Past Due with Ana Marie Cox and Open Mike Eagle

Ana talks with Linda Tirado (@KillerMartinis), [2:00] activist and author of Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America, about the Trump Administration’s awesome idea to turn the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program into a shitty version of Blue Apron. The conversation also turns to the hypocrisy of policymakers on both sides of the aisle when it comes to poverty, and how no onein power actually wants to listen to poor people. Vox’s Senior Politics Reporter Jane Coaston (@cjane87) joins Ana [33:22] to discuss what the Rob Porter scandal tells us about the Trump Administration that we didn’t already know, the problems with White House security background checks, and to answer a listener question. Ana also reflects on her own journey with mental illness [54:22] in the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and how imperative it is mentally ill people aren’t stigmatized after a mass shooting. You can find Linda’s book here:https://www.amazon.com/Hand-Mouth-Living-Bootstrap-America/dp/0425277976 Jane’s story with the latest on Rob Porter:https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/13/17007892/rob-porter-white-house-story-what-we-know If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, abuse, or harassment, know you are not alone. For help, callRAINN at (800) 656-HOPE or you can chat with someone at their online hotline: https://hotline.rainn.org/online/terms-of-service.jsp. If you or someone you know is having mental health issues or thinking of self-harm and needs help, know that you are not the problem, you are never alone, and you are loved. To get help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255or text them at 1-800-799-4889. Send us an email at [email protected] and find us on Twitter at @crooked_friends Check out our sponsors! Jergens: This episode is brought to you by Jergens Wet SkinMoisturizer. Jergens. Let Your Beautiful Shine. Third Love: Get 15% off your first purchase atThirdLove.com/Friends Parachute: Visit ParachuteHome.com/friends for free shipping and returns on bedding and bath linens Stamps.com: Go to Stamps.com and enter FRIENDS for a 4-week trial plus postage and a digital scale Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rebecca Carroll (@rebel19) fills in for Ana this week to discuss interracial relationships — and Black Panther — in the Trump era. Rebecca, whose husband is white, is joined by writer/professor Melissa Febos (@melissafebos) [7:42] and writer/performer Quinta Brunson (@quintabrunson) [47:14] to talk about how everyone’s doing in their own interracial relationships these days, in this very particular moment we’re having in America. Send emails to the podcast at [email protected]. We are also on Twitter: @crooked_friends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s that time again: Ana’s monthly check-in with WFLT’s favorite Never Trumper Rick Wilson (@RickWilson). [2:58] Find out what three-years-ago Rick would have been most surprised by about Trump’s first year, plus hear his thoughts on the future of a Republican Party he says is paralyzed by fear of a mean tweet. Also, we get some insight into what Rick’s been telling Republican elected officials when they call him up for advice. Send emails to the podcast at [email protected]. We are also on Twitter: @crooked_friends. Check out our sponsors! Mack Weldon: Go to MackWeldon.com and get 20% off using promo code Friends Tripping: Go to Tripping.com/FRIENDS to save on booking your next vacation Black Tux: Visit TheBlackTux.com/FRIENDS for $20 off your purchase Stamps.com: Get a four-week trial plus postage by visiting stamps.com with promo code Friends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BuzzFeed News tech reporter Katie Notopoulos (@katienotopoulos) drops by [3:46] to tell Ana what she learned from watching YouTube star Jake Paul’s educational video series on social influencing, which apparently involves a lot of trickery and grifting. Sound familiar? Then, [28:35] Jemar Tisby (@JemarTisby) of the The Witness joins Ana to discuss the hypocrisy of white Evangelicals who support Donald Trump, which leads to a broader discussion about racism and white supremacy in America. Ana refers to a piece Jemar wrote responding to comments made by Rod Dreher, which can be read here: https://thewitnessbcc.com/shtholes-section-8-response-rod-dreher/ Jemar also has a podcast called Pass The Mic. Read Katie’s piece on Jake Paul here: https://www.buzzfeed.com/katienotopoulos/i-took-jake-pauls-educational-series?utm_term=.fj84YOaN7#.wdzQ0286j Send us an email to [email protected] Find us on Twitter at @crooked_friends. Check out our sponsors! Third Love: Get 15% off your first order at ThirdLove.com/Friends Parachute: Visit ParachuteHome.com/friends for free shipping and returns. Kind: Get your free sample box at KindSnacks.com/friends Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) stops by to discuss her new book “So You Want To Talk about Race,” which as Ana points out, is an especially essential read for white people to check out. Using her tips, Ijeoma helps Ana workshop a particular conversation Ana’s been trying to have with a person in her own life. Then, Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) helps answer a listener question about what we can be hopeful about as we head into 2018. Send us an email to [email protected]. Find us on Twitter at @crooked_friends. Check out our sponsors! Mack Weldon: visit MackWeldon.com to get 20% off with promo code FRIENDS. ZipRecruiter: Post jobs for free at ZipRecruiter.com/friends The Great Courses Plus: Sign up for your free month by visiting thegreatcoursesplus.com/Friends. Stamps.com: Get a four-week trial plus postage by visiting stamps.com with promo code Friends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James Risen, senior national security correspondent for The Intercept, joins Ana [01:14] to discuss the rocky relationship between journalists and the government, reminding us that Trump’s threats to press freedom are not unprecedented — and Risen would know, since both the Bush and Obama administrations took him to court over his reporting. He wrote about the experience, in a must-read piece, here: https://url.emailprotection.link/?a_64gq3nIS1JTwoUCTzOU0BEMTal24kTbYv7SAHyApgJQTz-aCpiV2hC7thv5GP8w02qq0C-KqxmYADRSi1AbGq7pH-WmboNGJquZv8onY911DoZFz7SDZ2btaA_DPEZ5rnHm7ZagZ2YiROhPXq0k6Z6_X0goiPm1nsOEo3icOF4~ Then, Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) drops by [51:15] to make a case for why the term “guys” is problematic as a default when addressing each other. Ana and Jamil conclude it really, truly doesn’t take much to consider someone else’s perspective in every day interactions. We read all your emails and questions. Please send them to [email protected]. Find us on Twitter at @crooked_friends. Thanks to our sponsors! Squarespace: Visit Squarespace.com offer code FRIENDS for 10 percent off your first purchase of a website or domain. The Great Courses Plus: Sign up for your free month by visiting thegreatcoursesplus.com/Friends. Stitch Fix: Go to Stitchfix.com/Friends for 25 percent off when you keep five items. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We kick off 2018 with our monthly Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) check in. [00:57] On the agenda: what we *should* be paying attention to in all this Bannon-Trump drama — like, say, nuclear war. And, we find out how the Never Trump movement is doing. Then, we talk with BuzzFeed writer and author Scaachi Koul (@Scaachi) [38:14] about the controversy over Youtube star Logan Paul’s posting of a video from Japan’s “suicide forest,” where we draw familiar parallels to the Trump era. Read Scaachi’s piece about Paul here: https://www.buzzfeed.com/scaachikoul/even-when-he-loses-logan-paul-wins?utm_term=.pe5Y1zNJn#.uw2LjkYR1 She also has an essay collection, out now, called One Day We’ll All Be Dead And None Of This Will Matter: https://www.amazon.com/Well-Dead-None-This-Matter/dp/1250121027) Ana mentioned another BuzzFeed piece about child exploitation on Youtube, here: https://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/youtube-is-addressing-its-massive-child-exploitation-problem?utm_term=.wndwD2dEr#.xkMplYmjL Send us an email with a question and we’ll get our #friendsofthepod to answer it: [email protected] Tweet the show at @crooked_friends. Thank you to our sponsors! Third Love: Get 15% off your first order at ThirdLove.com/Friends Stamps.com: Get a four-week trial plus postage by visiting stamps.com with promo code Friends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, [3:05] we revisit Ana’s interview with Red State contributor and Never Trump stalwart Ben Howe (@benhowe) about what the Left can learn from the Tea Party. Ben also discusses how leaving the conservative movement has changed his thinking on social issues like abortion. Then, [56:41] another throwback to when Adam Savage (“Mythbusters,” Tested.com) joined the pod to help a WFLT listener whose sister has embraced right-wing conspiracy theories. BONUS: join Ana on a journey through the editor’s comments on Milo Yiannopoulos’ pulled manuscript, which Simon & Schuster submitted to court as evidence the book was bad. You can read the manuscript here: https://iappscontent.courts.state.ny.us/NYSCEF/live/EXHIBIT_B.pdf Send us an email with a question and we’ll get our #friendsofthepod to answer it in the new year: [email protected]. Tweet us at @crooked_friends. Our awesome sponsors! Everlane: Free shipping on your first order at Everlane.com/friends Texture: Get a free trial when you go to texture.com/FRIENDS and save 30 percent a month on the regular price if you choose to continue your subscription. Helix: Go to HelixSleep.com/Ana and get $50 off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We revisit a very honest conversation between Ana and writer Rembert Browne (@rembert) about Colin Kaepernick, America, and why it’s imperative we talk about race, especially when it makes us feel uncomfortable. You can read Rembert’s profile on Kap here: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2732670-colin-kaepernick-anthem-race-in-america Send us an email with a question and we’ll get our #friendsofthepod to answer it in the new year: [email protected]. Tweet us at @crooked_friends. Happy holidays to our sponsors! National Endowment for Financial Education: visit NEFE’s new financial literacy website SmartAboutMoney.org/friends to learn how to make a financial plan. Stamps.com: Get a four-week trial plus postage by visiting stamps.com with promo code Friends. Everlane: Free shipping on your first order at Everlane.com/friends Texture: Get a free trial when you go to texture.com/FRIENDS and save 30 percent a month on the regular price if you choose to continue your subscription. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WNYC’s Rebecca Carroll [2:58] gives us her perspective on an aspect of #MeToo we should be talking about more: the denigration of black women. Also, if you thanked black women on Twitter for Doug Jones’ win in Alabama, you might want to listen in for some tips on how to put that support into concrete action. Then, [36:28] writer Amy Sullivan helps us unpack a listener question about abortion, religion and politics. Specifically: why hasn’t the Left followed the Right’s lead in framing abortion as a religious issue? Ana and Amy reaffirm that, yes, it is possible to be pro-choice and a person of faith. Rebecca’s Esquire piece can be read here: http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a13978884/charlie-rose-sexual-harassment-accuser-story/ Our guests have pods, too! Stay tuned for Rebecca’s upcoming show Black Folk, which will air on WNYC. Amy has a podcast about politics and religion, called Impolite Company, which you can find on iTunes. Please keep sending us your questions to [email protected]. Find us on Twitter at @crooked_friends. Can’t forget our wonderful sponsors! Kind: Go to KindSnacks.com/wflt for more details on how to buy a Kind Cube. Thrive: Get $20 off your first 3 orders of $49 or more, plus free shipping by visiting thrivemarket.com/FRIENDS The Great Courses Plus: Sign up for your free month by visiting thegreatcoursesplus.com/Friends. Framebridge: Go to Framebridge.com and use promo code FRIENDS for 15% off your first order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, [3:17] author and theologian Diana Butler Bass (@dianabutlerbass) drops by to give us an explainer on the really long theological history behind Trump’s decision to proclaim Jerusalem the capital of Israel, and how that decision appeals specifically to members of his conservative evangelical base who believe in dispensational premillennialism (more popular than one might think). Diana and Ana conclude it is possible to change people’s minds on Armageddon. Then, [43:50] Ana checks in with GOP media guy Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) for his insight on how his party is (mis)handling Roy Moore. The main question: can the Republican Party get any lower than standing behind a pedophile? Listeners, direct emails to [email protected], or find us on Twitter at @crooked_friends. Thank you sponsors! The Great Courses Plus: sign up for your free month by visiting thegreatcoursesplus.com/Friends. Hello Fresh: Get $30 off your first week by going to HelloFresh.com and using promo code WithFriends30. TrackR: Receive 20% off your order at TheTrackR.com/friends. Parachute: Visit ParachuteHome.com/friends for free shipping and returns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam Serwer (@AdamSerwer), senior editor at The Atlantic, joins Ana this week [5:43] to discuss his latest piece unpacking the white nationalism of Trump voters. He argues a lot more people believe in white supremacy in America than we want to talk about, but says having that conversation is unavoidable. The discussion also draws parallels between white supremacy and patriarchy. Then, [52:11] Lizzy O’Leary (@lizzieohreally) of Marketplace talks sexual harassment and bad behaviour — that “grey area” — in the media, including her own encounters with men she shrugged off as a young reporter, but now horrify her. She wrote about those experiences here: https://www.thecut.com/2017/11/lizzie-oleary-describes-sexual-harassment-in-journalism.html. A link to Adam’s piece, The Nationalist’s Delusion, is here: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/11/the-nationalists-delusion/546356/ Send us an email! Thoughts and questions to [email protected], or find us on Twitter at @crooked_friends. If you have had experience with any kind of sexual assault or violation, you are