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This week on America’s most beloved political podcast, we get deep in the weeds on impeachment: can it happen, how would it work, and the politics surrounding it. But first, we travel to Venezuela where our intrepid correspondent Annika Rothstein, who tells a harrowing story that we won’t spoil here (yes, we know the audio on her segment was sub-par — socialists run lousy telecommunications operations. Go figure.). Then, if you want to understand a possible Constitutional crisis, you should ask a Constitutional law professor. Luckily, we have John Yoo on speed dial (kids, ask your parents what speed dial is). He delves into the legal ramifications of impeachment and contempt of Congress before he had to rush off to his next TV hit. Do read his Washington Post op-Ed for more detail. Finally, we wrap up with another edition of our “Handicap The Democratic Field” segment. Who’s up? Who’s down? Who’s going nowhere fast? We break it all down for you (spoiler alert: It’s been a bad few weeks for Beto).
Music from this week’s show: Matilda by Harry Belafonte
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This “episode” still isn’t showing up in iTunes.
Looking into this right now.
Update: it’s there now.
@annikahernrothrothstein, get out and stay out. Really. Go someplace safe, like Iraq or Chechnya or Ukraine/Crimea.
I’m wearing an R because that’s my middle name.
James Are Lileks? James Ricochet Lileks? James Ruh-Roh Lileks?
Beto.
The great economic numbers are fine, but we shouldn’t underestimate the ability of many people – voters – to believe they can vote for Democrats to take the current great (Trump) economy, swap in President Elizabeth Warren or President AOC, then ADD wonderful socialism and have things REALLY great! Of course they’re wrong, but you can’t convince them. And if they get their way, when things crater they’ll blame Republicans, somehow.
Might as well change your name on Ricochet to get that in there. 😜
It’s James Arrrr on Talk Like A Pirate Day.
The conversation with Annika Rothstein made me think of several of the chapters in Churchill’s A History of the English-Speaking Peoples, particularly Chapters 28-30.
What is curious to me, and I have looked at videos of recent OAS meetings, is why no concerted military action, or threat of action, has not been agreed by that organization. Venezuela is a cancer now to all the members of the OAS. And yet, even now, there appears to be no agreed plan.
Heavy editing needs to be done right after minute 19.
Zeroing in on a decade of podcasting and Peter still feels the need to clarify who he is to whom he is about to ask his last question. I’m sure it’s to facilitate the written record as much as to mitigate a potentially poor signal. Still, all these years and podcasts in, I can’t imagine anyone listening to him or participating in a conversation with him not recognize his voice.
Weird, that was edited at one point yesterday. Second week in a row where that’s happened. May be time for new audio editing software. In any case, it’s been fixed now. Delete the current file and re-download for the repaired version. Thanks for the heads up.
@James Lileks Thank you for keeping alive the correct use of “tenterhooks.”
I also hoist by petard, not on it.
Maybe this is the time to get this cleared up. What is a “petard,” anyway?
A bomb for blowing up gates and breaching walls.
(Should I mention the word is related to the French term for fart, and therefore related to Le Pétomane?)
You should, and if you can find another French theatrical hindquarter-emission impressionist who was name-checked in a Mel Brooks movie, name him!
Exactly. Great cultural relevance.