America, Actually with Astead Herndon

What’s up with the kids these days? We asked a Gen Z researcher to explain her generation’s politics.  This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder, and hosted by Astead Herndon. An attendee wears a Vote hair accessory during a debate watch party with the Miami-Dade Young Democrats . Photo by Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images Read more about Gen Z: The Up and Up: https://www.theupandup.us/  You can also watch this episode on youtube.com/vox. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Left-leaning Democratic candidates have faced a lot of scrutiny in the last year about whether they’re “electable” in a general election. Why aren’t people asking the same about Republican candidates?  This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder, and hosted by Astead Herndon. U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) departs after speaking to the press in the U.S. Capitol. Photo by Finn Gomez/Getty Images. You can also watch this episode on youtube.com/vox. Listen to America, Actually ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Democrats have been duking it out all summer. He’s at the center of it all. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder, and hosted by Astead Herndon. Hasan Piker at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, Canada in 2026. Photo By Florencia Tan Jun/Web Summit via Sportsfile via Getty Images. You can also watch this episode on youtube.com/vox. Listen to America, Actually ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Progressives are racking up primary wins. Is the Democratic establishment getting the message? This show was edited by Christina Vallice, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by David Tatasciore, video edited by Frank Posillico, and hosted by Astead Herndon. Special thanks to Kasia Broussalian.  You can also watch this episode on youtube.com/vox. Listen to America, Actually ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Will high gas prices actually change how people vote? We went to Pennsylvania to find out.  This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder, and hosted by Astead Herndon. A customer refuels his van at a gas station in Boothwyn, Pennsylvania in July. Photo by Matthew Hatcher / AFP via Getty Images. You can also watch this episode on youtube.com/vox. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now.  Read more about gas prices:  Why Gas Prices Hit Differenthttps://julianzelizer.substack.com/p/why-gas-prices-hit-different  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Journalists Astead Herndon, Don Lemon, and Kara Swisher hold a fantasy draft to find out who has the best shot at becoming president in 2028.  This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Sarah Schweppe, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder, and hosted by Astead Herndon. Flags are displayed on the lawn of the National Mall with the U.S. Capitol Building in the background. Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images. You can also watch this episode on youtube.com/vox. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Democratic Congressman James Clyburn turned 86 years old this week. He has no plans to retire. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder, and hosted by Astead Herndon. Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) announcing he is running for a 18th term. Tracy Glantz/The State/Tribune News Service via Getty Images. You can also watch this episode on ⁠youtube.com/vox⁠. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: ⁠vox.com/members⁠. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast⁠.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First there was New York, then Colorado. But can a progressive candidate win in the Rust Belt? This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder and Benjamin Stephen, and hosted by Astead Herndon. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) with Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed during the "Fighting Oligarchy" tour. Photo by Sarah Rice/Getty Images. You can also watch this episode on youtube.com/vox. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The former vice president’s loyal base seems ready for another go, but Democratic donors are wary.  This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Sarah Schweppe, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder, and hosted by Astead Herndon. You can also watch this episode on ⁠youtube.com/vox⁠. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: ⁠vox.com/members⁠. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What should the progressive left take away from the collapse of Graham Platner’s campaign?  This show was edited by Christina Vallice, fact checked by Sarah Schweppe, video edited by Frank Posillico, and hosted by Astead Herndon.  Special thanks to Kasia Broussalian.  You can also watch this episode on ⁠youtube.com/vox⁠. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: ⁠vox.com/members⁠. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast⁠.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can the country’s founding ideals still unite a divided nation? This episode is presented by the Rockefeller Foundation.   This show was produced by Dustin DeSoto, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, and hosted by Astead Herndon. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The group of men that famously helped propel Trump to the White House in 2024 is having second thoughts. Here’s what that means for Republicans in the future. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder, and hosted by Astead Herndon. Fans at the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest on the South Lawn of the White House where President Trump hosted Ultimate Fighting Championship matches. Photo by Tom Brenner/Getty Images. You can also watch this episode on youtube.com/vox. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

AI, policing and generational change are among the issues influencing two primary races in New York that reflect the broader 2026 midterms. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder, and hosted by Astead Herndon. Voting signage at a polling location for the primary election in New York. Photo by Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images. You can also watch this episode on youtube.com/vox. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hasan Piker has become one of the most prominent leftist voices in the US. But his rapid rise has sparked a furious backlash from establishment Democrats -- specifically the Third Way think tank. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder, and hosted by Astead Herndon. Further reading: Third Way’s critique of Hasan Piker in the Wall Street Journal. The streamer Hasan Piker speaking at a conference in Vancouver. Photo By Florencia Tan Jun/Web Summit via Sportsfile via Getty Images. You can also watch this episode on youtube.com/vox. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We went to Virginia to report on redistricting. What we found was a potential new message for Democrats to win over voters.  This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder, and hosted by Astead Herndon. Voters attending a candidate forum hosted by RVA indivisible at the Libby Mill Library in Richmond, VA. Photo credit Alex Peterson. You can also watch this episode on youtube.com/vox. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Democrats talk a lot about protecting democracy, but for most Americans, the system was written to exclude them a long time ago. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder, and hosted by Astead Herndon. Photo by Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images. You can also watch this episode on youtube.com/vox. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What skills will matter most in the AI era, and how can workers avoid being left behind? We look at one big bet aimed at supporting the US workforce. This episode is presented by The Rockefeller Foundation.  This show was produced by Dustin DeSoto, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, and hosted by Astead Herndon. Photo by Getty Images/Kindamorphic. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: ⁠vox.com/members⁠. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s a growing disconnect between a local community that says it’s being treated as the "guinea pigs" in a new industrial revolution, and Washington politicians. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder and Shelby Smith, and hosted by Astead Herndon. A massive new data center in Vineland, New Jersey. Photo by Alex Peterson. You can also watch this episode on youtube.com/vox. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do buzzwords like “progressive” and “affordability” mean to voters? We went to one of the most Democratic congressional districts to find out. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder, and hosted by Astead Herndon. Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) rolling out out a new affordability strategy along with other House Democrats from the Progressive Caucus. Photo by Tom Brenner/Getty Images. You can also watch this episode on youtube.com/vox. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

America at 250 years old may need a new founding document. Historian Heather Cox Richardson drafts a new social contract. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder, and hosted by Astead Herndon. In this episode, Richardson references a tweet of Boebert's, not a text. A protester holds a copy of the Declaration of Independence and a US flag at a rally. Photo by ANDREW HOLBROOKE/Corbis via Getty Images. You can also watch this episode on youtube.com/vox. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices