Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes

Politics has never been more chaotic, and most podcasts just add to the noise. Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes cuts through it. Grant is an AP Award-winning journalist with over a decade of on-the-ground reporting on the biggest political stories, scandals, and elections in America. Twice a week, he takes the stories dominating the headlines and breaks them down in plain English — no jargon, no spin, no shouting. If you care about what’s happening in this country but you’re exhausted by how it’s being covered, this is the show for you. Real reporting. Clear explanations. Actual context. Make It Make Sense drops three times a week. Subscribe so you never miss it.

Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes is a news podcast hosted by Grant Hermes, with 315 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Grant Hermes hosts Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes, a news show with 315 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes

  The President's "Human Binky" And His Lawyer

  Aug 18, 202625 min

  Natalie Harp. She's a 35-year-old White House staffer who credits Donald Trump, not her doctors, with saving her life from bone cancer. She slept in the women's locker room of Trump's Bedminster golf club during the 2024 campaign to be physically closer to him. She leaves devotional notes in his documents and in his lunch. The Secret Service flagged her as a potential threat to the president. Maggie Haberman called her Trump's "human pacifier." And when Trump hid in the catering cart in Turkey, he brought two people: Pete Hegseth, who makes sense, and Natalie Harp. Senator Jon Ossoff mentioned her at a Georgia rally in a way that clearly implied an affair. Grant explains why that implication was sexist and harmful regardless of political stripe, why the Republican outrage over it is cynical and selective, and what the Harp story actually tells us about what this White House runs on. But first, Todd Blanche's first weekend as official Attorney General. He attended a Republican gubernatorial rally in New York, which is almost certainly against federal law and definitely against the norm of a politically independent DOJ. Then he went on Meet the Press and said the quiet part loud: he doesn't believe in DOJ independence. He said Trump has never asked him to do anything unethical or illegal, which is a lie that Grant documents in detail, including the Comey indictment, the journalist harassment, the slush fund, the IRS immunity deal, and a federal judge referring Blanche for formal discipline for attempting to defraud her court. He also accidentally called Trump his client on live television. Later in the interview, Blanche announced the DOJ is taking its 23 failed voter data lawsuits to the Supreme Court's shadow docket. Grant has been saying this was coming for weeks. Cheers to two Years of Make It Make Sense! Independent journalism only works with your support, so thank you! The price is still $5/month, but that changes August 20th. Subscribe now to lock in $5/month or $50/year! MakeItMakeSense.Substack.com CHAPTERS: 0:00 Todd Blanche's big debut weekend as Attorney General 2:00 The Meet the Press interview: "I'm not into that idea" of DOJ independence 3:30 Why Blanche's claim that Trump never asked him to do anything unethical is a documented lie 5:00 Blanche accidentally calls Trump "my client" on live television 6:00 The 139-year history of DOJ independence and what the White House's own executive order says about it 7:30 The reflecting pool question: "proof is a pesky thing" and the case Blanche wants to revive 8:30 23 failed voter data lawsuits headed to the shadow docket: Grant called this weeks ago 10:00 Sponsor break 11:30 Who is Natalie Harp: bone cancer survivor, OAN anchor, Trump devotee, "human pacifier" 13:00 The notes, the locker room, and being flagged by the Secret Service as a potential threat 15:00 Why she was in the catering cart: the two people Trump took when he thought Air Force One might be attacked 16:30 Senator Ossoff names her at a rally: what he implied, why it was sexist, and why the outrage is selective 18:30 The Fox News Kamala Harris joke the same people cheered: the hypocrisy documented 20:00 What Blanche and Harp have in common: the price and the reward of near-fanatical loyalty to Trump This episode is supported by Klear Protein. It's a clear whey protein you mix with water for a light, refreshing drink. 20g of protein, zero sugar, zero lactose, and no bloat. MIMS listeners get an exclusive 20% off any product, the best deal they offer with the code MIMS25. level up your protein game at klearprotein.com. (I earn a commission when you use my link.) Support the show Follow along on social media SaySo: @GrantHermes X: @GrantHermes Insta: @Grant__Hermes Tiktok: Grant_Hermes

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  Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes

  "Authoritarian Projects Don't Like Science." And Other Vaccine Truths

  Aug 14, 202639 min

  When the White House announced its new vaccine recommendations this week, Grant knew he needed someone who actually understands what these diseases do to human bodies. Dr. Scott Greer is a professor of public health policy and comparative politics at the University of Michigan, and he joins the show to explain what the new schedule actually means and what the diseases it leaves unprotected against actually look like. The short answer: nothing has changed. There is no new research. The split MMR vaccine Trump described doesn't exist and would take 5 to 10 years to develop. No insurance plans are changing. No pediatrician offices are changing their protocols. The American Academy of Pediatrics is not following the recommendations. But the long-term risk is real. Scott explains what measles, mumps, and rubella actually do. Measles can cause permanent brain damage and is so contagious that if one person in a room has it, 90% of unvaccinated people in that room will get it. Mumps causes inflammation of the testicles in boys, often leading to infertility. Rubella during the first trimester of pregnancy causes severe birth defects including blindness, deafness, heart defects, and intellectual disabilities. These are the diseases we nearly eradicated that are now coming back. Scott and Grant also talk about why authoritarian governments historically reject science, why the timing of this vaccine announcement, right before school starts, is politically significant, and how health is becoming a midterm wedge issue that Democrats may actually be better positioned on than they realize. Dr. Scott Greer at the University of Michigan Just ONE WEEK LEFT to get in on the Make It Make Sense Anniversary subscription deal. Become a paid subscriber at the launch price of $5/mo before August 20th. Make It Make Sense Substack CHAPTERS 0:00 Why Grant brought in an expert: the vaccine announcement needed a doctor, not a journalist 3:13 Dr. Scott Greer: University of Michigan public health and comparative politics professor 3:42 "I wish I were shocked": what Scott's first reaction to the new schedule actually was 4:30 Nothing has actually changed yet: no insurance changes, no pediatrician changes, no new vaccines exist 5:02 The split MMR vaccine Trump described: it doesn't exist and would take 5 to 10 years to develop 6:11 The immune system overload myth: why "too much liquid" isn't how vaccines or immune systems work 7:28 Why MMR was bundled in the first place: fewer trips, faster immunity, less time unprotected 7:54 Spacing out vaccines means longer windows of vulnerability: how this increases spread 9:05 What measles actually does: 90% transmission rate, brain damage, and why it's a "runaway train" right now 12:00 What mumps actually does: inflammation of the testicles and infertility in post-pubescent males 14:00 What rubella actually does during pregnancy: blindness, deafness, heart defects, intellectual disabilities 17:00 The diseases we nearly eradicated: what polio actually looked like in American cities 22:00 Why authoritarian governments historically reject science but love technology 28:00 The timing: why announcing this right before school starts is politically significant 33:00 Health as a midterm wedge issue: how Democrats could use RFK Jr. and MAHA against Republicans 36:00 The bigger picture: what it means when one party stops believing in evidence-based policymaking Support the show Follow along on social media SaySo: @GrantHermes X: @GrantHermes Insta: @Grant__Hermes Tiktok: Grant_Hermes

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  Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes

  Sailors Are Jumping Off A Navy Ship As Trump Plays White House Foreman

  Aug 13, 202623 min

  The USS Abraham Lincoln has been deployed for 250 days without making port. Sailors are supposed to dock every 30 to 45 days to resupply with food, fresh water, and rest. Instead, families of the nearly 5,000-member crew have reported sailors being served a quarter cup of pulled pork and two tortillas, mold on board, broken toilets and laundry, a shortage of hygiene products and water, and multiple sailors needing to be restrained after attempting to jump overboard. A town hall with the Navy Secretary revealed serious mental health and morale issues. Mail and packages have been lost for weeks, raising questions about whether sailors could even vote. Pete Hegseth told Congress the troops were being taken care of. Today, when asked about the families' testimony, he said almost nothing. The USS Teddy Roosevelt has been scrambled from San Diego to relieve the Lincoln — at full speed, that's three weeks away. The Lincoln is looking at six more weeks before reaching US soil. The Washington Post obtained confidential contracts showing Trump's White House construction projects will cost $927 million — the most expensive changes to the White House in 80 years. More than $500 million is coming from taxpayers, including $415 million taken directly from the Secret Service budget. Another $305 million came from private donations, and $70 million is unaccounted for. A federal appeals court ruled this week that Trump's ballroom is illegal, saying "each president is a temporary tenant, not the owner." Trump is taking it to the Supreme Court's shadow docket. On the primaries: Wisconsin's Democratic Socialist candidate Francesca Hong lost by 3,796 votes after leading by 20 points in polls. Grant explains why the polling was off, why the Milwaukee County USB drive story is not fraud, and why Mike Lindell losing the Minnesota Republican primary by 11 points is a story you should care about. ONE WEEK LEFT to cash in on the Make It Make Sense anniversary deal. Lock in the launch price of $5/mo or $50/yr before Aug. 20th. Make It Make Sense Substack This episode is supported by Klear Protein. It's a clear whey protein you mix with water for a light, refreshing drink. 20g of protein, zero sugar, zero lactose, and no bloat. MIMS listeners get an exclusive 20% off any product, the best deal they offer with the code MIMS25. level up your protein game at klearprotein.com. (I earn a commission when you use my link.) CHAPTERS 0:00 Wisconsin and Minnesota primaries: an upset and a half, and what they actually mean 2:30 Francesca Hong loses by 3,796 votes after leading by 20 points: why primary polling is always 13 points off 4:30 The Milwaukee County USB drive story: what actually happened and why it's not election fraud 6:00 Mike Lindell loses Minnesota by 40 points: the better story nobody is covering 7:30 The USS Abraham Lincoln: 250 days deployed, no port, sailors trying to jump overboard 9:30 What sailors are being served: a quarter cup of pulled pork, two tortillas, and grey mystery food 11:00 Mold, broken toilets, lost mail, and a mental health crisis Hegseth says isn't happening 12:30 The USS Teddy Roosevelt scrambled from San Diego: three weeks away, six more weeks for the Lincoln 14:00 Senator Blumenthal demands answers: who authorized 200 days without resupply? 15:30 The $927 million White House: confidential contracts, Secret Service money, and $70M unaccounted for 17:30 The federal appeals court rules: "Each president is a temporary tenant, not the owner." Trump appeals. 19:00 Why this matters beyond the money: the White House as a symbol of something being sold Support the show Follow along on social media SaySo: @GrantHermes X: @GrantHermes Insta: @Grant__Hermes Tiktok: Grant_Hermes

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  Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes

  The American President Hid In A Catering Cart

  Aug 11, 202621 min

  Two stories this week. One is absurd. One is alarming. Both are real. The New York Times, backed by multiple outlets, reported that during Trump's NATO trip to Turkey last month, the threat from Iran on Air Force One was so credible that the Secret Service didn't want Trump on the plane at all. So instead of boarding Air Force One and staying on it, Trump walked through the plane, exited the other side, hid in a catering cart with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was loaded onto a flatbed truck, driven to a different unmarked jet, and flown to a joint UK airbase — where he was snuck back onto Air Force One and emerged like he'd been on it the whole time. The White House press corps was not told. Most of Trump's staff were not told. They were allowed to board a plane the Secret Service believed was a credible assassination target while the president was hidden in a catering cart next to the Biscoff cookies. The New York Times reporters who first reported the original plane switch story had their phone records subpoenaed by the DOJ. This explains why. On vaccines: the White House released a new recommended schedule that removes flu, hepatitis A and B, meningitis, RSV, and COVID vaccines from the childhood schedule, drops the total from around 72-84 down to 11, and splits the MMR vaccine into three separate shots that pharmaceutical companies are not licensed to produce. Measles cases are already at a 35-year high. A researcher called the outbreak a "runaway train" just last week. The American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and dozens of other medical groups say the previous schedule was safe and should still be followed. Talk to your doctor. Cheers to two Years of Make It Make Sense! Independent journalism only works with your support, so thank you! The price is still $5/month, but that changes August 20th. Subscribe now to lock in $5/month or $50/year! CHAPTERS: 0:00 The president of the United States hid in a catering cart. Here's the full story. 2:00 The Qatari Air Force One: why it wasn't ready, why Trump took it to Turkey anyway, and what the real problem was 4:30 The catering cart: what actually happened on the tarmac in Turkey, step by step 6:30 Three implications: the threat was credible enough to hide the president but not his staff or press 8:30 Why the DOJ subpoenaed the phone records of the NYT reporters who broke the original story 9:30 The Iran war this weekend: the Strait stays closed until 2029, $300 billion in reparations demanded 11:00 Trump is "semi-negotiating" and "low-keying it" — and foreign policy experts are comparing him to Carter, Hoover, and Nixon 12:30 "The art of concealing defeat": what the Council on Foreign Relations said this week 13:30 Sponsor break 15:00 The new vaccine schedule: what changed, what's being removed, and why the MMR split isn't possible 17:00 The antigen load myth: what the science actually says about vaccine overload 18:30 Measles at a 35-year high: why spreading out vaccinations could make a runaway outbreak worse 20:00 What doctors, the AMA, and the AAP actually say: follow the previous schedule and talk to your doctor. This episode is supported by Klear Protein. It's a clear whey protein you mix with water for a light, refreshing drink. 20g of protein, zero sugar, zero lactose, and no bloat. MIMS listeners get an exclusive 20% off any product, the best deal they offer with the code MIMS25. level up your protein game at klearprotein.com . (I earn a commission when you use my link.) Support the show Follow along on social media SaySo: @GrantHermes X: @GrantHermes Insta: @Grant__Hermes Tiktok: Grant_Hermes

