Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign has tried to cling to the impression that the fight for the Republican nomination remains a two-man race.But with his campaign shirking in size and strength and falling further behind front-runner Donald Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy is moving expeditiously to stamp out that impression for good.The 37-year-old biotech investor is beginning to make an argument similar to that of the Florida governor: It’s a two-man race, but it’s he who is emerging as the No. 2 candidate to the former president.“I think functionally I am in second place,” Ramaswamy told McClatchyDC in an interview. “I’m in second place by a wide margin in the metric that matters.” This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit davidcatanese.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit davidcatanese.substack.comThis week’s #pod pokes behind the curtain on how my 6-week dive into Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign got made. The 2,400-word story published Tuesday in McClatchyDC markets after a long, slow negotiation with the DeSantis campaign and featured character, campaign manager Generra Peck, a push-and-pull with surrounding allies and supporters and some i…

For now, Twitter remains the central town square for noxious political debate, but Instagram (and increasingly Threads!) is where cultural disputes are being hashed out.Hence, a few weeks ago when the @washingtonianprobs account weighed into the eternal silly argument pitting life in New York City against Washington, D.C.In this #TooCloseToCall #rant, Dave jumps out of the wine-soaked comment section to deliver the unvarnished truth about the food culture in the nation’s capital, takes on Luke Russert’s misguided assertion that NYC “isn’t open late” and places a phone call to premiere D.C. restaurant that underlines his entire point.#TheRant is available above by simply pressing P L A Y or …Enjoy the pod by listening on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.And consider upgrading to a PAID subscription to receive all content. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit davidcatanese.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit davidcatanese.substack.comMarianne Williamson is a candidate for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination. In this #TooCloseToCall podcast, we take up psychedelics, rumblings of a debate with Robert Kennedy Jr., whether she thinks Vice President Kamala Harris is up to the job and who she’d rather run against, Donald Trump or Ron DeSantis.The full pod is available to PAID subs…

Austin Nasso is a 28-year-old comedian and social media influencer who began incorporating Ron DeSantis into his sketch repertoire at the behest of The Howard Stern Show.He describes his caricature of DeSantis as “elongated and nasally” as he integrates him into a routine that already includes Donald Trump and Joe Biden.What’s his process for learning a new character? Who is the hardest pol to do? And are even fans of comedy getting sick of Trump?Enjoy this fun, free pod by listening above, or listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit davidcatanese.substack.com/subscribe

Adding a certain word to a request can make people 50% more likely to say “yes.”Certain words predict if a relationship is on the rocks or the race of a suspect in an alleged crime.“Language reveals a lot — even if people don’t intend it to.”Level up your #TCTC subscription.That’s the mantra of Jonah Berger, a marketing professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and author of “Magic Words.”Berger joins the #TooCloseToCall pod to take us through the key words that can change the trajectory of outcomes in everyday life, as well as the specifically worded questions he uses to form bonds more quickly.The language you use not only affects the person receiving it, but reflect things about you, like your skill-set, confidence level and true intentions.Enjoy the free pod by listening above, or listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit davidcatanese.substack.com/subscribe

Bo Seo, a two-time world debate champion, couldn’t bring himself to analyze a 2016 presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. He rendered it more a spectacle than an exchange of ideas.In this #TooCloseToCall pod, I ask him about that experience, how he thinks American political debates should change and the four core questions everyone can use to evaluate the merits of an argument. We begin the conversation with how a poor student and self-described introvert transformed into one of the most skilled debaters on the planet.Listen ABOVE, or enjoy on Spotify or Apple Podcasts … and toss some stars to reflect your liking.THEN: Consider going #paid to receive call podcasts, #RANTS and paywalled columns and content. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit davidcatanese.substack.com/subscribe

On this free edition of The #Rant, Dave broadcasts from his new digs in a new Washington, D.C. neighborhood, reflecting on how moving has made him think about consumption and the potency of crime as a real-life issue. Listen ABOVE, or enjoy on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and toss some stars to your liking.Then consider going #paid or donating to the #TooCloseToCall cause. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit davidcatanese.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit davidcatanese.substack.comDave rants on the Ron DeSantis 2024 rollout, why successful presidential launches are rarely helpful in evaluating a campaign’s long-term mettle, what will matter most for the Florida governor over the next week and the key factors that will determine whether he can overtake Donald Trump.Listen ABOVE, or enjoy on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Honest, unvar…

Rep. Mark Pocan, progressive Democrat representing Madison, Wisconsin, joins the podcast to discuss why an Addams Family-styled Congress is thwarting the chances at any major legislation, the debate over banning TikTok, Trump vs. Biden Round 2 and what happened to Wisconsin Democrats in the 2022 U.S. Senate race.Listen ABOVE, or enjoy on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit davidcatanese.substack.com/subscribe