Ben Kissel Politics

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.

Congresswoman Grijalva pushes back against Speaker Mike Johnson’s delay in seating her, George Santos may make a comeback from the jailhouse to the White House, and AIPAC’s influence tightens its grip on both parties.

In this episode of Ben Kissel Politics, we tackle a trio of stories that span the domestic and the global. First: former Congressman George Santos, convicted of fraud and identity theft, sees his sentence commuted by Donald Trump—raising questions about loyalty, justice, and the limits of presidential mercy.
Next: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issues alarming claims that teenage boys now have far lower sperm counts and testosterone levels, sounding the alarm on fertility and urging government-driven responses.
Finally: the U.S., under Trump, escalates toward military action near Venezuela—labeling cartels as terrorists, authorizing CIA covert operations, and deploying war-power in the Caribbean.

Tonight on Ben Kissel Politics, we’re mixing surveillance, rebellion, and a little unintentional comedy.

A high school has implemented a digital bathroom security system that allows students only seven bathroom trips a week, proving that the surveillance state now extends all the way to the restroom.

Meanwhile, Marjorie Taylor Greene is making waves by going against her own party, adding another twist to her already chaotic political persona.

And across the globe, Donald Trump took the stage in Israel and delivered what can only be described as a stand-up routine, at one point even suggesting that Bibi Netanyahu should be pardoned. It’s part rally, part bit, and fully bizarre.

It’s bathroom monitoring, party mutiny, and international improv—all in one episode.