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Artwork for The Politics Hour

The Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi

WAMU 88.5
Virginia
Montgomery County
Maryland
Donald Trump
Data Centers
Prince George's County
RFK Stadium
District Of Columbia
Loudoun County
DC Council
Public Safety
Affordable Housing
Trump Administration
Washington, D.C.
Ranked Choice Voting
Kamala Harris
D.C. Council
Washington Commanders
Housing Affordability
Washington D.C.

Join Kojo and resident analyst Tom Sherwood on Fridays at noon for our weekly review of the politics, policies and personalities in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Each week Kojo and Tom help make sense of legislation, hold elected officials accountable and provide in-depth analysis of local issues and elections. The Politics Hour is also a vital forum for Washingtonians to engag... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes100Founded21 years ago
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PoliticsNews

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Artwork for The Politics Hour

Latest Episodes

A federal judge this week temporarily blocked the Trump administration from cutting down any more trees at East Potomac Golf Links. This comes after the federal government had contractors hastily chop down hundreds of trees at the public course last ... more

In recent months, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb has used his office to improve housing conditions across the city, including filing lawsuits that force landlords to clean up trash and stop illegal activities. The city's top lawyer joins Kojo an... more

Virginia officials are scrutinizing the proposed $67 billion Dominion-NextEra merger, which would create the world's largest regulated electric utility company. Federal lawmakers this week warned the proposed merger could raise electricity prices for... more

Montgomery County lawmakers are talking trash. More specifically, the county council is deciding what to do about its aging trash incinerator. Council President Natali Fani-González joins the show to talk about the future of the county's trash. The c... more

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Recent Guests

Brian Schwalb
DC Attorney General
Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia
Episode: The Politics Hour: D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb on going after 'extreme housing neglect'
Natali Fani-González
Montgomery County Council President
Montgomery County Council
Episode: The Politics Hour: Montgomery County's trash and an RFK campus master plan heads to the D.C. Council
Zachary Parker
Ward 5 DC Council Member
District of Columbia Council
Episode: The Politics Hour: Montgomery County's trash and an RFK campus master plan heads to the D.C. Council
Jenny Gathright
Reporter for The Washington Sun
The Washington Sun
Episode: The Politics Hour: The Trayon White trial and back to school with D.C.'s public schools chancellor
Suhas Subramanyam
United States congressman
U.S. House of Representatives (Virginia's 10th District)
Episode: The Politics Hour: The Trayon White trial and back to school with D.C.'s public schools chancellor
Kim Jackson
Interim Chancellor, DC Public Schools
DC Public Schools
Episode: The Politics Hour: The Trayon White trial and back to school with D.C.'s public schools chancellor
Charles Allen
Ward 6 DC Council member
Council of the District of Columbia
Episode: The Politics Hour: The D.C. Council returns from summer break… and remembering 9/11, 25 years later
Barbara Favola
Virginia state senator, former Arlington County Board member
Virginia General Assembly
Episode: The Politics Hour: The D.C. Council returns from summer break… and remembering 9/11, 25 years later
Joseline Peña-Melnyk
Maryland House Speaker
Maryland House of Delegates
Episode: The Politics Hour: Will Loudoun County push pause on data center development?

Hosts

Kojo Nnamdi
Host of The Politics Hour
Tom Sherwood
Resident analyst and contributor

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 70 ratings
  • Wonderful show

    Tom and Kojo. Two DMV legends walking us through the local political scene. Helloooo everybody.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JMS32205
    United States3 years ago
  • Essential listening

    Podcast Addict
    5
    chrisabraham
    4 years ago
  • Can Tom Sherwood let the guest finish a sentence??

    Can Tom Sherwood let the guest finish a talking??

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    dc nowhere
    United States4 years ago
  • Best of WAMU

    Even though I have moved from Fairfax, VA to Fayetteville, NC, I tune into WAMU every weekday at noon for the Kojo NNamdi show. I noticed that the Politics Hour with Tom Sherwood has been taken off the network and there is no Apple Podcast available. What's going on???

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Margo from Fayetteville NC
    United States6 years ago
  • Love this show

    Kojo and Tom bring listeners the foremost political issues and public officials shaping the Washington DC region. The hosts are extremely well versed in regional issues and they grill their guests with tough but respectful questions. This show is essential listening for DC area citizens.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dan Bloom, your boy
    United States8 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Insightful, local-focused coverage that connects policy to real regional impacts.
Tough but respectful questioning that sheds light on complex issues.
Balanced conversations with major regional players and clear policy context.
Engaging discussions on data centers, transit, and policing that help audiences understand budget tradeoffs.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Politics Hour: The Trayon White trial and back to school with D.C.'s public schools chancellor
Q: What is the current status of Trayon White's trial and what should we watch for next?
The prosecution appears ready to wrap up its case, with defense possibly starting its case next, and there is ongoing discussion about potential rest and witness testimony, including a security line check and questions about Kamara's credibility.
The Politics Hour: Maryland redistricting in limbo and reactions to accusations of ICE agent brutality
Q: Would Ms. Coffey please speak to the reasons why the Democratic Party opposes district representation for Arlington County?
Maureen Coffey explained that the discussion around district representation is complex, noting concerns about preserving neighborhood integrity and ensuring that representatives remain connected to all parts of Arlington. She emphasized that moving to district-based representation could divide accountability and may not serve Arlington's diverse neighborhoods, suggesting that a full-time board and equitable governance should be weighed in any reform.
The Politics Hour: The D.C. Council returns from summer break… and remembering 9/11, 25 years later
Q: What is the plan for a second Metro station near the stadium, and how does this fit into long-term regional growth?
Allen argues that a second station is prudent and wise, and emphasizes the Gold Line plans to improve connections to Union Station and Benning Road, arguing that transit is essential to future growth beyond the stadium itself.
The Politics Hour: The D.C. Council returns from summer break… and remembering 9/11, 25 years later
Q: What is the status of regional reciprocity on speeding tickets and enforcement across DC, Maryland, and Virginia?
Allen explains that reciprocity is being discussed as a multi-jurisdiction approach, but it is not imminent and would likely be an early 2027 discussion before full implementation.
The Politics Hour: The D.C. Council returns from summer break… and remembering 9/11, 25 years later
Q: How worried are you about D.C.'s finances given the current budget gap?
Allen responds that while the CFO notes challenges, the city has a history of balanced budgets and that revenue-raising will be necessary, but it must be balanced with growth strategies like expanding child care and supporting small businesses.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Politics Hour

What is The Politics Hour about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A deep-dive into the politics of the DMV region, with a focus on local governance, budgets, elections, and policy across Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Episodes regularly parse data-center policy, policing, transit projects, education funding, and the interplay between city, county, and state authorities, often featuring elected officials, reporters, and union leaders. Notable is the show's willingness to grill guests with tough questions while keeping regional issues accessible to listeners who want practical takeaways for civic engagement, policy impact, and local political dynamics.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Politics Hour?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Politics Hour. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Politics Hour and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Politics Hour get?

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What are the audience demographics for The Politics Hour?

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How many subscribers and views does The Politics Hour have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Politics Hour has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Politics Hour?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Politics Hour:

1. City Cast DC
2. 1A
3. The Daily
4. Consider This from NPR
5. Dream City Podcast

How many episodes of The Politics Hour are there?

The Politics Hour launched 21 years ago and published 100 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Politics Hour?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Politics Hour?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Politics Hour from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on The Politics Hour?

Recent guests on The Politics Hour include:

1. Brian Schwalb
2. Natali Fani-González
3. Zachary Parker
4. Jenny Gathright
5. Suhas Subramanyam
6. Kim Jackson
7. Charles Allen
8. Barbara Favola

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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