David Axelrod, the founder and director of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, and CNN bring you The Axe Files, a series of revealing interviews with key figures in the political world. Go beyond the soundbites and get to know some of the most interesting players in politics.
As Vice President Kamala Harris prepares to take the stage for the final night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention as the Democratic presidential nominee, we are re-airing a conversation David had with Harris back in 2017. At the time, she was the new senator from California. They sat down to talk about the prospects for criminal justice reform legislation in Congress, why she believes Supreme Court nominees must be approved with 60 votes, her stance on immigration, and much more.
Journalist Ezra Klein has been covering politics for two decades, first as a blogger from his undergrad dorm room and now as an Opinion columnist for The New York Times. He joined David to talk about the current political moment, the role of policy in elections, how Vice President Kamala Harris has stolen the spotlight from former President Donald Trump, why the normal political metaphors don’t fit?the 2024 presidential race, and why he thinks Gov. Tim Walz was the bold pick to join Harris on the Democratic ticket.
Much has been said about perceived parallels between this year’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago and the 1968 convention, hallmarked by a violent response to anti-Vietnam War protestors and an incumbent who announced he would not seek reelection. Few are as qualified to speak on those comparison as Don Rose, a Chicago journalist, political strategist, and activist who was a leader in organizing the ’68 protests. He joined David to talk about 1968 and today, how protests against the war in Gaza could affect the DNC, how focusing on abortion issues may have helped Vice President Kamala Harris’ rise,?and his surprise—and delight—at her selection of Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.
As a longtime reporter and observer of American politics and culture, Audie Cornish spends her days chronicling and analyzing history as it’s happening. This week, Audie joined David to talk about her own history: growing up in the “messy follow-up of integration” in Boston schools, being raised by immigrant parents, and unexpectedly finding herself on the path to journalism. Audie and David also discussed the state of American politics, how Vice President Kamala Harris is meeting the moment as a presidential candidate, and Audie's CNN podcast, “The Assignment.”
After reading about the Navy SEALs in middle school, Rep. Dan Crenshaw was determined to one day join their ranks. After 10 years as a Navy SEAL—including sustaining injuries in an IED explosion that left him with one eye—he was medically retired and turned his attention to serving the country as a legislator. As a Texas Republican, Crenshaw remains staunchly conservative, although he’s not shy about calling out the more fringe elements of his party. Rep. Crenshaw joined David to talk about losing his mother at a young age, the need for tougher immigration laws, the importance of aiding Ukraine, his disdain for Tucker Carlson, and the importance of voting in primaries.
Ohio Sen. JD Vance made news this week when GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump selected Sen. Vance as his running mate. But Sen. Vance didn’t start out a Trump fan. Once a harsh Trump critic, he slowly transitioned to all-out supporter. Sen. Vance spoke with David in 2017 about his life and bestselling book “Hillbilly Elegy,” what it was that attracted working class voters to President Trump, and his political opinions on the social and economic difficulties facing everyday Americans.
Political commentator and former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau watched the first 2024 presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden with great concern. Now, he’s questioning whether Biden should stay in the race. He joined David to talk about voters feeling “gaslit” by the Biden campaign and White House, poll denialism, why a stellar convention performance by Biden and his supporters won’t move the needle, and the allure of the demagogue and need for citizens to reengage in democracy.
Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin is known for chronicling the lives and leadership styles of some of America’s most prominent presidents. But for her latest book she focused on a different sort of subject: her husband, the late political adviser Dick Goodwin. Part memoir, part history, “An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s” tells the story of the decade through more than 300 boxes of Dick’s archives. Doris joined David to talk about the book, the parallels between the 1960s and today, the state of American democracy, and what can be learned about the present by looking to the past.
Dr. Anthony Fauci became a household name during the Covid-19 pandemic. While Dr. Fauci stepped down as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in 2022, he still has stories to share. His new book, “On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service,” recounts his triumphs and heartbreaks over 50 years in public health combatting everything from Ebola to SARS to HIV. He joined David to discuss his new book, lessons learned from the pandemic response, what he tells his medical students at Georgetown about weathering political attacks on science, and the dangers of political interference in public health.
Evgenia Kara-Murza did not intend to become a public figure. But that all changed after her husband, Russian political opposition leader and journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza, was arrested in Moscow in 2022. With Vladimir now serving a 25-year sentence in a Siberian prison, Evgenia has taken up his mission, advocating for the freedom of political prisoners and a democratic Russia. She joined David to talk about growing up during the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Putin’s regime in Russia, the war in Ukraine, and why she won’t give up on fighting for her husband.
