UnPresidented: Creating change that empowers the Resistance

Today's pod is about Ukraine, of course, and Cliff weighs in about the upcoming midterm elections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our take on the latest Ukraine news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's show is about Ukraine, and Russia, whether we think war is inevitable, whether and what Putin really wants, including the risks to NATO. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump's accounting firm fired him as a client, we talk about the ramifications for Trump. Then we delve into the latest right-wing lie about Hillary Clinton (they really can't get over her). And finally we talk about the latest regarding the Canadian truck protest. As always, if you'd like to hear us ad-free, and support our work, please considering becoming a subscriber to our Patreon page, thanks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's show, more about that Canadian trucker protest, and how it's about to come to the US. And we talk about the news that Trump was flushing White House documents down his toilet, and the larger issue of Trump's total disrespect for national security. As always, if you'd like to hear us ad-free, and support our work, please considering becoming a subscriber to our Patreon page, thanks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's show, we discuss Tucker Carlson's nudge-nudge-wink-wink call for American truckers (and far-right activists) to shut down the American economy in order to protest any attempt to rein in the Covid virus. We also talk about Jimmy Carter saying Trump didn't win the 2016 election, the Supreme Court's gerrymandering decision, and the latest example of GOP Covid disinformation (and what lessons it can teach us). As always, if you'd like to hear us ad-free, and support our work, please considering becoming a subscriber to our Patreon page, thanks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's show, we dig into Susan Collins', and the Republicans' overall, disappointment with Joe Biden for daring to nominate the first Black woman to the Supreme Court. You see, he's apparently dividing the country by not being racist. We also get into Trump's confession, the ongoing Joe Rogan Covid disinformation saga, and Michigan Republicans' call to literal arms for the next election. As always, if you'd like to hear us ad-free, and support our work, please considering becoming a subscriber to our Patreon page, thanks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's show, Cliff and I talk about Dan Bongino getting permanently banned from Twitter (sorry, not sorry), GOP Sen. Chuck "I fought in the Civil War" Grassley agreeing that the insurrectionists are "political prisoners," Meghan McCain being a moron, and BMW and other brands continuing to buy ads on Tucker Carlson's anti-semitic, homophobic, and Covid-denying show on Fox News. As always, if you'd like to hear us ad-free, and support our work, please considering becoming a subscriber to our Patreon page, thanks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How did a 22-year-veteran feel the day he watched our Capitol attacked by Republicans, and their attempted cover-ups since then? Fred Wellman of the Beer Hall Project joins us to talk Fox News' “stupid son of a bitch,” Putin's useful idiots, Dem messaging, Ukraine/Russia and more. As always, if you'd like to hear us ad-free, and support our work, please considering becoming a subscriber to our Patreon page, thanks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's show, Cliff and I spend most of the time talking about Biden's mostly-successful press conference last night (there was a Russia flub, but otherwise he did quite well).  As always, if you'd like to hear us ad-free, and support our work, please considering becoming a subscriber to our Patreon page, thanks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's show, we do talk a lot about Covid -- lots of updates of people behaving badly -- and we tell you how to get the free US government rapid tests, that are already online! We also talk about Melania selling her White House clothes, Dan Crenshaw being a moron, and Ginnie Thomas being the same. As always, if you'd like to hear us ad-free, and support our work, please considering becoming a subscriber to our Patreon page, thanks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's show, Cliff and I talk about Glenn Beck's Covid diagnosis, Tulsi Gabbard acting like a Republican again, Mitch McConnell having the vapors because Joe Biden showed some backbone, Dick Durbin knee-capping Biden, and the RNC pulling out of future presidential debates. Of course, we recorded hours before the breaking news about the Oath Keepers. We'll hit that one next time. To hear our shows ad-free, and support our work, please consider becoming a patron over at Patreon, thanks. 

We start today's show with some excellent audio of Dr. Fauci destroying GOP Sen. Rand Paul this morning during a Senate hearing. Then we get into a larger discussion with our friend Tom Watson, who has started a new PAC -- No Surrender NY -- to take on the GOP members of Congress from New York who supported overturning the election. We also discuss a GOP state rep. who thinks that Nazism should be taught "impartially." And then when we have a laugh about a lead Covid-denialists who think the cure to Covid is drinking your own urine (spoiler alert: it's not). To hear our shows ad-free, and support our work, please consider becoming a patron over at Patreon, thanks. 

