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Runaway Country with Alex Wagner

Runaway Country with Alex Wagner

93 episodes

Being an American right now is a wild ride. Every day brings a new controversy, with breathless media narratives and the same loud voices rushing in to score political points. Then another Truth Social post drops and the circus moves on. But all that noise is drowning out the actual story. On her new podcast Runaway Country, veteran journalist Alex Wagner talks to the voices at the center of the headlines: from the fringes of the resistance, to the marrow of MAGA, to the many people who’ve found themselves smack-dab in the crosshairs of a fight they never asked for. Because if you want to understand our unreal times, you’ve got to talk to the very real people who are experiencing it all first-hand. Join Alex as she brings together the stories of everyday Americans trapped in our national car with no brakes, alongside conversations with some of the smartest thinkers in politics. Buckle up, this road could lead anywhere.

More about the show

New episodes every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts, and @RunawayCountryWithAlexWagner on YouTube. Friends of the Pod subscribers can access ad-free episodes of Runaway Country by subscribing through Apple Podcasts, Supercast, Crooked Media on Substack, or the Pod Save America YouTube channel.

Episodes page 2 of 2

  1. Dems Take the Gloves Off (with David Plouffe)

    · 59 min

    Alex talks about the hottest issue leading up to next week’s election….the 2026 election. California’s Proposition 50 is a power play by Governor Newsom and Democrats to fight back against Republican gerrymandering in…

  2. Justice Has Left the Building

    · 1 h 09 min

    Alex digs into the destruction of due process and rule of law under the Trump administration. First, she hears from Judge Anam Petit, a recently fired immigration judge who explains how the legal system is being…

  3. Introducing Runaway Country with Alex Wagner (Coming October 23rd)

    · 1:51

    Being an American right now is a wild ride. Every day brings a new controversy, breathless media narratives, and the same loud voices rushing in to score political points. Then another Truth Social post drops and the…

  4. Updates from The Wilderness

    · 1:33 · Bonus

    Hey everyone, Jon Favreau here with a special announcement. From now on, new episodes of The Wilderness will appear on the Pod Save America feed, and we’ll have some updates soon about when that’s coming! In the…

  5. The Wilderness: How Kamala Beats Trump (S4E8)

    · 56 min

    On the final episode of this season of The Wilderness, Jon is joined by UCLA political scientist Lynn Vavreck and senior Harris campaign advisor David Plouffe. Lynn and Jon discuss why, despite all of this election's…

  6. The Wilderness: Kamala Harris’s Winning Message (S4E7)

    · 54 min

    Jon is joined Democratic message guru Anat Shenker-Osorio and longtime political strategist Michael Podhorzer to talk about how swing voters are reacting to a Harris-Walz ticket and what message the campaign will need…

  7. The Wilderness: What Undecided Voters Think of Kamala Harris (S4E6)

    · 42 min

    Jon is joined by longtime pollster Sarah Longwell to discuss how swing voters are reacting to Kamala Harris’ unexpected campaign for president. How did they react to Biden’s decision to withdraw? What concerns do they…

  8. The Wilderness: Why No One’s Winning Young Voters (S4E5)

    · 1 h 13 min

    Jon is joined by youth polling experts John Della Volpe and Kristen Soltis Anderson to talk about apathy among young voters this election cycle. Why are they so disengaged? Are some truly defecting to Trump? And what…

  9. The Wilderness: How Democrats Can Win Latinos Back (S4E4)

    · 1 h 04 min

    Jon is joined by Carlos Odio and Stephanie Valencia, founders of Equis Research, the nation’s leading polling and research firm focused on the Latino electorate, to talk about what Democrats can do to win back the…

  10. The Wilderness: Could Trump-Curious Black Voters Swing the Election? (S4E3)

    · 1 h 00 min

    Jon is joined by pollster Terrance Woodbury and Lavora Barnes, Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, to talk about the black voters who may cast their ballots for Trump this November. Who are they? Why are they…

  11. The Wilderness: The Trump Voters Who Are Sick of Trump (S4E2)

    · 55 min

    Jon is joined by longtime pollster Sarah Longwell and former Republican strategist Tim Miller to get inside the minds of two-time Trump voters who are no longer sure if they’ll vote for him again. What’s changed? Well,…

