“Chai day” on MSNBC The Beat with Ari Melber

GOP Senator unveils bill to ban abortions nationwide.

GRAHAM: "if GOP wins House and Senate we'll have a vote on abortion ban." "The way voters think about midterms is, they are angry at the party in power, the party that is making changes to American life...and the party in power, for many voters, is the Republican Supreme Court." -- Chai Komanduri 

Sept 13, 2022

Biden Blasts Maga Republicans

Biden pushes Tough on crime stance ahead of primetime speech.

Aug 30, 2022

From politics to culture, many root for the villain

Obama vet, Chai Komanduri, on Trump's 'Pacino Appeal": GOP finds villainy exciting.

Aug 22, 2022

"Huge Win for US" FOX host reports on Biden's "Bin Laden moment"

ne Fox host reports on Huge Win for the US while Fox host Tucker sCarlson ays US LESS safe after killing of Al Qaeda Leader.

Aug 2 2022

Running from yourself

Many riveted, disgusted by video showing Sen Hawley running from the mob that he cheered.  

July 22 2022

Republican, Rusty Bowers, who fought Trump Coup invokes God

Author of the NYT's Essay 'Decline of the Religious Right ' joins Chai Komanduri on The Beat with Ari Melber. 

June 22 2022

Rep Cawthorn concedes in NC GOP House Race

Why did he lose? "Madison Cawthorn broke what the mafia calls the code of Omerta, the code of silence, he attacked his own caucus,...As far as the GOP is concerned, your heart needs to belong to Kevin McCarthy and Mitch McConnell. The fact that his heart belonged to Donald Trump was not enough..."

May 16th 2022

"Despite his tightening grip on the GOP, Donald Trump’s power and influence in broader political culture are waning. Since leaving office, new data reveals his online engagement has hit new lows, according to reporting by Axios. Though Trump created a blog and his own social media site in order to gain back some of his previous influence, both have failed to gain traction. MSNBC’s Ari Melber is joined by Obama’s former campaign manager David Plouffe and political strategist Chai Komanduri to discuss Trump’s dwindling influence.

4.20.22

"Despite his tightening grip on the GOP, Donald Trump’s power and influence in broader political culture are waning. Since leaving office, new data reveals his online engagement has hit new lows, according to reporting by Axios. Though Trump created a blog and his own social media site in order to gain back some of his previous influence, both have failed to gain traction. MSNBC’s Ari Melber is joined by Obama’s former campaign manager David Plouffe and political strategist Chai Komanduri to discuss Trump’s dwindling influence.

4.18.22

President Obama returned to the WH to celebrate the passage of Obamacare and Biden’s new plans to strengthen it. @AriMelber and Obama vet @ChaiKomanduri discuss the warm reunion, Obama’s comments on the GOP efforts to repeal Obamacare, and the midterms.

4.5.22

Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson are underway, and Judge Jackson appeared largely unflappable throughout her first day of questioning. MSNBC's Chief Legal Correspondent Ari Melber is joined by political strategist Chai Komanduri and Yodit Tewolde, host of "Making the Case" on The Black News Channel, to discuss the GOP's insistence questions about issues like Critical Race Theory were legitimate lines of inquiry and the double standard Judge Jackson faces as a Black woman nominated to the Supreme Court.

3.22.22

It's hard out here for a POTUS: Biden faces Putin, Covid and inflation

US and nato on high alert as Putin's endgame nears. Biden faces Putin abroad and covid death toll and inflation at home. 

2.17.22

D.C. Debates Pence’s late push-back on Trump coup. 

Many long for courageous leaders as U.S.found it faces democracy crisis. What does political courage actually mean? Mitch McConnell breaks with the Republican National Committee over its censure of Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger and its characterization of the insurrection. D.C. Debates Pence’s late push-back on Trump coup. Many long for courageous leaders as U.S.found it faces democracy crisis.

2.7.22

President Biden recently revived a debate over Fox News by comparing it to other legitimate news outlets. In this special report, Ari Melber shows the “equivalence” push by some politicians is dangerous by delving into research showing Fox often misleads and misinforms its viewers. 

