B (2:24)

Oh, that's fantastic. Yeah, right up there with Panute, I think.

D (2:29)

Alison, I do have something exciting to tell you and my listeners. I know a lot of you subscribe to the Patreon for the Daily Beans and that is so helpful to the show and everything here. I, as a comedian and an artist, have started a Patreon. It is very separate from the Daily Beans. So if you Want to support two Patreons, that is your prerogative. And of course I want. But we're calling it the Dugout. It's Dana's Dugout. My team is the Dissenters. You have an opportunity to be part of the Dissenters. And by joining my Patreon, you're going to get just access to things that no one else gets. Tickets that are on sale early. I'm going to do rants that I'm not allowed to put on social media because they keep taking them down. You have a monthly newsletter. We're going to have merchandise that is just for the Dissenters, just for our team, so you can recognize each other in public. So, yeah, Patreon, it's On my website, danagoldberg.com you hit the navigation bar, click on Patreon, and then you can decide. You want to get to first base with Dana Goldberg. Awesome. You want to get a home run with Dana Goldberg, that's your prerogative. I'd love to have you, but for the first time in my career year, I'm actually starting a Patreon. So if you'd like to support me and get a little, you know, backstage access, if you will, I would love to have you. Allison, thank you for letting me announce it on the Beans and supporting my work outside of this podcast. It means the world to me.

B (3:48)

That's so, so cool. And trust me, you want to be able to get access to pre sale tickets to Dana's shows. You need that in your life because they sell out so fast. I remember, like, at the last couple of times you've come to San Diego.

D (4:02)

Yeah.

B (4:02)

Particularly this last time at the diversionary theater, we're like, yeah, we got a Show Friday at 7 and bam, it was sold out in hours. And then you're like, well, I guess we'll have to add a show. And then, you know, then that all the tickets went for that. So, yeah, to be able to get it on the ground floor with Dana's comedy and to be able to have that, even just that, access to pre sale tickets, let alone the rants that you can't see elsewhere on social media, is just a treasure that's just a gem. And I, I recommend everybody check it out. And again, you can find it@danagoldberg.com There'll be a Patreon link. You know, you can get, get in as, as a. In the dugout. I just keep thinking of League of Their Own. What. What do you say? What's what say if, you know, you go to catch A fly ball and your bosoms just pop out.

D (4:44)

Yeah, that's. What do you do? Yes. Join the dugout. Hang out in the dugout with me and like Allison has with the Daily Beans will have, you know, zooms for members and things like that. And the first base starts at five bucks a month, so it is a wonderful place to be. And yeah, we're gonna. This is the first time I've ever done it, so we're gonna see how it goes.

B (5:03)

It's going to be amazing, my friend. It's going to be amazing. Today on the show, I'm very excited to announce in our Keep It Blue segment, I'm going to be talking to gubernatorial candidate there in Michigan, current Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.

D (5:15)

Oh, I love Jocelyn so much. Yeah.

B (5:18)

And now Big Gretch is termed out. She can't run for governor again. So Jocelyn Benson is going to be taking up that mantle and as Secretary of State for so many years now. She's got so much experience and. Yeah. In statewide politics, particularly in Michigan. And I know Michiganders would really appreciate an interview. So we. We got her on the show. We're going to talk to her later on today. And also today for Black History Month, I would like to recognize the Reverend Jesse Jackson.

D (5:49)

Yes, please.

B (5:50)

I mean, such a pioneer, such a giant in civil rights. The Advocate writes that Reverend Jesse Jackson died Tuesday morning after being hospitalized for some time. He was 84. And here's a quote from the family. Our father was a servant leader, not only to family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world. We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality and love uplifted millions. And we ask you to honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by.

D (6:24)

So beautiful. Jackson rose from being an aide to Martin Luther King Jr. To being one of the most celebrated civil rights leaders in the United States and shifted the Democratic Party to to embrace a multicultural approach to politics. Jackson was the first presidential candidate to support LGBTQ rights. In their platform. He founded the Rainbow Coalition. This brought together activists supporting civil rights for all. The civil rights leader once said, and I quote, marriage is based on love and commitment, not on sexual orientation. I support the right for any person to marry the person of their choosing. May he rest in power.

B (7:03)

Yeah, a big part of my growing up, too. The Reverend just. I mean, I could think of a million things, a million monologues. I remember he was on Sesame street way early on in the early 70s, talking about equality to children and then seeing him on Saturday Night Live reading Green Eggs in ham, for example. I mean, he was just such a fun, loving, powerful, powerful voice for the oppressed and the voiceless. So, yeah, may he rest in power. Hats off to Reverend Jesse Jackson and his.

D (7:34)

Yeah.

B (7:35)

All right, everybody, we have a lot of news to get to. Let's hit the hot notes. Hot notes. All right, first up from NBC. Colbert kicked off Monday night show by almost immediately mentioning Talarico's absence. Okay. Quote, he was supposed to be here, but we were told in no uncertain terms by our network's lawyers who called us directly that we could not have him on the broadcast. Then. Then I was told in some uncertain terms that not only could I not have him on, I could not mention me not having him on. And because my network clearly doesn't want us to talk about this, let's talk about this. That's a quote from Colbert. The Late show published an unaired interview with talarico on their YouTube channel. In the interview, Colbert and Talarico, who's running for U.S. senate, discussed the FCC crackdown, including opening a probe into ABC's the View after Talarico appeared on that show. Quote, I think that Donald Trump is worried that we're about to flip Texas. That's what Talarico told Colbert, which was met with audience applause. He went on to say, this is the part party that ran against cancel culture. And now they're trying to control what we watch, what we say, what we read. And this is the most dangerous kind of cancel culture, the kind that comes from the top. Talarico accused the Trump administration of selling out the First Amendment to curry favor with corrupt politicians. Quote, a threat to any of our First Amendment rights is a threat to all of our First Amendment rights. Now, in an emailed statement, CBS said the Late show was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Talarico. Yes, it was. The show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal time rule for two other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who by the way, has already appeared on his show and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled. The Late show decided to present the interview through its YouTube channel with on air promotion on the broadcast rather than potentially providing the equal time options. Sure. Talarico's rival in the Texas Senate Democratic primary, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who I love, appeared on Colbert's show, as I said, in May of 2025. And CBS's move not to air the segment comes as the FCC, the government's media regulator, and most notably its chairman, Brendan Carr, have been particularly combative with networks that have drawn the ire of the president. Trump has for months suggested the FCC could revoke the licenses of television broadcasters. More recently, Carr, who was appointed by Trump to lead the fcc, has said that the daytime and late night t talk shows must comply with equal time rules regarding political candidates, even though they aren't covered by it. The FCC's equal time rule prohibits radio and broadcast channels from hosting political candidates during an election without giving airtime to their opponents. But during a show Monday, Colbert told everyone that news interviews and talk show interviews with politicians are exceptions to that rule. Colbert fired back at Carr on Monday, accusing the chairman of being motivated by partisan purposes, quote unquote. Let's just call this what it is. Donald Trump's administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV because all Trump does is watch tv. As, by the way, as of the recording of this episode of the Daily Beans podcast, that interview on his YouTube channel is over 2.5 million views, which is well over his regular late night audience and is now one of the most watched interviews in the history of the show. So we have the Bari Weiss effect, previously known as the Streisand effect, taking, taking the reins here on this. Yeah.

