CNN Inside Politics

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By: CNN Podcasts

Each weekday, Dana Bash and a panel of well-sourced reporters bring you the most important political stories of the day. On the weekend, Manu Raju kicks off CNN's Sunday morning political programming with Inside Politics Sunday. Dana and Manu get answers from the people making headlines, explain the political stories that matter, and report on how the news will impact you.

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Special Bonus - Introducing: Civilian or Spy
Special Bonus - Introducing: Civilian or Spy episode artwork
Yesterday at 7:46 PM

When a Russian-born American citizen named Ilya Beloozerov is gunned down by the FBI in 2024, the authorities refuse to say why they’d killed him. CNN’s Isabelle Chapman embarks on a sprawling investigation that takes her from the Mississippi parking lot where he died to Washington, D.C. to unravel the mystery: Why did Ilya abruptly leave his family and his job and head for the border with laptops and cash? Why is there still no official explanation of his death? And maybe most importantly: Was Ilya a spy? 

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Mangione Pleads Guilty
Last Friday at 5:57 PM

Luigi Mangione just pleaded guilty to federal stalking charges in connection to the 2024 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. To file that plea, Mangione had to describe, in his own words, what happened. "I shot Mr. Thompson and he died. I knew what i was doing was illegal." Our coverage begins with CNN's Kara Scannell outside the courtroom. 

 

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How New Inflation Data Could Impact Midterms
Last Thursday at 5:14 PM

The midterms just got a fresh dose of inflation - not ideal for the party trying to keep control of Congress. The new numbers show signs that price pressures are easing, but only at the margins. Wholesale prices - what producers charge before those costs reach consumers - rose 4.7% over the past year. While a slowdown from June's 5.5%, that's still incredibly high. With just 82 days until the midterms, these new numbers raise crucial political questions. 

 

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The Democratic Pendulum Swings Again
Last Wednesday at 7:31 PM

Politicians love to say, "The only poll that counts is election day." In the last 24 hours, Wisconsin reminded us why that cliche actually matters. Last month, moderate Democrat David Crowley dropped out of the Badger State gubernatorial race. Today, he accepted his party's nomination for governor. Crowley's razor-thin victory - less than 4,000 votes - in a crucial swing state comes at the expense of Democratic Socialist Francesca Hong, who was hoping to ride the recent wave of progressive wins. 

 

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Another Democratic Socialism Test Today in Wisconsin
Last Tuesday at 8:52 PM

Competing visions collide in the last major test of the Democratic party's direction before November. Today, Americans in six states are hitting the polls in key primaries across the country. The biggest story is out of Wisconsin, where state Assemblywoman and Democratic Socialist Francesca Hong's upstart campaign has rattled establishment Dems in the purple state, who've united around Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, arguing the socialist brand will lose in November against likely Republican nominee Tom Tiffany.  

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Update: Battle for the Senate
Last Monday at 7:31 PM

What's more likely, a Democratic senator in Texas or a Republican senator in Georgia? We reveal results of a brand new CNN analysis pointing to nine seats that are most likely to flip. To win control of the Senate, Democrats must keep all their seats while flipping four more. 

 

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Midwest Mayhem: Inside the 2028 Political Landscape
08/09/2026

Join Manu Raju this Sunday on Inside Politics as we dissect a week of fierce political battles across the Midwest, with exclusive insights from top political insiders.

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A Major Political Win for President Trump
08/07/2026

Todd Blanche is now officially on track to be the next attorney general of the United States after Senator Bill Cassidy, a man whose political career President Trump effectively helped end, announces that he will support Blanche on the Senate floor. Cassidy's decision will give Blanche the votes he needs to be confirmed. 

 

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Dems Deal With Aftershocks from El-Sayed's Win
08/06/2026

Progressive Democrat Abdul el-Sayed says his win in yesterday's Michigan Senate primary shook the world. Now his party is mapping the aftershocks. The first challenge is to unite behind el-Sayed following the incredibly heated and divisive race against moderate Haley Stevens. His GOP opponent, former representative Mike Rogers, wasted no time launching an attack, claiming el-Sayed believes "America deserved 9/11." 

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Progressive Prevails in Michigan
08/05/2026

Progressive Democrat Abdul el-Sayed prevailed in the Michigan Senate primary, but will that complicate his party's path back to power? It was a very close race - just one point separating el-Sayed from his opponent, Congresswoman Haley Stevens - but the victory is monumental for the progressive left. 

 

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Max Miller Demands House Investigate ... Max Miller
08/04/2026

\Embattled Republican Congressman Max Miller is calling for an ethics investigation into himself. He says he wants to clear himself from the disturbing allegations of domestic abuse from his ex-wife, Emily Marino, the daughter of the senior Senator from Ohio, Bernie Marino. CNN's Lauren Fox has the details on this unusual situation. 

