BRAIN TRUST LIVE

In Which We Discuss: 1. It's our yearly Easter special! This year we learn the story of Jesus's resurrection from leading biblical expert and improvisational essayist Marjorie Taylor Green! 2. Pete Hegseth: Still drunk texting war plans to his friends. 3. Chris Van Hollen is the one Democrat to try a stunt this week. Next week let's aim for two! 4. Our hot take on private space travel. 5. An important general PSA: Have fun out there, guys!   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of chirping birds, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!  

In Which We Discuss: 1. The April 5th protests: A great place to be mad about…literally anything. 2. We famously love a filibuster stunt, but save your money. Cory Booker's presidential campaign will be funded by the “good billionaires,” not your $5. 3. Did you ever wonder if there's a reason you don't understand what's going on with these tariffs? Do you wish somebody credible would explain them to you? Us too.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

Turn off your push notifications - they're not helping you now. There's a major messaging and strategy challenge in front of us, and we're thinking through how to solve it.    

Welp....that happened. We're not really sure what the report this week so welcome to our post-election real-time brainstorm session!   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. Early voting numbers. We've got ‘em, and we don't know what they mean! (Don't worry, nobody does.) 2. The Trump Nazi Rally adds insult to injury by denying New Yorkers their daily bagel run. 3. Harris' ability to stay on message in front of television cameras is expiring. 4. Beyhive and KHive finally become one. 5. Latest debacle at LA Times and Washington Post are pretty excellent reasons for doing away with billionaires. 6. Trump's Rogan interview reminds us that at his core, he's really just a mediocre entertainer.   ALSO, need help with your CA ballot? Looking for a breakdown of the props? Check out the BTL CA Prop Guide: https://tinyurl.com/CApropguide2024   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your  

In Which We Discuss: 1. Early voting is happening and you should do it! 2. How is it possible that we haven't left Elon Musk on the moon yet? 3. Donald Trump would like you to know something about Arnold Palmer. 4. Jon Tester's opponent either got shot in a gunfight in Afghanistan, or shot himself with a pistol while visiting a national park. Just depends who you ask. 5. Control of the senate is within the margin of error. 6. Despite what you see in today's news, Donald Trump still technically hasn't worked at a McDonald's.   Need help with your CA ballot? Looking for a breakdown of the props? Check out the BTL CA Prop Guide: https://tinyurl.com/CApropguide2024   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your

Our ballots have arrived in the mail, and now we have to actually fill them out. It's not such an easy task, though. In every election, Californians are asked to parse a truly unconscionable number of ballot propositions and make informed votes on a number of obscure topics. But here at Brain Trust Live, we're here to help!   Enter: The CA Prop BTL Spectacular. Dive in to our 10 state propositions and learn more about how the system works and what we could do differently. Then, make sure to check out (and share) our written guide, which you can find HERE. (It includes additional recommendations for county and city props in our area.) More questions? Feel free to email us at braintrustapproved@gmail.com.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. Californians, if you just got your 94 page sample ballot, never fear! Our prop guide is on the way! 2. Eric Adams: He's not just bad at funding libraries, he's bad at criming too! 3. What is going on with the Nebraska senate seat? A question we never thought we'd ask! 4. Tim Walz was a model of Minnesota nice even when presented with the world's most punchable face. 5. Note to the Harris campaign: There is no constituency of Dick Cheney voters.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!  

In Which We Discuss: 1. This week's Police Commissioner FBI raid in New York felt eerily similar to last week's Police Commissioner FBI Raid. 2. Mark Robinson is playing GOP scandal Mad Libs. 3. Donald Trump's assassination attempt sequel is a ratings flop. 4. Somehow RFK's sex scandal is the least provocative of the lot. 5. We're on the precipice of a world in which Ted Cruz is no longer our problem.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

Hold onto your dogs and cats, it's a Brain Trust Live Harris/Trump Debate Extravaganza (the first of what we *hope* will be many)!   Plus, don't miss Lila's appearances on NPR: WNYC's All Things Considered: https://www.wnyc.org/story/23-years-after-911-women-and-children-survivors-are-asking-for-more-resources/ WBUR's Here and Now: https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2024/09/11/sept-11-stuyvesant-high-school   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. Polling: Not sure if you've heard, but the presidential election is close 2. New York Times makes unforced error using in an extended tennis metaphor during coverage of Kamala Harris's CNN interview 3. Kamala Harris, our greatest philosopher on the concept of time, shows surprising discipline in a major new interview 4. Having made it an issue in the first place, Trump is now getting on all sides of the IVF issue in record time. 5. Did AI write Lara Trump's new single or is Lara Trump actually AI?   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

YOU MADE IT TO OUR 500TH EPISODE! We're so happy you're here and hope that in honor of this milestone we hope you'll subscribe and share this special episode featuring Grant Sloss!   This Week We Discuss: 1. Our favorite guest and secret research consultant Grant Sloss is here to celebrate this milestone! 2. Kamala Harris makes her DNC debut in “coconut brown.” 3. There was no Beyonce performance at the DNC…but we did get Lil' Jon at the Roll Call? 4. The Tim Walz candidacy is apparently going to be 90% football references Lila doesn't understand. 5. RFK is dropping out in the exact way the brain worms told him to. 6. JD Vance's advance team is clearly out to get him.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. We have a VP candidate! We like him!  2. Democrats are making a slew of good decisions and nobody has any experience with this so we don't know how to act. 3. What if we all just tried to enact the Democratic party platform? Is that a thing? 4. Trump's interview with the National Association of Black Journalists somehow went even worse than you'd imagine. 5. If you thought New Gingrich getting bitten by a penguin was crazy, we've got a story for you! 6. The Olympics. Still a joy to behold.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. The French don't want their love of ménage à trois to get lost in the olympic frenzy. 2. British pop star Charli XCX makes most important endorsement of the US campaign season. 3. Kamala Harris could set herself apart from past democratic candidates by not making an absolute donkey-brained choice for VP. 4. Nobody wants to sit with JD Vance at the lunch table. 5. Speaking of unpopular people, it's no longer cool to shake Benjamin Netanyahu's hand.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

It's a Presidential chaos spectacular! Listen, we'd write a rundown, but it's not worth it. Just listen.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

It's a June debate and SCOTUS season spectacular with special guest Ben Softness! (Plus the presidential pep talk you've been needing.)   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. Sadly Donald Trump is not yet a political prisoner! If only. 2. GOP frustrated that the Hunter Biden conviction they've long sought is now here. 3. First presidential debate shaping up to be more physical comedy than content. 4. Democrats mysteriously unbothered by spooky parallels to ‘68 Chicago convention. 5. Did Donald Trump commit 34 felonies to get out of going to Milwaukee for the GOP Convention? 6. Imagine how many trips Doug Burgham would get to take to the border if he was Trump's VP pick!   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!  

