The week that really was

John and Sarah talk the latest twists in Russia and Israel, Blindboy's new RTE documentary, and the latest twists in the very, very, very unexciting general election.

"Derek Blighe should have been in that debate" - John and Sarah discuss the RTE debate, and the campaign where all the parties agree and are having fake rows about nothing of importance.

John and Sarah bemoan their lack of recognition at the national media awards, review another boring few days in the greatest election of our age, Donald Trump's cabinet nominees, and why John is not a fan of Micheál Martin.

00:00 Introduction to the General Election Landscape
02:40 Media and Political Awards
03:36 The Hutch's Candidacy: Implications for Dublin Central
07:28 Sinn Féin's Vulnerability: Polling and Leadership Concerns
10:01 Sinn Féin's Policy Stagnation: A Critical Analysis
19:46 Fianna Fáil's Campaign: A Lack of Substance
24:10 The Rise of the Social Democrats: A New Hope?
26:37 Micheál Martin's Political Legacy
32:18 Election Dynamics and Candidate Insights
38:04 Trump's Cabinet and Political Change
43:43 Political Strategies and Public Perception
45:56 Climate Change and Political Posturing

With the election campaign underway, John and Sarah review the major issues of the first few days. Which appear to be Michael O'Leary, and whether the country wants new energy or change.

John gets a deserved spanking from Sarah over his Trump Derangement Syndrome, The US election gets thoroughly analysed, and a look forward at the very short three weeks campaign to come here in Ireland.

02:55 The Shift in Voter Sentiment
06:14 The Impact of Campaign Messaging
08:56 Reactions from the Media and Political Pundits
12:00 The Future of American Politics
15:09 Reflections on Trump's Second Term
17:53 Cultural Reactions and Public Sentiment
20:53 Final Thoughts on Political Dynamics
34:05 Election Chaos and Cynicism
39:58 Political Punditry and Voter Apathy
45:09 The Need for Robust Political Discourse
54:18 Anger in Politics and the Power of Voting

"I've never seen a race like this" - John McGuirk talks to legendary Republican strategist Karl Rove about what to expect tonight as the Harris/Trump votes come in, and what key counties to watch in Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.

John and Sarah discuss the new Cillian Murphy "Ireland was awful" movie and it's predictable acclaim; offer final thoughts on the Trump/Harris campaign, and discuss issues that won't come up in Ireland's general election:

03:13 Cultural Reflections on Ireland's Past
06:02 Critique of Modern Cultural Narratives
08:51 The Impact of Historical Narratives on Society
12:03 Contemporary Issues and Social Pressures
14:54 Transgender Issues in Society
18:10 Political Implications of Gender Discussions
21:02 Election Predictions and Political Landscape
30:06 The TikTok Political Experiment
33:44 The Dynamics of Trump and Harris Supporters
37:33 The State of American Politics
40:42 Retail Politics and Candidate Effectiveness
43:36 Cultural Consequences of the Election
46:17 The Irish Political Landscape
57:12 The Impact of U.S. Elections on Ireland

John and Sarah discuss the latest developments in sex ed, the passage of the hate crime bill, the government clearing the decks for an election, and why John has full blown Trump derangement syndrome, god love him.

With an election due to be called any day now, John and Sarah review the state of the opposition. Also: Councils ban Bibi, Roderic escapes scrutiny, and tragedy in Argentina.

Sarah and John discuss the spy in the Oireachtas, Sinn Fein forgetting how to do politics, Scary Movies, Scarier Sex Education, and the Government buying the media in a packed podcast this week.