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  Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes

  Two Former Republican Strategists Watch the Michigan Primary. Here's What They Saw.

  Aug 7, 20261h 16m

  This is the election night conversation. On Tuesday, as the Michigan primary returns came in, Grant sat down live with Mike Madrid from The Great Transformation and Jeff Timmer, the former executive director of the Michigan Republican Party and Lincoln Project co-founder, to watch the Abdul El-Sayed vs. Haley Stevens race in real time. They called El-Sayed the winner before the night was over — and left before things got really interesting. But the conversation they had while the votes were coming in is worth hearing because it's how political strategists actually think and talk about these races, and this one has implications far beyond Michigan. The conversation covers: why the DSA wave is a genuine political phenomenon and not a fringe moment, why the Democratic Party has not had a battle for its heart and soul in a decade and is paying for it now, why "tree stumps and doorknobs" could win in 2026 on anti-Trump sentiment alone but 2028 is a different problem entirely, why Republicans keep playing the same Jedi mind trick on Democrats and why Democrats keep falling for it, and what the actual economic message is that could win this election — Jeff's "cost of living and let them eat cake corruption" frame is the sharpest political advice in the episode. Note: they dipped out at around 9:15 ET, well before the race was called and before El-Sayed's margin narrowed to one point. For the full breakdown of what actually happened, listen to yesterday's episode. More conversations like this are coming on Substack as the midterms approach, including on election night in November. Cheers to two Years of Make It Make Sense! Independent journalism only works with your support, so thank you! The price is still $5/month, but that changes August 20th. Subscribe now to lock in $5/month or $50/year! MAKEITMAKESENSE.SUBSTACK.COM CHAPTERS 0:00 Grant explains the format: election night, live returns, two former Republicans watching the Democratic future 1:49 Introductions: Mike Madrid, Great Transformation; Jeff Timmer, former executive director of the Michigan GOP 4:30 What's actually at stake tonight: DSA vs. establishment, and why Michigan is the bellwether 12:00 Early returns come in: what the numbers are showing and what they might mean 25:00 The polling gap: why Michigan is notoriously hard to poll and what turnout tells us 38:00 The Democratic identity crisis: what the party stands against vs. what it stands for 50:00 The Jedi mind trick Republicans keep playing on Democrats — and why Democrats keep taking the bait 58:00 Jeff's economic message frame: "cost of living and let them eat cake corruption" 1:06:00 The DNC is the dog sitting in a burning room saying "this is fine" — Ken Martin and the missing chapter 1:11:00 Tree stumps and doorknobs could win in 2026. 2028 is a completely different problem. 1:13:38 Wrap-up: El-Sayed wins, the DSA wave is real, and what comes next for both parties Support the show Follow along on social media SaySo: @GrantHermes X: @GrantHermes Insta: @Grant__Hermes Tiktok: Grant_Hermes

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