The Muckrake Political Podcast

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss Mitt Romney saying the quiet part out loud: Congress was motivated to force TikTok to sell because they didn't like how they couldn't control the media narrative. They then welcome on the show Dr. Roberto J. Gonzalez of San Jose State University, who is the author of War Virtually: The Quest to Automate Conflict, Militarize Data, and Predict the Future. They discuss his article "How Big Tech and Silicon Valley are Transforming the Military-Industrial Complex": https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/files/cow/imce/papers/2023/2024/Silicon%20Valley%20MIC.pdf To gain access to a bonus episode every Friday, as well as exclusive live episodes and electoral analysis, head over to Patreon and become a patron.

This is a preview episode of The Muckrake Podcast's Patreon show that happens every Friday. To unlock the full show and a host of other great things, visit http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss the latest escalation of college campus protests and the use of police force to break up encampments. Joe Biden finally weighed in and it's about as tepid as you can imagine. They pivot to the latest reporting on what a 2nd Trump administration would look like and it's frightening both in its authoritarianism and full throated support by so many GOP members.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman can't believe what they heard from former Attorney General Bill Barr, who has explicitly stated why Trump is not fit to be President, yet will gladly vote for him again this year. They discuss what a prison term would be like for our former president before shifting to our friend Ted Cruz, who's under investigation for violating campaign finance laws surrounding his not awesome podcast. They finish on an Atlantic piece that surmises the problems we face now are rooted in the protest movement of the '60s. #GoodTimes To gain access to a bonus episode every Friday, as well as exclusive live episodes and electoral analysis, head over to Patreon and become a patron.

This is a preview episode of The Muckrake Podcast's Patreon show that happens every Friday. To unlock the full show and a host of other great things, visit http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast As more and more protests happen across the country on college campuses, co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss where this is all headed. They pivot to an interesting discussion about a feud between the New York Times and the Biden administration that transcends the usual stuff, before finishing on Trump's trials and Ben Shapiro's rejection of Tucker Carlson.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss the pro Palestinian protests on the campus of Columbia University and the poor response by the administration, including sending in the NYPD to arrest people. They shift to the impending House bill brought forth by speaker Mike Johnson and how it could lead to the end of his reign, before talking about the Comstock Act and what it means to protecting abortion rights.

This is a preview episode of The Muckrake Podcast's Patreon show that happens every Friday. To unlock the full show and a host of other great things, visit http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss Tom Cotton's call for violence against protesters in Arkansas, while Mike Johnson fights for his job as he moves to put funding for Ukraine to the floor for a vote. They then move on to the drastic moves the University of Texas is making in the wake of the state abolishing DEI.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman get into a discussion about the Iranian attack on Israel, what prompted it, and what Netanyahu might do in response. They shift gears to the Trump trials as they are set to begin if Trump can actually stay awake during the proceedings. And they finish on the most recent David Brook Op-Ed in the New York Times celebrating the managerial class. To gain access to a bonus episode every Friday, as well as exclusive live episodes and electoral analysis, head over to Patreon and become a patron.

This is a preview episode of The Muckrake Podcast's Patreon show that happens every Friday. To unlock the full show and a host of other great things, visit http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss the death of OJ Simpson and what his place was in our culture. They shift to the Supreme Court of Arizona's ruling that allows an 1864 law on abortion to remain on the books before dissecting whether or not we've already witnessed the death of rock 'n roll.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss the latest speech Donald Trump gave that appears to moderate his stance on abortion, if you believe that. They then move to the war in Ukraine and what the possible end game is for both countries, before analyzing the situation in Israel as it gets more and more dire. To gain access to a bonus episode every Friday, as well as exclusive live episodes and electoral analysis, head over to Patreon and become a patron.