In Which We Discuss: 1. MMT: Now you don't have to read the book. (But you should!) 2. To celebrate his 80th, Rudy Giuliani was served birthday cake and birthday indictment papers. 3. Democracy is not, in fact, on the ballot in New York State care of the state Dems. 4. Democrats shocked at 700th poll showing Joe Biden losing battleground states. 5. The Trump Trial strategy can't rely on jurors trusting Michael Cohen as a non-liar. We know he's a liar. Work around it. 6. Samuel Alito's wife: Just another SCOTUS spouse working to overthrow the government.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. Brain Worms: Somebody in the presidential race finally admits to having them! 2. A plea to have fun with the Donald Von Shitzinpants Trial. 3. Some political advice: Dog killing = bad. Hope that helped. 4. Bidenomics, we hardly knew ya!  5. To the surprise of nobody but Nancy Pelosi, Trump-loving Democrat Henry Cuellar is also a criminal. 6. At least there's still some good news out in the world: Kitara Rivache is out of retirement.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. There's been elections. Lots of elections. We'll tell you about them. 2. Republicans continue to flee the scene of the crime.  3. Everytime a new government funding bill passes, a new GOP speaker gets their wings. 4. Democrats try to make a splashy announcement, seem unaware that everybody else denounced Netanyahu twenty years ago. 5. Like the collection of old foggety people that it is, Congress sets its sights on banning fun next. 6. The return of George Santos, queen of the return.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. Ezra Klein condenses twelve years of Brain Trust Live into one hour of reasons why Joe Biden should not run for president. 2. George Santos wishes “you fucking idiots” good luck raising funding next quarter!  3. For once, Joe Manchin's “Listening Tour” resulted in him listening. 4. The fate of America rests on one simple question: Did anyone see Fani Willis kissing Nathan Wade in the year 2019? 5. Donald Trump becomes the opposite of a billionaire, which is the closest he'll ever get to that sum. 6. Trump's new sneaker line is shipping in July 2024, so you're definitely not getting those.    Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. Note on Joe Biden's Super Bowl tiktok: In the wise words of Hillary Clinton, delete your account. 2. Jon Stewart is back and has already thought-crimed us so things are looking up! 3. The Santos special election is almost as bizarre as him. 4. Nikki Haley lost Nevada to “none of these candidates,” which is exactly how we'd like to vote in our own primary. 5. We live in a world where the president is too senile to stand trial but happy to run for a second term. 6. Congress has tied their two most evil bipartisan priorities together and now can't pass either.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. Ben Softness, our resident legal expert, who is in no way representing the views of Alphabet Inc., joins us to discuss the recent Trump legal action. (Skip to 39:02 to start there) 2. Can we move on, as a people, from caring about Taylor Swift? 3. If a tree falls in the South Carolina primary, and no voters hear it, did an election actually occur? 4. Hot takes from a low stakes California senate candidate forum. 5. New potential immigration bill might be a paperwork nightmare for drug cartels.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. Don't worry, all. Marianne Williamson will soldier on in the presidential race. 2. E. Jean Carroll continues her mission of making Donald Trump look poor. 3. Reminder: Regardless of who Fani Willis is vacationing with, Trump still did the crime. 4. Texas is finally starting that Civil War they've always dreamed of. 5. Joe Biden wants to shut down the southern border but the GOP won't let him. 6. Nancy Pelosi is badmouthing Vladimir Putin for being a peacenik. 2024, man.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. The New Hampshire Primary and Iowa Caucus were both over before they started. 2. Tim Scott is now fake engaged to his fake girlfriend because now he'll be Veep material…or something. 3. Joe Biden is staking his entire campaign on the one issue he doesn't personally care about at all. 4. Dean Phillips is getting bad media advice, which is weird considering his family tree. 5. Does Donald Trump have leprosy? The internet speculates!   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!  

In Which We Discuss: 1. The House now “formally” working on a fake impeachment case 2. More people are leaving Congress due to self-inflicted embarrassment  3. Why was there another GOP Debate? An important question you will not be hearing an answer to on this podcast. 4. New Iowa poll leaves us wondering, why are we even still doing new Iowa polls? 5. SCOTUS to decide specifically on whether America is a failed state   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. Henry Kissinger is dead, and not even his dear friend Hillary Clinton offered a statement.  2. George Santos can finally move into his next stage of D-List celebrity. 3. Ron DeSantis is the latest GOP figure to proudly announce he's carrying pornography on his person. 4. Democrats in Florida move ahead with their plan to save democracy by…eliminating elections. 5. Why are there so many ophthalmologists in congress?   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!  

In Which We Discuss: 1. Your favorite Radical Left Lunatic, Communist, and Marxist podcast hosts hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. 2. Desantis adds another major Iowa endorsement that could lead to him only losing the state by 25% instead of 30%. 3. Always remember: AIPAC is a conservative group. 4. Everybody's leaving Congress because even America's last pension plan isn't worth the heartache. 5. Santos discovers potential new drag persona in unhinged rant.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!  

In Which We Discuss: 1. Latest election results prove one important thing: People want Republicans to stay out of their damn business. 2. “In a fight, I'm gonna bite,” is a real quote you could only get from a real US Senator named Markwayne. 3. Santos begins preparation for his prison and reality television tour.  4. Jill Stein is back to haunt democratic nightmares once again. 5. Tim Scott will now have all the time in the world to spend with his “very nice,” very real girlfriend. 6. Trump's hatred of windmills takes center stage at criminal trial focused on financial misdeeds.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!  

In Which We Discuss: 1. The Brain Trust Live 2023 Super Bowl (i.e. Election Day) is this Tuesday 2. Polls reveal that Biden is not just too old, he's also bad at his job 3. This week we find out if Donald Trump actually loves Eric 4. The George Santos expulsion vote failed, and thank God for that 5. Mike Johnson is committing tax fraud. Ask us how we know.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!  

