On this week’s Dream City Podcast, Cuneyt and Mark Segraves of NBC4 break down Vice President JD Vance’s plans to rent a sprawling estate in Middleburg — including questions about the property’s owner, the lease, and what the Veep's arrival could mean for the quiet Virginia town.

They then dig into the coming fight over legalizing Waymo and other robotaxis in D.C., as labor unions raise concerns about jobs and City Hall prepares for a marathon hearing.

Plus: the valuable naming rights and seat licenses included in the Commanders stadium deal, and the surprising local history behind “Take Me Home, Country Roads” as the song enjoys another World Cup-fueled revival.

00:00 Introduction + JD Vance Eyes a Middleburg Estate

10:05 Waymo and D.C.’s Coming Robotaxi Fight

17:17 Robotaxis, Union Opposition, and the Future of Driving Jobs

21:11 Commanders Stadium Naming Rights and Seat Licenses

24:08 The Local Roots Behind “Country Roads" + Its World Cup Fame

29:54 How “Country Roads” Became a Royalty Goldmine

33:50 Mark Segraves’ After Dark Fund

The Dream City Podcast will hold the powerful accountable and take you inside D.C.’s business and political worlds. Along the way: Revelatory conversations with city officials, business leaders, and the best-sourced journalists in town.

Music credit: Highway 430 by Blue Dot Sessions

The Dream City Podcast is a product of COSMOS Media LLC.

President Trump is calling out Janeese Lewis George — attacking her as a "communist," but says he'd meet with her. In this week's Dream City Podcast, Cuneyt and Tom break down whether D.C.’s incoming left can find any workable ground with the White House.

Plus: The next major battle at the Wilson Building will be over taxes.

They dig into the pressure to raise new revenue after the city’s budget crunch, what kinds of tax hikes progressives may pursue, and how much room they really have with Congress still looming over D.C. affairs.

00:00 Trump Calls Janeese Lewis George a “Communist”

03:24 Can JLG Actually Work With Trump?

07:31 The Next Big D.C. Fight: Taxes

13:13 Will the Left Raise Taxes on the Rich?

19:39 Fourth of July Sendoff

The Dream City Podcast will hold the powerful accountable and take you inside D.C.’s business and political worlds. Along the way: Revelatory conversations with city officials, business leaders, and the best-sourced journalists in town.

Music credit: Highway 430 by Blue Dot Sessions

The Dream City Podcast is a product of COSMOS Media LLC.

On this week’s Dream City Podcast, Cuneyt and Tom are joined by veteran D.C. strategist Chuck Thies to break down Janeese Lewis George’s sweeping mayoral primary victory, why Kenyan McDuffie’s campaign never found its footing, and what the results say about the city’s political direction.

Cuneyt also talked to Ward 1 D.C. Council Democratic primary winner Aparna Raj, a tenant organizer who describes why the democratic socialist platform resonated this year.

00:00 Chuck Thies’ Election Night Call Was Right

01:51 Aparna Raj on the Democratic Socialist Wave in Ward 1

04:48 How Aparna Raj Became a Tenant Organizer

06:51 Why DSA Just Won Big in D.C.

09:06 Aparna Raj’s Vision for Ward 1

12:09 Can a More Progressive D.C. Still Grow the Economy?

16:54 Janeese Lewis George’s Big Win

18:44 Why Kenyan McDuffie Lost

22:43 How JLG Ran the Table Across D.C.

26:10 The Empty McDuffie Tent That Said It All

28:24 Elissa Silverman’s Comeback

30:47 Robert White’s Huge Delegate Victory

33:51 What the Election Means for D.C.’s Budget Crisis

38:24 Tax Hikes, Unions, and City Hall's Fights Ahead

The Dream City Podcast is supported by launch partner SpotlightDC: Capital City Fund for Investigative Journalism.

The Dream City Podcast will hold the powerful accountable and take you inside D.C.’s business and political worlds. Along the way: Revelatory conversations with city officials, business leaders, and the best-sourced journalists in town.

Music credit: Highway 430 by Blue Dot Sessions

The Dream City Podcast is a product of COSMOS Media LLC.