Chuck opens with an analysis of President Trump's controversial upcoming Middle East trip, focusing on reports that Trump will receive a luxury Boeing airplane as a gift from Qatar. He characterizes this as potentially "the most corrupt bargain a president has ever made," questioning the ethics and legality of such an arrangement while examining Trump's pattern of personal enrichment in office. The discussion extends to Trump's cryptocurrency ventures, the growing influence of Gulf states in American politics, and the administration's unorthodox approaches to foreign policy and homeland security.

Then he’s joined by a rising star in the Democratic party, Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett. She provides insights into her rapidly growing Dallas district and discusses the economic benefits of immigration that contrast sharply with current policies. Crockett, known for her viral moments in congressional hearings, offers a candid assessment of the partisan circus in the House Oversight Committee and the ideological divide within the Democratic Party. The conversation delves into factors behind Trump's victory, whether racism and misogyny impacted Kamala Harris's campaign, and the complex political landscape in Texas, including potential opportunities for Democrats if Ken Paxton defeats John Cornyn in a future primary.

Finally, the episode concludes with an "Ask Chuck" segment addressing why abortion has faded from national discourse despite its continued importance.

Timeline:

00:00 Introduction

01:55 Trump’s first planned overseas trip is to the middle east

02:50 Trump to receive a luxury Boeing airplane as a gift from Qatar

04:50 Most corrupt bargain a president has ever made

07:10 Whether it’s illegal or not, it’s a terrible look

08:20 Trump didn’t want to wait to get a new Air Force One

09:15 Trump believes he’s untouchable

10:30 Trump’s crypto token is purely a bribery scam

12:30 Will any elected Republicans stand up to Trump?

14:30 Trump views personal enrichment as a commission

16:00 The gulf states are openly bribing American politicians

17:45 It was good that Rubio and Vance intervened in India/Pakistan conflict

19:50 Homeland security is running campaign ads with taxpayer dollars

22:30 Trump’s Iran deal won’t get done until after his middle east trip

24:30 Taking a plane as a gift feels like a bad movie plot

25:25 Jasmine Crockett joins the Chuck ToddCast!

25:25 Tour of TX-30 (Dallas)

28:55 TX-30 is a hub for aviation

31:45 Dallas is growing exponentially

33:40 How can St. Louis be revitalized?

37:15 Immigrants produce economic dynamism and we're treating them horribly

39:45 How important are viral moments for political communications

43:25 The partisan circus in the oversight committee

44:40 We have people in government that don't understand how it works*

45:40 DOGE hearing became about trans people competing in fencing

47:25 Is it a generational divide or ideological divide in the Democratic party

48:25 Some members cling to the institutions while they're burning around them*

50:10 State of the Union displayed the differences of approach between members

51:25 How did Democrats end up in this situation?

53:15 Why did Trump win?

55:25 How much did racism and misogyny factor into Kamala Harris losing?

56:40 Did Harris's background as a prosecutor help or hurt her?

59:10 Trump's name being on buildings sold the public on his business acumen

1:01:05 Should Harris take another shot at the presidency?*

1:02:25 Democratic voters don't want "establishment" candidates

1:04:10 Democrats are fighting an uphill battle

1:05:10 Is Texas a 3 party state with two Republican wings?

1:06:10 If Ken Paxton beats John Cornyn, the Texas senate seat will be in play

1:08:40 Did Democrats miss the moment in Texas?

1:10:25 Will the Luka trade leave a lasting mark on Dallas?

1:11:10 Is she running for oversight chair?

1:11:35 Her advice for Hakeem Jeffries

1:12:45 Chuck's thoughts on interview with Jasmine Crockett

1:13:15 Ask Chuck

1:13:30 Why has abortion disappeared from the national discourse?