D (11:11)

Thanks, Allison. Now this is from the Associated Press. They're not the administration's not going to let this go, but eventually they're going to have to. Immigration and Customs Enforcement cannot, cannot re detain Kilmar Abrego Garcia because a 90 day detention period has expired and the government has no viable plan for deporting him, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday. The Salvadoran nationals case has become a focal point in the immigration debate after he was mistakenly deported to his home country last year. Since his return, he has been fighting a second deportation to a series of African countries proposed by the Department of Homeland Security officials. The government, and I quote, made one empty threat after another to remove him to countries in Africa with no real chance of success. This is the US District Judge Paul Azinis in Maryland wrote in her Tuesday order. From this, the court easily concludes, I love that. That there is no good reason to believe removal is likely in a reasonably foreseeable future. Abrego Garcia has an American wife and child and has lived in Maryland for years, but he immigrated to the US illegally as a teenager. In 2019, an immigration judge ruled that he could not be deported to El Salvador because he faced danger there from a gang that had threatened his family by mistake. He was deported there anyway last year. I don't know if that was by mistake. Facing public pressure and court order, President Donald Trump's administration brought him back in June, but only after securing an indictment charging him with human smuggling in Tennessee. He has pleaded not guilty. Meanwhile, Trump officials have said he cannot stay in the U.S. in court filings, officials have said they intended to deport him to Uganda and Eswatini, Ghana and Liberia. In her Tuesday order, Xinis noted the government has, and I quote, purposely and for no reason ignored the one country that has consistently offered to accept Abrego Garcia as a refugee and to which he agrees to go. The country is Costa Rica. Abrego Garcia's attorney, Simon Sandoval Moshenburg, argued in court that immigration detention is not supposed to be a punishment. Immigrants can only be detained as a way to facilitate their deportation and cannot be held indefinitely with no viable deportation plan. And I quote, since Judge Sinis ordered Mr. Rogo Garcia released in mid December, the government has tried one trick after another to try to get him redetained. Sandoval Moshenburg wrote in an email on Tuesday, went on to say in her decision today, she recognized that if the government were truly trying to remove Mr. Obrega Garcia from the United States, they would have sent him to Costa Rica long before today.

B (13:59)

So this is a continuation of her block of ICE being able to redetain him. And you know, I keep thinking of, you know, how Kristi Noeman, the DHS and Trisha McLaughlin keep getting up on the microphone and saying we have had zero immigrants released into the United States since Donald Trump took office. No you haven't. Abrego Garcia has been released and he is with his family in Maryland and that's one of just tons of examples. But anyway, they continue to be full of shit. And we'll talk talk about Trisha McLaughlin in a minute. But first from CBS Democrats sent a counter offer on overhauling ICE to the White House and Republicans Monday. This is the latest development in talks on how to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Funding lapsed on Saturday for dhs, which oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. Democrats vowed to oppose funding without reforms of ICE and CBP following two deadly shootings by federal agents during the Operation Metro surge in Minneapolis last month. Lawmakers are away from Washington on recess this week as negotiations. Negotiations continue. Congressional leaders say members will be called back should a deal be reached. But comments from both sides in recent days have indicated that no Agreement is imminent. In the meantime, funding for DHS remains in limbo. Now ICE and CBP will continue operating due to an influx of funds from the obbb, the one big beautiful bill act passed last year. But the department also includes the Transportation Security administration, the Coast Guard and the federal, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, fema, all of which are impacted by the shutdown. Most of those employees of those agencies continue to work during a shutdown, but they don't get paid until it's over. So I really hope the Democrats hold their ground here and you know, don't just fund DHS blindly. Even though ICE and CBP operate normally and everybody gets paid, particularly the airports that could shut down as a pain point to get Republicans to, to cave on some of these demands for ice.

D (15:54)

Yeah, agreed. All right. This is from NBC. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's relationship with U. S. Coast Guard officials has become strained throughout her first year leading the department. This is according to two U.S. officials a Coast guard official and a former coast guard official. The tensions between gnome and the only branch of the US Military overseen by DHS stem from some early decisions she made that wrinkled Coast Guard officials including a verbal directive to shift coast guard resources from a search and rescue mission to a find a missing service member. This is what the sources said. At times the tensions have escalated into confrontations. In one contentious incident in May, Noam's top advisor. Really that's what we're calling him. Her top advisor. Her top advisor.

B (16:40)

Maybe he's more of a bottom advisor.

D (16:42)

I know. I think he probably is. Otherwise that makes no a bottom which would. Which would make sense anyway. We're talking about Corey Lewandowski berated Coast guard flight staff and threatened to fire them for taking off without one of the secretary's personal items on board. A heated blanket. Corey Lewandowski lost shit because apparently there wasn't a heated blanket on on board. Okay, sure. The tension between some coast guard totally normal by the way for an advisor and not an affair.

