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PODCAST

Political Theater

Have you ever asked, “WTF?,” about politics? Or, “who are these people making decisions about my life?” Political Theater pulls back the curtain on the stunts, antics and motivations that drive Washington. Host Jason Dick and the Roll Call team spotlight the spectacle, the players and what’s going on behind the curtain in Washington’s long-running drama: Congress.

news politics

All Episodes

23:11

How much does the Homeland Security shutdown matter...

Political Theater ·

2026/04/02

Jason Dick and Jessica Wehrman wonder what members of Congress are doing on their two-week recess, coming as it does while the Homeland Security Department isn't being funded by Congress, as well as what they did, and observed, on recent trips back home to Arizona and Ohio, respectively. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

37:40

March madness, gladness or sadness? Breaking down the...

Political Theater ·

2026/03/26

Jason Dick and Nathan Gonzales talk about what we learned from March's congressional primaries in Texas, North Carolina, Illinois, as well as special elections and what to expect as the primary season takes a little break before revving back up in May. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

38:03

Everything is being disrupted

Political Theater ·

2026/03/12

Jason Dick and Brody Mullins talk about the ongoing disruption of politics, business and journalism, how history repeats itself, Brody's book and podcast, "The Wolves of K Street" and his new podcast, "The Deciders," which focuses on the lobbying and influence world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

55:30

‘The Bleeding Edge’ bleeds into 2026

Political Theater ·

2026/03/05

Jason Dick and Sean Carswell discuss Thomas Pynchon's 2013 novel "Bleeding Edge," and how its story about the dot-com bubble and 9/11 applies to the present day, with politics and society dominated by AI, technology and venture capitalism firms running wild and the national security apparatus pushing war here, there and everywhere.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

16:08

That's entertainment! Or not. State of the Union 2026

Political Theater ·

2026/02/25

Jason Dick and Brandon Wetherbee discuss the artistic merits of the 2026 State of the Union, whether Hollywood or Washignton is the entertainment capital and the reasons for sitting through President Donald Trump’s one hour, 47-minute, 43-second event.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

29:19

Spotlight on the National Press Club, and its new...

Political Theater ·

2026/02/13

Jason Dick and Mark Schoeff Jr. talk about Mark's new position as president of the National Press Club and the club's mission, press freedoms, how politicians and journalists interact and explain how legendary Purdue basketball coach Gene Keady fits into all this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

21:14

Dishing about the Washington Press Club Foundation...

Political Theater ·

2026/02/06

Jason Dick and Jessica Wehrman digest their experience at the Washington Press Club Foundation dinner, which came at a time of trauma for the national press and frayed nerves in the nation's capital. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

20:54

Forecast shows chance of snow, shutdown

Political Theater ·

2026/01/29

The ongoing conflict in Minneapolis has increased the chances of a partial government shutdown, and the stress of finding a solution is only building, with talk of impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem circulating, the public souring on the administration's immigration actions and a double-whammy winter storm in the mix. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

20:35

Contempt for the Clintons?

Political Theater ·

2026/01/22

Jason Dick and Todd Ruger unpack the politics of a congressional committee's pursuit of Contempt of Congress charges against Bill and Hillary Clinton, how the process works, who's been prosecuted before for Contempt of Congress and why, and, of course, how it all relates to the Epstein files. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

33:02

‘All the pieces matter’ in politics, just not equally

Political Theater ·

2026/01/16

Jason Dick and Mary Ellen McIntire look at the biggest political news of the new year and discuss how big a deal it is for the 2026 midterm election cycle, from Alaska's Senate race to Greenland -- and don't worry, they eventually discuss non-Polar climes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

46:19

The good, the bad and the meh: What we're watching in...

Political Theater ·

2026/01/07

In politics, there is a lot going on, it can be hard to focus. But some polling and economic indicators are good guideposts for what is shaping the electorate as the 2026 campaign gets under way. Jason Dick and Nathan Gonzales talk about their favorite numbers to peruse, as well as some of their meh numbers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

59:03

A most consequential year for Congress

Political Theater ·

2025/12/18

The first session of the 119th Congress has been consequential: the legislative branch ceded much of its constitutional responsibilities to the executive branch, senators changed the process for confirming presidential nominees, and the House rank and file grew more emboldened to sidestep their leaders and force votes. Jason Dick and Molly Reynolds discuss these topics and much more as they put 2025 into context. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

55:38

Buy the 'Shadow Ticket,' take the ride

Political Theater ·

2025/12/10

Thomas Pynchon's latest novel, "Shadow Ticket," has a lot to say about politics, so Jason Dick checks in with Sean Carswell, the official Pynchon scholar of the Political Theater podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

37:35

Can Congress save itself?

Political Theater ·

2025/12/03

Despite its propensity for making itself look bad, some of the inner workings of Congress reveal lawmakers who are finding ways to work together. Can they cut through the noise and solve some real problems? Jason Dick and Justin Papp discuss the changing institution and the people who make it, or try to make it, function. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

37:01

The re-re-redistricting chronicles

Political Theater ·

2025/11/20

Jason Dick and Nathan Gonzales talk about how multiple rounds of redistricting congressional boundaries and the lawsuits surrounding them are making a weird year and weird election cycle even weirder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

50:47

There is no such things as an off-year in politics

Political Theater ·

2025/11/06

Jason Dick talks with Daniela Altimari and Mary Ellen McIntire about the new Roll Call Most Vulnerable Incumbent list, Tuesday night's election results and the latest rounds of redistricting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

46:23

Taking the ‘Vineland’ express to ‘One Battle After...

Political Theater ·

2025/10/31

Jason Dick and Sean Carswell discuss how Thomas Pynchon’s novel “Vineland” led to Paul Thomas Anderson’s movie “One Battle After Another,” the conversation those two works have about American culture and politics, as well as the 1960s left, the Nixonian right, Reaganism, the drug war, Trumpism and, for good measure, Emerson's concept of the level of divine justice.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

32:53

Immigration, race and ‘One Battle After Another'

Political Theater ·

2025/10/21

Jason Dick and Chris Johnson talk about how immigration and racial issues frame the action and plot in the Paul Thomas Anderson movie "One Battle After Another," the salience of those issues in American history and culture and why movies still matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

25:08

An Orwell movie for Orwellian times

Political Theater ·

2025/10/07

Jason Dick talks with filmmaker Raoul Peck about his documentary "Orwell: 2+2=5," the importance of stepping back from the news cycle to keep things in context and how degrading language leads to degrading humanity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

25:44

The great 'meh': Scenes from a shutdown

Political Theater ·

2025/10/03

Jason Dick and Mary Ellen McIntire talk about how the government shutdown hasn't created much urgency on Capitol Hill, even though the effects could be significant, why each party thinks they have the upper hand and how it might play in upcoming races like the Virginia governor's race, where a lot of furloughed federal workers have a vote. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

86 results

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