The Daily

Ben Ratliff, a music critic and avid runner, always ran in silence. Then he discovered how music opened up to him — while running. It changed his entire approach to criticism and listening. He calls it “running the song.” Today, for the New York City Marathon, Ben talks with our host Rachel Abrams about how his listening sharpens when he runs to music. Then, he goes through highlights from his five-hour New York City Marathon playlist , which is designed to complement a run through the five boroughs, featuring various styles of music connected to the places on the route. On Today’s Episode Ben Ratliff , a former New York Times music critic, a music professor and the author of “Run the Song: Writing About Running About Listening.” Background Listening Ben Ratliff’s New York City Marathon playlist Photo: Karsten Moran for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The writer-director, known for his dark and bleak work, believes in film’s power to change our lives. Thoughts? Email us at theinterview@nytimes.com Watch our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheInterviewPodcast For transcripts and more, visit: nytimes.com/theinterview For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the final stretch of the midterm election campaign, polls have found that voters are latching onto the perceived corruption of the Trump administration. Kenneth P. Vogel, a New York Times investigative journalist, explores one major story line feeding that perception: how those around the president have turned the pardon process into a business. Guest: Kenneth P. Vogel , an investigative journalist for The New York Times. Background reading: The pardon industry offers rich offenders a path to President Trump. A billionaire wanted a pardon from Mr. Trump. His family gave Alina Habba a $50 million deal. Photo: Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

An investigation from The New York Times has uncovered how two candidates named Dan Sullivan ended up on the ballot for U.S. Senate in Alaska and the secret role that Democrats played in making it happen. Kellen Browning, a political reporter for The Times, takes us inside the political scheme and explains what it means for a race that could determine which party controls the Senate. Guest: Kellen Browning , a political reporter for The New York Times in San Francisco. Background reading: Inside Democrats’ secret effort to stack Alaska’s ballot. After The Times’s article, the governor of Alaska ordered an investigation into Mary Peltola’s Senate campaign over its role in recruiting spoiler candidates. Previously, the Justice Department asked a federal court to block Alaska’s results if the Republican incumbent narrowly lost. Photo: Haven Daley/Associated Press For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A look at candidates from President Trump’s party who are running on a platform of criticizing him. In next week’s midterm elections, a specific kind of Republican candidate is appealing to disillusioned voters of both parties: moderates willing to criticize President Trump. Jess Bidgood explains how some Republicans are trying to bring back an older version of their party. Guest: Jess Bidgood , a political journalist for The New York Times Background reading: A Trump backlash endangers Susan Collins , the only blue-state Republican senator. From Opinion: John E. Sununu is running a model campaign. He might still lose . Photo: CJ Gunther/Getty Images; Sophie Park/Getty Images For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On July 4, 2025, a group of 10 antifa protesters was arrested, accused of what the federal government called a planned attack on the Prairieland detention facility in Texas. They were prosecuted as terrorists. Janet Reitman, who has been covering the story, discusses the legal case and the questions it raises about who now qualifies as a terrorist in America. Guest: Janet Reitman , who writes for The New York Times Magazine. Background reading: Inside the group of Texans accused of being antifa terrorists . Photo: Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News, via Getty Images For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The midterms are shaping up to be the most expensive election cycle in history as campaigns pour huge sums into the ads voters see virtually everywhere. Today, Shane Goldmacher, a national political correspondent for The New York Times, breaks down how Democrats are tying Republicans to President Trump, inflation and corruption, while Republicans are trying to paint Democrats as too liberal. He also weighs in on what those competing messages reveal about each party’s hopes, vulnerabilities and strategy as Election Day nears. Guest: Shane Goldmacher , a national political correspondent for The New York Times. Background reading: Mr. Trump has wielded an unprecedented $277 million in the final stretch of the midterms. Both parties are spending enormous amounts of money to try to win whatever votes are left for the taking before Election Day. Mr. Trump’s super PAC is flooding Facebook and Instagram with targeted ads as it seeks to turn out Republicans amid the president’s historically low approval ratings. Photo: Kenny Holston/The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Americans are expected to spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween this year, according to the National Retail Federation. That includes costumes, decorations and lots of candy. In this episode of “The Sunday Daily,” our host Rachel Abrams talks about these three tent poles of the Halloween season with reporters from across the Times newsroom. Kim Severson, who covers food, tells us about the sour, peelable and texture-confused candy edging out longtime chocolate favorites. Louis