Political Misfits

Retired FBI agent and former Minneapolis Division legal counsel Coleen Rowley joins Misfits hosts Michelle Witte and John Kiriakou to discuss the investigations beginning into the assassination attempt on Trump at a Pennsylvania rally, what is going on inside the Secret Service after a major failure to prevent the shooting in the first place, the role provocative language actually plays in fostering political violence, whether this shooting will open up any debate about cracking down on open carry laws, and how Americans can expect a society that solves all foreign policy problems with war to eschew violence domestically? She also discusses the dismissal of the classified documents case against Trump, and the atmosphere at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Beirut-based journalist and head of news for The Cradle Esteban Carrillo discusses Israel’s strike on a displaced persons camp that was designated a safe or safer zone for Palestinians fleeing active conflict, why Israel continues to target these areas, why Israel is conducting strikes killing and wounding hundreds of civilians while ceasefire talks are ongoing, and where these talks might go.

Author, political scientist and host of the American Exception podcast Dr. Aaron Good discusses how both major parties are attempting to use this fraught political moment for their own purposes, the many issues that unite these two parties who are engaged in such hyperbolic rhetorical jousting, a history of Secret Service lapses, why the overwhelming surveillance Americans live under doesn’t ever seem to protect Americans from violence, how historical instances of political violence can help us understand the present, what might have happened had the assassination attempt been successful, and why he despairs of ever feeling confident of learning the truth about these past and present events.

The Misfits also discuss the EU’s ongoing anger at the Hungarian prime minister’s attempts at diplomacy and Alec Baldwin’s good luck.

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International geopolitical consultant, global speaker and author Dr. David Oualaalou joins Misfits hosts Michelle Witte and John Kiriakou to discuss President Joe Biden’s choice to spend an hour of prime time slapping himself on the back over issues voters couldn’t care less about, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's trip to Mar-a-Lago to speak with former President Donald Trump, the announcement that the US will deploy longer-range missiles in Germany for the first time in decades, why middle income countries view China so positively, the end of the line for White House hopes to broker a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, and Russia’s supposed attempts to assassinate the CEOs of weapons makers supplying Ukraine.

Independent commentator Steve Poikenen discusses the fallout from yet another mixed performance by Joe Biden, the growing calls by Democrats to drop out of the race, where Democratic voters put off by party infighting might go, what to make of the Heritage Foundation’s war gaming and statements about election theft, how major speech issues become partisan and toxic, and predictions for Trump’s vice presidential pick.

Famed banking whistleblower Brad Birkenfeld discusses the IRS’ much delayed effort to crack down on high level tax fraud, why these efforts still aren’t targeting the biggest offenders and why more funding only exacerbates the problem.

The Misfits also discuss Delta Airlines affirming anti-Arab social media posts, a major new AT&T hack, and this week’s news of the weird, including insured reproductive organs.

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Belfast-based political commentator and socialist activist Phil Kelly joins Misfits hosts Michelle Witte and John Kiriakou to discuss the provocative language toward China in the NATO summit’s final communique, NATO's plans to increase global defense spending, more orders by Israeli forces to evacuate Gaza City though not part of the strip seems same from Israeli bombs, whether any hope is left for this round of ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, and French President Emmanuel Macron's clever politicking after legislative elections.

Labor activist and coordinator of the Cuba Venezuela Solidarity Committee Gloria La Riva discusses Cuba’s announcement that they’d foiled a terror plot orchestrated from the US, how the CIA and the US government at large refuses to prevent anti-Cuban terror plots on US soil while labeling Cuba a “state sponsor of terror,” and whether Senator Marco Rubio would seriously affect Cuba policy if he ends up in the White House in the next administration.

Journalist and the host of The Backstory on Radio Sputnik Rachel Blevins discusses the significance of President Joe Biden’s “big boy press conference” tonight, what the timeline for replacing Biden would look like, the state of polling for the presidential race, how Biden's name on the ballot could harm down-ballot Democratic candidates, the fallout of destruction and relief efforts in Texas after Hurricane Beryl made landfall this week leaving millions out of power, and the consistent energy issues facing the Texas electrical grid.

The Misfits also discuss Democratic “true believers,” an Israeli report into its failures to protect citizens on October 7, Iraq sentencing an ISIS* leader's wife to death, and the Democratic Socialists of America rescinding their support for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.

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*ISIS is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries.

Independent investigative journalist Christopher Helali discusses the mood among NATO members during the alliance’s summit in Washington, remarks directed by President Joe Biden toward Russia and China at the summit, plans for the future of Ukraine and the future of the conflict in that country, reports confirming that Israel implemented a military directive to kill its own civilians on October 7th and how that complicates Israel’s justification for its conduct in Gaza, and French concerns about Israeli interference in their recent legislative elections.

Writer and editor of the Polemicist Jim Kavanagh discusses the slowly increasing pressure on Joe Biden to step aside, the consistently undemocratic choices made by the Democratic party in this crisis, new union endorsements for Biden, the ethics crisis on the Supreme Court, and an attempt to revive Russiagate for the 2024 race.

Editor of the Pan African Newswire Abayomi Azikiwe discusses the establishment of a Sahel States Alliance between Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, how it will impact the development of the region, as well as the leader of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed meeting with Sudanese military heads to possibly find a diplomatic path to a continued civil war in Sudan.

The Misfits also discuss NATO’s attempts to bring South Korea into further cooperation militarily, the closing arguments of Senator Bob Menendez, and an attempt to ban congressmembers from trading stocks.

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Canadian author and activist Yves Engler Yves Engler joins Misfits hosts Michelle Witte and John Kiriakou to discuss this week’s NATO summit in Washington DC, the different excuses the bloc offers to postpone Ukrainian membership, how members are pressuring Canada to increase military spending, whether NATO needs to “Trump-proof” itself, and whether a second Donald Trump presidency actually will affect US military spending at all.

Author and environmental organizer Tina Landis discusses ongoing heat waves plaguing the United States, how the ways in which cities are built trap heat and exacerbate its effects, how cities should respond both in design and in public health preparations, and what stands in the way of these transformations.

Writer and journalist Daniel Lazare discusses veteran Democratic strategist James Carville’s proposal for removing Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee for president in November, what role past Democratic presidents could play in deplatforming Biden, why the Democratic party seems to lack any formal and transparent power structures to respond to the moment, the current Republican platform, who could and should be Donald Trump's running mate, and the sweetheart deal that the Justice Department has given to Boeing.

President of Healthy California Now and longtime nurses union organizer Michael Lighty discusses a Wall Street Journal analysis indicating massive fraud among Medicare Advantage insurers, why such fraud is allowed to occur, and what it would take to break up the massive insurers implicated.

The Misfits also discuss reports that a doctor specializing in Parkinsons’ has visited the White House on multiple occasions.

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CEO of the nonprofits Real Progressives and Modern Monetary Theory activist Steve Grumbine joins Misfits hosts Michelle Witte and John Kiriakou to discuss Joe Biden’s refusal to get out of the presidential race, even as more and more members of his own party call for him to do so. He also breaks down who could have success as a replacement candidate, and the hurdles to using electoral politics to change a system in the grips of a powerful duopoly.

Political analyst and Professor of English Literature Mohammad Marandi discusses the results of the Iranian presidential election, won by Masoud Pezeshkian. He gets into the issues that were revealed to be critical in Iranian voter’s minds when heading to the ballots, how Western leaders perceive Pezeshkian, and whether the sanctions regime imposed on Iran by the West is beginning to backfire.

Co-host of the Final Countdown on Radio Sputnik Ted Rall discusses the upset by the left-wing New Popular Front, why the right-wing National Front failed to meet the expectations of Western media, and why the right-wing is crying foul over the left-wing’s electoral tactics.

Beirut-based Ecuadorian journalist and head of news for The Cradle Esteban Carillo discusses the current negotiating positions of Israel and Hamas, why Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netnayahu seems determined to throw cold water on any peace processes, the state of the conflict in Gaza, and Yemen's Ansarallah movement warning Saudi Arabia not to let the US drag Riyadh into a regional war.

International affairs and security analyst Mark Sleboda discusses Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s recent trips to Kiev, Moscow and Beijing and what Orban might be trying to accomplish. He also discusses Russia’s latest missile attack on Ukraine and the state of battle along the front lines.

The Misfits also discuss the departure of Jeremy Scahill and Ryan Grim from the Intercept, the plea deal struck by Boeing with the Department of Justice and new developments in Alec Baldwin’s manslaughter case.

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Labor attorney, human rights activist and author Daniel Kovalik joins Misfits hosts Michelle Witte and Ben Zinevich to discuss the landslide victory of the UK Labour Party and what the overall results of the election say about the British electorate, Hungarian leader Viktor Orban’s back-to-back visits to Kiev and Moscow, reports that Israel is once again engaging in ceasefire negotiations, and contradictory trends in labor regulation and support under .

Mohawk activist, educator and radio show host John Kane discusses a report by the Biden administration on the destruction of native economies and cultures caused by damming the Columbia River and the difference between admitting to causing such destruction through carelessness versus acknowledging that it was deliberately intended to destroy tribal ways of life. He discusses similar actions and results on the East Coast, the ongoing “sacrifice” of native land for corporate profit, and whether the Biden administration has meaningfully pivoted away from a history of federal injustices against native communities.

Economist, radio show host and author Dr. Jack Rasmus discusses today's job report and how to interpret government figures on job creation and employment. He also discusses the ways in which American oligarchs exercise influence over the political process, whether Joe Biden can regain his campaign footing, why there’s so much debate about the political fortunes of Vice President Kamala Harris, and what to expect from the NATO summit in Washington, DC, next week.

Journalist and co-editor of Peoples Dispatch Zoe Alexandra discusses the surge in social unrest in Ecuador, how the administration of President Daniel Noboa fits into the history of neoliberal policies in Ecuador and who is organizing the current round of protests there. She also discusses the ongoing detention of former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas and Mexico’s suit against Ecuador for violating the sovereignty of its embassy in arresting him.

The Misfits also discuss theories about who is undermining Joe Biden and why and results from the traditional Fourth of July hot dog eating competition.

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Professor of law and public policy at Cornell University Robert Hockett joins Misfits hosts Michelle Witte and John Kiriakou to discuss Monday’s Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity, why it has sparked such outcry and how the Biden administration could respond, how a series of anti-regulation court decisions could reshape American society, and the Department of Justice insisting on a criminal plea by Boeing.

Political analyst Anthony Rogers Wright discusses the blame game still underway following President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance and whether the DNC will shift its timeline for nominating its presidential candidate forward or back, either to end speculation that Biden will be replaced or to open up the possibility of a change at the convention. He also discusses a court’s reversal of the Biden administration’s pause on new LNG export permits.

International affairs and security analyst Mark Sleboda discusses the meeting between the US and Ukrainian defense chiefs; why the US is pressuring Israel to unpack its old air defense systems for Ukraine; the rift between Israel’s armed forces and the country’s prime minister, the rightward shift in France; the differences between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and French National Rally leader Marine LePen, whether a new president in Iran could possibly change the country’s relationship with the West; and the real reason Israel’s war in Gaza is continuing, apparently against the desires of Israel’s armed forces.

The Misfits also discuss negotiations for the release of Guantanamo Bay’s “forever prisoner,” another disbarment for former New York City Mayor Rudy Guiliani, and a series of police raids in Italy revealing that designer leather goods ostensibly crafted by artisans are actually made by exploited foreign labor.

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Former US diplomat, and former senior foreign policy advisor Jim Jatras joins Misfits hosts Michelle Witte and John Kiriakou to discuss the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity, the results of French elections this weekend and what the runoff elections could produce, expectations of the Iranian presidential elections, Israeli leaders pushing forward the recognition of illegal West Bank settlements, and what to expect from the elections in the United Kingdom as Labour seeks to sweep out the Conservative Party.

Editor of Prison Legal News and Criminal Legal News magazines Paul Wright discusses the barely edible material served in US prisons as food, the policy of malnutrition in US prisons, the arrest of former corrections officers over the killing of a prisoner, and a Pennsylvania prison coroner writing off questionable deaths as natural.

Editor and senior columnist at Black Agenda Report Margaret Kimberley discusses the fallout from the presidential debate last week, the pressure on President Joe Biden to resign after his poor performance, whether there’s something fishy about the immediate about-face on Biden among Democrat-friendly mainstream media outlets, and a Supreme Court decision on bribery.

Technologist and cohost of the CovertAction Bulletin podcast Chris Garaffa discusses a technical Supreme Court ruling on state social media laws, testimony by a Homeland Security Department official about the extent of spying on domestic protest movements, and more lackluster security of Americans’ private data.

The Misfits also discuss arguments about Taylor Swift’s worth as a role model.

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International geopolitical consultant, global speaker, and author Dr. David Oualaalou joins Misfits hosts John Kiriakou and Ben Zinevich to discuss Iranian voters heading to elections, how Iranian voters choices are influenced by the possibility of Trump’s White House return, Iranians considering that the United States may refuse to ever lift sanctions on Tehran, the crisis of famines in Gaza and Sudan, how both could be avoided, and an update on escalations between Israel and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon.

Canadian author and activist Yves Engler discusses the renewed modernization of NORAD military presence in the Canadian Arctic, the militarization of the Arctic by NATO forces and its environmental toll, attempts to make the Arctic a zone of peace, and the Canadian cooperation with the United States to refuse to allow humanitarian aid to Afghanistan amid crisis post-occupation.

Political consultant, political organizer Donna Davis discusses the questions surrounding the viability of Joe Biden as the Democratic frontrunner in November, how Democratic insiders are failing to confront Biden on his mental acuity behind closed doors, who the Democrats could bring in to substitute Biden, Congress beginning fights over federal budget over contentious funding issues, Congress holding Merrick Garland in "inherent contempt", and the mandating the teaching the Bible in every public school in Oklahoma.

The Misfits also discuss the impact of the Supreme Court’s ruling for a January 6th rioter’s obstruction charge, and this week’s News of the Weird, including a delayed defecation demonstration, an online gamer’s attempted murder of a rival, and the social lives of elephants.

The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of Sputnik.

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