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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

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

54:08

Let’s get existential

Political Theater ·

2025/09/23

Jason Dick and Molly Reynolds talk about the most significant things Congress has done this year and what kind of ripple effects could follow, as well as how lawmakers disenfranchise themselves when it comes to putting in the work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

26:37

They seem fine: Life After Congress

Political Theater ·

2025/09/09

Poetry readings, brewing beer, helping out kids: Jason Dick and Jessica Wehrman talk about Roll Call’s revived Life After Congress feature and what former members do with their time, then they round it out with a little wisdom from Henry Cabot Lodge.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

41:35

Discharge petition: congressional procedure or great...

Political Theater ·

2025/09/03

Jason Dick and Nathan Gonzales talk about the promise and perils of re-redistricting, what it's like to be in Washington right now, why people quit, and why they want to come here, and string it all together with musings about Exogol and good hard-core band names. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

23:53

How Democrats hope to flip the script on energy as a...

Political Theater ·

2025/08/07

Jessica Wehrman talks with David Jordan of CQ Roll Call about how energy affordability could become a sleeper issue in next year's midterm elections.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

25:25

Off to the redistricting races

Political Theater ·

2025/07/29

Mary Ellen McIntire and Daniela Altimari discuss how a potential new congressional map in Texas could set off a race among other states to redraw their own maps, and how that might affect the 2026 midterm elections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

29:48

Six months in, a gut check on Trump 2.0

Political Theater ·

2025/07/22

Talking Epstein, congressional chaos and the Senate races to watch with Nathan Gonzales of Inside Elections.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

18:58

Rush job: Life in Congress

Political Theater ·

2025/07/16

Jason Dick and Mary Ellen McIntire talk about what happens when Congress tries to do too much in too short a period of time, how Republicans and Democrats do agree on one big thing and what life is like in the basement of the Capitol. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

44:31

'We had time back then'

Political Theater ·

2025/07/08

Jason Dick and Chris Cillizza talk about the time needed to produce quality sourcing, good work and journalism, how the news business continues to change, for better and worse, and Damon Chappie's sighs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

34:42

The ‘rock and roll poetry’ of Joe Iconis’ Hunter S....

Political Theater ·

2025/07/03

Jason Dick talks with Joe Iconis about what led him to write "The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical," how much the world changed during that time, playing Thompson's piano at Owl Farm and taking some comfort in how things get better and worse, better and worse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

23:04

A short history of hoping people will change their minds

Political Theater ·

2025/06/25

Jason Dick and Jessica Wehrman talk about how unpopular the “One Big Beautiful Bill” in Congress is, why Republicans will likely pass it anyway and the short history of how, regardless of how hard politicians try, sometimes the public won’t go along with their public relations efforts.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

76 results

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