What Next | Daily News and Analysis
The problem with the news right now? It’s everywhere. And each day, it can feel like we’re all just mindlessly scrolling. It’s why we created What Next. This short daily show is here to help you make sense of things. When the news feels overwhelming, we’re here to help you answer: What next? Look for new episodes every weekday morning.
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2001
How an Abortion Bill Started the Mess in Virginia
Are we about to see a lot more bare-knuckled politicking as states try to expand access to abortions?
13 min
2002
How Trump’s Inaugural Committee Got Into Trouble
Inaugurations are always a little unseemly. But Trump’s crew seemed unbothered by the appearance of influence-peddling. And now prosecutors want receipts.
12 min
2003
Which State of the Union? Which Medicare for All?
Trump's speech often meandered from pleas for bipartisanship to accusations of “ridiculous partisan investigations.” What do we make of this state of the union?
21 min
2004
Larry Krasner and the System That Fought Back
He campaigned on a promise to reform Philadelphia’s criminal justice system. Putting theory into practice has been challenging.
16 min
2005
The Ferguson Effect
Protesters organized into a grassroots campaign to unseat a 7 term incumbent and replace him with the first black St. Louis County prosecutor.
13 min
2006
Anti-Vaxxers Brought Back the Measles
Why the spread of a preventable disease in the Pacific-Northwest should scare Texans.
14 min
2007
Don't Call Him El Chapo
The myth of El Chapo has overpowered the hard truths his trial is revealing.
11 min
2008
Howard Schultz and the Ghost of Ross Perot
A billionaire flirts with a third party presidential run and everybody loses their mind.
15 min
2009
How Big Tech Is Bleeding American Journalism
Is it time for major media companies to boycott Facebook?
17 min
2010
The Gun Rights Case Headed to the Supreme Court
In the fight to expand Second Amendment rights, a New York City gun law could be the first domino to fall.
16 min
2011
The Opposition Comes for Venezuela’s Maduro
Venezuela has been in crisis for years. Why is a network of exiled politicians sending people into the streets now?
19 min
2012
Congress Does Something
Could Thursday mark the beginning of the end of the government shutdown?
18 min
2013
Kamala Harris & the Rise of Progressive Prosecu...
Why doesn’t the reform-minded set accept Harris as one of their own?
21 min
2014
The Women Fleeing Saudi Arabia
What it’s like to escape when your every movement is policed by men.
19 min
2015
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Flips the Script
She doesn’t need to be authoritative, or vaguely androgynous, or even right. How does AOC pull that off?
20 min
2016
The L.A. Teachers' Strike
The second-largest school district in the country is having a battle royale over charter school expansion.
24 min
2017
The Gymnast Who Went Megaviral
Remember when U.S. women’s gymnastics used to be joyful?
19 min
2018
Pardons, Presidential Power, and Worry About Bi...
What can history tell us about how William Barr will handle the Mueller investigation?
24 min
2019
The Three-Headed Beast Leading U.S. Foreign Policy
You’ve got President Trump, Mike Pompeo, and John Bolton. And they’re all pulling in different directions.
15 min
2020
The Threat of National Emergency
Can President Trump get his wall by circumventing Congress?
18 min
2021
How We Became Shutdown Nation
It doesn’t have to be like this.
18 min
2022
Clemency for Cyntoia Brown
She was serving a notably harsh sentence. But what does it mean that she was freed after a publicity blitz and a celebrity assist?
15 min
2023
Battling 2020 Fatigue
Each election is an experiment. Approach it like a scientist, armed with a few hypotheses.
20 min
2024
The Republican Party Shake-Out in Kansas
What do you do when your party leaves you behind?
17 min
2025
We're in the New York Times
No big deal.
1 min