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Very happy to be joined on the show today by Ricardo Fernandez a doctor from Chicago who happened to become close friends with former President Jimmy Carter.We discuss:* Life after the presidency * Obama’s campaign refusing to let him speak at the 2008 DNC* How he reacted to his grandson recording Mitt Romney’s “47%” quoteAnd much more! Politics Politics Politics is a good show. Subscribe for free right here or upgrade to paid!Episode Chapters* [00:00:01] Opening Remarks* [00:01:19] Introduction to Jimmy Carter Special* [00:02:00] Ricardo Fernandez* [00:23:03] TikTok Ban News* [00:24:46] Joe Biden's Farewell Address* [00:29:57] Midterm Polling and Other News* [00:39:59] Jimmy Carter's Final Days This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

Pete Hegseth is your next Secretary of Defense. Nothing from Tuesday’s contentious hearing will likely pluck GOP votes away from him. If anything the histrionics of the Democrats on the panel will make it harder for skeptical Republicans to stray. The way you collapse a nominee when you are in the minority is you give them enough rope to hang themselves. Ask cordial questions that elevate in complexity and hope they screw something up. That is the most likely possibility with Trump’s slate who are being painted as unready and unprepared.They did not do that.Instead we got screeds on Hegseth’s personal history, financial management and his opinion of women. What standing does a Republican Senator have if he is on the side of Sen. Tim Kaine taking the moral high road on infidelity? That being said, even if the Democrats had played a more strategic hand it looks like the GOP had effectively closed ranks. The lynchpin of a potential washout was Iowa’s Joni Ernst and she spent the first portion of her time discussing the importance of a Pentagon audit (the upside of finding someone from outside the traditional drafting grounds for SecDef since DoD has routinely failed audits) and then played home run derby pitcher on the subject of women in the military. Yesterday, Hegseth was the most vulnerable of Trump’s nominees. Today, betting markets pin that honor on Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard.But if the Republicans are on the same page the Democrats are going to take this seriously, then I would bet on the full slate sailing through. Also, on the this podcast…Jen Briney, host of Congressional Dish, joins to discuss the stakes of these hearings and the ideological divides within Trump’s coalition. Dave Levinthal, the money man, is back to discuss Kamala Harris 24 continuing to charge donors months after losing.Chapters* 00:00:00 - Episode Introduction and Live Show Announcement* 00:01:35 - Pete Hegseth's Confirmation Hearing Analysis* 00:10:17 - Breakdown of Trump’s Coalition Cabinet* 00:21:00 - Marco Rubio’s Focus on Foreign Policy* 00:30:00 - Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel: Challenges and Prospects* 00:43:10 - Upcoming Events and Political Updates* 00:52:49 - Dave Levinthal This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

Best I can tell there are two emerging Democratic Lanes in our post-Obama era world…Progressive + Border Hawk In a bygone era, Bernie Sanders got an “A” rating from the NRA and believed increased immigration was a corporatist scheme to drive down union wages. While, he has yet to reload on his 2A cred, he is now back to beating the drum on the economic costs of immigration. I would suspect that progressives will feel more comfortable consciously uncoupling from positions and groups calling for a decriminalized border. New Blue DogsArf! Arf! John Fetterman sees a lot of Trump signs when he drives through the state of Pennsylvania. So why should he fight tooth and nail to keep Pete Hegseth from the Pentagon? If he wants to keep his seat in a state that is trending rightward then maybe picking and choosing his battles with the MAGA agenda is smarter than diametric opposition. Maybe it makes more sense to make face in Mar-A-Lago than to march in defiance. —Either way we have a lot of spaghetti being thrown at the wall and our friend Jeff Maurer is here to help make sense of it. Including whatever the hell Chris Murphy is up to. Chapters4:30 Jeff Maurer35:05 UPDATE - Carter Funeral, Fetterman to MAL, Trump First Executive Orders48:51 Kirk Bado This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