Lucero II, an editor for style coverage, predicts the most popular costumes of the year. And Callie Holtermann, a reporter who covers style and pop culture, discusses the enduring joy of “Skelly,” the 12-foot-tall Home Depot skeleton with a cult following. On Today’s Episode: Kim Severson covers all aspects of food culture for The New York Times. Louis Lucero II , an editor for style coverage for The New York Times. Callie Holtermann , a reporter who writes about style, pop culture and Gen Z for The New York Times. Background Reading: Halloween Costume Ideas That Scream 2026 Still the Biggest Skeleton In the Game? Photo credit: The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic nominee for governor, on her appeal to MAGA voters and her refusal to engage in the “culture wars.” Thoughts? Email us at theinterview@nytimes.com Watch our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheInterviewPodcast For transcripts and more, visit: nytimes.com/theinterview For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The approach to this year’s midterms has brought two hugely consequential changes to voting for Black Americans: the gutting of the Voting Rights Act, and redistricting. In the wake of those actions, efforts are underway to mobilize Black voters in the South. In Mississippi, the Senate battle is being seen as a sleeper race, and the Black Democrat running has a chance of flipping the seat, but state lawmakers are trying to redraw the maps and do away with their one majority Black district. Today, Emily Cochrane, a reporter covering the American South for The New York Times, addresses the implications for voters across the region — not just in the midterms, but for years to come. Guest: Emily Cochrane , a national reporter for The New York Times covering the American South. Background reading: Black Democratic candidates running in the South have implored Black voters to go to the polls in response to the gutting of the Voting Rights Act . High-profile Democrats across the country have some hope in Scott Colom’s bid for a seat in the Senate . Photo: Anna Foley/The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Israelis head to the polls next week. On the ballot is the future of a country that has become isolated on the world stage, because of both its war in Gaza and a growing outcry over settler violence in the West Bank. David M. Halbfinger, the Jerusalem bureau chief for The New York Times, explains how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu differs from his biggest challenger. Guest: David M. Halbfinger , the Jerusalem bureau chief for The New York Times. Background reading: Here’s why Palestinians hope Israelis will oust Netanyahu in pivotal election. President Trump endorsed Netanyahu as best U.S. partner in the Israeli election. Photo: Amir Cohen/Reuters; Ariel Schalit/Associated Press For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The economy is one of the most important issues for voters in the midterm elections. President Trump has been trying to persuade Americans that they are wrong to be frustrated about the cost of living. Ben Casselman, the chief economics correspondent for The New York Times, explains what the latest economic data actually says. Guest: Ben Casselman , the chief economics correspondent for The New York Times. Background reading: Three charts that explain the economy as voters head to the polls. Higher energy prices lift U.S. inflation ahead of the midterms. Photo: Yuki Iwamura/Associated Press For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

James Talarico is asking Texas to do something it hasn’t done in nearly 40 years: Elect a Democrat to the U.S. Senate. It won’t be easy. It will take a vast coalition of Democrats, independents and Republicans in a bright red state that President Trump won by about 14 percentage points in 2024 — and where Republicans have plowed hundreds of millions of dollars into beating Mr. Talarico. And yet, poll after poll shows that Mr. Talarico could pull it off and defeat his Republican rival, Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general and a Trump ally. On Monday, nearly two weeks before Election Day, Michael Barbaro spoke with Mr. Talarico about the kind of race he’s running, why it has succeeded so far in appealing to Republicans and what he wants Democrats to do if they flip control of the Senate on Nov. 3. Guest: James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Texas. Background reading: Top Democrats, who have long been hesitant to spend money in Texas, have started to back Mr. Talarico . For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Trump said he was making an energy deal with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and waiving new sanctions on Moscow. Now, he’s feuding with Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelensky. Russia is taking advantage of the moment by relentlessly striking Kyiv, killing civilians and cutting off power for more than a million people. Constant Méheut, who is covering the war for The New York Times, explains why Mr. Putin appears so confident that Russia can bomb Ukraine into submission. Guest: Constant Méheut , a correspondent covering the war in Ukraine for The New York Times. Background reading: Analysis: Why Russia sees a window to bomb Ukraine into submission. Mr. Zelensky says Mr. Trump risks a “historic mistake” if he backs Russia. Photo: Evgeniy Maloletka/Associated Press For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The comedian Nathan Fielder came to fame as the creator and host of the Comedy Central series “Nathan for You.” The show followed Fielder as he devised outrageous schemes, ostensibly with the aim of helping various small businesses. What became clear, though, was that