The Nicole Sandler Show

**Program Note*** I had major YouTube issues today, so I finally cut the video and just continued audio only for most of the show. You'll be able to get the full audio podcast on my website at https://nicolesandler.com/11-20-24 or subscribe to the podcast on Spotify (no paywall, though your donations and support are what keep me on the air)... Sorry for the inconvenience.  NS I'm not too keen on the corporate media these days. With a few shining examples to the contrary, most of the media learned nothing from our recent history of presidential election coverage other than how to get even worse at it. I suggested yesterday while talking with Digby that it's time to put together an approved journalist/pundit list of those who can and should be trusted. (It's on my ever growing list of projects on which to embark).Certainly to be included in any such list would be Will Bunch. He's a national columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer. As my friend Laffy says, "If Will Bunch wrote it, you should read it." (The Inquirer does have a paywall, but if you subscribe to Will's newsletter, you can read those for free. https://www.inquirer.com/newsletters/will-bunch/sign-up/ And they have a 6 month subscription deal for $1 right now... But we'll begin with some gratitude at a time when it's truly important to be grateful for so very much...

She really needs no introduction- but in case you haven't been paying attention, Heather "Digby" Parton is one of the OG bloggers who took to this medium at its inception around the turn of the century... She launched her must-read Digby's Hullaballoo, still going strong- these days at digbysblog.net, and writes a regular column for Salon.com. Her words are some of the first I read each day and our conversations are some of my favorite over the many years I've been doing this show. Today is the first time we'll speak since our world turned upside down on Nov 5.If you were here yesterday, you know that I'm not handling this very well. But somehow talking with Digby always helps me see things a bit more clearly. I expect nothing less than that today.

I took last week off to work through my grief, something that I realize will take much longer than a week. But it's a start... I've heard from quite a few listeners who seemed to be suffering with the same symptoms that paralyzed me for the better part of the time since Nov 5. Panic attacks know no logic and they're relentless. As you regular listeners know, I don't hold much back. Today I'll attempt to share as much as I can without falling apart. But here's where we can help each other. So please use this show as a group therapy session for as long as we need it. I'll bring on the guests who can help us through it. Although there's not much I find funny right now, we'll try to bring it anyway because laughter IS the best medicine. Today is Monday... Although I've been mostly diligent about keeping my distance from the news, we must face reality at some point. So Jonathan Larsen is here from TheFuckingNews.substack.com to clue us in on what's been happening.

From 5-22-24, Nicole Sandler speaks with Federico Finchelstein, author of THE WANNABE FASCISTS: A GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING THE GREATEST THREAT TO DEMOCRACY

Originally aired 3-27-24 - Nicole Sandler speaks with Barb McQuade about her book, ATTACK FROM WITHIN

From 3-6-24, Tom Schaller and Paul Waldman joined Nicole Sandler to talk about their new book, WHITE RURAL RAGE.

I'm out this week taking care of my mental health, so I'm running some shows from this year that deserve another listen, especially right now. Today, from January 16: The Trump slide into fascism has brought with it some dangerous new trends like the banning of books, whitewashing history and a massive backsliding of personal rights like abortion and bodily autonomy. One of the most heinous attacks has been on the rights of people to live their own authentic lives.I’ve been hyper-focused on what’s going on in Florida as I lived there for much of my life. The current governor is the worst in the country when it comes to pushing his own perverted sense of morals on the rest of the nation from his sickening directives like the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, prohibitions on African American studies AP high school courses and 6-week abortion ban for a start.Now, as the legislative session began this week, we learn of new legislation that would outlaw transgender adults. Really. I’m not overstating that.I learned of this latest outrage last week though an article at Alternet written by one of today’s guests. Erin Reed, aka Erin in the Morning, whose substack of the same name reports on trans and queer news and legislation so that we’re all aware of what is going on.Erin and I will be joined by our old friend ‘Boca’ Britany Somers, host of The Brit Somers Show, a trans woman trying to live her life in Floriduh.

We're still here. A bit battered and tattered and dejected, but we're grieving. We'll get through this. Today, Marcy Wheeler of emptywheel.net has a bit of a reality check for us. There's no sugar coating it, it's bad. But not ALL of it is bad. And I'll share some small good news too. We could all use some more of that. Breathe....

I was hoping that after the uncertainty cleared and we got past Nov 5 that things would return to a surreal sort of sanity, but I'm not sure sane will be part of the American lexicon again. It would be very easy for me to remain in bed with the blankets pulled up over my head to avoid dealing with the world, but that certainly wouldn't end well. Thankfully, one of my favorite journalists - one who's not afraid to speak truth to power- Brian Karem (Salon.com, JustAskTheQuestion.com, "Free the Press"...) agreed to join me today to help me somehow get through the first show after TFG somehow managed to con his way back in to the White House. I'll be honest with you. Well, I always am, though I try to hide the extremes of my feelings. But this time just feels worse. I'm not sure how we proceed. Brian doesn't hold back. We'll see what gems of wisdom he can impart today.

Here we go... it's the last Emptywheel Friday episode before this election finally comes to a close. I've been struggling with awful anxiety for the last couple of weeks and have been off the air much of this week due to that. Another reason to be grateful for Marcy Wheeler's friendship and brilliance... Find and support Marcy's work at emptywheel.net. And you can always find me at nicolesandler.com