Hacks on Tap with David Axelrod and Mike Murphy

This week Axe and Gibbs were joined by Jeff Zeleny, who is the Chief National Affairs Correspondent for CNN. Jeff gives an update on what he has seen on the road in New Hampshire, the Hacks then break down Biden’s communication challenges, new poll numbers and the battle for the GOP nomination. 

This week, Axe and Murphy are joined by Scott Jennings, a GOP strategist, conservative columnist, and CNN commentator. The Hacks discuss Trump’s most recent presidential portrait, his upcoming trial, and how this could impact the nominating process. The guys also talk about pre/post-Trump GOP candidates, post GOP debate performances, identify politics, Biden’s campaign performance, and so much more!

The bleary-eyed Hacks convened early this morning to discuss the first GOP debate of the 2024 election and the poll vaulting nature of politics. The guys bloviate about Trump’s absence, Nikki’s breakthrough performance, Ramaswamy’s rising poll numbers, and the candidate responses on abortion, supporting Trump, and January 6th. 

Did you miss us? Well, we missed you so much that we decided to convene all three Hacks this week. Axe, Gibbs, and Murphy discuss Trump’s most recent indictment, the guys preview the upcoming GOP debate, set the scene for the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire Primary, and discuss Hunter Biden’s legal woes. Plus, Murphy gives a dispatch from his hammock in New Hampshire. 

Robert Costa, the chief election and campaign correspondent for CBS news, joined Axe and Murphy to discuss the great pageantry of democracy. The Hacks discuss GOP polling and spending, knocking out frontrunners, unprecedented indictments, DeSantis DeSinking, escape valves, medals for democracy, and so much more!

This bonkers news week Axe and Gibbs were joined by CNN’s chief political correspondent and anchor of “Inside Politics”. Dana walks us through the newest Trump indictment news, and the Hacks pick her brain on Trump’s messaging, what the indictments mean for 2024, and how the American people will serve as his jury. The Hacks also talk about Manchin campaigning in New Hampshire, Chris Christie qualifying for the GOP debate, Biden’s performance, Pence’s appeal, Faustian bargains, losers, cowards, chickens, and so much more!

This week Axe and Murphy were joined by former North Dakota Senator and current Director of the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago, Heidi Heitkamp! The Hacks discuss DeSantis’s bet on Iowa and his courtship of Kim Reynolds, the flipping of abortion as a political issue, Super PAC ads, fundraising number, rural messaging, and the crickets from Biden’s presidential campaign. Plus Heidi gives some Fargo wisdom to her governor and Murphy sneaks in a Gina Raimondo plug!

This week Murphy and Gibbs bumped a few former presidents to celebrate their favorite holiday by answering YOUR questions! The guys bloviate about Bidenomics, Enron accounting, chickens in tuxedos, Kevin’s caucus politics, Supreme Court rulings, and supremely delicious political food festivities! Tune in and happy forth to you all!

This week Axe was joined by living political legend/greatest Hack of all time James Carville and hat model/co-host of The Circus/also an amazing Hack Mark McKinnon. The guys discuss Christie’s post Covid vendetta against Trump, GOP field elimination and late entries, Trump’s leaked audio, DeSantis’ charisma problem, post-Roe politics, No Labels, breaking glass, and so much more! 

Gibbs chats this week with the incomparable and always informative Maggie Haberman of the New York Times and Jonathan Martin of Politico. The Hacks discuss Trump’s indictment, his political and legal strategy (spoiler alert they’re the same), his Fox News interview, and whether or not he will participate in the GOP debates. They also discuss the primary challenges facing his GOP opponents, Hunter Biden’s charges, third party challengers to Biden, and Joe Manchin’s boat.

This week Axe and Murphy were joined by the Swiss Army Knife of political insight, Doug Heye. Doug taps into his experience as the former communications director for the RNC and deputy chief of staff to Eric Cantor to discuss the immediate term, long term, and short term repercussions of Trump’s second indictment, Chris Christie’s CNN Town Hall, DeSantis finding his lane, McCarthy’s negotiations/struggles with the freedom caucus, and so much more

This week Axe and Murphy were joined by a new (but already a favorite) Hack, Jeff Zeleny, who is the Chief National Affairs Correspondent for CNN. Jeff gives an update on what he has seen on the road in Iowa, the Hacks then breakdown the state of the GOP race, who they expect to qualify for the upcoming debate(s), and if Trump should even participate and why he probably will. Then the Hacks, aspiring cowboys, plan a trip to North Dakota! 

This week Murphy and Gibbs were joined by the man who wears many hats, both literally and figuratively, Mark McKinnon of Showtime’s “The Circus”. The Hacks break down the debt ceiling negotiations, what cat herding and goat rodeos are going on behind the scenes, the GOP race for the White House, DeSantis v. Trump, and also DeSantis v. technology. Plus, Murphy plays around with ChatGPT during the listener mailbag.

This week Axe and Murphy were joined by Super Hackeroo and CNN Contributor Paul Begala. The Hacks discuss Tim Scott’s announcement, the battle for the GOP primary, debt ceiling (default) negotiations, the x-factor that is the candidate gene, the No Labels Party, Mount Rushmore politicians, gold toilets, and refreshing smiles! Plus so much more! 

This week Axe and Murphy were joined by former politician and current Hack Joe Scarborough, who is the co-host of “Morning Joe” on MSNBC.  The guys talk about Trump fatigue, the battle for the GOP nomination, the political earthquake that was the Dobbs decision, upcoming tremors, the danger of being too cautious, and so much more! Pull up a stool, pour a cold one, and tune in! 

Expert Hack Sarah Longwell, publisher of The Bulwark and host of The Focus Group podcast, joins Axe and Gibbs to discuss the state of the 2024 presidential race. The Hacks also break down debt ceiling negotiations, discuss DeSantis’ meta strategy and if he has ever met-a-voter, invent a new word, and oh so much more! 

This week the Hacks were joined by a superstar Hackeroo, the formidable Amy Walter, who is the publisher and editor-in-chief of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter. Amy joined Axe and Murphy to discuss the debt ceiling negotiations, Trump fatigue, big Senate announcements and so much more!

This week the Murphy and Gibbs were joined by guest genius Jen Psaki who is host of MSNBC’s “Inside with Jen Psaki” on Sundays at 12 p.m. ET and the former White House Press Secretary for President Joe Biden. The Hacks breakdown the recent CNN and Fox News talent oustings, review Biden’s announcement video, and discuss the GOP primary battle. Plus the hacks are joined, yet again, by our trusted veteran hack road correspondent. 

This week Axe and Gibbs were joined by expert Hack and political Scribe Jonathan Martin of POLITICO. The Hacks review GOP primary attack ads, discuss the rollercoaster that is DeSantis’ feud with Disney, break down Diane Feinstein’s Senate absence and what this could mean for the battle for her seat, and Murphy goes on a trip to Iowa!

This week Axe and Murphy were joined by their favorite guest Hack, John Heilemann, of Showtime’s The Circus. The guys talk about Biden’s history of slow walking, the DNC announcement that the 2024 convention will be in the great city of Chicago (not that any of the Hacks are biased), the expulsion of two of the Tennessee Three, and how the GOP presidential contenders can be successful beyond Trump.