Runaway Country with Alex Wagner

Democratic Socialists are racking up wins in primaries across the country, Tucker Carlson is conspiring with other exiled MAGA stars to form a third party, and polling shows that American voters are open to a system with more choices.
This week Alex speaks to four-time presidential candidate Ralph Nader about the threat the current political mood poses to both establishment Democrats and Republicans, and hears from Seth Bodnar about how he’s running a competitive race for a Montana Senate seat as an Independent.
Then she’s joined by Matt Welch, editor-at-large of Reason and co-host of The Fifth Column podcast, about everything from Francesca Hong’s victory in Wisconsin to the reasons why Tucker Carlson won’t become President in 2028.
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Up to 350,000 Haitians have now lost their Temporary Protected Status in the United States, and they are only one ethnic group among the more than 1.3 million people that the Trump administration wants out. 
This week Alex speaks to a woman in Florida named Harlaine, who has worked on the frontlines as a COVID nurse, lived in the US since she was just a child, and now faces the dangerous reality of being forced to return to Haiti. 
Then Alex speaks to The Bulwark’s Jonathan V. Last about the lack of empathy among Republican voters, and the clear racial motivations of the White House in ending the humanitarian program.
Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends, on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel.
You can also request a transcript by emailing transcripts@crooked.com. Include the podcast name, episode title, and air date. Please allow 48 hours for delivery.

Donald Trump just got one step closer to stealing the next election. The Senate confirms a new head of National Intelligence: former US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton — a man who won't say who won the 2020 election.
This week, Alex looks into whether or not Trump will try to steal the midterms. She's first joined by Errin Haines, an Atlanta native, editor at large at The 19th, author of the Amendment newsletter, and co-host of Crooked’s newest show, Long Play, to talk about Georgia: the state Trump has focused his most intense efforts of election interference.
Then Alex speaks with Joy Reid, host of The Joy Reid Show, to try and get a handle on Trump's latest efforts to subvert the election and figure out how prepared we really are.
Hate listening to ads? Become a Friends of the Pod subscriber for ad-free episodes of Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, Runaway Country, Offline with Jon Favreau, and more—plus exclusive content, including bonus episodes of Pod Save America. Subscribe now at crooked.com/friends, on Apple Podcasts, or through the Pod Save America YouTube channel.
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Pete Hegseth wants a $1.5 trillion bump in Pentagon spending, and won’t say what it’s for. War in Iran reignites, and the Trump administration hides the number of injured American troops. Innocent people are killed by ICE, and the FBI is no longer allowed to investigate. Whenever there is conflict or scandal—whenever the facts threaten Donald Trump’s political agenda—the White House’s strategy is to keep the country in the dark. Alex is joined by two veterans, Paul Riekhoff, host of the Independent Americans podcast, and Rebecca Roberts from About Face: Veterans Against the War, to talk about how the senselessness and secrecy around the Iran War is sitting with members of the military. Then, she puts all the cover-ups into context with New York Times White House Correspondent Maggie Haberman, coauthor of Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump.

For a transcription of this show, email transcripts@crooked.com

ICE agents have killed two men in the last 10 days. Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was fatally shot in Houston, Texas on July 7th, as was Joan Sebastian Guerrero on July 13th in Biddeford, Maine. On this week’s show, Alex looks at the lawless and race based nature of the Trump administration’s immigration policies, and how Americans are reacting to them. She’s first joined by Juan Proaño, CEO of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), to talk about the Araujo family’s tragic loss and how Latino communities across the country are feeling. Then Alex speaks to Sarah Longwell, publisher of The Bulwark, who gives insight into where voters stand on ICE’s campaign of terror.
For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com.