Episodes
Today on Mea Culpa, I’m joined by Fred Wellman, veteran, pro-democracy advocate, political strategist, and host of On Democracy, to discuss Trump’s authoritarian agenda and its impact on veterans. We explore the growing disillusionment among veterans with Trump, fueled by his disrespectful comments toward the military and his proposals to politicize the armed forces. Fred highlights how conservative media has fostered loyalty among some veteran communities despite Trump’s rhetoric. Together,...
Published 11/18/24
Published 11/18/24
Today on Mea Culpa, I’m joined by my good friend Joe Walsh, former Congressman, host of The Social Contract with Joe Walsh, and a Republican commentator who spoke out against the MAGA movement after running for president. Joe and I discuss the factors behind Trump’s unexpected victory, including his campaign's relentless focus on issues like immigration, crime, and the economy. We also examine the Democratic Party’s shortcomings, particularly in failing to connect with working-class voters....
Published 11/15/24
Today on Mea Culpa, I’m joined by my good friend JoJo From Jerz, a popular Twitter personality known for her smart, hilarious, and sarcastic political commentary, and host of Are You F'ing Kidding Me? With JoJoFromJerz. JoJo and I dive into the impact of the recent election, focusing on how Trump’s campaign used grievance-driven messaging and conservative media to sway swing voters, particularly young men. JoJo critiques Democrats for avoiding these media spaces, which allowed influencers...
Published 11/11/24
Today on Mea Culpa, I’m joined by Wajahat Ali, columnist, public speaker, author of Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American, and co-host of the Democracy-Ish podcast, to discuss the recent Presidential election results. We examine the factors behind Trump’s unexpected victory, from the GOP’s powerful media network to grievance-based messaging. Ali critiques Democrats’ coordinated strategy, while figures like Joe Rogan and Elon Musk rallied...
Published 11/08/24
Today on Mea Culpa, I’m joined by my good friend Lev Parnas, a Soviet-born businessman and former associate of Rudy Giuliani who, like me, is determined to speak out against Trump and warn of the threat he poses to our country. With only one day until the election, we expose Trump’s tactics and cover the Republican Party’s reliance on conspiracies, the dangers of billionaire apathy, and the potential consequences for democracy if Trump wins in 2024. We delve into Trump’s authoritarian...
Published 11/04/24
Join me and Harry Litman on today’s episode of Mea Culpa. Litman, a former U.S. Attorney, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, law professor, and legal commentator, is also the creator and host of the Talking Feds podcast. We dive into Trump’s authoritarian tactics, his divisive rhetoric, and how these influence public opinion leading up to the election. Litman highlights Trump’s appeal to the religious right and his strategy of framing the election as a loyalty test for groups like Jews and...
Published 11/01/24
Today on Mea Culpa, I’m joined by Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a historian, educator, and commentator who specializes in fascism, authoritarianism, propaganda, and the defense of democracy—topics that are, unfortunately, central to this presidential election. Ruth draws striking parallels between Trump and other authoritarian leaders, explaining how his increasingly erratic and offensive statements reflect a desperation to maintain influence. She highlights Trump’s use of dehumanizing language,...
Published 10/28/24
In this episode of Mea Culpa, I’m joined by Joe Trippi, American political Democratic strategist, senior advisor at The Lincoln Project, the host of That Trippi Show podcast, and the founder of https://sez.us - a pro-democracy social network. We discuss the upcoming election, focusing on Trump’s erratic rallies, which only appeal to his MAGA base and fail to grow his support. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris’s policy-driven rallies are energizing key groups like suburban women and young voters. We...
Published 10/25/24
Today on Mea Culpa, I’m joined by Tom Carle, who’s running for Congress in New York’s 23rd District. Carle is focused on integrity and stewardship, viewing this election as one of the most important of our lifetime. He aims to protect his constituents from Donald Trump, who has endorsed his opponent, current congressman Nick Langworthy, who is known for prioritizing party loyalty over district needs. Carle outlines his plans to revitalize rural communities through economic development, job...
Published 10/21/24
Today on Mea Culpa, I’m joined by Grant Stern—author, journalist, radio host, and Executive Director of Occupy Democrats, a leading social media outlet for Democratic news. With the election less than three weeks away, we dive into Trump’s eroding support among key demographics, especially women, and the inconsistencies in public polling. We also contrast VP Kamala Harris’s energizing rallies with Trump’s lackluster events, where attendees leave mid-speech. Grant further highlights Trump’s...
Published 10/18/24
Today on Mea Culpa, I’m joined by an exciting guest - journalist and screenwriter Gabriel Sherman. His new film The Apprentice, released on Friday, examines Donald Trump’s rise and his relationship with mentor Roy Cohn. I had the privilege of attending the premiere and wanted to unpack the film with Gabriel. We explore how Roy Cohn’s ruthless strategies shaped Trump’s approach to business and politics, and how his overambitious deals led to financial disaster. Gabriel also reveals Trump’s...
Published 10/14/24
Today on Mea Culpa, I’m joined by Maria Cardona, a Colombian-American political strategist and Principal at the Dewey Square Group. With the election less than a month away, we dive into the challenges facing VP Kamala Harris's campaign as it aims to connect with key demographics like Latino voters. Maria emphasizes the urgency of countering Trump’s divisive rhetoric, particularly its harmful impact on immigrant communities, and the dangers of his policies like mass deportation. We also cover...