Justin Trudeau, Canada’s long-standing Prime Minister, announced his resignation this week, marking a seismic shift in the nation’s political landscape. Trudeau’s departure comes after nearly a decade as Prime Minister and thirteen years as leader of the Liberal Party. His resignation was not entirely unexpected but has sparked a wave of introspection within Canadian politics.Here is what you need to know if you don’t care about Canada unless they’re playing hockey or changing heads of state as told to us this episode by Evan Scrimshaw.The Breaking Point: Why Trudeau ResignedTrudeau’s decision to step down was a culmination of mounting pressure from within his party and worsening public opinion. In recent months, his leadership faced escalating dissent. A pivotal moment was the resignation of the finance minister, which signaled deep fractures within the Liberal Party. Over the holiday season, Trudeau faced an ultimatum from his caucus—resign or face a vote of no confidence.Several factors contributed to Trudeau’s plummeting support:* Declining Poll Numbers: Trudeau’s approval ratings had been steadily eroding, with the Liberal Party polling over 20 points behind the opposition Conservative Party.* Special Election Defeats: Losing in traditionally strong Liberal ridings signaled waning public support.* Policy Disconnect: While many of Trudeau’s policies were popular in principle, his personal brand had become a liability. Voters who liked Liberal initiatives often dismissed them outright when they were linked to Trudeau.Trudeau’s tenure will be remembered as one of bold progressive initiatives juxtaposed with ethical controversies. On the positive side, his government achieved significant reductions in child poverty, lowered carbon emissions, and introduced affordable childcare programs. Yet, his administration was marred by scandals, including:* Ethics Violations: Pressure on the attorney general to favor a Quebec-based company, SNC-Lavalin, during a corruption probe.* Conflicts of Interest: Controversies surrounding contracts awarded to organizations with personal ties to Trudeau’s family.* Housing Crisis: Critics argue Trudeau’s inaction exacerbated Canada’s housing affordability crisis, with rents and mortgage rates soaring during his leadership.As Scrimshaw put it, Trudeau’s administration embodied “reckless disregard” for ethical boundaries. While these issues might have been survivable individually, collectively, they eroded trust in his leadership.Trudeau’s resignation has thrown the Liberal Party into a leadership race. He will remain interim Prime Minister until March, with no parliamentary sittings until then. Key contenders for his replacement include:* Chrystia Freeland, the current finance minister and one of Trudeau’s closest allies.* Mark Carney, former Bank of Canada and Bank of England Governor.* Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence.* Other candidates, including Francois-Philippe Champagne, Dominic LeBlanc, and former B.C. Premier Christy Clark.The party faces a critical choice: selecting a leader who can halt its decline and prepare it for the next general election. Scrimshaw warns that without decisive leadership, the Liberal Party risks being overtaken by the New Democratic Party (NDP) or marginalized altogether, as seen historically with the UK’s Liberal Party being replaced by Labour.As Trudeau exits, the Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilievre, appears poised to seize power in the next election. Poilievre, a pragmatic and relatively moderate conservative, has maintained focus on fiscal discipline while distancing himself from extreme social conservatism. The scale of the Conservative victory—whether narrow or overwhelming—will shape the trajectory of Canadian politics for years to come.Trudeau’s political obituary is one of contrasts. He entered office as a symbol of youthful energy and progressive ideals, but over time, his administration became a cautionary tale of hubris and ethical lapses. His departure offers an opportunity for renewal within the Liberal Party and Canadian politics at large. Yet, the path forward is fraught with challenges, as the party grapples with its identity and viability in a rapidly shifting political landscape.ChaptersOpening and Introduction (00:00:00–00:00:45)General overview of topics, including Trudeau’s resignation, Zuckerberg’s changes at Meta, and upcoming political discussions.The Revival of Government (00:00:45–00:01:25)Commentary on the return of political activity in the House and the Trump administration’s cabinet hearings.Justin Trudeau Resigns (00:01:25–00:08:45)A detailed discussion of Trudeau’s resignation, his legacy, and the future of the Liberal Party.Global Political Trends and Liberal Party Risks (00:08:45–00:12:15)Insights into parallels between Canadian and UK politics, the Liberal Party’s identity crisis, and risks of being overtaken by the NDP.Future Leadership of the Liberal Party (00:12:15–00:14:22)Breakdown of potential leadership candidates and their implications.Conservatives' Prospects and Pierre Poilievre (00:14:22–00:21:57)Analysis of Poilievre’s leadership style and the Conservative Party’s likely dominance in the next election.Discussion with Tom Merritt on Meta (00:39:00–00:41:07)A conversation with Tom Merritt on the implications of Meta's changes for political and social discourse.The Trump Administration’s Strategy (00:26:23–00:29:56, 00:42:00–00:49:20)Overview of Donald Trump’s legislative plans, reconciliation tactics, and the challenges facing the House and Senate. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

