Mike & Trey kick off the show by talking about a big opioid verdict against Johnson & Johnson in Oklahoma as well as a pending mega-settlement between Purdue Pharma and nearly 2,000 litigants. They agree that opioid abuse has had disastrous and tragic consequences, but neither Mike nor Trey are convinced that the Johnson & Johnson verdict will hold up on appeal. Purdue Pharma, having already admitted wrongdoing in previous cases (including a settlement with Oklahoma) is altogether different they believe.
Next, they discuss the 2020 presidential race, including a new Republican challenger to Donald Trump (one-term Illinois representative Joe Walsh), the Democrats who made the cut for the next debate, transparency of the Democratic debate rules, and who they see as the most likely - and most dangerous - general election opponent to President Trump.
After that they turn to the resignation of Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson and what it means for 2020. They agree that it’s good news for the Democrats, but Mike thinks the Republicans will still probably hold both seats, especially as Stacey Abrams has said she won’t run (which Mike thinks might have something to do with her hopes of being Joe Biden’s VP pick).
The show ends with a discussion of the border wall - first, allegations that President Trump has promised pardons to those who break the law to get the wall built, followed by President Trump’s keen interest in the aesthetics of the wall. Trey thinks that Trump probably did at least joke about pardons, and that it was either intuitively or strategically a smart move. Mike says that the focus on building a big, intimidating wall is largely empty symbolism, and characteristic of Donald Trump.
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Israel and Hamas, Biden’s A.I. Order, Election Integrity
UAW and Ford, Ellis Plea, Trump Gag Orders, States Sue Meta, Lewiston
Speaker Mike Johnson, Israel and Hamas
Georgia Election Case, Menendez Charges, Presidential Race, Biden and the Media
Israel and Hamas, House Speaker Fight
Jay Talks with Rep. Jim Jordan (2017)
The Constitution: The Bill of Rights
The Gaza Strip, House Speaker
Steve Inskeep on Lincoln’s Leadership in Turbulent Times
Unconstitutional Agencies, Credit Card Competition, In Praise of Idleness
McCarthy Out, California’s New Senator, Supreme Court Back, Trump Civil Case
Lainey Newman on Rust Belt Union Blues
The Constitution: Article VII
Feinstein, GOP Debate, House Shutdown, NY Fraud Case, Alabama
Heather Cox Richardson on the State of American Democracy
Paxton Acquittal, NCAA Legislation, Senate Dress Code, Masterson Rape Conviction
Shutdown Politics, Garland Testimony, PA Voter Registration
Max Borders on Underthrowing The System
Romney Retirement, CDC vs DeSantis, COVID Fraud
Indicting Hunter, Impeaching Joe, The Big Three vs the UAW
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