Shutdown Politics, Air Traffic Control Issues, Comey Arraignment

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🗓️ 8 October 2025

⏱️ 14 minutes

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Summary

The government shutdown enters its second week with no negotiations underway, as President Trump threatens permanent layoffs. The impact of the shutdown is spreading to the skies, where staffing shortages have forced some air traffic control towers to close and ground flights across the country. And former FBI Director James Comey appears in court to face felony charges, a case driven by pressure from President Trump.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	The government shutdown is now in its second week and President Trump is threatening to fire federal workers.
0:07.6	Democrats say they won't fund the government without a deal on health care, but neither side is even talking.
0:12.8	I'm Michelle Martin. That's A. Martinez, and this is up first from NPR News.
0:19.5	Air traffic control towers are going dark and pilots are left scrambling for instructions.
0:25.0	What?
0:25.4	Is it because of the shutdown?
0:28.0	It's for staffing.
0:29.3	Why the government shutdown is making an already severe staffing crisis at airports worse.
0:33.9	And former FBI director James Comey heads to court today to face felony charges that were only
0:39.0	brought after President Trump fired a prosecutor who would not bring them.
0:42.5	I'm innocent. So let's have a trial. Stay with us. We've got all the news you need to start your day.
0:54.0	Across the country, states and counties are rushing to change their voting rules.
1:00.2	Stacey Abrams says these attacks on voting rights are part of the authoritarian playbook.
1:05.9	You may not be into politics, but politics is into you and it is a stalker.
1:10.1	Listen to Code Switch in the NPR app or wherever you get your podcast.
1:17.5	Before Gwendolyn Christie was cast as Breanne of Tarth on Game of Thrones, she had a hard time finding a good role.
1:24.6	The feedback she'd always get was the same, and it wasn't particularly
1:27.5	helpful. Because you're too tall and you're too unconventional looking. And I just thought, gosh,
1:31.9	I'm limited. Gwendolyn Christie from Game of Thrones, Severance, and more on Bullseye for
1:38.1	Maximumfund.org and NPR. It's day eight of the government shut down and still no end in sight. Democrats continue to
1:46.4	insist on negotiations for extending subsidies that help people buy health insurance through the
1:51.1	Affordable Care Act. Republicans continue to say they'll talk when the government is back open.
	...

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