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PODCAST

The Assignment with Audie Cornish

Every Thursday on The Assignment, host Audie Cornish explores the animating forces of this extraordinary American political moment. It’s not about the horse race, it’s about the larger cultural ideas driving the conversation: the role of online influencers on the electorate, the intersection of pop culture and politics, and discussions with primary voices and thinkers who are shaping the political conversation.

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All Episodes

31:55

The ‘Sober Curious’ Revolution

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2025/01/23

"Dry January" is evolving into something more than a 4-week virtue signal. American attitudes about drinking are changing, especially among younger generations who are drinking much less. So, what’s behind this cultural shift, and why now? Audie talks with Derek Brown, the founder of Positive Damage a newsletter about “drinking mindfully.” And Chris Marshall, the founder of Sans Bar, the first non-alcoholic bar in North America. For more on what alcohol does to the body, listen to Dr. Sanjay

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36:19

Meet the Man Who Saw the LA Fires Coming

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2025/01/16

Peter Kalmus left California two years ago in part because of his concerns about hotter days and increasing wildfires. Today, his former neighborhood of Altadena is one of the many communities left scorched by the wildfires. And he says more are coming. Audie talks with Kalmus, who studies future extreme heat impacts on human health and ecosystems at NASA, about how the Los Angeles wildfires are part of a greater climate crisis, and how our grief can be channeled into preventing the next

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26:47

How Political Divides Are Destroying Families

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2025/01/09

Donald Trump’s reelection has some people putting politics over family. Audie talks with psychologist Joshua Coleman about the forces driving family estrangements over political differences, how generational differences can play a part in broken family ties, and what to do if you find yourself on either side of an estrangement.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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54:09

Samantha Bee Is Done with Democrats (For Now)

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2025/01/02

It’s a very special New Year episode for The Assignment: a conversation with Emmy-winning comedian and writer Samantha Bee about the state of politics and how she’s engaging with the political moment. Bee is known for her time as a correspondent on The Daily Show and her own late-night show, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. She is now the host of the podcast Choice Words. Audie invites back her podcast friends for this conversation: Kara Swisher, host of On with Kara Swisher and co-host of

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30:17

Trump’s Tariffs Could Mean Costlier Clothes

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2024/12/19

The cost of your clothes could go up if Donald Trump implements promised tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China. Audie talks with Christina Binkley, editor-at-large for Vogue Business, about the possibility of costlier clothes, whether we should adjust our holiday shopping lists, and what it means for 2025 fashion trends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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22:28

What a CEO's Murder Tells Us About America

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2024/12/12

The killing of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson, and the arrest of his alleged killer, has been met with online memes, TikTok songs, and even celebration. So how does the response to this brazen murder reflect a wider cultural phenomenon? Audie talks with journalist Samantha Cole, the co-founder of 404 Media, to understand how the reaction to the killing is echoing both on and offline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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31:42

How to Build a Politics of Humility

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2024/12/05

Senator-elect Andy Kim’s rise in politics has been anything but conventional. In 2020, he was one of seven Democratic congressmen who won a district also won by Donald Trump. In 2024, he took on the New Jersey political machine after Senator Bob Menendez was convicted of federal corruption charges. He sits down with Audie to talk about his political journey, how Democrats can earn back voters’ trust, and what winning in the Trump era has taught him about humility and authenticity. Learn more about

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35:11

Scaramucci on Being in Trump’s Orbit

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2024/12/02

Anthony Scaramucci is synonymous with the rough and tumble world of an incoming Trump Administration, and the perfect person to talk with about what it’s like to be in Donald Trump’s orbit. This episode is a bit of an experiment with a couple of fellow podcasters. Audie is joined by Kara Swisher, the co-host of Pivot and On with Kara Swisher, and Van Lathan, the co-host of Higher Learning. They talk with Scaramucci about Trump world, why he took the White House Director of Communications job in

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32:16

Should You Post About Your Kids Online?

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2024/11/28

New technologies like artificial intelligence, facial recognition and social media algorithms are changing our world so fast it can be hard to keep up. That’s why The Assignment is excited to bring you CNN’s new podcast, “Terms of Service with Clare Duffy.” Audie sits down with Clare to talk about how she hopes her pod can move past the hyper-optimism and fearmongering that often dominates tech coverage. Instead, she wants to empower listeners with a deeper understanding of how these technologies

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28:51

Are Progressive Groups Hurting Democrats?

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2024/11/21

Would you prefer to feel morally righteous, or to win? Audie talks with Adam Jentleson, who wants all Democrats to consider that question and adjust their tactics accordingly. He’s worked for U.S. Senators Harry Reid and John Fetterman, and in a recent New York Times op-ed, Jentleson prescribes his party a heavy dose of skepticism toward “the groups” on its left flank and a focus on making progress for all working people instead.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

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31:12

Trump Owns the GOP. What’s Next for the Party?

