Sarah & JVL Are Furious | Secret Podcast

The hosts assert that the arrest of journalist Don Lemon is a deliberate act of 'performance art' by the administration, designed to make people scared and 'chill civic spaces.' They argue this is a tactic used by authoritarians to exhaust the public by constantly generating outrage and forcing everyone to 'march to their beat.'

JVL states, 'This is how the authoritarians exhaust you... this is how they make us tired,' and 'this is also part of chilling civic spaces.' Sarah adds, 'They're doing the Don Lemon thing as performance art, right? It is about making us scared.'

The administration is accused of extreme hypocrisy, celebrating individuals like Kyle Rittenhouse who kill people at protests while labeling journalists like Don Lemon or Renee Good and Alex Prey as 'domestic terrorists' or part of a 'coordinated attack.' This perversion of language is seen as a hallmark of authoritarianism, jailing reporters critical of the regime.

JVL notes, 'They celebrate not just Kyle Writtenhouse who shows up... and kills people... That is where you get a visit from the president.' Sarah highlights Pam Bondi's description of Don Lemon's actions as a 'coordinated attack,' contrasting it with the defense of January 6th insurrectionists.

While high-profile figures like Don Lemon may have the resources and visibility to navigate legal challenges, local independent journalists, such as Georgia Fort, are far more vulnerable. They lack the capital and support networks to withstand prolonged legal battles, making them easier targets for intimidation.

Sarah states, 'Don Lemon will probably be okay... he has a lot of visibility... he'll be able to raise a ton of money for the best legal defense... But Georgia Fort who is a local independent journalist is not super famous and may not... that's a much heavier burden for them and that's what worries me.'

A focus group with 14 police officers (split between Harris and Trump voters) revealed significant differences. Harris-voting cops were 'brokenhearted' by current events, feeling less safe and emphasizing the rights of individuals they police. Trump-voting cops were more 'wait and see' on controversial shootings but appreciated the administration's perceived support for law enforcement. Both groups agreed on the critical importance of extensive training to manage stress in high-stakes situations.

Sarah details, 'the Harris group they were like bereft they were brokenhearted... they had a much more like servant like we're there to protect people mentality. Whereas the Trump cops... did do a much more... we appreciate that the administration has the back of cops.' Both groups agreed 'training matters a great deal.'

JVL proposes a 'crazy theory' that Nicholas Maduro might eventually provide testimony, under some form of deal, claiming he interfered with the 2020 election against Trump. This manufactured 'evidence' could then be used by the administration to relitigate the 'stolen election' narrative and justify further 'shenanigans.'

JVL states, 'My crazy theory is that Nicholas Maduro is going to at some point provide testimony that yes, he did interfere with the 2020 election and this is then going to be used as pretense for all sorts of shenanigans.'