The Morning Meeting – December 5, 2025

Host: Mark Halperin
Guest Hosts: Larry O’Connor & Jaime Harrison
Episode Theme: FBI Denial of MS NOW Story on Kash Patel’s Girlfriend; Wash. Post Solo on Hegseth Story; World Cup Draw; Political & Media Landscape

Episode Overview

The December 5 episode of The Morning Meeting dives into several key subjects driving the US news agenda. It leads with coverage of the day’s major event – the President’s involvement in the World Cup draw – as a lens into America’s relationship with the global game. The hosts probe headline controversies: the FBI’s forceful denial of a viral NBC/MSNOW report targeting the girlfriend of new FBI Director Kash Patel; and continued fallout over the Washington Post’s reporting on Pete Hegseth, currently under pressure as Defense Secretary. The panel also tackles pressing topics in US politics: the economy, healthcare legislation, Speaker Johnson’s struggles, redistricting and Supreme Court decisions, and the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, all alongside media accountability and public trust.

The show embraces its signature two-way community format – energetic, skeptical, and focused on both substance and tone. Engagement, notable quotes, and open discussion mark the episode.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. America and the World Cup (08:42–14:59)

• Event: President presides over the World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center, North America hosting. Attendees include major sports stars (Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, Shaquille O’Neal), political figures, and international dignitaries.

• Theme: America's outsiderness re global soccer enthusiasm.

  • Mark: “The exuberance you see there, it would be reflected in literally every other country… except this one.” (02:01)
  • Larry: “It’s really all about drinking. Everybody gets trashed.” (12:40)

• Soccer Talk: Larry O’Connor expresses mild support (“I always love rooting for America, no matter what the sport”) but jokes about soccer’s drinking culture.

  • Jaime Harrison admits partial excitement: “At some point, I will go to a match.” (12:30)

• Political Significance: Heads of Mexico and Canada attending, possible discussions on trade. The event is framed as both political theater and genuine sporting highlight.

• Media Culture: The show reflects on the US habit of treating soccer as “cute”, contrasting with fandom elsewhere.

2. The State of the Economy (14:59–17:44)

• Complex Signals: Both Jaime and Larry describe a mixed economic picture.

  • Jaime: “It’s complicated…for us, people are still largely employed, people are still largely spending… Inflation [and] tariffs are putting strain, but people are still pushing through.” (15:41)
  • Larry: “Affordability is an issue...the cost of things that are too expensive. But gas prices [are down]...eventually things are gonna start kicking in.” (17:02)

• Political Messaging: Mark wonders about messaging in the upcoming State of the Union.

3. Health Care Stalemate (17:44–21:25)

• Legislation Stall: House and Senate efforts to broker a bipartisan health care deal—centered on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies—face grim odds.

  • Mark: “Is there any deal before Christmas, or will we just see a show vote in the Senate?” (18:59)
  • Larry: “If there’s a deal, it’ll be punting, kicking the can down the road.” (18:59)
  • Jaime: “If [Republicans] want to take this off the table…they’ve got to address it in a political way, at least to take the talking point from the Democrats.” (19:36)

• Politics of Cost: Both hosts agree, reducing costs and improving service delivery remains the key issue, with neither party offering a serious solution.

4. Speaker Mike Johnson’s Peril (21:25–23:26)

• Leadership Struggle: Headlines predict doom for Speaker Johnson as he attempts to pass the Pentagon bill amid GOP fractures.

  • Jaime: “I think intellect will prevail and I think the speaker will be fine.” (22:07)
  • Larry: “It’s sort of the Al Davis thing: Just win, baby. No matter how ugly it is, he does, he wins.” (22:56)

• No Viable Challenger: With a small majority, leadership change seen as unlikely.

5. Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon & the Washington Post (23:26–30:26)

• Hegseth Story: Pete Hegseth remains unchallenged on the facts after a Washington Post report on a controversial military operation (alleged illegal interdiction, war crime suspicions).

  • “Right now, Pete Hegseth is unchallenged regarding the facts... and the Washington Post account is now challenged.” (23:27)

• Media Fallout: Tom Cotton forcefully defends the Pentagon and Hegseth, calling for a Post apology.

  • Tom Cotton (clip, 26:19): “What the Washington Post said last week was a complete lie. They owe an apology to Pete Hegseth…”

• Roger Wicker’s Silence: The Senate Armed Services Chairman withholds judgment, fueling further media intrigue.

  • Wicker (27:32): “I’m going to withhold comment…”

• Caution: Mark, Larry, Jaime agree, the issue isn’t truly over until Wicker speaks, highlighting media-politics interplay.

  • Mark: “Don’t assume. Let’s see what the Chairman says.” (30:19)

6. Ukraine, Russia, and War Weariness (30:29–31:59)

• Lost Narrative: War fatigue dominates American media and the public; Ukraine is absent from US front pages despite major diplomatic activity.
  • Jaime: “I think people… the American people, the American media, I think they’ve drawn very tired of this war… there are not many more angles to cover.” (30:59)

7. Justice Department, FBI, and the "Pipe Bomber" Arrest (37:19–39:41)

• Media Questions: CNN (Jake Tapper) identified suspect as a “white man”; panel questions accuracy of reporting and political motives.
  • Mark: “He does not appear to be a white man, whatever that means…” (37:19)
  • Larry: “Conservatives suspect [the FBI] withheld an arrest if the facts did not fit the narrative about January 6.” (38:22)
  • Jaime: “We… should not feel fear for their lives going to work every day when they’re trying to serve their country…” (39:12)
  • Mark, Jaime, Larry all express empathy for those targeted, while criticizing slow investigation.

8. FBI, Kash Patel, and NBC/MS NOW Reporting — The Denial (40:05–45:33)

• Allegation: MS Now (Ken Dilanian, Carol Leonnig) runs a story alleging Kash Patel demanded that his FBI director girlfriend’s detail chauffeur a drunk friend home. The DOJ and FBI issue absolute denials.

  • FBI Spokesperson: “A thousand percent false… I went and checked with everyone involved… No corroboration… The response was, ‘We do not have [dates, names]; we are comfortable with our sourcing.’” (41:55)
  • Mark: “If I’m the reporter… and I don’t have… the name and the date, it’s a bullshit story.” (43:15)

• Media Ethics: The panel eviscerates the story, calling out lack of specifics, and lampoons wasteful use of protective details.

  • Jaime: “I would do the exact same thing the spokesperson did… lambaste this reporter because this is an unfair reporting if it’s not true.” (44:56)
  • Larry (disclosing personal knowledge): “Alexis did not have a drink.” (45:04)
  • General consensus: The story’s sourcing and process are deeply flawed.

9. Redistricting & Supreme Court (32:55–36:06)

• Supreme Court Decision: Upholds Texas GOP map, important implications for House 2026.

  • Jaime: “It is disingenuous for the American public to be so pro democracy, but spend so much time on both sides...trying to draw these maps that are going to be advantageous for either party.” (34:46)
  • Larry: “This argument is about 220 years old.” (36:06)

• Political Consequences: If Voting Rights Act is pulled back, “about 14 members of the CBC will not be reelected.” (35:35)

10. Winners, Losers & What to Look For (46:17–48:55)

• Winners:

  • Larry: “Winner of the week is Pete Hegseth.” (46:17)
  • Jaime: “Lane Kiffin, new coach, LSU.” (46:38)
  • Mark: “Andrew Giuliani… overseeing the World Cup stuff.” (46:53)

• Losers:

  • Larry: “Christopher Wray… this arrest is just a black mark.” (47:08)
  • Jaime: “Ole Miss.” (47:17)

• Weekend Picks:

  • Larry: Attending Kennedy Center Honors, “fulfilling a childhood dream.” (47:28)
  • Jaime: Eager to see if the Hegseth story persists. (48:23)
  • Mark: Predicts the controversial military video will leak.

11. Audience Q&A & Media Accountability (49:25–59:20)

• Government Scope: Callers express concern over government growth and debt. Larry and Jaime agree on the need for “good governance” and reducing unnecessary size.
• Media Incentives: Audience and panel debate whether mainstream media will face consequences for apparently inaccurate or politically motivated stories.
  • Larry: “Their job is to bring a story that is close enough to the truth that will advance a political idea. I could be wrong about that... but they're not going to be disciplined.” (57:53)
  • Jaime: “There’s a lot of good American journalists… but political journalism has bombarded the landscape.” (58:42)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Soccer Divide:

  • Mark (02:01): “One of the craziest things in the world is how this country views football and the rest of the world loves football.”
  • Larry (12:40): “It’s really all about drinking. Everybody gets trashed.”

• On Media Standards:

  • Mark (43:15): “If somebody's saying, here's an accusation...We can't tell you when it happened or who's involved, but it's true and we're running it. That's bullshit.”
  • Jaime (44:56): “I would set the record straight, and then I would lambaste this reporter because this is unfair reporting if it's not true.”

• On Hegseth Controversy:

  • Tom Cotton (26:19): “They owe an apology to Pete Hegseth, and especially they owe an apology to Admiral Mitch Bradley. He is a highly decorated career Navy Seal.”
  • Mark (30:19): “Don’t assume. Let’s see what the Chairman says.”

• On Ukraine Fatigue:

  • Jaime (30:59): “I think people are…tired of this war. They’re tired of talking about it.”

• On Government Growth:

  • Jaime (52:00): “It can't be about just having government jobs for the sake of employing people and being the largest. I don't think the government should ever be the largest employer in any state.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 08:42 – World Cup Draw, Political and Social Overtones
• 14:59 – State of the Economy Roundtable
• 17:44 – Health Care Legislation and Obstacles
• 21:25 – Speaker Johnson’s Survival Odds
• 23:26 – The Hegseth/War Crime Story Media Fallout
• 30:29 – Ukraine War Coverage & Fatigue
• 37:19 – FBI Pipe Bomber Investigation and Media Framing
• 40:05 – FBI Shreds NBC/MSNOW “Kash Patel’s Girlfriend” Story
• 32:55 – Redistricting, Supreme Court, and Voting Rights
• 46:17 – Winners, Losers, and Weekend Predictions
• 49:25 – Audience Q&A on Government Scope & Media Trust
• 57:53 – Panel's Thoughts on Media Culture and Consequence

Tone & Format

The episode maintains a brisk, skeptical, but respectful tone with healthy doses of sarcasm, political inside-baseball, and community participation. It attributes claims and denials clearly, especially on contentious media stories. The hosts press for accountability while recognizing the realities of partisanship and media incentives. Both sides are given space, but not at the cost of facts or candor.

Conclusion

This installment of The Morning Meeting exemplifies the show’s dual focus on practical day-ahead news and deeper, cultural-political analysis. From the spectacle of the World Cup draw to granular media fact-checking and the ongoing, sometimes wearying, saga of American politics, the program keeps the “tone” front and center—seeking understanding without shying away from the week’s ideological combat. This is must-hear content for both news junkies and the generally curious, especially for those keen to hear sharp skepticism toward both politicians and the mainstream press.