Episodes

  • Rescission: Impossible

    Rescission: Impossible
    Jan 31 2025
    The theme (so far) of Trump’s second administration has been shock and awe. This week, Chris and Eliana explain why you can’t shock yourself in the process. Aside from the White House, they discuss Jim Acosta, The New York Times’ audience, and dress shoe styles. Wretch on! Time Stamps: Front Page - 3:17 Obsessions - 42:43 Reader Mail - 52:01 Favorite Items - 54:45 Show Notes: CNBC: White House says Trump funding freeze remains in effect despite rescinding OMB memo The Atlantic: The Memo That Shocked the White House The New York Times: Justice Dept. Fires Prosecutors Who Worked on Trump Investigations AP News: Trump uses mass firing to remove independent inspectors general at a series of agencies CNN: Trump DOJ appointee in DC lashes out after flurry of ‘personally insulting’ leaks in his first week CBS News: Transcript: Vice President JD Vance on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Jan. 26, 2025 The Atlantic: America Is Divided. It Makes for Tremendous Content. Status News: Acosta La Vista The Washington Free Beacon: EXCLUSIVE: Read Jim Acosta's Resignation Letter to CNN Axios: Trump's Colombia tariff threat raises fears on coffee prices The Washington Post: Transgender soldiers date to the Civil War The New York Times: Is There Still a Rule Against Wearing Brown Shoes With Blue Pants? The New York Times: The Pure Liberation of a Personal Urination Device - The New York Times The Wall Street Journal: As a Rising Political Star, Gabbard Paid to Mask Her Sect’s Ties to Alleged Scheme @PleaseDontDestroy on Instagram: The New York Times coming up with emails to send you Forbes: This Former Billionaire, And New U.S. Senator, Is Now Broke The New York Times: The Return of the Lumbersexual
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    59 mins
  • $WRETCHCOIN

    $WRETCHCOIN
    Jan 24 2025
    This is not a crypto scam—it’s an opportunity. As for the news about the news, we’re diving deep into the inauguration, Trump’s administration, Prince Harry, and much more. Wretch on! Time Stamps: 4:05 - Front page 59:54 - Obsessions 1:09:55 - Reader Mail 1:15:30 - Favorites The Washington Post: Trump inauguration puts the fashion in old-fashioned The New York Times: The Bishop Who Pleaded With Trump: ‘Was Anyone Going to Say Anything?’ MSNBC: Black America in a 'state of emergency': Civil rights leaders brace for Trump's return Fox News: Trump reflects on return to White House after 4 years of Biden's agenda: 'Got there just in the nick of time' The Hill: Stirewalt: Will Trump invest his political capital or spend it? The Washington Post: Neither euphoric nor despairing be. Trump too shall pass. Bloomberg: The Second Trump Presidency, Brought to You by YouTubers Deadline: New FCC Chair Revives Complaints About ABC, CBS And NBC Content That His Predecessor Rejected As “At Odds With The First Amendment” The New York Times: Labeling Mexican Cartels ‘Terrorists’ Could Expose U.S. Companies to Sanctions The New York Times: Biden commutes prison sentence of Leonard Peltier, an Indigenous rights activist convicted in F.B.I. killings. Mediaite: CNN Reportedly Set To Lay Off Hundreds of Employees as Trump-Era Restructuring Begins New York Post: CNN CEO tells on-air talent not to express outrage during Trump inaugural coverage The Washington Post: Prince Harry settles with Murdoch’s U.K. tabloids, gets long-sought apology NBC News: Senators receive affidavit containing new allegations against Pete Hegseth, who denies the claims The Wall Street Journal: The Best and Worst Airlines of 2024 @100YearsAgoLive on X: Coolidge Forbids Big Inauguration The New York Post: Megyn Kelly rips Lauren Sánchez for wearing bra at Trump inaugural
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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • A Farewell That Harms

