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Michael Marshall and Cecil Cicirello from the Know Rogan Experience Podcast are here to share their hard-won expertise on the subject of just what the hell Joe Rogan is always going on about. We know he's got a lot of listeners, but what are those listeners hearing? What is his role in American culture and politics? And why do we keep getting headlines every time he says something that sounds vaguely like a criticism of Donald Trump, but we don't hear about the much more frequent bigotry and conspiracism? Once you Know Rogan, you'll know. Resources https://www.knowrogan.com/ https://www.dissonancepod.com/ https://www.citationpod.com/ https://www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk/podcasts/skeptics-with-a-k https://www.seattletimes.com/business/joe-rogans-microphone-goes-quieter-on-trump/ https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/celebrity/articles/joe-rogan-explains-why-former-141500811.html https://www.newsweek.com/joe-rogan-political-views-is-he-conservative-12585002 https://www.newstatesman.com/thestaggers/2024/11/why-a-liberal-joe-rogan-will-fail https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/11/11/how-trump-won-the-podcast-bros-00188518 https://theintercept.com/2025/05/31/liberal-joe-rogan-democrats-men/ https://goodauthority.org/news/podcasts-joe-rogan-of-the-left-right-and-center-is-just-joe-rogan/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/05/27/joe-rogan-liberal-democrats-trump-maga/83823057007/ https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/12/opinion/hasan-piker-democrats.html https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/joe-rogan-netflix-stand-up-comedy-special-trans-people-covid-vaccines-1236094910/

The 2026 Midterm results are still being tabulated but the one thing that's for sure is that Democrats did way better than anyone expected, even in their wildest dreams. What were the most exciting moments of the blue wave? What does it say about America's mindset after two years of Trump 2.0? What do we hope will happen next? Trent and Caitlin sat down with Greg Sargent from the New Republic to discuss it all.Resourceshttps://newrepublic.comhttps://newrepublic.com/podcasts/the-daily-blast-greg-sargenthttps://bsky.app/profile/gregsargent.bsky.socialhttps://newrepublic.com/article/216885/abdul-el-sayed-viral-takedown-gop-heckler-shows-fight-magahttps://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-elections/midtermshttps://www.instagram.com/p/DfXcSBPCGid/https://news.sky.com/story/us-midterms-live-results-and-analysis-whos-ahead-in-key-races-find-out-here-13605253

This election cycle feels messy. It also feels completely unpredictable. What will the Trump administration try? What will they get away with? How will or won't states be able to protect their voters and officials from interference? We talked with historian Adam Hochschild about historical precedents and predictions of election interference, integrity, and outcomes. Resources: "American Midnight: The Great War, a Violent Peace, and Democracy’s Forgotten Crisis": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780063278523 "Spain in Our Hearts: Americans in the Spanish Civil War, 1936–1939": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780544947238 "King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780358212508 "Bury the Chains: Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire's Slaves": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780618619078 "To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914–1918": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780547750316 https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-justice-department-says-fbi-ice-agents-will-not-serve-poll-monitors-midterms-2026-10-29/ https://www.npr.org/2026/10/30/nx-s1-6023331/ice-activity-surge-midterms https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-01/us-midterm-election-officials-prepare-ice-agents-trump-meddling/107322620 https://www.propublica.org/article/five-voting-disruptions-midterm-election https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8qln1539y37o https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/5-expert-takeaways-on-2026-midterm-election-security

The 2026 midterm elections are an opportunity for voters to assess Donald Trump's second presidency, and they seem poised to turn some historically red states purple and blue. We've assembled a crack team of political analysts—Ryan Cooper of the American Prospect, Marisa Kabas from the Handbasket, and Jonathan M. Katz from the Racket—and asked them how several key Senate and gubernatorial races will shake out. Resources https://www.patreon.com/leftanchor https://www.youtube.com/@ryanlcooper https://bsky.app/profile/ryanlcooper.com https://www.thehandbasket.co https://bsky.app/profile/marisakabas.bsky.social https://theracket.news https://www.tiktok.com/@katzonearth https://bsky.app/profile/katz.theracket.news "The Legend of Skokie": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9781250427519 "Gangsters of Capitalism": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9781250135599 "The Big Truck That Went By": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9781137278975 https://www.270towin.com/2026-senate-election/fiftyplusone-2026-senate-forecast https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/whats-going-on-with-dan-sullivan-and-dan-sullivan-the-alaska-senate-litigation-explained https://www.ms.now/polling-texas-senate https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-the-kansas-senate-race-became-surprisingly-competitive https://abcnews.com/amp/Politics/key-senate-races-determine-party-controls-body-year/story?id=137301095 https://www.ms.now/polling-iowa-senate https://www.ms.now/polling-nebraska-senate https://www.ms.now/polling-minnesota-senate https://www.ms.now/polling-florida-senate https://www.ms.now/polling-georgia-senate https://www.ms.now/polling-ohio-senate https://www.nga.org/governors/elections/ https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-house-races-watch-2026-elections-2026-10-26/ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abdul_El-Sayed_meet-and-greet_by_Conlan_Houston_9.jpg https://www.cbsnews.com/video/trump-renews-threats-against-iran-posts-ai-image-of-himself-holding-weapon/

Trent and Caitlin are joining the war on cars! Doug Gordon, cohost of "The War On Cars" and coauthor of "Life After Cars," joins us to explain why we should work toward a world that isn't defined by nigh-compulsory car ownership. Where could we go? What could we do? Who could we meet? The possibilities are endless! Resources https://www.lifeaftercars.com "Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780593850725 "Fighting Traffic: The Dawn of the Motor Age in the American City": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780262516129 https://tombrevoort.com/2021/06/20/the-greatest-superman-story-ever-told/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/sharonhahndarlin/51272511367/

Two years ago, a Cornell student reported to the police that she had been the victim of sexual assault by a group of fraternity brothers from Chi Phi. Now known as "Jane Doe," her case was mishandled, her words mangled, and her attackers protected from consequences. Sociologist Nicole Bedera speaks to us about how institutions of higher education regularly prevent survivors from accessing justice and in fact punish them for coming forward. Resources: "On the Wrong Side: How Universities Protect Perpetrators and Betray Survivors of Sexual Violence": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9780520395893 https://www.thecut.com/article/trump-title-ix-rules-cornell-seven-case.html https://www.cornellsun.com/article/2026/09/editorial-cornell-won-t-we-will https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.cornell.edu/dist/5/7756/files/2025/10/2025-SARM-Survey-report_508.pdf https://spitfirenews.com/p/cornell-jane-doe-smear-campaign-statement-seven-police-report https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/News-articles/District-Attorney-statement-regarding-Jane-Doe-v.-Cornell-University-et-al https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/01/nyregion/url-cornell-university-jane-doe-rape-case-statement https://www.cornellsun.com/article/2026/10/guest-room-the-whac-a-mole-ritual-of-suspending-fraternities-is-not-working-it-s-time-for-deeper-reforms Megyn Kelly image from https://flickr.com/photos/22007612@N05/53804005492 Matt Walsh image from https://flickr.com/photos/22007612@N05/52126969451

Donald Trump made more than two billion dollars in the first year of his second term. Much of it was from cryptocurrency, which he used to refer to as "based on thin air" until he started selling it. Zach Everson from Public Citizen explains how Trump ramped up his corruption and grifting after getting away with smaller stuff in his first term. Resources: https://www.citizen.org/about/person/zach-everson/ https://bsky.app/profile/zacheverson.com https://thinairrealmoney.com https://www.npr.org/2026/08/05/nx-s1-5919997/how-trump-made-an-estimated-2-2-billion-during-the-first-year-of-his-second-term https://www.everyoneislying.com

ICE has been transporting people in inhumane conditions to countries to which they have no affiliation or connection. What do the courts think about this? It's…confusing. Reporter Gillian Brockell is here to get the word out, sharing stories not only about ICE's awful actions and our ridiculous Supreme Court but also about how Democrats on Chicago's city council have fought back. Resources https://gillianbrockell.com https://prospect.org/2026/10/07/federal-judge-dhs-must-bring-back-gay-arizona-man-imprisoned-africa-ahmed-soliman/ https://prospect.org/2026/10/02/ice-airline-omni-air-chicago-trump-third-country-deportation-flights/ https://prospect.org/2026/09/30/supreme-court-allows-ice-to-restart-third-country-removals/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am0NlFUQYvQ

Donald Trump is changing the landscape of Washington—literally. From East Potomac Park to the Kennedy Center to the 'Arc de Trump,' everything he touches turns to plaster and adhesive gold-colored filigree. And all the while, D.C. is still under occupation by National Guard out-of-towners. Stephanie Mencimer, a senior reporter with Mother Jones and resident of the city under siege, joins us. Resources https://bsky.app/profile/smencimer.bsky.social https://www.motherjones.com/topics/reveal-podcast/ https://www.youtube.com/@MotherJones https://www.tiktok.com/@motherjonesmag https://www.motherjones.com/author/Stephanie-mencimer/ https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/08/fore-trumps-dc-golf-course-is-already-in-the-rough/ https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/05/the-kennedy-center-was-part-of-dc-life-trump-destroyed-it/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/30/trumps-upscale-golf-plan-would-destroy-dc-haven-cyclists-runners/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/29/trumps-arch-not-expected-feature-drones-snipers-officials-say/ https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NZIUqUdoz2I https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/08/23/secret-white-house-bunker-undercuts-trumps-ballroom-lawsuit-ex-officials-say/ https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/18/us/politics/trump-ballroom-construction.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/09/30/kennedy-center-was-solvent-when-trump-took-over-then-its-finances-collapsed/ https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/29/politics/mike-lee-kennedy-center-bill https://apnews.com/article/trump-rose-garden-historical-statues-founders-sculptures-0fe922ef11337b4937adf3ac505e9b5b https://www.turtlediaries.net/p/update-from-the-great-american-state https://people.com/trump-rose-garden-renovations-complete-photo-timeline-11985903 https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/08/a-year-of-troops-in-washington/688317/ https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-put-thousands-soldiers-washingtons-streets-they-seldom-stop-crime-2026-08-19/ https://www.pbs.org/newshour/classroom/daily-news-lessons/2025/10/east-wing-of-white-house-torn-down-as-trump-clears-space-for-his-ballroom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNpIOlDhigw

Donald Trump appears to be deteriorating…in every way possible. Physically, mentally, internationally, grammatically—somehow, orange man worsening, while word salads, IVs, and naps are great again. Ryan Cooper of the American Prospect helps us think through what it means for 2026, 2028, and beyond. Resources https://prospect.org https://www.leftanchor.com https://wlos.com/news/local/joke-trump-fema-funding-president-donald-trump-north-carolina-western-helene-reaction-whatley-cooper-election-candidates-politics-gov-josh-stein-community https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mvoaqk2q2523 https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/address-the-chance-for-peace-delivered-before-the-american-society-newspaper-editors https://www.liberalcurrents.com/how-the-homeless-continue-to-be-forgotten-in-the-midst-of-the-covid-19-pandemic/ "Donald Trump" by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

When those at the very top echelon of influence in Silicon Valley think about, talk about, and interact with government, what does that look like? Can we come up with a legible, understandable picture of the tech elites' idea of what governing is and how they relate to it? Adrian Daub says yes, and he says it in his new book "What Tech Calls Governing." Resources "What Tech Calls Governing": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9781503648333 "The Cancel Culture Panic: How an American Obsession Went Global": https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9781503640849 screengrab of Elizabeth Holmes from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGJSRFWALTI Elon Musk photo by Gage Skidmore https://www.flickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/54349592271/in/album-72177720324044219 Mark Zuckerberg with Trump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI-ULy4akl0 Peter Thiel photo by Gage Skidmore https://flic.kr/p/2n3bPZt Tim Cook in Oval Office from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSAGUjY2HIs

What is the current state of affairs in Israel, Palestine, and the surrounding nations? We ask Y. L. Al-Sheikh for her help summarizing and contextualizing recent developments. Resources ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/diplomatofnight.com⁠ ⁠https://www.liberalcurrents.com/author/ylalsheikh/⁠ ⁠https://foreignpolicy.com/author/yaseen-al-sheikh/⁠ ⁠https://internationalpolicy.org/resource-author/y-l-al-sheikh/⁠ ⁠https://foreignpolicy.com/author/yaseen-al-sheikh/⁠ ⁠https://www.newyorker.com/news/a-reporter-at-large/new-maps-show-how-israel-has-thwarted-hopes-for-a-palestinian-state⁠ ⁠https://truthout.org/articles/air-force-is-reviewing-case-of-iran-war-gold-star-widow-being-denied-benefits/⁠ "The One State Reality: What Is Israel/Palestine?": ⁠https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9781501768408

Donald Trump's unprovoked trade war with Canada and his chaotic attacks on Iran have him hemorrhaging support in states he won in 2024. Why doesn't he seem to care? What is he thinking? We can't read minds, but we can talk to Greg Sargent from the New Republic about Trump's statements, posts, and actions over the last month or so. Resources https://newrepublic.com https://bsky.app/profile/gregsargent.bsky.social https://newrepublic.com/article/214669/trump-canada-trade-war-backfiring https://newrepublic.com/article/214682/transcript-krugman-trump-reveals-deep-contempt-maga-voters https://newrepublic.com/article/214748/transcript-trump-fury-canada-already-backfiring-badly

Who are the women supporting the rise of the far right in the United States? Are they brainwashed? Confused? Under coercive control? Dr. Katie Gaddini presents her findings after interviewing politically active right-wing women across the country and explains that there can be several distinct classifications of such women, who all are different, complex, and active participants in their political movement. Resources https://katiegaddini.com "Esther's Army: The Christian Women Who Power the American Right" https://bookshop.org/a/115699/9781324123767 https://slate.com/culture/2026/07/conservative-women-right-wing-republican-christian-evangelical-trump-politics-maga.html https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/katie-gaddini/esthers-army/ podcast: blessed & stressed https://katiegaddini.com/podcasts https://katiegaddini.substack.com

Vaccination rates are falling across the country, vaccine deniers are occupying positions of power in the United States government, and previously eradicated diseases are reappearing. Tracking all of this is Caitlin Gilbert and her colleagues at the Washington Post health, science, and wellness desk. We asked her to fill us in on the state of the nation when it comes to vaccination, inoculation, and all things disease prevention. Resources https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/caitlin-gilbert/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/08/17/trump-rolls-back-vaccine-recommendations-see-where-your-school-stands/ https://bsky.app/profile/caitlingilbert.bsky.social https://bsky.app/profile/caitlingilbert.bsky.social/post/3msr4aokzkc2s https://www.tiktok.com/@caitlingilbertdata https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24135-vaccines https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3407399/