The Nicole Sandler Show

A bit of what's news for now

It's Monday. A new week with a whole lot of news, most of it not good at all. Putin's war on Ukraine is raging -- President Zelinsky says many thousands of Ukrainians have been killed, and he needs help from the rest of the world. Inflation continues growing (a global problem not unique to the US) and gas prices keep rising (same thing -- a global problem). The American right is getting scarier by the minute, and they're accusing the left of the evil things they're actually doing. The Former Guy's coup is still ongoing, as the Republicon Party keeps putting the elements in place that will allow them to steal any election going forward. The planet continues warming and scientists can't make the warnings any more stark than they already are: it's now or never! And the Democrats appear to be in really bad shape as the 2022 Midterm season gets underway. How would the executive editor of a major news magazine prioritize what they cover? I'll ask David Dayen when he joins us today. Dayen is executive editor of the American Prospect, a magazine that is online at prospect.org, needs your donations and subscriptions to do their work, but (like this show) is not behind a paywall.

A bit of what's news for now

We are in deep trouble. By we I mean the citizens of this country and the world. This is not hyperbole. We are in danger of descending into fascism. And the Republicans are doing all the behind the scenes dirty work to be able to pull off the coup they weren't quite able to realize in 2020, but are positioning themselves to do it in both the upcoming midterms and put the final nail in democracy's coffin in 2024. Unless Democrats and all who are anti-fascist get serious about changing the narrative. So, today's guest is the brilliant political scientist Rachel Bitecofer who accurately predicted the Blue Wave in 2018 and knows strategy. She's on a mission to make sure that Democrats retain at least 51 seats in the Senate and 418 in the House, because she knows if the Republicans gain power again, they'll never let it go. We've got our work cut out for us, but you'll have to listen to how Rachel suggests we frame the narrative... Let's do this.

A bit of what's news for now

As I prepare for today's show, I'm listening to the final vote confirming Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the US Supreme Court, making her the first Black woman to join the court. Unfortunately, what should have been a simple vote is being delayed by the antics of Rand Paul who, for some reason, is holding up the proceedings. She already has 53 AYE votes, enough for confirmation, so what's the holdup? My patience is wearing thin with these sorry excuses for human beings. It's Thursday, so Howie Klein of Down with Tyranny and the Blue America PAC is here... it's been a busy day so far, and only promises to get a bit busier... and of course, we've yet to discover what Rand Paul's problem is (though that's been the case for years already)!

A bit of what's news for now

With so much going on that I don't know which way to turn first, I figured it was time to call Digby. Heather "Digby" Parton is one of the original OG progressive bloggers. Digby's Hullabaloo has been spreading truth for coming up on 20 years now, and she's still saying what needs to be said, both at digbysblog.net and now also in her regular column at Salon.com. Today, everything's on the table for discussion-- from Ukraine to DC, Floriduh to Oklahoma, to the Russia-supporting Republicans who appear to be poised to take back control of at least one of the houses of Congress... Digby is my guest for most of the hour today on the show...

A bit of what's news, for now

... and Zelinsky, Obama, Biden and more! It's a busy week... Ketanji Brown Jackson will be confirmed to the US Supreme Court before this week ends. Barack Obama visited the White House for the first time since 2017. Ukrainian President Zelinsky address the UN Security Council today and held nothing back, including the most sickening video I've ever seen. And so much more happening... It's a good thing today is the *other* Tuesday and @GottaLaff is here to talk with about it all...