Both of the boys are in studio this week, and thank god, it's a big ol' show. Donald Trump gets bailed out of his bail-bond by a billionaire who made his bones on sub-prime car loans. Because of course he is. Then, the Right is reacting in a totally normal and not-at-all weird way to the solar eclipse, AI is here to save fast-food, retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer chimes in with an ode to going to the opera with his best friends - the Justices who want to destroy democracy. To hear the full episode and support The Muckrake Podcast, become a patron at Patreon.com/muckrakepodcast. You'll get an extra show every week, get to hang out during live shows, and get all the exclusive election shows and analysis.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman comment on the new horse race as the media loves when these things get close, despite more and more erratic behavior from Donald Trump. They then discuss how far Matt Taibbi has fallen and what the cause of his about face was, before analyzing an op-ed in defense of John Eastman written by none other than... his kids. To gain access to a bonus episode every Friday, as well as exclusive live episodes and electoral analysis, head over to Patreon and become a patron.

Nick Hauselman is still out and about, leaving Jared Yates Sexton to tackle some recent stories, including the revelation that Donald Trump was likely bought off by a TikTok investor, RFK Jr. naming his chief donor his running-mate, NYC deploying AI surveillance, and a deep-dive into a truly wild Ross Douthat column wrestling with "the liberal sex crisis." This is a preview of the subscriber-exclusive Weekender episode. To gain access to a bonus show every Friday, as well as exclusive analysis and live shows, head over to Patreon and become a patron today.

Nick Hauselman is out and about, leaving Jared Yates Sexton to talk with Danielle Moodie, host of Woke AF and co-host of Democracy-ish and The New Abnormal. They discuss how our court and political systems continue to aid wealthy, white men like Donald Trump and the many things holding America back. To gain access to a bonus episode every Friday, as well as exclusive live episodes and electoral analysis, head over to Patreon and become a patron.

This is Nick and Jared's first Muckrake Podcast live episode, broadcasting from Pete Dominick's Pod Jam. We get into Donald Trump's money problems, willingness to be bought off by foreign countries, general GOP debauchery, and then we take questions from our listeners. If you want to hear the whole thing and get access to every Weekender episode, as well as exclusive 2024 Campaign coverage, head over to Patreon.com.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and NIck Hauselman discuss Trump's latest rally in which he foments more hatred and authoritarianism, aided by the media's coverage of him. They then discuss Elon Musk's contract with the US Government to build them spy satellites, before finishing on the dire situation in Haiti. EXCITING NEWS: Jared and Nick will be recording the podcast LIVE in VEGAS as part of Pete Dominick's Stand Up PodJam that takes place March 22-23 in Henderson, Nevada. Click HERE for info and tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/stand-up-podjam For more Muckrake, including access to the Weekender show on Fridays and live tapings, head over to Patreon and become patron of the show.

This is a preview episode of The Muckrake Podcast's Patreon show that happens every Friday. To unlock the full show and a host of other great things, visit http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman can't believe that the government appeared to function for a minute... to ban TikTok in the United States. Of course it's to benefit corporate America who would be more than happy to swoop in and be the buyers in a forced sale. They move on the shit show at Boeing, a company in charge of our safety who intentionally cut corners and deals with the government so they wouldn't be criminally charged. And they finish off discussing RFK Jr.'s potential VP pick. EXCITING NEWS: Jared and Nick will be recording the podcast LIVE in VEGAS as part of Pete Dominick's Stand Up PodJam that takes place March 22-23 in Henderson, Nevada. Click HERE for info and tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/stand-up-podjam

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman do a post mortem on the Republican's response to Joe Biden's State of the Union address, and just add Britt to the long list of casualties who have seen their political careers stalled. The GOP has been fully taken over by MAGA, as none other than Donald Trump Jr. lets us know. They then discuss Elon Musk visiting with Trump and how that will affect the upcoming presidential race. EXCITING NEWS: Jared and Nick will be recording the podcast LIVE in VEGAS as part of Pete Dominick's Stand Up PodJam that takes place March 22-23 in Henderson, Nevada. Click HERE for info and tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/stand-up-podjam For more Muckrake, including access to the Weekender show on Fridays and live tapings, head over to Patreon and become patron of the show.

