If you’re looking for hype, fake outrage, and groupthink, kindly keep moving. Our mission at What a Day is simple: to be your guide to what truly matters each morning (and the fun stuff you might have missed) in just 20 minutes. Host Jane Coaston brings you in-depth reporting and substantive analysis on the big stories shaping today and the creeping trends shaping tomorrow—and when she doesn’t know the answers, she asks someone even smarter to fill us all in. Radical, right? New episodes at 5:00 a.m. EST, Monday–Friday in your favorite podcast app and on YouTube. Being informed was never this easy.
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
Profiles in Cowardice: A Study of Collaboration in the Trump Era with Jacob Weisberg
#33 trending · News
Let's talk about cowards. The people who surrendered to President Donald J. Trump's Administration – and why. Jane talks to Jacob Weisberg, author of the new book, “Profi
Sep 29 27 min
Trump's Government-Sponsored Ad Campaign
#38 trending · Daily News
If you watched NFL football on Sunday, you may have seen President Donald Trump's new ad campaign, featuring a 2024 Trump ad. The ad was re-released and shown dozens of t
Sep 28 20 min
Can Trump Purge The Voter Rolls Now?
The Supreme Court issued an emergency ruling today lifting restrictions on a controversial federal voter database. The order grants President Donald Trump a win, for now,
Sep 25 19 min
Should You Trust Midterm Polling?
With the midterms just around the corner, new polls are hitting the headlines every day. But why are there so many polls, and what can they actually tell us? On today's s
Sep 24 27 min
Secretaries of State Prepare For A Midterms Showdown
The Constitution says states, not the federal government, run elections. But the Trump administration is trying to mess with the midterms. Jane talks to Nevada Secretary
Sep 23 21 min
The Elections That Changed the World with Dana Bash
President Donald Trump delivered a very Trumpian speech before the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly today. He, of course, touted the United States as b
Sep 22 28 min
Trump's Media Ban Backfires
MSNOW, CNN, and Politico are suing the Trump Administration after it banned their reporters from the White House press pool. President Donald Trump said on Friday, "I don
Sep 21 23 min
The Kennedy Center Still Stands, For Now
A federal judge ordered the Kennedy Center to provide notice before making any major physical changes to the building, on Thursday, including demolishing it, as President
Sep 18 24 min
Fed Up: Kevin Warsh Defies Trump
On today's show, we get into a rebellion at the heart of President Donald Trump's empire, led by some of the least rebellious guys you can think of: the finance geeks at
Sep 17 29 min
Fox News Forgets Trump’s Failed War
For a third time, the U.S. House has voted to end the Iran war, approving a war powers resolution that would halt President Donald Trump's ability to continue military ac
Sep 16 22 min
Texas GOP Rebukes Candidate's Racist Comments
One of the biggest elections everyone is watching this year is the Texas Senate race. But the race that's getting a lot of attention right now for allegations of bigotry
Sep 15 23 min
Bernie & Bannon Agree: AI is Dangerous
A string of recent warnings from AI industry insiders, including a former Anthropic employee who puts the odds of human extinction at over 10 percent in the next 10 years
Sep 14 26 min
Still Counting: Trump vs. The BLUE WAVE: A Midterm Extravaganza
Nate Silver, Clare Malone, and Galen Druke discuss the most competitive Senate races heading into the midterms in this excerpt from their new podcast, Still Counting. To
Sep 12 22 min
More Than True Crime Content with Elizabeth Smart
In June 2002, a 14-year-old girl named Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped from her Utah home and held captive for nine months. She endured abuse and torture before police fina
Sep 11 22 min
The Forgotten Victims of Sept. 11
Friday marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11. And earlier this week, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the release of records related to the government’s response
Sep 10 30 min
The High Stakes Politics of College Sports
College football is back and so is Congress. What does one have to do with the other? More than you think. Jane talks to veteran college sports analyst Paul Finebaum, hos
Sep 9 27 min
Will The GOP Come To Trump-a-Palooza?
President Donald Trump is going all in on... President Donald Trump. And he's hoping GOP lawmakers will do the same at their midterm convention in Dallas this week. Jane
Sep 8 24 min
Why The Tech World Is Spooked About AI
On today's show, our guest host, Todd Zwillich, talks with Nate Soares, co-author of If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies, and the President of the Machine Intelligence Res
Sep 4 28 min
No One Can Escape The Time Tax
Here at What A Day, we’re keeping an eye on the midterms — which are likely to hinge on which party can tackle the skyrocketing cost of living. On today’s show, Jane spea
Sep 3 25 min
Timing Is Everything For Maine's Troy Jackson
On today's show, Jane talks with Maine Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson about what he thinks it will take for him to beat longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins i
Sep 2 18 min
Chart trend
Position in the Daily News chart (US), last 90 days.
#1#16#31JulAugSep
#9
all-time peak
5
days in the top 10 since Nov 2024
Chart positions
Where What A Day ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 30, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
Been listening since episode 1 with Gideon and Akilah. Loved the headlines, banter, and daily updates in 15 minutes - perfect for the commute. Now it’s just another Pod Save American interview block. Bring back headlines and the occasional deep-dive.
DRenoni · Sep 2026
…alas Jane is not a broadcaster. Awkward tempo, rhythms, and tone-of-voice make the show incredibly difficult to listen to. Again, the content is great but her presentation lacks a level of professionalism and polish, so I only listen to the topics I find most compelling. She needs vocal and performance coaching, so her presentation can match her knowledge and intellect.
Erictheblonde · Aug 2026
The two hosts that kicked off my love of daily WAD, Gideon Resnick (ORIGINAL SINGLE HOST) and Josie Duffy Rice, they allowed me to be able to breathe through the toughest news. The addition of Tre'vell Anderson and Priyanka Aribindi took a minute for me to adapt to, but eventually Priyanka became my favorite voice on the show. The recent change to a single host, the mighty Jane Coasten, also takes a moment to adapt to. But, she commands the news. Her short audio essays are powerful and give me the fight I need to make it through the day as the US drops further into everything I don’t want it to be. Thank you, Crooked, for bringing Jane on. I hope other listeners can have the patience it takes to adapt to change and hear the energy and insightful wit Jane brings to WAD.
realistschuckle · Dec 2024
My favorite way to start the day. It gives me a brief rundown of the news I need with a side of sass — which, let’s be honest, we all need right now.
pharlow7 · Dec 2024
Within the last several weeks/months this podcast has drastically changed. It started when the release time switched from the mornings to evenings. While this was inconvenient and I definitely reached for it less, or found I would listen to yesterday’s episode the next morning, it was still fine. However, recently the format of the show has changed. Headlines are no longer offered, making the entire episode an extended interview. While the interviews are fine, it is no longer the daily news podcast I subscribed for. It feels just like any other Crooked podcast, specifically the interview block, rather than a quick and reliable way to get the most important stories/news of the day. I’m really disappointed in this change and will be looking for a different podcast to listen to for the daily news.
Samantha.Anne94 · Sep 2026
This show used to be my one-stop shop for daily news and with several hosts felt like a fun way to listen to the sure-to-be-grim news of the day. The one-host format lost that fun feel and now not even having headlines, it’s a totally different show that no longer serves what I thought the purpose of it was - a daily news show.
AshJH2 · Sep 2026
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