not alone. There is help. Two resources available: - RAINN (the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network): Call their hotline (800-656-4673) or use their anonymous chat feature at their website, RAINN.org - The Crisis Text Line is anonymous and available 24 hours a day to help with a wide variety of problems, including sexual assault and mental health or just an emotionally difficult time: 741741. Thanks to our sponsors! The Great Courses Plus: sign up for your free month by visiting thegreatcoursesplus.com/Friends Texture: Get a free trial when you go to texture.com/FRIENDS and save 30 percent a month on the regular price if you choose to continue your subscription. Everlane: Free shipping on your first order at Everlane.com/friends Stamps.com: Get a four-week trial plus postage by visiting stamps.com with promo code Friends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special episode, Ana takes a field trip to Chicago to visit with a group of voters long misunderstood by the coastal elites but who played a pivotal role in the 2016 election: that’s right... Hillary voters. What makes them tick? Why do they have such affection for her? Will they continue to support her, no matter what? Also, we try to humanize them a bit: Hillary voters may seem different, but really, they’re just like you or me! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Moe of “The Hilarious World of Depression” podcast (@johnmoe) returns to the show for a special Thanksgiving episode dedicated to self care. Ana and John share some coping mechanisms for those tough days, like setting boundaries and giving your anxiety a name. Two important reminders: you have worth, and it gets better. If you missed John last time he was on the pod, find that episode here: https://crooked.com/podcast/the-help-is-coming-from-inside-the-house/ You can also listen to John’s podcast, right here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/id1181589175?mt=2 If you are struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-TALK. Be well. You are loved. We read every email we get! Please send us a message: [email protected] Or tweet us at @crooked_friends on Twitter. Thanks to our sponsors! Framebridge: Go to Framebridge.com and use promo code FRIENDS for 15% off your first order. TrackR: Receive 20% off any order at TheTrackR.com/friends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, [3:35] newest Crooked Media pod host Ira Madison III (@ira) drops by to talk about why “good men” should be prepared to lose something when it comes to facing and assessing their past behaviour, which includes acknowledging a system that has afforded white men so much success. Ira and Ana start by asking: should Al Franken resign? Then, [36:00] former South Carolina Republican congressman Bob Inglis (@bobinglis) is back to help us make sense of why many Evangelical Christians in Alabama continue to stick by Roy Moore even after numerous women have accused him of sexual misconduct, which leads to a discussion about identity politics. You can tweet us at @crooked_friends on Twitter or send us your thoughts via email at [email protected] Thanks a bunch to our sponsors! KIND: Find your free sample box at KindSnacks.com/friends HELIX: Go to HelixSleep.com/Ana and get $50 off your order. EVERLANE: Free shipping on your first order at Everlane.com/friends PARACHUTE: Visit ParachuteHome.com/friends for free shipping and returns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, New York Mag writer and author Rebecca Traister (@rtraister) stops by to mark one year since the election of Donald Trump with an episode dedicated to Hillary Clinton. No, we don’t re-litigate her campaign or make jokes about Wisconsin. We do put in context the first female presidential candidate ever nominated by a major party, her life and her feminism — and help Ana, a self-described Hillary skeptic, make sense of some complicated feelings about the historic figure that is HRC. In the face of mounting scandals regarding sexual predators, Ana and Rebecca also take on the question that haunts many modern feminists: “But what about Bill?” If you have had experience with any kind of sexual assault or violation, you are not alone. There is help. Two resources available: - RAINN (the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network): Call their hotline (800-656-4673) or use their anonymous chat feature at their website, RAINN.org - The Crisis Text Line is anonymous and available 24 hours a day to help with a wide variety of problems, including sexual assault and mental health or just an emotionally difficult time: 741741. Find us on Twitter at @crooked_friends and email your questions and comments to [email protected]. Our sponsors! ZIPRECRUITER: Post jobs for free at ZipRecruiter.com/friends THRIVE: Get $60 of free organic groceries, free shipping and 30 day trial membership by going to thrivemarket.com/FRIENDS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, [3:55] we check in with our pal Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) to discuss what the Mueller indictments mean for the future of Trump’s administration, the big question being: how much longer will Congressional Republicans continue to protect this president in the face of mounting evidence? Rick has a somewhat sunnier view than Ana on how things will play out. Then, [38:29] Elizabeth Bruenig (@ebruenig) stops by for a discussion about poverty and morality in relation to the GOP tax plan, which is in essence an attack on the nation’s poorest people. Find the pod on Twitter at @crooked_friends. Have a question? Send an email to [email protected]. Go to crooked.com for more info. And check out our sponsors! The ACLU’s Let People Vote Campaign: Help defend the right to vote by visiting vote.peoplepower.org. Hello Fresh: Get $30 off your first week by going to HelloFresh.com and using promo code WithFriends30. TrackR: Receive 20% off any order at TheTrackR.com/friends. Stamps.com: Get a four-week trial plus postage by visiting stamps.com with promo code Friends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, [3:10] Crooked Media’s Jon Lovett (@jonlovett) stops by to answer a listener’s question about the role of gay men in #metoo, which leads to an honest discussion about female vs. male leadership. Then, [19:40] we sit down with Afghanistan war veteran Nate Bethea (@inthesedeserts) to explore how progressives should situate themselves in relation to the military (spoiler: plenty of people who serve are leftists, if not as overtly so as right-leaning troops). We also ask, is it OK to criticize the military, and who should be doing the criticizing? Finally, we acknowledge that standing for troops at airports can be uncomfortable for all parties, and settle on saying hi one-on-one instead. Tweet the pod at @crooked_friends and email us your questions at [email protected]. Check out crooked.com for a full reading list and sources. Thanks to our excellent sponsors! The Better Off podcast, where Emmy-nominated Business Analyst Jill Schlesinger takes on uncomfortable and sometimes controversial money and investing issues. Framebridge: Go to Framebridge.com and use promo code FRIENDS for 15% off your first order. Texture: Get a free trial when you go to texture.com/FRIENDS and save 30 percent a month on the regular price if you choose to continue your