President Biden made Donald Trump the centerpiece of his speech to the nation on the anniversary of the January 6th Insurrection, making clear that Trump was responsible for the violent attempt to overthrow our government, and also that Biden was rededicating his presidency, at least in part, towards defending American democracy and the threat it faces from Trump and the Republican party that is in his thrall. To hear our shows ad-free, and support our work, please consider becoming a patron over at Patreon, thanks. 

This week is the one-year anniversary of the January 6 Insurrection, when Trump supporters tried to violently overthrow our government. As Attorney General Merrick Garland prepares to speak this afternoon about lord knows what -- we aren't terribly hopeful -- Cliff and I discuss why Garland and the Dept of Justice appear to have totally dropped the ball on investigating the actual coup itself, and the people who planned it, executed it, aided and abetted it. In other words, the leaders, not just the worker bees.To hear our shows ad-free, and support our work, please consider becoming a patron over at Patreon, thanks. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's show, we discuss the latest weirdness from Republicans, in which Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee, led by Jim Jordan, are telling people that the Covid booster doesn't even work. The GOP is actively trying to kill its own base. Cliff has a theory why.To hear our shows ad-free, and support our work, please consider becoming a patron over at Patreon, thanks. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's show, we start with a discussion of GOP Rep. Madison Cawthorn's bizarre origin story of how he met his wife, who he's now divorcing after only eight months. It involves a Russian casino that may not have existed. The story is just beyond strange. And then we get into a chat about the latest on Covid denialism from the GOP, and why Democrats continue to be so bad at messaging.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's show, we discuss the rather odd turn of events by which Donald Trump is now the Covid vaccine's biggest booster, much to the chagrin of several of his top supporters. And we have a quick chat about Joe Manchin, flip-flopping again, and Steven Miller's shopping woes.To hear our shows ad-free, and support our work, please consider becoming a patron over at Patreon, thanks. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's show, we actually discuss a number of topics, but focus primarily on Joe Manchin killing Biden's signature legislation, the Build Back Better bill. Now, it's possible that parts of the proposal can be saved, but that all depends on whether Manchin's goal is anything other than burning the entire house down. That's our big topic today.To hear our shows ad-free, and support our work, please consider becoming a patron over at Patreon, thanks. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's show, we talk about the blockbuster new text messages that the January 6th Insurrection commission got a hold of, showing Don Jr., and Fox News hosts Laura Ingraham, Brian Kilmeade and Sean Hannity begging Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to get Trump to call off the Insurrection. We discuss why those tweets matter.To hear our shows ad-free, and support our work, please consider becoming a patron over at Patreon, thanks. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's show, we spend a lot of time on two topics. First, GOP Congressman Devin Nunes quitting Congress in a matter of weeks, in order to become the CEO of Trump's new social media company. Cliff and I are skeptical as to why Nunes is doing this. Then we talk about former Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows announcing that he'll no longer cooperate with the January 6th Commission. Having said that, the first 20 minutes of the show somehow became a long, but interesting, discussion about the origins of World War II. You know how we get.To hear our shows ad-free, and support our work, please consider becoming a patron over at Patreon, thanks. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, we talk about the news that Trump appears to have known he might have Covid before he attended his first debate with Biden. We also get into some weird news about televangelist Joel Osteen, and why the new jobs numbers aren't as bad as some are saying.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to a free excerpt here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's show, we talk about the Omicron Covid variant, and the latest GOP effort to get its base killed. This leads us into a much larger discussion about Democratic messaging surrounding Covid, the GOP's utter failure to address the pandemic, and how Democrats SHOULD be messaging, but aren't.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to a free excerpt here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's show is about the Rittenhouse verdict, and the threat that gun-culture poses to our democracy.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to a free excerpt here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Political scientist, and professor at University College London, Brian Klaas, talks to us about his new book, "Corruptible" -- a look at what causes human beings, from political leaders to your local condo board -- to be corrupt, and how do we create new systems in which such corruption no longer thrives. A good deal of our discussion focuses on the American experience, and what we can do to avoid a further spiral into increasingly more corrupt, and extremely, government in Washington.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to a free excerpt here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's show, we discuss the outrageous behavior of GOP Rep. Paul Gosar, and whether the Republican party, and Twitter, ever plan to hold him responsible for his actions. And then we get into a larger discussion of the disappointment that is Merrick Garland, and the joy that is the passage of the Infrastructure Bill.