This is a preview episode of The Muckrake Podcast's Patreon show that happens every Friday. To unlock the full show and a host of other great things, visit http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss their immediate reactions to Joe Biden's final State of the Union address of his first term. With plenty of energy and force, Biden delivered a strong message on a range of topics, but also dropped several verbal miscues to give us quite the roller coaster. EXCITING NEWS: Jared and Nick will be recording the podcast LIVE in VEGAS as part of Pete Dominick's Stand Up PodJam that takes place March 22-23 in Henderson, Nevada. Click HERE for info and tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/stand-up-podjam

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss the unanimous decision by SCOTUS to keep Donald Trump on the ballot on Colorado. They pivot to Super Tuesday and how Trump will most likely sweep, sending Nikki Haley out of the race altogether. This leads to some analysis on the latest New York Times poll that indicates Joe Biden needs to get a lot more active in a hurry. EXCITING NEWS: Jared and Nick will be recording the podcast LIVE in VEGAS as part of Pete Dominick's Stand Up PodJam that takes place March 22-23 in Henderson, Nevada. Click HERE for info and tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/stand-up-podjam For more Muckrake, including access to the Weekender show on Fridays and live tapings, head over to Patreon and become patron of the show.

This is a preview episode of The Muckrake Podcast's Patreon show that happens every Friday. To unlock the full show and a host of other great things, visit http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss the SCOTUS taking up the absolute immunity case in April and whether they might just grant Trump immunity from everything. They then say Adios, muchachos to Republican Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell and all his awful methods that set back democracy by decades. And then they answer many of your great questions. EXCITING NEWS: Jared and Nick will be recording the podcast LIVE in VEGAS as part of Pete Dominick's Stand Up PodJam that takes place March 22-23 in Henderson, Nevada. Click HERE for info and tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/stand-up-podjam

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman have to discuss the disgusting rhetoric and symbolism coming out of the latest CPAC, including Charlie Kirk calling for public execution of political foes. In a not-unsurpsising turn of events, Ronna McDaniel steps down as RNC chair, and Taylor Lorenz sat down with the Libs Of TIkTok for an enlightening (not really) conversation. EXCITING NEWS: Jared and Nick will be recording the podcast LIVE in VEGAS as part of Pete Dominick's Stand Up PodJam that takes place March 22-23 in Henderson, Nevada. Click HERE for info and tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/stand-up-podjam For more Muckrake, including access to the Weekender show on Fridays and live tapings, head over to Patreon and become patron of the show.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman will be going LIVE on Saturday, Feb 24th at 8:30 PM EST to discuss the aftermath of the South Carolina Primary - don't miss it by signing up to Patreon: http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast On today's episode abbreviated version of their Patreon show, Jared and Nick pull apart the complicated news that the Republicans main witness for the Biden corruption case was charged with lying to federal agents and admitted he got his info from Russian spies. Because, of course he did. They move on to the more concerning issues of deeply conservative law makers making an assault on reproductive rights, particularly in the South. And they finish up answering great questions from you, the Muckrake community. EXCITING NEWS: Jared and Nick will be recording the podcast LIVE in VEGAS as part of Pete Dominick's Stand Up PodJam that takes place March 22-23 in Henderson, Nevada. Click HERE for info and tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/stand-up-podjam

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman are joined by Max Burns, who is a democratic strategist, political columnist, and a founder of Third Degree Strategies, to discuss what the Democrats are doing and not doing in order to win the upcoming elections in November. Sign up for our Patreon to get access to our LIVE Show coming up on Saturday, February 24th at 8:30 PM EST plus a host of other benefits at: http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast

EXCITING NEWS: Jared and Nick will be recording the podcast LIVE in VEGAS as part of Pete Dominick's Stand Up PodJam that takes place March 22-23 in Henderson, Nevada. Click HERE for info and tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/stand-up-podjam This is a preview episode of The Muckrake Podcast's Patreon show that happens every Friday. To unlock the full show and a host of other great things, visit http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss the pickup of a Congressional seat in New York vacated by the disgraced George Santos and whether the Democrats can figure out how to frame the upcoming races in November. They then get into the historical context of the report that the Russians have some sort of space weapon that we all should be afraid of, before waxing poetic on the potential Machin/Romney presidential ticket.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman provide crucial historical context to why Trump's NATO statements this weekend are damaging to the world order. What makes it all worse is that Republicans are full-throatedly supporting his position. Trump then throws some casual misoginy Nikki Haley's way, as he always does, which normalizes this behavior. They finish up by examining Joe Biden's personal twitter feed and how it inflames the conspiracy cultists out there rather than win points among his supporters. EXCITING NEWS: Jared and Nick will be recording the podcast LIVE in VEGAS as part of Pete Dominick's Stand Up PodJam that takes place March 22-23 in Henderson, Nevada. Click HERE for info and tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/stand-up-podjam

Nick Hauselman is out for the day, leaving Jared Yates Sexton to fill his chair - luckily, Jared was able to rope famed economist Dr. Richard Wolff to join him to talk about why economic news isn't everything, what's going on with the declining American empire, and so much more. For those interested in joining Jared and the Pete Dominick crew for the Stand Up PodJam in Las Vegas/Henderson, NV March 22-March 23rd shindig, here's the link for tickets and other info: https://events.humanitix.com/stand-up-podjam

This is a preview of our full episode that you can access over at http://Patreon.com/muckrakepodcast Become a member today and help us maintain our editorial independence as well as unlock a lot of special features like live shows and our private discord. Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman had to talk about the latest news of a 32 year old man in Pennsylvania who not only killed his father by beheading him, but live streamed it to the world, all because his father worked for the federal government. Add to this the news that a caravan of American citizens are driving down to the border to make some sort of statement about the immigration crisis at the border, and we're moving towards a real crisis. They finish the show with a breakdown of the latest David Brooks article in The Atlantic that purports to take the temperature of the country and gets things amazingly wrong.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss the escalation of violence in the Middle East as 3 Americans were killed in an attack by Iranian backed militants, and how Joe Biden should handle the response. They then turn to a NEWSFLASH: Republicans obstructing their own bi-partisan deal just so they can claim a political win in November as Biden has started echoing Trump on his border policies. Nancy Pelosi intimates that the Russians are funding pro Palestinian protests in the United States, as one does, and the pod finishes on a bizarre rap song recorded by none other than MC Ben Shapiro. For more Muckrake, including access to the Weekender show on Fridays and live tapings, head over to Patreon and become patron of the show.

This is a preview of our full episode that you can access over at http://Patreon.com/muckrakepodcast Become a member today and help us maintain our editorial independence as well as unlock a lot of special features like live shows and our private discord. Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss how Texas governor Greg Abbott is defying the Supreme Court's ruling by rolling out more barriers to keep migrants from entering the country, while also making it inhuman and unsafe. Next up, a robo-call using a fake Joe Biden voice went around New Hampshire, previewing the nightmare of what AI has to bring for all public figures. And they finish on a spicy conspiracy Fox News is spreading about the CIA and Taylor Swift.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss the 2 person race in New Hampshire as the Republican Primaries lurch along. With Haley seemingly so far behind, it is clear Donald Trump will lock up the nomination and that is a direct threat to our democracy. Speaking of threats - AI is going to become more prevalent in our lives and in our educational system and that frightens us all to no end. They wrap up with some hopeful news as thousands of Germans take to the street to protest against a fascist movement that has echoes of the Nazi Party. For more Muckrake, including our LIVE SHOW tonight after the New Hampshire primary, as well as access to the Weekender show on Fridays and live tapings, head over to Patreon and become patron of the show.

