Hacks On Tap

This week Axe and Murphy were joined by an expert Hackeroo, Doug Sosnik, former Senior Advisor to President Bill Clinton. the Hacks discuss Trump’s legal antics, Big Campaign Energy (BCE), puppy slayers, the race for GOP VP, RFK’s unbaked cake, escape valves, capitalism, and so much more.

This week Murphy and Gibbs were joined by the great Paul Begala, CNN contributor and former counselor to President Bill Clinton. The Hacks discuss the White House Correspondents Dinner, Trump’s ongoing legal issues, CNN’s newest poll, unconventional media opportunities, shooting puppies(???), and so much more!

This week, Axe and Murphy were joined by Scott Jennings, a GOP strategist, conservative columnist, and CNN commentator. The Hacks discuss Johnson’s Speakership and the battle to pass aid packages, star GOP recruits, foreign wars, campus free speech, Biden’s messaging, and Trump’s trials.

This week finds Gibbs flying solo as Axe and Murphy are, shall we say, on the run. Nevertheless, the show must go on, and Gibbs is joined by two esteemed guests: GOP pollster Whit Ayers and Jonathan Martin, renowned author of “This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden and the Battle for America’s Future". Together, they embark on a deep dive into the week's tumultuous news cycle, examining everything from the latest New York Times poll to Trump’s hush money jury selection, the challenges and opportunities for both parties on abortion and immigration messaging, foreign policy, campaign infrastructure, margins of error, the golden bachelor, and so much more!

This week, Axe and Murphy were joined by the distinguished Hack and renowned lie detective, Sasha Issenberg. Together, they delve into Trump's contradictory stance on abortion and his intriguing status as a Florida voter. The Hacks also dissect Biden's endeavors for student loan forgiveness, the evolving landscape of TikTok, the complexities of foreign policy, ongoing conflicts, the impact of social media, the rise of deep fakes, the lunar eclipse, and oh so much more!

This week Axe & Murphy were joined by a fan favorite Hackeroo, the great John Heilemann. The guys discussed Biden’s three presidents event, Trump’s holiday messaging, campaign financing, margins of error, debates, gag orders, hush money, porn stars, and so much more!

The week Axe and Murphy were joined by Bakari Sellers, a former South Carolina State Rep, current attorney, and political commentator—making his debut appearance on Hacks on Tap! The Hacks discussed the propitious time we find ourselves in (bet you can’t guess who chose that word), Trump as a Showman, recent polls and their contextual significance, one-party rule, running against the couch, as well as knives, forks, and geometry. And, of course, so much more!

This week Gibbs and Murphy were joined by the scoop-master Hackeroo extraordinaire Maggie Haberman, who is the Senior Political Correspondent for the New York Times and author of “Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America”. The Hacks discuss Trump’s colorful rally in Dayton, the Ohio Senate race, Biden’s messaging problems and opportunities, and so much more. Tune in for the brilliant analysis, listen all the way through for all of Murphy’s insider gossip.

This week, Axe and Murphy were joined by the immortal and excellent Amy Walter, publisher, and editor-in-chief of The Cook Report with Amy Walter. The Hacks discuss Biden’s State of the Union speech and Katie Britt’s rebuttal. The guys also delve into discuss the state of the race, new campaign ads, the Trump Lobotomy Academy, guys in suits yelling at each other, loyalty purges and fun house mirrors.

This week, Murray and Gibbs took off on vacation, their absence becoming our gain, as Axe welcomed two powerhouse Hackeroos, along with familiar faces Jen Psaki and Scott Jennings. The Hacks delve into the aftermath of Super Tuesday, Haley's exit and its impact on the race, the art of acceptance speeches, effective messaging strategies, weird-ass campaigns, the ever-relevant sore loser rule, and the delicate dance of punching down. Plus, they peer into their crystal ball to speculate on what Biden's SOTU speech may focus on.

