The Nicole Sandler Show

I love Fridays, not just because the weekend is almost here and I get to catch my breath, but mostly because I get to hang out with Marcy Wheeler of emptywheel.net for an hour (and then some) to recap and attempt to explain/understand what happened this week. So strap in, this was a busy, crazy one.... Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

If you’ve been listening to or watching this show for a while, you’ve definitely heard my friend, the brilliant Lisa Graves, on this show, as she’s been on dozens of times over the years. Aside from the fact that she’s an extraordinary person, her history and work experience makes her my favorite authority on all things concerning the Judiciary. Lisa's here today to share some of what's in her brand new book (just released this week) WITHOUT PRECEDENT: HOW CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS AND HIS ACCOMPLICES REWROTE THE CONSTITUTION AND DISMANTLED OUR RIGHTS. Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

One of the few things I like more than reading Digby is talking with her. I try not to impose on her generosity too much, so she joins me on the show about once a month or so. And wow, our conversations really are cathartic. As it was today. And wow, was it needed! Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

There was a Shutdown Showdown in the Oval Office yesterday but, like everything D’ump does, this was a ruse. The deadline is tonight at midnight... This morning, the cabinet member formerly known as Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, made it clear to the 800 highest-ranking US military officials from around the world he hastily called home for an unprecedented meeting, that he means war. And he means WAR!!! And Trump spoke too... for 74 interminable minutes... I'm joined by Coltan Scrivner, author of "Morbidly Curious: A Scientist Explains Why We Can't Look Away", perhaps explaining the Trump cult. Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

Last week turned out to be one of the worst in the eight months since a phalanx of incompetents took over the US government and has been working to disassemble the work-in-progress of the last 249 years. This week portends more of the absurd and the frightening, from a likely government shutdown, a strange meeting with 800 or so of our highest ranking military officers called back from all over the world and who knows what else... Jonathan Larsen of TheFuckingNews.substack.com joins in as he does each Monday. Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

Every week in D’ump’s America seems to be worse than the week before. I’m reeling from all that has happened this week and frankly, I’m truly worried about what next week will bring with a shutdown likely beginning Tuesday night. On Fridays, Marcy Wheeler of emptywheel.net joins me to recap most of what happened each week.. and this week was a doozy. Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

Greg Palast returns to The Nicole Sandler Show today to explain why and how we must protect our votes. Yes, they are at risk. And he answers my question about what happened too Bobby Kennedy. And no, it wasn't Tylenol. Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

Jeff Sharlet has been covering the rise of religious fundamentalism and right wing extremism. He’s warned us for decades now about the rise of fascism in the US. And although he’s not a soothsayer, he really has predicted what was coming. I think we’ve entered a new era with the murder of Kirk. We’ll hear what Jeff has to say when he joins us on today’s show. Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

Today on my show, I had the honor of speaking with my friend Kelly Carlin. Yes, George Carlin’s daughter was probably channeling her dad when, this weekend, she posted a video to Instagram calling out Disney for bowing down to dear leader and suspending Jimmy Kimmel. Well, Kimmel returns to the public airwaves tonight, and Kelly spoke to us about how her dad fought and spoke out regularly about our “rights” (temporary privileges), which was a lifelong battle to preserve… Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

Today, in addition to yesterday's hate-filled funeral, we'll talk about the crackdown on Free Speech from the administration who promised a "return" to FREE SPEECH. There's also a little issue of a so-called president writing a DM to his AG but sending it out for ALL to see on his Orwellian-named "Truth" social media platform. I could go on, but it’s Monday, so Jonathan Larsen of TheFuckingNews.substack.com is here. Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

We made it to another Friday when we get together with the always-brilliant Marcy Wheeler of emptywheel.net to recap much of the important news of the week. This was the week that Jimmy Kimmel was unceremoniously yanked from the air with threats to the rest of the broadcast media not to cross el Presidenté or suffer their consequences. Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

I can't recall when Republican hypocrisy has been more evident than this week. It's an ugly and vicious cycle. Charlie Kirk was killed, shot by a killer's single bullet. It was evident in the actions leading up to Jimmy Kimmel's show being indefinitely pulled from the air yesterday... Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

Today is a doozy. At 7 this morning, dueling hearings in Congress began. The House Oversight committee held their hearing with Kash Patel in the hot seat - the House's version of yesterday's Senate hearing. Meanwhile, the Senate HELP committee held a hearing on wtf is happening at the CDC under RFK Jr's leadership (sic). Trump is in the UK, Interested rates are lowered. Our guests Reynolds Holding wrote the book Better Judgement and says not to give up on the Judiciary! Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

The title of today's show suggests a mighty big supposition, that the "ills of Democracy" can be cured. When I suggest anything similar, those who disagree with everything I stand for quickly respond that "This is not a Democracy" instead of speaking to the larger issue. Today's guest is James S Fishkin, Professor of Communications, Prof of Political Science at Stanford, author of Can Deliberation Cure the Ills of Democracy? Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

Mondays are tough. I like to ease into the week by injecting humor and snark into the news. I prefer to do that every day, but Mondays are special. JONATHAN LARSEN of The Fucking News joins us every Monday for the second half of the show to discuss what's happening in our truly f'd up reality. But today, we’ll bring along some extra snark! We'll begin the show with an old friend of mine, CLIFF SCHECTER of Blue Amp who like Jonathan and I, also works to bring you actual news in an entertaining way. Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

Every Friday, the always brilliant and always informed Marcy Wheeler of emptywheel.net joins me to wrap up the week. We discuss most of the big and often the under-reported news of the week that you really should know about. And wow, was this a jam-packed week… From Charlie Kirks murder to the FBI’s malpractice. If not for the shooter’s father, he’d still be loose. To Trump’s power grab, SCOTUS crap, Bolsonaro’s guilty verdict & 27 year sentence (for basically the same crime Dump committed) and a whole lot more… Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

I was struggling this morning as I sat down to prepare for today’s show. I’ve had panic attacks since last November, and I’m doing my best to keep them at bay these days. But today is a tough one. As was yesterday. I'm sorry that Charlie Kirk was killed yesterday. Gun violence is never the answer to anything, especially a political disagreement. It's sickening. On Today's show, I'll sound off and check in with Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Will Bunch. Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

Today has been a shitty day on a few levels. Two shootings today. One at a college in Colorado, injuring three.. The other at a college in Utah, killing Charlie Kirk. Unreal. On today's show, Impolite Talking Religion & Politics with comedian John Fugelsang & Democratic strategist Mike Nellis. Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

Journalist, Author, Podcaster, Musician and a lot more, Brian Karem joins me today. Brian has had numerous run-ins with his orangeness. With Captain Cankles' relationship with pedophile/child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein dominating much of the news today, that's one of the shitty news items we discussed today. The Epstein connection and stories surrounding it are really at the center of everything Trump related these days, as it appears the both Brian and I believe that it will ultimately be Epstein that brings Trump down. I just hope the end comes sooner rather than later! Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe

SCOTUS keeps issuing unsigned decisions from cases on the so-called Shadow Docket; two of them came this morning, neither one good. The first allows D'ump to fire commissioners at the FTC and other executive branch agencies without cause. In this case, that means his firing of Democratic member Rebecca Slaughter stands. The second one actually allows the administration to engage in racial profiling. In this case, it allows the feds to return to Los Angeles and use racial profiling in questioning and detaining people who look like they're here illegally. As usual, Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson dissent. Jonathan Larsen of TheFuckingNews.substack.com joined in and gave us more breaking news. This time it's good news! Get full access to The Nicole Sandler Show at nicolesandler.substack.com/subscribe