This is a preview of our full episode that you can access over at http://Patreon.com/muckrakepodcast Become a member today and help us maintain our editorial independence as well as unlock a lot of special features like live shows and our private discord. Jared and Nick cover the latest Trump defense that he says requires Presidents to have absolute immunity to do their jobs. While he's not wrong, it's not to cover war crimes like past presidents, but to grift uncontrollably for self enrichment. They pivot to the New Hampshire primary and how it's Nikki Haley's last stand while Ron DeSantis bails for South Carolina. And they finish with a discussion about the latest events in the Middle East as tensions are high and hostilities are expanding.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman recorded this immediately after the Iowa Caucus wrapped up its voting, weighing in on the surge by Nikki Haley only to still finish behind Ron DeSantis. Trump got over 50% of the vote to finish with a strong showing despite hardly campaigning in Iowa, and now it's on to New Hampshire where DeSantis will most likely end his campaign while Haley will hold on for dear life until at least South Carolina. For more Muckrake, including access to the Weekender show on Fridays and live tapings, head over to Patreon and become patron of the show.

Jared Yates Sexton managed to make it to Iowa despite UNGODLY conditions. Anyway. He went to a Nikki Haley rally, talked with a GOP strategist, and got the lay of the land in Iowa, where the race is getting very, very weird. To gain access to the full episode and support The Muckrake Podcast, head over to Patreon and become a patron.

This is a preview of our full episode that you can access over at http://Patreon.com/muckrakepodcast Become a member today and help us maintain our editorial independence as well as unlock a lot of special features like live shows and our private discord. Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss a legal theory being floated by one of Trump's lawyers that makes him completely immune from crimes unless he's impeached. Good times. They then discuss Chris Christie's speech announcing the end of his political career, before dissecting the ramifications of Boeing cutting corners while building their airplanes.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman dissect the choices the Supreme Court has after Donald Trump was found guilty of leading an insurrection and thrown off the ballot in Colorado. They discuss a leak to the press that described a meeting between Joe Biden and Barack Obama, wherein the former president wanted specific changes to the Biden campaign that haven't happened yet. For more Muckrake, including access to the Weekender show on Fridays and live tapings, head over to Patreon and become patron of the show.

Nick Hauselman is still globe-hopping, leaving Jared Yates Sexton to keep the show going. He gets into Nikki Haley's answer about the causes of the Civil War, the state of the GOP Primary, and the worsening media landscape. Then? A whole slew of great listener questions. This is a preview of The Weekender episode. To listen to the whole show, and support The Muckrake Podcast, head over to Patreon and subscribe.

Jared Yates Sexton is hosting the podcast while Nick Hauselman is out of the country. Luckily, bestselling author Sarah Kendzior stops by to talk 2024, the worsening political crisis, and how we can begin to fight back against this authoritarian threat. This is a must listen. For access to the weekly Weekender Show and exclusive reportage from the 2024 Presidential Election, head over to Patreon and subscribe.

This is a preview of our full episode that you can access over at http://Patreon.com/muckrakepodcast Become a member today and help us maintain our editorial independence as well as unlock a lot of special features like live shows and our private discord. Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman finish this crazy year of 2023 with a mailbag, filled with penetrating and insightful questions from you: our cherished Muckrake community.

Nick Hauselman is out, but Jared Yates Sexton is sitting down with Karl Folk, Founder of the Institute of Unreality, to discuss the fascist threat, 2024, and the need for direction if we're going to move forward and get out of this mess. For more Muckrake, including access to the Weekender show on Fridays and live tapings, head over to Patreon and become patron of the show.

