Getting Hammered®

Mary Katharine Ham and Vic Matus unpack a devastating Republican election night, from Trump’s political baggage and weak candidates to tariffs, Iran, immigration enforcement, and shifting youth and Hispanic voters. They explore Democrats’ governing choices, the progressive wing’s growing leverage, Texas turning blue, and ballot measures spanning abortion, transgender athletes, wealth taxes, and foie gras.

Vic Matus, a Washington Free Beacon journalist and political commentator, joins a lively election-week discussion. They examine Michigan and Alaska Senate races, media double standards, Obama’s health care legacy, and Kamala Harris comparisons. They also explore ballot measures, investigations involving Ilhan Omar and James Comey, Virginia politics, and the controversy over foie gras bans, with a side of Cheesecake Factory debate and stink-bug chaos.

France’s nationwide riots, Macron’s conciliatory response, and the political pull of Le Pen take center stage. The discussion turns to Russia, Ukraine, sanctions, Starlink, and drone warfare, then to Washington’s tax-and-spend plans and unpredictable midterm races. There are also detours into political missteps, a short-lived press secretary stint, and Zuckerberg’s enthusiastic discovery of Guinness.

Halloween traditions and novice-driver stickers lead into viral debate clips, including an unforgettable Indiana candidate forum. The conversation turns to a new White House press secretary, Kimberly Guilfoyle’s resignation, Marco Rubio’s defense of Western civilization, and combative campaign performances. Media distrust, James Tallarico’s disappearance, Ken Paxton’s scandals, and Kelly Clarkson’s clash with a $15,000 animatronic bird round out the chaos.

Reports of plague near a Siberian lab spark questions about Russian transparency. French riots, German espionage allegations, and Iranian propaganda targeting America’s midterms add to the international intrigue. Michelle Tafoya shakes up Minnesota’s Senate race, while bizarre campaign ads steal the spotlight. The conversation also turns to a thwarted flight attack, anti-Semitism controversies, and whether iced coffee can sabotage a job interview.

Midterm panic collides with polling, fundraising, electoral maps, and cross-pressured voters. The discussion turns to a foiled terror plot in Britain, a fiery television rant, Iran’s economic and military troubles, and disputed sexual assault allegations at Cornell. It closes with an uproar over masks, pronouns, and a lesbian bar’s attempt to set its own rules.

Because she can't stop thinking about Nikole Hannah-Jones, Mary Katharine Ham interviews Maud Maron, NYC public-school parent and former head of the Manhattan School Board. She has been at odds with NHJ on school policy for the 10 years of her activism and walks us through exactly what the NYT writer advocated for and how it hurt other children's educations in her city. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Katharine Ham and Vic Matus talk about the sad story of Nikole Hannah-Jones' daughter's education and all the lessons it did not teach her mother. They discuss the UN General Assembly meeting and all Trump has on his plate, plus his love for Mamdani and the State Dinner for Xi. In other ideological insanity news, Spanberger is still not moderate, an unsettling number of Democrats polled are okay with military coups... for democracy, and are Vic and I tracking our kids? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI alarmism, regulatory capture, and John Ossoff’s proposed government response take center stage. The conversation also tackles Trump’s $5,000 election dividend, the RNC’s midterm strategy, immigration and assimilation debates, Germany’s populist backlash, and the fading appeal of brunch culture.

Mary Katharine Ham and Victorino Matus talk about the socialist gathering over the weekend and all the loony things they said while wearing their masks, and whether the loony things matter. They also do a long commemoration of 9/11, the inspiring stories of heroism, personal stories, and what the attack and response would look like if it happened today. Also, what the heck is happening in Seattle, and how should one react when his wife gets her hair cut? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices