The Middle with Anthony Weiner

We are already wearing out the word “chaos” in our weekly wrap up of the news. But let's just say January was a hell of a year.  The out party never likes when the other team controls the House, Senate, Presidency and the Judiciary, but the biggest losers this week seem to be the whole legislative branch of government – especially the Republicans.  Laws? We don't need your stinkin' laws! Trump and Co. seem to be dealing with the carefully constructed checks and balances by just ignoring the will of the legislature. And the Republicans in charge are walking shrug emojis. Some voters wanted Trump to break things. Constitutional balance of powers may not what they meant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is just too much this week. The range is narrow, from hilariously bad to outrageously bad. Given the time restraints, Anthony lets fate decide which things we get worked up about. The wheel spins and the gods of radio decide what we talk about. The callers had their own ideas, but the random number generator is smarter than all of us. Wait, is this AI or are we as dumb as ever? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It seems like pages are turning, pivots are happening and changes are afoot. From the Middle East to the west front of the Capitol, the world is a changing. (Ok, maybe its too cold for the outside inauguration but you get the idea.) Its happening in New York City also. One election ends and another begins. Anthony takes it all in and issues some takes. But he also gives an update on his renewed life on the stump and Billy's displeasure about it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apocalyptic fires in California brought out the Trump in Trump this week. Not much empathy but a lot of name calling. Speaking of name calling, Facebook set its rules and probably its social media platform on fire in a sort of sacrifice to the incoming President. Anthony predicts the changes will cost Mark oodles of Zuckerbucks. And in local news, a felon was sentenced and he didn't like it one bit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The new year got off to a scary and tragic start with two deranged people making news in the early morning of the first day of 2025. It took a few days – as it always does – for the story to be told. But, as is par for the course, the lust for clicks and the desire for a clear narrative that makes sense out of senseless killing, lead Fox News and their most irresponsible Viewer-in-Chief to get stuff wrong/make stuff up. In sort of related news, Trump the felon won't be Trump the incarcerated. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well that didn't take long. Before anyone is even sworn in, Donald Trump has an insurrection on his hands. Elon Musk plants a flag in favor of allowing more foreign workers into America and the MAGAs most definitely do not salute. In fact they rebel against the foreign born First Buddy. Anthony returns to the fraught issue of immigration and can't contain he glee when a campaign built on hate of immigrants unravels once they have power.  Ok, maybe its not a full unraveling, but it is at least an ungluing. Get the popcorn for the fight and also for the adult conversation about how immigration reform might actually pass. Also, this week, what chaos awaits Congress on January 3rd? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President-in-waiting took an “L” this week when his new best buddy waded into the very messy work of funding the government, paying our debts and getting bills passed. Elon Musk took some swings at his version of government fantasy camp. Anthony gives Musk his due. Perhaps he is good at systems and engineering. The problem with the modern Congress is not the systems though, it is the humans who have to run it. Anthony offers his pal Elon and his listeners a review of how all of this is supposed to work. Also, some more ideas for the city he loves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not to minimize the horror of murdering someone for political reasons, but may we have a word about the slipping standards for what gets deemed a “manifesto”?  Coming in at only 262 words, Luigi Mangione took a shallow run at the chronic American issue of how we pay for and distribute health care.  Anthony and the callers put some meat on the bones of the issue. Also this week, Weiner sparks a media freak out. Ah, just like the old days. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Like Ground Hog Day, Anthony can't seem to escape the Hunter Biden talk. Maybe the pardon was the best thing to happen so we can now move on to talking about Trump nominees who: have pledged not to drink anymore; promised to close the FBI building down; gets their news from Russian TV; and, doesn't want our kids vaccinated. Did we miss anyone? Also, New York City crime stories got us arguing this week.