B (17:09)

And I don't think you can fire someone in the Coast Guard like I don't understand.

D (17:14)

He's an idiot. He's an idiot. The tensions between some coast guard officials and known they began after 23 year old coast guardsmen went overboard in the Pacific Ocean from the Qatar waish. Is that how you say that? On February 4th last year shortly after the senate confirmed Noem into her role. That's according to the two US Officials the Coast Guard official and the former Coast Guard official. The coast guard had surged ships and aircraft to the Pacific to find the guardsmen. This is hours into the search. Noem learned that a coast guard a C130 that was supposed to fly detained migrants from California to Texas was among the aircraft over the Pacific looking for the missing guardsmen and she intervened. That's According to the two U.S. officials in the Coast Guard. Noem verbally instructed the acting Commandant of the Coast Guard, this is Admiral Kevin Lundy, to pull the plane off the search and rescue mission so it would not miss the immigrant flight as part of the DHS's so called alien expulsion operations. This is According to the two S U.S. officials and Coast Guard officials. Lundy notified the National Command center which ordered the C130 to fly to San Diego while the other aircraft and ships involved in the search continued. That's according to one of the U.S. officials in the Coast Guard. In an effort to keep the C130 searching for the missing service member, the regional Coast Guard command in San Diego scrambled to find two available C27s that could fly the detained people to Texas which freed up that C130 to continue searching for the missing guardsmen. After about an hour. This is again from the Twoist officials and the Coast Guard. The search ultimately went on for 190 hours covering 19,000 square miles. The guardsman was never found.

B (19:02)

Yeah, I wonder if that hour would have made a difference. All right, thank you for that. Next up from Washington, D.C. department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Trisha McLaughlin. The biggest liar in the world is leaving the administration. Politico first reported McLaughlin's plans to depart the Trump team next week, citing DHS officials. McLaughlin. McLaughlin is one of the administration's top defenders of Trump's immigration policy, serving as a spokesperson for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. Politico reports that McLaughlin started making plans to leave the administration last December, but delayed her departure after the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Preddy in Minneapolis. As for who will replace this horrible person, another horrible person. Axios reports Lauren Biss, a deputy of McLaughlin's will be promoted to Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs.

D (19:51)

Thank you so much. Oh my God. And for the Times, Thomas J. Pritzker. This is a billionaire heir to the Hyatt Hotel's fortune stepped down from his role Monday as executive chairman of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation, becoming the latest person failed by the association with a disgrace. I hate that they call them disgrace. Financier Jeffrey Epstein. Convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Mr. Pritzker is 75. Sent a letter to the Hyatt board that he was retiring, effective immediately. Adding good stewardship also means protecting Hyatt, particularly in the context of my association with Jeffrey Epstein and Galene Maxwell, which I deeply regret. He added that he exercised terrible judgment in maintaining contact with them, and there is no excuse for failing to distance myself sooner. Recently released files reveal that Mr. Pritzker got caught, was in a regular contact with Mr. Epstein in the years following Mr. Epstein's 2008 plea deal on sex crimes charges, with the two frequently corresponding to confirmed meals and appointments, including at Mr. Epstein's Manhattan townhouse. And so he resigned because he got caught.

B (20:58)

Yep, yep, yep, yep. He's been there since doing this, since 2008, been there at Hyatt since 2008. Now he's got, he's been caught. And so he's resigning. So bye to him and Trisha McLaughlin. Bye. All right, everybody, after this break, we're going to keep it blue with Secretary of State of Michigan Jocelyn Benson and her run for governor in that state. And then we'll get to the good news. Stick around. We'll be right back after these messages. We'll be right back. This episode is brought to you by IQ Bar, our exclusive snack and hydration sponsor. IQ Bar is the better for you. Plant protein based snack made with brain boosting nutrients to refuel, nourish and satisfy hunger without the sugar crash. And right now, IQ Bar is offering you an exclusive deal, 20% off all IQ Bar products plus free shipping. Just text Daily Beans to 64,000. So if you're trying to stay consistent this year, your snacks and drinks matter more than you think. IQ Bar makes it easy to support both your brain and your body with their protein bars, hydration mixes and mushroom coffees. They also have the ultimate sampler pack with all three so you can try them all. It is a straightforward way to test what you like with nine IQ Bars, eight IQ Mix sticks and four IQ Joe sticks in one box. All IQ Bar products are clean, label certified and free from gluten, dairy, soy, GMOs and artificial ingredients. They also use ingredients that support physical and mental performance, including nutrients like magnesium and functional mushrooms like lion's mane. Now I keep the plant protein based bars in my bag for a reliable snack because they have plenty of plant protein, tons of fiber and no added sugar. It's great for my gut. After workouts, I reach for IQ Mix to rehydrate with electrolytes and I appreciate that it is zero sugar. And then when I want to change up my morning routine, I.Q. joe gives me clean caffeine options designed for mental clarity. They support your brain and body with IQ bars, protein bars, hydration mixes, and mushroom coffees, all included in that ultimate sampler pack I mentioned. And right now, IQ Bar is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQ Bar products, including the sampler pack, plus free shipping. So to get your 20% off, text Daily Beans to 64,000. Text Daily Beans all one word to 64,000. That's Daily Beans to 64,000. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details.

E (23:13)

Hi, I'm Frances Calyer. And I'm Angela V. Shelton. And we're Frangela. You know what you need in your life? The Final Word podcast. Yes, you do.

D (23:23)

That's right.

E (23:23)

It is the final word on all things political and pop cultural, where we make real news, real funny, where we inspire you so you can resist. Subscribe and get a new episode of the Final Word podcast each week. It's the news we think you need to hear.

D (23:39)

That's right.

E (23:39)

We think you need to hear it.

B (23:41)

Okay. Yeah.

E (23:42)

It's what we say.

B (23:43)

So.

D (23:43)

That's right.

E (23:43)

And because all we do is give. Every Thursday, you can listen to our hysterical podcast, idiot of the Week. We round up the stupid. Because you know what? Somebody has to.

D (23:53)

Okay.

B (23:54)

All we do is give. Hey, everybody. Welcome back. It's time to keep it blue. And joining me today, she is currently the Michigan Secretary of State. Now she's running for governor. The primaries are August 4th. They're going to be here before you can blink an eye. And then the election is on November 3rd, as we know. Please welcome, welcome Secretary of State of the State of Michigan, Jocelyn Benson. Hi, how are you today? Hi.

C (24:20)

Great to be here. And thanks for having me on to talk about what's going on here in Michigan.

B (24:26)

Thanks for coming. This is going to be such an important race as are all governor races in this midterm election that are happening this year and last year and next year, of course, as the Trump administration continues to be in the White House. I think it's a very important guardrail for Secretaries of state and governors, which you are Secretary of State now and hopefully will be governor soon, to protect the citizens of the states which are under attack right now from this administration. From this administration. So I wanted to chat with you a little bit about who your opponents are that you think you're going to be facing and how you are different. What sets your campaign apart and what sets your. Our experience apart. Having been Secretary of State now that big Gretch is going to be termed out. She can't run again. But we kind of want to continue this momentum and this accountability of what's going on in the White House. Talk a little bit about that.

C (25:24)

And again, thank you for having me on. I'm really proud to be in this race because as you point out, governors have never been more important. We're in a moment in American history where governors are the guardrails for our rights, rights for our freedoms, and also the ones who can actually run our states in a way that is driving down the astronomical costs of everything from health care to housing to energy costs to food to water, and invest in economic opportunity that will increase access to well paying jobs. So the job of a governor in this moment is one that I'm uniquely prepared to do because I've been doing that as the Secretary of State of Michigan for the last near decade where I'm show up every day making one of our largest agencies the Department of Motor Vehicles. You know, I run the dmv, so I'm very popular here.

E (26:11)

But, but I've been able to do.

C (26:12)

It in a way that actually makes government like easier to interact with. We, we've eliminated the wait times, we have self service stations in grocery stores. Just basic stuff that impact people's lives in a positive way. Reducing the amount of time you have to interact with government and in, in that way saving you money and time. And, and you can do all that while also as the Chief Election Officer for the state of Michigan, standing up against anyone who would try to rip away our rights, our freedoms, our voices, the safety of our communities. And we're seeing that in a very unfortunate way right now in Minnesota and elsewhere. It all comes down to the fact that you need governors, CEOs of our states who will stand up to anyone who would try to silence our voices or take away our rights or impact the safety of our communities, while also at the same time being able to present a vision and then act on that vision for making life affordable and driving down the cost of living, driving up access to well paying jobs. I've done all that as Secretary of State and now I'm ready to do that as Michigan's next governor.

B (27:16)

Yeah, and you have a lot of support too, you know, not just from the population writ large, but you're endorsed by multiple labor unions. I'm talking Michigan Nursing Association, Teamsters Local, ending Citizens United, you know, trying to get big money out of politics and how we've sort of evolved into this. It's not left versus Right. It's top versus bottom discussion, you know, between us, the people, the workers, the unions, and like the Epstein class, for example. So talk a little bit about these endorsements from labor unions and your work with labor unions, because I think that's really pivotal in these kinds of races.

C (27:51)

Yeah, I mean, you know, I didn't come from money or politics. My parents were special education teachers. They were union members, NEA members. And for me, I was raised really seeing the injustice of oftentimes when their voices were ignored or when they as teachers who chose to serve and invest in our future by teaching young people and helping them prepare for the jobs of tomorrow. I saw too often their service was disregarded by people in power who really didn't understand how hard they worked. Worked at a very low. For a very low amount of money to just make life better for others. So my parents taught me the importance of fighting for what you believe in, of putting in the work and then showing up, doing that work and continuing to fight for what was right. Because that's how we actually create the world, the economy, the democracy that we know, the people we care for and our communities really deserve. And that's why, for me, the support of labor is so meaningful. Nurses, the Michigan Nurses association. These are folks who show up every day to heal and to care for us. And we have a moral responsibility to do the same for them. And as governor, I'll be proud to do that. I mean, I think at the end of the day, people just want someone who's going to make their lives easier, not harder, as they show up and try to do the same for the people they love and the communities they're a part of. And that's what I'm deeply committed to doing as governor.

B (29:21)

Yeah. And let's talk about that work, because these days, it's not just about being willing to show up and do the work. It's also a lot of bravery because of the political climate that we're in. And I wanted to talk to you briefly about that because you have personally experienced this kind of political violence, this sort of this environment, this political environment that has been caused by the people who are running the government and have their hands on the levers of power in government and why we need. Need strong governors to push back against that violence. But that bravery to run for governor. Talk about what happened to you in 2020 and how it's. How it's impacted you. And I mean, it's really steeled your resolve. It hasn't, you know, Most people would kind of back away from something like that, but you are. You run toward it and, and take, face it head on. Talk about that.

C (30:12)

Yeah, I mean, I. I talk a lot about how in this moment, where it does feel like, you know, metaphorically, Rome is burning, we all have to be firefighters, every single one of us, to put out the fires and rebuild society where everyone can afford to live, can have access to well paying jobs, financial freedom, and a democracy where their voices are valued and seen as critical pieces of driving policy forward. And I think in this moment, we see fear as a tool of those who are trying to take away our rights, trying to make our economy one that only works for the few, for the Epstein Glass, and not for everyone. The use of fear to make us feel small, to silence us. It is exactly the opposite of who we are as Americans. A country that was based and rooted in standing up to bullies, standing up for ourselves, standing up for our communities, as warriors, for who we are. So I think it's really important in this moment that we as Democrats reclaim the soul of our party. We are the party of the Voting Rights act, the Civil Rights Act, Fair Housing Act, Medicaid, Medicare. We have an opportunity in this moment to act with bravery, with courage and moral courage in particular, to fight the bullies that are trying to cause us to feel afraid and in doing so, actually be a part of rebuilding who we are as Americans and making sure our economy, our democracy, is once again a beacon for the world instead of something that oftentimes we're worried about being taken away. I've seen this firsthand.

D (31:44)

And as.

C (31:45)

As the Secretary of State, I oversee our elections. And literally in 2020, armed protesters showed up on my lawn because of lies they'd been fed by this president about our elections, about an election that he lost, that he was on. He was. He was unable to admit that he lost. And so he attacked lowly election administrators, professional, bipartisan election administrators like myself and others who show up every day to just do the work and protect our votes and the voices of every citizen in 2020. And unfortunately, even still today, doing that work of protecting our democracy does put you in harm's way. It does put you in the fire. And as I look around our state and feel the fear that a lot of us feel right now, it's also matched by incredible inspiration by so many citizens in Michigan and elsewhere who are choosing not to be fearful, but instead be courageous. And they inspire me to do the same, to be emboldened and march forward anyway into the fire. Knowing that by doing so, we can ensure those families that are worried about access to health care and being able to pay their health care premiums, we can ensure that their lives are a little bit easier. We can make sure housing is a little bit more affordable for residents in our state and elsewhere. If walking through a fire, standing up to bullies, fighting through fear to keep marching forward anyway, if that helps us enable more people to have access to health care and more residents of my state be able to pay for a house and then be able to heat that house, it's worth it. It's worth it to me because that's who we are as Democrats. We are people who show up, we do the work, we march to the fire. Because we know at the other side of it, we're going to have a brighter future. One where everyone has a voice and one where the economy uplifts everyone and gives everyone a chance to thrive.

D (33:34)

Yeah.

B (33:35)

And something else that's, you know, impacting from the federal level, you know, the well paying jobs that you're talking about.

D (33:41)

Yeah.

B (33:42)

And the security of our planet is, you know, with the federal government dismantling EPA standards and regulations on polluters, the governor is going to be so pivotal. The position of Governor, we see it here in California a lot. We're like, no, we're not doing that. We're still going to have clean water and clean air and we're still going to have our own in our own constitution, et cetera. Talk a little bit about the governor's role in and we'll talk about elections in a minute, but talk a little bit about the governor's role in pushing back against just absolute climate denial that rips really good paying jobs away from folks who are in unions. Talk about that.

C (34:17)

Yeah. I mean, whether it's attacks on our environment, ripping away the EPA and protections that are in place for workers, for all of us to be able to breathe clean air and drink safe water, which has hit communities in Michigan like Benton harbor and Florida particularly hard. There has never been a more important time for governors to step up, frankly, on both sides of the aisle and say, not on our watch. Will you harm our citizens? Will you harm our drinking water? And you have an opportunity as the CEO of your respective states to do something about it, to actually ensure those protections, whether they be for healthcare or whether they be for a healthy environment, are in place, replicated or even strengthened so that we can knit together protections for our environment, for our economy that are being ripped apart at the federal level. We at the state level can rebuild those brick by brick, those protections working together in my hope as a governor of a critical state like Michigan, that I can partner with other Midwestern governors and build out economies of scale to protect access to healthcare, protect our environment, protect our Great Lakes. I mean, here in Michigan, we have 20% of the world's fresh water connected to our state. We have a moral obligation to protect it even if the federal government abdicates that role. And that's why having a governor who's strong, who knows how to stand up for our rights, for our freedoms, for our economy, for our environment is so critical in this moment. And it's exactly again what I've been preparing to do as secretary of State. And I think more and more citizens on both sides of the aisle are going to see the importance of having governors who stand up for our environment and our freedom in the governor's office heading into 26 and beyond.

B (35:57)

Yeah. And lastly, before I let you go, you know you mentioned this whole fear based thing that's going on with the president. He wants to relitigate 2020. He's raided election offices in Fulton County. And as a secretary of state, it's your charge to protect the integrity of the elections in your state, including the one that you are running in. And so, I mean, there's some bizarre stuff going on. The Constitution is clear that states administer elections, not, not the federal government. The president has no role in administering elections, though he's going to say Article 2 and due deference to foreign affairs gives me the ability to come in and take your voting machines or whatever. How are you preparing as a secretary of state to ensure that there's no. I mean, he's calling for a weird meeting on February 25th with the secretaries of state and election officials and the somebody at the FBI who's going to be nationally in charge of elections or some weird thing, I'm not even quite sure. And you recent, you talked about it recently in a meeting of the association of Secretaries of State a few weeks ago in D.C. so talk a little bit about that. What you see, what you're preparing for as the secretary of State to ensure that Michiganders have a free and fair vote, have access to the ballot and can make sure that their voices are being heard.

C (37:12)

Yeah. I mean, as astounding as it is to have a president of the United States joking about canceling elections, incredulous as that sounds, we have to both take it seriously and also recognize that we've been at this rodeo before. What we're seeing right now actually isn't new. We saw it in 2020 when he similarly made these types of jokes in the midst of COVID saying maybe we won't have an election, and then trying to intimidate election workers, throwing out or trying to get people to throw out votes and threatening to take machines. We saw it all in 2020. And what I saw living through that, prevailing through those efforts, was how important it is to stand firm and know that the truth, the law, the history, and the vast majority of people in our state and our country are on our side. And that ensures that we're actually going into 2026 and beyond, more prepared than ever to use every tool in our toolbox with our 1500 professional election workers, thousands, tens of thousands of poll workers and citizens throughout the state who know the importance of their voice, their vot vote. We're all going to stand firm and ensure that our elections are held on schedule and continue to be safe and fair and free, and that we're there to use the law and all of the facts that will be on our side to protect the security and sanctity of our elections and those results. The bottom line is you need state and local officials who will plan for every contingency. As we are, we actually go through scenario planning exercises. What happens if there's everything from a physical interference to something online that creates confusion at the ballot box? We prepare for everything and equip first responders, clerks, and local law enforcement with the tools they need to protect our machines, protect our elections. That it all comes down to just simply not backing down and making sure we are not afraid to stand up to these threats, to these jokes, to whatever the threat of the day may be. Because when we stand firm with the truth and the law, law and the people on our side, democracy WINS. And again, 26 will not just be an election that is safe and secure, but it will also determine whether or not we in Michigan and in other states elect leaders who won't fold to federal intimidation in the years to come. And again, that's why this campaign for governor and my candidacy is so important, because I'm ready to be the governor that stands firm, just as I've been that Secretary of State for the last seven years. Now.

B (39:46)

Now it brings me a little bit of sigh of relief that there are tabletop exercises on what happens if, like, the Pentagon shows up and tries to take your voting tabulators or whatever. Yeah, I'm very heartened to hear. And I'm assuming that other secretaries of state in the association of Secretaries of State are planning for those possible weird Trump interventions. Because you saw Trump invited a couple of Michigan lawmakers to the White House in 2020 to try to get them to. To not certify the election. It happened in your state specifically. Jack Smith laid it all out for us in his indictment. That would have ended up in a conviction. So I'm very heartened to hear that preparations are underway for that kind of scenario.

C (40:28)

Yeah, I think it's important to remember they did try this, as you point out, in a very significant, unprecedented way in 2020. And they failed. They failed because we and others, Secretaries of state around the country, stood firm and protected the vote, protected our machines, protected our ballots, protected the results. We're ready to do that again. And that's why voters have to be critical actors in ensuring we're electing state leaders who have that experience and can do it again. Because we certainly know they're planting seeds to potentially create a lot of chaos and confusion in future elections. But we're not going to let them in Michigan or anywhere else.

B (41:04)

No. And you just won your case against the Department of Justice trying to get unredacted voter rolls of Michiganders. You were like, no, we're not. We're not going to let this happen. Here's why. And you won. And so congratulations on that victory, too. So before I let you go, tell everybody where they can find and support your campaign for governor this year again, August, I mean, it's gonna be here before we know it. So let everybody know where they can find support, even from afar, your goals for the governorship. Yep.

C (41:35)

You can go to jocelynbenson.com it's to learn all about me, our positions on making Michigan more affordable, ensuring we are helping to lead the fight to protect our democracy and also lead the fight to make Michigan and other states affordable again. That's our goal. That's our mission. We'll deliver because that's what we do. And you can go to jocelynbenson.com to get involved and support our work.

B (41:59)

Thank you. Thank you so much. Yeah, it's what the people want. That's the way. And I love that you're running your campaign that way and you're asking your constituents, what do you need from me? And you're not telling them what they need. And I think that that's a winning combination. So wish you all the luck in the world. Hope to have you on again soon after the primary when we talk about you running in the general election for governor of Michigan. But it's been wonderful to spend some time with you today.

C (42:22)

Always a pleasure. Thanks for having me and look forward to being back soon.

B (42:26)

No problem at all. Jocelyn Benson, Secretary of State, running for Governor of Michigan. We will see you soon and wish you all the luck in the world. Everybody, everybody, we have some good news that we have to get to, but we have to take a quick break, so stick around. We'll be right back. Before Rocket Money, I was spending way too much time each morning trying to organize my finances. I had to jump between a dozen apps, spent hours scrolling through transactions, moving numbers around, and still feeling unsure if I'd missed something important. That feeling is a sinking feeling. It did not feel like a plan. I felt like I was spending all my time doing damage control. But Rocket Money gave me me a clearer view of everything in one place, which meant less time hunting for answers and more time actually living my life. The best part is the mental relief when you are not constantly wondering what you forgot to track. You can use that time for things that actually matter. Rocket Money is a personal finance app that helps find and cancel your unwanted subscriptions, monitors your spending, and helps lower your bills so you can grow your Savings. Go to RocketMoney.com beans Now one feature I rely on with Rocket Money is the subscription tracking. It shows recurring charges so you can quickly see what you're paying for, what's about to renew, and what you might not even recognize anymore. Then, if you find something you want to drop, Rocket Money lets you cancel within the app with just a few taps. That means less time bouncing between websites and fewer surprise charges landing on your statement when you least expect it. It is a practical, fast application. It helps you stay in control of your spend. So let Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Go to rocketmoney.com beans to join. That's rocketmoney.com beans rocketmoney.com beans you'll be glad you did.

E (44:07)

Hi, I'm Frances Collier. And I'm Angela V. Shelton. And we're Frangela. You know what you need in your life? The Final Word podcast. Yes, you do.

D (44:16)

That's right.

E (44:17)

It is the final word on all things political and pop culture, where we make real news, real funny, where we inspire you so you can hashtag, resist, subscribe, and get a new episode of the Final Word podcast each week. It's the news we think you need to hear.

D (44:32)

That's right.

E (44:32)

We think you need to hear it.

B (44:34)

Okay. Yeah.

E (44:35)

It's what we say.

B (44:36)

So.

D (44:36)

That's right.

E (44:37)

And because all we do is give. Every Thursday you can listen to our hysterical podcast Idiot of the Week. We round up the stupid because you know what? Somebody has has to.

D (44:46)

Okay?

B (44:47)

All we do is give. Everybody welcome back. It's time for the good news. Good news everyone. Then good news everyone. And if you have any good news stories, big or little recent or in the distant past that you would like to share with us that would bring a smile to our face, send it in to us. We would want. We want to microdose hope with you. Send it to us. If you have a good trouble suggestion, we would love to hear that. Maybe you have a shout out to a spouse or a loved one or yourself or a small business in your area or a nonprofit you want us to know about or some great community organizing that's going on in your area. We'd like to hear about that too. And also shout outs to government programs that have helped you or a loved one. Anything at all. Your favorite joke, misheard song lyrics. Whatever. Whatever it is, whatever's on your mind. Send it to us dailybeanspod.com click on contact and all you got to do to get your submission read on the air is pay your POD pet tariff, which means attach a photo of anything. Really anything. It can be your pet and we can try to guess the breeds in your shelter pup. If you want. It can be an adoptable pet in your area. If you don't have a pet, it can be a random animal photo on the Internet. It can be a bird watching photo, which can be an actual bird, or you flipping the bird to a Trump property or a Trump sign or Trump on TV or whatever. Or maybe, you know, hey, we're an equal opportunity bird watching group. Here you can see flipping off Elon Musk or a Tesla dealership. Whatever it is, send it to us. Photos of rallies you've been to, some of your favorite protest signs. Photos of what you're making or creating. Anything at all. Send it to us dailybeanspot.com click on contact and first up is your Good Trouble. This comes from Anonymous. Today we received a number of submissions about this, so shout out to Linda, Lori H. And a few other Anonymous listeners. A time sensitive Good Trouble the public comment period for the White House Ballroom proposal is open. Comments to the U.S. commissions of Fine Arts CFA must be submitted by Wednesday today at 4pm Eastern. That is today. Comments to the National Capital Planning Commission, the NCPC are due by Wednesday, March 4th at noon Eastern for an easy to follow instructions like the little one page on how to do this and how to submit your thoughts. You can find that@savingplaces.org and there are specific criteria that must be met for your comment to be recorded. We'll have a link in the show notes. So that is your time sensitive Good trouble for today. Thank you so much Anonymous and Linda and Lori H and everybody else who sent this in.

D (47:27)

All right, thanks so much Alison. This is from Daniel, pronouncing him from Denver, Colorado. Hello lovely Dana. Hello lovely legume. What is that Les oh lis L I'm learning new words every day.

B (47:43)

Have you ever heard anyone say that's.

D (47:45)

How you spell that?

B (47:46)

Yes.

D (47:49)

Oh my God. I've always said my liege. Now I know my lieges. Okay, this is my first time sending in a submission and I wanted to thank you for the five years I have been with you both and your guests. My ex partner in Oklahoma introduced me to your podcast in 2021 and I have not stopped listening since. I want to echo your listeners past sentiments of all the joy you brought to our lives as well as keeping us informed on this socio political roller coaster around the sun. My initial cue to finally write in it came on Friday when a listener in Augusta, Georgia provided a submission on the data center that was to be potentially built within 350ft of their neighborhood. I'm an environmental and water resources engineer and although currently looking for work, I spent just over the first six years of my career working under a contract through fema, FEMA that vets the projects throughout the US that are built in, over and near floodplains. This involves rigorous engineering design review, hydrologic and hydraulic flood modeling, revision to the different year event floodplains and designated floodways, as well as regulatory outreach to community officials and property owners through the government's MT2 application process. This also includes ESA's Endangered Species act assessments. Your listener spoke of the environmental impact of such a development, which I wholeheartedly share. My initial reaction was to question if this potential development was occurring within the hundred year floodplain and if it would be impacting property owners at up and downstream of where this would be built. If it is, they are required to submit an MT2 application twice to FEMA once before and a second after it's built built. They would be required to notify all property owners if 100 year floodplain is revised on their property and if the bfes, which is the base flood elevations increase on their properties by law. I wanted to share with your listeners another aspect that could potentially be used as good trouble in their respective jurisdictions if they are impacted by such developments. There's an appeal period, which I believe is 90 days if the property is impacted. Although I was not directly involved with the appeals process, I have heard from others that some projects have had considerable issues from property owners not being too happy about their property is now thrown in a floodplain or the already existing one is increasing. I hope this is helpful for listeners across the country as this can impact so many of us, including flood insurance requirements and prices. These concerns can be brought up to the elected officials and representatives as their impacts are tangible with ever increasing storm intensities and flooding events. I also encourage American listeners to utilize FEMA's Map Service center at msc.fema.gov we'll have a link, I'm sure, where you can pull up the firm which is the flood insurance rate map for your particular property to see where your home resides within flood plains that have been delineated. Hmm, interesting. This is a great submission cut. Our people are so smart. For my pot pet tariff I submit my mom's cat Marley, staring at me lovingly as I write to you. She is the sweetest kitty and the rare breed that's always looking for a good belly rub for those she trusts. The second is just me in Denver on a great day. I'm happy to get in touch with listeners who may have a need of an expert in this field.

B (51:18)

That's incredible.

D (51:20)

Also, Daniel, you look really fucking cool and you're the guy I want to learn all this from.

B (51:25)

Yeah. And Daniel, you should contact Project Saltbox with your floodplain expertise. I'm sure they could use somebody with some floodplain expertise to gum up the works for these particular concentration camps. Thank you so much. That is a beautiful kitty. Hi baby. All right, thank you so much for that. That's amazing. All right, next up from Anonymous Pronoun she and her note edited with care for length My dearest ladies of the lagoon, first of all, thanks for everything you do. You're both wonder, wonderful, amazing humans who keep me informed while also helping keep my sense of humor and stay grounded in the knowledge that I am not alone. I would surely have lost all remaining sanity if I hadn't found your podcast. Last year I wanted to share the impact the Walk for Peace has had on me. I put my dog in a car and drove us about five hours to the outskirts of D.C. to see the monks on their peace walk. We were honored to see them during their walk where I bowed, cried and thanked them and was blessed with a flower And a peace charm from two of the monks. And my dog. And I later attended the evening gathering where the venerable Bhikkhu Panakara, if I'm saying that wrong, please let me know. Spoke of loving kindness, meditation, cultivating peace within oneself, and of spreading that peace to others every day. He said, that's how we create a peaceful world. We must first create peace within ourselves and work to maintain that peace. We cannot let others take it from us. In my interpretation, it was a much nicer version of saying, don't let the bastards get you down.

D (52:51)

Down.

B (52:52)

He implored us to spend more time in the present with our loved ones and without our phones. When asked how he would know if the walk was successful, the monk said he didn't think of it as being about success. He simply hoped that there would be some people who would slow down and stop for them. And in doing so, that those people would look within themselves and find peace. He spoke directly from the heart, where he told us that he knows suffering well. And he watched others suffer while not being able to do anything about it. And that's unbearable for him. He felt the need to do something about it, and that's why he planned the walk. When I reflect on it, that is why I felt compelled to make the trip to see them as well. It's been over a week since I got home and I can't stop telling anyone who will listen about it. It is shocking to me how many people haven't heard about the Walk for Peace. I live in a pretty red area and I've been using the story to create an opening with people who I know or assume to be on the other side of things. I've mostly kept politics out of it, but so far not one person has disagreed when I say how much this world needs more peace and kindness in it. There are more of us than there are of them. There is more love in the world than hatred. And we will win. For my Podpet tariff, I submit to you a photo of my very, very good girl, Darcy, who braved the long drive and stood in the crowd in the cold with me for hours to listen to the venerable monks with the flower I received from them. A few people say she reminded them of Alok. She definitely has a similar calm, peaceful demeanor. Feel free to guess her breed. She's a Heinz 57 mix of nine different breeds. But you might be able to guess one or two of the main ones. Well, let's see. Okay. She's adorable.

D (54:25)

She looks like she's got a shepherd Tail. But also, like, she's a little. A little Chihuahua.

B (54:31)

Like, Aussie and. Yeah, a corgi. Just adorable. I know.

D (54:39)

What do you got there?

B (54:40)

There? Yeah, I think shepherds, but let's see, we've got the Great Pyrenees and Pitbull.

D (54:45)

Okay, stop it. Okay, okay. All right.

B (54:51)

Oh. Australian shepherd, German shepherd. Chow bulldog, beagle, boxer, Lab.

D (54:56)

Cute.

B (54:57)

So I got two out of nine.

D (54:59)

It's a beautiful dog. My God.

B (55:02)

Oh, and there. Look at the monks. Absolutely wonderful. How cool that you made that drive. That's so very awesome. And I love how he explained. Like, I just hope people will slow down for a minute and in that moment, find some inner peace. So good.

D (55:15)

All right, we've got. That's beautiful, Allison. Next up is from Carol Pronoun. She and her. Hi, Ag and dg. I was finally prompted to write in about after hearing Dana struggle to pronounce Persephone. In junior high school, I did a presentation on Mesopotamia, including the hippodrome I made out of cardboard. I pronounced it Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia. I've included pictures of my current foster kitties, Torty mom Amber, and her babies. Aaliyah, who's black, Danny, who's orange, and Alyssa, the Torti girl. I walk dogs and foster cats for Animal Friends alliance in Fort Collins, Colorado. I have two dogs and four cats of my own, so I have an endless trove of animal pictures. Oh, my God, this cat. And look at these kittens.

B (56:02)

Okay, I just want all the kittens. Can I just have all the kittens?

D (56:05)

Carol, you can have all the kittens.

B (56:07)

Mesopotamia. I love that. And, yeah, I remember we were reading from the Bible. I went to Catholic school reading from the Bible and theology class, and I think I pronounced the Beatitudes when I very first read it. I. I pronounced it as the beauty tooties. And Ms. Mulder, who was our theology teacher, lost her. It was pretty funny. Beauty tuties. So that's what the Beatitudes are for me from now on.

D (56:34)

I dated someone who was a real estate appraiser, and we. I used to go appraise houses with her, and I was reading the map, so I'd have to tell her where to turn. Turn. And. No, no, I was driving. She was reading the map. Anyway, she said, you need to turn right on Chihuahua. And I said, what? She said, chihuahua Hooa. And I said, I'm pretty sure that's pronounced Chihuahua. Chihuahua, yeah.

B (56:58)

Send us all in your your funniest mispronunciations, because we all have them.

D (57:03)

We do love them.

B (57:04)

Next up, from anonymous hospice nurse thank you for your service as a hospice nurse. Hi, AG and dg. So you had me laughing to my son yourself through no fault of your own. But today's POD for good news. AG said milking goats and all I could think of was Ben Stiller and meet the parents with the cat milking. I have nipples. Could you milk me? Lmao. Hope you all know and have seen it. Yes, I. I do. You didn't tell me about your cat milking days in Detroit in Motown. Excuse me, Motown. But thanks for the my personal laugh. Love you guys. Attaches my POD pet, Tara, if you've seen her before, for wanting to make you laugh and one to make you happy, by the way, she is my gel bean, Zoe Jean. She's a blank. Almost 12 years old. Five pounds. This looks like a little Yorkie poo or something. Adorable. Oh, my gosh. The tongue. I can't.

D (57:56)

I know. I love blips.

B (57:58)

We got a Morkie, a Maltese, and a Yorkie, so I got half. There you go.

D (58:03)

Nice. Well done.

B (58:05)

Anyway, wonderful submissions today. Thank you all so very much. Yeah, I. I can't tell you what this good news segment does for me, so just keep sending. Pile it on. Pile on your good news. Kill us with kindness and laughter and help us microdose that hope with you because we all need it right now. Thanks to Jocelyn Benson for coming on today. She's always a joy to talk to. And one more time, get in on the ground floor, Dana Goldberg.com and. And click on her new Patreon page.

D (58:29)

So that you can join the Dugout. Join the Dugout. Dissenters. Come on.

B (58:33)

Fun. Join the Dugout. And make sure you get all of the information on our shows, all the early stuff.

D (58:40)

My Rants newsletter. Yeah, it's going to be great. We're making some merchandise, some baseball tees and some others that have, like, the little logo, the dugout and the centers on the back. And we're just. It's gonna be fun. And like I said, you support me as an artist, you get in on the ground floor and we have. We're building a community. Let's build a community.

B (58:58)

Let's a take.

D (58:59)

Do it.

B (59:00)

Yeah. Based on laughter. We so need that right now. Art is resistance. Comedy is resistance. And we'll talk about that a little bit more when we talk about Colbert over on the Beans Talk later today. Yes, yes, yes. Thank you all so very much for listening and being amazing. We'll be back on your ears tomorrow. Until then, please take care of yourselves, take care of each other. Take care of the planet, take care of your mental health, and take care of your family. I've been ag. I've been DG and them's the Bean. The Daily Beans is written and executive produced by Allison Gill with additional research and reporting by Dana Goldberg. Sound design and editing is by Desiree McFarlane with art and web design by Joelle Reader with Moxie Design Studios. Music for the Daily Beans is written and performed by they Might Be Giants and the show is a proud member of the MSW Media Network, a collection of creator owned podcasts dedicated to news, politics and justice. For more information please visit mswmedia.com msw media.