Claim OwnershipThe Excerpt
Subscribed: 6,511Played: 352,386
Subscribe
© All rights reserved
Description
Get context, not just headlines. Every weekday The Excerpt brings USA TODAY's award-winning journalists from across the nation together to unpack America's most pressing stories — from politics and culture to sports and entertainment — with host Dana Taylor.
1457 Episodes
Reverse
Primary season is here, and even though President Donald Trump isn’t on the ballot, his influence is shaping races across the country. Republican candidates are aligning with him — or testing his grip on the party — while Democrats face their own internal debates over identity, strategy and the path forward. What will the primaries reveal about both parties? And how will the results could shape the fight for control of Congress in 2026?Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
While the Clintons testified in closed-door Congressional hearings about what they know about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the fallout for the rich and powerful continues. Will more people be named and charged as co-conspirators from the Epstein investigation? And will Epstein’s victims ever see full accountability?Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Sex for secrets. In an age dominated by digital surveillance, human desire remains a vulnerability. Foreign intelligence agencies are still using intimacy as a tool for gathering information. Is there a way to protect national security secrets from sexpionage? If trained officials with security clearances can be compromised in this way, how safe are our secrets? USA TODAY World Affairs Correspondent Kim Hjelmgaard joins The Excerpt for a look at the world of spies and honey traps. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
After a tumultuous start to his second term, President Donald Trump is looking to reset the reigning narrative about his leadership with Americans. In his first State of the Union address of his second term, the president tried to sell the country on his economic agenda, working to counter increasingly dim views of his economic stewardship. Did he succeed? And critically, will he able to convince Americans to keep Republicans’ control of Congress in the midterms? USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page joins The Excerpt to share her analysis.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Last week, the Supreme Court delivered a major ruling on presidential power — striking down a centerpiece of President Donald Trump’s economic agenda. What happens next? USA TODAY White House Correspondent Bart Jansen joins The Excerpt to break it all down.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
America needs affordable energy, and that demand sits at the crossroads of creating economic stability while balancing environmental responsibility. Green energy solutions like wind and solar farms hold promise, but there’s been strong pushback over safety and land use. As the country weighs questions about infrastructure and affordability, what kind of energy future should we invest in? USA TODAY Reporter Elizabeth Weise joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to explore those questions and to share the perspective of farmers who have grappled with the issue of land use.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jesse Jackson spent decades as a public figure turning his moral convictions into public action. Jackson was a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, a Democratic presidential candidate and one of the world's best-known Black activists. Following a lengthy illness, Jesse Jackson died earlier this week on the morning of Tuesday, February 17th. He was 84 years old. USA TODAY National Correspondent Trevor Hughes joins The Excerpt to explore the life and legacy of civil rights icon Jesse Jackson.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore was taken aback when he learned that he wasn’t on President Donald Trump’s invite list for the White House’s annual dinner for governors, a historically bipartisan event. As a leading figure in the Democratic Party a larger question looms, though: how does he think his party can prove to voters that they’ve figured out a way forward heading into this year’s midterm elections? Gov. Wes Moore joins The Excerpt to share thoughts on all things politics.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Last week, the Trump administration announced it was repealing a 2009 determination called the endangerment finding. That finding had been the basis by which the EPA had assumed the right to regulate greenhouse gases for nearly 20 years. How will its repeal impact Americans and is the Supreme Court likely to join this heated debate? Michael Gerrard, a law professor at Columbia University, joins The Excerpt to share his insights regarding the legal, political and scientific issues at play.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
As the critical midterms approach, we’re taking a look at how Trump’s numbers may be influencing voters. At stake: 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats, 39 governorships -- and the nation's political direction for the next two years. USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page joins The Excerpt to share her insights.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The fight over renaming The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts has led to a reckoning about the meaning attached to presidential memorials and arguments about who we are. From marble monuments to cultural institutions, what do presidential memorials tell us about not only our past, but our present? For Presidents Day we decided to dig into that with one of the nation’s leading voices on memory and memorials, James E. Young, professor emeritus of English and Judaic & Near Eastern Studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
