The Middle - UNPLUGGED with Anthony Weiner

Anthony looks at a busy and consequential week in America.  It seems like a lot has changed, but has it?  An assassination attempt may not succeed in cooling our national rhetoric.  A judge's ruling won't end the stolen documents case.  A veep pick just confirms what we already knew about how Donald Trump thinks.  If you are feeling exasperated, this might not cheer you up but we try to find some glimmers of hope in the ashen landscape. 

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Lets first dispense with the obvious : Joe Biden has been old for a long time.  But suddenly over the course of a trainwreck of a debate, many Democrats and reporters were ready to do what polls show Americans had done a while ago - add the word “too”.  It’s 120 days before the election and there is a national consensus - Joe Biden is too old.  But what about that other universal point of agreement that Democrats share that Trump must be defeated?  This week Anthony is joined by a former member of Congress and party insider, Michael Capuano of Massachusetts.  Mike was a part of House leadership under Nancy Pelosi and shares a thing or two about the conversations taking place among Democratic office holders and apparatchiks today.  Is there a safe option for Democrats? Spoiler alert : no!  In Ask Anthony Anything, what did the elections in the UK and France mean? Anthony finds a local hook.

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Anthony is usually not one for hyperbole, but is this the worst Supreme Court decision in history or what? His hair isn't on fire or anything, but even a cool, level headed look at the breath of the Presidential immunity that now exists, is enough to make us all sweat.  He breaks it down and tries to find tiny silver linings.  In Ask Anthony Anything, a modest proposal for a Biden comeback.

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Is anyone not giving public debate advice to Trump and Biden?  Has everyone already figured out what they need to do and what they need to avoid?  Anthony takes a look at what the partisans are telling their candidate to do in tomorrow’s debate and has some help in sorting out what will work and what won’t.   He is joined by Charlie King, friend of the pod and former Executive Director of the New York State Democratic party and candidate for Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General.   The two old hands look at what David Corn of Mother Jones and the editorial board of the New York Post are suggesting their respective candidates say on stage in Atlanta.  In Ask Anthony Anything, Anthony finds himself in uncomfortable agreement with the Speaker of the House.

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If there is one economic data point that every president fears it is the price of gas.  But like a political Rorschach test, voters - and podcast hosts - see what they want to see when the cost at the pump goes up or down.  Now, with prices dropping and oil profits skyrocketing, could it be that Joe Biden has cracked the code?  It's time to bring in an expert.  Anthony chats with Dan Dicker, author of books about energy policy and explainer of oil prices with his newsletter The Energy Word at www.DanDicker.com.  Dan has some surprising takes.  Also, this week in Ask Anthony Anything, the politics of hostages is ugly even by today’s standards.

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Hunter Biden is guilty but not for all the things he has been accused of.  Now that the jury has spoken, Anthony takes a step or two back in time and recalls the odd winding road that led us to this place.  It isn’t pretty.  A box on a form was filled out wrong and that is a crime.  But how did all that lead to just this?  Anthony explores.  Also, fast food is too damn expensive, but why?

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Everything has been said about the Trump verdict, but has everyone said it on this podcast?  Anthony puts a bow on the proceedings by separating the Trump complaints into a couple of categories.  He finds plenty of good faith questions about our system and our most famous trial.  Answers abound but are they the correct ones?  We have a few more courts that have to weigh in.  In Ask Anthony Anything, what to make of the public reaction?  Did the campaign suddenly change?  In a word : no way.

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Some American debates may be destined to never be resolved.  Abortion anyone?  How about gun control?  But there is one sticky wicket we have been able to sort out and kind of find compromise on : immigration.  It hasn’t been easy.  And, to be fair, it also hasn’t been recent.  But this week we consult with the last five Presidents to find a path through the pitched arguments about our border, the invaders and all the other hot rhetoric around immigration.  In Ask Anthony Anything, is Biden really losing because of Weiner?

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Ok, so it won’t be Kristi Noem, but there is no shortage of Veep wannabes preening for Donald Trump’s attention.  Anthony knows the best way to get on Defendant Donald’s radar screen is to get on his television screen.  This week we listen to what they are saying and why.  In Ask Anthony Anything, it is time for a prediction in the hush money case.

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After a lot of staring at trees, Anthony brings us a view of the forest in the Trump hush money case.  The big climax is Micheal Cohen but the scaffolding of the case seemed ready this week.  A preview of the Trump defense and a bold prediction about whether the defendant will testify to his own not guiltyness.  In Ask Anthony Anything, is it time to panic over the polls?  Lets ask this guy panicking on this podcast.

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