Hacking

As U.S. voters increasingly spend more of their lives online, political campaigns and other outside groups are trying to figure out how best to meet them on these digital spaces.

But in the rush to perfect the effectiveness of digital ads, regulators have been slow to catch up. Will the lessons of 2016, and what can happen when nefarious actors hijack those platforms to spread disinformation, prove an effective warning for 2020 and beyond? And will Democrats be able to catch up to the Trump campaign’s robust online operation?

Also, continuing with our “Candidate Talk” series, Amy talks with Senator Michael Bennet about trying to break out in a crowded Democratic field.

Guests:

Patrick Ruffini, Republican digital strategist, partner and co-founder of Echelon Insights, a polling and data analytics firm

Guy Cecil, Chairman of Priorities USA, a Democratic super PAC

Kevin Roose, tech columnist for Business Day at The New York Times

Young Mie Kim, professor at the school of journalism and mass communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Ellen Weintraub, Chair of the Federal Election Commission

Michael Bennet, United States Senator from Colorado, Democratic Presidential candidate

A new survey from Navigator Research says a majority of Americans — 59 percent — think Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia and the 2016 campaign has not yet uncovered evidence of any crimes. In reality, Mueller has obtained five guilty pleas, 17 criminal indictments, and several cooperating witnesses. Meanwhile, President Trump has repeatedly, some have argued as part of a deliberate strategy to undermine investigators’ credibility, called the probe a “witch hunt.” The Takeaway reviews the sweeping investigation that has ensnared Trump advisor and attorney alike. Plus, we review what’s at stake in Ireland’s referendum on their constitutional amendment banning most abortions; and the stealthy North Korean cyberspies raking in millions for the reclusive regime.

You can connect with The Takeaway on Twitter, Facebook, or on our show page at TheTakeaway.org.

June 06, 2017: A 25-year-old government contractor has been charged with mishandling classified information. Today we look at what these documents tell us, and how this may influence the Trump-Russia probe. Plus, a look at the president’s Twitter feud with the mayor of London; what to expect from the U.K. elections; diplomacy in the Middle East; the race to replace Gov. Chris Christie; the evolving culture, politics and economics of Detroit; and fighting obesity by taxing sugar. 

January 12, 2017:

1. After Russian Hacks, House Dems Face an Uphill Battle for Accountability (6 min)

2. Glenn Greenwald: Democrats Are Losing Again Amid Putin Frenzy (11 min)

3. Meet an Obamacare Recipient Who Wants It Gone (4 min)

4. Can a Brain Surgeon Design Federal Housing Policy? (4 min)

5. Baltimore Agrees to DOJ Police Reforms as Mosby Faces Blowback (6 min)

6. The Angry Ghost of America’s Unresolved Class Warfare (8 min)

December 15, 2016:

1. Refugees Cry Out: Who Will Save Syria? (13 min)

2. How Damaging are Trump’s Conflicts of Interest? (6 min)

3. Feds Put Spotlight on Texas Special Education (4 min)

4. Federal Reserve Raises Interest Rates For Second Time in a Decade (4 min)

5. 1 Billion Yahoo Accounts Hacked (6 min)

6. How Glam Reinvented Rock, Identity, and Culture in the 1970s (8 min)