No Budging From Congressional Leaders As Government Shutdown Begins

The NPR Politics Podcast

NPR

Politics, Daily News, News

4.5 • 24.9K Ratings

🗓️ 1 October 2025

⏱️ 23 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Wednesday marks the beginning of the first federal government shutdown since 2019, and negotiations between the leaders of both parties appear to be at a standstill. We discuss which side seems to be winning the messaging war, as well as the policy question at the center of the fight.

This episode: voting and election security correspondent Miles Parks, congressional correspondent Claudia Grisales, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

This podcast was produced by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.

Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	America's global role is shifting fast. On sources and methods, we explain how and why.
0:06.3	I'm Mary Louise Kelly. I've talked to spies. I've reported from war zones I've interviewed ambassadors, generals, presidents.
0:12.5	Want to understand what is happening around the world and how it affects us? Join me and my fellow reporters as we break it down for you.
0:19.4	Listen to sources and methods on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.
0:24.1	Hey there, it's Tamara Keith, one of the hosts of the NPR Politics Podcast.
0:28.1	Today is October 1st, 2025.
0:30.9	It's a historic day for NPR and stations nationwide, because it's our first day without federal funding.
0:39.6	This day reminds me of why I do this work. Growing up in a small town in central California, my local public radio station
0:45.6	made me feel connected to the rest of the world, and it helped me dream big. For more than a decade,
0:51.7	I've had the opportunity to be a White House correspondent for NPR,
0:56.1	taking our audience into the Oval Office and on Air Force One, and pressing three different presidents
1:02.1	on issues that matter to you. I believe in the power of stories to connect people across
1:07.5	neighborhoods, political divides, even oceans. Public media has always been powered by people like you, not politics or profit, but your
1:16.9	stories, your voices, your lived experiences, and your support.
1:22.1	That's why we endure.
1:23.6	As long as there are still important stories to tell, we will be here giving them voice.
1:30.4	This is Ben Timberlake in Trentino, Italy.
1:33.6	I'm working the annual grape harvest of endemia.
1:37.3	This podcast was recorded at 12.33 p.m. on Wednesday, October 1st, 2025.
1:44.2	Things may have changed by the time you hear it.
1:46.7	And these grapes will be well on their way to becoming delicious Martsamuno wine.
1:54.2	Honestly, if they need help, I mean, I'm more than happy to lend my mediocre to proficient Italian skills and labor to do you actually
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from NPR, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of NPR and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.