1.27.22

Can Democrats play hardball to finally reform the Senate filibuster?Democrats began 2022 vowing a new pressure campaign to end obstruction filibusters of voting rights bills. MSNBC’s Ari Melber reports on the effort, and how Pres. Biden and Sen. Schumer must grapple with most Republicans and two Democratic senators thwarting voting rights legislation, with a nod to Pres. Bush and J Cole.
1.17.22

Now, one of his accomplices, Trump veteran Peter Navarro, has leaked information detailing the plan to rally Congressional Republicans to interfere with certifying Biden’s 2020 election win. 

MSNBC’s Chief Legal Correspondent Ari Melber is joined by Democratic strategist Chai Komanduri to discuss the revelation and Navarro’s comments likening the effort to the “Green Bay Sweep.”

12.28.21

Chai Komanduri back on THE BEAT talking about what he calls a cult of celebrity in the GOP, why it`s about more than hypocrisy and affects the demise of policy as we know it.

12.7.21

McConnell roasted for 'nothing campaign' in echo of 'Seinfeld'

As early voting in the 2022 midterm election gets underway in Texas, GOP leader Mitch McConnell is admitting that the GOP will not be running on policy this year, but rather tap into the nation’s general negative mood. MSNBC’s Ari Melber breaks down why one political party ceding all policy is a significant development and explains what this means more broadly.

2.15.22

President Biden recently revived a debate over Fox News by comparing it to other legitimate news outlets. In this special report, Ari Melber shows the “equivalence” push by some politicians is dangerous by delving into research showing Fox often misleads and misinforms its viewers.

1.27.22

Democrats again having to explain why, even though they are in power, it doesn`t always feel like they`re in charge. Eugene Robinson and Chai Komanduri discuss... Where do we go from here with a lot of winter left?

1.18.22

Chai Komanduri and Maya Wiley join Ari to react to the news January 6th committee is requesting information from House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy who spoke to former President Trump directly while the violence was underway.  

Dr Zeke Emmanuel and Chai join Ari to discuss the changing nature and politics of COVID and why Trump is fighting DeSantis on vaccines

1.12.22

Chai Komanduri, a friend of THE BEAT and strategist, says that Trump has basically hacked the media in ways Biden does not, hitting journalists with so many lies and weaponizing a penchant for both-sides-ism that basically gets him more of the coverage he wants, 

Trump taking advantage of the need to seem objective, rather than reporters choosing to really cover him honestly as what he was clearly then and is now, an anti-democracy candidate.

You can see the false equivalence in how pundits will say, well, gosh, if both sides are unhappy, they must be doing something right.

12.14.21

As the GOP launches an assault on U.S. elections, MSNBC’s Chief Legal Correspondent Ari Melber and Obama vet Chai Komanduri discuss the underlying right-wing fear of losing power in America. Komanduri argues Republicans are convinced they need something like voter suppression tactics to win elections. 

12.2.21

   Former White House Chief of staff Mark Meadows agrees to give testimony to the House investigation of the insurrection. The Supreme Court prepares to examine Roe v. Wade once again. The CDC starts tracking for the Omicron variant. Noubar Afeyan, chairman and co-founder of Moderna, discusses his company`s vaccine efficacy against Omicron. Dr. Anthony Fauci pushes back against far right attacks.

11.30.21

Alabama Representative Gary Palmer touted funding in the infrastructure bill President Joe Biden signed into law this week, leaving out the fact that he voted against it. Senator Dick Durbin reminds viewers that unlike the Trump administration`s tax cuts, Joe Biden`s Build Back Better plan is paid for. Republicans from Reagan through the Trump era have found one lane so they can go at education or vaccines or the democracy debate and keep it all sounding familiar and allegedly mainstream, as an attack on your government. 

 11.16.21

Education has become a major policy issue across the United States, especially in Virginia where Republicans out of power are seizing on the chance to stir up racial tension. Virginia does not formally teach critical race theory, but the Republican candidate for governor is pledging that he will ban it from the state. MSNBC’s Ari Melber is joined by political strategist Chai Komanduri and political contributor Errin Haines to discuss the clash.

11.2.21   

 A new Mother Jones report reveals Senator Manchin is threatening to leave the Democratic party if the price tag on President Biden’s spending plan isn’t slashed. Manchin denies the report. MSNBC’s Ari Melber is joined by political strategist Chai Komanduri, who explains why he believes Manchin won’t be leaving the Democratic party any time soon. 

