
https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ • 

 • For a transcript of this episode, please email 
transcripts@crooked.com •

Mitch McConnell and Our Very Old Congress

Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner burst into the national spotlight last year with a campaign centering around his supposed working class bonafides and promises to fight the establishment. He easily won his primary despite multiple scandals, ranging from problematic Reddit posts to “unsettling” behavior from past partners. Then, on Monday, Politico published the most serious allegation yet — that Platner allegedly broke into a partner’s home while drunk and sexually assaulted her. He denied the allegations and dropped out of the race late Wednesday evening. There are a lot of questions about what comes next. To find out more, we spoke with Dave Weigel, political reporter at Semafor.

And in headlines: President Donald Trump threatens to unleash more military strikes against Iran, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a man in Texas, and a federal judge orders $5 million to be released to E. Jean Carroll in her sex abuse and defamation case against Trump.

Show Notes:

 • Dave Weigel's work – 
https://www.semafor.com/author/david-weigel • 

 • Call Congress – 
202-224-3121 • 

 • Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – 
https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy • 

 • What A Day – YouTube – 
https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast • 

 • Follow us on Instagram – 
https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ • 

 • For a transcript of this episode, please email 
transcripts@crooked.com •

Can Democrats Solve The Platner Problem?

NATO’s most important global summit has begun in Turkiye. It’s an event where the world’s leaders meet, mingle, and above all, try to keep President Donald Trump from doing something inconceivably stupid… like threatening to pull troops from Europe if the US does not gain control of Greenland. But NATO has even bigger problems: Russia’s war in Ukraine and the threat Russia poses to the entire coalition. So to talk more about NATO, Trump, and how the summit is trying to keep the president of the United States from throwing an epic temper tantrum, we spoke with Felicia Schwartz, diplomatic correspondent for Politico.

And in headlines: Democrats are calling for Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner to drop out of the race in light of a sexual assault allegation against him, a new lawsuit alleges that the Trump administration has been illegally sharing confidential information about Iranian asylum seekers with the Iranian government, and French President Emmanuel Macron met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus restoring official diplomatic ties.

Show Notes:

 • Felicia Schwartz's work – 
https://www.politico.com/staff/felicia-schwartz • 

 • Call Congress – 
202-224-3121 • 

 • Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – 
https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy • 

 • What A Day – YouTube – 
https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast • 

 • Follow us on Instagram – 
https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ • 

 • For a transcript of this episode, please email 
transcripts@crooked.com •

Trump Brings The Drama To NATO

America’s 250th birthday celebration on the National Mall had everything. Thunderstorms! Heat warnings! Flyovers! President Donald Trump giving a speech well after 11PM Eastern because of those aforementioned thunderstorms that forced attendees to find shelter! A speech where he ranted about… communism. So yeah, it was a strange Fourth of July — which makes sense, because the Trump administration has tried to make it… all about Trump. And as much as Trump wants us to believe otherwise, he doesn’t define what it means to be an American. So to discuss patriotism, the Fourth of July, and where the country goes from here, we spoke with Symone Sanders Townsend, co-host of MS NOW’s “The Weeknight,” and the podcast “Clock It with Symone & Eugene.”

And in headlines: Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner is accused of sexual assault, he has denied the allegation; Iran mourns the death of its supreme leader; and Trump may or may not have gotten a FIFA red card overturned.

Show Notes:

 • Call Congress – 
202-224-3121 • 

 • Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – 
https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy • 

 • What A Day – YouTube – 
https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast • 

 • Follow us on Instagram – 
https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ • 

 • For a transcript of this episode, please email 
transcripts@crooked.com •

Lindsey Graham's Sister Picked To Complete His Senate Term

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