The Gist Finding Political Kryptonite with Paula Poundstone
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May 9, 2026 
Mike Pesca, an award-winning journalist and podcaster, joins a lively roundtable. They debate what political scandals or policy failures could truly hurt an administration. Conversations jump from constitutional process issues and ICE tactics to Epstein records, FCC pressure, inflation and war. Humor and sharp political analysis weave through the search for what might actually move voters.
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Process Arguments Rarely Move Voters
- Voters rarely activate on procedural arguments like Fourth Amendment technicalities.
- Mike Pesca argues process-based complaints (e.g., ICE home entries) sound legalistic and won't motivate most voters to act.
Martyrdom Turned ICE From Policy To Political Liability
- ICE became politically damaging not because of process arguments but because migrants were turned into martyrs through visible suffering.
- Pesca recalls that the martyrdom of victims in Los Angeles protests shifted polling and changed minds.
Roundtables Won't Spark Mass Outrage
- Congressional 'roundtables' without subpoenas or oaths are unlikely to inflame broad public outrage.
- Pesca compares them to public-radio style kibitzing and doubts they'll inspire marching in the streets.