1Chocolate wasn’t always sweet — or romantic. Once a ceremonial drink and even a form of currency, cacao has a long history before becoming a Valentine’s Day staple. Harvard Professor Carla Martin explains how marketing, industrialization and chemistry helped turn chocolate into a symbol of love — and why men buy the most chocolate one week a year.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Attorney General Pam Bondi clashed repeatedly with Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday in a fiery hearing. Among other heated topics was the release of the Epstein documents and the redactions and lack thereof on those files. Top House Committee Democrat, Representative Jamie Raskin, accused the Justice Department of redacting the names of multiple men for political reasons. USA TODAY Justice Department Correspondent Aysha Bagchi joins The Excerpt to share her reporting.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Who will be the Democratic presidential nominee in 2028? What will the price of gold be at the end of the week? Who will win the World Cup? All of these are relatively benign bets you can make today. But there are other bets that maybe aren’t so benign, like will Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro be removed from office by the end of January? That well-timed bet, made in the hours before the U.S. captured and extracted Maduro, netted the anonymous investor who made it $400,000. Are prediction markets democratizing information as some argue or are we monetizing reality in a way that incentivizes perverse motives? Alex Goldenberg, Fellow at Rutgers University, joins The Excerpt to explain how these markets work and the risks they pose financially and politically.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
For the first time in over half a century, there are no nuclear arms controls in place between the world’s two largest nuclear powers, the US and Russia. With a rising China growing its nuclear arsenal while it continues to assert its power on the international stage, we ask, is this the beginning of a new Cold War era? Ankit Panda, a senior fellow with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins The Excerpt to dig into the critical geopolitical, economic and military concerns at the heart of this story.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
It started with the banning of the Associated Press from certain White House events over its refusal to use the term “Gulf of America” instead of “Gulf of Mexico.” Then there was a recent FBI search of a Washington Post reporter’s home. And then in January two journalists, including former CNN host, Don Lemon were arrested following an immigration protest at Cities Church in St Paul, Minnesota. What’s happening to freedom of the press? First Amendment scholar RonNell Andersen Jones, professor of law at the University of Utah, joins The Excerpt to dig into all of it.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Two recent elections-related developments are playing out today that have some election officials concerned. The first relates to the FBI’s seizure of election documents in Georgia, a state whose election President Donald Trump continues to falsely claim he won in 2020. The second involves recent public comments made by the president that elections should be nationalized in 15 states. Both of these actions may be illegal. Has the Trump administration crossed a line USA TODAY Justice Department Correspondent Aysha Bagchi joins The Excerpt to unpack the story.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
We are now just one day away from the roar of the opening ceremonies of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, Italy. Team USA is on the hunt for gold as figure skater Ilia Malinin – who some have dubbed the ‘quad god’ - pushes the sport of ice skating to dizzying heights. USA TODAY National Sports Columnist Christine Brennan and Olympic Gold Medalist Brian Boitano, the hosts of USA TODAY’s Milan Magic podcast and vodcast, join The Excerpt to share what they're most excited about.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Since the Supreme Court widely legalized sports wagering in 2018 the nation’s appetite for bets has exploded. U.S. betters made over a billion dollars worth of bets in 2025 on sports alone. This year’s Super Bowl is expected to attract $1.7 billion in legal U.S. wagers. But investigators are finding that there’s also been a surge in illegal betting by minors. Are sportsbooks putting our children in harm’s way? USA TODAY Investigative Reporter Nick Penzenstadler joins The Excerpt to share his reporting.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The 2026 Grammys saw major wins for artists like Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga, and also served up an impressive number of live performances. But beyond the spectacle and the awarding of Grammy statuettes, the night also highlighted the bridge between headlines about immigration policy and ICE and how music often defines our most challenging cultural moments. USA TODAY National Music Reporter Melissa Ruggieri joins USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to discuss the biggest night in music.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States
Jarrett Bell ... is he new to the NFL??? Just curious
I liked your opinion. I love watching different leagues, and choosing the best football team is quite difficult. For example, what can you say about teams like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Juventus? They are all very strong. I usually check the current odds and bet on football online at https://1-xbet-kenya.com/ to know all the chances of winning.
that such ha great host and and Dana Taylor you can test your innocence: https://ricepurity.info
Dana Taylor is such an amazing host 😃
than you
"We shouldn't mention the shooter's name," says reporter who goes on to CLEARLY say shooter's name multiple times. ffs
well, that's an interesting speech to hear post presidency.
um, dude. Have you not heard of Jordan Klepper? He fingers the pulse of America. He fingers it HARD.
lmfao... The question they ask is, "What would happen if the candidates dropped out?" ... but we all know what they're REALLY asking is, "What would happen if those ancient dudes suddenly dropped dead of old age?"
well that ended rather abruptly!
Have you been looking for a chance to join the Powerful illuminati brotherhood and you have met the wrong people who pretended to be illuminati master, well here is your chance to join the Illuminati brotherhood to be rich , powerful,famous , wealthy, protected and respected . The Illuminati is a brotherhood were Loved is share and plans to establish new world order you are receiving a million dollars as your first benefits to start new life once you become a member of the great illuminati brotherhood.not kidding. Message via WhatsApp +1(631)714-2689.
It seems to me that the broadcasts of trials can greatly help in the development of young professionals. While entertainment is for someone, someone else extracts this experience for himself. You can learn more about these court streaming sites here https://court-tv.pissedconsumer.com/review.html
Dear Ukraine, We miss the Cold War. Thanks again, Nato and Red Army LOL
Did we roll back to JUNE???? LOL
I find it very difficult to consider a news item credible when the broadcaster refers to "Mary" as the nephew of the president.