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone seems to agree there are lessons to be learned from the results of election '24 but as the dust settles on one of the closest races in American history, there is little consensus on what those lessons are. The first testing ground for the “new and improved” Democratic party will be the campaigns of 2025 in New Jersey, Virginia and…New York City.   Anthony rarely ventures into New Jersey and hasn't been a resident of Virginia since his days as a Capitol Hill staffer in the 1980's but he does have a thought or two about The Big Apple. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The best strategy for Democrats nowadays seems to be to simply be quiet and leave it to the Republicans to explain a proposed cabinet full of law breakers, Putin stoolies and science deniers. One of the closest elections in American history is over and now it's up to the Republicans in Congress govern. History tells us that might not go well. But Anthony is not dismissing the most recent stab at weeding out government waste being run by Musk and Vivek. It may be valuable for a couple of tech bros to learn what serious students of our country already know – American likes the things Washington spends money on. Also, more talk about the future of New York City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week brought some really batty nominations from our President-elect.   Many Americans seem to be responding with a combination of surprise and fear. But Anthony posits that these are exactly the kinds of picks that we all should have anticipated. What does this say about his second term? Probably that we should not be shocked to learn there is a bull in the china shop. We just voted that we hated china! Also, Anthony reflects on his first week as a maybe candidate in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wake up from a long campaign and just wonder what the hell just happened? Like an unfunny sequel of The Hangover, Anthony sorts it all out for us.   Some of it we saw coming and some of it left us scratching our heads.  At least we can listen to a podcast without any fear of missing out on an insurrection this year. Next up, a whole list of crazy proposals that Trump wont do…or will he? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just can't wait for the actual returns? Funny, neither can Donald Trump. He is already declaring he won. The rest of us join in and get the results early this week as Anthony gives us his predictions. They are pretty much iron clad locks, since we all know his very excellent record in presaging these things. He damn near got every one right in 2022! Also, an update from the Trump rallies in the closing week. Oh, joy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ah, Chefs Kiss. As the election winds down and the polls agree that it will end in a tie, what could be a more perfect story? Anthony looks at the news that Donald Trump's biggest supporter and promulgator of anti-immigrant lies, is himself an…illegal immigrant. The Washington Post my not be endorsing Kamala Harris this year, but they have given us a runaway winner of the Biggest Hypocrite contest. Also this week, why you haven't seen Nikki Haley on the stump appealing to Nikki Haley voters to vote for Trump. A hint : she worked for Trump, so she knows him. Finally, Obama is good at word talking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are we there yet? Seventeen days more of this?? Anthony tries to be of service with a issue wrap up for the, uh, 31 remaining undecided voters in his listening audience. But he still found time to acknowledge the end of another significant thing – the life of the head of a middle east terrorist organization. Hamas and Hezbollah have both been beheaded in recent weeks in a vindication of the Israeli strategy of house-to-house combat. Is it enough to save Bibi? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was a tragic week in our country as two big storms ravaged the south.  While Americans pulled together, our contentious politics hardly missed a beat. Actually it was worse: one candidate actually used the catastrophes to break out his favorite weapon – lies.  Donald Trump cast doubt about storm spending and made things up about the cooperation of the federal government. It was unseemly even to members of his party but even worse, it left many victims of the storms feeling that they had nowhere to turn for help. Barak Obama weighed in and Anthony offered an Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Veep debate was mostly a tie. Anthony called it a good reminder about how politics used to be sort of normal. The stickiest viral moment came when Vance got hung up refusing to acknowledge that his boss lost the last election. Suddenly January 6th was back in the news in more ways than one. Jack Smith began the trial before the trial with this brief about whether the insurrection was by Trump the candidate or Trump the President.  