This week, Axe and Gibbs had the pleasure of welcoming the illustrious Superstar Hackeroo and cherished friend of the pod, Sarah Longwell, who is the host of The Focus Group Podcast and publisher of The Bulwark. Together, the Hacks embark on a riveting exploration of the convoluted narratives surrounding the South Carolina primary, the tumultuous state of the GOP, the enigmatic campaign landscape in Michigan, Biden's political quagmires, Trumped-up allegations, and so much more!

This week Axe and Murphy were joined by former congressman and savant Steve Israel. The Hacks dissect the adventures of the world's most 'useful idiot' on his escapade to Russia, explore the sneaker culture at Sneaker Con (pun intended), draw insights from the NY-03 race and the Suozzi blueprint, delve into the realm of kitchen table issues, speculate on potential State of the Union topics, savor some nerd food, marvel at Tim Scott's miraculous flexibility in flipping his moral stances faster than a pancake, and pay homage to the late hero, Alexei Navalny. Remember, democracy isn't merely bestowed upon us; it's a continual project in which we must all actively participate.

This week Axe and Murphy were joined by CNN Anchor and Chief National Affairs Analyst, the brilliant Kasie Hunt! The Hacks discuss Biden’s age, his tumultuous press conference last week, falling into the orchestra pit, the new Michigan, immigration bill negotiations, Trump’s geopolitical antics, and so much more!

This week, Gibbs and Murphy were graced with the presence of Jonathan Martin, the senior political columnist for Politico and a Sublime Hackeroo. The trio delves into Nevada (pronunciation to be disputed), Nikki, four-digit numbers, Biden’s surrogate campaign, robot campaigns, five-alarm fires, desk chairs on the Titanic, Schoolhouse Rock, calculating double crazy, everything primary, everything polling, everything everywhere, all at once, and also so much more.

This week the Axe and Murphy were joined by Jonathan Karl, ABC News’s chief Washington correspondent and co-anchor of This Week with George Stephanopoulos. The Hacks delve into the intricacies of Nikki Haley's campaign, Trump's unpredictable nature, the unique dynamics of campaigning from courthouses, the importance of reasonableness, chess with irate chimpanzees, bone spurs, bingo bango bongo, and so much more.

This week, the Hacks gathered to delve into the results and implications of the New Hampshire primary, decoding their significance for the upcoming 2024 political landscape. In his usual fashion, Trump pivots his ire towards Nikki Haley. Biden’s campaign begins stepping up its game, preparing for another battle with Trump. And, most importantly, our beloved Mike Murphy has a special announcement!

Axe, Murphy, and Gibbs convene to discuss the aftermath of the Iowa Caucus. Murphy, our boots-on-the-ground maestro, serves up firsthand accounts from the caucus battlegrounds. While Axe and Gibbs dissect Biden’s messaging problem. The Hacks also discuss crow burgers, building momentum, the romance of politics, what’s cooking in the other early states, dancing bears, tiny knives, and cracked crystal balls. The Hacks also walk the political prediction plank when discussing New Hampshire.

This week our trio of seasoned hacks dives headfirst into the CNN debate, mourns Chris Christie's campaign exit, and anticipates the Iowa Caucus outcomes. The gloves are off as Nikki Haley and DeSantis enter a political brawl, while Trump's town hall takes center stage. Our hacks offer sharp insights on Iowa's weather, candidates' dance moves, and the political intricacies of the great states of Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. Tune in for a whirlwind tour of the week's political rollercoaster, because when it comes to politics, laughter is the ultimate survival strategy.

In the run-up to the Iowa Caucus, Axe and Murphy were joined by expert Republican pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson. The Hacks dive into polling, discuss Nikki Haley’s blunder, the battle for second in Iowa, the promise of New Hampshire, blimps, blemishes, ugly zippers, and large orange marbles.

Axe, Gibbs, and Murphy convened for their final episode of the year! The Hacks discuss recent polling, the upcoming Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire Primary, the one man Biden campaign, singing off a song sheet, Hunter Biden’s legal troubles, and the battle to be the new lion. Plus, the guys make their 2024 predictions.