Nikki Haley is officially in the race... but is she ready to take on Trump? Steve, Sarah, and Jonah are joined by David Drucker, who was on the ground for her South Carolina launch. Plus, who’s leaking all the anti-Kamala content, and why isn’t the Biden administration answering questions about spy balloons?

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Floating Middle Finger

Host Sarah Isgur is joined by Steve Hayes, and Jonah Goldberg for a weekly thoughtful discussion on politics, policy, and culture.

News

Politics

A jury found Donald Trump guilty on all 34 counts in his New York criminal trial. Sarah is joined by Jonah, Mike, and Steve to break down the conviction and discuss where we all go from here.
The Agenda:
—Was this a Stalin show trial?
—When law enforcement becomes personal
—Trump’s defense failure
—Shame on everybody
—Did this change anyone's vote?
—Trump raises $34.8 million
—Will Trump receive prison time?
—People you disagree with aren’t evil
—Was this worth our time?
Show Notes:
—The Collision: What's next?
—Last night's live Advisory Opinions
—Rep. Susan Collins’ reaction to the conviction
—NYT’s profile on Alvin Bragg
—Advisory Opinions on the New York indictment
—Elie Honig: Prosecutors Got Trump — But They Contorted the Law
—Larry Hogan’s statement on the conviction
—538 emergency pod
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Trump's Guilty. Now What? | Roundtable

Doug Holtz-Eakin, president of the American Action Forum, joins Jamie to discuss the role of an economist and recession predictions.
The Agenda:
—Explaining why a recession hasn’t come this year
—The role of the Federal Reserve in managing inflation
—Rent prices and housing stock
—Education reform and a pro-growth tax code
—The breaking point with interest rates
—Will the U.S. dollar stop being the reserve currency of the world?
—The economic impact of defending Taiwan against China
Show Notes:
—Minutes from the latest Fed meeting
—Latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data
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What Are Economists Actually Good For? | Interview: Doug Holtz-Eakin

Jonah is joined by Steve and Mike to discuss Nikki Haley saying she will vote for Donald Trump, and they also get into the “deadly force” lie being spread by Trump supporters in Congress and right-wing media.
The Agenda:
—Haley endorses Trump
—Trump-Haley ticket
—How the ‘Deadly Force’ Lie Swept Through the MAGA Media Ecosystem
—The corrupting influence of Trump
—Potluck foreign policy
—The ICC arrest warrants
—The death of a butcher
—The pizza debate
Show Notes:
—Boiling Frogs: A Case for VP Haley
—Julie Kelly’s original “deadly force” tweet
—Julie Kelly’s January 6 book
—Jesse Watters' coverage of the “deadly force” claims
—Trump’s Wildwood, New Jersey, speech
—The Trump-Oprah voter
—Biden’s Morehouse speech
—The Remnant with Ken Pollack
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Where Do Haley Voters Go? | Roundtable

George Packer joins Jamie to discuss how a new round of progressive culture in universities stems from the George Floyd and Black Lives Matter protests.
The Agenda:
—The competitive atmosphere of getting into elite pre-schools
—Rejection of nuance and debate
—How to teach history and civics
—New progressivism and its roots
—Progressive ideologies leading to cancel culture
—Culture wars and anti-Zionism
Show Notes:
—Packer: When the Culture War Comes for the Kids
—Packer: “The Campus-Left Occupation That Broke Higher Education”
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How George Floyd Changed American Education | Interview: George Packer

Donald Trump and Joe Biden have agreed to a debate and no one knows who benefits. Steve and Jonah join Sarah to make some predictions about the upcoming presidential debate and discuss how you should think about your vote.
The Agenda:
—The debate
—Why did Biden agree to this?
—White House operatives’ blind spots
—RFK Jr. not invited to the debate
—“Never Trump” vs. “Never Again”
—Would Jonah vote against American baby Hitler?
—How you should think about your vote
—Jonah for President
—Official judicial ruling: tacos and burritos are sandwiches
Show Notes:
—Nick Catoggio: Let’s Get Ready to Bumble
—NYT: Biden’s approval ratings
—High Steaks
—Axios: Biden’s polling denial
—Biden accepts the debate
—Biden’s “Free on Wednesday” T-shirts
—Pod Save America with Jen Psaki
—Polling on who people trust with info on Ukraine
—The Bulwark with Steve
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Floating Middle Finger

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