It Could Happen Here

All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file:

• Hope & Dirty Tricks: How Lula Beat Flavio Bolsonaro
• Election Rumors and Conspiracism
• Catching up with the status of Kurdish groups in Iran 
• Executive Disorder: 2026 Midterms Edition 
• Executive Disorder: GOP Blame Game, Trump/Epstein Report, Paraguay Ousts President

You can now listen to all Cool Zone Media shows, 100% ad-free through the Cooler Zone Media subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. So, open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “Cooler Zone Media” and subscribe today!

Sources/Links:

Election Rumors and Conspiracism

• https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/26/trump-reward-reporting-voter-fraud
• https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/harassment-public-records-requests-bombard-uw-truth-seeker-after-jan-6-hearings-cameo/
• https://uwcip.substack.com/p/election-rumor-rundown-october-24
• https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/minnesota-charges-conservative-activist-okeefe-influencer-higby-after-voting-2026-10-29/

Catching up with the Status of Kurdish Groups in Iran

• https://x.com/vvanwilgenburg

Executive Disorder: GOP Blame Game, Trump/Epstein Report, Paraguay Ousts President

• https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2026/10/how-mamdani-canceled-cop-city/416903/ 
• https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/04/nyregion/pied-a-terre-mamdani-appeal-win-home-tax.html?smid=url-share
• https://apnews.com/article/port-strikes-arms-shipments-france-greece-italy-4a8813406fd51b91b3b7d17826c1883d
• https://x.com/vvanwilgenburg/status/2117641211909730538?a=ri24O90ueHp7eYgCoDc&s=20
• https://x.com/war_noir/status/2117581845755773246?a=P0quWPGQ6wjaX70NPOQ&s=20
• https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/26/26A624/431463/20261102111302952_California%20Application.pdf 
• https://www.scotusblog.com/cases/united-states-v-california-2/ 
• https://2026.electoral.dsausa.org/
• https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-elections/senate-results
• https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/how-trump-lost-midterms-33cf9fd4?st=EQm4gx
• https://x.com/justinbaragona/status/2117780696626257981?a=Q68Ma2bBhMU2LKxTVkk&s=20
• https://x.com/JDVance/status/2118004988433641835
• https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/2117614591060721973?a=A5arnEBUOHurQE3jSg8&s=20
• https://x.com/atrupar/status/2117612993139585093?a=dprbLi0Afsej7Jh14ko&s=20
• https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/04/desantis-calls-midterm-bloodbath-an-extinction-level-event-for-republicans-01148705
• https://x.com/politico/status/2117840712855113793?a=5vZ3flWUbvcJyTvleyU&s=2
• https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/11/05/congress/bernie-sanders-launches-medicare-for-all-push-01151604
• https://x.com/atrupar/status/2117887743443505646?a=tif1VPo4NuwejhijsNY&s=20
• https://thehill.com/homenews/house/6199505-house-investigations-trump-administration/
• https://x.com/atrupar/status/2118335426968616973?a=tRXmF86Rp3SEkpIuB_E&s=20
• https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/15/paolo-zampolli-fired-state-department-trump-01121739
• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/house-democrats-call-for-special-counsel-to-investigate-trump-s-ties-to-epstein/ar-AA2g6UnX
• https://democrats-judiciary.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/judiciary-democrats-report-details-mounting-evidence-linking-trump-to-epstein-s-criminal-activities-and-doj-s-cover-up-specific-accounts-involving-11-women-provide-more-evidence-of-potential-sex-crimes
• https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/318-garment-factories-closed-amid-labour-unrest-over-7-lakh-workers-leave-workplaces 
• https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/national-international/paraguay-president-santiago-pena-resigns-following-bank-collapse/4102079/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The gang discuss Republican’s reactions to the election blowout, DSA’s midterm wins, how Democrats can go after the Trump admin while delivering on economic issues, economic collapse protests in Paraguay, and a one million worker wildcat strike in Bangladesh. 