subscription. Everlane: Free shipping on your first order at Everlane.com/friends Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We sit down with friend of the pod Vann R. Newkirk II (@fivefifths) to discuss how white people in America can do more to fight white supremacy, The System (tip: go out and talk to people who don’t look and sound like you). Helen Rosner (@hels) also joins us to help answer a listener question from a man who admits he’s committed a sexual assault of his own, where we ask, what's the other half of #metoo? Finally, we end with some positive musings about ethical porn. Find the pod on Twitter at @crooked_friends and reach us on email at [email protected]. Head to crooked.com for a full reading list and sources. Please check out our sponsors! HELIX: Go to HelixSleep.com/Ana and get $50 off your order. ZIPRECRUITER: Post jobs for free at ZipRecruiter.com/friends PARACHUTE: Visit ParachuteHome.com/friends for free shipping and returns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The Human Shock Doctrine hits Puerto Rico” w/ Naomi Klein and Jamil Smith With a friend like the United States, does Puerto Rico need enemies? Naomi Klein (@NaomiAKlein) stops by to discuss how the U.S. government created the preconditions for the island’s unnatural (very much man-made) disaster. And Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) helps answer a listener question about an awkward conversation at the office. Bonus mini-essay for listeners that make it all the way to the end. Find us on Twitter at @crooked_friends. Email us at [email protected]. Thank you to our wonderful sponsors! TrackR: Receive 20% off any order at TheTrackR.com/friends Stamps.com: Get a four-week trial plus postage by visiting stamps.com with promo code FRIENDS. Helix: Go to HelixSleep.com/Ana and get $50 off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, [4:10] Sam Sinyangwe (@samswey) joins us to talk about how media coverage of the Las Vegas massacre largely ignored America’s long history of mass shootings, including the deadliest mass shooting ever, perpetrated by white supremacists. You can read Sam’s tweets about the topic here: https://twitter.com/samswey/status/914963280501858304. We also discuss why gun control policies need to be conscious of race and racism, and why mixing sports and politics continues to be a good thing. Next, [40:16] regular friend and ally of the pod Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) is back to point out the irony in the Right not being more alarmed by Trump’s expansion of federal power — in particular ICE and Homeland Security. We also discuss voting rights and Rick responds to a listener seeking advice on how to have productive conversations with conservatives about gun control in the wake of Vegas. Rick and Ana try and don't entirely fail in modeling that conversation. We love hearing from you! Tweet the pod at @crooked_friends and email questions and thoughts to [email protected]. Please give love to our sponsors! KIND: Find your free sample box at KindSnacks.com/friends TRACKR: Receive 20% off any order at theTrackR.com/friends EVERLANE: Free shipping on your first order at Everlane.com/friends TEXTURE: Get a 14 day free trial when you go to texture.com/FRIENDS Facts about guns and suicide: https://www.vox.com/2015/6/3/8721267/gun-suicide-gun-control More gun facts: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/2/16399418/us-gun-violence-statistics-maps-charts Voter suppression facts: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/02/15/do-voter-identification-laws-suppress-minority-voting-yes-we-did-the-research/?utm_term=.639b69b17053 Voter fraud facts: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/10/31/13478134/voter-fraud-id-2016-trump Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former RNC chairman Michael Steele (@MichaelSteele) joins us for a live conversation from the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, Tx. We discuss why Steele no longer recognizes the Republican party [10:00], whether he sees Trump as an existential threat to American democracy [43:00], and why those three words “We The People” mean so much to him [50:40]. Another genuine With Friend Like This, Steele is also the former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and a current political analyst on MSNBC. Say hello! Tweet the pod at @crooked_friends, or shoot us an email at [email protected]. We read all your letters and will get a future guest to answer your questions. Also check out our wonderful sponsors! KIND: Get a free sample box at KindSnacks.com/friends FRAMEBRIDGE: Go to Framebridge.com and use promo code FRIENDS for 15% off your first order. ZIPRECRUITER: Post jobs for free at ZipRecruiter.com/friends MM.LAFLEUR: Try a free Bento Box of wardrobe staples and accessories at MMBento.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we get more Weedsy than The Weeds about America’s uniquely fucked up health care system with single-payer activist and Chapo wonk Timothy Faust (@crulge), an incredibly fun and energetic tour of health care with two people who curse a lot. First, how we got here (Otto von Bismarck comes up); then, why the latest GOP attempt to repeal Obamacare is their worst yet; and finally, an examination of Bernie Sanders’ “refreshingly ambitious” Medicare For All bill — prefaced with a friendly reminder that the most socialist-y parts of the ACA were the most popular. Relevant to the discussion: https://www.jacobinmag.com/2017/06/trumpcare-obamacare-repeal-ahca-single-payer And check out Tim’s podcast “Heavy Medical” (https://www.blubrry.com/heavyxmedical/) and newsletter (http://tinyletter.com/error). You can also find him on the Chapo Trap House podcast, or catch him touring fifteen cities between NYC and Minneapolis in mid-October to talk single-payer with local DSA chapters, open to the public. Get in touch! Follow the pod on twitter at @crooked_friends, or email us at [email protected] with questions, thoughts, just to say Hi. THIS WEEKEND is our LIVE SHOW in AUSTIN, TX: 9/23 at the Texas Tribune Festival. Find out more at https://www.texastribune.org/festival Thanks to our lovely sponsors! MM.LaFleur: Try a free Bento Box of wardrobe staples and accessories at MMBento.com Stamps.com: Get a four-week trial plus postage by visiting stamps.com and typing in FRIENDS. Parachute: Visit ParachuteHome.com/friends for free shipping and returns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A conversation with writer Rembert Browne (@rembert) [1:21]on how his “write-around” profile of football player Colin Kaepernick (Bleacher Report) became a piece about this moment in America — and why the stakes are too high to avoid the uncomfortable conversations needed to change it. You can read that very good piece here: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2732670-colin-kaepernick-anthem-race-in-america Also relevant to the discussion: http://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/my-desk-rescue-jon-taffer-of-bar-rescue-stages-a-cubicle-intervention/ Send us questions to be answered on the pod waves! Email [email protected], and tweet at @crooked_friends. A REMINDER: our LIVE SHOW in AUSTIN, TX is on 9/23 at the Texas Tribune Festival. Find out more at https://www.texastribune.org/festival Please check out our fantastic sponsors! UPSIDE: Go to Upside.com