Burning Bright and Chris Paul dive into Vice, Adam McKay’s star-studded portrayal of Dick Cheney, for a sharp, layered discussion about propaganda, controlled opposition, and how narratives are weaponized across decades. They explore how the film cleverly uses the Bush years to smear Trump by proxy, blending truth with cynicism to rebrand neoconservatives as the “good Republicans” liberals can stomach. The hosts dissect the unitary executive theory, the administrative state’s grip on power, and why Cheney was never just an outlier but a vessel for the same entrenched system driving perpetual war.

From the Iraq invasion’s marketing campaign to the hidden hand behind Israel’s influence, Chris and Burning Bright examine how McKay’s film sidesteps deeper truths in favor of a palatable villain story that leaves the real machine untouched. Along the way, they reflect on their own political awakenings, the legacy of 9/11-era narratives, and the recent echoes of Bush-era rhetoric in the Trump years. Part history lesson, part cultural autopsy, this episode is a reminder that the most effective propaganda is the one that feels true, especially when it flatters the audience’s sense of moral superiority.