Sources:

• https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2026/10/how-mamdani-canceled-cop-city/416903/ 
• https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/04/nyregion/pied-a-terre-mamdani-appeal-win-home-tax.html?smid=url-share
• https://apnews.com/article/port-strikes-arms-shipments-france-greece-italy-4a8813406fd51b91b3b7d17826c1883d
  
• https://x.com/vvanwilgenburg/status/2117641211909730538?a=ri24O90ueHp7eYgCoDc&s=20
• https://x.com/war_noir/status/2117581845755773246?a=P0quWPGQ6wjaX70NPOQ&s=20
• https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/26/26A624/431463/20261102111302952_California%20Application.pdf 
• https://www.scotusblog.com/cases/united-states-v-california-2/ 
• https://2026.electoral.dsausa.org/
  
• https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-elections/senate-results
  
• https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/how-trump-lost-midterms-33cf9fd4?st=EQm4gx
• https://x.com/justinbaragona/status/2117780696626257981?a=Q68Ma2bBhMU2LKxTVkk&s=20
  
• https://x.com/JDVance/status/2118004988433641835
  
• https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/2117614591060721973?a=A5arnEBUOHurQE3jSg8&s=20
• https://x.com/atrupar/status/2117612993139585093?a=dprbLi0Afsej7Jh14ko&s=20
• https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/04/desantis-calls-midterm-bloodbath-an-extinction-level-event-for-republicans-01148705
• https://x.com/politico/status/2117840712855113793?a=5vZ3flWUbvcJyTvleyU&s=2
• https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/11/05/congress/bernie-sanders-launches-medicare-for-all-push-01151604
• https://x.com/atrupar/status/2117887743443505646?a=tif1VPo4NuwejhijsNY&s=20
• https://thehill.com/homenews/house/6199505-house-investigations-trump-administration/
• https://x.com/atrupar/status/2118335426968616973?a=tRXmF86Rp3SEkpIuB_E&s=20
• https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/15/paolo-zampolli-fired-state-department-trump-01121739
• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/house-democrats-call-for-special-counsel-to-investigate-trump-s-ties-to-epstein/ar-AA2g6UnX
• https://democrats-judiciary.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/judiciary-democrats-report-details-mounting-evidence-linking-trump-to-epstein-s-criminal-activities-and-doj-s-cover-up-specific-accounts-involving-11-women-provide-more-evidence-of-potential-sex-crimes
• https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/318-garment-factories-closed-amid-labour-unrest-over-7-lakh-workers-leave-workplaces 
• https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/national-international/paraguay-president-santiago-pena-resigns-following-bank-collapse/4102079/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robert, James, and Garrison are joined by Steven Monacelli and Kevin Foster to discuss the BLUE TSUNAMI with Democrats flipping at least 7 Senate seats and gaining an 80+ House majority. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James is joined by Wladimir Van Willgenberg to discuss the situation for Kurds in Iran after nearly nine months of the USA’s bombing of Iran.

Links:

https://x.com/vvanwilgenburg

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin speaks with Stephen Prochaska and Danielle Lee Tomson of the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public about election rumors and how to sort through claims of rigged elections. 

Sources: 

• https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/26/trump-reward-reporting-voter-fraud
• https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/harassment-public-records-requests-bombard-uw-truth-seeker-after-jan-6-hearings-cameo/
• https://uwcip.substack.com/p/election-rumor-rundown-october-24
• https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/minnesota-charges-conservative-activist-okeefe-influencer-higby-after-voting-2026-10-29/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James is joined by Molly Conger to talk about what to wear this winter to stay warm in the outdoors, and to discuss how the outdoor media talks about equipment and the issues with that model. Here are some of the things James mentioned in the episode, all with non affiliate links!

https://armsofandes.com/
https://darntough.com/ 
https://www.sitkagear.com/collection/equinox-guard-collection 
https://www.royalrobbins.com/us/en-us/men/featured/mosquito-protection-technology/ 
https://nuyarn.com/ 
https://www.polartec.com/fabrics/insulation/alpha 
https://www.primaloft.com/insulation-products/active-series/active-evolve 
https://pertex.com/fabrics-technologies/quantum-air 
https://kahtoola.com/gaiters/navagaiter-gtx/ 
https://auclairgloves.us/products/hybrid-xc-2-finger-mitts-adult-new-fall-2023 
https://skida.com/products/limoncello-alpine-hat 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robert reads an essay by Brazilian activist and podcaster Caio Almendra, about Caio's personal experience helping rally 2 million voters to save Brazilian democracy.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Margaret reads you a comfy, cozy story about a robot colony on the moon, and one robot's journey to find a new home--and have her tarot cards read

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file:

• Israeli Elections and the Palestinians
• 2026 Elections (The Union Ones)
• ¡El Chupacabras!
• Kim Kelly's Morbid Labor Tales 
• Executive Disorder: Lula’s Victory, AI Election Ads, Voter Fraud, Revolt in Albania

You can now listen to all Cool Zone Media shows, 100% ad-free through the Cooler Zone Media subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. So, open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “Cooler Zone Media” and subscribe today!

