The Latest

Teri Kanefield writes about the fallout from the Ronna McDaniel hiring on MSNBC, highlighting the potential clash between McDaniel's persona and the network's audience.

David Pepper found out this week that the bizarro reaction from "blue checks" on Twitter doesn't mean sea levels aren't rising, but does confirm that the swamp of right-wing disinformation and conspiracies on the social media platform is rising even faster. And yes, we know His Imperial Weirdness changed the name to X, but we're not calling it that because even wackadoodle-billionaire-fascist-huggers can't always get what they want.

Brian Daitzman writes of FOX, "The network’s consistent propagation of divisive narratives and misinformation, particularly concerning election integrity and public health guidelines, exemplifies a business model that prioritizes profit margins over accurate reporting and ethical journalism."

The Founders left it to states to decide whether Black people should be free or enslaved, so Trump appears to advocate letting them decide whether Women should be free or enslaved.

It feels like all anyone wants to talk about these days is how AI is taking over. Well, we thought it time to have an expert on to break it all down. In this episode Rick speaks with AI expert Daniel Faggella in a comprehensive discussion on the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence. They speak to the implications of AI on the workforce, economy, and society, examining both the current state and future possibilities. Faggella brings insights from his experience in market research, discussing how AI is reshaping industries from legal to entertainment. They explore the concept of artificial general intelligence (AGI), its accelerated timeline, and potential societal impacts. The conversation also touches on the role of AI in politics, the concept of a political singularity, and the ethical considerations of AI development.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson said he wouldn't endorse Biden in 2024. He also didn't endorse or praise Trump. Fox News tried to make a lot out of random celebrities complaining about things. Kid Rock praised Trump while failing to disclose that Budweiser is sponsoring his latest music tour. The Five blamed an earthquake on Democrats. There was a lot of bigotry against transgender people. Matt Whitaker misrepresented Bill Clinton's sock drawer scandal along with the Presidential Records Act.

There is no new normal in politics. Rick, Stuart, and Joe explain why it's essential that we push back on media narratives that give equal weight to lies, conspiracies, and autocracy (MAGA GOP) and truth, facts, and democracy (The Dems). Also - What it means that the GOP has managed to put two swing states in play in two weeks by ensuring abortion rights will be on the ballot in Florida and now Arizona? The guys go all-in on strategies to capitalize on Republicans' November nightmare scenario.

A deep-dive into John Della Volpe's recent polling on an issue that could go a long way in deciding the outcome of the election.

From Rick Wilson: "We aren’t in a nation where the sensible center will survive if Donald Trump wins. Only one side of the political argument wants their president to govern like a dictator. Only one side believes that the President is above the law — if his name is Donald Trump."

Stuart Stevens writes, "A child could see that a presidential candidate paying a porn star $130,000 twelve days before the election was a campaign-related expenditure and should have been reported on FEC filings. That it wasn’t reported was a clear FEC violation – if the FEC was even a quasi-serious enforcement agency. Trump's denials of any sexual relationship with Daniels would make him the first man ever to pay a porn star $130,000 not to have sex."

The participation of talented young people is a critical element in a functioning democracy. On this episode, Rick sits down with Gevin Reynolds, a rising figure in Democratic politics with experience in the Biden White House. They dive into the 2024 campaign landscape, focusing on Biden's presidency and the strategic positioning of the Democratic party. Reynolds shares insights on the administration's handling of crises like COVID-19, economic challenges, and racial justice issues. The discussion also touches on Vice President Harris's role and public perception, the impact of recent State of the Union addresses, and the evolving political dynamics among young and minority voters.

Joe and Alex discuss a bombshell New York Times piece from our friend Tom Edsall on just how deep the Trump dark money apparatus goes -- over 100 groups, $2 billion in funding... and very little of it out in the open. Why Project 2025 is a blueprint for turning America into a pro-Trump authoritarian state. What are we supposed to do about it? Then, Joe and Alex explain why right-wing pollsters have the media trapped in a false polling narrative -- why is the mainstream media so obsessed with pro-Trump polling?

Fox desperately tried to blame Biden or Pete Buttigieg for the bridge collapse in Baltimore. As soon as they couldn't find a political angle for the story they dropped it. Greg Gutfeld got jealous of Stephen Colbert. Judge Jeanine couldn't tell the difference between a civil and criminal bond. Juliet covers this & all of the other silly stories of FOX news.

Teri Kanefield; "History doesn’t repeat, it rhymes. In our current media disruption, as in the late nineteenth century, sensationalism is emphasized over facts."

Simon Rosenberg dives into the latest 2024 election polls showing Biden's lead, updates on the GOP primary voting, internal GOP opposition to Trump, the Maryland Senate race, and fundraising efforts for Democratic candidates.

Abortion and weed are on the ballot in Florida. Rick Wilson takes a look at how the FL GOP stumbled their way to placing themselves at ground zero in November.

Brian Daitzman writes, "Trump is infamous for his spontaneous outbursts of sensitive information. His reckless disclosure of classified intelligence to Russian officials in 2017 starkly highlighted his disregard for the protocols safeguarding national security secrets. This incident, among others, showcased a pattern of behavior that risked compromising the operational security of U.S. intelligence efforts and the lives of those involved."

David Pepper writes, "Most have no clue their own dollars are playing such a big role in Ohio politics. Still, struggling Ohioans have been bankrolling the campaigns of powerful Ohio politicians for years."