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2024/11/14

Lifelong Republicans who passionately resisted Trump are now grappling with how to move forward. Audie talks with political strategist and publisher of The Bulwark, Sarah Longwell, about the future of the 'Never Trump' movement and how politics may evolve in the years ahead.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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37:43

Latino Men Wanted Trump. Why?

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2024/11/06

The Republican Party had the strongest showing among Latinos in decades, particularly Latino men. CNN’s national exit poll found Trump won 54 percent of Latino men compared to Harris’ 44 percent – that's an 18-point increase from 2020. Audie talks with Democratic strategist and founder of Solidarity Strategies, Chuck Rocha, about this shift. Why did so many Latino men go for Trump this time around? And what will the Democratic party do about it?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

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34:15

The Pennsylvania Voters Who May Decide the Race

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2024/11/04

With just hours before election day, we’re returning to a handful of people who represent a crucial voter segment: unhappy Pennsylvania Republicans. John King interviews three people who voted for Nikki Haley in the state’s primary back in the spring — long after she’d dropped out. How they and others like them fill out their ballots this week may decide the next president of the United States.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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31:27

What To Expect on Election Night

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2024/10/31

Every four years, millions of people tune into news networks for real-time election results, but there is much more happening behind the scenes before the final call is aired. Audie talks with CNN Vice President and Political Director, David Chalian. He leads the team responsible for making high-stakes calls under intense pressure — all while ensuring accuracy, especially in today’s politically charged era. They talk about what goes into making the calls, and when we can expect a presidential

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38:29

Why the Race Is So Close In the Rust Belt

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2024/10/28

Wisconsin and Michigan, the big bricks of the former Blue Wall, are considered must-wins for Kamala Harris. They’re also both toss-ups at this point. This week, John King talks to voters in Milwaukee and Detroit who have a lot in common: They’re both Black men, about the same age, born and raised in their respective Rust Belt cities, and steeped in a culture that always voted for Democrats. One is voting for Harris. The other is going for Trump. Their choices — and how they got there — tell us a lot

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34:40

Election Workers Under Siege

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2024/10/24

Elections officials across the country are preparing for a potentially bumpy election night. Audie travels to Arizona to talk with one of those officials: Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates. He is a lifelong Republican who faced death threats and harassment from election deniers after he certified the results of the 2020 election. They discuss why election centers now look like forts – surrounded by barbed wire and shatterproof glass – all in the name of protecting election integrity. Learn more

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39:52

The Grieving Father Who Took Down Alex Jones

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2024/10/17

Is it really possible to fight conspiracy theories? Robbie Parker says yes. After his daughter Emilie was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting in 2012, Parker became the target of conspiracy theories -- amplified and monetized by Alex Jones. Audie talks with Parker about how he helped sue Alex Jones’ Infowars and won, and what he thinks of gun politics in an election where candidates brag about being gun owners. Robbie Parker’s new book is called, “A Father's Fight: Taking on

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32:31

In Purple Georgia, The Election Math Is Not So Simple

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2024/10/14

Vice President Kamala Harris’ goal in Georgia is to turn out the coalition that barely tipped the newly purple state to Joe Biden in 2020. That means firing up the base, convincing the unconvinced, and driving turnout as high as possible. Donald Trump, meanwhile, is hoping Georgians think the shift left was a mistake. There's no question that women of color are a huge part of the Georgia equation. John sits down with two who show it would be a mistake to think they’re voting as a bloc.Learn more

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26:36

Can We Build Our Way Out of the Housing Crisis?

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2024/10/10

Owning a home is the cornerstone of the American dream, but an affordability crisis is making it a distant fantasy for many. The presidential candidates are taking notice. Sonja Trauss is a key activist in the YIMBY movement (“Yes in My Backyard”), and says the solution is pretty simple: Build more homes. Getting that done isn’t so easy. Audie sits down with Trauss in Southern California — ground zero for the housing shortage — to talk about the origins of the problem and potential solutions. Watch

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41:27

The UFC is Trump's Not-So-Secret Weapon

The Assignment with Audie Cornish ·

2024/10/03

This week, Audie steps into the cage, literally, to learn why mixed martial arts is America's latest political battleground. As young men and women drift further apart politically, mixed martial arts has proven fertile ground for a changed GOP looking for fresh supporters. Retired Ultimate Fighting Championship star Jorge Masvidal is a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, as are many other fighters and UFC CEO Dana White. Audie talks with him and journalist Luke Thomas to learn about the growing

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113 results

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