Latest news with #CrookedMedia
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Vote Save America PAC invests to find Utah Dem candidates to challenge GOP incumbents
SALT LAKE CITY — A national political action committee focused on 'pro-democracy' candidates will invest $20,000 to recruit candidates to run against several Republican state lawmakers in Utah's Legislature. Vote Save America, the political arm of Crooked Media, announced Tuesday it will partner with Utah's Elevate PAC to identify and recruit candidates to run as Democrats against eight GOP representatives and two senators in seats it views as flippable. Crooked Media was founded by several alums of the Obama administration and is the home to the popular podcast 'Pod Save America.' The money will help organizers in Utah identify candidates for office from outside of the typical political establishment who might not otherwise be inspired to run, according to Elevate PAC principal Gabi Finlayson. 'People that end up running for office, especially a lot of the really, really excellent ones, aren't people that ... you know are going to run for office or that don't really see that in their life path,' she told 'A lot of the time, the best candidates come from those places where you have to ask them to run. You have to really push them and say, 'Hey, you're the kind of person that we need right now.' And so that also obviously takes time and staff and support.' Vote Save America has given to campaigns and grassroots organizations in the past and hopes to help shift the balance of power in Salt Lake City in the 2026 midterm elections. 'Utah is uniquely positioned for change,' said Shaniqua McClendon, the head of political strategy at Vote Save America. 'It's the youngest state in the country, one of the fastest-growing and the most college-educated red state. No state in the nation has moved further to the left over the past 20 years than Utah. There's an independent streak here that national politics has ignored for too long.' While Utah remains solidly red, the margins for Republicans have decreased in presidential elections with President Donald Trump at the top of the ticket, though Trump's numbers ticked up in 2024 compared to the previous two cycles. Utah's House Republican PAC defended conservative legislators in a statement to touting the state's quality of life, economic outlook and low unemployment rate. 'What makes Utah great, however, are not the policymakers at Capitol Hill — it's our people. Hardworking, family-oriented, service-minded Utahns who care about their neighbors, communities and our state,' the Utah House Republican Election Committee said. 'The suggestion that Utah's conservative lawmakers are 'vulnerable' or fall out of step with community ideals are unfounded. Make no mistake: These elected officials remain committed to their constituents, undeterred by outside forces and unfazed by political noise.' The next midterm election is still more than a year away in November 2026, but with the deadline to file as a candidate on Jan. 2, 2026, organizers have just a few months left to recruit and train potential candidates. 'We're looking for real, normal people that are kind of outside of the political establishment,' Finlayson said. 'A lot of voters are not necessarily looking for career politicians. ... The structure that we have now hasn't always worked for a lot of people, and so we're looking for teachers, we're looking for nurses, we're looking for small business owners. Just normal, everyday people.' 'We see so many people in the Legislature that are only interested in voting the way that they're told to vote and not looking out for the best interests of their constituents,' she added. 'That's something that we're definitely looking at when we're trying to find candidates, is who do you really work for? Because I think across the board, we've seen that a lot of our representatives have forgotten who it is they work for.' The PAC says it is looking to find candidates to challenge the following incumbents: Reps. Jill Koford, R-Ogden; Matt MacPherson, R-West Valley City; Anthony Loubet, R-Kearns; Jim Dunnigan, R-Taylorsville; Ken Ivory, R-West Jordan; Clint Okerlund, R-Sandy; Steve Eliason, R-Sandy; and Jordan Teuscher, R-South Jordan, along with Sens. Dan McCay, R-Riverton; and Kirk Cullimore, R-Sandy. Those interested in running or who know someone who would be a good candidate are encouraged to email info@ or visit the PAC's website.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Left-leaning national group is targeting these Utah legislative districts for 2026 election
