Free Daily Podcast Summary
Talking Feds: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Harry Litman
Talking Feds is a roundtable discussion that brings together prominent former government officials, journalists, and special guests for a dynamic and in-depth analysis of the most pressing questions in law and politics.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- Yesterday52 min
Trump's Birthday Bummer
Talking Feds stalwarts Norm Ornstein, Tara Setmayer, and Jacob Weisberg join Harry to break down a week where Congress and the courts put Trump on his heels. The group explains the growing legal headwinds for the president’s slush fund and tax amnesty. Next, they dig into how an apparent classic Trump u-turn was a sneakier maneuver than it seemed. Finally, they turn to the new revelations about how the Epstein scandal rocked the administration, and why the DOJ’s handling of the files—among other issues—should sink Todd Blanche’s AG nomination. Mentioned in this episode: Norm's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dsrs-words-matter/id1420216970 Tara's Substack: https://tarasetmayer.substack.com/ The New York Times' new reporting about Epstein: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/10/magazine/trump-epstein-files-white-house-vance-doj.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 5 days ago45 min
Inside the DOJ’s Downward Spiral
Veteran reporter Devlin Barrett takes Harry inside the secret negotiations that created the $1.8 billion slush fund and the transformation within the Department of Justice that made Trump's self-dealing possible. Drawing from his new book—The Department of Revenge: How Trump Took Control of American Justice—Devlin tells the inside story of how the president’s cronies remade the DOJ. Devlin's book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Department-of-Revenge/Devlin-Barrett/9781668065129 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 1 weeks ago57 min
The Start of Trump’s Long Slide?
Harry talks with former Senator Barbara Boxer, Charlie Sykes, and Glenn Thrush to make sense of the sudden Republican restiveness, Graham Platner's latest scandal, and Trump's "scariest” appointment yet. Is California’s slow vote counting giving the DOJ an opening to claim election abuses? Will Platner doom Democrats’ hopes of what Charlie says should’ve been a “layup” win over Susan Collins? Can Congress finish off Trump’s slush fund? And why is everyone ignoring Trump’s audit-free guarantee—the most obviously self-enriching part of his corrupt settlement? Mentioned in this episode: Glenn’s reporting: https://www.nytimes.com/by/glenn-thrush#latest Charlie’s Substack: https://charliesykes.substack.com/ Glenn’s inside look at how the Trump v. IRS settlement deal came together: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/us/politics/trump-irs-lawsuit-deal.html The New York Times’ Graham Platner story: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/04/us/politics/platner-maine-senate-girlfriends-relationships.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 1 weeks ago33 min
David Frum’s Unified Thesis of Trump’s Failings
The U.S. war with Iran is not—despite promises from the White House—over. Nonetheless, premier national commentator David Frum is ready to declare a loser: Donald Trump. Together Harry and David piece through the interlocking personal failings of the president that foretold a winnable war against a far weaker enemy would become a debacle. And the two tackle how those traits shape Trump’s more successful pursuits: self-enrichment, going around the Constitution, and Mar-a-Lago-ifying the nation’s capital. Mentioned in this episode: David's columns: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/david-frum/ David's piece "Why Trump Lost": https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/05/why-trump-lost-iran/687291/ David's podcast: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDamP-pfOskNgMNI1eg0pajQfRu-q3NUO Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 2 weeks ago1h 0m
Purges, Payoffs, and Paxton
As Trump puts a blue Texas in reach, Harry talks with Jonathan Alter, David A. Graham, and Senator Heidi Heitkamp to discuss the fall’s premier Senate race and the latest outrages from the DOJ. Should Democrats go all out to beat scandal-plagued Ken Paxton? Or does an obsession with Texas distract from other, less flashy pickup chances elsewhere? Can Trump’s “self-deal steal” survive sudden gusts of political and legal headwinds? And why is the DOJ now reportedly targeting E. Jean Carroll, a private citizen?Mentioned in this episode: Jonathan’s Substack: https://oldgoats.substack.com/David’s reporting: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/david-a-graham/Harry’s latest column: https://harrylitman.substack.com/p/not-too-shabbyHarry’s conversation with Congressman Jamie Raskin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7rpqMubPEQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 2 weeks ago40 min
Patrick Radden Keefe’s “London Falling” and Death in the Time of Oligarchs
A teenager hurtles from the balcony of a luxury apartment complex into the Thames. That unexplained death animates the newest book from one of America’s great nonfiction writers, Patrick Radden Keefe. Patrick joins Harry to unspool the story's web of shady characters, complacent police, and desperate parents. The two delve into the transformation of London into a playground for the extremely and unscrupulously wealthy—like Russian oligarchs—that made the fatal fall possible and draw out the way Trump is overseeing a similar shift in the United States. And Harry digs into Patrick’s approach to writing, including how his law degree informs his precise, almost prosecutorial reporting. Mentioned in this episode: London Falling: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/704979/london-falling-by-patrick-radden-keefe/ Patrick's reporting: https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/patrick-radden-keefe Patrick's story about Trump, Mark Burnett, and the Apprentice: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/01/07/how-mark-burnett-resurrected-donald-trump-as-an-icon-of-american-success Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 3 weeks ago1h 4m