Kamala Harris is the American High Speed Rail candidate.Very expensive. Popular with liberal city dwellers. But ultimately a lot of hype that leads to very little.While she isn't necessarily a poor candidate in every context, she struggled twice on the national stage with median voters first within and then outside of her party. I’m not going to do a blow by blow of her campaign because this is a eulogy and eulogies are broad. So let’s start here:Kamala Harris is from California. Not a bygone version of California. Not Ronald Regan’s California. Not Roger Rabbit’s California. The California over the last two decades. One that saw the rise of San Francisco as a financial and cultural hub AND post-pandemic has become synonymous with progressive failure.That California. If you are a California politician the first decision you need to make when explaining yourself to the nation is: does California suck right now or not?If you say it sucks, then you explain how your beloved home state has fallen victim to the plight of the modern world. Blame capitalism, blame a lack of morals, decry the spread of drugs… if you want to get spicy, blame local or state government. Or you can decide California is great actually, blame the media for spreading a distorted image. Kamala Harris did neither. The only time she mentioned California was in her backstory. Oakland was a prop. But for Presidential candidates, your past is your governing philsophy. And I don’t mean the bullet points she’d recite, (did you know she prosecuted trans-national gangs?) I mean your leadership. Are you a head cracker? Are you a unifier? Are you a turnaround artist? Are you a technocrat? With Kamala, we got a little bit of everything. Which means we got nothing. And I’ll give credit to her campaign staff, who I didn’t think did a great job, because I don’t know that they had much to work with.Kamala Harris lacks dynamism and appeals to a limited audience. She is a highly-touted college quarterback who underperforms in the pros. Based on their initial promise they get a second shot on another team only to be terrible there too. Why do we think the third time is the charm?She emerged from her tenure as San Francisco Attorney General as a let’s-enforce-the-laws liberal and was lauded for it. By the time she became California AG she had liberal wins to notch including legalizing gay marriage. Her election to Senate from the one-party state while impressive for her resume is not indicative of someone with political skill or campaign savvy. Her early wins say more about her than anything that came after because California was on the ascendancy after that. The nation was begining to agree with positions California had taken in the last century: specifically on marijuana and LGBT freedoms. The tide rose and her boat with it. But to be clear: she’s a system product. An assembly line politico. Sleek and shiny but quite possibly purposeless.We saw this when she leaned into progressive messaging while running for president in 2020, it backfired. Some blamed this on her embracing "woke" politics or poor advisers, but the real issue was deeper: she's never had to dig deep and find a compelling version of herself before. She certainly didn’t find it in 2019.True authenticity emerges when voters believe in a politician's core identity—even if they disagree with their views. They sense an underlying worldview driving the candidate forward. Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump all possessed this quality. Harris notably lacked it, exemplifying a broader Democratic Party tendency to believe messaging alone can solve fundamental problems. No amount of messaging could separate Harris from her identity as a politician from America's most progressive state. And she can’t explain it as a stregth or distance herself from it as a weakness.She's not a poor speaker— just uninspiring. Unlike George W. Bush, who wasn't particularly dynamic but clearly stood for something, Harris never conveyed a sense of deep conviction.Without conviction, you can't win. You need to spark something in swing voters or motivate your likely supporters to actually turn out. Without that spark, you have nothing. This is all compounded by the fact that she was dealt a tough hand. This is the second visit the Campaign Undetarker has made to the Democratic Party this cycle. President Joe Biden drops out before the convention, admitting to America that they’d reject him and the job he’d done as president. And in the late summer, Kamala faced a tricky choice. How do you handle Joe? She decided not to. Okay, allow me one bit of back seat driving for the campaign. In my opinion, her only viable path forward would have been resigning the Vice Presidency. She could have done this gracefully—simply stating she wanted to pursue her own vision of government. Would it have left the Biden Administration scandalized? Yes. But that’s happening anyway. Why tie yourself to the mast of a sinking ship when you have a chance to win the presidency? This would have distinguished her from the administration without directly criticizing him. Now when she dodged she could always point to her sacrifice which would speak louder than any second guessing. The fact that this option wasn't seriously considered reveals how Democrats misread the situation. They treated her like an interchangeable part, failing to recognize that when crafting a multi-year national narrative, you can't take voters for granted. The audience isn’t dumb. Shape the story how you want, they’re not slow.You need to be alive. You need to be vital.Only bold moves could have saved her. Instead, we got a rehash of post-Obama Democratic presidential campaigns: celebrity endorsements, polished interviews, and rigid talking points. Not a speck of humanity in sight.When you're trailing by 30 points, you need to get aggressive. You need to try every strategy possible. If you're not willing to think creatively, what's the point?But this isn’t simply a eulogy. No, this is a prelude. In politics, what is dead may never die. I believe Kamala Harris is the next governor of California and I think she might be popular. California might be the only state that would realistically think of Kamala as a centrist. She will have the political clout to do otherwise unpopular things that will be quality of life improvements to the citizens. She could go back to the style that suits her the best: Kamala the Law and Order Liberal. To use a football analogy. Mac Jones was a good quarterback in college at Alabama but has been mediocre on two NFL teams. But what if he could go back to college? There is every reason to believe he’d be awesome.Same for Governor Harris. But if she decides to run for president again? I’ll be saying the same thing I said in 2019. The same thing I’m saying now. If she runs for president a third time, her ambitions will…REST IN PEACEChapters* (00:00:50) Introduction: Setting the Stage for 2025 Politics* (00:01:17) Kamala Harris's Presidential Eulogy* (00:13:23) PAX MAGA: Republican Dominance in the 2024 Election* (00:18:03) Biden’s Legacy and Party Dynamics* (00:26:03) Reflections on Election Predictions* (00:40:01) Closing Thoughts: The Path Ahead This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

Kevin Ryan, a regular contributor known for his sharp political insights, delves into the year’s significant events. He discusses Alec Baldwin's controversial manslaughter case and its implications for Hollywood. The transformation of podcasting in political discourse, especially in relation to figures like Donald Trump, is explored. Ryan also reflects on societal shifts in attitudes toward cultural phenomena and the evolving landscape of hip-hop. The conversation culminates in heartfelt musings on fatherhood and the joy of connection with listeners.

Evan Scrimshaw, a Canadian politics expert, discusses Justin Trudeau's political vulnerabilities as his approval dwindles amidst a potential leadership shake-up. Musa al-Gharbi, author of "We Have Never Been Woke," analyzes U.S. electoral trends and the ramifications of a looming government shutdown. They delve into the Republican Party's internal strife, the significance of diverse voting patterns for 2024, and the unsettling influence of media narratives shaped by figures like Trump and Musk. The conversation reveals interconnected political landscapes in the U.S. and Canada.

Bill Scher, a political commentator for the Washington Monthly, shares his insights on the shifting political landscape ahead of the 2028 presidential election. He argues that Kamala Harris may not have broad appeal beyond her Democratic base and suggests her best option might be a gubernatorial run in California. The discussion highlights the enduring popularity of Trump, the internal conflicts within the GOP, and speculates on potential Democratic contenders. Scher emphasizes the importance of authenticity and effective communication in shaping voter perceptions.

I’m diving deeper into DeButts. Yes friends, there’s been a crack in the DeButts case. To recap, on December 3rd, Anna Navarro tweeted that Hunter DeButts, the brother-in-law of Woodrow Wilson, was pardoned. This is not true. There is no historical record of a Hunter DeButts connected to Woodrow Wilson, and Wilson certainly did not pardon him. Navarro later admitted this was incorrect, blaming a ChatGPT search result. However, nobody could recreate the exact hallucination she posted, and the citation icons in her screenshot resembled an outdated ChatGPT interface.Curious, I discussed this with Andrew Mayne, my co-host on The Attention Mechanism, a podcast about AI. I also asked listeners to try replicating Navarro’s prompt in ChatGPT. Shortly after, I received an email from a listener named Bret, who provided screenshots showing that while he got the same initial answers Navarro referenced—Bill Clinton pardoning Roger Clinton and Donald Trump pardoning Charles Kushner—Hunter DeButts was nowhere to be found.Brett’s search led to a site called living.alot.com, which featured a listicle titled “Five Presidents and Governors Who Have Pardoned Family Members.” Interestingly, this article was last edited on the same day Navarro tweeted. My next move was to contact the article’s supposed author, Ron Winkler. However, the author photo appeared unmistakably AI-generated, suggesting the entire article was likely created by a generative AI model.Investigating further, I found that living.alot.com is owned by Inuvo.com, an ad-tech company specializing in AI-driven marketing solutions. This suggested that the hallucination might not have come from ChatGPT itself but from living.alot.com, an AI-generated listicle site, possibly due to SEO optimization targeting AI-driven search engines. If ChatGPT search pulled from this listicle, it would explain the strange result Navarro saw.Speculating further, it seems plausible that Inuvo.com, focused on generating ad revenue, might have tweaked its content after seeing traffic driven by the controversy to avoid being de-ranked or blacklisted by search algorithms. Bret’s recreation of almost the exact same search result strengthens this theory.If anyone at OpenAI working on ChatGPT Search is reading, I recommend a hard look at de-ranking or blacklisting the alot.com suite of sites. The credibility of search-powered AI depends on filtering out such low-quality content. In the end, the mystery of Hunter DeButts appears to be a hallucination generated by an ad-tech company leveraging AI-driven SEO tactics. Navarro’s strange ChatGPT result wasn’t directly ChatGPT’s fault—it was fed a falsehood generated by a content-churning AI. And with that, the Hunter DeButts saga is solved. All’s well that ends well.Chapters & Time Codes* (00:00:00) Introduction: Media, Politics & New Ventures* (00:01:20) Unmasking the Hunter DeButts Hoax* (00:15:01) Political Shifts: Murkowski and Ocasio-Cortez* (00:17:27) Government Shutdown Negotiations* (00:20:26) Chris Cillizza This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

Ryan McBeth, a Middle Eastern politics expert, dives into the complexities of the Syrian conflict, examining the fallout from the Al-Assad regime's potential collapse and its implications for regional stability. The conversation also touches on the shifting dynamics involving Hezbollah and the Kurds, as well as the uncertain role Turkey may play under Erdogan's leadership. Moreover, they delve into the dangers of AI misinformation, exemplified by a fabricated narrative surrounding Hunter DeButts, highlighting the challenges of navigating digital information today.