Published 10/11/24
Joining me today on Mea Culpa is David Corn, Washington, DC bureau chief of Mother Jones and a New York Times bestselling author. His latest book, “American Psychosis: A Historical Investigation of How the Republican Party Went Crazy,” is essential for understanding the current state of our republic. David and I explore the chaos surrounding Donald Trump, discussing Jack Smith's recent filings in Trump's DC case and their potential impact on the upcoming election. We delve into Trump's...
Published 10/07/24
Today on Mea Culpa, I am joined by Malcolm Nance, a retired U.S. Navy Senior Chief, New York Times bestselling author, and expert on terrorism, extremism, and insurgency. We discuss global and domestic political issues, with a focus on Middle East conflicts and U.S. foreign policy. Nance explains Iran's long-term strategy to become a regional superpower and its use of proxies to influence Israel and Saudi Arabia. We also critique Trump’s isolationist stance, warning that it could weaken U.S....
Published 10/04/24
Joining me today is my Meidas colleague, Ron Filipkowski, the editor-in-chief of MeidasTouch.com and co-host of “Uncovered.” A former Republican, Ron brings valuable experience as both a federal and state prosecutor. Like me, he is dedicated to educating and informing the American public about the threats to our democracy. Today, we discussed several crucial pro-democracy topics, including what the House and Senate may look like after this election, the threat Trump poses to the UN, NATO, and...
Published 09/30/24
Today, we’re pleased to welcome Dan Alexander to Mea Culpa. As a senior editor at Forbes, he oversees money-in-politics coverage and is widely recognized for his reporting on Donald Trump. Dan has investigated numerous public figures, including Trump, and his work has played a significant role in various investigations, particularly Trump’s fraud trial. In our conversation, we discussed all things DJT, including, Trump Media and Technology Group, Truth Social, declining stock prices, and...
Published 09/27/24
Today on Mea Culpa, I had the pleasure of welcoming our good friend Tara Setmayer to discuss the upcoming presidential election. Tara is a prominent political commentator and the co-founder and CEO of The Seneca Project, a bipartisan super PAC led by women that aims to rally women voters in swing states to support Kamala Harris by highlighting women’s rights issues. Together, we delved into Kamala Harris’ campaign marketing strategy, explored ways to build support in swing states, and...
Published 09/23/24
Today on Mea Culpa, I’m joined by Harry Sisson, a 21-year-old Gen-Z political content creator who has amassed over a million followers on TikTok. Harry has interviewed prominent political figures, including President Joe Biden and Barack Obama. Like me, he has faced targeted attacks from Donald Trump’s campaign for his outspoken views on the threats Trump poses to our country and democracy. In our conversation, we explore Harry’s journey to success on social media, strategies for engaging...
Published 09/20/24
Today on Mea Culpa, I am honored to speak with Fred Guttenberg, who became a powerful voice for gun reform after the tragic death of his 14-year-old daughter, Jaime, in the Parkland mass shooting in 2018. Fred’s public journey began at a vigil where his moving words captured the nation's attention and ignited his relentless advocacy for gun safety. In our discussion, Fred and I will explore the significance of the upcoming election for gun violence prevention, reflect on recent events like...
Published 09/16/24
Jennifer Welch and Angie “Pumps” Sullivan from the I’ve Had It podcast joined me today on Mea Culpa. On their comedic and feel-good podcast, Jennifer and Pumps tackle a range of topics, from politics to Next Door posts, focusing on what they’ve really HAD IT with! The last time I appeared on their podcast, we were at the DNC, and today we dive into all things Trump. We explore a variety of topics, including gun ammo vending machines in 7/11 stores and how this election feels like a Kardashian...
Published 09/13/24
On today’s episode of Mea Culpa, I’m joined by Adam Mockler, a Gen-Z contributor from MeidasTouch who offers a fresh perspective on political journalism. Known for his energetic interviews at political rallies, particularly Trump rallies, Adam specializes in the rapid-fire deconstruction of Republican arguments. We dive into an engaging discussion on how to effectively converse with those holding opposing beliefs, with a particular focus on debating MAGA Trump supporters. Tune in for insights...
Published 09/09/24
Today on Mea Culpa, I sit down with Harry Litman to explore a range of pressing Trump-related topics, from his upcoming sentencing hearing in the Manhattan DA case to the allegations of him accepting $10 million from the Egyptian government during his 2016 presidential campaign. Litman, a former U.S. Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General, currently serves as the senior legal affairs columnist for the Los Angeles Times and is a professor of Constitutional Law at UCLA and UCSD. He is...
Published 09/06/24
Matthew Friend is an old soul living inside a 23-year-old comedian/actor/impressionist's body. Matthew graduated from NYU's Gallatin School in 2020, but his love of comedy and entertainment was sparked when he was four years old. He had watched Austin Powers (yes, as a four-year-old) and started mimicking the characters' voices-and the rest was history. To date, Matthew has over 400K followers on TikTok. He has appeared on the Today Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, NBC's New York Live TV, Good Day...
Published 09/02/24
We welcome back to our show, Dave Aronberg. The State Attorney for Palm Beach County, Florida, AKA “the Florida Lawman”. Aronberg is a former member of the Florida Senate. He was elected in 2002 as the Senate’s youngest member and served for eight years. In his role as the Florida Attorney General’s “Drug Czar,” Aronberg led an anti-pill mill initiative that helped clean up the pain clinic industry and reduce the number of deaths from oxycodone abuse. Aronberg frequently appears on national...
Published 08/30/24