and use promo code FRIENDS for $100 gift card to Amazon.com. TEXTURE: get a 14 day free trial when you go to texture.com/FRIENDS HELIX: Go to HelixSleep.com/Ana and get $50 off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, sex education instructor Kim Cavill (@sexposparenting) is back on the pod to answer your (adult) questions about perhaps the messiest coalition of all: sex. We discuss when and how to talk to your kids about porn [2:46], what to do if a friend tells you they’ve experienced a sexual assault [56:13], plus the importance of asking for what you want [64:57]. Kim’s website, Tea and Intimacy, is at https://www.teaandintimacy.com/. If you have had experience with any kind of sexual assault or violation, you are not alone. There is help. Two resources available: - RAINN (the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network): Call their hotline (800-656-4673) or use their anonymous chat feature at their website, RAINN.org - The Crisis Text Line is anonymous and available 24 hours a day to help with a wide variety of problems, including sexual assault and mental health or just an emotionally difficult time: 741741. For men, specifically, 1in6.org is here to help, as well. Get in touch! Tweet us at @crooked_friends, or send us a question through email at [email protected]. Relevant to the discussion — https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ is a resource to help parents navigate their kids’ devices, including info about sexting. https://sexetc.org/, a website for teens; and http://answer.rutgers.edu/page/sexetc, its companion site for adults. Those sex ed videos that teens and parents can watch together are at http://amaze.org/. Dan Savage's podcast https://www.savagelovecast.com/ and his column http://www.thestranger.com/ are worth a listen and read. Books! Aziz Ansari’s book Modern Romance (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OZ0TMYG/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1) and Sex and the Constitution by Geoffrey R. Stone (https://www.amazon.com/Sex-Constitution-Religion-Americas-Twenty-First-ebook/dp/B01N95KFBS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1504723631&sr=1-1&keywords=sex+and+the+constitution). And, of course, there’s always https://www.plannedparenthood.org. Our fantastic sponsors deserve your love! MM.LaFleur: Try a free Bento Box of wardrobe staples and accessories at MMBento.com Ziprecruiter.com: List your job for free by going to Ziprecruiter.com/FRIENDS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, [2:15] a conversation with Neena Satija (@neenareports) from Houston, about Harvey and the choice to not prepare for catastrophic events. Second, [32:04] Jon Lovett (@jonlovett) helps field a listener question! And then [47:18] we talk about Game of Thrones as a metaphor for climate change. Lastly: [57:18] A short reflection on the Nashville Statement and attempts by Christians to dehumanize and deny our LGBTQ brothers and sisters. We want to hear from you! Tweet us at @crooked_friends, or email us a question at [email protected] and we’ll get a future guest to answer it. A reminder that we are still taking your adult sex ed questions for next week’s show. And don’t forget about our LIVE SHOW in AUSTIN, TX on 9/23 at the Texas Tribune Festival. Find out more at https://www.texastribune.org/festival/ Relevant to the discussion — Neena and team's March 2016 piece on Houston (from The Texas Tribune and Reveal/ProPublica): https://projects.propublica.org/houston/; a little more about the Nashville Statement and the progressive Christian response to it: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hundreds-of-christian-leaders-release-lgbtq-affirming-response-to-nashville-statement_us_59a71bcee4b0a8d14572cf35; and for GOT fans: https://www.vox.com/videos/2017/7/14/15969034/game-of-thrones-theory-climate-change Much love to our sponsors! Framebridge: Get 15% off your first order at Framebrige.com with the code FRIENDS TrackR: Get 20% off any order at TrackR.com with promo code FRIENDS. Stamps.com: Get a four-week trial plus postage by visiting stamps.com, clicking on the Microphone and typing FRIENDS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First [5:35], why aren’t evangelicals turning on the decidedly ungodly Trump? Jack Jenkins (@jackmjenkins), religion editor at Think Progress, explains how Christian nationalism has fused with Trumpism to create an unbreakable (?) bond. Second [43:06], Parker Molloy, (@ParkerMolloy), from Upworthy, joins to talk about the re-animation of the “trans ban” and why it matters beyond the military. Also, responding to a listener who asked about the ways one can help in the fight against bigotry *besides* going to protests and rallies. Reach the pod at @crooked_friends on Twitter and email us your questions (for our new weekly segment!) at [email protected]. We’re also taking your adult sex-ed questions for an upcoming show, so email us those, too. We welcome audio questions, using a recording app. And LIVE SHOW in AUSTIN, TX on 9/23 at the Texas Tribune Festival. Find out more at https://www.texastribune.org/festival/ Relevant to the discussion — Jack’s Christian nationalism series, part 1: https://thinkprogress.org/trumps-christian-nationalism-c6fe206e40cc/ and part 2: https://thinkprogress.org/history-christian-nationalism-e3303b46c3bc/ Shout out to our sponsors! MM.LaFleur: Try a free Bento Box of wardrobe staples and accessories at MMBento.com KIND: Pick up your free sample snack box by going to KindSnacks.com/friends Parachute: Visit ParachuteHome.com/friends for free shipping and returns. Third Love: Find the right fit and a free 30-day trial at ThirdLove.com/FRIENDS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The aftermath of Charlottesville, considered from the right and the left. First [4:36] , Naval War College professor Tom Nichols (@radiofreetom) helps us understand how our enemies and allies abroad will interpret Charlottesville and Trump’s response to it. We also argue about whether it’s helpful, politically speaking, to connect the modern GOP to white supremacy. Then Jane Coaston (@cjane87, MTV NEWS FOREVER!) hops on the line [48:46] to argue that Trump’s defense of white supremacy was a tactical error — but still terrifying. We respond to an email from a listener (a new weekly segment!). Finally [1:23:55], some personal thoughts on what happens next. That email for submitting a question: [email protected] AND feel free to submit an audio question using a recording app, if you are so technically inclined. Relevant to the discussion: Tom on how Trump’s Twitter feed undermines national security (it’s not that he’s revealing state secrets, it’s what he reveals about himself): http://thefederalist.com/2017/05/09/president-trumps-tweets-gold-mine-foreign-intelligence/ Jane on “virtue signalling”: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/08/magazine/virtue-signaling-isnt-the-problem-not-believing-one-another-is.html?