The Circus: Inside the Craziest Political Campaign on Earth

Political insiders John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon and Alex Wagner provide in-depth coverage of the 2020 presidential election as well as the week's biggest political stories.
Obligations and Opportunities
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The impeachment trial of President Trump begins in earnest, while the Iowa caucuses are less than two weeks away; with three of the top five presidential hopefuls locked in the Senate chamber hearing testimony, the Iowa race is too close to predict.

Clusterf...
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A fumbled Democratic Iowa caucus prevents the typical winnowing of candidates; the stakes of the New Hampshire Democratic primary go way up; President Trump delivers his State of the Union address and gets acquittals on both articles of impeachment.

Unfinished Business
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The lead-up to the New Hampshire primary as well as the results and fallout; Sen. Bernie Sanders emerges as the frontrunner; former Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar make compelling cases for moderates; electability arguments solidify.

What Happens in Vegas
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All eyes turn to Nevada and its Democratic caucus; Sen. Bernie Sanders (Ind.-Vt.) has the chance to cement his frontrunner status, while the others seek to challenge him; the DNC is on the ground in Nevada to make sure this caucus runs smoothly.

On the Boil
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In the week of the South Carolina Democratic primary, with Super Tuesday closely following, voters are deciding if there is a viable challenger to Sen. Bernie Sanders; African American voters could bolster former Vice President Joe Biden's campaign.

Super Duper Tuesday
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The run up to the Democratic primaries on Super Tuesday and the aftermath of elections that turn the race upside down; experienced Democratic strategists wade through the repercussions.

The Cruelest Month
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Big Tuesday results cement former Vice President Joe Biden's frontrunner status, giving him a seemingly insurmountable lead in delegates over rival Sen. Bernie Sanders, who announces he isn't dropping out; the coronavirus pandemic affects the race.

The New Abnormal
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The reaction to presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden's monumental selection of Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate; a behind-the-scenes look at the planning of a virtual Democratic National Convention.

Unconventional
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A look at the Democratic Party's efforts to hold an unconventional convention, as well as the Trump campaign's attempts at counterprogramming; former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discusses Joe Biden's long road ahead as the party's nominee.

Party of One
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Covering speakers, key speeches and the subsequent public reaction at the RNC in D.C.; Republicans offer their perspective on law and order in response to recent police brutality in Kenosha, Wis.

Law and Disorder
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Kenosha, Wis., is the site of a week of civil unrest after the shooting of Jacob Blake; as President Trump's visit adds to the discourse surrounding Black and Blue lives, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden hits the campaign trail.

Going Postal
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The controversy surrounding mail-in voting and its effects on the 2020 election, as Trump continues to vocalize his distrust of voting by mail.

Force Majeure
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An investigation into the politicization of COVID-19, as the United States approaches 200,000 deaths; the hosts interview Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.), Biden senior adviser Symone Sanders and Republican political consultant Susie Wiles.

Full Court Press
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The life and legacy of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the political battlefield her death has created.

October Surprise
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Coverage of the first debate between President Trump and former Vice President Biden; John Heilemann spends debate night with Steve Bannon; the hosts react to the news that President Trump has tested positive for COVID-19.

Crisis Mismanagement
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An inquiry into President Trump's health in the week following his COVID-19 diagnosis; as more people in Trump's circle test positive, the functionality of the White House and outlook for the campaign comes under scrutiny.

Steal This Election
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Discussing voting integrity, specifically issues concerning Election Day disputes, voter suppression, lawsuits against mail-in ballots and counterproductive rhetoric from President Trump.

End Games
S5 E19

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and President Trump play out their campaign endgames; with rising COVID-19 cases causing alarm, former President Obama stumps in Pennsylvania; former CDC head Tom Frieden gives his outlook on the virus.

Landslide??
S5 E20

Pinpointing competitive red-state Senate races in addition to the battle for the White House as election night draws closer; both President Trump and Joe Biden use Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court appointment to their advantage.

Who the F... Are We?
S5 E21

Election night passes with many ballots remaining uncounted; with results permeating into the days following, the hosts are on the ground in every key battleground state offering a unique perspective of how the presidential race is playing out.