The Axe Files with David Axelrod
A weekly News podcast featuring David Axelrod
The Axe Files with David Axelrod
Episodes
Best Episodes of The Axe Files
Mark All
In the span of 15 months, Rep. Liz Cheney went from House GOP conference chair to losing her primary by more than 30 points. Her fall within the Republican Party began with her vote to impeach President Donald Trump after the January 6 attack o
In high school, Cody Keenan wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon. But a challenging college chemistry course led him to pursue a degree in political science instead. He got his start working in the mailroom for Sen. Ted Kennedy, eventually becomi
While in law school, former Alabama Senator Doug Jones skipped class to watch the trial of Robert Chambliss, convicted in 1977 for his role in the deadly 1963 Birmingham church bombing, which killed four Black girls. Decades later, as a US atto
Growing up as the son of a Palestinian refugee and a Syrian immigrant, former Rep. Justin Amash developed an early appreciation for the opportunities and freedoms America offered. His views on what power the government should have in limiting t
As a young reporter, Dan Rather was no stranger to getting the story by any means necessary, whether that meant sneaking off to use the office phone at Lyndon B. Johnson’s ranch or chaining himself to a tree during Hurricane Carla. The legendar
We revisit our 2016 conversation with Steve Kerr, head coach of the Golden State Warriors. He sits down with David to discuss his upbringing in the Middle East, the qualities of exceptional athletes, his coaching philosophy, and more.To learn
Author and writer for The Atlantic Magazine Ta-Nehisi Coates sits down with David to talk about his upbringing in Baltimore, his early forays into journalism, race and politics in America, his reflections on the Obama presidency, and much more.
Ben Smith, the editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed, talks with David Axelrod about BuzzFeed's approach to journalism and how he responds to the organization's critics, why Donald Trump has reenergized the news media, why BuzzFeed decided to publish the
Scott Jennings is well known as a conservative firebrand on CNN. From working for George W. Bush to being mentioned as a possible press secretary for Donald Trump, Scott has a deep background in Republican politics, yet he considers himself a j
Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez has made waves—and won elections—by questioning who gets to be an expert on the needs of everyday Americans. She grew up in Texas and attended Reed College before settling in rural Washington and opening
This Thanksgiving, we’re revisiting a conversation with historian and writer Jon Meacham on his book, “And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle.” The book dives deep into Lincoln and the why behind the actions of America’s
Chris LaCivita, GOP campaign pro and mastermind behind some of the party’s most ruthless yet effective political ads, says he focuses on a simple mandate—getting his boss elected. In the weeks following his successful stint as co-manager of Don
Democratic pollster John Anzalone wants voters to know that pollsters are not prognosticators. Instead, they use their findings to help craft strategy and messaging, and John has some advice for the Democratic Party after the 2024 election. He
This week, The Axe Files reaches a milestone: 600 episodes. For this anniversary show, CNN’s Anderson Cooper sat down with David to talk about the origins of The Axe Files, some of the most memorable moments from the podcast, what David has lea
Charlamagne tha God—born Lenard McKelvey—got his start in radio by chance, but once he started, he was hooked. He now co-hosts The Breakfast Club, a nationally syndicated morning show reaching millions of listeners each month. He talked to Davi
CNN’s John King loves being an anchor, but looking back on the past few presidential elections, he felt he was missing something from inside his Washington, D.C. bubble. So, he decided to get back on the road, traveling from state to state and
Ilana Dayan, a prominent Israeli journalist, spoke with David last fall, just days after the October 7 massacre in Israel perpetrated by Hamas. One year later, David checked in with Ilana to talk about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has been thinking about the economy since she was a young girl in the working-class neighborhood of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, keenly attuned to how broader economic trends impacted the employment of her neighbors. Onc
As a child, journalist Kasie Hunt eagerly awaited the arrival of “Time” magazine each week. She loved current events, which eventually piqued her interest in national security and journalism. She joined David to talk about growing up in a post-
At 11 years old, Roger Carstens, already an avid news consumer, was struck by stories of genocide in Cambodia. He resolved that when he grew up, he would work to alleviate human suffering. That mission took him to the Army and jobs in the non-p
DeMar DeRozan is a six-time NBA All Star and an Olympic gold medalist. But perhaps the defining legacy of his career will be his decision to speak out about his struggles with depression and mental health. He joined David to talk about growing
Kamala Harris has “Freedom.” Donald Trump has “God Bless the USA” (and a lot of cease-and-desist letters). What makes for a good campaign song? And why do we respond so viscerally to the ones that work? Audie talks with DJ Cassidy, who DJ'd the
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi has joined David on The Axe Files many times to talk about her life, policy, and politics. With the recent release of her book, “The Art of Power,” the two again met to talk at the University Club of Chicago during
As Vice President Kamala Harris prepares to take the stage for the final night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention as the Democratic presidential nominee, we are re-airing a conversation David had with Harris back in 2017. At the time, s
Journalist Ezra Klein has been covering politics for two decades, first as a blogger from his undergrad dorm room and now as an Opinion columnist for The New York Times. He joined David to talk about the current political moment, the role of po
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