Pod Save America: Series Premiere

October 15, 2018 10:35 AM - Season 1, Episode 1

Pod Save America hosts Jon Favreau, Dan Pfeiffer, Jon Lovett, and Tommy Vietor, along with guest host Erin Ryan, host the first of four HBO specials leading up to the midterm elections. It's like a podcast, but with faces.

Topics covered:
-US midterm politics
-Medicare for all
-Kanye West's meeting with President Trump
-Canvassing, ft. Akilah Hughes (segment)
-Florida's proposed Amendment Four with Demetrius Jifunza (segment)
-a whole lotta plugs for Vote Save America

Full episode here.

posted by mosst (4 comments total)

I am a die hard Friend of the Pod, and watched it with my husband, a Casual Acquaintance of the Pod. We both enjoyed it. It was mostly a good live episode of the podcast but, as you say, with faces. Excellent faces. They are all so cute. I like them for my burst of hope and activism. I trust Dan Pfeiffer quite a lot. I feel like he'll tell you the sugar free truth about almost any issue. (Then I go listen to Gaslit Nation for my free-of-absolutely-any-sweetener-whatsoever historical context.)

I very much enjoyed the segment with Demetrius Jifunza and I hopehopeHOPE that measure passes.
posted by Aquifer at 1:55 PM on October 15, 2018

It was great, I particularly enjoyed the excited audience lady for the game (I think she looks a lot like Maggie Gyllenhaal).

Lovett really helps lighten some of the horror that would otherwise overwhelm.
posted by Marticus at 2:37 PM on October 15, 2018

I've been a Friend of the Pod since it was Keepin' it 1600, never missed an episode so I was primed to watch the show. I got about 1/2 the way through and realized it was enough. I listen to the podcast when I'm doing chores, pulling weeds, cooking, etc. but to sit down and watch it on TV was too much commitment for me. I have relatively little TV time and so it's reserved for compelling TV series and occasional movies. I don't even watch Last Week faithfully and I find that a more compelling show.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 10:44 AM on October 17, 2018

‘Pod Save America’ doesn’t deserve an HBO show

The hosts never consider that Democrats may not actually be perfect on the issues. They rarely allow themselves to venture outside of the confines of D.C. orthodoxy around “what works” and imagine a system that works better. For many Americans, better isn’t good enough, and the reality is that many people don’t vote because they don’t see a meaningful difference between the two parties. If a voter is making only $7 an hour, if they have thousands of dollars of healthcare debt and student loans, if their sexual harassment lawsuit is resolved through corporate arbitration, can you blame them?

posted by the man of twists and turns at 8:32 PM on October 18, 2018 [1 favorite]