A lot has happened since last we met, dear listeners. With a maelstrom of political upheaval, a historic Republican National Convention, a Presidential assassination attempt gone awry, and more, we make the choice to devote the lion's share of this episode to JD Vance's fasc-adjacent, off-putting interpretation of JRR Tolkien's classic series, The Lord of the Rings.

Before that, we devote some time to President Joseph Robinette Biden's decision not to run for a second term, his anointed successor Kamala Harris' prospects at winning the big seat, and the Secret Service's role in foiling (??) the attempt on Donald Trump's life.

Here's the Jacobin article we reference, for context: https://jacobin.com/2024/02/giorgia-meloni-tolkien-fascism-fantasy