Politico's Off Message

Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley discusses what became of the wind turbine he built in his backyard, how an offhand slight in the math-science center in high school got him started in his first race, and the experience of being watched by North Korean troops last month on his trip to the border.

Texas Congressman Will Hurd has a message for Republicans who don’t like the funding deal President Donald Trump made with Democrats: Get yourself together, or quit complaining. Hurd discusses how President Trump handled Charlottesville, bipartisanship in Congress and even brags about how many of his bills Barack Obama signed.

Dolores Huerta, the famed labor leader who marched with Cesar Chavez and coined his rallying cry, is still mad as hell—and she was spitting fire when I asked her about President Trump’s plans to stop protecting undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as kids.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan discusses his unexpected write-in victory, turning around the city's urban decline and turning the street lights back on. Plus, the mayor discusses his close relationship with Joe Biden and what John Kelly told him about the city's immigration policy.

Rev. Al Sharpton and Rep. Jerry Nadler, who battled Donald Trump for years in New York, consider the lasting consequences of his Charlottesville comments and their own experiences with racism and anti-Semitism.

Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards discusses women senators' role in the health care repeal vote, the resilience of volunteers and clinics, and what the future holds for the abortion fight.

Bill Walker sits down with Isaac Dovere to discuss the last time he saw Sarah Palin, standing in the middle of a river at age 12 when an earthquake destroyed his hometown and what his meetings during Energy Week at the White House were like. 

Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick sits down with Isaac Dovere at Bain Capital in Boston to discuss his decision to join the investment firm, his tight-knit relationship with President Obama and what's next for his political career. 

Comedian Maz Jobrani reflects back on his own immigrant experience as a child and how that has influenced his perception of the world, especially now that the country is charged by policies like President Trump's travel ban. Jobrani discusses white protester privilege, finding the funny in Trump, and the president's appeals to some immigrants. 

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sits down with Isaac Dovere to discuss gerrymandering, the similarities between politics and show business, and why he gets under President Trump's skin.

One of the most recognizable journalists from Cuba's state television, Cristina Escobar, sits down with Isaac Dovere to discuss censorship, the impact of President Obama's historic visit in 2016, and Cubans' take on the Trump White House. 

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper talks high school sports highlights, gerrymandering and building up the Democratic party at the state levels. The governor has eyes on 2018 state Legislature races and potential special elections before then, he is launching a multimillion-dollar, multiyear effort to knock Republicans out of the state capital.  Read the full story here: http://politi.co/2uDFX21 

Playbook co-authors Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman join the show to discuss how they have reworked their lives around an early morning schedule that keeps them both going 365 days per year and what they think the chances are for any major legislation passing Congress this year.  

Here’s where Senator Mike Lee, the junior Republican senator from Utah, has landed: Trump makes sense in the White House, as the head of the Republican Party, and as a leader of the conservative moment because that’s what happened. It’s more deduction than enthusiasm. Read full article: http://politi.co/2tEmgpn 

 Julie Pace, the new Washington bureau chief for the Associated Press, and Peter Baker, the chief White House correspondent for the New York Times discuss how they approach covering a president and White House that clearly wants a war with the media and looks for every opportunity to pick a fight.

French Ambassador Gerard Araud gives Isaac Dovere his read on Trump’s personality and the advice he gave Macron on dealing with him before their first encounter. Plus, the ambassador delves into how diplomacy in Washington has changed since the inauguration and what he sees as the possible path back to strength for the European Union. 

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu wants to turn the Conference of Mayors into a powerful national platform as cities work around, ignore and resist the White House.

Maryland Senator Ben Cardin details his bizarre meeting with Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe, how the Trump administration's foreign policy strategy is affecting credibility, his take on Rex Tillerson, and what he's prepared to do if Republicans bring a health care bill to the floor without a hearing.

Jason Kander, who came shockingly close to ousting Missouri’s Republican Sen. Roy Blunt last November despite Hillary Clinton’s blowout loss in the state—has been a man in demand the last seven months. Isaac Dovere sits down with him in New Hampshire to discuss enlisting on 9/11, how "mug shots" contributed to his rise to political prominence and what's next for the rising star.. 

The Virginia governor talks skydiving, how he thinks Hillary Clinton needs to step back, taking on Trump, his campaign plans for 2018 and the looming question of whether he'll make his own White House run in 2020.