u/Phatbrew

Molly Jong-Fast welcomes journalist Jim Acosta for a wide-ranging, fast-paced discussion that begins with breaking news about the Trump administration pursuing charges tied to the 1996 “Brothers to the Rescue” incident and quickly expands into a broader critique of Trump-era foreign policy brinkmanship, including fears of destabilizing Cuba and triggering a major refugee crisis in South Florida. Acosta draws on his personal background as the child of a Cuban refugee to question what an anti-asylum administration would do if intervention led to mass displacement, while both hosts connect the moment to a larger theme of escalating global entanglements and chaotic governance. The episode then pivots to domestic politics and corruption allegations—slush funds, taxpayer-funded projects, and Trump’s behavior online—before closing on Republican intraparty power struggles, the consequences for figures like Bill Cassidy and Thomas Massey, the fight over releasing Epstein files, and the high-stakes Texas contest featuring John Cornyn and Ken Paxton as a test of Trump’s influence.

While most local officials struggle with nationwide economic uncertainty, NYC Mayor Zoran Mamdani successfully wiped out a massive $12 billion deficit inherited from the previous administration in under 200 days. Audrey Kemp breaks down his unapologetic strategy to tax the rich, manage the establishment's palpable fear of capital flight, and build strategic alliances with moderate pragmatists like Governor Kathy Hochul to pass bold progressive measures.

Marine and Army veteran Graham Platner, who is running to unseat incumbent Republican Susan Collins, says Americans are sick of endless wars — and he isn’t buying Trump’s promise to keep the country out of another one.

In this exchange with Bobby Jones, Platner argues that war is sold to the public as patriotism while defense contractors and billionaires cash in. “It is people in D.C. who know nothing of buckets of blood,” he says, warning that working people are the ones left paying the price through higher gas prices, closed hospitals, underfunded schools, and unaffordable housing.

Full interview will be released tomorrow May 21

00:00 Trump promised “no more forever wars”
00:42 Platner: Americans are sick of war
01:14 “Buckets of blood” and defense contractors
01:56 How war hits kitchen-table costs
02:43 Working people are asking the same questions
03:23 Foreign wars vs. investing at home

Stuart Stevens says Bill Cassidy’s downfall is the perfect warning to every Republican who thought going along with Trump would protect them.

Cassidy compromised on RFK Jr., tried to survive MAGA, and still got purged — because Trump’s Republican Party never rewards dignity, only surrender.

Joe Trippi and Joe Klein break down what Trump’s latest Republican primary wins may really mean for the GOP — and why those “victories” could become a major liability heading into 2026.

They discuss Trump’s purge of Bill Cassidy, the GOP’s narrowing MAGA base, redistricting backfires in the South, rising Democratic energy in Alabama and Texas, Trump’s foreign policy weakness, Netanyahu’s influence, AIPAC’s role in congressional races, and the legacy of Barney Frank’s blunt warning to Democrats.

Chapters

00:00 Fear Itself
00:17 Welcome to Two Joes
00:46 Bill Cassidy’s Warning After Trump’s Purge
02:21 Trump Can Lose by Winning
03:51 The GOP Is Splitting Under Trump
05:06 Trump’s Worst Week Yet?
07:01 Why GOP Gerrymandering Could Backfire
08:02 Black and Latino Voters Are Moving Away From Trump
09:03 Alabama Turnout Warning Signs
11:11 Texas Redistricting May Not Save Republicans
12:24 AIPAC, Netanyahu, and American Jewish Politics
16:01 Joe Trippi on Netanyahu
18:49 Joe Klein on Bibi, Trump, and Iran
21:00 Trump’s Approval Collapse
21:19 Remembering Barney Frank
23:04 Barney Frank’s Final Warning to Democrats
24:32 Why Democrats Need the Center
25:46 Joe Trippi’s Barney Frank Story
29:03 Barney Frank’s Historic Courage and Humor
30:46 Closing Thoughts

New New York political reporter Audrey Kemp joins Susan Demas on First Draft to pull back the curtain on Mayor Zoran Mamdani's massive first 200 days in office. From wiping out a $12 billion budget deficit inherited from Eric Adams by taxing the wealthy, to launching the city's first publicly operated, union-backed grocery store in the Bronx, Mamdani is turning progressive rhetoric into hard delivery.

Plus, we break down the high-stakes battle for justice in Albany where Epstein survivors are fighting for historic legislation to sue his estate, the alarming uptick in ICE raids targeting New York's immigrant communities, and the tech-money proxy war exploding in the primary for the wealthiest congressional district in America (NY-12).

Subscribe to the Courier NY newsletter at courierny.com to keep up with boots-on-the-ground service journalism.

Head Coach of BYU, Kalani Sitake, tells us what makes Giants 6th round pick, Jack Kelly, a special player, where he excels most on the football field, and how he could best fit on this Giants team.

00:00 - Jack Kelly’s skillset
03:10 - Kelly’s leadership
07:15 - Toughness and intelligence
09:30 - Coverage skills
12:20 - Jack Kelly’s fit with the Giants

Molly Jong-Fast welcomes I've Had It's Jennifer Welch for a wide-ranging, candid conversation about “Trump remorse,” arguing that while some voters—especially younger, low-frequency voters—may be genuinely turning away from Trump, much of the Republican base remains firmly supportive and progressive hopes can be misleading. Drawing on her lived experience in Oklahoma, Jennifer explains how Republican propaganda, cultural grievance politics, and subconscious bias can keep voters aligned with Trump even amid scandals, while also warning that the electorate may remain damaged long after Trump. They discuss internal GOP power plays and the idea that Trump sabotages allies and successors like J.D. Vance, along with the influence of tech oligarchs and billionaire-backed authoritarian ambitions. The episode then pivots to what Democrats should do next, highlighting a rising “up vs. down” populist lane focused on workers versus elites and corporate power, the need for fighters rather than corporate-aligned leaders, and the importance of direct, accessible messaging and aggressive, fast-paced governing if Democrats regain power.

spent years chasing the approval of America’s richest weirdos, fame-hungry celebs, and billionaire clout goblins — and now the whole MAGA celebrity ecosystem is melting down in public. Rick Wilson is joined by legendary comedian Margaret Cho to break down her Choligarchy tour, Hollywood’s transformation into a Trump validation machine, the rise of MAGA influencers and celebrity brain rot, and why so many famous people traded integrity for attention. From celebrity culture and authoritarian politics to Trump’s obsession with elite approval, Rick and Margaret unpack how comedy helped create this broken media circus — and why comedy may be the only thing sharp enough left to fight it. Celebrity meltdowns, billionaire cringe, political chaos, dark humor, Trump, MAGA, Hollywood hypocrisy, fascism, influencers, cancel culture, propaganda, and the collapse of American fame culture — it’s all here.

Margaret Cho’s “Choligarchy” tour is happening now! Find a show near you at https://margaretcho.com/.

Nayyera Haq breaks down how Trump’s Middle East chaos is weakening U.S. alliances, angering Gulf states, and giving China a massive strategic opening. From Saudi Arabia to Taiwan, the world is watching America lose credibility while China positions itself as the power ready to fill the vacuum.

Full episode: https://youtube.com/li...

00:00 What Is the End State?
00:57 Why U.S. Bases May Become Liabilities
02:02 America’s Gulf Strategy Is Breaking
03:07 Saudi Arabia and 9/11’s Underreported Story
04:37 Are Gulf States Angry at Trump?
05:55 The U.S. Looks Unreliable
06:57 China Watches America Get Distracted
07:48 Trump’s China Trip
08:20 China Wants America’s EV Market
09:01 Trump Is Hiding How Far America Fell
09:34 China Played Trump