  12. The Wilderness: The Path to Defeat Donald Trump (S4E1)

    · 38 min

    Welcome back to The Wilderness. Jon talks about what it will take to rebuild 2020’s anti-Trump coalition with political analyst Ron Brownstein, political scientist Lynn Vavreck, Democratic strategist Addisu Demissie,…

  13. The Wilderness (S4 Trailer)

    · 3:36

    If you’re reading this, chances are you’re not an undecided voter. But if you don’t want Donald Trump to become president again, between now and November you’ll need to convince as many as you can to cast their ballot…

  14. The Wilderness: Young Black Voters in Atlanta (S3E6)

    · 1 h 04 min

    Can Democrats keep Georgia blue? We hear from young Black voters in Atlanta about Stacey Abrams, Raphael Warnock, Joe Biden, voting rights, and the future of democracy. Organizer Nsé Ufot, political commentator and…

  15. The Wilderness: Working-Class Latinos in Las Vegas (S3E5)

    · 55 min

    Are demographics destiny? We talk to working-class Latino voters in Las Vegas about what issues matter most to them and whether they’ll vote for Democrats this fall. Political scientist Ruy Teixeira, former Bernie…

  16. The Wilderness: Gen-Z Voters in Orange County (S3E4)

    · 52 min

    Are young voters the key to the midterms? We hear from disillusioned Gen-Z voters in Orange County, California as well as their Member of Congress, Katie Porter. Then Data For Progress’ Evangel Penumaka, organizer and…

  17. The Wilderness: Disconnected Democrats in Pittsburgh (S3E3)

    · 59 min

    How can Democrats reach disconnected voters? We talk to Biden voters in Pittsburgh who are fed up with national politics. Jon breaks down their responses with Pennsylvania Representative Malcolm Kenyatta, data expert…

  18. The Wilderness: Party Switchers in Virginia (S3E2)

    · 54 min

    Why would Biden voters support Republicans? We hear from party switchers in Loudoun County who turned Virginia red in 2021 by voting for Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin. Communications expert Anat Shenker Osorio,…

  19. The Wilderness: The Divide (S3E1)

    · 44 min

    What will it take to save democracy in 2022 and beyond? The MAGA movement is one of the greatest threats to American democracy. But one of the greatest divides in American politics is between the minority of voters who…

  20. The Wilderness (S3 Trailer)

    · 3:44

    In season 3 of The Wilderness, Jon Favreau talks to voters in the midterm battleground regions who will determine the future of democracy. With the help of grassroots organizers and strategists, Favreau will unpack…

  21. The Wilderness: The Path (S2E6)

    · 42 min

    What’s the winning message in 2020? We talk about how to overcome Trump’s massive media advantage and deliver a message that resonates everywhere with the smartest people we know. Jon Favreau sits down to answer some…

  22. The Wilderness: The Midwest (S2E5)

    · 46 min

    How can Democrats beat Trump’s divisive politics? We spend time with Obama-Trump voters in Milwaukee, and sit down with political leaders and strategists who know how to win in the Midwest. For a transcript of this…

  23. The Wilderness: The Southeast (S2E4)

    · 42 min

    How can Democrats turn out new voters? We talk about expanding the electorate with Stacey Abrams and spend time with organizers and occasional voters in Florida. For a transcript of this episode, please visit…

  24. The Wilderness: The Southwest (S2E3)

    · 41 min

    Are the Sunbelt’s suburbs key to victory in November? We talk to Romney-Clinton voters in Arizona and follow a candidate who’s trying to flip her changing district. For a transcript of this episode, please visit…

  25. The Wilderness: The Northeast (S2E2)

    · 51 min

    How can grassroots organizers flip a red state? We talk to women who are trying to turn Pennsylvania blue and defeat Susan Collins, and sit down with a focus group of disaffected Democrats outside of Philadelphia. For…

  26. The Wilderness: The Stakes (E2S1)

    · 42 min

    What can the 2018 midterms teach us about 2020? A deep dive into how the Blue Wave shapes the race against Donald Trump and the path to 270. For a transcript of this show, please visit crooked.com/thewilderness.

  27. The Wilderness (S2 Trailer)

    · 3:41

    Jon Favreau looks for the path to victory in 2020 by talking to voters, strategists, organizers, and candidates in the battleground states that will decide the election.

  28. The Wilderness: The Story (with Barack Obama) (S1E15)

    · 58 min

    In the series finale, Barack Obama and Jon Favreau have a conversation on the story we need to tell about America. What should the Democratic Party’s message be in 2018? Learn more: www.thewildernesspodcast.com The…

  29. The Wilderness: The Ceiling (S1E14)

    · 1 h 02 min

    What are the unique challenges facing women in politics? A first-time candidate who’s running to be a state legislator tells her story. Learn more:www.thewildernesspodcast.com The Wilderness with Jon Favreau is…

  30. The Wilderness: The Bench (S1E13)

    · 46 min

    How can we recruit a new generation of winning candidates? Three young, recently-elected Democrats talk about what it’s like to run for office. Learn more: www.thewildernesspodcast.com The Wilderness with Jon Favreau…

  31. The Wilderness: The Party (S1E12)

    · 59 min

    How democratic should the Democratic Party be? The evolving relationship between party leaders and grassroots organizers. Learn more: www.thewildernesspodcast.com The Wilderness with Jon Favreau is presented by Honey.…

  32. The Wilderness: The Filter (S1E11)

    · 1 h 07 min

    How can Democrats break through in today’s media environment? A strategy for rethinking the way we communicate with the public. Learn more: www.thewildernesspodcast.com The Wilderness with Jon Favreau is presented by…

  33. The Wilderness: The Blob (S1E10)

    · 52 min

    How can Democrats avoid conventional thinking on foreign policy? A discussion about what a new era of American leadership might look like. Learn more: www.thewildernesspodcast.com The Wilderness with Jon Favreau is…

  34. The Wilderness: The Second Bill of Rights (S1E9)

    · 57 min

    What does a bold, progressive economic agenda look like? Policy experts talk about the big ideas that can shape the Democratic Party’s platform. Learn more: www.thewildernesspodcast.com The Wilderness with Jon Favreau…

  35. The Wilderness: The 1% (S1E8)

    · 41 min

    Why do we have an historic level of inequality in this country? The economic transformations and political decisions that have diminished the American Dream. Learn more: www.thewildernesspodcast.com The Wilderness with…

  36. The Wilderness: The Newcomers (S1E7)

    · 1 h 02 min

    What’s the best way to fight for a humane immigration policy? Immigration advocates talk about the decisions that shaped the debate and where we go from here. Learn more: www.thewildernesspodcast.com The Wilderness…

  37. The Wilderness: The Big We (S1E6)

    · 42 min

    How can Democrats build a multiracial coalition that adds up to an electoral majority? A discussion about whether it’s necessary or possible to win back voters we’ve lost. Learn more: www.thewildernesspodcast.com The…

  38. The Wilderness: The Backlash (S1E5)

    · 51 min

    How do we fight for justice and equality in the face of racism? The struggle to break the cycle of progress and backlash that defines race and politics in America. Learn more: www.thewildernesspodcast.com The…

  39. The Wilderness: The Voters (S1E4)

    · 52 min

    How do we fix what’s wrong with the Democratic Party? Focus groups of Democratic voters in Texas and Michigan, along with thousands of callers, offer their views. Learn more: www.thewildernesspodcast.com The Wilderness…

  40. The Wilderness: The Nightmare (S1E3)

    · 55 min

    Why did Democrats lose the 2016 election? The candidates, campaigns, and conditions that led to America’s worst person becoming president. Learn more: www.thewildernesspodcast.com The Wilderness with Jon Favreau is…

  41. The Wilderness: The Change (S1E2)

    · 41 min

    What is Barack Obama’s legacy? A closer look at how an historic presidency shaped the party and the country. Learn more: www.thewildernesspodcast.com The Wilderness with Jon Favreau is presented by Honey. Join for free…

  42. The Wilderness: The Democracy (S1E1)

    · 47 min

    How did we get here? The history of the Democratic Party, from its birth in the 1820s through the election of Barack Obama. Learn more: www.thewildernesspodcast.com The Wilderness with Jon Favreau is presented by…

  43. The Wilderness (S1 Trailer)

    · 3:29

    The Wilderness is a documentary from Crooked Media and Two-Up Productions about the history and future of the Democratic Party. Pod Save America’s Jon Favreau tells the story of a party finding its way out of the…

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