Orange Slush (Special DOJ Episode)
For Talking Feds' latest special episode on the Department of Justice, Harry bears down on the DOJ's sinister creation of $1.8 billion slush fund for Trump's nastiest allies. Expert observers of the Department—Ken Dilanian, Glenn Kirschner, and Mimi Rocah—join Harry to dive into the nefarious details and the avenues for pushing back. The panel then surveys the sorry state of field offices, including a disturbing pattern of grand jury misconduct by DOJ lawyers. The group ends with a look at DOJ's ongoing battles with James and Maurene Comey. Mentioned in this episode: Ken's reporting: https://www.ms.now/author/ken-dilanian-2 Glenn's Substack: https://glennkirschner.substack.com/ Glenn's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GlennKirschner2 Mimi's piece about the slush fund: https://www.contrariannews.org/p/doj-facilitates-a-heist Harry's latest column about the slush fund: https://harrylitman.substack.com/p/a-metastasizing-scandal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 3 weeks ago36 min
How SCOTUS is Slanting the Midterms
Harry talks with Rick Hasen, one of the country’s leading experts in election law and a prophet of Chief Justice John Roberts’s decades-long project to tear down voting rights. Hasen explains why Roberts—after taking a slow and steady approach for so long—is suddenly masterminding an aggressive “two minute offense.” Hasen lays out the damage dealt to American democracy by the decision, the prospects for court reform, and the signals that Roberts knows time is running out for him and the conservative dominance of the Supreme Court. Mentioned in this episode: Professor Hasen’s analysis: https://slate.com/author/richard-l-hasen Professor Hasen’s 2013 New York Times piece: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/26/opinion/the-chief-justices-long-game.htmlHarry’s column about the history behind the Callais decision: https://harrylitman.substack.com/p/callais-caps-the-roberts-courts-comprehensive Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Get Talking Feds summaries in your inbox
Free AI-powered daily recaps. Key takeaways, quotes, and mentions — in a 5-minute read.
Get Free Summaries →Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
You Might Also Like
Listeners also like.
The Counsel
A former prosecutor analyzes high-profile legal cases and the intersection of law, politics, and current events.
IHIP News
Two progressive podcasters in a red state deliver comedic, upbeat reactions to political news.
The Dispatch Podcast
A political and cultural discussion featuring Steve Hayes, Jonah Goldberg, Megan McArdle, and guests exploring policy and current events.
American Friction
A UK-based podcast analyzing US politics with expert interviews and commentary on current events and major issues.
The Rest Is Politics: US
A former White House communications director and a BBC correspondent analyze U.S. politics, policy, and global influence.
Legal AF by MeidasTouch
Legal analysis of major law and politics stories from experienced attorneys, with deep dives and breaking news updates.
Breaking News from Pod Save America
Former Obama staffers and guests analyze breaking political news, underreported stories, and major political speeches.
UNBIASED Politics
A lawyer-hosted recap of U.S. political news, elections, and legal developments explained clearly and without opinion.
Stay Tuned with Preet
A former U.S. attorney analyzes legal issues and interviews experts on power, policy, and justice.
The Signal Sitdown
Examines how Washington policymakers make decisions and why government often fails to serve public interests.
Raging Moderates with Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov
Political analysis from a centrist perspective, exploring how moderate voices shape elections and policy debates.
Law and Chaos
Legal journalists analyze pivotal courtroom cases and their impact on American democracy.
About Talking Feds
Talking Feds is a roundtable discussion that brings together prominent former government officials, journalists, and special guests for a dynamic and in-depth analysis of the most pressing questions in law and politics.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from Talking Feds in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's Talking Feds daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Talking Feds as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the Talking Feds podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official Talking Feds product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Harry Litman.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts. Upgrade to Pro for 15, or Premium for 50. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does Talking Feds release new episodes?
Talking Feds publishes every few days. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does Talking Feds cover?
Talking Feds covers topics including News, Government, Politics. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting Talking Feds summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.