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America, Actually with Astead Herndon

Vox Media

37 episodes

Donald Trump has defined American political discourse for more than a decade. In 2028, Americans will have a different choice. On America, Actually, host Astead Herndon is joined by people in politics, people in the news, and voters to chart the journey toward the next presidential election. Every week, they dig into the most pressing questions people across the country are asking: How will AI change the way we work? What does affordability mean for different communities? And what is America’s place in the world?

More about the show

America, Actually is your weekly deep dive into the people and ideas that will shape what the future looks like — beyond Trump.

New episodes drop every Saturday. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Episodes

  1. Sports in midterm America

    · 39 min

    Pablo Torre discusses what sports reveal about President Trump, billionaire power, and America’s mood ahead of the midterms. This show was produced and video edited by Frank Posillico, edited by Kasia Broussalian,…

  2. Can Trump steal the midterms?

    · 32 min

    Between the Trump administration’s executive orders, lawsuits, and relentless rhetoric, it feels like voting systems in America are under constant threat. Is it working? Editor’s note: Earlier in this episode,…

  3. Who gets to lead Democrats next?

    · 50 min · Explicit

    Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) makes the case for new leaders and a stronger strategy for standing up to Trump. This show was produced by Frank Posillico, edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by…

  4. Can you buy the midterms?

    · 36 min

    Republicans are entering the midterm home stretch with a staggering $1 billion campaign war chest. Will it make a difference? This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Vasilis…

  5. Can Dems flip state legislatures?

    · 34 min

    Most of the focus in this year’s midterms is naturally on Congress. But the battle to control state legislatures matters just as much, if not more. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther…

  6. Democrats’ abortion blind spot

    · 41 min

    Why are Democrats playing it safe and missing an opportunity to make a stronger case for abortion rights? This show was produced by Frank Posillico, edited by Christina Vallice, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by…

  7. The GOP strategy: Ignore Trump

    · 22 min · Explicit

    Can a Republican candidate run for governor in a red state without bringing up Donald Trump a single time? We went to Ohio to find out. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by…

  8. What Democrats don’t get

    · 43 min

    What do Democrats misunderstand about voters, and why isn’t opposing Trump enough to win them over? This show was produced by Frank Posillico, edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Matt…

  9. The AI election

    · 29 min

    Polling says less than 1 percent of voters consider AI a top concern this election cycle. Michigan congressional candidate Will Lawrence sees things differently. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked…

  10. Israel, Trump, and the media

    · 36 min

    Mehdi Hasan, journalist and founder of Zeteo, explains how coverage of Israel and President Trump has fueled the media’s credibility crisis. This show was produced by Frank Posillico, edited by Christina Vallice, fact…

  11. Latino voters swing back

    · 33 min

    Latino voters swung hard to the right in 2024. Now, they’re giving Dems another look. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher…

  12. Your midterms study guide

    · 32 min · Explicit

    With the 2026 midterms fast approaching, we’re asking a simple question: What actually matters to voters right now? This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney,…

  13. Florida’s progressive test

    · 37 min

    Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon overcame a 17-to-1 fundraising gap to win the state’s Democratic Senate primary. Can she score another upset in November? This show was edited by Christina Vallice, fact checked by…

  14. The politics of Gen Z

    · 37 min

    What’s up with the kids these days? We asked a Gen Z researcher to explain her generation’s politics. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by…

  15. Is MAGA still electable?

    · 28 min

    Left-leaning Democratic candidates have faced a lot of scrutiny in the last year about whether they’re “electable” in a general election. Why aren’t people asking the same about Republican candidates? This show was…

  16. Hasan Piker’s challenge to the center

    · 36 min

    Democrats have been duking it out all summer. He’s at the center of it all. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder, and…

  17. The Democratic divide

    · 50 min

    Progressives are racking up primary wins. Is the Democratic establishment getting the message? This show was edited by Christina Vallice, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by David Tatasciore, video edited by Frank…

  18. The gas price vote

    · 28 min

    Will high gas prices actually change how people vote? We went to Pennsylvania to find out. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher…

  19. Fantasy draft: 2028 presidential race

    · 43 min · Explicit

    Journalists Astead Herndon, Don Lemon, and Kara Swisher hold a fantasy draft to find out who has the best shot at becoming president in 2028. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Sarah Schweppe,…

  20. The Boomer politicians who won't retire

    · 36 min

    Democratic Congressman James Clyburn turned 86 years old this week. He has no plans to retire. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by…

  21. Progressives take on the Rust Belt

    · 32 min · Explicit

    First there was New York, then Colorado. But can a progressive candidate win in the Rust Belt? This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by…

  22. Kamala, 2028

    · 29 min

    The former vice president’s loyal base seems ready for another go, but Democratic donors are wary. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Sarah Schweppe, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by…

  23. The lessons from Graham Platner’s implosion

    · 24 min

    What should the progressive left take away from the collapse of Graham Platner’s campaign? This show was edited by Christina Vallice, fact checked by Sarah Schweppe, video edited by Frank Posillico, and hosted by…

  24. America’s 250-year checkup

    · 25 min

    Can the country’s founding ideals still unite a divided nation? This episode is presented by the Rockefeller Foundation. This show was produced by Dustin DeSoto, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney,…

  25. How Trump lost the bro vote

    · 30 min · Explicit

    The group of men that famously helped propel Trump to the White House in 2024 is having second thoughts. Here’s what that means for Republicans in the future. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by…

  26. The young candidates shaking up the Dem Party

    · 34 min

    AI, policing and generational change are among the issues influencing two primary races in New York that reflect the broader 2026 midterms. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed…

  27. Hasan Piker vs. The Establishment

    · 35 min · Explicit

    Hasan Piker has become one of the most prominent leftist voices in the US. But his rapid rise has sparked a furious backlash from establishment Democrats -- specifically the Third Way think tank. This show was edited…

  28. Can corruption drive voter turnout?

    · 28 min

    We went to Virginia to report on redistricting. What we found was a potential new message for Democrats to win over voters. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon…

  29. You voted. Does it matter?

    · 28 min

    Democrats talk a lot about protecting democracy, but for most Americans, the system was written to exclude them a long time ago. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon…

  30. Working in the age of AI

    · 25 min

    What skills will matter most in the AI era, and how can workers avoid being left behind? We look at one big bet aimed at supporting the US workforce. This episode is presented by The Rockefeller Foundation. This show…

  31. The data center war

    · 24 min

    There’s a growing disconnect between a local community that says it’s being treated as the "guinea pigs" in a new industrial revolution, and Washington politicians. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact…

  32. "Affordability" is the new progressive

    · 25 min

    What do buzzwords like “progressive” and “affordability” mean to voters? We went to one of the most Democratic congressional districts to find out. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther…

  33. Grading America's first 250 years

    · 27 min

    America at 250 years old may need a new founding document. Historian Heather Cox Richardson drafts a new social contract. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney,…

  34. This Senator has an Eric Swalwell problem

    · 30 min

    We were set to talk to Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego about solving our immigration crisis. Then Eric Swalwell resigned from Congress. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by…

  35. Why both sides fail on immigration

    · 30 min

    Immigration might be President Donald Trump’s signature issue, but what do Americans actually think about border security and enforcement? This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed…

  36. America Post-Trump

    · 34 min · Explicit

    What does US politics look like when Donald Trump is no longer at the center of it? In 2028, voters will get to decide. But for now, we explore. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact-checked by Esther Gim,…

  37. Introducing: America, Actually with Astead Herndon

    · 1:36 · Trailer

    America, Actually is a new podcast from Vox where host Astead Herndon explores what US politics looks like without Donald Trump at the center. It’s been a one-man show for more than a decade, but now, the US is heading…

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