_r=0 SPONSORS: Upside: Bundled business travel. Get a $100 Amazon gift card with first purchase, go to: Upside.com, promo code FRIENDS Ring: The ultimate in home security. Get $150 off a Ring of Security kit by going to Ring.com/FRIENDS Blue Apron: Saved my marriage. Get a free week’s worth of meals at BlueApron.com/FRIENDSLIKE Helix: Get $50 off your order by going to Helix.com/ANA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s episode is a dive into the intra-left culture wars: Who is sufficiently woke, and who gets to tell what stories (about whom)? Segment A [1:31]: New York magazine writer Kat Rosenfield (@katrosenfield) discusses her piece on “The Toxic Drama on YA Twitter” (link below). Segment B [30:32]: Culture critic for The Daily Beast and GQ and #friendofthepod Ira Madison III (@ira) joins to help us figure out what parts of the YA debate are helpful, and how it is and isn’t like the parallel debates over “Confederate” and “Detroit.” There are some digressions. Kat’s piece: http://www.vulture.com/2017/08/the-toxic-drama-of-ya-twitter.html Ira on “Confederate”: http://www.thedailybeast.com/the-game-of-thrones-creators-next-show-sounds-stupid-as-hell Ta-Nehisi Coates on “Confederate”: https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2017/08/no-confederate/535512/ Ira on “Detroit”: http://www.thedailybeast.com/how-kathryn-bigelows-detroit-erases-black-women The story I sent Ira about how the Confederate flag is back: https://www.buzzfeed.com/henrygomez/the-confederate-flag-fight-is-back?utm_term=.wsBVL9Z6y#.dkwK10mPQ Our glorious sponsors! Texture: WFLT listeners get 14 days free by going to Texture.com/FRIENDS Ziprecruiter.com: List your job for free by going to Ziprecruiter.com/FRIENDS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First [1:24], Montgomery Advertiser reporter Brian Lyman (@lyman_brian) joins to discuss covering the criminal justice system in Alabama -- including being present at the most recent execution conducted in the state. Also, what can the Alabama senate race tell us about the country at large? Second [40:50], #friendofthepod Jamil Smith (@jamilsmith) talks about the moment his life intersected with the question of capital punishment.... and stays for an extended chat about what the future of criminal justice looks like at this moment in American history. Show twitter: @crooked_friends Show email: [email protected] Our amazing sponsors: Framebridge: The easiest way to custom frame your art and photos. WFLT listeners can save an additional 15% with promo code FRIENDS Harry's: A great shave at a fair price. Get a free trial set by going to Harry's.com/FRIENDS "Revisionist History": If you like WFLT, you're gonna like Malcolm Gladwell's "Revisionist History" -- the podcast that looks back and asks if we got it right the first time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After an intro in which I acknowledge the numerous categories of people who have *some idea* of what it’s like to live with an oppressor in the White House, I am joined by New York Times Magazine writer Greg Howard (@greghoward88) to discuss the aftermath of his essay about white women ignoring his existence. [4:29] Then Rick Wilson (@therickwilson), Never Trump stalwart, stops by to talk about Trump’s short-sighted and cruel Twitter declaration banning trans people from the military. I plead with him to not call it a distraction. [49:55] Read Greg's essay here: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/19/us/was-that-racist.html?_r=0 Some of the backlash is here: http://insider.foxnews.com/2017/07/21/new-york-times-white-women-new-york-racist-reporter-says And here: http://thehill.com/homenews/media/343073-ny-times-reporter-accuses-white-women-of-racism-on-city-sidewalks Send show feedback to @crooked_friends or [email protected] Our fantastic sponsors include: Legal Zoom: Get ready for Make a Will Month by going to LegalZoom.com Third Love: Find the right fit and a free 30-day trial at ThirdLove.com/FRIENDS Ring Security: Get $150 off a Ring of Security floodlight kit by going to Ring.com/FRIENDS Parachute: I personally endorse these towels and sheets! Visit Parachutehome.com/FRIENDS for free shipping and returns Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, without warning, the Trump administration cancelled over $200m in funding for research into teen pregnancy prevention (https://www.revealnews.org/article/trump-administration-suddenly-pulls-plug-on-teen-pregnancy-programs/). Sex education instructor Kim Cavill found out she was out of a job from reading about the funding cut on Twitter. She joins [3:52] to talk about the ramifications of the administration’s short-sightedness, and the importance of speaking truthfully and frankly about sex. Her blog, the Sex Positive Parent is at : http://www.chicagonow.com/sex-positive-parent/ Michelle Goldberg (@michelleinbklyn) is a writer for Slate and New York Times who has kept an unrelenting focus on what it means to have an admitted sexual assailant as our Commander in Chief — it’s a conversation no one ever wanted to have, something we don’t like to think, but that we have to talk about [51:10]. You can find her work here: http://www.slate.com/authors.michelle_goldberg.html and here: https://www.nytimes.com/column/michelle-goldberg Her book, The Means of Reproduction, is as relevant as ever: https://www.amazon.com/Means-Reproduction-Power-Future-World/dp/0143116886 If you have had experience with any kind of sexual assault or violation, you are not alone. There is help. Two resources available: RAINN (the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network): Call their hotline (800-656-4673) or use their anonymous chat feature at their website, RAINN.org The Crisis Text Line is anonymous and available 24 hours a day to help with a wide variety of problems, including sexual assault and mental health or just an emotionally difficult time: 741741 Our sponsors 23 and me: Win a “genetic adventure” to explore where you come from. Find out more at 23andme.com Upside.com: Bundling airfare and hotels will save you money, and you get a free Amazon gift card for each time you use Upside. Go to Upside.com/FRIENDS for a guaranteed $100 Amazon gift card with your first purchase. Texture: Every magazine you’d ever want, in one place. Go to Texture.com/FRIENDS to get a 14-day trial for free. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We talk to ADAPT activist Anita Cameron (@adaptanita) [2:53] about the history of the disability rights movement and its recent success raising awareness about what TrumpCare would do to Medicaid. (She also has a few pointers for reporters covering the protests on how to not infantilize the activists.) Vann Newark (@fivefifths) [23:40] joins to talk about the intersection of health policy and civil rights, both philosophically and historically. Easter egg [46:15]: A mini-op-ed on how to correctly insult Donald Trump, Jr. You can reach the show via Twitter at @crooked_friends or email: [email protected] Our fabulous sponsors: 23 and Me: Through August 3, enter to win a “genetic adventure” to explore the heritage revealed by 23 and Me’s analysis of your DNA. Visit 23andme.com for details. Harry’s: A great shave at a fair price. Get a free trial, including a razor, ergonomic razor handle, shave gel and travel cover, by going to Harrys.com/FRIENDS ZipRecruiter: Reach the best candidates and post your job for FREE by visiting ZipRecruiter.com/FRIENDS Blue Apron: A better way to cook, as you may have heard. Get your first three meals for free by going to BlueApron.com/FRIENDSLIKE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We sit down with Neera Tanden (@neeratanden), CEO of the Center for American Progress and friend of the pod, to discuss why we