10.20.21

  A main GOP argument against Biden's spending proposals is that the U.S. cannot "afford" a plan that costs several trillion dollars. In a fact-check, MSNBC’s Ari Melber reports on how the modern GOP spent that much on tax cuts, and strategist Chai Komanduri says Biden's plan offers a major “return on the investment." Melber notes that the spending facts do not resolve whether people should support or oppose the Biden plan, but rather shred one of the GOP's main supposed objections, that the price tag is too high for the U.S.  

10.4.21

 After a devastating year spent locked down and dreaming of vaccines, there are growing reports of the unvaccinated triggering “scorn” and “resentment” among the vaccinated. Some analysts now say this anger is already visible in elections. MSNBC’s Ari Melber is joined by political strategist Chai Komanduri to discuss this growing anger and how it can be used as a political tool. Komanduri argues “it’s about time Democrats” use anger to mobilize voters. 

9.22.21

Now, as the January 6 right probe moves forward, there`s also new intelligence that`s putting Washington edge, but also ready to prepare, formally on high alert for this rally we have told you about. MAGA organizers are calling it a -- quote -- "Justice for J6 Rally." And it is scheduled for September 18.

9.9.21

 The U.S. military ramps up efforts to get Americans and some Afghan allies away from the new Taliban rule that has taken over Afghanistan. Progressives try to team up with Biden to spend his capital. New January 6 video is released from the Justice Department. Critics blast the latest COVID move from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Will most Americans soon be eligible for a COVID booster shot? 

8.17.21

A Trump-backed candidate lost in a special election, shocking the GOP. Meanwhile, Trump was also ignored by 17 Republican Senators who voted for a deal he rallied against and the former president is now struggling to sell tickets for his tour with Bill O’Reilly. Political strategist Chai Komanduri joins MSNBC’s Ari Melber to discuss the demise of Trump’s control of the GOP. 

8.3.21

 A somewhat unlikely clash on FOX News occurs over COVID. New pressure mounts on the January 6 committee and Republican lawmakers who voted to overturn the election. Tom Brady goes in on Donald Trump at the White House. 

7.20.21

President Biden begins his first trip abroad as president. The pressure facing Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg is examined. 

6.9.21

Senate Republicans block January 6th commission. Democrats blast shame of GOP filibuster on January 6th commission. Senate Republicans block bipartisan riot probe. MAGA Representative Gaetz invokes armed rebellion at rally. Biden calls for 90-day review of COVID origins. Scrutiny on whether COVID accidentally leaked from lab.

5.28.21

Top Republicans in Arizona are blasting members of their own party for peddling conspiracy theories with their "election audit." MSNBC's Chief Legal Correspondent Ari Melber discusses this growing fracture within the GOP with political strategist Chai Komanduri. 

5.18.21  

After failing to launch a social media app of his own, Donald Trump launched a blog instead. At the same time, the Republican party is now trying to rebrand as populist and against big tech corporations like Facebook and Twitter. MSNBC’s Ari Melber is joined by political strategist Chai Komanduri to discuss how this supposed “clash” with some companies is merely an attempt by Republicans to say they’re confronting corporations and representing “working class” voters. 

5.5.21

Congressional Republicans are attacking what they call "woke corporations" for opposing a voter suppression law, but the clash is exposing deeper rifts within the GOP.  Ari Melber and strategist Chai Komanduri explore why the GOP is openly touting a re-branding to appear less "pro-corporation," as a new House GOP memo put it, and the limits of this criticism of Corporate America. The report also documents how Sen. Mitch McConnell wound up publicly contradicting his own long-standing position. 

4.15.21

 After failing to launch a social media app of his own, Donald Trump launched a blog instead. At the same time, the Republican party is now trying to rebrand as populist and against big tech corporations like Facebook and Twitter. MSNBC’s Ari Melber is joined by political strategist Chai Komanduri to discuss how this supposed “clash” with some companies is merely an attempt by Republicans to say they’re confronting corporations and representing “working class” voters

4.4.21

Chai Komanduri calls out Fox News’ racist lies about immigration as a “contemptible way of trying to get more ratings 

3.23.21

 While most elected Republicans are publicly against Biden’s coronavirus bill, they are not taking extra steps to try to stop Biden’s top agenda item. In fact, the latest numbers show 59 percent of Republicans back Biden’s 2021 stimulus bill. MSNBC’s Ari Melber discusses this lack of resistance with Obama vet Chai Komanduri.  

3.3.21