Members of the House of Representatives work at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) The national group Vote Save America — an online voter guide operated by the left-of-center political media company Crooked Media — is partnering with a Utah political action committee to recruit progressive candidates and target certain 'swing' legislative districts currently controlled by Republicans. Vote Save America is partnering with Elevate PAC (which is affiliated with Elevate Campaign strategies, a Utah-based political consulting firm) to 'actively recruit candidates' for the Utah Legislature ahead of the 2026 elections, according to a news release issued Tuesday. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'Backed by an initial $20,000 investment from Vote Save America, Elevate PAC is already recruiting candidates in key swing districts who are ready to bring new energy and leadership to the state Legislature,' the announcement said. The 'targeted' legislative districts include eight seats in the House and two in the Senate, both of which have been dominated by Republicans for decades. All but one district include areas concentrated in Salt Lake County, Utah's most populated county. They include: House District 10, currently held by Rep. Jill Koford, R-Ogden House District 26, currently held by Rep. Matt MacPherson, R-West Valley City House District 27, currently held by Rep. Anthony Loubet, R-Kearns House District 36, currently held by Rep. Jim Dunnigan, R-Taylorsville House District 39, currently held by Rep. Ken Ivory, R-West Jordan House District 42, currently held by Rep. Clinton Okerlund, R-Sandy House District 43, currently held by Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy House District 44, currently held by Rep. Jordan Teuscher, R-South Jordan Senate District 18, currently held by Sen. Dan McCay, R-Riverton Senate District 19, currently held by Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, R-Draper Vote Save America is the political advocacy arm of Crooked Media, a media company founded by Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett and Tommy Vietor, who were all aides to former President Barack Obama, according to Influence Watch. The company hosts podcasts including Pod Save America and Lovett or Leave It, and encourages listeners to support progressive policies and vote for Democratic candidates. The national group is 'betting on Utah's shifting political landscape,' Tuesday's news release said. 'Long considered safely Republican, Utah is showing signs of becoming competitive in the coming years.' Utah during the 2024 presidential election remained solidly red. About 59.4% voted for President Donald Trump and 37.8% voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris, according to election results. Utah's 2024 election is certified, capping off a 'status quo' year for Republican dominance Democrats have a stronghold in Utah's capital of Salt Lake City and some areas including in Salt Lake County, but they have struggled to gain traction in other parts of the state. 'Utah is uniquely positioned for change,' Shaniqua McClendon, vice president of politics for Crooked Media, said in a prepared statement. 'It's the youngest state in the country, one of the fastest-growing, and the most college-educated red state. No state in the nation has moved further to the left over the past 20 years than Utah. There's an independent streak here that national politics has ignored for too long.' Gabi Finlayson, principal at Elevate PAC, said the partnership with Vote Save America 'gives us the resources and reach to go find the people who've been shut out or ignored — people with real stakes in their communities, not just the usual insiders.' 'This initial $20,000 is going directly toward identifying and vetting potential candidates,' Finlayson said. 'We're grateful to have a national partner that sees Utah the way we do: a real opportunity to build something different, right now. If you've never run for office before, if you've felt written off or overlooked, this is your chance.' Utah Republican Party Chairman Rob Axson did not immediately return a request for comment about the group's targeting of legislative seats currently controlled by Republicans. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
British Comic Nish Kumar on How YouTube Helped Him Achieve Success Outside of the U.K.
