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The Al Franken Podcast

The Al Franken Podcast
Donald Trump
Republican Party
Ukraine
Trump Administration
Trump
Supreme Court
Saturday Night Live
Israel
Gaza
Russia
Democratic Party
Comedy
Kamala Harris
Joe Biden
Affordable Care Act
Biden Administration
Stormy Daniels
Democracy
Iran
Tariffs

A five-time Emmy winning SNL comedy writer/producer, joins a four-time #1 NYT bestselling author, a three-time highest-rated national progressive radio host, a two-time Grammy winning artist, and a former US Senator. So, it gets a little crowded in the booth when Al talks public policy and sometimes political comedy with notable guests. Think “The Daily” without the resources of the NYTimes.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes391Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsPoliticsGovernment

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Artwork for The Al Franken Podcast

Latest Episodes

For the final episode of The Al Franken Podcast, we're joined one last time by our good friend Dahlia Lithwick, Senior Editor at Slate and host of the Amicus podcast! As we await the Supreme Court’s remaining decisions, we turn to Dahlia to recap a b... more

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We’re joined by our longtime friend, Franklin Foer of The Atlantic! We have a deal in Iran or at least an agreement to have an agreement. Even some Republicans are calling this an unconditional surrender. Al and Frank break down the massive concessio... more

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We're joined by our friend Mark Leibovich of The Atlantic to break down Trump's sinking approval ratings, the approaching midterms, and whether Democrats are overconfident.

We begin by looking at Trump and whether or not his party is feeling demoral... more

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What's actually driving the Trump administration? Our good friend and emeritus scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, Norm Ornstein, joins Al to follow the blueprint laid out by Project 2025.

The chief architect of Project 2025, Russell Vough... more

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Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Franklin Foer
Writer for The Atlantic, author
The Atlantic
Episode: Al and Franklin Foer on Iran, Ukraine, Soccer, and The World
Kevin Nealon
Former SNL cast member and comedian
Saturday Night Live
Episode: BEST OF: Kevin Nealon on His Career in Comedy!
Scott Lincicome
Vice President of Economics at the Cato Institute; senior lecturer at Duke University Law School; Bloomberg columnist
Cato Institute
Episode: Catherine Rampell and Scott Lincicome on Trump's Tariffs
Kasie Hunt
Host of CNN's The Arena
CNN
Episode: BEST OF: Kasie Hunt on Her Career & Trump
Rosa DeLauro
Representative for New Haven, Connecticut; Chair/Ranking Member of key committees
U.S. House of Representatives
Episode: Rep. Rosa DeLauro on Congressional Chaos
Geoffrey Asmus
Comedian
Episode: Trae Crowder and Geoffrey Asmus on Comedy and Politics
Al Franken
Five-time Emmy-winning SNL writer/producer and former US Senator
The Al Franken Podcast
Episode: BEST OF: Al on SNL’s 50th Anniversary
John Fugelsang
comedian, actor, and podcast host
Author of Separation of Church and Hate
Episode: Best Of: John Fugelsang on Jesus and Politics
Madeleine Dean
Representative, Pennsylvania
U.S. House of Representatives
Episode: Rep. Madeleine Dean on POTUS Pardon Corruption

Host

Al Franken
Host and former US Senator, leads conversations on policy, governance, and political culture with a mix of humor and seriousness

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 9.4k ratings
  • Democrats

    Run on immigration reform

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Che Block
    United States19 days ago
  • Inequality in the US

    Al you are right. Wealth inequality today in the US is the same or greater than it was pre-the revolutionary war in France.

    Income inequality in the US is as great as it’s been in 79 years.

    We must go back to stakeholder capitalism, which we followed prior to Reagan, and abandon shareholder capitalism.

    With shareholder capitalism the wealthy get wealthier &the poor get poorer

    Also, there is no upward mobility in the US today. Now the only way to get rich in the US is to be born rich.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lee Esq
    United States20 days ago
  • How are you Al Franken Understand that you need a break. I do agree though it’s a long one.