should stop debating the election — it’s everybody’s fault! — and the reasons she’s optimistic the Trump presidency will build a progressive majority. We were remiss in letting you know about the podcasts recommended by Jon Ward in last week’s pod. They are: Truth’s Table: “Black Christian women who love the truth and seek it out wherever it leads us.” https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/truths-table/id1212429230?mt=2 Pass the Mic: “Every month Jemar and Tyler sit down with voices from across the reformed movement with the mission of addressing the core concerns of African Americans biblically.” http://www.podasterynetwork.com/category/passthemic/ The Benjamin Dixon Show https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMCioqY4zblWt7Uw0E0VTGA You can reach the pod at @crooked_friends on Twitter or email us your comments at [email protected] Our sponsors! Third Love: Get a free 30-day trial for a perfect-fit bra by going to ThirdLove.com/FRIENDS Ring: Save $150 off of Ring Floodlight Security Cam kit at ring.com/FRIENDS Framebridge: Get 15% off your first framing order by using offer code FRIENDS at framebridge.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jon Ward (@jonward11) was one of the people I had in mind when we came up with "With Friends Like These": A seriously smart and dedicated reporter who doesn't see the world the same way I do, but with whom I have found fertile common ground. He joins to discuss his reporting and his faith, and what it means to embrace the evangelism of racial reconciliation. Jon is a Political Correspondent for Yahoo News and is writing "a narrative history of Ted Kennedy's decision to challenge Jimmy Carter." He has a new podcast, "The Long Game," about "the lost art of solving problems through the lens of institutions," it is available here: https://medium.com/jon-ward/soft-launch-of-my-podcast-the-long-game-e3e728ccea3 The podcasts Jon mentions in the show are: Truth’s Table: “Black Christian women who love the truth and seek it out wherever it leads us.” https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/truths-table/id1212429230?mt=2 Pass the Mic: “Every month Jemar and Tyler sit down with voices from across the reformed movement with the mission of addressing the core concerns of African Americans biblically.” http://www.podasterynetwork.com/category/passthemic/ The Benjamin Dixon Show https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMCioqY4zblWt7Uw0E0VTGA You can reach the pod at @crooked_friends on Twitter or email us at [email protected] Our sponsors deserver your attention and patronage! Texture for all your magazine needs: Get a free 14-day trial at Texture.com/friends Parachute sheets are super comfy and stylish: Get free shipping and returns after a 60-night trial at ParachuteHome.com/friends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A bonus pod about the Philando Castile verdict and what happens next, with Greg Doucette (@greg_doucette) and Jane Coaston (@cjane87). Jane is a political correspondent at MTV News, you can browse her content here: http://www.mtv.com/news/author/coastonj/ Greg is a criminal defense attorney and criminal justice reform advocate, and is also known as Durham’s “Weed lawyer.” He now has his own podcast, Fsck ‘Em All: https://www.fsckemall.com/ Greg and Jane have appeared on the pod before, on the same episode but different segments. It’s here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/being-called-racist-is-white-peoples-kryptonite/id1207507389?i=1000384636264&mt=2 This is their first time in conversation with each other. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We take a field trip to Iowa to interview Trump supporters in line for his don’t-call-it-a-campaign rally. Our main question: Have any of your relationships suffered because of political differences? Their answers will probably not surprise you. Their attitudes might. You can contact the show with questions or comments at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Very Special Father’s Day episode. First, some words on saying the wrong thing. Then at 4:40, Anil Dash (@anildash) explains why he doesn’t retweet men, and we discuss the (incredibly light) burden of being a woke person with relative priviledge. Next at 31:26, New York Times writer Claire Cain Miller (@clairecm) joins me and my dad (@samcox) to talk about how to raise a feminist. Lastly at 50:46, Some words on words, and shout-out to a hero from the GOP congressional baseball shooting in Alexandria, VA: Crystal Griner. You can reach the show on Twitter: @crooked_friends or via email: [email protected]. Let us know if you have a question or situation you’d like to be featured on the show. Please, consider patronizing our sponsors! • Upside.com, where business travelers can save by combining airline tickets and hotel booking into one easy step. Use offer code “FRIENDS” to get a $100 Amazon gift certificate on your first itinerary. • Framebridge, a simple, on-line way to frame the things you love. Get 15% off your first order at Framebridge.com with offer code “FRIENDS.” • Ring Floodlight Cam, the ultimate in home security. Visit ring.com/friends to get $150 off a Ring Security Kit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

— Trump agoniste Rick Wilson (@therickwilson) sheds some light on the chasm between how Trump loyalists and Trump skeptics will receive the Comey testimony. — Quinta Jurecic (@qjurecic), associate editor at Lawfare, elaborates on the insight that gripped many Comey observers: His story parallels that of anyone who’s been the target of a sexual predator. — Commentary editor Noah Rothman (@noahcrothman) helps field a listener question about a relationship that’s soured since the election. Quinta brings up two relevant pieces: Alexandra Petri’s imagined transcript of Comey/Sessions chats https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/compost/wp/2017/06/07/james-comey-is-this-man-bothering-you/?utm_term=.3006acd4459e And this piece from Slate, about Comey’s written testimony as pulp fiction: http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/06/07/james_comey_s_testimony_about_trump_and_the_russia_investigation_shows_off.html (I also wrote my column on this subject, and you may hear me quote myself a bit: http://www.mtv.com/news/3019180/comeys-testimony-reminds-us-that-trump-is-a-predator/) This week’s sponsors! — Betterment: Rethink what money can do (Betterment.com/withfriends for 6 months managed free) — Upside: Bundled business travel (Get a $100 Amazon card by booking a trip at Upside.com and using offer code “FRIENDS”) — Texture: Magazines made super easy (Get a free 14 day trial by going to Texture.com/friends) — Seatgeek: A simpler way to by tickets (Get $20 off your first purchase via their app when use the offer code FRIENDS) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