Sources/Links:

Israeli Elections and the Palestinians

• Israel's Elections: What's at Stake?, International Crisis Group (Max Rodenbeck, Mairav Zonszein, Amjad Iraqi), 15 October 2026
• A Jewish Currents Guide to the Israeli Elections, Josh Nathan-Kazis, Jewish Currents, 20 October 2026
• Occupied Thoughts interview with Sami Abu Shehadeh https://fmep.org/resource/barred-from-knesset-elections-sami-abu-shehadeh-on-the-state-of-israeli-democracy/
• Prospect magazine op-ed on the settlers and the state - https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/world/middle-east/75279/settler-rioters-are-israeli-state-policythrough-deniable-means

2026 Elections (The Union Ones)

• https://linktr.ee/PamelaSH

¡El Chupacabras!

• Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast in Fact, Fiction and Folklore by Benjamin
  Radford
• Governing Spirits: Religion, Miracles, and Spectacle in Cuba and Puerto Rico,
  1898-1956 by Reinaldo L. Román
• En Qué Quedó Ep. 6 “El Chupacabras”
  https://open.spotify.com/episode/2r9ISXwgY7zTpWj2EJWcF1
• Radio Ambulante “El vampiro entre nosotros”
  https://open.spotify.com/episode/0hvdSD4aXHwoOWoMYAdN9x
• Sucking Vulnerability: Neoliberalism, the Chupacabras, and the Post-Cold War Years by
  William A Calvo-Quirós
• https://web.archive.org/web/20230814111741/http://www.barriology.com/uploads/2/3/2/7/
  23276452/calvo-quiros_sucking_vulnerability_rev.pdf
• El Chupacabra: Icon of Resistance to US Imperialism
• Species (1995) dir. Roger Donaldson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MGZnLsPSRc
• La Operación (1982) dir. Ana María García https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoJoWMbRxvM&t=36s
• La Operación -Background https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6XEuu_auR8&t=8s
• https://www.elnuevodia.com/noticias/locales/notas/se-registran-dos-ataques-del-chupac
  abras/
• https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/30/vieques-puerto-rico-us-navy-base-traini
  ng
• https://www.navfac.navy.mil/Portals/68/Documents/Business-Lines/Environmental/Enviro
  nmental-Restoration/NAVFAC-Atlantic/Vieques/Vieques_Fact_Sheet_03_Depleted_Uran
  ium_in_LIA_Eng.pdf
• https://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/elyunque/recreation/discover-history/us-military-and-el-yunq
  ue-national-forest
• https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24816374-the-history-of-the-us-department-
  of-defense-programs-for-the-testing-evaluation-and-storage-of-tactical-herbicides-agent-
  orange-in-pr/?q=puerto+rico&mode=document#document/p5
• https://www.elvocero.com/actualidad/otros/las-grandes-sequ-as-que-marcaron-a-puerto-
  rico-durante-el-siglo-xx/article_e6a37bce-5269-4040-836d-799a04358fc2.html
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1995/12/26/mystery-creature-ravages-p
  uerto-rican-livestock/b7704250-dae0-4fa3-a886-561db637b463/
• https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-12-03-mn-9730-story.html
• “Monsters and Messiahs by Mike Davis”
•  “Beast of Borikén" by Julio Anta, Daniel IriZarri, Patricio Delpeche, and Lucas Gattoni

Kim Kelly's Morbid Labor Tales 

• https://proteanmag.com/2021/10/31/picket-lines-in-the-graveyard-a-history-of-cemetery-workers-strikes/
• https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67168074
• https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia/dc33-strike-philadelphia-medical-examiners-injunction-20250703.html
• https://6abc.com/post/retrieval-dead-bodies-is-being-delayed-due-blue-collar-union-dc33-strike-philadelphia-officials-say/16936166/
• https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/sacrilegious-bodies-piling-up-at-cook-county-morgue/
• https://6abc.com/archive/8511845/
• https://abc7.com/archive/8719820/
• https://www.nytimes.com/1964/10/02/archives/workers-strike-funeral-homes-100-establishments-hit-in-the.html
• https://www.nytimes.com/1964/10/04/archives/state-fails-to-end-embalmers-strike.html
• https://thevictorianbookofthedead.wordpress.com/2024/08/28/the-coffin-makers-strike-1872/
• https://newspapers.bc.edu/?a=d&d=pilot18720622-01.2.22&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-----------------------

Executive Disorder: Lula’s Victory, AI Election Ads, Voter Fraud, Revolt in Albania

• https://x.com/aricnesbitt/status/2066923547964928106?a=kc7nT6MWbZZrCG5F3ho&s=20
• https://x.com/reaganreese_/status/2064370476449669139?a=o_23wNhd8KJXG1_3jd8&s=20
• https://x.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/2097325814689743049?a=-BXTLNGkR3wjP9lkgeE&s=20
• https://x.com/AndrewSolender/status/2083629219980960030?a=U6bD8EFjG4McMm-xQCM&s=20
• https://x.com/NassauExec/status/2096705749774631131?a=9MzOBMvGxcqDqhpGhgA&s=20
• https://x.com/BlueprintFNDN/status/2078957886403670411?a=2Q_B5IADKyInPq5JQKE&s=20
• https://x.com/PollTracker2024/status/2076099238363005194?a=GAD-fsC8RATzjNcbr5s&s=20
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrw_hLs4O_0
• https://x.com/JacobRubashkin/status/2113454492872045007?a=jb16JdrbsG8yhaW1ljI&s=20
• https://x.com/NassauExec/status/2094800565452611646?a=wRx4Pm2YJdKDtLMz7Eo&s=20
• https://x.com/NassauExec/status/2091865610233786666?a=q7ts8IGOQNOt_zkiCGE&s=20
• https://x.com/AdImpact_Pol/status/2051314128468197851?lang=en
• https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0093650226142143
• https://mediaproject.wesleyan.edu/releases-101526/
• https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/artificial-intelligence-ai-in-elections-and-campaigns 
• https://www.ncsl.org/state-legislatures-news/details/when-ai-campaign-ads-fake-reality 
• https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/16/us/politics/midterm-elections-ai-generated-ads.html
• https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/deciding-fake-images-candidates-are-using-ai-political-ads-get-vote-rcna605243 
• https://democrats-judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-judiciary.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/2026-10.hjc-dems-staff-report-epstein-and-trump.pdf
• https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8ly097zw1xwo
• https://www.daylightsandiego.org/ice-detainee-dies-at-otay-mesa-detention-center-in-san-diego/
• https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/10/27/iraqi-court-sentences-seven-french-isis-members-to-prison/
• https://x.com/AJEnglish/status/2113552255576092815
• https://sana.sy/en/syria/2353795/
• https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2026/10/27/flavio-bolsonaro-flees-brazil-us/92462116007/
• https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3moy4zcl3b52a
• https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2114740388514697527 
• https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/netherlands-citizen-arrested-illegally-voting-2024-election 
• https://x.com/TheJusticeDept/status/2113703040444145701
• https://apnews.com/article/california-voter-data-justice-department-lawsuit-0305190ba958051bb86741ac00da36a7 
• https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-state-california-over-voter-list 
• https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1466286/ 
• https://x.com/USAttyEssayli/status/2113794933236871180
• https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2026-10-26-Order-.pdf 
• https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-charges-28-foreign-nationals-california-election-crimes 
• https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/trump-noncitizen-voting-court/
• https://x.com/JamesOKeefeIII/status/2087950683831931327a=2VozR5e62ZW8NoNmfl8&s=20
• https://x.com/JamesOKeefeIII/status/2087950683831931327
• https://x.com/JamesOKeefeIII/status/2115228635326242842
• https://www.hennepinattorney.org/news/news/2026/October/election-charges
• https://citizens.al/en/2026/09/07/100-days-of-the-flamingo-revolution-the-new-culture-of-civic-protest/ 
• https://www.balkanweb.com/en/On-the-14th-day-of-student-protests--citizens-and-young-people-gather-en-masse-in-front-of-the-Ministry-of-Education./#gsc.tab=0 
• https://www.tiranatimes.com/albanian-government-tightens-protest-laws-as-crisis-deepens/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The gang discuss how Brazilians organized to beat Bolsonaro, White House allegations of “likely” non-citizen voting, James O'Keefe being charged with unlawful voting, $137 million in AI campaign ads and politician deepfakes, and why there are massive protests in Albania.