British comic and podcast host Nish Kumar knows the value of Netflix specials for A-listers like Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle. But he sees emerging comedians like himself with slow-burn careers often getting their biggest boost globally from YouTube after years playing clubs big and small back home. 'I'm primarily known in North America because of a British show called Taskmaster, which people outside the UK watch on YouTube,' Kumar told The Hollywood Reporter while performing at the Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal. More from The Hollywood Reporter 'In the Land of Arto': Camille Cottin, Zar Amir Ebrahimi Journey Into Armenia and Its Past (Exclusive Clips) Why Stand-up Legend George Wallace Can't Get Off the Stage After 49 Years in Comedy: "I'm Living My Dream" Former Obama Speechwriter Jon Lovett on How Trump Is Funny Like a "Clown With a Gun" Re-runs of Taskmaster, a British comedy panel game show that included Kumar, have been viewed on YouTube as creator-driven online platforms increasingly disrupt the traditional media landscape, and podcasts like Crooked Media's Pod Save the UK, which Kumar co-hosts with cultural journalist Coco Khan, transform the audio space. The podcast gig followed Kumar appearing on stage at a live London comedy show produced by Crooked Media, which was followed by that proverbial chance call from Hollywood. Soon after he walked off stage, he got a call from Los Angeles asking if he could be at a meeting in London in 20 minutes. 'And I was like, I'm already there. I'm literally in the audience. So I got pulled out of the crowd like Courteney Cox in the 'Dancing in the Dark' video,' Kumar recalled. Later, Crooked Media asked if he'd be interested in launching and hosting a British show, which he did. Kumar's Pod Save the UK offers a weekly fix on U.K. politics. That means Kumar and co-host Khan got to cover the downfall of British prime minister Boris Johnson over his rule-breaking parties in No. 10 during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'In terms of historic failures of leadership, I think Johnson's conduct in the pandemic is one of those things that people will study for years,' Kumar says. But while the U.K.'s Conservative Party sent Johnson packing, Kumar has a take on why Donald Trump, also judged by many as a political buffoon whose erratic style endears him to followers, was restored to the White House for a second term. 'Trump has killed the broad church in the Republican Party. It's no longer a political party. It's a delivery system for a single man and that's a huge problem,' he insists. As Nigel Farage, a protégé of Trump, challenges Britain's current Labor government in the polls, Kumar doesn't look forward to his Reform UK party coming to power to reinvigorate his political comedy. 'The thing with (Farage) and Trump is there is a shamelessness. It actually makes it harder to make fun of them. Politicians in theory are supposed to conduct themselves with a level of dignity that means there's something to prick for principles. Farage and Trump are congenitally shameless men,' Kumar said. The Just For Laughs comedy festival continues through Sunday. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025 Harvey Weinstein's "Jane Doe 1" Victim Reveals Identity: "I'm Tired of Hiding" 'Awards Chatter' Podcast: 'Sopranos' Creator David Chase Finally Reveals What Happened to Tony (Exclusive) Solve the daily Crossword
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Hunter Biden questions Democrats' loyalty: Ex-president's son blames party, supporters for father's election defeat; Clooney, Tapper among those named
Hunter Biden (File photo) Former US president Joe Biden 's son Hunter, in recent podcast appearances, took aim at various Democrats he believes contributed to his father's political downfall During his appearance on Jaime Harrison's debut podcast episode, the former-president's son broadly criticised the Democratic party, suggesting their lack of loyalty to his father led to the 2024 electoral defeat for the Democrats. In a subsequent three-hour podcast released Monday with YouTuber Andrew Callaghan, Hunter Biden targeted specific individuals, including Anita Dunn, David Axelrod, James Carville, Crooked Media founders, Jake Tapper and George Clooney , using strong language throughout, as reported by NYT. He characterised Clooney as "a brand" and dismissed Carville's relevance. He critiqued Axelrod's career, the Crooked Media founders' success, and questioned Dunn's financial gains from the Democratic Party. Also read: Hunter Biden denies bringing cocaine to White House, says he didn't touch a drop of alcohol or drug since 2019 His harshest criticism targeted Jake Tapper, questioning the CNN host's influence and viewing figures. Most of those criticised chose not to engage with Hunter Biden's comments, who received a presidential pardon for three felony convictions last year. Hunter Biden also claimed that his father had been administered Ambien to help with sleep after international travel, before the election debate. He addressed his father's age and performance, noting his apparent exhaustion during debates. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 15 most beautiful women in the world Undo James Carville briefly responded, suggesting the Bidens had developed a perception of disrespect. Tommy Vietor of "Pod Save America" responded sarcastically on social media, whilst CNN defended Tapper's journalistic reputation. The podcasts were released one year after President Biden concluded his re-election campaign.