Maybe Trump isn't immune from the voters not liking their votes denied. Also, this week, the anniversary of October 7.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every October, the world visits New York and the United Nations General Assembly brings questions of foreign affairs to the fore. Harris and Trump – barely a month before the election – staked out their positions. Anthony looks at which candidate looked and sounded like an American President and which one seemed to be using Putin's speechwriters. In other big news from overseas, Israel cuts off the head of the snake and the hand wringing is predictable. Oh, by the way, the race for president is close…very close.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Was Trump threatening Jews or blaming them? Either way, it wasn't a good look from a guy who seems to be worried about losing. When he wasn't stoking antisemitism, the Republican nominee sounded like he was auditioning for a seat in The Squad. Free IVF? Government controls on car insurance and credit card rates? This guy has a lot of socialist concepts of ideas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was a huge civic and cultural moment – the big debate. What did we learn? Anthony puts a bow on a week of takes. Here is a hint – plenty of mentions of cats and dogs. Also, a serious conversation that we have had many times about the story of Haitians in Springfield Ohio which is the story of America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The polls are tight and the anticipation for the big debate is mounting. So naturally Donald Trump is rambling words out loud about his sexual abuse liability, his soft spot for Russia and whatever that was when asked about child care.  Is there a method to the madness or just a lot of old guy saying words?  Insert debate preview show here. Harris has all the risk and the upside says Anthony. The callers disagree. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ok, being honest now, does anyone know what the hell Trump really believes on abortion? Instead of just shutting up about the mess he has made, he spent the week flip-flopping around on how he will vote when the issue comes up for vote by the people of his home state. Don't worry he was no after he was yes but you'll never believe where he wound up by weeks' end…free IVF for everyone! Yep, you read that right. But insulting women wasn't enough. He also needed to continue his streak of dishonoring veterans. In other campaign news, Kamala Harris did some ‘splaining of her own. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ok, America we have reached exit velocity. Harris reaches crescendo, Trump leaves his mind and RFK, Jr. just leaves. Anthony reaches for metaphors this week as the Democrats dance out of Chicago and soar into the last 73 days of the campaign. Trump seems, uh, displeased with the high ratings, and near universal kudos for his opponent. But he found an momentum jump start this week with an A-list endorsement from a conspiracy theory loving, bear killing guy with a great name and lousy poll numbers. All milk and honey for Democrats, just like…2016? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Finally some issues where injected into our vibe campaign! Kamala Harris makes a speech about the economy and Donald Trump gives a (talk/ramble/open mic/press conference) about…windmills killing eagles? Anthony does his best to dive into the ideas and the insults that drove the news this week. Also, Trump takes a run at…Congressional Medal of Honor soldiers? No America, we are not kidding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In just 28 days balloting will begin in the first swing state. And in 86 days votes will be counted. That is plenty of time for a major change. But Anthony lays out the state of play for his team and tries to climb into the MAGA bubble to shake them awake. This is a long way from done, so we look at how it might change and what happens if the news of the day becomes a trend. Also, this week Billy meets Jordan. IYKYN. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump shouted the quiet part out loud again for about the 300th time. He turned the attention back on himself this week with an, uh, incendiary interview by and about black women. It went about as well as you might expect. Is race baiting good politics in 2024? Anthony is legitimately conflicted on that point. Meanwhile the next big week for Harris is about to begin. She chooses a vice president candidate and it might be a white guy. Also, the amazing rescue of some US citizens and a debate about debating debates. 