 

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Blanche Concedes, Paves Way for Senate Confirmation
08/03/2026

President Trump's pick to be the nation's top law enforcement officer is now on the fast track to Senate confirmation after Republican holdouts John Cornyn and Thom Tillis said they'll vote to confirm Todd Blanche at tomorrow's committee vote. That ends a two-week standoff between the lame duck senators and the White House over Trump's so-called anti-weaponization fund. Blanche conceded the fight by signing a letter that effectively kills the fund. Blanche also limited the scope of the tax immunity deal Trump reached with the Treasury Department to protect the president and his family over audits from past tax returns. 

 

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The Battle for Michigan: Defining the Future of the Democratic Party
08/02/2026

The stakes are high in Michigan. With only two days until the primary, will Michigan Democrats choose pragmatism or progressivism? Tune into Inside Politics with Manu Raju for deep insights on how this race could redefine the Democratic Party.

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Blanche Confirmation Battle Continues
07/31/2026

As today's show begins, President Trump is holding a Cabinet meeting at Camp David. Among the participants is Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general. He wants to drop the "acting" from his title and get confirmed by the Senate. But two Republican senators are blocking Blanche because the White House won't commit to killing the president's so-called anti-weaponization fund. And, rather than compromise, Trump says he'll pull the nomination for now and wait till next year. 

 

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Blanche Nomination in Jeopardy
07/30/2026

Instead of compromise to confirm his attorney general, is President Trump looking to sidestep the process altogether? Two key Republican senators said they are not ready to support Todd Blanche's nomination unless they get ironclad, written assurances from the White House that the so-called "anti-weaponization fund" is dead, along with the deal Trump made with IRS to avoid tax audits. But moments ago, the president trump posted that he's not making any deals, explaining, "I have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd's name if they do not do the right thing." 

 

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Fauci Pleads the Fifth
07/29/2026

The ghosts of Covid past reignite an old feud on Capitol Hill. Today, Republican Senator Rand Paul was looking for a fight. But Dr. Anthony Fauci, compelled by a subpoena to testify about the nation's Covid response, did not give him one. Instead, his response, repeated over 100 times, was, "Under the advice of my attorneys, I will invoke my right under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to refrain from answering your questions." 

 

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A Funeral and a Foreign Policy Test
07/28/2026

Allies and world leaders gather to honor the late Senator Lindsey Graham. Among the guests are Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who is meeting behind closed doors with President Trump. It's the first time the two leaders have come face to face since the start of the war in Iran, and the president made clear the two are not on the same page. 

 

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Trump Targets Must-Win Senate State
07/27/2026

The White House says President Trump will focus on the economy today when he visits a GM facility outside Detroit. Michigan is a critical swing state, a must-win for the GOP to keep control of the Senate. 

 

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Election Countdown: Primaries, Policies, and Power Shifts
07/26/2026

Exclusive footage, insiders' perspectives, and the key electoral battles shaping the future. Don't miss this week's Inside Politics with Manu Raju, where we break down the drama and dynamics of the political landscape.

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No Way Out
07/24/2026

President Trump searches for a strategy as the war with Iran nears the five-month mark. Can the US bomb Iran into submission? Let's call it what it is: The US and Iran are back in a full-scale war. For the 13th straight night, US forces pounded military targets inside the Islamic republic, while Iran launced attacks on US assets in Bahrain and Jordan. 

 

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Senate Control Battle Heats Up
07/23/2026

With just 103 days left before the midterms, we bring you two big CNN exclusives on the race for Senate control. We begin in Michigan and the Democratic primary battle between Congresswoman Haley Stevens and Abdul el-Sayed. Then we head to Maine, where CNN's K-File has new details on the new Democratic candidates. 

 

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Fallen Service Members Return Home
07/22/2026

The remains of four American troops killed over the weekend in Jordan and Iraq have been returned to Dover Air Force Base for a dignified transfer presided over by President Trump. He promises Iran will "pay a big price" for their deaths. But what exactly does that mean?  

 

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Iran 'Hasn't Seen Anything Yet'
07/21/2026

Speaking alongside the Lebanese president in the Oval Office, President Trump warned Iran that US strikes are going to intensify, claiming Iran "hasn't seen anything yet." This comes on the heels of Pete Hegseth's visit to Capitol Hill, where he's expected to ask Congress for more money for the war. 

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Iran War Takes Deadly Turn
07/20/2026

More US fighter jets are headed to the Mideast, as President Trump weighs widening the war he began five months ago. That's after a dramatic ratcheting up of hostilities over the past few days and the deaths of three US service members, the first troops killed in action since March. 

 

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The US Retaliates Against Iran
07/19/2026

With no end in sight, is the war with Iran becoming untenable? Plus, feeling the Bern? After Graham Platner's implosion, are Bernie Sanders' picks igniting a Democratic civil war? All that and more.

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Trump Casts Unfounded Doubts on US Elections
07/17/2026

Promoting last night’s primetime speech, President Trump said he'd reveal “really big news” that would “shock you.” Instead, we heard old claims about America's election system with a fresh coat of alarm. CNN has been combing through the hundreds of newly declassified documents from the White House, and my colleagues found they largely address vulnerabilities that have been known for years, and in some cases, they undermine the president's claims. 

 

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Will Trump Relitigate 2020 in Primetime Tonight?
07/16/2026

The US is at war with Iran. Americans are really struggling with rising costs. There is a deadly flood in Texas. Yet the focus of President Trump’s rare primetime address tonight is expected to be on “free and fair elections,” including the one he still claims he won in 2020. 

 

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Congress Grills Blanche
07/15/2026

Today's show begins as Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is facing tense questioning during a confirmation hearing held by the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding his nomination to permanently lead the Department of Justice. 

 

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Trump Drops Strait Toll Threat
07/14/2026

As today's show begins, President Trump is hosting Iraqi Prime Minister al-Zaidi in the Oval Office, praising his guest for how much he's done in a short period of timing. But that meeting is sure to be overshadowed by Trump's announcement just a short time ago that he's stepping back from his threat to levy tolls on ships coming through the Strait of Hormuz. 

 

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Graham's Death Sends Shockwaves
07/13/2026

The unexpected death of Lindsey Graham is reverberating through the Senate, the White House, and the world's most volatile regions. The South Carolina Republican leaves a major void in President Trump's inner circle and in American foreign policy. 

 

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In Memory of Lindsey Graham: A Political Journey
07/12/2026

From Ukraine to Capitol Hill, Senator Lindsey Graham's story is a testament to resilience and adaptation. Join us this Sunday for exclusive insights from political insiders.

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World Braces for Next Phase of US-Iran War
07/10/2026

President Trump pulls the plug on the ceasefire but says Iran "has asked us to continue talks." Qatari mediators are in Iran, sent there with the goal of getting negotiations back on track after the intense military escalation over the past few days. CNN's Jeremy Diamond begins our coverage from Tel Aviv. 

 

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Platner Pity Party
07/09/2026

Graham Platner ends his Senate campaign with a remarkable, 11-minute video in which he torches the Democratic party and portrays himself as the real victim, leaving his fellow Dems just about two weeks to determine who will challenge Senator Susan Collins in November. 

 

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A Campaign on the Verge of Collapse
07/07/2026

What was once considered the Democrats' best chance to win the Senate is now their most dire political crisis. Graham Platner's Maine campaign is unraveling after a woman accused him of rape, which he denies. More and more Democrats are pulling endorsements, and the party's Senate campaign arm says it won't spend any cash on this crucial race unless he is replaced. 

 

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Politics on the Pitch
07/06/2026

Folarin Balogun, the leading scorer for the US men's soccer team, woke up this morning thinking he would be sidelined for tonight's game against Belgium after he was suspended for a red card. But President Trump picked up the phone and called his good friend, FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Lo and behold, FIFA lifted Balogun's suspension, something that hasn't happened in more than 60 years.  

 

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Reflecting on 250 Years: Politics, Patriotism, and Partisan Divides
07/05/2026

Missed the fireworks? Catch up on Inside Politics Sunday for a breakdown of the July 4th celebrations and President Trump's latest address. Dive into the discussion of politics, patriotism, and upcoming elections with our expert panel.

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250th Birthday Coming In Hot!
07/03/2026

As America prepares to celebrate the nation's 250th birthday, organizers of July 4th events scramble to keep everyone safe from the oppressive heat.

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The Most-Flippable Senate Races
07/02/2026

There are just four months until election day. And in today's politics, that's short enough that every day is crucial for candidates on the trail. But long enough that almost anything can happen. Today, a brand new CNN analysis ranks the nine Senate races most likely to flip and decide control of the upper chamber. Six are Republican held. Three belong to Democrats. 

 

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Warning for DC Insiders
07/01/2026

From New York to Denver, Democratic voters are sending an unmistakable message to Washington lawmakers: The status quo is not working. Last night we saw it in Colorado, where 29-year-old Democratic Socialist Melat Kiros toppled 30-year incumbent Diana Degette by nearly 10 points. Kiros is the third challenger to oust a sitting House Democrat in only eight days. The anti-establishment wave was also clear in Colorado's Democratic primary for governor. We break down what it all could mean for the party, and the country. 

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Yea on Birthright Citizenship, Nay on Transgender Athletes
06/30/2026

The Supreme Court closes its term with a pair of landmark rulings. The justices rejected President Trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship, but handed him a major victory on one of his signature culture war issues, siding with states seeking to bar transgender athletes from competing on girls and women's sports teams. 

 

 

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