Sources:

• https://x.com/aricnesbitt/status/2066923547964928106?a=kc7nT6MWbZZrCG5F3ho&s=20
  
• https://x.com/reaganreese_/status/2064370476449669139?a=o_23wNhd8KJXG1_3jd8&s=20
  
• https://x.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/2097325814689743049?a=-BXTLNGkR3wjP9lkgeE&s=20
  
• https://x.com/AndrewSolender/status/2083629219980960030?a=U6bD8EFjG4McMm-xQCM&s=20
  
• https://x.com/NassauExec/status/2096705749774631131?a=9MzOBMvGxcqDqhpGhgA&s=20
  
• https://x.com/BlueprintFNDN/status/2078957886403670411?a=2Q_B5IADKyInPq5JQKE&s=20
  
• https://x.com/PollTracker2024/status/2076099238363005194?a=GAD-fsC8RATzjNcbr5s&s=20
  
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrw_hLs4O_0
  
• https://x.com/JacobRubashkin/status/2113454492872045007?a=jb16JdrbsG8yhaW1ljI&s=20
  
• https://x.com/NassauExec/status/2094800565452611646?a=wRx4Pm2YJdKDtLMz7Eo&s=20
  
• https://x.com/NassauExec/status/2091865610233786666?a=q7ts8IGOQNOt_zkiCGE&s=20
  
• https://x.com/AdImpact_Pol/status/2051314128468197851?lang=en
  
• https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0093650226142143
  
• https://mediaproject.wesleyan.edu/releases-101526/
• https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/artificial-intelligence-ai-in-elections-and-campaigns 
• https://www.ncsl.org/state-legislatures-news/details/when-ai-campaign-ads-fake-reality 
• https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/16/us/politics/midterm-elections-ai-generated-ads.html
  
• https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/deciding-fake-images-candidates-are-using-ai-political-ads-get-vote-rcna605243 
• https://democrats-judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-judiciary.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/2026-10.hjc-dems-staff-report-epstein-and-trump.pdf
  
• https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8ly097zw1xwo
  
• https://www.daylightsandiego.org/ice-detainee-dies-at-otay-mesa-detention-center-in-san-diego/
  
• https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/10/27/iraqi-court-sentences-seven-french-isis-members-to-prison/
  
• https://x.com/AJEnglish/status/2113552255576092815
• https://sana.sy/en/syria/2353795/
  
• https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2026/10/27/flavio-bolsonaro-flees-brazil-us/92462116007/
  
• https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3moy4zcl3b52a
  
• https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2114740388514697527 
• https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/netherlands-citizen-arrested-illegally-voting-2024-election 
• https://x.com/TheJusticeDept/status/2113703040444145701
• https://apnews.com/article/california-voter-data-justice-department-lawsuit-0305190ba958051bb86741ac00da36a7 
• https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-state-california-over-voter-list 
• https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1466286/ 
• https://x.com/USAttyEssayli/status/2113794933236871180
• https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2026-10-26-Order-.pdf 
• https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-charges-28-foreign-nationals-california-election-crimes 
• https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/trump-noncitizen-voting-court/
  
• https://x.com/JamesOKeefeIII/status/2087950683831931327a=2VozR5e62ZW8NoNmfl8&s=20
  
• https://x.com/JamesOKeefeIII/status/2087950683831931327
• https://x.com/JamesOKeefeIII/status/2115228635326242842
• https://www.hennepinattorney.org/news/news/2026/October/election-charges
  
• https://citizens.al/en/2026/09/07/100-days-of-the-flamingo-revolution-the-new-culture-of-civic-protest/ 
• https://www.balkanweb.com/en/On-the-14th-day-of-student-protests--citizens-and-young-people-gather-en-masse-in-front-of-the-Ministry-of-Education./#gsc.tab=0 
• https://www.tiranatimes.com/albanian-government-tightens-protest-laws-as-crisis-deepens/ 

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