Master Plan

September 11, 2001 brought chaos and terror to the United States. It also brought an unprecedented opportunity.

After decades of watching what he felt was the erosion of presidential power, Vice President Dick Cheney leveraged a national emergency to shift the balance of power toward the executive branch. We trace Cheney's evolution — from Gerald Ford's chief of staff to George W. Bush's right-hand man — and how his "monarchical" view of the president laid the groundwork for Donald Trump.

TRANSCRIPT & BONUS MATERIALS: Click here to read a transcript and to explore bonus archival documents related to the episode.

Get Master Plan episodes early and ad-free by becoming a paid subscriber. Enjoy bonus episodes, exclusive content, and support this show. Visit levernews.com/upgrade

To leave a tip for The Lever, click here. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 2 of Master Plan is back, with new episodes available now for paid subscribers.

In Episode 5 of The Kingmakers, Vice President Dick Cheney uses a national emergency to shift power toward the executive branch. We trace Cheney's evolution—from Gerald Ford's chief of staff to George W. Bush's right-hand man—and how his "monarchical" view of presidential power helped lay the groundwork for Donald Trump.

Episode 5, as well as Episode 6, Obama’s Kill List, are available now exclusively to paid subscribers.

Paid subscribers also receive:

Ad-free access to both seasons of Master Plan

Early access to new episodes

Episode transcripts

Exclusive bonus content

Key documents and companion reporting

A big discount on the Master Plan book

To listen now, unlock these bonus perks, and directly support our independent journalism, become a paid subscriber with this 50%-off offer.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every crisis creates an opportunity. The final chapters of The Kingmakers reveal the plot to build an all-powerful presidency — and put it in the hands of a man who wants to be king.

Watch the full video trailer on YouTube: [link].

Catch up on Episodes 1-4 now. New episodes begin dropping to our premium subscribers in early August. Become a paid member today with this special discount.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we're sharing an episode from The New Yorker's The Political Scene examining the political forces reshaping America's intelligence community.

The Washington Roundtable is joined by veteran political reporter and Spytalk founding editor Jeff Stein to discuss Donald Trump's appointment of Bill Pulte as acting Director of National Intelligence, despite his lack of intelligence or national security experience. They also unpack new reporting on former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and the questions surrounding her alleged ties to a controversial religious group.

If you enjoy Master Plan's investigations into power, politics, and the people shaping American democracy, we think you'll enjoy this conversation from The Political Scene.

Find and subscribe to The Political Scene wherever you get your podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we are sharing the debut episode of First America, the brand-new history podcast from Critical Frequency and Pushkin Industries.

Hosted by award-winning journalist Rebecca Nagle and featuring leading Native historians, First America unveils how the founders’ treatment of Indigenous nations – and their resistance – shaped U.S. democracy. The show does not simply add another blemish to the image of the founding fathers, it reveals the real story of why the colonists rebelled, what kind of government they created, and, crucially, how our current political moment was 250 years in the making.

In this premiere episode, Rebecca sits down with Ned Blackhawk, who is Western Shoshone and a leading scholar of Indigenous history. They explore why the drive to seize Indigenous land – not taxation without representation – fueled the American Revolution.

To listen to the rest of the series, follow First America on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices