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Ben Shapiro
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Hard Seltzer with flavors 8% alcohol by volume White cloth seltzer works Chicago, Illinois that sound is the leaky showerhead that came with your place, the one that has you starting every morning with a low pressure nightmare that's nearly your age. Stop settling for someone else's shower. Consider this your wake up call to swap it for the relaxing feel of a Moen showerhead and see how one easy change changes everything. Water designs our life. Who designs for water? Moen? Oh, a Democratic candidate in Maine apparently has a Nazi tattoo, but that's not stopping Bernie Sanders from endorsing him. Plus, Republicans finally dump Paul Ingracia overboard and we talk about the government shutdown and construction on the White House first. The first decade of the Daily Wire proved that truth and courage still win. The next decade is going to be even bigger and better. We're celebrating our first 10 years, making sure you're here for everything coming next with our Deal of the decade. Join now for as little as $7 a month. And yes, the Pendragon cycle is coming. Don't miss the seven part cinematic series launching January 22nd, 2026. Our All Access members get it early. Episodes one and two on Christmas Day December 25th. So you get it like a month early if you're an All Access member. But remember again, you have to be an All Access member for that early access to the Pendragon cycle. Don't miss a moment. Join now at Daily Wire. Also, folks, the response has been absolutely massive. I did a signing on Alexis Live with some of you yesterday and since then Lions and Scavengers has been flying off the shelves faster than we can actually restock the book. Get this, it has been a New York Times bestseller for multiple weeks. Actually, it's not just another book. It's a rallying cry against the cultural rot poisoning our society. Lions and Scavengers tells the truth. That left refuses to confront the holidays right around the corner. It makes the perfect gift for the real lions in your life, the people who still believe in courage, strength and truth. But you need to move fast. The signed copies are disappearing quickly. Head on over to dailywire.com shop right now. Grab your signed copy of the New York Times bestselling Lions and Scavengers before they're gone for Good. Again. That's DailyWire.com shop well, Democrats are in a tough position in the senate races in 2026. There are not a lot of vulnerable seats for Republicans in 2026. But one of those vulnerable seats was supposed to be in Maine, where Susan Collins was a Republican senator from a very purple to blue state. She looked to be vulnerable against the Democrats. The Democrat chosen to run by the party was a person whose name is Graham Platner. Graham Platner is a Bernie Sanders acolyte. He's a far left progressive. There was a a primary that had broken out between main governor Janet Mills and Platner, but it appears that Platner, who had the upper hand, now he is in trouble. Now he is in trouble. And one of the reasons that he is in trouble is because he is in fact a radical, insane communist. Not just a communist, apparently, he kind of likes Nazis. I know, I don't know where all of this sort of fondness for Nazis is coming from, but it seems like a bizarre number of people are kind of into the Nazis these days. So the reason this is coming up is because Graham Platner apparently released a video, shirtless, drunk, at some sort of event, a wedding or something, in which he has a Nazi symbol tattooed on his chest. Now, again, Platner has the endorsement of Bernie Sanders as an anti establishment outsider, according to Axios. But there have already been a series of minor scandals surrounding his candidacy, including resurfaced Reddit posts. He espoused offensive views about black people and sexual assault victims. So apparently in this video, he is singing shirtless and he has a skull tattoo on his chest that is a Totenkopf, which was a symbol used by Hitler's ss, you know, like the skull and crossbones used by the ss. Apparently the move was intended to get ahead of Apple Research. And the GOP Senate campaign arm seized on the images, accusing Platner of. Of having a Nazi tattoo, which is of course, precisely what that is. Now, Platner then decided to go on with the Pod Save America Bros. Joining Tommy Vitor, former van driver for Barack Obama. And he says that the video was from his brother's wedding. And he said, I am not a secret Nazi. Hey, first of all, when you have to say you're not a secret Nazi, never a great political sign. When you put that on a bumper sticker or whatever. He, he said that he got the tattoo in Croatia while he was deployed and very inebriated, and that he and his fellow Marines chose, quote, a terrifying looking skull and crossbones. So, yeah, this was awkward. Here he was with Tommy Veder. And the reason that we are showing this video is because at the very end you can see a tattoo on your chest. And I've been told that some of your political opponents are telling reporters that, that that tattoo has a Nazi affiliation. And I would like to know, is that accurate? Are you a secret Nazi? I am not a secret Nazi. I went to college, I went to the gym, I did all the things. And at no point in this entire experience of my life did anybody ever once say, hey, you're a Nazi. It never came up until we got wind that in the opposition research, somebody was shopping the idea that I was a secret Nazi with a hidden Naz tattoo. And I can honestly say that if I was trying to hide it, I've not been doing a very good job for the past 18 years. OK, well, actually, it is not just a matter of. People have not randomly accused him of being. You have like, literally an SS symbol tattooed on your chest. I mean, whose fault is that, my dude? So controversy has now broken out over whether he meant to have a Nazi symbol tattooed on your chest. Now, I don't know how many people accidentally have Nazi symbols tattooed on their chests. I feel like the number is relatively low. That's not like a thing that you just randomly stumble onto. You get drunk one night and you're like, hey, let me get that Nazi tattoo here on my chest. Like, I, I'm not sure how that happens, particularly. Apparently some of his political friends and allies don't believe him either. According to Jewish Insider, a person who socialized with Platner when he was living in Washington, D.C. more than a decade ago said, says that Platner had specifically acknowledged the tattoo was a Totenkopf. The death head symbol adopted by the Nazi SS unit that guarded concentration camps in World War II. Apparently he said. Oh, this is my Totenkopf, he said in a cutesy little way. That Exchange occurred in 2012 at Tune In, a popular dive on Capitol Hill, where Platner later worked as a bartender and was a frequent patron while he attended the George Washington University on the GI Bill. He would often take off his shirt drinking with friends late at night at the bar, and on at least one occasion had stated he knew what the tattoo represented, according to the former acquaintance. So apparently Platner said at the time at one point that he was aware as a totten cop when he'd gotten the tattoo. Another time he said that he didn't know. I mean, clearly he knew. That is the reason why he's revealing the video now early in an attempt to get past it before the primary vote. Now he's trying to explain that we chose a terrifying looking skull and crossbones off the wall because we were Marines, and skulls and crossbones are a pretty standard military thing. We got those tattoos and then we all moved on with our lives. And he says, it was not until I started hearing from reporters and D.C. insiders that I realized this test, this tattoo resembled a Nazi symbol. I absolutely would not have gone through life having this on my chest if I knew that. And to insinuate that I did is disgusting. I'm already planning to get this removed. Now there is a problem. Apparently, Platner's former political director, one Genevieve McDonald, who resigned from his campaign last week over her objection to other Reddit comments, which we'll get to in a moment, said in a Facebook post. Well, Graham has an anti Semitic tattoo on his chest. He's not an idiot, he's a military buff, she wrote in the post. Maybe he didn't know when he got it, but he got it years ago. He should have had it covered up because you know damn well what it means. So, yeah, this seems at the very least unpleasant, and again, not a gigantic shock coming from Graham Platner, because there are a bunch of Reddit posts that are pretty ugly as well. In one of them, he described himself openly as a communist, he called all cops bastards, and he dismissed sexual assault in the military. Also, he defended a man with a Nazi SS lightning bolt tattoo who later admitted to impersonating a federal officer. At a BLM protest in Las Vegas in 2020, Platner said in a deleted Reddit post, quote, I will be sure to inform the black guys I know with bolts that they're Nazis. Now and not US Marine Corps scout snipers. Bolts were an STI icon since the 80s, at least, if not longer. It was never official, but it sure as bleep was tattooed on almost every hog I knew between 2004 and 2012. He also drew scrutiny for appearing in a photo this summer with a white supremacist agitator in Maine, Richard Ward, who's running for a banger city council seat. Apparently in the photo, Ward is pictured wearing a T shirt emblazoned with the number 88. Apparently Graham, the spokesperson said, told this person to F off. We don't know. Again, when you're in public situations and people are taking pictures of you, you can't necessarily vet every single person who shows up with any T shirt. However, you can make a determination as to whether you would choose to have a, you know, Nazi tattoo. That one seems like it doesn't happen by total accident. Now, what's amazing about this, aside from the fact that Graham Platner seems to be a bit of a scuzz bag, and here I say that, you know, he has comments on these Reddit posts asking why black people don't tip, suggesting that people concerned about being raped shouldn't be inebriated around people they don't feel comfortable with, and all the rest. Now, this is the kind of stuff that would normally get you canceled, certainly from the Democratic Party. But he is a progressive, and that means that Bernie Sanders is going to defend him now. So the same people on the left are demanding that every Republican in sight condemn every young Republican, even tangentially associated with an ugly text thread. All those same people are now out defending Graham Platner today. So, for example, John Lovett, another one of the Pod Save America bros, He tweeted out only perfect candidates off the Harvard Law conveyor belt, please. Highly disciplined, all boxes checked, well liked and humble, absolutely no spiritual connection, having a physical body except for severe ibs, volunteered at a soup kitchen in high school, signs, email, cheers, et cetera. Okay, I think that there's a big gap between that and, you know, the drunken dude who is routinely spewing garbage and also has a Nazi tattoo on his chest. Also, John Lovett routinely calls people Nazis. So just weird how that double standard immediately applies. Bernie Sanders, for his part, he says, I personally think that he is an excellent candidate. I'm going to support him and look forward to him becoming the next senator in the state of Maine. He said, there's a young man who served his country in Afghanistan and Iraq, and he went through some really difficult experiences, seeing friends of his killed or whatever. And in spite of all that, he had the courage to run. I personally think he's an excellent candidate. Ok, but I don't think that you would be making the same excuses if the person were on the other side of the aisle, obviously. Asked about Platner's comments about sexual assault, Sanders then shot back, have you served four tours of duty? Okay, so I do love Bernie Sanders pulling out the patriotic military service card after spending an entire career ripping on the American military industrial complex and America's foreign policy. But in the end, this is the Democratic Party. It is all about power. It is not about actual consistent argumentation. And they're perfectly happy to have a self described commie with a Nazi tattoo on his chest running for Senate in Maine. If it means the Republicans lose control of the Senate, that's what really matters to them in the end. Alrighty. Coming up, Democrats are still having a tough time separating off from their radicals. Plus we'll get to the government shutdown and all the rest First. 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Head on over to balanceofnature.com get a free fiber and spice supplement plus 35% off your first set as a new preferred customer by using discount code. Shapiro. Well, it's not just Bernie Sanders endorsing Graham Platner or the podcast of America Bros endorsing Graham Platner. That is indicative of where the Democratic Party is again. The Democratic Party continues to simply endorse people who say and do quite terrible things. Abigail Spanberger is running for Governor of Virginia, of course, and she has been plagued by the issue of Attorney General candidate Jay Jones. Jay Jones, of course, texted a Republican that he wished to kill the speaker of the House of Delegates in Virginia and then called that Speaker's children small fascists, even though he apparently knew the kids. Abigail Spanberger is now saying that, you know, those texts were just a poor choice. There's not, no, no biggie here. Well, I want to begin by first, you know, condemning clearly the, the texts that he sent to a Colleague. And I condemned them as soon as I learned of them, and, you know, called on. On Jay Jones to publicly explain himself. And I think that he's been quite clear in his apologies and in his taking ownership of that poor choice. Okay, is he taking ownership? Because taking ownership usually means consequences. But again, that doesn't seem to apply in politics anymore, on any side of the aisle, as we'll get to in a moment. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Warren continues to prop up the ghost of Ed Markey, the Senator from Massachusetts, in the face of Seth Moulton, a much younger Democrat who's running against him. Moulton is considered sometimes to be a more moderate Democrat than Ed Markey. He's trying to sort of make more progressive, signaling toward. Toward the base. But here's Elizabeth Warren, who would rather have the very, very old Democrat in the Senate, the more radical Democrat in the Senate, because this, this is who the Democrats are. They are embracing the radicalism full scale. I've endorsed my partner in the Senate, Ed Markey. You know, Ed is a terrific fighter. I was just with him at our all no Kings rally in Massachusetts on Saturday, and he was out there raising the troops because Ed fights from the heart. He is a good man, and I am honored to be his partner in the United States Senate. Good times. Good times. I mean, again, he has been in the Senate for legitimately, forever, pretty much. I mean, he has certainly been in Massachusetts politics for forever. He was born in 1946. So forget about the next generation of Democrats. The next generation of Democrats will either be insane progressives or they will be, you know, just old people. Meanwhile, I've been talking about this for a while. If you're going to condemn extremism, if you're going to condemn radicalism, if you're going to condemn structures that promote violence, then you really should do that on all the different sides. This should not be particularly difficult. And the fact that people have a tough time with it is bewildering to me in the extreme. And this is why it is worth talking about that apparently. According to CBS News, a pardon capital rioter was arrested last weekend for allegedly threatening to kill a House Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries. Court documents obtained by CBS News said that this person was arrested Sunday after saying in text messages he planned to eliminate Jeffries. When the top House Democrats spoke at an event in New York City on Monday. He was arraigned on Tuesday, entered a plea of not guilty. He said, I cannot allow this terrorist to live, even if I am hated. He must be eliminated. I will kill him for the future. Jeffries spoke about this on the floor a little bit here with CBS reporting Christopher Moynihan texted threats, terroristic threats, they say, against Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader. Texting, quote, even if I am hated, he must be eliminated. I will kill him for the future. About Jeffries, allegedly, Moynihan not only texted that, but knew that Jeffries was to appear yesterday at an event at the Economic Club of New York and noted that date and that event in the text thread. Jeffries put out a statement in which he said that threats of violence will not stop us from showing up, standing up and speaking up for the American people. Now, again, I think that the people who make violent threats are responsible for their own actions. People who promote conspiratorial nonsense that ups the ante on violence, those are people who ought to be called out as well, because that is in and of itself a bad thing. That is why it is quite a good thing that Paul In Gracia has now apparently withdrawn his nomination. That is a positive development we talked about in Gracia yesterday. He was the person chosen to lead the Office of Special Counsel, but he had a long history of truly awful decision making with regard to his own personal politics. In Gracia's move came after Republican senators voiced opposition to the nomination. It became clear President Trump's pick to lead the Office of Special Counsel had no path to confirmation. Senators James Lankford of Oklahoma, Rick Scott of Florida and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said on Monday they opposed In Gracia's confirmation. Politico had reported on Monday, as we talked about, that In Gracia had used an Italian slur for black people and also written, quote, I do have a Nazi streak in me from time to time. I'll admit it. He, of course, is a big supporter of Andrew Tate, among others. Why he was picked in the first place remains a bewildering decision. But yes, there should in fact be some self policing by the parties, because here's the deal. Either you end up self policing or somebody else ends up policing you. That is just the reality in life. And when it comes to condemnations of immoral behavior and terrible opinions, that it seems to me like a baseline moral standard as a general rule. Okay? Meanwhile, in terms of actual violent action and incentivization of violent action, again, back on the Left yesterday, a U.S. marshal and an illegal immigrant were shot in Los Angeles when federal officers opened fire as a migrant weaponized his vehicle and tried to flee a traffic stop. According to the New York Post. The 44 year old suspect, who'd reportedly escaped from custody on a previous occasion, allegedly rammed his Toyota Camry into federal federal vehicles, prompting agents to surround and box in the immigrant's car. According to DHS Assistant Secretary Trisha McLaughlin, the illegal alien then weaponized his vehicle and began ramming the law enforcement vehicle in an attempt to flee. Officers followed their training and fired defensive shots. Apparently the suspect then spun in a way that could kick up smoke and debris at the federal agents. The car started to fishtail and they moved to subdue him by smashing in the driver's side window pressed on until an agent opened fire. An illegal immigrant was shot in the elbow. The US Marshal was struck in the hand by a ricochet bullet. Again, why in the hell we should consider this the fault of federal agents as opposed to the people who continue to incentivize illegal immigration, including criminal illegal immigration in the United States, is beyond me. And yes, people are more likely to attack ICE agents if they know that there is sympathy to them doing so. There's no question of that. Okay, the other big controversy of the day is really not a controversy, but people are trying to make it into a controversy. And that, of course, is the reconstruction of the White House East Wing. So the East Wing was built in 1902. It has been repeatedly reconstructed since then. It was really expanded pretty massively by FDR in 1942. It is not one of the older parts of the White House. The President of the United States has ordered parts of the East Wing to be demolished and then the East Wing will be rebuilt as a giant ballroom, which is fine. I mean, I've been to the East Wing. I'm just telling you it's a bunch of offices. It is not in any way comparable to the West Wing. A Treasury official apparently wrote on Monday evening in an email to department employees, quote, as construction proceeds on the White House grounds, employees should refrain from taking and sharing photographs of the grounds to include the East Wing without prior approval from the Office of Public Affairs. Supposedly this is because it could reveal sensitive items, including security features or confidential structural details. More likely just on a skeptical level, it's because the the images of gigantic cranes and wrecking balls taking down parts of the White House have become a talking point for many, many Democrats. During an event at the White House. Earlier on Monday, President Trump described the ballroom as a grand, entertaining space for visiting dignitaries, and he said it would be funded by private donations. The ballroom will be at least 90,000 square feet, but the capacity for more than 650 seats. The East Room currently has enough space for about 200 seats. It's very small. I've been in there. It's not very large. The main footprint of the White House, not including the east and west wing, is approximately 55,000 square feet. And President Trump said, for more than 150 years, every president has dreamt about having a ballroom at the White House to accommodate people for grand parties, state visits, et cetera. I'm honored to be the first president to finally get this much needed project underway. This, of course, prompted Democrats to freak out. Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota wrote, quote, seeing the White House torn apart is really emblematic of the times we're in. Here's President Trump talking lightheartedly about the reconstruction effort.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
If I do this again, I'm going to get a ballroom built.
Ben Shapiro
And we're putting up our own money.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
With the government is paying for nothing. You probably hear the beautiful stuff. Sound of construction to the back. You hear that sound? Oh, that's music to my ears. I love that sound. Other people don't like it. I love it. Josh. I think when I hear that sound.
Ben Shapiro
It reminds me of money. In this case, it reminds me of.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
Lack of money because I'm paying for it. So it's the opposite.
Ben Shapiro
Okay. I mean, again, the fact that people are trying to make a big deal out of this is totally insane. So I've asked my sponsors at Comet, a new web browser by Perplexity, to list the major construction projects that have occurred at the White House since 1900. And it's an extensive list. 1902, renovation by Theodore Roosevelt, which included removal of Victorian conservatories, construction of the West Wing for executive offices, upgrade of interior finishes, state dining room renovation. There's another expansion by William Howard Taft in 1909 which established the first Oval Office. There's the Rose Garden Modernization, 1913. That is when it was added. The attic and upper floor renovations in 1927, West Wing repairs and remodeling, 1929, 1930. There were a bunch of expansions under FDR, including adding a second floor and larger basement to the West Wing, and construction of the East Wing to house offices for staff and secure wartime communications. There's a major reconstruction under the Truman administration because there was a risk of collapse. That included new foundations, steel and concrete structure, modern plumbing, wiring, heating and cooling, and rebuilt interiors. There are a bunch of restorations under Jackie Kennedy. And then, of course, there are renovations to the Rose Garden by the Trump administration in 2020, and in 2025, construction of the White House Ballroom and pretty much everybody made significant upgrades, including for example, the addition of the Truman Balcony. So the White House has always been a building that is under construction. Are you Coming up more on the government shutdown, plus the latest on the negotiations over the Gaza Strip. Vice President is visiting Israel first I've heard a lot of good money advice. I think my favorite piece of money advice that it really is the reoccurring major expenses that kill you. It's not like going to a movie one time. But here's the thing. 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Join the over 14 million all time customers who have already saved and invested over $25 billion with Acorns. Head on over to acorns.comshapiro or download that Acorns app to get started today. Paid non client endorsement compensation provides incentive to positively promote Acorns Tier 2 compensation provided investing involves risk. Acorns Advisors LLC and SEC Register Investment Advisor do important disclosures@acorns.com Shapiro also, you know I am not the cook in my family. I will say that the go to for me is like eggs. That's the thing I'm making. But you can get better stuff than eggs because cook Unity makes it easy to enjoy the meals you crave fresh, never frozen, crafted in small batches by real chefs with tons of options to match your cravings, lifestyle and dietary needs. You'll always find something delicious. Just head on over to cookunity.com benfree or use code benfree at checkout to snag free premium meals for life. 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Get comfort and nutrition delivered in every bite made by award winning chefs at CookUnity. Head on over to CookUnity.com BenFree or enter code BEN FREE before checkout to get free premium meals for life. That's free premium meals for life by using code BENFREE or heading on over to cookunity.com BENFREE Meanwhile, the government shutdown continues to pace Democrats again. They're struggling for a narrative. Tearing down the White House is not really a narrative. It really, really is not. I do not think that most Americans are going to sleep tonight. Enraged by the idea that President Trump is constructing a ballroom at the White House. The government shutdown continues to be a Democratic driven policy, so much so that rational Democrats like John Fetterman, senator from Pennsylvania, he's like, you know what, we've just nuked the filibuster. Like, seriously, reopen the government. Nuke the filibuster. Now, Republicans are hesitant to do this because once you break that glass of nuking the filibuster, then presumably if Democrats ever get control of the Senate again, they could do the same thing and say, he doesn't want to do that. But Fetterman's approach here is well taken, which is like, there's like 55, 56 votes here to reopen the government. Enough of this. Some of your Republican colleagues have proposed nuking the filibuster to force the government to reopen. What do you. Yeah, of course, of course. Carve it out for that. Absolutely. We ran on that. We ran on killing the filibuster and now we love it. You know, now it's like, carve it out so we can move on. And it's, I support it because it makes it more difficult to shut the government down in the future, and that's where it's entirely appropriate. And I don't want to hear any Democrat clutching their pearls about the filibuster. We all ran on it. I ran on that. Hey, he. He again remains maybe the only sane Democrat in the Senate at this point. Meanwhile, President Trump says the Democrats should stop the madness and just reopen the government. This thing is probably going to go on for a couple more weeks, it seems like.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
But today, I'm calling on every Senate Democrat to stop the madness, to let.
Ben Shapiro
Our country get back in the greatest.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
Moment in the history of our country.
Ben Shapiro
In terms of wealth, in terms of.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
Job creation, and in terms of investment coming in.
Ben Shapiro
These guys go on strike. It's really a shame. So I'm asking them to be smart.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
It's not working.
Ben Shapiro
They're getting killed in the polls.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
The public understands what they're doing. They're doing the wrong thing.
Ben Shapiro
President Trump points out that Chuck Schumer and the rest of the Democrats are holding the government hostage. Now, this, again, is language, goes all the way back to Barack Obama, who suggested that Republicans were holding the government hostage. The Tea Party was doing so. He called them Tea Party terrorists, actually. But here's President Trump basically turned about his fair play, which may be the slogan of the Trump administration, honestly, unfortunately, in a craven and pointless act of partisan spite, Chuck Schumer, who I've known.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
For a long time, and the radical.
Ben Shapiro
Left Democrats are holding the entire federal.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
Government hostage to appease the extremists in their party.
Ben Shapiro
And they are extreme.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
I mean, I've never seen anything like it.
Ben Shapiro
Again, he is not wrong. And Senator Thune, the Senate Majority Leader, he says that he hopes Democrats will come to their senses and actually just reopen the government at this point. So we're hopeful that this will be the week when we break out of this and the Democrats come to their senses and decide to open up the government. We're going to give them several opportunities, as you know, to do that. We'll have another vote on the continuing resolution tomorrow, which is sitting at the desk of the Senate, could be sent down here to the White House, signed into law. The government would open up immediately. Okay, well, meanwhile, the Democrats are claiming that the government must remain shut down no matter what, because health care is a ticking time bomb, which is hilarious because I'm old enough to remember when Obamacare was passed and it was supposed to bend the cost curve and solve the problem of health care premiums, and then it Didn't. Here's Senator Chris Van Hollen, a clinical moron, talking about this. Well, Chris, I don't want to see the shutdown go on. And that's why I, together with my Democratic colleagues in the Senate, have voted seven times now to reopen the government, but without giving Donald Trump that blank check. He was doing a whole lot of damage to federal employees in the country even before the shutdown. I mean, remember Elon Musk and his chainsaw? And they did a huge amount of damage in their so called big beautiful bill, which was beautiful for billionaires, but not for others. And when they extended the tax cuts for billionaires, the one tax cut that they did not extend was that that helps middle class Americans afford their health care. They've left this ticking time bomb and we want to defuse it. And that's what I'm hearing from my constituents as well. I mean, again, why was that time bomb ticking? I mean, you guys radically expanded Obamacare subsidies in 2021 under the guise of the pandemic, which by that point was already waning. But I thought that Obamacare was supposed to solve this, didn't it? I mean, what's. Are you admitting that Obamacare is basically a giant fail that has constructed enormous government based subsidies and has not really lowered the cost curve in a gigantic way? The real reason here is because Democrats are hoping that this will somehow spur them to the polls. Hakeem Jeffries. This is actually really funny. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, he says that the government shutdown is hurting Republicans so much so that Democrats will win in New Jersey and Virginia. It is at this point that I should remind Hakeem Jeffries that New Jersey is a very blue state and Virginia is a very blue slash purple state. Like, if your big triumph is that you somehow regain the governor's mansion in Virginia and that you win in New Jersey, I gotta say, you guys are playing defense an awful lot. We're gonna win in Virginia and we're gonna win in New Jersey because the American people are fed up that Republicans would rather spend time on vacation on the golf course, give $40 billion to a foreign entity, and can't find resources to extend the Affordable Care act tax credits days away from November 1st and the Open enrollment. Okay, well, meanwhile, the Republicans continue to play turnabout is fair play. According to the Federalists, the House Judiciary Committee has now referred former CIA Director John Brennan to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution over allegations he knowingly made false statements to Congress about his role in the Russia collusion hoax. In a letter to the Attorney General, Pam Bondi, obtained by the Federalist Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, argued that Brennan made numerous willfully and intentionally false statements of material fact contradicted by the record established by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence as well as the CIA. The referral highlights numerous instances in which Brennan allegedly issued untrue remarks when testifying before the Judiciary Committee in May of 2023. And again, this is a fairly well predicated ask by the Judiciary Committee. The reality is that Brennan did at the very best fib. When asked about whether he was involved in analyzing the so called steel dossier, Brennan claimed, no, I was not involved in analyzing the dossier at all, he said. Were you aware of the FBI's involvement with the dossier? Matt Gaetz, who was then in Congress, asked Brennan. And Brennan said yes, because there's an annex in the ica, the Bureau asked to be included there. It was their purview, their area, not ours at all. But apparently Brennan overrode the objections of CIA officials concerned about the steel dossier's inclusion in the assessment at all and simply included it. So again, this is not just turned about as fair play, it's John Brennan lied to Congress. Now, in the turnabout is fair play category is a report that I think this is, this is foolhardy. Again, I think that the, the Republicans, you always got to be careful of overconfidence sort of leading you down the primrose path into defeat, apparently. According to the New York Times, President Trump is demanding the justice department pay him $230 million in compensation for the federal investigations into him, according to people familiar with the matter, who added that any settlement might ultimately be approved by senior department officials who defended him or those in his orbit. So this is certainly an ethics conflict because many of the people in the Justice Department were appointed by the president, who is now asking them to apparently reimburse him for legal fees during the course of the last several years. Those legal fees, by the way, are not paid by the lawyers. If you wanted to go ahead and sue the lawyers or go after the lawyers, that makes sense. If he wants to make the American people pay the legal bills, that seems to be a bit of a different story. Apparently, President Trump submitted complaints through an administrative claim process that is often the precursor to two lawsuits. The first claim, lodged in late 2023, seeks damages for a number of purported violations of his rights, including the FBI and Special Counsel investigation into Russian election tampering and possible connections to the 2016 campaign. President Trump did say that he would give any of that money to charity. He said, I'm the one that makes the decision. That decision would have to go across my desk. It's awfully strange to make a decision where I'm paying myself. I mean, I, I don't even understand how this would work, frankly, on a sort of practical level. The conflicts are so obvious. None of this is to say that the federal law enforcement structure was correct for targeting President Trump. They clearly were not. But I'm not sure the solution to that. Is the president who presides over the doj, asking the DOJ to reimburse him for his legal bills. That seems to me fraught with an enormous number of serious conflicts already. Coming up, we'll talk about the latest in Israel, the future of the Gaza Strip. And we're joined by a man who is held hostage by Hamas for 491 days, Eli Shirabi. First, let's talk about Cars for Kids. You've heard the name. You probably can't not hear the name right now or the jingle. You know it. Cars for Kids with a K. That's right. You got a car you don't need. Guess what you should do with it. Cars for Kids. You got two cars and you only drive one car is for kids. Got a car you swear you're gonna sell, but you haven't listed it in six months. Donate it to Cars for Kids. Here's how it works. You go to carsforkids.org Ben, you fill out that simple quick form, they pick up your car for free. You get a tax deduction and a vacation voucher, and kids, actual real children get the benefit. That's the cycle car. Cars for Kids Help Kids. Car Cars for Kids Help Kids. And I'll keep doing it until you give. Look, you can keep ignoring that extra car or you can make it count. And the way you make it count, you know what I'm going to say right now? Say it with me. Cars for kids. Go to carsforkids.org Ben right now to donate. That's carsforkids.org Ben again, that's cars with. Okay, if that car is just sitting out front like rusting, why don't you just give it to Cars for Kids and actually do something good with it and get the tax write off and all the extra benefits? Go check it out right now. Cars4kids.org Ben to donate. Okay. Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues to push for the aler of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. President Trump yesterday said that he is optimistic that Hamas will disarm. And if they don't disarm, frankly, there will be consequences to that.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
The Hamas situation, where they're, they're pretty violent people, I would say that we.
Ben Shapiro
Could put that out in two minutes. We're giving them a chance.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
You know, they, they agreed that they'd be very good, very, very straight. They wouldn't be killing people, and they have killed people. That wasn't the deal we made.
Ben Shapiro
But if we, if they don't honor.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
The deal, they'll be taken care of very quickly.
Ben Shapiro
But I'd rather not have to do that. Well, you know, the question is how that happened, because the only force that was actively attempting to destroy Hamas has now been essentially barred from doing so by the so called ceasefire deal. Now, the reality is that the way this is likely to go is that the area outside the so called yellow line, which is the sort of current border between Israeli held territory and Hamas controlled territory, that area is likely to become not just a buffer zone, but actually a fairly populous and peaceful zone, essentially. The Gaza Strip is going to be partitioned. That seems to be the most likely scenario here. Jared Kushner, special advisor to the President on these matters, he says that rehab funds are not going to pour into the Gaza Strip, at least the part controlled by Hamas. But rebuilding will commence immediately in the safer part of the Strip. That'd be the part currently controlled by the Israeli military. And that will eventually be handed over to some sort of security force, some international stabilization force. They call it the isf. No reconstruction aid, no reconstruction funds will be going into areas that Hamas still controls. And as far as the demilitarization goes, once the ISF is up, there needs to be a security force that they can feel safe from that in order for it to be the transition to be complete. So that needs to happen. So that is perfectly rational what this means, that if there is no force in the Hamas controlled parts of the Gaza Strip that is Israeli, then there needs to be some other international force willing to actually do the hard work of getting rid of Hamas. In all likelihood, is that going to happen? I remain skeptical that the Arab nations are going to put their soldiers on the ground in Gaza in order to get rid of Hamas. And there are serious open questions as to which countries would be sponsoring that. As an American, I, I do not trust Qatar or Turkey to do that, considering they're the funding mechanisms for Hamas for the past 20 years. It's a different thing if it's the Saudis, the uae, maybe even Egypt, none of whom like the Muslim Brotherhood or Hamas. Meanwhile, Israel has released footage of Hamas torturing and murdering people in the remaining parts of the Gaza Strip. Remember all the people who are very, very concerned about Palestinian civil rights and human rights and who are claiming that there was a genocide. Spoiler alert. There was not a genocide in the Gaza Strip. 26,000 Gazan high schoolers actually graduated from high school the other day. You know, like they actually went to school in the middle of the war. Not only that, there's brand new data that is out demonstrating full scale how ridiculous the claim of a, of a starvation campaign was. According to a brand new IPC analysis, the IPC declared a famine on, on August 22 through the ceasefire on October 10. If there was in fact a famine, There should have been 10000 starvation deaths. The Hamas in the UN counted 192, virtually all of whom had pre existing conditions. So that is not even remotely a starvation campaign. It is the opposite. It is a feeding campaign, considering how much material was shipped in. In any case, all the people who are yelling about Israel seem to have no problem with Hamas reconstructing military centers under hospitals and schools and murdering Gazans in the streets. Here's some of the footage of it. This is Hamas dragging a man shirtless through the street. He appears to be unconscious, conscious. And this sort of stuff is happening in the Gaza Strip right now. The parts that Israel no longer controls. This person would eventually be shot to death. So well done. Members of the international left who said that Israel was really the problem in the Gaza Strip as opposed to Hamas. Meanwhile, the Vice President of The United States, J.D. vance, headed over to Israel to try to oversee the implementation of some sort of phase two or negotiation over phase two, which would involve making quiescent the Hamas control part of the Gaza Strip. Here was Vice President Vance with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel yesterday, we have a very, very tough task ahead of us, which is to disarm Hamas, but rebuild Gaza, to make life better for the people in Gaza, but also to ensure that Hamas is no longer a threat to our friends in Israel. That's not easy. I think the Prime Minister knows that as well as anybody. But it's something that we're committed to in the Trump administration. Administration. Hey, the Vice President also said that if Hamas does not cooperate, then Hamas will be obliterated. That of course, is the position of the President as well. Right now where I stand, I feel confident that we're going to be in a place where this peace lasts where it's durable. And if Hamas doesn't cooperate, then as the President, United States has said, Hamas is going to be obliterated. Now, again, how that happens, that's still an open question. The vice President said that both Arabs and Israelis are showing some impatience with Hamas's unwillingness to disarm itself, which of course is not a giant shock. I think what you're seeing from our Gulf Arab friends, certainly from our Israeli friends, is a certain amount of impatience with Hamas. But we're going to keep on working at this process and we're going to keep on trying to bring the deceased hostages home, but also make sure that all Gazans are able to look live in a prosperous and safe place. Now, hilariously enough, actually, people on the left have been ripping into Vance for this trip, which, again, is a. Is a fairly traditional foreign policy trip. Jen Psaki over at MSNBC stepped in it yesterday. She suggested that JD Vance is so scary that Usha Vance might want a divorce. Come on. Come on, Jen. Not. Not cool. Very silly. We're going here already? The Vance panic has begun already. All right. I think the Little Manchurian candidate, J.D. vance, wants to be president more than anything else. I always wonder what's going on in the mind of his wife. Are you okay? Please blink four times. We'll come over here, we'll save you. And that he's willing to do anything to get there. And that your whole iteration you just outlined, I mean, he's scarier in certain ways, he's smarter in some ways, and he's young and ambitious. And ambitious. Okay, well, we've already gotten started with the JD Is scarier than Trump routine, which is, of course, true of literally every Republican in my lifetime. Oh, man. That last guy, we hated him so much, but the new guy is so much worse. They've been saying this about every Republican, literally ever. It's pretty impressive stuff. Again, the situation in the Gaza Strip can only be understood if you actually talk to people who have been through treatment by Hamas. Joining me on the line is the author of a brand new bestseller, hostage. That book came out October 7, 2025. It is written by Elishirabi, who was held in captivity by Hamas for 491 days. Ellie joins us online. Ellie, thanks so much for taking the time. Really appreciate it.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
My pleasure. Thank you very much.
Ben Shapiro
So, Ellie, your book is astonishing, obviously. For those who haven't read it, why don't you give us the brief story of what happened to you on October 7th, where you were taken and what.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
Happened Next, we were in our house in Kibbutz Bay area. Me, my wife, my two daughters. On October 7th, in the morning, we had alarm in the kibbutz and we've been in a safe room. Four hours later, 10 terrorists from Hamas arrived to our house, invaded to our house and kidnapped me and murdered my wife and my two daughters. They are British citizens. Murdered them with their British passport in their hands. And I was kidnapped to Gaza. And I've been there for 491 days, most of them, 440 days from them, I've been in Hamas tunnels, 50 meters underground.
Ben Shapiro
So you know, what happened to your wife and your daughter is, as you write about in the book, you did not know that on October 7th. On October 7th, you assumed that because they were British citizens, that Hamas wouldn't harm them, that Hamas would attempt to kidnap them instead. And you only found out on your release, which happened in February of this year, what had happened to your family during that entire time. You talk about in the book, your hope that they were alive and waiting for you. What was it like to obviously come out of the tunnels, be released, and immediately find out what had happened to your family.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
It was awful. It was, you know, the worst thing I could ever imagine. You know, for 491 days, it was my hope to see them running towards me and hugging me. And I promised them I'll come back and I will survive for them. And unfortunately, the social worker from the IDF announced me that only my mother and my sister waiting for me and they will tell me what happened. And of course, they didn't need to tell me anything because I understood the worst case, the worst scenario happened for me. And since then, this loss and grief. They are with me every moment of my day, but I decided it will be the long side of my life and not instead of my life.
Ben Shapiro
So you were taken into Gaza, as you talk about in the book. You were initially housed in an apartment building. You were, you're chained in a room essentially for a few months, and then you were moved into the tunnels. What is it that people in the west do not understand about Hamas that you think leads them to protest against the IDF's actions in the Gaza Strip in favor of Hamas, in favor of the narratives that Hamas is telling? What do people not understand? I mean, you saw Hamas firsthand for literally a year and a half of your life. Why do people not get about Hamas?
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
The people need to understand that Hamas is a terror organization, very, you know, fundamentalistic jihad. They have no boundaries, not at all. They starved us, they chained us, they beat us, they humiliate us every day. And in every conversation I had with them, every conversation, they said two things. First of all, they keep coming back to Israel in 26, 27, 28, and to kill all of us. They don't care if it will take 100 or 200 years. They will do it eventually. And after they finish with the Israelis and the Jews, they come to Britain and France and Germany and us, because for them, all the world should be Muslims, and there's only one religion in the world. It's Islam.
Ben Shapiro
So what was the treatment like? You mentioned it briefly there in the tunnels, because obviously there was a difference between being kept overground and being kept underground. People in Israel knew that these terror tunnels existed for legitimately decades, actually. And so when they moved you from the apartment that you were being held in by civilians, I understand, correct, it was some. Some of the people who were holding you were civilians. They were all members of Hamas. You know, when you're moved into the tunnels, two questions. One, were there civilians who knew that you were there? Did they do anything to help you? And two, when you were moved into the tunnels, what was the experience of the tunnels?
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
So, first of all, nobody tried to help us. Not civilians and not Hamas people anyway. Even more than that, Hamas, you know, terrorists, actually afraid, were afraid all the time from the civilians from outside that will hear us in this apartment, and they will come in and they will lynch us, and they will kill them as well. And the conditions in The Hamas tunnels, 50 meters underground, most of the time it's dark. The hygienic condition is awful. There's no running water, no soap, no toothpaste. You wash yourself every six weeks with half a bucket of cold water. And worms all over the place, rats and roaches, and. And from them, of course, as I said, as I mentioned before, humiliations and violence and the starvation was. Was the worst thing ever.
Ben Shapiro
So as a human being, how do you even survive that? You were held down in the tunnels with, from the time to time, a few other Israelis. I think that the people who you were down there shifted over the course of time a little bit, but you were down there with. With a few other Israelis virtually all the time. As you talk about in the book, you know, how do you actually get yourself through the day not knowing what is coming next? And, and also, what was Hamas saying to you about what Israel was doing and the response of the world?
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
So you. You understand, it is. You cannot wake up every morning and expect to Go home today. So you have to have a routine that the time will pass, you know, without to get insane. So we prayed every morning. We tried to train, like moving us because we were chained on our legs. So we were. And most of the time we were lying down on the. On the mattress or the floor. And you have to move yourself a little bit and you're talking, you're singing. You keep your hope all the time. And that's how you trying that the day will pass until someone will come and tell you that you're going home from Hamas. We just try to say to us, there's no Israel anymore. And everybody sent missiles to Israel and almost destroy Israel. And the Israeli government and the Israeli civilians forgotten all about us. And that's what they've tried to do all the time.
Ben Shapiro
So, Ellie, you speak Arabic, so you're able to talk with your captors in their language. And you've mentioned some of the things they were talking about. One of the things you talk about in the book is that they would tell you how divided the west was, would tell you how divided Israelis were, that they would. They would champion that. They would talk about how the west was essentially crumbling because of the sort of propaganda work that they were doing, talk about, you know, what they saw as victories for them, what were the things that gave them hope that they would eventually win, even though obviously the IDF was pounding Gaza at the time.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
Yes, that's. They really. They were really, really proud that we are dividing in Israel. And they said the protest, it's against Netanyahu and. Or the Israelis, doesn't want Netanyahu to be the prime minister. And for them, it was a victory, you know, that we are dividing and we are not united. So because of that, after my release, most of my. When I speak to people, I mention how much it's important to be united and to show all the world that we are one nation, and this is the only way that we can defeat our enemies.
Ben Shapiro
Sadly, President Trump and the Trump administration have now brokered this deal to get the 20 live hostages out. They came out a couple of weeks ago, a week and a half ago. That obviously was a moment of triumph for Israel. The president essentially declared that Israel had won. Realistically, Israel has pulled back to what they're now calling the yellow line, which is about 53% of the Gaza Strip inside the rest of that 53%, that 47%, that area is. Hamas seems to be consolidating control. They're killing people in the streets. They're renewing bases inside schools and hospitals and all the rest. What is it actually going to take, practically speaking to extirpate Hamas? Is that even a real possibility?
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
You're asking if it's a possibility that Hamas will change or what, or will be destroyed?
Ben Shapiro
What would it take to destroy them? What would it take to make sure the Gaza Strip is not run by Hamas?
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
I have no idea. I'm not an expert. I'm not going to give any suggestion to this to my government or to the army. I'm really not an expert in that. Really, really, really. Just happy that first of all the all day life hostages came back to their families and they're with the families now and they can recover. And we are happy that it's a kind of a peace process or agreement in the area. Two years of war didn't do anything, anything good for Israel or for Israelis. Since October 7th, all the Israelis in trauma and I think after two years they can start to heal a little bit from this day and from all these two years with missiles all over the place from Iran, from Hezbollah, from Gaza and from the Horton in Yemen. So we are happy for now, for the like, for the quiet time now as much as we can get. And that's it.
Ben Shapiro
Well, that's Ellie Sharabi. His book is Hostage. It is a must read. Ellie, really appreciate the time and thanks for the inspiration you provide to so many people.
Guest / Interviewee (Eli Shirabi)
Thank you very much for having me. Thank you.
Ben Shapiro
Alrighty folks, the show is continuing for our members right now. We'll get into the latest over Ukraine and corruption scandals brewing in South Africa. No shock there. Remember in order to watch you have to be a member. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us SA.
"A Democratic Senate Candidate With A NAZI Tattoo?!"
Date: October 22, 2025
Host: Ben Shapiro
Notable Guest: Eli Shirabi (hostage survivor, author of Hostage)
This episode centers on a political and cultural firestorm surrounding Maine’s Democratic Senate candidate, Graham Platner, whose Nazi-associated tattoo and controversial past have rocked the party. Ben Shapiro breaks down the scandal’s impact, left-wing responses, broader Democratic extremism, and Republican controversies. The episode also features a powerful interview with hostage survivor Eli Shirabi, shedding light on the realities of living under Hamas captivity.
“I am not a secret Nazi...If I was trying to hide it, I’ve not been doing a very good job for the past 18 years.” – Graham Platner (quoting in interview with Pod Save America, [08:30])
“I personally think that he is an excellent candidate. I'm going to support him and look forward to him becoming the next senator in the state of Maine.” ([15:18])
“Chuck Schumer and the radical left Democrats are holding the entire federal government hostage to appease the extremists in their party.” – President Trump ([31:11])
“For more than 150 years, every president has dreamt about having a ballroom at the White House...” ([24:19], paraphrasing remarks)
[39:14] Trump and Kushner tout US-led Gaza ceasefire and plans for rebuilding, but only in non-Hamas-controlled zones.
“If Hamas doesn’t honor the deal, they’ll be taken care of very quickly.” ([39:37])
Shapiro debunks claims of Israeli “genocide” in Gaza, citing new data on starvation and graduation rates amid war ([42:50]).
[46:32–57:22]
“Ten terrorists from Hamas arrived to our house, invaded...kidnapped me and murdered my wife and my two daughters. They are British citizens. Murdered them with their British passport in their hands.” – Eli Shirabi ([46:45])
“…Been in Hamas tunnels, 50 meters underground… no running water, no soap, you wash yourself every six weeks with half a bucket of cold water…humiliations and violence and the starvation was the worst thing ever.” ([51:05])
“They said two things. First, they keep coming back to Israel to kill all of us. They don’t care if it takes 100 or 200 years. And after they finish with Israelis, they come to Britain and France and Germany and US…all the world should be Muslims…” ([50:23])
“People need to understand that Hamas is a terror organization, very fundamentalist jihad…they have no boundaries, not at all.” ([49:27])
“You can’t wake up every morning and expect to go home today…You have to have a routine so the time will pass without going insane. So we prayed every morning, we trained, we talked, we sang, kept hope.” ([52:40])
“They were really proud that we are dividing in Israel…for them, it was a victory.” ([54:28])
“I’m not an expert…I’m just happy that first of all the all day life hostages came back to their families...now we can start to heal a little bit from this.” ([56:02])
Ben Shapiro, on Platner’s explanation:
“I don’t know how many people accidentally have Nazi symbols tattooed on their chests. I feel like the number is relatively low...” ([09:32])
Bernie Sanders, on Platner:
“I personally think he’s an excellent candidate. I’m going to support him and look forward to him becoming the next senator in the state of Maine.” ([15:18])
John Lovett (Pod Save America), on candidate vetting:
“Only perfect candidates off the Harvard Law conveyor belt, please…” ([15:10])
Platner’s former campaign director:
“Maybe he didn’t know when he got it, but…he should have had it covered up because you know damn well what it means.” ([12:54])
Ben Shapiro, on left-wing double standards:
“…the same people on the left demanding every Republican condemn every young Republican even tangentially associated with an ugly text thread...are now out defending Graham Platner today.” ([16:04])
President Trump, on the government shutdown:
“The radical left Democrats are holding the entire federal government hostage to appease the extremists in their party.” ([31:11])
Eli Shirabi, on his captivity:
“They starved us, they chained us, they beat us, they humiliated us every day.” ([49:27])
“For them, all the world should be Muslims, and there's only one religion in the world. It's Islam.” ([50:23])
| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------------------|:-------------:| | Graham Platner Nazi tattoo scandal—origins & fallout | 06:20 – 14:00 | | Democratic/media reaction & double standards | 14:00 – 17:00 | | Broader Democratic extremism/examples | 17:35 – 21:15 | | Government shutdown politics | 22:48 – 33:00 | | White House reconstruction controversy | 24:00 – 26:40 | | Foreign policy: Gaza and Hamas | 39:14 – 46:32 | | Interview with Eli Shirabi (hostage survivor) | 46:32 – 57:22 |
Ben Shapiro maintains a fast-paced, combative, and often sarcastic tone throughout the episode. He uses vivid language (“radical, insane communist”, “scuzz bag”, “clinical moron”), sharp argumentation, and frequent references to hypocrisy on the left. The testimony from Eli Shirabi is sobering, direct, and emotionally powerful, providing a humanizing counterpoint to the political analysis.
This episode is essential listening for anyone following the intersection of present-day Democratic politics, political hypocrisy, and the reality of international terror as experienced through firsthand account. The episode vividly dissects an unfolding political scandal and offers a raw, unfiltered portrait of living under terrorism, all while maintaining the show’s characteristic clarity and argumentative edge.