Shields and Brooks | PBS NewsHour Podcast | PBS

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks discuss bipartisan compromise in Congress on the budget, an election postmortem for the Republican party, President Barack Obama's "soaring rhetoric" and "realistic policies" for the Mideast and the 10th anniversary of the War in Iraq.

New York Times columnist David Brooks and syndicated columnist Mark Shields talk with Judy Woodruff about who was and wasn't at the annual CPAC meeting, whether President Obama's bipartisan outreach to Congress will produce results, plus words on what the new pope's leadership may mean for the Catholic Church.

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus talk with Jeffrey Brown about February's job report and how much politics and the government policy -- sequestration in particular -- effect the economy, plus the possibility of a bipartisan budget agreement and Rand Paul's John Brennan filibuster.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks discuss the impending sequestration, strategies used by Democrats and Republicans to avoid the spending cuts and a provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act being argued at the Supreme Court.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks analyze the week's news with Judy Woodruff, including the impending automatic spending cuts due to hit next week and immigration reform.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson discuss public opinion versus the political battle on gun control, Congress heading home without a 'sequester' deal, the filibuster to block Chuck Hagel's nomination vote and takeaways from President Obama's State of the Union.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks discuss with Judy Woodruff what they're looking for in President Obama's first State of the Union address of his second term, the current political and economic realities and whether State of the Union speeches really matter.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks talk to Judy Woodruff about the week's political news, including CIA director nominee John Brennan's confirmation hearing, the leaking of a Justice Department memo justifying targeted killing and the Syria strategy split within the Obama administration.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks talk with Judy Woodruff about Hillary Clinton leaving the State Department, Chuck Hagel's first confirmation hearing for Decretary of Defense, as well as congressional testimony on gun control and political momentum for immigration reform.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks talk with Jeffrey Brown about the week's political news, including President Obama's executive actions on gun control, the future of gun culture in America, resolving the debt ceiling fight in Congress and the president at the beginning of a new term.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks discuss the week's top news with Judy Woodruff, including the Obama-Karzai talks on the future of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, the integrity -- and insularity of Obama's cabinet nominees, plus the latest on gun control.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks discuss the week's top political news with Judy Woodruff, including the likely nomination of Chuck Hagel for secretary of defense, the failure of the latest budget deal to address larger fiscal problems and Washington's inability to make tough choices.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks talk with Jeffrey Brown about last-minute attempts to wrangle a budget deal, what Republicans really want out of the negotiations and the political calculations for the president. Our political commentators also remember the late Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson discuss the week's top political news with Judy Woodruff, including the president's second-string Secretary of State John Kerry, House Speaker John Boehner's fledgling following and the NRA press conference.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks talk to Judy Woodruff about the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School and ways to approach gun control policy, as well as Susan Rice's decision not to pursue the nomination for Secretary of State and the state of the 'fiscal cliff' conversations.