The Axe Files with David Axelrod

Chelsea Handler, comedian and creator of the Netflix show "Chelsea," sits down with David Axelrod to discuss the work she's doing on behalf of Syrian refugees, why the election of Donald Trump compelled her to become more politically active, and how a speech at a DUI class led her to pursue a career in comedy. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jennifer Granholm, former governor of Michigan, talks with David Axelrod about her searing experiences while governing through an economic crisis, why she thinks the Democratic Party needs to develop a comprehensive jobs plan, and how she prepared to play Sarah Palin during a debate session with Joe Biden. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Kasich, the governor of Ohio and former presidential candidate, talks with David Axelrod about his working-class upbringing in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania; his assessment of the opening months of the Trump administration; and what his political future might hold in 2020. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rep. Ro Khanna, congressman from California, talks with David Axelrod about the need for the Democratic Party to develop an effective economic message that resonates in every part of the country, why he supported Bernie Sanders in last year's Democratic primary, and why he believes President Trump's actions so far have benefitted Wall Street at the expense of Main Street. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices...

Shailagh Murray, former senior advisor to President Obama, talks with David Axelrod about the decades she spent as a journalist before transitioning into government service, the changing nature of the President's bully pulpit in the 21st century media environment, and why she believes Mitch McConnell's electoral successes haven't produced tangible benefits for the country. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices...

Dan Shapiro, the former ambassador to Israel during the Obama administration, talks with David Axelrod about the prospects for Middle East peace, his assessment of the State Department's performance in the opening months of the Trump administration, and why he believes the Iranian nuclear deal was in the best interest of the United States. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam Schiff, congressman from California and leading Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, talks with David Axelrod about his committee's investigation into possible connections between the Russians who interfered in the U.S. presidential election and associates of Donald Trump; America's options to de-escalate or resolve tensions with North Korea; and why he believes we should reform some of the U.S. intelligence community's surveillance methods...

Lisa Monaco, the former homeland security adviser to President Obama, talks with David Axelrod about what she thinks are the greatest threats facing America today, why the Trump administration's travel ban hurts our counterterrorism efforts, and why she believes Russia's incursion into our election has opened a new phase in cyberwarfare. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Benetti, play-by-play man for the Chicago White Sox, joins David to discuss how he overcame the effects of cerebral palsy to become a television broadcaster, his hopes and fears for people with disabilities, and the art of the call. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Sciutto, CNN's chief national security correspondent, talks with David Axelrod about the impact his Jesuit education had on his worldview, the complex nature of the U.S.-China relationship, the key question that world leaders and diplomats are asking about the Trump administration, and the pressures he's feeling as a reporter in the Trump era. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices