What a difference a week makes. Last Senator Claire McCaskill and former White House Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri spoke, the jury was deliberating, and now the contrast of the two incumbents is in stark relief. The pair frame how to talk about running against an opponent found guilty on 34 criminal counts, and how desperate Republicans seem to be-- to undermine our judicial system and call for retribution, just to curry favor with Trump. Then Kelley Robinson, President of the Human Rights Campaign, joins to kick off Pride Month and zero in on what issues are most urgent for LGBTQ+ voters. And before signing off, Claire and Jen take a beat to lay out the hard but necessary executive action President Biden took this week to stem the flow of immigrants crossing the border illegally, as the GOP stand idly by.

There’s been a lot of hand wringing this week as Democrats read Chicken Little headlines, leading to some nerves about Biden’s prospects this fall. But Senator Claire McCaskill and former White House Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri seek to calm the waters and highlight what Biden has going for him beyond his legislative record: laying the foundation for a robust ground game operation. Guy Cecil, former head of the Super PAC Priorities USA, joins this episode to describe what a sturdy operation looks like on the ground and how to use SuperPAC money to get your message out. We may not like dark money in our elections, but as Claire says, this is the hand we’ve been dealt- so we've got to play it.

When thinking about how to win 2024, don’t sleep on the swing voter. That’s the takeaway Senator Claire McCaskill and former White House Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri hope to get across. But it’s a “Yes, and...” scenario. Biden needs to keep touting his wins on the economy and jobs, while highlighting where Republicans are blocking progress: on reforms to immigration and policing. Then, former U.S. Attorney and law professor Barbara McQuade stops in to recap the highs and lows from Donald Trump’s criminal trial as the jury preps for deliberations next week. And beyond the legal impact, Claire and Jen take a beat to analyze the political impact the jury’s decision will have this fall.

As Michael Cohen testified against Trump in Manhattan, Biden notched a win by setting the parameters for two presidential debates. Senator Claire McCaskill and former White House Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri break down this week's primary results and why healthcare should stay front and center in the 2024 campaign. Then, Deborah Scott of Georgia STAND-UP shares what her organization is doing to energize voting coalitions in her state, as new waves of voter suppression tactics keep crashing ashore. Lastly, Claire and Jen highlight the unsexy, but sorely needed infrastructure projects that the Biden administration is building to make our water cleaner, our roads safer and to bring US manufacturing into the 21st century.

Further reading:

Here is the map the White House released, showing the more than 56,000 infrastructure projects and awards that are identified or now underway.

Here are the state by state fact sheets to see how money is being spent in your state. Go look for what's happening in your neck of the woods!

Further Watching:

Deborah Scott, along with other grassroots community leaders are featured in the MSNBC Films documentary: Battleground Georgia. The film breaks down the complex history of voting across the South and how Georgia came to lead the charge in this pivotal political moment. You can watch Battleground Georgia this Sunday, May 19 at 9pm Eastern on MSNBC.

Six months out from the election, and a few issues are converging. Senator Claire McCaskill and former White House Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri drill down on what’s working and what President Biden needs to focus on around a few key issues like immigration, the war in Gaza and reproductive rights. And after Senator Tim Scott tied himself in knots to avoid saying he’d accept the 2024 election results, it's a good time to check in with elections lawyer Marc Elias about coming legal shenanigans. Claire and Marc highlight lawsuits brought by the RNC that aim to sow doubt in election integrity ahead of the fall, and how to stand up to right wing vigilantism at the ballot box.

What do the newest generation of voters want? What engages them and motivates them? This is a question that's central to 2024, as protests over Gaza continue on college campuses nationwide. Senator Claire McCaskill and former White House Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri check in with Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez, Executive Director of NextGen America, to get at the heart of how to reach this important constituency. And a review of Trump’s Time magazine profile, in which he’s telling voters exactly who he is. Then, the campaign pros zoom in on Arizona as a case study of the converging issues that will be central in November.

This year's White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner features NBC News Senior White House Correspondent and President of the White House Correspondents' Association, Kelly O'Donnell. With remarks from President Joe Biden and Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update host Colin Jost. Listen to the event here.

An extraordinary phase of the 2024 race unfolding this week as Donald Trump finds himself stuck in a Manhattan courtroom and the focus of historic Supreme Court arguments, while President Biden sprints across a major battleground state. Senator Claire McCaskill and former White House Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri zero in on that stunning split screen and what it could mean for the presidential race. Plus, Claire and Jen talk to constitutional law professor Michele Goodwin about the chipping away of reproductive freedom and how that could also shape the election.

Further reading: Here is the map Jen mentioned, showing where reproductive rights stand, state by state.