In Which We Discuss: 1. Good News: New Speaker Mike Johnson has a podcast, so look forward to new scandals breaking weekly 2. Jared Golden is the Erika Jayne of the US House  3. Somebody should tell Mike Pence that his life has hit rock bottom 4. The Lincoln Project finally manifested a real life human in Dean Phillips 5. New candidate soars into second place in the GOP primary, now a mere 30 points behind Trump 6. Donald Trump's war on zippers   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!  

In Which We Discuss: 1. Jim Jordan coaches the US House to its most embarrassing week in history 2. Recent Georgia plea deals leave us wonder, how many more times will we have to see the artwork of Trump standing next to Jesus in the courtroom before this is all over? 3. A gelato entrepreneur is running for president, because someone had to 4. Democracy in action: California will finally get to vote for a US Senator! 5. One (?) thing is sure: Kennedy either is or isn't pulling votes from Trump and/or Biden. Or something.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. The only person brazen enough to try to lead the house GOP is, obviously, a criminal. 2. With no Speaker, House Republicans turn to prop comedy for their messaging needs. 3. George Santos stole a baby on Friday to distract us from the fact that he stole the credit card information of his donors. 4. We know Gavin Newsom wants to be the president, but for now maybe he could remember he's still the governor of California. 5. There is honestly nothing more embarrassing than this year's GOP presidential primary. 6. How quickly will Trump violate his federal gag order? And can he promise to still speak on windmills and whales in the process?   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!    

In Which We Discuss: 1. Feinstein commemorative memes are a cautionary tale for Mitch McConnell and Joe Biden. 2. A government shutdown has been averted…until it 100% happens in November. 3. Kevin McCarthy was shocked to be voted out after agreeing to be voted out at any moment. 4. Get excited for a six-way presidential race next fall! 5. Why is anybody agreeing to go to the GOP debates? 6. Are candidate Ron DeSantis' makeup, 4 inch heels, and shapewear illegal in Florida thanks to Gov. Ron DeSantis?   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!  

In Which We Discuss: 1. Jeremy Payne from Catalyst California is here to explain how we can reform the LA city council 2. Joe Biden is being beaten by a wax figure in the latest 2024 polls 3. Democratic brains fell into a wormhole this week 4. Read the room, Nancy! 5. New Mexico experiments with a new gun control tactic: Actually trying something   Find out more about efforts to reform the LA City Council: www.ourla.org   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. Burning Man has confirmed everything we've always suspected about trying to commune with nature. 2. Mitch McConnell is glitching again 3. Vivek Ramaswamy takes the next natural step from professional grifter to MLM leader  4. Joe Manchin will run for president because he needs to keep making his houseboat mortgage payments when his senator salary ends 5. Winning the presidency is easy if you give people a reason to vote for you   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. Joe the Plumber, the 2008 political symbol celebrated for his misunderstanding of tax laws, is dead at 49. He leaves behind a fully broken political system. 2. The Trump trial calendar is getting competitive! 3. Nikki Haley makes a stratospheric rise to fifth place and a higher single digit number in GOP post-debate polls. 4. It's finally time to find out which 10 (and only 10 drugs) won't send you into bankruptcy! Maybe! 5. Air travel is dangerous enough without being in Putin's crosshairs.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

This week on a special edition of the podcast, it's a GOP debate and Georgia mugshot spectacular!   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

Wait...what's this?! It's a special mid-week crossover episode with What Can I Do! We chatted Hot Labor Summer with Maggie Carter of Starbucks Workers United. Find out how she helped unionize her Starbucks store and how you can get involved in the action! Follow the Starbucks Workers Union: Website | TikTok | Instagram | Twitter Follow the Southern Starbucks Workers Union: Twitter Follow Maggie Carter: Twitter Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. The Ohio GOP taught us a lesson on how to drive turnout in an August election. 2. Sounds of sizzling pork chops and Eminem lyrics fill the Iowa state fair as GOP candidates descended for their food photo ops. 3. Desantis continues to believe that his campaign's problem is his staff, not his personality. 4. The Arizona senate race is going to be a fashion catastrophe. 5. Does it seem like every new piece of evidence in the Trump indictment is a different person directly admitting to a crime? 6. Biden hasn't officially declared a climate emergency, but he has in his heart.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