    A Farewell That Harms
    Jan 17 2025
    Today, we bid bon voyage to the Biden administration by reflecting on President Biden’s farewell address, Jill Biden’s exit interview with The Washington Post, and KJP’s final appearance in the White House Press Room. We’re also diving into media coverage of the L.A. wildfires, drama at The Washington Post, and an Obama lawyer’s $20 million mansion fiasco. Wretch on! TIME STAMPS 2:03 - Front Page 54:54 - Obsessions 1:06:01 - Reader Mail 1:08:26 - Favorites Salon: "It threatens our entire democracy”: Biden takes aim at tech oligarchs like Musk in farewell address The Wall Street Journal: Biden’s Claim He Would Have Beaten Trump Opens Rift With Harris The Washington Post: Jill Biden still hopes for a good ending Deadline: White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre Holds Final Briefing, Says “Give And Take” With Reporters “Is Part Of Our Democracy” The Hill: Biden on if Trump will get credit over him for ceasefire deal: ‘Is that a joke?’ National Review: 60 Minutes Humiliates Itself on Israel The New York Times: A Euphoric Tech Industry Is Ready to Celebrate Trump and Itself The New York Times: Joni Ernst Says She Will Vote to Confirm Pete Hegseth The New York Times: ‘Will Pay Any Amount’: Private Firefighters Are in Demand in L.A. The New York Times: Before Taking Office, L.A.’s Mayor Said She Would Not Go Abroad The New York TImes: Black Women Defend Mayor Karen Bass Amid Criticism of Wildfire Response The Daily Beast: Star Washington Post Columnist Torches Bezos on Her Way Out the Door Variety: Rashida Jones to Exit MSNBC; Rebecca Kutler Named Interim President NPR: Will Lewis' first year at 'Washington Post': Cancellations, red ink and an exodus The New York Times: How to Fix America’s Two-Party Problem Gallup: U.S. Political Parties Historically Polarized Ideologically The Wall Street Journal: Fighting Fires—and the Rumor Mill—as L.A. Burns The Wall Street Journal: The Extraordinary Defense of the Getty Museum Against the L.A. Fires The Washington Free Beacon: American Tragedy: Obama Terror Lawyer Clashed With Aspen Bureaucrats Over $20 Million Home Expansion
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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Fact Checkers Go Up in A Blaze

    Fact Checkers Go Up in A Blaze
    Jan 10 2025
    Wretches, we’re back! This week, we’re diving deep into the state of fact-checking. We also discuss Susie Wiles, Justin Trudeau, and the ongoing turmoil at The Washington Post. Wretch on! Time Stamps: 06:27 Front Page 52:46 Obsessions 1:00:01 Reader Mail 1:02:01 Favorite Items Show Notes: The Daily Beast: L.A. Mayor Suffers Brutal On-Air Moment as Wildfires Rage The New York Times: Meta to End Fact-Checking Program in Shift Ahead of Trump Term The Verge: Threads and Instagram are for politics now, says Adam Mosseri The New York Times: As Trump Praises Meta Decision, Tech Watchdogs Warn of Surge in Disinformation The Silver Bulletin: The rise and fall of "fact-checking" The Free Beacon: RIP, Meta Fact-Checkers. Don’t Let the Door Hit You on the Way Out. Axios: Axios interview: Trump chief of staff Susie Wiles vows to block West Wing troublemakers CNN Business: Trump camp was fed questions for Fox News town hall in advance from person inside network, new book says The Daily Beast: Trump Privately Complains About Clingy Elon Musk: NYT Reporter The New York Times: Trudeau’s Canada, Again The New York Times: Washington Post Lays Off 4% of Its Work Force The New York Times: Washington Post Cartoonist Quits After Jeff Bezos Cartoon Is Killed The New York Post: Walmart's $78 Hermès Birkin dupe is the fashion world's hottest new handbag — and luxury lovers are fuming The New York Times: How Will We Eat in 2025? 9 Predictions to Chew On. The Free Beacon: CNN's High-Profile Defamation Trial Is Underway—and Jurors Appear Open to 10-Figure Payout The Free Beacon: Navy Vet Suing CNN Warned He Would ‘Seek Legal Damages’ if It Ran Report Full of ‘Libel’ TV Technology: Hub: Streaming Viewers More Accepting of TV Ads The Wall Street Journal: The Misunderstood Consequences of Jimmy Carter’s Presidency
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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • The Best of 2024

    The Best of 2024
    Dec 27 2024
    This week, we are looking back on 2024 to see how we got here. We’re revisiting the rise of Trump 2.0, the decline of mainstream outlets like MSNBC, and the other biggest moments in American news media this year. Wretch on, and we’ll see you in the new year. Show Notes: The New York Times: 5 Takeaways From the Haley-DeSantis Debate and Trump’s Town Hall The New York Times: This Again? In Frozen Iowa, the Press Corps Ponders a Slog of a Campaign. The Atlantic: Why Attacks on Trump’s Mental Acuity Don’t Land CNN: NBC News journalists vexed by MSNBC’s move to hire White House press secretary Jen Psaki Semafor: NBC braces for the backlash to the backlash after hiring and firing top Republican The New York Times: Fast Food Forever: How McHaters Lost the Culture War The Washington Post: Why scientists fear a second Trump term, and what they are doing about it The New York Times: Ibram X. Kendi Faces a Reckoning of His Own The Wall Street Journal: Biden’s Frailty Isn’t Breaking News The New York Post: Obama doesn’t believe Kamala Harris can beat Trump, which is why he hasn’t endorsed her: sources The New York Times: The Endless Downfall of a Crypto Power Couple
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Tripping on Narcissism

    Tripping on Narcissism
    Dec 20 2024
    Watch this episode on YouTube! Bad news: Eliana is out this week. Good news: The Washington Post’s Megan McCardle is stepping in. We cover everything from The Wall Street Journal’s victory lap on Biden coverage to the drama at BlueSky and the rising role of health in politics. Wretch on! Time Stamps: 5:04 - Front Page 1:20:29 - Obsessions 1:28:41 - Reader Mail 1:32:19 - Favorite Items Show Notes: The Wall Street Journal: How the White House Functioned With a Diminished Biden in Charge Semafor: Kamala Harris’ digital chief on Democrats ‘losing hold of culture’ The Atlantic: The Wellness Women Are on the March The Dispatch: Trump and the Mainstream Media Resume a Toxic Love Affair The Hill: ABC settles Trump’s defamation suit for $15M Mediaite: EXCLUSIVE: Neil Cavuto Leaving Fox News The Wall Street Journal: MSNBC and CNN Fight to Dig Out of a Postelection Ratings Hole The Times: Australia to charge big tech companies that don’t pay for news Honest Broker: Mainstream Is Now Fringe, and Fringe Is Mainstream The Washington Post: Brian Thompson warned of UnitedHealth’s negative image before shooting The Free Press: The Year of McDonald’s - by Chris Arnade Semafor: Cloudy skies at Bluesky The Atlantic: The Luxury Makeover of the Worst Pastry on Earth I Might Be Wrong on Substack: "Baby It's Cold Outside" is Good, So Bite Me and Happy Holidays The New York Times: The C.E.O.s Are Tripping. Can Psychedelics Help the C-Suite? Compact Magazine: The Cross and the Vine of Death The Atlantic: A Mysterious Health Wave Is Breaking Out Across the U.S. The Wall Street Journal: Not Falling for the Old McRib Ruse? Then Why Are There 12 in Your Freezer? The Hustle: How the weirdest store at the mall survived the retail apocalypse UPI: Detroit-area library rejects return of book overdue 50 years
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    1 hr and 38 mins
  • A Thorn in The Desert

    A Thorn in The Desert
    Dec 12 2024
    Before diving into U.S. politics, we’re starting with Vogue’s poorly aged profile of Bashar al-Assad’s wife and the flurry of reports on the CEO assassin. Stick around for the latest coverage on the Trump world, the fashion-fueled conflict in the upcoming Administration, and group text dynamics. Wretch on! Time Stamps: 1:09 Front Page 37:42 Obsessions 45:00 Reader Mail 48:52 Favorite Items Show Notes: The Atlantic: The Only Remaining Online Copy of Vogue's Asma al-Assad Profile The Wall Street Journal: Inside Assad’s Ransacked Palace: Anxiety Pills, Graffiti and Shredded Posters Daily Mail: It may seem bizarre, but many women (including me) are captivated by the 'hot assassin', writes CLARA GASPAR The Washington Post: Luigi Mangione ‘had so much to offer’ — now, he is a murder suspect The New York Times: The Prominent Maryland Family of the Suspect in the C.E.O. Killing NBC News: Read the full transcript: President-elect Donald Trump interviewed by "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker CNN: Trump’s DOJ secretly obtained records of his FBI pick Kash Patel, lawmakers, staffers and media in leak investigations The Hill: Melania Trump sells Christmas ornaments during Fox News appearance USA Today: Donald Trump picks former Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle as ambassador to Greece Mediaite: Matt Gaetz Expected To Become Anchor on Pro-Trump Network Following Short-Lived Attorney General Nomination The New York Times: Matea Gold Named Washington Editor of The New York Times Status: The Krugman-Kingsbury Kerfuffle AP News: Judge rejects sale of Alex Jones' Infowars to The Onion in dispute over bankruptcy auction The Washington Post: Opinion | The secret lives of group chats The New York Times: The Winter Arc Asks You to Lock In for 3 Months. Some Take It to an Extreme. The Atlantic: The Business-School Scandal That Just Keeps Getting Bigger The Washington Post: What’s America’s largest ethnic group, and why did we get it wrong for so long? The New York Times: Shuntaro Tanikawa, Popular Poet and Translator of ‘Peanuts,’ Dies at 92 The New York Times:Shalom Nagar Dies; Reluctant Executioner of Adolf Eichmann
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    52 mins
  • Justice for Hunter deButts

    Justice for Hunter deButts
    Dec 6 2024
    Watch this episode on YouTube. Before diving into politics, we’re breaking down the media’s coverage of the UnitedHealthcare CEO assassination and how it became political. Stick around for the press’s role in Hunter Biden’s pardon, Trump’s cabinet, and the future of CBS. Wretch on! Time Stamps: 5:02 Front Page 44:10 Obsessions 52:22 Reader Mail 56:06 Favorite Items
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    1 hr