I just got off a fantastic conversation with Chuck Todd — yes, the Chuck Todd of “Meet the Press fame” — and I’m excited to share it with you.
We covered everything from Trump’s latest political fumble to why local news might be the key to fixing our fractured media landscape. Oh, and we even got a little nostalgic about baseball and the days when newspapers ruled. Let’s dive in.
Did Trump Just Blow It?
Chuck dropped a bombshell: Trump’s tariff gambit might be his Afghanistan moment — a self-inflicted wound that tanks his approval ratings for good.
Just like Biden never recovered from that chaotic withdrawal, Chuck thinks Trump’s economic misstep (think coffee prices spiking!) could be the moment voters turn on him.
Why? Because it hits the one thing Trump was supposed to be good at: the economy. When Wall Street and your morning Folgers start feeling the pinch, even loyalists get antsy.
Chuck put it perfectly: “This is a core competency… It’s the one rationale for being for him.”
If Trump’s lost that, what’s left?
We dug into whether this was Trump blinking under pressure from his billionaire buddies or if it was all part of his “art of the deal.”
Spoiler: Chuck’s leaning toward panic, not 4D chess.
Biden’s Hidden Struggles
Then there’s Joe Biden. New books are spilling tea about how his team downplayed his challenges — maybe more than we realized.
Chuck’s take? It wasn’t a sinister cover-up but a mix of “benign ignorance” and Trump Derangement Syndrome blinding Biden’s inner circle. They thought, “Hey, our guy’s forgetful, but look at Trump!” Problem is, that comparison kept them from seeing how bad it was getting.
It’s got me wondering: If Biden had stepped aside earlier, could Democrats have had a real primary instead of a Harris coronation?
Chuck and I chewed on whether this was a missed opportunity — or if Trump’s chaos just made Biden look “good enough” until it didn’t.
The Death of Local News (and Why It Matters)
One of the most sobering parts of our chat was about local news — or the lack of it.
Chuck nailed it: The loss of local news was a bigger de-tethering of the country than we fully appreciated. Back in the day, your local paper wasn’t just about box scores or movie times; it held politicians accountable. From city hall to Congress, if the morning edition had the goods on you, it was curtains.
Now? We’re piecing together truth from Substacks, podcasts, and X posts, which is both liberating and risky.
Chuck’s big idea: Rebuild trust by going local first. “Community by community,” he said.
Imagine a world where your town’s scams, school boards, and scandals get real coverage again. It’s not just nostalgia — it’s a way to stitch us back together.
Who’s the Next Rock Star?
We also got a bit speculative about 2028.
I tossed out a theory: These days, presidents need to be larger than life — think Ronald Reagan’s grandpa vibes, Bill Clinton’s Elvis energy, or even Trump’s reality-TV flair.
Chuck agreed, pointing to Dwight Eisenhower as the original “heroic general” archetype.
But who’s got that spark now?
We batted around names like Gretchen Whitmer (“Big Gretch” has a ring to it), Pete Buttigieg (maybe too polished?), and even John Fetterman (could he be a killer VP?).
The kicker: Democrats might need a “dude” with machismo to counter the current vibe.
Or maybe a wild card like The Rock? (Okay, I’m half-kidding… or am I?)
Listen to the Full Episode
We covered ground that’ll make you nod, laugh, and maybe even rethink a thing or two. You can watch the full episode here.
Thanks for being here, and let’s keep the conversation going.
Cheers,
Matt
P.S. If you enjoyed this, please share it with a friend or two — it helps keep the lights on! And if you’re not subscribed yet, join us for more deep dives like this one."
"Join Matt Lewis and Chuck Todd, former "Meet the Press" host and current host of the Chuck Toddcast podcast, for a deep dive into today’s political and media landscape.
They discuss why Trump’s tariff misstep could tank his approval, how Biden’s team masked his challenges, and the self-inflicted wounds of past administrations.
Chuck shares why local news is key to rebuilding trust and accountability in media, plus nostalgic takes on baseball, newspapers, and what makes a winning candidate in 2025.
Don’t miss this candid talk on politics, policy, and the future of journalism! Subscribe for more insights."
From Matt Lewis
To paraphrase Jeffrey Toobin: how many times have we heard that this is the story and scandal that will bring Donald Trump down?
I mean it was just was 1 scandal or negative story about Donald Trump and people around him during his first presidency... his party got blown out in the U.S. House and in 2018, partially because of all of that and he almost gets reelected President in 2020, despite having a approval rating in October at around 41%.
But if Chuck Todd is right here, his argument is very solid. Once inflation became a problem for President Biden in late 2021 or 2022, that was the dominating issue for the rest of Joe Biden's presidency. Even with the strong economic growth, the job numbers, wages not just rising, but faster than inflation... voters were telling pollsters that their cost of living was too expensive and they blamed President Biden for that, for whatever the reasons.
Whatever you think of Donald J. Trump, (and I'm very proud to have voted against him 3 times) he was elected President in 2024 to lower the cost of living. That's not happening now. And the fact that even the President's approval rating on the economy is in the high 30s, even though he's an entertainer and businessman, (which would be like a minister being elected President who is viewed as dishonest when they become President) suggests that the voters are now not only not getting what they voted for and even know that, but they're blaming someone for that and that person is Donald Trump.
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