1:16:30 Please let the Wizards get the #1 pick and Cooper Flagg

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

Chuck opens with an analysis of growing global tensions, including armed conflict between India and Pakistan, and the power vacuum created by America's retreat from its traditional leadership role. He discusses Joe Biden's recent BBC comments on foreign affairs and the potential for Vladimir Putin to test NATO's Article 5 commitment in the Baltics, suggesting that increased global conflict may be on the horizon as China and Russia fill the void left by the United States.

Then he’s joined by the author of the new book "Heaven Help Us" and former Ohio Governor John Kasich, who offers candid insights on the lost art of political compromise and consensus-building. Kasich discusses the toxic partisanship exemplified by the Obama/Christie hug controversy, shares his perspective on healthcare reform, and explores how faith can inform governance without violating church-state separation.

The conversation covers the prospects for the 2026 and 2028 elections, Ohio's political landscape, and the need for spiritual renewal in American culture. Kasich offers sharp criticism of both Trump's approach to tariffs and Biden's presidency, which he characterizes as a failure due to insulation from contrarian views.

Finally Chuck responds to listeners’ questions in the "Ask Chuck" segment, addressing questions about increasing the size of the House of Representatives, how organizations earn the "non-partisan" label, and whether the national debt will trigger economic catastrophe.

Timeline:

00:00 Introduction

03:15 Armed conflict between India and Pakistan

07:30 We see more conflict when the U.S. is in retreat

09:00 If America doesn’t play the role of world police, Russia and China will

11:00 We’re likely to see more conflict around the world

13:35 Joe Biden weighs in on foreign affairs on BBC

14:45 Putin likely to test article 5 in the Baltics

16:45 Democrat loss was 10 years in the making

21:45 John Kasich joins the Chuck Toddcast!

23:15 Why have we lost the art of politics and compromise?

25:45 The Obama/Chris Christie hug shouldn't have been a controversy

27:00 Government never finds a way to get money out of politics

29:05 Faith in democracy?

31:35 The next president has the opposite traits of the prior president

33:05 What will the country look for in the next president?

33:55 Advice for 2028 candidates?

35:15 Could the MAGA candidates become toxic in the primaries by 2026?

36:15 Vivek Ramaswamy's prospects in the Ohio governor's race?

37:30 Ohio isn't ruby red

39:45 Voters care less about issues and more about personal connection

41:00 The issues John Kasich would focus most on addressing

43:30 The healthcare system is broken

46:15 For profit hospitals are less profitable than non-profits

48:30 Healthcare stakeholders need to be forced to compromise

49:55 We need politicians that can build consensus, not just offer a plan

53:05 Integrating faith into governance without violating separation of church and state?

56:15 The social gospel changed the culture from an "I" environment to a "we" society

57:15 Local journalism is service journalism, national journalism is civics journalism

1:00:30 How do we move America past its "I" culture?

1:02:00 We need a spiritual renewal

1:02:45 Pope Francis could be remembered as the most important of the century

1:04:15 Trump's tariff implementation shows his inability to listen and win people over

1:06:45 We've never updated the design for our public education system

1:08:30 The education industrial complex resists reform

1:11:00 Biden's staff kept him insulated from hearing contrarian views

1:11:45 Biden's presidency was a failure

1:16:15 College football has been turned into the minor leagues

1:20:20 Chuck's thoughts on the interview with John Kasich

1:21:50 Ask Chuck

1:22:00 How would increasing the size of the house of representatives work?

1:24:40 How do entities/organizations earn the label "non-partisan"?

1:29:00 Will the national debt cause economic catastrophe?

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

As a bonus for Chuck ToddCast listeners, we’re sharing a special preview of Kamala: Next in Line, a six-part podcast from MSNBC and Wondery that goes inside the cross-cultural journey that led Senator Kamala Harris from her humble roots to become the first African-American woman to be the Vice Presidential nominee for a major party. From Oakland to Howard University, and California to Washington DC, experience her story as it has never been told before. Hosted by MSNBC's Joy Reid, the show features exclusive interviews with those who know her best, painting a picture of a woman who has fought her way to the top at every turn. Listen to the first episode, and subscribe to the series now: https://link.chtbl.com/description-kamala