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to a free excerpt here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's show, Cliff and I are joined by Chicago Tribune humor columnist Rex Huppke, to discuss what happened in Tuesday's elections in Virginia and New Jersey, why Democrats did so badly, and what can be done to fix it. You might not be surprised to hear that both Cliff and I think the Democrats, yet again, failed at messaging.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to a free excerpt here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's show is about tonight's pivotal Virginia governor's election, and why it matters -- and the ongoing mess over the Infrastructure bill(s), and why Democrats are messaging so poorly on it (the media isn't helping).This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to a free excerpt here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Georgetown Professor Thomas Zimmer joins us to talk about polarization and extremism, and what insights American and world history provide as to whether (and how) the US can survive Trumpism and its anti-democratic impulses. Thomas is great, this is a really interesting interview, IMHO.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to a free excerpt here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Former Ohio Democratic party chair David Pepper joins us to talk about his new book, "Laboratories of Autocracy: A Wake-Up Call from Behind the Lines," about how Republicans are stealing our democracy at the state level while nobody is watching.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to a free excerpt here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's show is all about Colin Powell's death from complications associated with Covid, and his mixed legacy as an African-American trailblazer, who was the first Black US Secretary of State, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and National Security Adviser, who also had a few blots on his record, including his support for banning gays from the military (Powell successfully sabotaged President Clinton's effort to repeal the gay ban), and his now-infamous speech to the United Nations justifying the second Iraq War by claiming that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, when he did not.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to a free excerpt here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's show, we talk about the all-important upcoming election for Virginia's governor, the latest on Covid boosters, and why President Biden isn't the reason that we're having such supply chain problems in the economy (the UK is having the same issue).This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to a free excerpt here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's show, we talk about Hillary Clinton's latest warnings about losing our democracy, and more Covid nonsense. Don't let the short description fool you, we went on for 90 minutes!This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to a free excerpt here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lincoln's Bible (aka LB), host of the podcast "The World Beneath," joins us to talk about how Facebook can take the most trivial information you give them, and use it to introduce you to conspiracies and worse; how Russia is the first modern mob state; and how more Americans—and specifically, Republicans—are compromised than you think. It was a fascinating, and somewhat scary, discussion. Cliff and I close the show with a chat about the breaking news that AT&T helped inspire, and is the major funder of, far-right pro-Trump propaganda network, One American News (OAN).This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to a free excerpt here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Producer and author Melissa Jo Peltier joins us to talk about her new movie, "The Game is Up: Disillusioned Trump Voters Tell Their Stories."This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to a free excerpt here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Concern grows about Trump and the Republicans preparing to steal the 2024 election. Other topics include: the Infrastructure latest, General Milley, the American Dental Association being evil to seniors, and heat waves.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to a free excerpt here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's show we discuss Trump losing the Arizona recount, booster, Michael Flynn's latest conspiracy, whether 88 y.o. members of Congress should really be running for re-election, and the latest on the Infrastructure bill.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to a free excerpt here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Donald Trump's niece, Mary, returns to talk about her new book, "The Reckoning: our nation's trauma and finding a way to heal."Among the topics Mary discusses with us: Don Jr's intelligence; Ivanka ego; her recent slapdown of Meghan McCain; why Dems should be more outspoken about gun control, voting rights, and abortion; expanding the Supreme Court; standing up to Joe Manchin, and the relative lack of Democratic messaging and backbone. It was a fun chat, as always, with Mary -- she's a very interesting and fun person.You can listen to the audio version of the interview here, or watch the Zoom video version here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's show is an interview with Dixon Osburn, an old friend and colleague who was one of the key players in the repeal of the US military's ban on gay service members, the infamous "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Dixon has a new book out about the history of DADT, "Mission Possible: The Story of Repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Dixon and I talk about the history of the gay ban, going back to the early 1900s, the adoption and implementation of DADT under President Clinton, and its ultimate repeal under President Obama. And finally, we close with a discussion of lessons learned that other movements can take away from the successful fight to repeal the gay ban.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to a free excerpt here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's show, our guest is longtime telecom executive Jonathan Pelson, talking to us about his new book, "Wireless Wars: China's dangerous domination of 5G, and how we're fighting back." Pelson talks to us about Chinese dominance of 5G wireless technology, and why it poses a threat to America and the world. Pelson also gives us a really interesting primer on what 5G is, and why it's so much better than 4G.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to a free excerpt here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's show, we discuss President Biden's sweeping new Covid vaccine mandate, and how a minority of Americans hold, in essence, a filibuster over the head of the majority on health care policy, like so much else.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's show, Cliff and I talk about the rumor that Trump may run again, and more generally, the danger of the increased radicalism of the GOP; the latest on Covid; and a bit on the California recall election.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's show, we talk about gunmaker Remington's obscene legal strategy, another great Psaki bomb, that new abortion law in Texas, and Madison Cawthorn's threat of violence.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to 15 minutes here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's show, we talk about Kevin McCarthy's brother getting $7 million in no-bid government contracts because he says they're part Cherokee, the latest on the January 6th Commission, the end of the Afghan withdrawal, a rather racist controversy, Richard Marx vs. Chacci, and Afghanistan's last Jew.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to 15 minutes here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Health care advocate and activist Laura Packard, a stage 4 cancer survivor, and award-winning progressive digital/new media and communications strategist, joins us to talk about everything health care, from Obamacare to Covid to Biden's new proposals.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to 15 minutes here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

An in-depth look at how, in spite of today's terror attack, the Afghan evacuation ended up being quite a successful effort. Then we cover the latest on Covid, including Pfizer finally being approved.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to 15 minutes here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's guest is Dr. Chethen Sathya, a pediatric trauma surgeon who is the Director of the Gun Violence Prevention Center at Northwell Health, the largest system of hospitals and outpatient clinics in New York. Northwell is doing a big push on gun violence prevention, highlighted by fighting for funds in the infrastructure bill that go to gun violence prevention programs like the one at Northwell. As we're not seeing a spike in crime so much as a spike in gun crime right now, Dr. Sathya is a perfect guest to discuss what Northwell's doing, what we all should be doing, why the US is unique among high income countries, and the financial, personal and emotional cost of this scourge. And afterwards, we talk about the latest on Afghanistan and Covid.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to 15 minutes here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oy. Is Biden to blame? Is Trump to blame? What happens to the interpreters? Wasn't this all inevitable anyway? And will the American people even care? All that and more in our special Afghan episode.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to 15 minutes here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's show, Cliff and I delve into the news that Rand Paul's wife secretly bought stocks in a drug company way back in February of 2020, and Paul failed to report it for 16 months. And it just so happens that the pharmaceutical company, Gilead, makes the Covid treatment drug Remdesivir. At the time his wife bought the drug, Rand Paul, as a member of Congress, was receiving secret Covid briefings that the rest of us weren't privy to. He knew what was coming, we didn't. And his wife invested in the drug that would be needed to help fight the pandemic. All just a big coincidence, right Rand? This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to 15 minutes here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's episode starts with a discussion about Marjorie Taylor Greene getting kicked off Twitter for a week for spouting anti-vaccine nonsense. Then we talk about why Donald Trump hasn't been indicted yet, and what it means for our democracy moving forward. We then get into the new huge Dominion lawsuits against OAN and Newsmax.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to 30 minutes here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's show, we delve into what meaning there is, if any, from Shontel Brown beating Nina Turner in the Ohio special election for the Democratic primary. We then have a long talk about Fox News, and Tucker Carlson spending the week in Hungary trying to sell Americans on the notion that so long as the trains run on time, dictatorship is swell. And we wrap up with another Covid update, focusing in particular on the growing disaster in Ron DeSantis' Florida.This is one of our premium episodes. You can listen to 30 minutes here, and then, if the spirit moves you, head on over to Patreon and become a patron. Thanks so much.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.