This is a preview of our full episode that you can access over at http://Patreon.com/muckrakepodcast Become a member today and help us maintain our editorial independence as well as unlock a lot of special features like live shows and our private discord. Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman dive DEEP into Stanley Kubrick's last film starring then husband and wife Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. While Jared explores the socioeconomic statements and cultural impact this movie had, Nick focuses on the filmmaking and structure, making for a fascinating discussion on an indelible film.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss the implosion. of Ron DeSantis's campaign ahead of the Iowa Caucus and what that means for Nikki Haley's fortunes. They shift to another bombshell report about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas's taking advantage of his position to enrich his lifestyle, before discussing 2023 and its most important news stories.

This is a preview of our full episode that you can access over at http://Patreon.com/muckrakepodcast Become a member today and help us maintain our editorial independence as well as unlock a lot of special features like live shows and our private discord. Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss the House vote to begin the Impeachment Inquiry and why the Republicans are doing it despite no evidence. They then delve into an article by George Packer about the shift of working class people to the Republican party. They finish on a report that reveals organized retail theft was really just a myth.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss the return of raspy conspiracy sayer Alex Jones to the website formerly known as Twitter, and how Musk is "getting the band back together," if you will. They then turn to Liz Magill resigning from Penn after her appearance last week in front of congress. To support the show and gain access to the weekly Weekender episode on Fridays, head over to Patreon and become a patron.

This is a preview of our full episode that you can access over at http://Patreon.com/muckrakepodcast Become a member today and help us maintain our editorial independence as well as unlock a lot of special features like live shows and our private discord. What a week for the GOP, as co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman go through Trump telling everyone he'd be a dictator, but just on the first day of his presidency so that's okay. George Santos was kicked out, Kevin McCarthy is quitting early, and it's no surprise people have lost faith in government. They end with a discussion of the three college presidents (Harvard, Penn, MIT) going before Congress to answer hypotheticals - and it didn't go well for them.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss the Israeli government's ineptitude both with the fore knowledge of a Hamas attack and the response time on October 7th. They shift back to the US where Nikki Haley is going to push Ron DeSantis off the debate stage on Wednesday, and finish with a conversation about the media's narrative of where women stand in today's society.

Jared goes solo on Henry Kissinger's poisonous legacy as one of the most destructive and despicable human beings of the 20th century and then answers some listener questions. To gain access to the full episode and support the show, head over to Patreon and become a patron of the Muckrake Podcast.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss the latest in the Republican presidential primary as we are under 50 days until the Iowa caucus. Then Jared expresses some real concern about big name right wing pundits espousing the wonder of Big Tobacco before they finish up on the threat of AI taking over military tactical decisions.

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss the reports that a cease fire between Hamas and Israel might be negotiated in exchange for hostages. As Elon Musk continues to spread antisemitism, more and more advertisers are pulling out, leaving the business of X to wither, dragging everyone else down with it in terms of public discourse. And they finish with a talk about the new president of Argentina and what conditions on the ground were like that enabled an authoritarian to be elected.

This is a preview of our full episode that you can access over at http://Patreon.com/muckrakepodcast Become a member today and help us maintain our editorial independence as well as unlock a lot of special features like live shows and our private discord. Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman go through the utterly bizarre episode between GOP Senator Markwayne Mullin and Teamsters leader Sean O'Brien, as Bernie Sanders had to quell a potential fight in Senate chambers. They continue on through the clown show of the Republican Party as new Speaker Mike Johnson is already in hot water, and they finish up discussing the protest outside DNC headquarters in the name of a cease fire in Gaza

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss Donald Trump's rhetoric on the campaign trail, and how it could widen his base despite being rooted in fascistic Naziism. Joe Manchin is "retiring" as he realizes he couldn't win another West Virginia Senate race, and wants to play spoiler in the presidential contest. They finish off the pod by talking about The Rock weighing a political bid plus how the right wing concocts their own ridiculousness, in this case Ouija Boards and AI, and then scare themselves with it endlessly. To support the show and gain access to the weekly Weekender episode on Fridays, head over to Patreon and become a patron.