Years of a frankly desultory political scene seems to have given way this week to something we desperately needed, some fun. Call it Black Girl Summer if you want to piss off the White Nationalists, but for most Americans it is the beginning of a welcome rebrand of the campaign for President. Anthony has more spring in his step and his MAGA friends seem not to know what to do next. The buzz will wear off soon for sure, but for now - Joy to the World. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please stop the world, we wanna jump off. An insane week of news this week and Anthony isn't the only one trying to figure it out.  Donald Trump decided on his veep, but that was the easy part.  The Secret Service has to explain the debacle in Pennsylvania that led to a man dying and two others being seriously injured. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has to figure out just how wrong Eileen Cannon is. And of course, the President has to decide whether to listen to his friends – and the polls -or his gut.  Just a regular, normal, totally cool summer show. Insert eye roll emoji here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The GOP heads to a swing state to say things to each other next week. Anthony is sort of relieved to be talking about something besides whether or not Joe Biden knows someone's name. What does this version of the Republican party believe anyway? Convention platforms usually make that clear. Not this year. A clear-eyed look at the plans for the next Trump term. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We watched every move our President made this week. Democrats were on eggshells, but what should Republicans be rooting for? Anthony looks at the state of play in a race that hasn't changed much in years – the country wishes both candidates were better. Also, SCOTUS plays with fire.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anthony was like a lot of Democrats on Thursday watching the debate through the cracks of his fingers. So, after a couple of days of chicken-with-heads-cut-off freak outs, has the race really changed? In related news, can we take a moment to look at the transcript of that debate? What was up with the other old guy on stage? He was saying some crazy things. And, Anthony is a foster dad…of a dog. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just days before the earliest presidential debate in our lifetimes, Anthony has some thoughts on the rules of the battle and how they may protect Trump from being Trump. But what do we do about all the stuff he says? Just let him ramble? Stop and make corrections? Its complicated. On the other side is Joe Biden. He may have a tougher job. It's a preview show. Also this week, Jordan is off to camp and we have a classic Stanley Cup to talk about. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the first presidential debate just 12 days away, Anthony has some advice for Team Biden: just give all the speaking time to Trump. It will be hilarious. This week we listened with jaws slacked as the former President and current convicted felon, wandered all over the rhetorical reservation and finally fell off the other side. Sinking boats and hungry sharks were the least of it. In more serious matters, MAGA tries to get its arms around how to react to the Hunter Biden conviction. If you thought they'd be happy, you don't know these guys. Also, taking a member of The Squad to school. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After all the drama and false starts, the earth shattering October Surprise that spawned a thousand wafer thin conspiracy theories and even more breathless Congressional Hearings, it all comes down to this : Hunter Biden faces the music for…wait for it…being a drug addict who filled out a gun purchase application wrong and was late on his taxes…maybe. Anthony takes a wistful look at this sad story and wonders what we can learn. In news that almost brings our host to tears, four Israeli hostages are rescued in Gaza. And, a glorious tribute week to the men of Normandy.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anthony paraphrases Winston Churchill this week declaring our system of criminal justice is the worst – except for all the others that have been tried. No victory lap, instead a sober look at the totally normal, nothing unusual, very common trial of a fellow that used to live in New York.  We have had a few days to dispense with all the hot takes, so perhaps we need a few cooler ones from someone with first-hand experience with being on the wrong side of law. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was a silly week in America. Donald Trump took the Bronx (not really). Joe Biden put a kill order out on his opponent (definitely not really). And Nikki Haley did the exact thing she said she wouldn't ever do (yes, really). But on the other side of the pond they geared up for an election in a very different way. Elections were called in the United Kingdom for July 4th. Putting aside how disrespectful choosing that date is (really kidding), it gives us a reason to explore how elections are done over there. Maybe they are on to something.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well that was easy! No months of speculation necessary. In a crazy few hours this week, Biden and Trump not only agreed to debate but also decided when and where. Too good to be true? Anthony thinks maybe it is. Nonetheless it is great fodder for Saturday afternoon political radio. We get the candidates started with some ideas for what we want them to say to each other and to the country. Also, Trump will plead the 5th next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you thought the show was going to be wall-to-wall Stormy this week, you mostly dodged a bullet. Anthony was more interested in the impossibly bad situation that Joe Biden has put himself in with his latest joust with Bibi. We start out with the quiet electoral strength of a person who isn't even running for President anymore. A shotgun marriage for Donald Trump and…Nikki Haley? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doesn't anyone around here understand this whole Free Speech thing?! We are a radio station for (expletive deleted) sake!! Anthony is no First Amendment scholar or anything, but he tries to at least explain the basic mistakes being made by both the right and left this week. Want to protest on campus? Knock yourself out. Want to complain about your day in court? Have at it. But we have rules around these things and the “experts” know this. But lying on the radio is also a right…up to a point. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“In the spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love”. Ok, maybe Tennyson hadn't met the young people on who have made a home on the lawns of colleges all over the country and most notably at Columbia in upper Manhattan.  Those folks seem bent on protest. Anthony considers how we should look at these demonstrations and makes some distinctions that seem to be getting lost.  Former Congressman Steve Israel who spends a lot of time on college campuses nowadays has some tough questions for the in sitters and chanters. Also, this week a lot of Trump related legal news and a Supreme Court that seems totally ok with Joe Biden arresting Donald Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No doubt about it, this was a week like few others in American history.   A really famous guy goes on trial and totally normal court stuff happens. Congress has important things to do so they ignore the crazies and just do them.  And the neighborhood bully in the Middle East is shown to be impotent by a coalition of just about everybody. Anthony takes some time to appreciate these historic but actually pretty good developments in our American civic life and on the global stage.   Oh, its also 4/20. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump keeps digging himself deeper on abortion. He's proud he “broke” Roe but begs Arizona to be a pro choice state for him. For his next act he promises not to sign a national abortion ban…well, “promise” is a strong word. It's chaos.  In the meantime, Joe Biden keeps chipping away at a signature issue : debt forgiveness.  Republicans are shocked, shocked! You mean Middle Class Joe is delivering for the Middle Class? Anthony defends the plan against some pretty upset callers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Freaking out about immigration and the “less than human” humans coming in to our country, is looking more and more like a desperate gambit by Trump and his minions in Congress and in the media. It got overshadowed by real news this week. Anthony looks at yet another sizzling jobs report and snickers at the rhetorical gymnastics necessary to not acknowledge how well we are doing. And, in another edition of “ways Trump screwed Republicans” Florida's highest court paved the way for voters in the Orange Man's mostly Red state to vote on whether citizens there are happy with a 6 week (!) abortion ban. A vote that will be happening in a lot of states this fall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anthony joins in memorializing fallen NYPD officer Jonathan Diller who did a dangerous job with valor and now leaves a 1-year-old son and a grieving family. As inevitable as it was that it would become an opportunity for opportunists, it was still pretty jarring to see it in action this week. Trump showed up for the wake and addressed the media while not addressing his spotty record on defending law enforcement and laws for that matter. Also this week, was the hiring and firing of the former head of the RNC by NBC a sign of what is right or what is wrong with the way that the media is covering Trump? And is there a Roona / Weiner analogy here? Nah. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump didn't remove his cap for the national anthem at his rally this week. Maybe that's because it was a weird cult mash up of the song.  This week Anthony does that thing where he imagines the freak out if Joe Biden took a knee for our actual national hymn and instead substituted some words.  And for his next round of “Top This”, Trump returns to his old standby – naked antisemitism. In less aggravating news, Biden leans into the EV debate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the highest ranking Jewish American in our history, gave a clear eyed assessment of the situation that Israel faces and predictably no one liked what they heard. But Anthony looks at the whole speech and wonders if maybe Chuck Schumer was just saying out loud what so many Israel supporters have been saying quietly for months. Also, on this week's show, another Republican quits and TikTok is on the ropes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anthony loves him a good State of the Union address. The old, forgetful and frail Joe Biden decided to skip the event and sent instead a fella who talked fast, yelled a bit and spit facts. The Republicans are shocked – shocked! – that the speech was so political. We look closer at the night and the orange haired elephant in the room.  Also, this week, the Republicans in Congress want to defund the police. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Maybe, just maybe, Americans would like to know if Donald Trump is guilty of crimes before they go to the polls. Anthony looks at this novel idea and tries to square it with the decision by the Supreme Court to hear a rather preposterous legal theory on a rather, uh, unambitious schedule. Also, this week we finally heard from Hunter Biden...sort of. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who's the pro-life party now? With a ruling from an Alabama court that should have been obvious, red state families are suddenly not sure if invitro fertilization will be legal. Anthony looks at how the Dobbs decision that so many Republicans cheered may now have them in a box. Also this week, the Hunter case has truly jumped the shark and a look at the jumbled politics of Israel and Ukraine.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 100 – Weiner's Stil at It   A cake? Celebrity cameos? Nope. Just the normal stuff : Trump committing fraud; Joe Biden's accusers committing perjury, and; prosecutors in Georgia committing…uh, hanky panky.  100 episodes later and whoever thought this was a good idea might have just been right. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices