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Foreign. Hello, it's Miranda. I'm back with a new mini episode of podforce one. This feature is a little more topical and relevant to my job as a columnist for the New York Post. Today's topic is a reminder of what really matters ahead for the midterms, given the uncertainty around the Iran war, negotiations over the weekend and Donald Trump's slumping opinion polls, but it's more of a pep talk than a doom fest. Don't let the Perfect be the Enemy of the Good everyone's angry with Donald Trump. It's true that things are getting ragged. With just over five months left until the midterms, the President's agenda is being stymied in the courts and in Congress by bloody minded Democrat obstructionism and by a handful of lily livered naysayers in his own bare majority party. His poll numbers are as bad as they've ever been, apart from a rough patch in the aftermath of January 6, 2021. The war with Iran has hit gas prices and exacerbated the cost of living. It may be heading to some sort of deal, but cheerleaders are thin on the ground. His enemies at home are desperate for Trump to fail, even if it means America is dealt a savage blow. His administration's botched handling of the so called lawfare slush fund is one of several own goals that his media foes and their Machiavellian whisperers have twisted into fake existential catastrophes to demoralize his supporters under inhuman pressure. He has a tendency to talk too much, and his sclerotic lashing out at blameless bystanders endears him to nobody. The other day he scolded popular Fox News reporter Jackie Heinrich, apropos of nothing during a press conference because she is engaged to a Republican congressman, Brian Fitzpatrick, who breaks with Trump more than most. But that's because he has to hold onto a purple suburban Philadelphia district full of Trump deranged wine moms. And why is that Heinrich's fault? None of this is good. But and this is a big but. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Or to paraphrase Joe Biden, don't compare Trump to the Almighty. Compare him to the alternative. Wherever you look in the Democrat party, the alternative is horrendous. Exhibit A Graham Platner, the Dems hard left Senate candidate in Maine who cosplays a rugged working class oyster farmer. He has been given the superstar treatment by the likes of the New York Times and Time magazine in airbrushed cover stories praising him as rough hewn, gravelly voiced, flawed everyman whose numerous scandals like sporting a Nazi tattoo for 18 years, excusing rape, masturbating in Porta Potties, mocking a Purple Heart recipient are proof of his authenticity and redemption. Arc. The fawning free publicity helped catapult him ahead of Maine governor Janet Mills, who has dropped out of the race before the primary. Platner wears his hyper masculinity like a fat suit. It's hiding something he doesn't want us to see. Everything about him is a concoction the gravelly voice, the boots, the flannel costumes, even the offensive tattoos. He and J.D. vance are the same age, 41, and both are former Marines, but in the quality of their character, they are exact opposites. One was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and grew up into a spoiled, destructive narcissist who joined the Marines, got a Nazi tattoo, didn't get married until he was 40 and has never had children. Although in fairness that shouldn't be held against him since various soft soap articles say he and his wife went through IVF treatment in Norway earlier this year. The other man was born to a single mother with a heroin addiction, joined the Marines, went to Yale on sheer brain power, married well, gave up a lucrative tech career to go into politics and rose to become vice president while bringing up three children with one on the way. Vance is a contemplative man of faith who has overcome his hardscrabble beginnings. Platner is a punch drunk poseur who squandered the privilege he was granted at birth. But Platner is just one of the Democrat disasters waiting in the wings to ruin this country if Republican voters lose heart. Take Texas Senate Democratic candidate James Talarico, who believes there are six genders and that God is non binary. Then there's Texas Democrat congressional candidate Maureen Galindo, the sex therapist who wants to lock up Zionists in detention camps, or leading Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El Sayed Said, who campaigns with vile dog torturing Marxist twitch streamer Hassan Piker and was caught out telling staffers to avoid commenting on the death of Ayatollah Khamenei because Dearborn voters were upset about it. Speaking of Piker, another repellent Nepo baby progressive who thinks America deserved 911 and Israel is worse than Hamas. He has been embraced by the New Democrat establishment with his third glowing New York Times profile recently lauding him as, quote, a progressive mind in a body body made for the manosphere while giving him a free pass for using a shock collar to inflict excruciating pain on his poor dog in the middle of a livestream. He denied it, but you only have to watch the video to know he's lying. This new crop of Democrats makes AOC look like a moderate the next thing we know, Hunter Biden will be running for president. Even the old crop is horrible, as we all should know after enduring four years of moderate Joe Biden, Kamala Harris summed up the zeitgeist last week. This is a moment when there are no bad ideas, the former vice president declared on a podcast before reaching into the old progressive grab bag of stacking the Supreme Court and granting statehood to Puerto Rico and D.C. as in 2020, when Trump unnerved the country with daily Covid press conferences alongside the sly Anthony Fauci. Be careful what you wish for. Thanks for listening. Don't forget to come back on Wednesday for the next episode of Podforce One with the legendary former House speaker and political stage Newt Gingrich. He's guaranteed to make you feel better about everything.
Host: Miranda Devine (New York Post)
Date: May 25, 2026
In this Monday Mini episode, Miranda Devine offers a timely pep talk for conservative listeners ahead of the midterm elections, focusing on resilience despite current setbacks facing Donald Trump and his administration. With war in Iran, inflation, and tough poll numbers, Devine warns against defeatism and the temptation to expect perfection from political leaders—reminding listeners of the stark contrast between Trump and his Democratic opponents.
Quote:
"With just over five months left until the midterms, the President's agenda is being stymied in the courts and in Congress by bloody minded Democrat obstructionism and by a handful of lily livered naysayers in his own bare majority party." (00:39)
Quote:
"He has been given the superstar treatment by the likes of the New York Times and Time magazine in airbrushed cover stories praising him as rough hewn, gravelly voiced, flawed everyman whose numerous scandals...are proof of his authenticity and redemption arc." (05:01)
Quote:
"This new crop of Democrats makes AOC look like a moderate—the next thing we know, Hunter Biden will be running for president." (09:20)
"His enemies at home are desperate for Trump to fail, even if it means America is dealt a savage blow." (02:19)
"The fawning free publicity helped catapult him ahead of Maine governor Janet Mills, who has dropped out of the race before the primary." (06:10)
"Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Or to paraphrase Joe Biden: Don’t compare Trump to the Almighty. Compare him to the alternative." (04:02)
"This new crop of Democrats makes AOC look like a moderate – the next thing we know, Hunter Biden will be running for president." (09:20)
"Kamala Harris summed up the zeitgeist last week. 'This is a moment when there are no bad ideas,' the former vice president declared on a podcast..." (10:09)
Miranda Devine’s delivery is candid, combative, and unapologetically partisan, mixing sharp critiques with dry humor and direct appeals to her audience’s pragmatic sensibilities. The tone is urgent but tailored as an encouraging pep talk to keep conservative spirits high, even in turbulent political times.