Fielder was less interested in helping business owners generate profits than he was in understanding the people ensnared in his plots. His next project, the HBO series “The Rehearsal,” was a similar offbeat portrait of offbeat people. At the center of both projects is Fielder himself, a documentarian whose motives can sometimes be hard to parse. This week, Fielder’s first feature-length documentary, “You Can See Everything,” hits theaters. Co-directed by Lance Oppenheim, the movie shows Fielder embedding himself into the life of the disgraced Theranos founder and felon Elizabeth Holmes in the days leading up to her imprisonment for fraud. The film caused a big splash when it debuted at the Telluride Film Festival, in part because it presents Holmes, a mysterious and compelling cultural figure, through the eyes of Fielder, a mysterious and compelling filmmaker. This week, the Times movie critic Alissa Wilkinson and critic at large Jason Zinoman, who covers comedy, join Michael Barbaro for a spoiler-free discussion of Nathan Fielder, his career, and why he might be the perfect person to tell the story of Elizabeth Holmes. On Today’s Episode Alissa Wilkinson , a movie critic at The New York Times. Jason Zinoman , a critic at large for the Culture section of The New York Times. Background Reading ‘The Real World’ and Nathan Fielder can both thank this cult filmmaker. ‘You Can See Everything,’ if you could only secure a ticket. Photo: A24, via Associated Press For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The longtime friends and creative partners on what U2 still means — and what would make them call it quits. Thoughts? Email us at theinterview@nytimes.com Watch our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheInterviewPodcast For transcripts and more, visit: nytimes.com/theinterview For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Perhaps no American feels the domestic effects of the war, tariffs and inflation more than the Iowa farmer. The political environment stirred up by those farmers’ strife could allow the Democrats to seize the moment and elect one of theirs to the Senate or the governor’s mansion for the first time in 20 years — making Iowa potentially one of the most important states on the map this midterm cycle. Today, we follow Caleb Renner, a young farmer in north central Iowa, as he shows the effects of the past two years on his community and talks about why those effects may lead him to turn on the Republican Party for the first time, and whether that will translate into support for Democrats. Guest: Caleb Renner, a farmer in Klemme, Iowa. Background reading: Who’s winning the race for Congress? ‘Survival Mode Time’ : Republicans accelerate their break with Trump. Photo: KC McGinnis for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With Republicans trailing in the polls, the party is making hard choices about where to spend its money — abandoning some races while pouring resources into others. Shane Goldmacher, Nate Cohn and Lisa Lerer, political correspondents for The New York Times, explain why President Trump is campaigning almost daily in deep-red territory, how his influence is shaping the strategy and whether Democrats can win over the disenchanted voters they may need to take back the House and the Senate. Guests: Shane Goldmacher , a national political correspondent for The New York Times. Nate Cohn , the chief political analyst for The New York Times. Lisa Lerer , a national political correspondent for The New York Times. Background reading: Economic pain and an unpopular Trump have put the G.O.P. on its heels. Top Republican groups are pulling support from two House incumbents. Photo: Kenny Holston/The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Trump announced a deal to purchase Russian diesel fuel and temporarily suspended sanctions in an effort to lower domestic fuel prices amid rising costs from the war in Iran and in anticipation of the upcoming midterms. This abrupt foreign policy shift stunned European allies and drew sharp criticism from Ukraine, which viewed the move as a weakening of Western leverage against Russia. Today, Anton Troianovski, a global affairs correspondent for The New York Times, discusses what the deal reveals about the Trump administration’s strategy with Russia, and how much it could actually lower prices at the pump. Guest: Anton Troianovski , a global affairs correspondent for The New York Times who writes about foreign policy, national security and America’s place in the world. Background reading: Trump faces a new crisis over Ukraine following the Russian diesel deal . Photo: Igor Grussak/picture alliance via Getty Images For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Artificial intelligence has gone from struggling with basic arithmetic to helping solve some of mathematics’ most famous open problems — and the field is reckoning with what that means. Steven Strogatz, a professor of mathematics at Cornell University, describes the excitement and grief of watching A.I. take on work that gives people a sense of purpose — and asks what could be lost if machines deliver answers without the human struggle, insight and understanding that make solving problems meaningful. Guest: Steven Strogatz , a professor of mathematics at Cornell University who writes for The New York Times about the future of research. Background reading: Mathematics isn’t just a game to let A.I. solve — history shows why. A.I. is mastering the kinds of projects that have long helped to build the careers of young mathematicians. What does that mean for their future? Steven Strogatz’s forthcoming book: Big Math . Photo: Ian C. Bates for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher . For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.