The Daily

The campaign for Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for Senate from Maine, imploded this week after he was accused of rape.

Lisa Lerer and Shane Goldmacher, national political correspondents for The New York Times, discuss the battle over who should replace him on the ballot and the identity crisis inside the Democratic Party.

Guest:

Lisa Lerer, a national political correspondent for The New York Times.

Shane Goldmacher, a national political correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

Mr. Platner’s Democratic support evaporated after the sexual assault allegation.

Progressives and moderates are gearing up for a fight over an as-yet-undecided process in Maine to name a replacement for Mr. Platner.

Photo: Sophie Park for The New York Times

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

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Last Thursday, the satirical newspaper The Onion started its own version of Infowars, the infamous online hub of misinformation created by Alex Jones.

The takeover has been years in the making. After Mr. Jones lost two defamation cases, his assets were put up for auction. The Onion took over Infowars and said it planned to convert the site into a parody of itself.

Ben Collins, who is the chief executive of The Onion, and the comedian Tim Heidecker talk about what they plan to do with the newly acquired platform and why they pushed so hard to take control of it. 

Guest:

Ben Collins, chief executive of The Onion

Tim Heidecker, actor and comedian

Background reading: 

The Onion’s plan to take over Infowars.

Photo: Jamie Kelter Davis for The New York Times

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

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President Trump called a major bill to address the housing crisis “the most comprehensive and consequential housing legislation in the history of our country,” and a Congress controlled by his own party passed it by overwhelming margins.

So why is he refusing to sign it?

Michael Gold, who covers Congress for The New York Times, discusses Mr. Trump’s abrupt reversal and what may lie ahead.

Guest: Michael Gold, a congressional correspondent for The New York Times in Washington.

Background reading: 

Mr. Trump’s refusal to sign the housing bill complicates a bipartisan effort.

These are the three potential fates for the bill.

Photo: Philip Cheung for The New York Times

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

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In celebration of the United States of America’s 250th birthday, we posed a simple question to some of our favorite critics, columnists and editors across the New York Times newsroom, people who write about books, movies, TV shows, science, sports, wellness and food. We asked: What’s the most American thing on your beat?

On today’s episode, we present their answers. Happy Birthday, America!

 

On Today’s Episode

Joshua Barone, culture editor, on “Rodeo,” composed by Aaron Copland

Vanessa Friedman, chief fashion critic, on workout gear

Erik Piepenburg, culture writer, on the movie “Get Out”

Kevin Roose, technology columnist, on Amazon Prime

Mekado Murphy, culture editor, on the roller coaster The Beast

James Poniewozik, chief television critic, on “Survivor”

Jancee Dunn, wellness writer, on productivity and sleep

Elena Bergeron, culture editor, on U.S. hockey

Jennifer Szalai, nonfiction book critic at the Book Review, on “Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World” by Henry Grabar

Bill Wasik, science editor, on liquid rocket fuel

Madison Malone Kircher, internet culture reporter, on Bama Rush

Kim Severson, food reporter, on M&M’s

MJ Franklin, editor at the Book Review, on “The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois” by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers

Helen Shaw, chief theater critic, on “The Century Cycle” by August Wilson

Alissa Wilkinson, film critic, on the movie “There Will Be Blood”

Zachary Small, culture reporter, on Grand Theft Auto

Elisabeth Vincentelli, culture reporter, on demolition derbies

Jason Zinoman, critic at large, on the song “Political Science” by Randy Newman

Jason Farago, critic at large, on the Statue of Liberty

A.O. Scott, critic at large, on “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” by Walt Whitman (featuring a reading by Jeffrey Wright)

Gia Kourlas, dance critic, on “Stars and Stripes” by George Balanchine and “Appalachian Spring” by Martha Graham

Jon Caramanica, pop music critic, on “Trump Trump Baby” by Forgiato Blow

 Photo credit: The New York Times

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

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Two hundred and fifty years ago, the founding fathers gave rise to a new nation. They also gave rise to an enduring myth about their virtue and what that meant about America’s virtue as a country.

Jia Lynn Yang, a New York Times journalist, discusses how the founding myth has evolved, why we are still fighting about it and why it may hold the key to America’s future.

Guest: Jia Lynn Yang, a New York Times journalist writing explanatory pieces about the ideas underlying the news.

Background reading: 

Is there a founding story that can unify left and right?

Photo: Michelle Gustafson for The New York Times

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

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