Episode 51 breaks down one of the most unintentionally hilarious political stunts of the decade: MAGA activists declaring a “Patriots at the Park” day at Disneyland in February 2026, proving once again that nothing says “take down a liberal corporation” like giving it hundreds of thousands of dollars in ticket and churro sales.

We also cover the surprisingly warm meeting between Zohran Mamdani and Donald Trump, where the two praised each other after months of a very public feud — turning political enemies into temporary soulmates.

And we look at the increasingly absurd spectacle surrounding the Epstein file release, which has devolved into a full-blown circus of leaks, rumors, infighting, and grandstanding.

Episode 50 covers the U.S. dropping programs that helped travelers during holiday flight delays, the border turning away immigrants with medical issues to avoid “taxpayer burden,” and Bob Ross’ corporate handlers selling off his artwork to support media companies hit hard after Trump's financial policies.

Rep. Grijalva gets sworn in and becomes the tie-breaking vote to release the Epstein files, Kristi Noem denies Americans are being detained and then abruptly bails on her own press conference, and Donald Trump claims groceries are down 25% under his watch. We break down the vote, the denial, and the math that doesn’t exist.

In this episode of Ben Kissel Politics we discuss the longest government shutdown in history coming to an end while Donald Trump gets booed at an NFL regular season game in Landover, Maryland.

In Bangor, Maine, a woman convicted of killing a Canadian tourist in 2002 has just been elected to the city council—leaving locals unsure how to react and raising questions about redemption, accountability and public trust. In Florida, a politician and his activist wife were involved in a three-way that went wrong, and now they’re trending after winning a lawsuit against the police in Sarasota—a bizarre turn that blends scandal, civil rights and viral culture. Meanwhile, in Marin County, California, a town has banned tobacco sales and use of any kind, turning its municipality into one of the strictest anti-smoking zones in America.

NYC’s mayoral results shake up the skyline, Rosie O’Donnell revisits 9/11 doubts, Dick Cheney dies at 84, and Gavin Newsom declares he “hates lying politicians.”

The NYC mayoral race heats up, a state senate seat gets tangled in a sextortion scandal, and “evolving priorities” become the corporate code for mass layoffs

Bob Dylan reminds us that truth still matters, Nancy Pelosi says the quiet part out loud about smear tactics, Jared Kushner pitches his master plan for developing Gaza, and Gavin Newsom’s presidential ambitions take a surreal turn.

NYC’s mayoral debate highlights another identity battle for the city, Curtis Sliwa refuses to step aside after pressure from Andrew Cuomo, and we take a hard look at the danger of AI being run by people who don’t have much faith in humanity to begin with.

NYC’s mayoral debate highlights another identity battle for the city, Curtis Sliwa refuses to step aside after pressure from Andrew Cuomo, and we take a hard look at the danger of AI being run by people who don’t have much faith in humanity to begin with.