Morning Wire Podcast Summary

Episode: Ukraine Deal Dilemma & TN’s District Seven Duel
Date: November 24, 2025
Hosts: John Bickley, Georgia Howe

Episode Overview

This episode dives into three major stories: President Trump’s controversial Ukraine peace deal proposal, a high-stakes special election in Tennessee’s 7th congressional district, and the box office surprise of "Wicked 2" amid a tough year for Hollywood. The hosts analyze the details and implications of each topic with commentary and guest insights.

Main Segment 1: Trump’s Ukraine Peace Deal Proposal

Key Segment: [03:33 – 07:55]

Discussion Points & Insights

• President Trump has introduced a 28-point peace plan to end the ongoing war in Ukraine, described as a potential breakthrough but heavily scrutinized for favoring Russia.
• Deal Details:
  • Ukraine would be required to:
    • Forfeit aspirations to NATO membership and embed this in its constitution.
    • Bar future NATO troop deployments and limit its military to 600,000 personnel.
    • Cede almost all land captured by Russia in eastern Ukraine (and some not yet seized).
    • Grant amnesty to all conflict participants.
    • Hold national elections within 100 days of signing (potentially opening the door for Zelensky’s removal).
    • Allow reintegration of Russia into the global economy via immediate sanctions relief.
• Concessions to Ukraine:
  • End of hostilities.
  • Path to EU membership.
  • $100 billion of frozen Russian assets to rebuild Ukraine.
  • Vague Western security guarantees should Russia act aggressively again.
• Ukrainian & European Reaction:
  • The deal has been met with outrage in Ukraine and skepticism in Europe.
  • Ukrainian leaders complain of not being consulted and accuse the US of handing over “Putin’s wish list.”
  • President Zelensky expressed concern about being forced to choose between “loss of dignity or the risk of losing a key partner, referring to the US” (Cabot Phillips, 06:16).
  • European leaders issued a joint statement: the deal “would leave Ukraine vulnerable to attack and requires additional work” (06:40).
• Diplomatic Developments:
  • Talks underway in Geneva to modify the proposal.
  • Trump has acknowledged the backlash and is open to “fine-tuning,” but noted Ukraine’s “zero gratitude for our efforts” (07:11).
• Memorable Moment & Confusion:
  • Over the weekend, a mix-up arose when some senators claimed the deal originated as a Russian proposal, only for Secretary Marco Rubio to clarify it was US-authored, but with Russian input (07:23–07:51).

Notable Quotes

• “This plan does seem to favor Russia, which from a geopolitical standpoint makes sense... they do have the upper hand militarily right now.”
  —Cabot Phillips, [03:55]
• “Now Ukraine may face a very difficult choice, either loss of dignity or the risk of losing a key partner.”
  —President Zelensky, quoted by Cabot Phillips, [06:16]
• “The Ukraine leadership has expressed zero gratitude for our efforts.”
  —Donald Trump, paraphrased by Cabot Phillips, [07:11]

Main Segment 2: Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District Special Election

Key Segment: [09:05 – 14:08]

Discussion Points & Insights

• Special election on December 2nd could impact the balance of the House, as Republicans have a narrow majority.
  • Increased attention due to high Democratic spending, recent blue victories, and changing demographics in the Nashville area.
• Republican Candidate: Matt Van Epps
  • Former Commissioner, West Point grad, combat veteran, endorsed by Trump.
  • Campaign priorities: reduce cost of living and inflation, strong public safety support.
  • “What we’re hearing... is cost of living and working to decrease inflation.” (Van Epps, [10:41])
• Democratic Candidate: State Rep. Afton Bain
  • Portrayed as a progressive rising star, known for controversial social media and positions.
  • Recorded boasting about “bullying” ICE and state troopers out of immigration enforcement:
    “We’ve got our girl squad and we’re bullying the ICE vehicles and state troopers. So this is a win.” —Afton Bain, [11:18]
  • Previous criticism for saying she “hates Nashville” (“I hate the city... I hate country music,” —Afton Bain, [11:59]), which she has since attempted to walk back.
  • Strong stance in favor of abortion rights and protecting trans children.
  • Endorsed by DSA, campaign support from national Democratic figures.
• Contrast & Closing Remarks:
  • Van Epps emphasizes his Nashville roots and pro-police, pro-life stances.
    • “I love Nashville. I support Nashville and country music. I have worked in Nashville... met my wife in Nashville, started a family here.” —Matt Van Epps, [12:19]
  • Race rated as “likely Republican,” but polling reportedly closer than expected due to possible low turnout and intense spending.
    • “We feel really good about our ground game... Davidson County... is the one area that is more blue than the other 13 counties. But we’re still doing really well...” —Van Epps, [13:44]

Main Segment 3: Box Office Surprise with Wicked 2

Key Segment: [14:37 – 18:58]

Discussion Points & Insights

• Hollywood’s dire box office year is upended by the hit opening of "Wicked for Good" (“Wicked 2”), the sequel to the previous musical blockbuster.
• Performance:
  • $228 million global opening; $151 million domestic
  • Biggest opening for a Broadway musical adaptation, biggest PG pre-sales
• Critical Reception:
  • Mixed reviews, with weaker positive ratings compared to the first film (59% vs 73% on Metacritic).
  • New songs lack the appeal of original numbers; performances mostly flat, though Jonathan Bailey praised.
• Cultural/Political Underpinnings:
  • Controversy avoided as stars refrained from overt politicking during promotion.
  • Reporter Megan Basham argues that “Wicked is a conservative-themed musical... skepticism of centralized power, distrust of government-aligned media... a fierce defense of objective as opposed to relative truth” ([17:51]).
• Memorable Quotes:
  • “The first film largely followed the path of the stage production... the most compelling parts of the musical were in the first film.”
    —Megan Basham, [15:53]
  • “Wicked is a conservative-themed musical... skepticism of globalist centralized power, distrust of government aligned media, and fierce defense of objective truth.”
    —Megan Basham, [17:51]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “This plan does seem to favor Russia, which from a geopolitical standpoint makes sense... they do have the upper hand militarily right now.”
  —Cabot Phillips, [03:55]

• “Now Ukraine may face a very difficult choice, either loss of dignity or the risk of losing a key partner.”
  —President Zelensky, via Cabot Phillips, [06:16]

• “This is great. We’ve got our girl squad and we’re bullying the ICE vehicles and state troopers. So this is a win.”
  —Afton Bain, [11:18]

• “I hate the city. I hate the Bachelorettes. I hate the pedal taverns. I hate country music. I hate all of the things that make Nashville.”
  —Afton Bain, [11:59]

• “Wicked is a conservative-themed musical... skepticism of globalist centralized power, distrust of government aligned media, and fierce defense of objective truth.”
  —Megan Basham, [17:51]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Ukraine peace deal analysis — [03:33 – 07:55]
• Tennessee District 7 special election — [09:05 – 14:08]
• Wicked 2 box office report — [14:37 – 18:58]

Tone & Takeaways

The tone is brisk, analytical, and skeptical of mainstream narratives, particularly around the media and progressive politics—fully in line with Morning Wire’s conservative voice. The hosts and guests emphasize facts on the ground, offer critical scrutiny of high-profile progressive figures, and highlight conservative-themed cultural commentary.

Summary for Non-Listeners:
This episode provides in-depth, right-leaning analysis of President Trump's peace push in Ukraine (and its backlash abroad), a culture-war-infused House race in Tennessee featuring outsized Democratic spending and controversial personalities, and the unexpected box office success of a musical sequel with quietly conservative themes. Each story is examined with a critical eye—especially toward progressive narratives—making for a thorough, opinionated news digest.