Phones and Blame Fly at the DNC

July 28, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Phones and Blame Fly at the DNC

The DNC's new 2028 primary calendar—putting South Carolina first on January 22nd, followed by Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, and Virginia—was supposed to be a victory lap for the Rules and Bylaws Committee. Instead, it landed in the middle of a week dominated by leaked stories about DNC Chair Ken Martin throwing a phone at a junior staffer's desk, the party sitting on $2 million in debt while the RNC holds $128.5 million in cash, and a growing sense among Democratic operatives that the national party is "spiraling toward irrelevance."

The New Primary Calendar: What Changed and What Didn't

The DNC's proposed calendar represents the most significant shakeup to the Democratic nominating process in decades. Iowa and New Hampshire—the first two contests for generations—are out. South Carolina goes first on January 22nd, 2028, followed by Nevada on February 1st, then New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, and Virginia before Super Tuesday.

Continue reading the full summary in the app — free to try.

Read Full Summary →

Free • No credit card required

Listen to Audio Summary Open in App

Never miss an episode of Pod Save America

Get every new episode summarized in your inbox — free, ~5 minutes to read.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

What you'll learn

1 (04:08) **Show Introduction & New Studio** - The hosts welcome listeners to a new studio and preview the episode's topics: the DNC's 2028 primary calendar, DNC Chair Ken Martin's financial crisis, Trump's Michigan trip, the Iran War, and an interview with Ben Wikler.
2 (04:50) **DNC's 2028 Primary Calendar: South Carolina First** - The DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee votes to make South Carolina the first primary state on January 22, 2028, followed by Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, and Virginia.
3 (06:31) **Debating the Importance of the Early State Order** - The hosts analyze how the new calendar's order and state composition will shape the race, with some arguing the sequence matters less than the demographics and issues of the states themselves.
4 (10:01) **Which States Matter and Why** - The hosts discuss the strategic implications of having more swing states like Michigan and Virginia late in the early window, and the potential for a slower momentum build.
5 (12:49) **Iowa and New Hampshire's Fight for Relevance** - Both states have laws mandating their first-in-the-nation status, but Iowa may not fight the change, while New Hampshire is expected to resist, potentially facing severe penalties like losing all delegates.
6 (15:15) **Hosts' Final Verdict on the Calendar** - The hosts give mixed reviews, praising the diversity of the new lineup but expressing deep skepticism about resolving the New Hampshire standoff.
7 (21:01) **Does South Carolina Disadvantage Progressives?** - The hosts examine the argument that South Carolina's moderate, older, and more religious electorate creates a roadblock for progressive candidates, while also noting it could be an opportunity to build a broader coalition.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

A slew of new reporting details big problems at the DNC, from deepening financial woes to leaks, paranoia, and an allegation that Chairman Ken Martin threw his phone at a staffer.

Jon, Tommy, and Lovett react to the disarray inside the Democratic Party, debate whether it's possible to replace Martin before the midterms, and discuss how the DNC's new 2028 primary calendar, which starts with South Carolina, could shape the race for president. They check in on the Michigan Senate race, the latest in Trump's continued back-and-forth with Iran, and his pitiful performance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

Then, Ben Wikler, former chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, stops by the new studio to talk to Jon about his new book "This Is the Plan" and what Democrats can do to restructure and protect American democracy.

For a transcript of this episode, email [email protected]