Our abbreviated second season of Oppo Research wraps up with Bad Brain writer, Twitter celebrity, and former Jezebel blogger Ashley Reese, who joins us on a journey through Vice President Kamala Harris’ storied ascent from California prosecutor to maybe becoming our first female president. Including: Harris’ debut on the Bay Area social scene (you’ve seen the photos of her with Montel!); her crusade against school truancy; the Kavanaugh hearings; and her meme-paved path to the White House.

For our full show notes, visit our website.

Oppo Research credits:

Host: Jack Mirkinson

Producer: Aleks Chan

Engineer, Editor, Art Director: Sam Grasso

Guest: Ashley Reese [Substack | Twitter]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve ever experienced the displeasure of thinking for even one second about Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, you have probably observed this poor simulation of “human being” and wondered, “Where the hell did this guy come from and how he is about to be vice president?” Well! Let this week’s guest on Oppo Research, polling mystic and posting master Ettingermentum (aka Josh Cohen), takes us through all the impressive ways Vance has failed upwards. Including: The Hillbilly Elegy of it all; his about-face on Trump; him basically winning his Senate seat because Trump is horny for him; and the inevitable 2028 presidential run.

For a full list of our show notes, visit our website at discourseblog.com.

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Oppo Research credits:

Host: Jack Mirkinson

Producer: Aleks Chan

Engineer, Editor, Art Director: Sam Grasso

Guest: Ettingermentum [Twitter | Ettingermentum Newsletter]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the season two premiere of Oppo Research, Jack and guest Kim Kelly—writer, anarchist extraordinaire, and author of Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor—dive into the rise and heel-turn of Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman. Including: Working-class cosplay; a deeply cursed Levis ad; something called “The Brave Thinkers” issue of The Atlantic (real); the Dr. Oz of it all (remember crudités??? lol); and being a bigtime Israel weirdo and general immigration demon.

Mentioned in this episode:

• “John Fetterman, American Jagoff” [The Nation]
• “John and Gisele Fetterman Are Fighting for the American Working Class” [Teen Vogue]
• “Who Is the Biggest Israel Weirdo?” [Discourse Blog]
• “Everything to know about the 2013 John Fetterman jogger incident” [Philadelphia Inquirer]
• “Mayor of Rust” [The New York Times Magazine]
• Levi’s Go Forth commercial [YouTube]
• “Levi's Gives Struggling Town Cinderella Treatment” [NPR]
• The Atlantic’s “Brave Thinkers” issue [The Atlantic]
• “John Fetterman: The Mayor of Hell” [RollingStone]
• “Lt. Gov. Fetterman defies law to mark start of Pride Month” [Penn Live]
• “Mehmet Oz’s crudité video gave opponent John Fetterman a golden opportunity” [NBC News]
• “John Fetterman and Social Media: How His Campaign Built a Winning Strategy” [Teen Vogue]
• “The John Fetterman Problem” [Discourse Blog]
• “'I'm not a progressive': Fetterman breaks with the left, showing a maverick side” [NBC News]

Oppo Research credits:

Host: Jack Mirkinson

Producer: Aleks Chan

Engineer, Editor, Art Director: Sam Grasso

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

OK, so, here’s what happened: We recorded a very special episode of Oppo Research—the season finale even!—where we decided to mix it up a little and have our usual host Jack sit in the, get this, GUEST chair and have inimitable Discourse Blog co-founder Katherine Krueger be the host. We recorded perhaps our best episode yet tracing the absolutely power-mad rise of California’s longest-serving senator, Dianne Feinstein.

And then, while we were in post-production for the season……….she died.

We’re bringing you this episode anyway, because there’s no question Feinstein played an immensely influential role during her time in San Francisco and her illustrious and frequently ignoble tenure in the Senate shaped a generation (TBT to her hugging Lindsey Graham after the confirmation hearings for Amy Coney Barrett!!!!!!!!!!). All with the caveat that, well, this episode features us talking about her as if she was, well, alive.

Anyway, enjoy! We loved working on this podcast and hope to make another season. (This will only happen if more people listen. Tell your friends…)

PAID SUBSCRIBERS GOT THIS EPISODE A WEEK EARLY, WITH NO ADS. IF YOU WOULD ALSO LIKE AN EARLY, AD-FREE EXPERIENCE, VISIT DISCOURSEBLOG.COM/SUBSCRIBE.

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Oppo Research credits:

Host: Jack Mirkinson

Producer: Aleks Chan

Engineer, Editor, Art Director: Sam Grasso

Guest: Katherine Krueger

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode of Oppo Research, More Perfect Union staffer (and Discourse Blog co-founder!) Paul Blest joins Jack to talk about the godfather to right-wing, anti-trans hysteria: former North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory. Plus: Why it seems like every Republican behaves like a loser freak in college; McCrory’s very horny relationship with Dow Chemical, the roots of the trans bathroom bill, and McCrory’s ignominious fall from glory.

PAID SUBSCRIBERS GOT THIS EPISODE A WEEK EARLY, WITH NO ADS. IF YOU WOULD ALSO LIKE AN EARLY, AD-FREE EXPERIENCE, VISIT DISCOURSEBLOG.COM/SUBSCRIBE.

***

Oppo Research credits:

Host: Jack Mirkinson

Producer: Aleks Chan

Engineer, Editor, Art Director: Sam Grasso

Guest: Paul Blest

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode of Oppo Research, fellow Discourse Blogger Jack Crosbie (aka Cros) joins Jack to get into what the absolute fuck is up with California Governor Gavin Newsom, including his hmmm upbringing around the Getty family (yeah, from the watermarks), his sicko obsession with bad names for his businesses (PlumpJack???), THAT photo, that HAIR, and his inevitable run for president.

PAID SUBSCRIBERS GOT THIS EPISODE A WEEK EARLY, WITH NO ADS. IF YOU WOULD ALSO LIKE AN EARLY, AD-FREE EXPERIENCE, VISIT DISCOURSEBLOG.COM/SUBSCRIBE.

***

Oppo Research credits:

Host: Jack Mirkinson

Producer: Aleks Chan

Engineer, Editor, Art Director: Sam Grasso

Guest: Jack Crosbie

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the season premiere of Oppo Research, our new podcast about the sins and scandals of your least favorite politicians, Jack and guest Samantha Schuyler, the research director at The Nation, dive deep to figure out: For just how long has Florida Governor Ron DeSantis been a big ‘ol freak? Plus, DeSantis’ inglorious baseball career, sending people pieces of his boots (real), weird lip sweat, Gitmo bona fides, taking a big dose of red pills, and your general Florida insanity. Meatball Ron!

PAID SUBSCRIBERS GOT THIS EPISODE A WEEK EARLY, WITH NO ADS. IF YOU WOULD ALSO LIKE AN EARLY, AD-FREE EXPERIENCE, VISIT DISCOURSEBLOG.COM/SUBSCRIBE.

***

Oppo Research credits:

Host: Jack Mirkinson

Producer: Aleks Chan

Engineer, Editor, Art Director: Samantha Grasso

Guest: Samantha Schuyler

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new podcast about the sins and scandals of your least favorite politicians. New episodes premiere Fridays. Brought to you by Discourse Blog.

www.discourseblog.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.