Straits Times
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Hunter Biden trashes Democrats he saw as betraying his father
Find out what's new on ST website and app. The younger Biden delivered a broad critique of the party last week on the debut episode of a podcast hosted by Mr Jaime Harrison, a former Democratic National Committee chair. WASHINGTON - In a pair of podcast appearances over the past several days, Hunter Biden, the son of former President Joe Biden, appears to be trying to settle scores with Democrats he sees as having contributed to his father's political undoing. The younger Biden delivered a broad critique of the party last week on the debut episode of a podcast hosted by Mr Jaime Harrison, a former Democratic National Committee chair, arguing that Democrats lost the 2024 election because they did not remain loyal to his father. In a separate, three-hour-plus podcast released on July 21, the younger Biden named names, unleashing a profane tirade against a host of perceived enemies, including senior Biden aide Anita Dunn; Democratic eminences grises David Axelrod and James Carville; Obama administration alumni who built Crooked Media, a booming liberal podcast network; CNN host Jake Tapper; and actor George Clooney. In a single minute-long clip, he used a version of the same expletive 13 times. His interviewer this time was Mr Andrew Callaghan, a YouTuber previously known for crisscrossing America in a recreational vehicle. In the videotaped conversation, Biden dismissed Clooney as 'a brand' and Mr Carville as someone who 'hasn't run a race in 40 years'. Mr Axelrod, he said, 'had one success in his political life, and that was Barack Obama, and that was because of Barack Obama'. The former Obama aides behind Crooked Media and its 'Pod Save America' flagship, he said, were 'four white millionaires that are dining out on their association with Barack Obama from 16 years ago'. And he asserted that Ms Dunn, who ran the White House press operation throughout most of Mr Biden's presidency, had made 'US$40 (million) (S$51 million) to $50 million' from the Democratic Party. Mr Biden also claimed that his father had been given the prescription sleep aid Ambien before his fateful debate to help him rest after two European trips and a political fundraiser in Los Angeles in the preceding weeks. The elder Biden had spent the most recent five days at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland, preparing for the debate. 'He's 81 years old; he's tired,' Biden said, adding yet another profanity. 'They give him Ambien to be able to sleep, and he gets up on the stage and he looks like he's a deer in the headlights.' A spokesperson for the former president declined to comment. The younger Biden saved perhaps his strongest venom for Mr Tapper, who cowrote a bestselling book that asserted that there was a partywide effort to cover up the decline of Mr Joe Biden's mental acuity. 'What influence does Jake Tapper have over anything? He has the smallest audience on cable news,' Hunter Biden said, before suggesting, in another profane aside, that Mr Tapper's CNN ratings had declined since the book was published in May. Most of his targets resisted being drawn into a war of words with the former president's son, who was convicted of three felonies in 2024 before receiving a pardon from his father weeks before his presidency ended. 'Never have the words 'No comment' been more appropriate,' Mr Axelrod said. Mr Carville said the Bidens 'got into this frenzy that they were these people who were disrespected and that's their whole culture'. He urged Democrats to move on. An aide to Clooney declined to comment. Ms Dunn did not respond to messages. Mr Tommy Vietor, a 'Pod Save America' co-host, mocked the younger Biden on social media. 'It's good to see that Hunter has taken some time to process the election, look inward and hold himself accountable for how his family's insular, dare I say arrogant at times, approach to politics led to this catastrophic outcome we're all now living with,' he wrote. Mr Dylan Rose Geerlings, a CNN spokesperson, took pains to defend Mr Tapper's reputation, calling him 'one of the most influential political journalists of his time'. July 21 was one year to the day since then-President Biden ended his re-election campaign. NYTIMES