So much legal news, so little time! Our resident legal expert, Ben Softness, is back again with everything you need to know about the latest in this year's slew of Trump indictments. You won't want to miss our conversation about the Jack Smith, Trump's co-consipirators, his likely defense, Mike Pence's big opportunity, and more! Follow Ben on Threads at @imsoftness!   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. If aliens are real, the real question is: What are they doing for me? 2. Doug Burgum inspires America with simple message: Cheating works! 3. The GOP Donor class abandons ship on Desantis and moves on to a newer, equally unappealing Governor. 4. Tim Scott's campaign clearly watched too many episodes of Ozark. 5. Donald Trump? Nope, never heard of the man. 6. The gerontocracy had a bad week.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, now in it's second season: What Can I Do.

In Which We Discuss: 1. Lila went to Netroots and she has stories. 2. Mitt Romney shows us that, unbelievably, there is a wrong way to hold a hot dog. 3. The greatest danger to children is not drag queens, it's MTG showing us porn on the floor of the House. 4. The only obstacle to Joe Biden's re-election? Stairs. 5. Unsurprisingly, cheating is now a legal way to qualify for the GOP Debates. 6. No Labels platform reflects the consensus of…crotchety rich old men.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, now in it's second season: What Can I Do.  

In Which We Discuss: 1. An exhaustive list of all 25 of the candidates who may or may not be running in the GOP presidential primary 2. No Labels is a Republican organization, but you probably knew that in your hearts 3. Ron DeSantis is a man who loves making us right 4. Iowa Republicans accidentally admit that elections should be national holidays 5. Barbie's geopolitics and cartoon maps are a new area of concern for Republican lawmakers If you'll be at Netroots Nation this weekend, come say hello!   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, now in it's second season: What Can I Do.  

Our resident legal expert, Ben Softness, is back with everything you need to know about the last months' controversial SCOTUS decisions! You won't want to miss our conversation about affirmative action, gay wedding websites, student debt, gerrymandering, and the personal tensions at the court. Follow Ben on Twitter at @imsoftness!   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. Life Lesson: Never go with a billionaire to a previously unexplored location. 2. Google Maps is now featuring troop movements in preparation for World War III. 3. More of Florida is considering a run for president! 4. George Santos' dad finally charged with exerting “moral control” over his son. 5. “No Labels” will violate our tax laws to save America from itself.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, season two of Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, just premiered! Download it wherever you get your podcasts.

In Which We Discuss: 1. We've reached peak Florida in the GOP primary 2. “No Labels?” More like no strategy. 3. There is not one person currently running for president that anybody wants to be the president 4. New nonsense CA Senate candidate believes her personal fortune qualifies her to be the senator   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

In Which We Discuss: 1. After success at the state level, Trump working to destigmatize federal indictments for ex-presidents. 2. Candidate you've never heard of announces a one-point policy plan you don't care about in the 2024 GOP primary. 3. Lots of evil people are dead, but nope, not Henry Kissinger. 4. Lindsey Graham is very much hoping you'll let him repeat his irrelevant GOP talking points in peace. 5. In the Trump Indictment frenzy, stop worrying about the details! Worry about the story arc.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!  

In Which We Discuss: 1. It's Weekend at Bernie's in the Senate. Either know or don't know! 2. Regardless of what you've heard, both parties love the debt ceiling. 3. Figure Skater Sarah Hughes is looking for a second upset win, this time in NY-4. 4. Tim Scott, longtime presidential explorer, files his papers. 5. DeSantis blowback begins as voters get their first taste of his awkward laugh. 6. What happens in the water is ocean business. Leave it alone.   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!  

In Which We Discuss: Our favorite guest Grant Sloss joins us with a report from the WGA picket line. Clarence Thomas and Harlan Crow. Just two guys doing what friends do when they have business in front of the Supreme Court. The Debt Ceiling: Another example of the economy being fake. Joe Biden is looking for soft landings for some friends who need to take a hard look at themselves. For a man who's spent so much time sexually harassing women, Donald Trump seems mighty unclear on what is “type” is. Attention Americans! The coronation is none of your business. Act accordingly. About Grant Sloss: Grant Sloss on Twitter   Support the WGA Picketers: Join or Send Supplies to the Picket Line Donate to the Entertainment Community Fund   Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram! And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind. Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!