We had severe technical difficulties with our audio with Charlie Pierce (thanks for your time, Charlie!) so that interview had to be scrapped.  

But the show must go on!  So this evening we recorded a podcast just the two of us.  

Bluegal's opinion of Republicans has changed. 

Someone FINALLY says, "Liberals were right all along," buuuuut...

Enjoy this more spontaneous-than-usual show.  

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• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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This week, we examine Trump's pathological relationship with Fox News and how his morning TV viewing sessions led directly to bombing Iran. We trace the disturbing line from Fox pundits praising Israeli strikes to Trump launching his own attacks—strikes that Rolling Stone reports were "based on vibes" rather than intelligence.

We explore how a president who spent years tweeting that Obama would "play the Iran card" has now done exactly that himself, abandoning his "no foreign wars" promise the moment cable news suggested he needed to "get more involved." It's the story of how America's foreign policy became must-see TV, and how Republicans reprogram themselves to cheer whatever Dear Leader does next.

"The president was closely monitoring Fox News, which was airing wall-to-wall praise of Israel's military operation and featuring guests urging Mr. Trump to get more involved." —The New York [Effing] Times

We close by discussing the 1976 BBC production "I, Claudius" and its plot's uncanny similarities to Washington, D.C. today.  

Not safe for work. Recorded live from the Cornfield Resistance.

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• Website: proleftpod.com
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• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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We're back from the Cornfield Resistance with another episode examining the eerie echoes of 2003 as familiar faces dust off their war-hungry talking points for another Middle Eastern adventure. We dive into the fascinating split happening in MAGA-land between isolationists and hawks, plus how certain unrepentant ghouls somehow found their way back onto our screens. There's also a delightful trip through our spam folder and the usual Trump chaos, including his latest "two weeks" promise. Oh, and this week, we survived another tornado siren while recording a podcast with Bob Cesca (linked below) because apparently, natural disasters follow us around.  

Recorded live from the Cornfield Resistance, where we remember stuff. 

Link for this episode:  

Driftglass and Blue Gal on The Bob Cesca Show: https://www.bobcesca.com/the-bob-cesca-interview-driftglass-and-blue-gal-day-6-18-25/

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• Website: proleftpod.com
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• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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Anyone else notice the growing cracks in the MAGA coalition as supporters openly question whether they've been played?

We dive into the spectacular failures that defined this week in MAGA-land. From Trump's embarrassingly sparse tank parade that drew more protesters (Yay, No Kings Marches!) than supporters, to the horrific Minnesota political assassinations that exposed how quickly the right-wing propaganda machine can pivot from one set of lies to another, especially when reality and facts get in the way.

All this and more from the weekend's news. 

It's all part of our ongoing examination of how millions of Americans have become "reprogrammable" - and what happens when their programming starts to glitch.

Not safe for work. Recorded live from the Cornfield Resistance.

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• Website: proleftpod.com
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• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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NOTE:  The shocking news of Senator Alex Padilla being forcibly removed and handcuffed at a Kristi Noem press conference simply for trying to ask questions as an elected official?  We cover that in the news round-up. 

In this week's episode, we take a brief break from documenting Republican authoritarianism to explore the 1948 film noir masterpiece "The Big Clock," but quickly return to the fascist dumpster fire by introducing you to Bo Loudon, an 18-year-old MAGA influencer who represents the toxic roots of today's Republican party through his grifter family's Mar-a-Lago connections and reality TV fame. We also cover the latest authoritarian nightmares, plus we celebrate the few voices of truth still speaking out against this madness.

Link for this episode:  Driftglass (and Digby) on the BradCast with Brad Friedman and Desi Doyen.  https://bradblog.com/?p=15413 

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• Website: proleftpod.com
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• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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We dive into the chaos on the right as their messaging machine encounters serious technical difficulties. While they're busy thrashing between conflicting loyalties and scrambling for the next official lie, we explore how power always finds someone else to blame and why Rebecca Solnit's brilliant "she made him do it" theory seems to explain everything in politics these days. Plus, we celebrate a spicy email from our friends at Penzey's and remind everyone that paper straws and pronouns are NOT the problem.

Recorded live from the Cornfield Resistance

Link for this episode:  Rebecca Solnit, "The She Made Him Do It Theory of Everything".  https://www.meditationsinanemergency.com/the-she-made-him-do-it-theory-of-everything-2/

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• Email: [email protected]
• Website: proleftpod.com
• Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod
• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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We're back from the Cornfield Resistance with the messiest billionaire breakup of the century—complete with explosive social media threats and some very familiar names getting dragged into very damning files.

We're watching Pride Month get weaponized, civil rights heroes getting erased from naval vessels, and Republican voters acting shocked when the leopards they voted for start eating their own faces.

Plus: billionaire-funded "centrist" PACs, AI writing coaches at major newspapers, and why disaster season might be extra disastrous this year.

Grab your popcorn—we're here to watch the Republican Civil War, and things are getting... spicy!

Stay in Touch! 

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: proleftpod.com
• Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod
• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

Not safe for work. Available wherever you get your podcasts, or at proleftpod.com

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We're talking about Trump's "Move Fast and Break Things" presidency - from Tulsi Gabbard wanting to turn intelligence briefings into Fox News shows, to Elon Musk's deadly DOGE disaster that's killed hundreds of thousands worldwide. Senator Joni Ernst delivers peak Republican callousness by dismissing Medicaid death concerns with "We're all gonna die!" while strolling through a cemetery. Plus, we show you what honest economic reporting would look like versus the both-sides garbage we actually get, and Ukraine shows the power of keeping Trump in the dark, prompting Blue Gal to sing a song about it.

Stay in Touch! 

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: proleftpod.com
• Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod
• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

Not safe for work. Available wherever you get your podcasts, or at proleftpod.com

Support the show

This week, we take you back to the "Before Time" - specifically 2011 - to trace the toxic road that led us to where we are today. We revisit the birther movement, explore how "Conservatism cannot fail; conservatism can only be failed" evolved into "Trump cannot fail; Trump can only be failed," and examine what happens when an entire political movement becomes nothing more than loyalty to one man.

We discuss the courts blocking Trump's tariffs (and then unblocking them), judges using 26 exclamation points to strike down executive orders, Harvard losing a quarter of its student body overnight, and the president's ongoing extortion and bribery schemes - from CBS settlements to Mar-a-Lago pardon purchases.

Plus, we cover Chris Cillizza's traumatic encounter with a mean note on his Tesla, Trump's potential pardons for would-be kidnappers, and why the meatheads will always find someone else to blame when their dear leader inevitably fails them.

It's another episode in which we boldly venture into a place where others fear to tread—recorded live from the Cornfield Resistance.

Stay in Touch! 

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: proleftpod.com
• Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod
• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

Not safe for work. Available wherever you get your podcasts, or at proleftpod.com

Support the show

This week, we’re diagnosing a political condition we’re all feeling — what we’re calling Political Cabin Fever. It’s not hopelessness, it’s exhaustion, and if you're part of the Democratic Base, we bet you know exactly what we mean. We remember before-time examples of MAGA from Archie Bunker to Bill Hicks to RoboCop, and we talk about how liberals like us have been sounding the alarm for decades while elite opinion-havers closed their eyes. Plus, we take a look at the Rahmbo revival tour (Why are you doing this, Rahm? We think we know.), corporate media’s dangerous dance with Trump, and why the Democratic Party keeps punching hippies when it should be listening to the very people who saw this coming. Buckle up — it’s Episode 903 of The Professional Left Podcast.

Stay in Touch! 

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: proleftpod.com
• Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod
• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

Not safe for work. Recorded live from the Cornfield Resistance.

Support the show