What A Day

Last week, ICE agents killed a Mexican man in Houston, Texas, who was driving to work and was not the target of an ICE operation – despite what the Department of Homeland Security said initially. And yesterday, ICE agents in Maine killed a Colombian man who was legally permitted to work in the United States. He was also not the target of an operation. This marks two deaths at the hands of ICE officers in the last week alone. For more on what’s behind the recent surge of ICE activity – and violence — we spoke to David Bier. He’s the Director of Immigration Studies at the Cato Institute.
And in headlines, Trump reverses course on charging ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh makes his first appearance before Congress, and Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett testifies about the sharp increase in threats she’s experienced since joining the nation’s highest court.
Show Notes:

Check out David's work – cato.org/people/david-bier

Call Congress – 202-224-3121

Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy

What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast

Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/

For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com

South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham passed away suddenly on Saturday evening at the age of 71. A preliminary report said he died of an aortic dissection, caused by heart disease. Today, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster announced Graham’s temporary replacement – his younger sister, Darline Graham Nordone. And she has big shoes to fill. Graham was a political lifer. Before winning a seat in the Senate in 2003, he served in the House of Representatives beginning in 1995. And like many Republicans, Graham went from a dedicated opponent of Donald Trump to one of Trump’s most committed partisans. So for more on Graham’s legacy and what happens next, we spoke with Matt Viser a few hours before McMaster’s announcement. Viser is a staff writer at The Atlantic.
And in headlines, Trump said the United States is “reinstating” a blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell revealed for the first time that a fall led to his hospitalization, and a federal immigration officer fatally shot a motorist in Maine.
Show Notes:

Check out Matt's work – theatlantic.com/author/matt-viser/

Call Congress – 202-224-3121

Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy

What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast

Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/

For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com

A lot of Democratic voters want fighters in the battle against President Donald Trump and the Trumpified Republican Party, and it’s pretty obvious why. Even when Democrats control Congress and the White House, it feels like they focus more on making common cause with Republicans than on getting anything done. Brian Tyler Cohen is a progressive YouTuber who thinks that if and when Democrats win back the White House in 2029, they need to take the office they’ve won and run with it. His new book, “The Day After: How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World” comes out next week. We talked about what it means for Dems to fight back in the Trump era.
And in headlines: new details emerged in the ICE killing of a Mexican man in Houston, Trump dismantled a bipartisan board that oversees elections, and Israel reportedly told the U.S. that Iran hatched a new plot to kill Trump.
Show Notes:

Brian Tyler Cohen’s “The Day After: How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World” – https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/thedayafter

Call Congress – 202-224-3121

Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy

What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast

Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/

For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com

Since 84-year-old Senator Mitch McConnell was hospitalized on June 14th after being found unconscious at his home, not one person — not even President Donald Trump — seems to know what is going on. McConnell is one of the most powerful Republican figures in political history. But over the last few years, he’s had a number of health issues, including freezing episodes during press conferences. And while he’s not running for reelection, his murky health status is not that uncommon for our very old Congress. To find out what that does for our politics and country, we spoke with Idrees Kahloon. He’s a staff writer at The Atlantic who wrote about the incredible power of elder Americans.
And in headlines: Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner announced he will withdraw from his race — but he's reportedly waiting until the last possible second to make it official, the U.S. launched new airstrikes against Iran, and FBI Director Kash Patel is facing new criticism for his taxpayer-funded lifestyle.
Show Notes:

Idrees Kahloon’s “An Oligarchy of Old People” – https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/05/gerontocracy-wealth-power/686585/

Call Congress – 202-224-3121

Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy

What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast

Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/

For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com

Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner burst into the national spotlight last year with a campaign centering around his supposed working class bonafides and promises to fight the establishment. He easily won his primary despite multiple scandals, ranging from problematic Reddit posts to “unsettling” behavior from past partners. Then, on Monday, Politico published the most serious allegation yet — that Platner allegedly broke into a partner’s home while drunk and sexually assaulted her. He denied the allegations and dropped out of the race late Wednesday evening. There are a lot of questions about what comes next. To find out more, we spoke with Dave Weigel, political reporter at Semafor.
And in headlines: President Donald Trump threatens to unleash more military strikes against Iran, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a man in Texas, and a federal judge orders $5 million to be released to E. Jean Carroll in her sex abuse and defamation case against Trump.
Show Notes:

Dave Weigel's work – https://www.semafor.com/author/david-weigel

Call Congress – 202-224-3121

Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy

What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast

Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/

For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com