Fascist Frat Party

Jim Aosta, having covered the White House for eight years, describes the Trump administration as turning the institution into a 'frat party.' He recounts seeing staff on balconies with red solo cups, throwing 'keggers' on Friday afternoons in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, demonstrating a profound lack of reverence for the office, a stark contrast to the 'West Wing TV show' atmosphere under Biden.

Aosta: 'When I covered the Trump people, it was just it had turned into a frat party. I remember over at the EEOB... on Friday afternoons, you would see these kids on the balconies with red solo cups. They were throwing like keggers on Friday afternoons during the Trump administration.'

The hosts advocate for the abolition of ICE, comparing its behavior to ISIS due to agents wearing masks and engaging in aggressive actions. They argue that if the Democratic Party does not commit to abolishing ICE upon taking office, it indicates a failure to address a critical issue. The incident in Minneapolis, where the government allegedly 'murdered a US citizen' without credible investigation, is cited as evidence of a 'Putin-like thugocracy' that states will eventually resist, potentially leading to civil unrest.

Jen: 'ICE, which I think needs to be abolished... behaving like ISIS.' Aosta: 'If we have a situation in this country where the government can go out and murder a US citizen... then we've become a Putinlike thugcocracy.'

Aosta explains that Trump initially viewed his interactions with the press as 'kayfabe'—a pre-coordinated act, similar to professional wrestling. He expected fawning coverage, but when political journalists asked hard questions, his approach shifted. This culminated in Trump tweeting that the press is the 'enemy of the people,' transforming the dynamic from a perceived act into genuine hostility, even after pipe bombs were sent to media outlets, which Trump did not condemn.

Aosta: 'He thought all of this was an act... it changed from being an act to, oh, I think I see what I can do now. I control this army of people.' 'It was the next day that he first put out the tweet that the press in the United States is the enemy of the people.'

The hosts contend that the American media landscape is no longer a free press but a 'state-compromised media.' They attribute this to major corporations, owned by politically aligned figures (e.g., the Ellisons, who are 'MAGA friendly'), influencing news coverage. This leads to stories being 'spiked,' such as a 60 Minutes segment on a 'torture prison' in El Salvador, because it might displease the current administration or its allies, thus undermining journalistic independence.

Aosta: 'When Barry Weiss is is spiking a segment on Secott and the Goolog... because they're now owned by the Ellison's which are MAGA friendly, um that's a that's a massive problem for this country.' 'I think we have a system of state compromised media in this country. We do not have a free press the way that we did a couple of years ago.'

Jen observes that MAGA personalities like Jesse Waters and JD Vance constantly discuss 'masculinity' and 'alpha vs. beta' dynamics, which she finds suspicious. She suggests this hyper-focus on masculinity, often accompanied by weaponized homophobia, stems from repressed identities among individuals who grew up in environments where they had to conform. This behavior is seen as a way to rile up audiences in less multicultural areas, diverting attention from real issues.

Jen: 'When I hear men talk constantly, alleged heterosexuals talk constantly about masculinity and real men do this... I always think, why are you talking so much about this?' 'I believe within the MAGA movement... they're constantly talking about either masculinity, alphas versus betas... it's kind of gay.'

The hosts argue that the Democratic Party needs 'new blood' and a more aggressive, 'no-fucks-given' approach, similar to the Mayor of Minneapolis telling ICE to 'get the fuck out.' They criticize current Democratic leadership for being too cautious and 'preservationist.' Key policy platforms for this new approach include expanding the Supreme Court (to overturn immunity decisions), abolishing ICE, and enacting national healthcare, along with eliminating dark money from politics.

Jen: 'Chuck Schumer needs to resign ASAP.' Aosta: 'That is what the Democratic Party needs. They need that right now.' 'Democrats ought to be talking about expanding the Supreme Court and impeaching some justices.'