The Muckrake Political Podcast

The "Things Blowing Up" Briefing

Mar 27, 2026
They riff on a President getting war updates from flashy “things blowing up” reels. They unpack an economy behaving like Wile E. Coyote physics while markets stay oddly calm. They explore looming legal consequences for Big Tech and comparisons to a Big Tobacco reckoning. Cultural notes include burnout reading modern dystopia and surviving dense psychological fiction.
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ANECDOTE

Charging An EV At A Gas Station That Sells Steaks

  • Nick describes charging his electric car at a gas station that sells steaks behind glass.
  • The hosts use the moment as a California/Texas cultural snapshot to open the episode's tonal setup.
INSIGHT

President Briefed With 'Things Blowing Up' Clips

  • Donald Trump reportedly receives Iran war updates as two-minute "things blowing up" compilations.
  • Jared Yates Sexton argues this explains Trump's shallow, cinematic grasp of the conflict and the disconnect in his public statements.
INSIGHT

Briefings Tailored Like Toys And Comic Books

  • The hosts liken Trump's briefings to toy soldiers and comic-book visuals that keep his attention.
  • Nick Hauselman says staff likely tailor briefings with visuals because Trump "can't handle reading anything," reducing complex strategy to spectacle.
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