    Hope all is well.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    anniejup123
    United Statesa month ago
  • Where’s Al?

    Is anyone else getting worried about Al? This has been a very long break. I hope he is okay. Love you Al!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CMJ682
    United States2 months ago
  • Ep released 5/10/26

    The most recent episode with Norm Orenstein was not up to the high quality of this show. It was a terrible conversation with all sorts of background noise. Usually a great show.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Canuck living in US
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some listeners feel the show relies too much on best-of or repeats rather than fresh conversations.
Listeners frequently praise the depth of guests and thoughtful policy-focused discussions.
Ad interruptions are a common point of critique, impacting the listening experience.
Overall sentiment highlights strong, informed analysis paired with engaging, often candid guest insights.
Background noise and quality concerns in a recent episode hint at sonic issues that can affect listenability.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#118
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#140
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#100
South Korea/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#124
Argentina/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#140
Chile/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#143
Indonesia/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Al and Franklin Foer on Iran, Ukraine, Soccer, and The World
Q: How does the domestic political climate affect perceptions of the Iran memorandum and potential peace in the Middle East?
The host and Foer note that supporters may portray progress as a foreign policy win, while critics will likely argue it concedes too much or lacks enforceable commitments, complicating public consensus ahead of elections.
Al and Franklin Foer on Iran, Ukraine, Soccer, and The World
Q: What does the 60-day negotiation window imply about the seriousness of the Iran deal, and how does this compare to the JCPOA timeline?
Foer argues that a 60-day window signals an intention to move quickly, but unlike the JCPOA, which was a detailed, long-form agreement with many technical specifics, this is more of a process-oriented framework that may never culminate in a concrete deal.
BEST OF: David Kirkpatrick on Trump’s Shameless Profiteering
Q: How does the crypto angle fit into the overall portrait of wealth accumulation?
Crypto ventures are presented as leveraging the sitting president's influence to boost credibility and demand for crypto products, with token sales, World Liberty Financial, and partnerships that created new revenue streams and a large, though opaque, asset base.
BEST OF: David Kirkpatrick on Trump’s Shameless Profiteering
Q: What are the main ways the Trumps profited from the presidency beyond traditional business activity?
The guest explains that profits came from a mix of increased personal stakes in properties, campaign-related expenditures shifted into personal profit, licensing deals in the Middle East, and crypto ventures through Trump-branded companies, including tokens and meme coins that monetized brand access and events.
BEST OF: Al on SNL’s 50th Anniversary
Q: Was the show always political from the jump, and how did politics get introduced to SNL?
Politics arrived early in the show's run, with Chevy Chase and later others incorporating political impressions and sketches. The writers, including Al Franken and Tom Davis, pushed political content as part of the show's fabric, using satire to reflect contemporary events and politicians.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Al Franken Podcast

What is The Al Franken Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show features in-depth conversations at the intersection of policy, politics, and culture, often pairing seasoned politicians, journalists, and policy experts with commentary that blends civics, history, and current events. Episodes frequently explore legislative processes, governance challenges, and domestic and foreign policy, with a mix of sharp analysis, candid insider perspectives, and humor. A notable edge is the willingness to challenge official narratives and spotlight systemic issues—from Congress and pardons to immigration, foreign policy, and media accountability. Listeners can expect thoughtful, policy-forward discussions anchored by a veteran political commentator, with a track record of high-caliber guests spanning governm... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Al Franken Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Al Franken Podcast:

1. Fast Politics with Molly Jong-Fast
2. Talking Feds
3. The Bulwark Podcast
4. Politics War Room with James Carville & Al Hunt
5. Stay Tuned with Preet

How many episodes of The Al Franken Podcast are there?

The Al Franken Podcast launched 7 years ago and published 391 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Al Franken Podcast?

Recent guests on The Al Franken Podcast include:

1. Franklin Foer
2. Kevin Nealon
3. Scott Lincicome
4. Kasie Hunt
5. Rosa DeLauro
6. Geoffrey Asmus
7. Al Franken
8. John Fugelsang

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