W. Kamau Bell (@wkamaubell), of CNN’s United Shades of America, joins to help a listener puzzle through how (and if) to have a relationship with her Trump-supporting parents. As he put it: Do they deserve the privilege of her children’s company? Also: What Kamau’s TV show has taught him about a post-election America, and a primer on the *good* kind of white pride. Kamau’s new book! The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4", African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama's Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZXZK2F/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 He is on tour! http://www.wkamaubell.com/calendar/ Our sponsors: Parachute sheets (they’re awesome): ParachuteHome.com/FRIENDS for free shipping and returns Third Love bras and underwear (very comfy): ThirdLove.com/FRIENDS to try one of their bras for free for 30 days Thred Up (consumerism but not): ThredUp.com/FRIENDS for an extra 40 percent off your order Got a question or comment? @crooked_friends if it’s 140 characters or less, [email protected] if it’s not. Got an experience or problem to share relating to politics and relationships? Let us know if you want us to try to address it on the show. The theme song is by Ross Flournoy (@ApexManor) and we know that it sounds like the 90s. That’s exactly what we asked for. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Segment 1: Bob Inglis (of RepublicEN.org) is a conservative climate change denier turned conservative climate change activist. We talk about what he’s learned about how to approach those who disagree with him — there are some concrete tips! Lots of Greek and Roman references! Segment 2: We dive into the power and powerlessness of prayer with Washington Post writer and editor Elizabeth Stoker Bruenig. (TRIGGER WARNING: CONTAINS JESUS.) Bob on Twitter: @bobinglis Liz on Twitter: @ebruenig The show: @crooked_friends Here’s a profile of Bob that gets into his conversion experience: http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2016-6-november-december/feature/bob-inglis-takes-stand-climate-change (And here’s an interview we did for my day job: http://www.mtv.com/news/3007121/a-republican-evangelizes-for-action-on-climate-change/) Liz’s essay on prayer during a period of personal troubles: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/12/24/my-husband-lost-his-job-his-sister-was-murdered-heres-what-it-did-to-my-faith/?utm_term=.7f18875fbedd We’re still collecting listener questions for an upcoming call-in show! Send you comments and heartfelt queries to [email protected] Our delightful sponsors this week: Betterment: Investing made better. WFLT listeners can get one month managed free by going to Betterment.com/Friends Upside.com: The best way to travel for business. Get a $100 Amazon gift card if you use the offer code FRIENDS. Ziprecruiter: The best way to find candidates. Listeners can post for free by going to ZipRecruiter.com/friends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode wound up being about the limits and costs of empathy. First up: Franchesca Ramsey (@chescaleigh), creator and star of the hilarious social justice (really, all of that!) series, “Decoded.” We discuss about what she still feels uncomfortable talking about and who she feels uncomfortable talking to. Second segment: National correspondent for The Atlantic Graeme Wood (@gcaw), whose profile of honest-to-god Nazi and high school classmate Richard Spencer wound up being closer to his usual beat — ISIS — than Wood ever thought it would be. Wood is also the author of “The Way of the Strangers: Encounters with the Islamic State”: https://www.amazon.com/Way-Strangers-Encounters-Islamic-State-ebook/dp/B018PD2HIG/ Decoded: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnvZ3PbKApGM-hHuQ9lNc5oSKsusjn0Z6 “His Kampf: Richard Spencer is a troll and an icon for white supremacists. He was also my high-school classmate”: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/06/his-kampf/524505/ Sponsors this week: Texture: Texture makes magazines easy. Visit texture.com/friends Helix: A mattress made just for you. Visit helix.com/ana You can follow the show on Twitter! @crooked_friends Got a comment or a question about politics and relationships (or relationships and politics?) write us at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Red State contributor and Never Trump stalwart (who made the Trump doc “The Sociopath”) Ben Howe (@benhowe) comes on to talk about what the Left can learn from the Tea Party’s successes and mistakes. We also dive into how leaving the conservative movement has changed how he thinks about social issues such as abortion. In the second segment, Brandy Jensen (@BrandyLJensen) helps us dispose of the question, “Is Ivanka a feminist?” Instead, we wonder if neoliberal feminism is itself the problem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

HuffPost’s Jason Linkins (@dceiver) guests on a special non-awkward, non-boundary-challenging episode in which we play some serious inside-DC media-criticism baseball! If that is the kind of thing you like, you will love this. Consider it a kind of ironic palate cleanser from last week’s intense earnestness. We’ll be back next week with your regularly scheduled discomfort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Moe, of “The Hilarious World of Depression” and @johnmoe, joins for a special crossover pod about depression, suicide, and stigma. This is an intense episode and those who might be sensitive to this discussion, take care of yourselves. If you are struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-TALK. Be well. You are loved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Upworthy writer Parker Molloy has been unapologetically out and feisty as both a trans person and someone who struggles with depression and anxiety; we chat about why she’s chosen that path and what it means for her in real life. (Next time she’s on we will talk about the Cubs.) Doreen St. Felix of MTV News joins the show to discuss the latest in Clinton campaign autopsies, and the aesthetics of the Trump presidency (and why it’s so important that Michelle’s not wearing J. Crew anymore). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Doucette discusses how he went from traditional Republican to racial justice warrior. MTV political reporter Jane Coaston helps field a call from Marcus in California, who wants to know what to do when your friends say racist stuff they don't realize is racist. Also watch out for a cameo from #husbandofthepod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can’t make it to church this weekend? Get your God and hellfire here! First, a talk with @JeffChu, author of “Does Jesus Really Love Me? A Gay Christian’s Pilgrimage in Search of God in America,” about squaring faith and real life. Then official #friendofthepod @TheRickWilson joins to discuss the Republicans’ thirst for a “presidential” Trump (aint happening, we’re all going to die). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author of “Listen, Liberal” and genuine, actual, #friendofthepod, Tom Frank, stops by to answer the specific question, “With friends like the professional class, does the working class need enemies?” There is much discussion of how much music used to matter, damnit, and how Tom stays angry despite having a lovely family and beautiful life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Disability rights activist Alice Wong jumps right in with the awkward as we discuss who can even say “#cripthevote.” We discuss the coming deluge of #inspiring #promposals involving disabled people, and why she hopes they go away eventually. David Perry, a journalist covering disability issues, talks about avoiding able-ism and best practices for reporters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices